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Mayor Lowery’s Plan: A ‘Comprehensive Fiscal Reponse’ to Recession
Mayor Robert Lowery of Florissant said his office is preparing a sweeping and pro-active plan to deal with the local impact of the current economy, which he called “one of the most severe fiscal crisis to hit our nation in a generation.”
“Simply put, my office is developing a Comprehensive Fiscal Response to present to the City Council,” he said in a statement, He said he has full faith and confidence that the council will support the measures in this response to keep the City of Florissant on firm financial ground.
He said his plan is in response to projections that show major reductions in revenue from sales tax, Lowery announced the following parameters.
“First, that there should be no elimination of vital services to the public. Second, that we enhance revenues where we can, but that the residents of Florissant are not in a position to support any major tax increase and I would not support any move to implement a residential property tax.”
“Third, in broad terms, the plan calls on every department, save one, to share in the belt-tightening. The sole exception is the City Police as there can be no reduction in our response to crime prevention and public safety.”
The mayor said he’ll be asking everyone help us do more for less. “Will it mean sacrifice on the part of employees, yes. But every employee should know that my personal goal is to see us through this period with few, if any, reductions in staffing levels. Preserving jobs is important.”
Lowery said he plans to use some available fund balances on a temporary basis and to rebuild those fund levels for a future rainy day, “The kind we had built up through the years, for times like these.”
Mayor Lowery also made an appeal to average citizens, stating, “I believe strongly that our nation is recovering, albeit slowly, from this terrible recession. One of the best things an individual citizen of Florissant can do is to support our local merchants. As local businesses recover, and consumer confidence returns to previous levels, so shall the fiscal fortunes of Florissant rise as well.”
