[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...&TM=47817.3

Council Passes 2008 Budget
$55 million budget is approved 7-2, with some objecting to funding set for Parks Department.

Jason Miller
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - The Michigan City Common Council approved its 2008 budget Tuesday despite misgivings from at least one council member about what he called uncontrolled spending.

"There's a lot of good proposed in the proposed appropriation, but also there's a lot of bad," Paul Przybylinski, D-2nd Ward, Tuesday said. "There are a lot of blank checks being made."

The $55 million city budget passed 7-2 with Przybylinski and Councilman Angelo Corley, D-1st Ward, voting no. Both have expressed in recent weeks their opposition to spending - especially within the Parks Department - and a perceived lack of spending in some parts of the community.

Both have asked why the city doesn't spend more money enhancing neighborhood parks and making more opportunities for inner-city children. Tuesday, Przybylinski asked why the city doesn't pay off a Parks Department bond and spend the savings on a community center.

"I believe this has become a dropped issue," he said. "There's a big segment of our community that's being forgotten."

Councilman Ron Meer, D-3rd Ward, voted to approve the budget, but agreed with Przybylinski that other community organizations are being forgotten.

"There are other organizations in Michigan City that have struggled and I haven't seen anybody step up to help them," Meer said.

Councilman Phil Jankowski, D-6th Ward, voted to approve the budget despite issues with the Parks Department. Two weeks ago, Jankowski presented two amendments to the budget. One would eliminate a $250,000 line item for a new fleet of 80 golf carts for Michigan City Municipal Golf Course and the other would have cut a line item for lawn mowing equipment for the Parks Department.

The council also approved a budget a 3 percent raise for appointed officials and city employees, but tabled a budget ordinance setting salaries for the mayor, city clerk and City Council members. The ordinance was tabled because it wasn't published in local media as required by law.



Contact reporter Jason Miller at jmiller@thenewsdispatch.com