Historical June 1995 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Alderman Dan McGuire, whose ward includes most of Skinker DeBaliviere, is the new chairman of the Ways and Means Committee.
As chairman of this committee, he helps to oversee the City’s budget process.
This committee has also had a great deal of influence on the City’s plans for a new jail. ‘The budget and the jail are tied together” McGuire explained. Mayor Bosley’s plan for crime prevention involved $6 million for a new jail downtown and $1 million for crime prevention programs.
The Mayor’s original plan called for $3 million of the $7 million to come from the 1/2 cent sales tax passed by voters 2 years ago.
The board of Estimate and Apportionment, made up of the Mayor, Comptroller and President of the Board of Aldermen, approved this plan. ” But the money from the sales tax was supposed to be used for neighborhood improvements and park and street repairs.” McGuire noted.
The board of E & A reconsidered its approval of using the sales tax revenue.
This left only $3 million for the jail and $1 million for prevention programs.
The Ways and Means Committee “did not feel that the plans for the jail or for the recreation center were fully developed.” McGuire said.
The committee removed those funds from the budget. “That way the funds cannot be spent on something else.
The money will be set aside, and if the plans become more fully developed, we could spend the money on a new jail.” McGuire said. “Essentially, the committee did not say ‘no’ to the plan, we simply said ‘not now’.”
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, June 1995.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times1995_06.pdf, printed page(s) 3; PDF page(s) 3.
