Victorino on Budget: The new norm is to do it with what you have, not with the futuristic borrowing and selling your soul for the future”

“I heard today a number of the departments defending their turf, and that’s fine, I understand.  I’ve been through those kinds of exercises when I was in the business world—you come in and you justify your expenses, positions, expansions and deletions.  They did a good job and I respect that.  It’s our responsibility now to take it to the next step.  And the Mayor is going to have to work with us,” said Victorino.

Council member Michael Victorino. File Graphic/Photo by Wendy Osher.

“As one department said: ‘let’s let everything go and then over the next year, we can go and figure all of it out.’  We’ll, I’m sorry we don’t have the time.  Now is the reality,” said Victorino.

“We can’t wait until next year.  We can’t wait until July and then decide what we’re going to do,” said Victorino.

“I went after premium pay because in the business world, when things go bad, you cut out premium pay, you cut out overtime.  But I know some departments we had no choice,” said Victorino.

“So from that $12 million, I think I cut something like $2 million in that area.  I really believe that was the area to save money,” said Victorino.

“If anybody out there says this is the chair’s budget and he should be reprimanded or chastised, I’ve got something to tell them.  Come talk to all of us because we all were part of it,” said Victorino.

“Hopefully we don’t have to lay off people, but if we have to take two days furlough, then we take two days furlough.  If we have to cut back more on services, we cut back.  So long as the public understands that these cutbacks are for all their good,” said Victorino.

“If I don’t have a dollar to give you, then I cannot give your that dollar.  And that’s the way it’s always been.  My parents taught me that, my grandparents taught me that.  In those days we had no credit card, so if you didn’t have it, you didn’t buy it.  Maybe it’s time we realize, that’s the new norm.  The new norm is to do it with what you have, not with the futuristic borrowing and selling your soul for the future,” said Victorino.

(Posted by Wendy Osher)