DeLand residents speak out on budget - The DeLand-Deltona Beacon

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DeLand residents speak out on budget

BEACON PHOTO/BARB SHEPHERD
Urges pay cut — At the Sept. 9 budget hearing, brick mason Chris Lagi of DeLand urges the DeLand City Commission to reduce the wages of the highest-paid city workers by 5 percent. It would send a message to the community, he said, that the City Commission understands the economic hardship many residents are experiencing. Seated at right is DeLand Finance Director Kevin Lewis. Visible on the dais is City Clerk Julie Hennessey.

By Barb Shepherd
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Sep 17, 2009 - 2:42:44pm

At the City of DeLand budget hearing Sept. 9, Chris Lagi didn’t talk about his own unemployment. Instead, he spoke to City Commission members about the gravity of the economic slowdown that is strangling many of their constituents financially.

Commissioners were deliberating over a budget that — despite expenses being cut by 22.36 percent — will still increase taxes for 48 percent of DeLand property owners.

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Lagi, a brick mason for 30 years, asked the commission to cut further, by slicing 5 percent from the wages of every city worker who makes more than $30,000 a year.

“A 5-percent cut would still leave the city workers well above where most people are,” Lagi said.

He said DeLand could show leadership by being first among Florida local governments to take a step that may be unavoidable in the future for most governmental agencies.

“DeLand would again distinguish itself among other cities and the county,” Lagi said.

An across-the-board pay cut of 5 percent for employees who make more than $30,000 would save the city $563,040 in pay and benefits, the city manager said. Of DeLand’s 330 employees, 220 make more than $30,000 a year.

“I want you to look out the window,” Lagi urged commissioners. “I don’t know how working-class people are feeding their kids.”

Lagi was joined by three others who came to City Hall to speak out about the budget. Two tennis players urged the city to find a way not to eliminate the caretaker who opens the tennis courts at Earl Brown Park at night.

DeLand attorney Tanner Andrews urged the commission to reduce the cost of the planning and zoning departments. Andrews said the growth those departments encourage is a bad investment for the city, and ends up raising costs for taxpayers in the long run.

“We’re still spending a very large part of the budget — it’s getting close to a million, I believe — to subsidize growth,” Andrews said.

Responding to all four residents who spoke about the budget, DeLand Mayor Bob Apgar said the City Commission is open to “responsible” ways to cut expenses.

The mayor said commissioners did keep residents in mind in making the budget and setting the millage rate. He noted commissioners and city workers are part of that DeLand community.

“We’re citizens, too, and our employees are citizens,” Apgar said. “I’m very comfortable that it’s a responsible millage rate.”

On the topic of the tennis court, City Manager Michael Pleus got the go-ahead to talk to groups that use the courts at night about whether they would be willing to pay higher fees to cover the costs of electricity and the caretaker.

— info@beacononlinenews.com

Reader Comments

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taxed | posted Sep 21, 2009 - 8:59:41am

Waaaa taking food out of your kids mouth? Are all the people that are unemployed and have kids also suppose to feel sorry for you? At least you people have a job. Take a cut and lose the overpaid not needed fat cats. If the city keeps going down the same road, there may not be that many people living in DeLand to tax. People are moving out of Florida. Cut those salaries and get rid of the dead wood.

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Taxpayer | posted Sep 18, 2009 - 11:03:36pm

Thank you Mr. Lagi for speaking on behalf of all of us! The city has so many top heavy, over-paid employees. Remember, at the last lay-off, the Beacon reported the lay-off of an employee whose salary was over $100,000 per year. You could probably just cut the wages of the $50K+ employees and that would be a good start to balancing the city's budget and while they're at it, they should look at eliminating some of those positions completely. Do they really need an assistant city manager, and an assistant finance director? How about an over-paid, finance director, HR director and I.T. manager? Then, the $30,000 employees who probably do most of the work anyway might be able to get a raise and the citizens of DeLand would get some relief. A win-win situation for all!

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Deland Taxes killing me!! | posted Sep 18, 2009 - 11:18:19am

I am all for getting this outrageous tax problem under control. In fact, I may just have to move out of Deland because of this. However, the real city workers should NOT have to take a pay cut! How much is that really going save doing this?? If anything trim that fat from the suits that cannot make fiscally responsible decisions. By the way Mr. Lagi, $30,000/year is not that much money! I make a good amount more and a 5% paycut would put me on the streets or close to it at this point.

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Muddogs | posted Sep 18, 2009 - 11:06:23am

In response to the comments made by Mr. Lagi and his proposed cut of 5%. I am one of those workers with the city that makes just over $30,000 a year with DeLand. I am the sole supporter of a wife and kid. I own a house in DeLand unlike some of my other counterparts that work with me. So I not only work, but live and pay city and county taxes too. I own a home here and pay about $1300 a month for my mortgage, besides my other expenses.I have a daughter going to college fulltime and works a job to help pay her way. Can she afford a text book bill and lab fees that were well over $800. Nope, so guess who paid it, yep it was Mom and Dad. My wife was out of work for a while, but thankfully found a job this year making minimum wages. I am living paycheck to pay check like most people right now. I don't have the luxury of being able to take vacations right now or buy some appliances that we desperately need to function as a family. I've gone the last several years without a pay raise or a cost of living increase. We are just like everybody else in this current situation, trying to get by on what little bit we have.I can go without a payraise this year or next year. I'm just thankful to have a job and enjoy working for my city.

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Sherry | posted Sep 18, 2009 - 9:59:08am

The City Commission, Citizens, and Newspaper should discuss the reduction of employees at the City of DeLand,

I think 52 positions have been eliminated. As of July 1, 2009. Ask the Finance Director, Not the City Manager.

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Jason | posted Sep 17, 2009 - 9:57:05pm

Well said instigator23. Eventhough I never received double digit raises, I usually got between 6 and 8 percent while government workers received 2 or 3 percent. I think you deserve a raise and in no way should you have to take a pay cut.

What councils across Volusia County need to do is close the gap between lower payed workers and workers making over $50,000.

If a 3 percent raise is given to someone making 50 grand they get a $1,500 raise while someone making 20 grand only gets $600.

That needs to be fixed.

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instigator23 | posted Sep 17, 2009 - 8:08:58pm

Where was Mr. Lagi and others when times were good a few years ago? Were they calling for city or county workers to get a 5% or 10% raise when their private sector counterparts were enjoying double digit earnings? Nope. They seem fine with the fact that government workers were getting 2% COLAs and no merit increases so why are they complaining now? I know times are tough and I'm good with no raises this year and even next year, but to call for a wage reduction for workers who are already grossy underpaid when compared to their counterparts is asking way too much. I'm one of those earning over $30K a year and I earn every penny. I choose to be a public servant, but I don't want to be punished because some people want to take the easy way out and cut the salaries of those that have worked hard for more than 20 years to get where they are today.

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Delandite | posted Sep 17, 2009 - 7:15:05pm

Mr. Lagi asks the city commission to cut workers making over $30,000 a year and then in the next instant he tells them to look out the window because he doesn't know how working-class people are feeding their kids. Ummmm, did he fail to think about those making at or just above $30,000 and are trying to feed their kids? Really? $30,000 is not a lot to raise a family on. How about the ones who make the big bucks. Asking these people to take a paycut when their electric bills have almost doubled, their taxes are going up, their insurance goes up, is REALLY taking food out of the mouths of their kids. How about if the city commission doesn't give themSELVES a raise? There have to be better ways to make the budget work. I am not a city employee, I just understand the plight of families everywhere that are making the huge sum of $30,000.....

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Delands taxes are threw the roof.... | posted Sep 17, 2009 - 7:12:41pm

but taking 5% paycut from city workers IS NOT the way to begin to fix the problem.... Those employees have family's to support also. That would be extremely UNFAIR to cut theyre pay just because they have a job for the city.

Find another way. A good way to start might be to let the county fire department take over a station or two,or possibly the entire depart.

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