Serfilippi at Budget Hearing - March

“Of the four residents who spoke, Dennis Serfilippi had the most questions.

He wanted to know why the budget was not available in excel so it can be easily analyzed; he asked how much of the capital budget is being used to generate efficiencies in the departments “do more with less and do it better.”

He also asked asked how the city can prepare a budget for the New Haven Fire Department and for the New Haven Police Department without a study of what their actual staffing needs are.

Serflippi asked why it takes $25,000 a year to educate one student in its public school system; he asked why the $400 million education system still does not have a chief financial officer; he wants to know if there is money for operational audits for any of the departments; was there money in the proposed budget to pay the young police officers a bigger salary to keep them from leaving after they are trained. The police’s contract is in binding arbitration.

He asked how much the mayor’s police protection costs; he also inquired about money to improve the main thoroughfares of Whalley, Dixwell and Grand avenues. Serflippi asked about the 5-year budget is. If it is available, he wants to see it in excel. He didn’t get his answers at the budget hearing.”

https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/New-Haven-budget-hearing-reveals-revenue-boosts-13680813.php