Remarks by Christopher M. Peckham, Sr.
79 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 3 of 4
“Am I right or am I wrong? You're wrong. I'm wrong? You should have called this meeting even though she's got somewhere to be and shouldn't be here tonight?”
“Well, that's fine. Yes, she should be. She's a chief financial officer. I understand. And she shouldn't have made plans during budget season, just like I couldn't. But she relied on people. Well, that's fine, and I relied on myself being here to pass a $490 million budget. We appreciate it. You're welcome. So I'm going to touch upon the $40,000. I think we've had this conversation. I really don't care about it. I have many more issues than that 40,000 that everybody keeps talking about. But I'm going to touch upon why I have those problems, and I want to tell you a story since you're sitting…”
“Yeah, well, listen, leaders don't rush things through, especially when they're the helm of a ship called a municipality.”
“Okay, this is the largest budget this city has ever seen. All right. So now you know where I stand from, right? I'm looking out for people like my mother and all of these people in the city of Fall River that you forget about.”
“Yep. Unfortunately, some more than others. No, no. Yes. Yes. And this is frustrating. So I'm gonna I'm gonna move on, Mr. Mayor. It's my opinion, but it's great. It's quite proven. Believe me. Miss up. Let me ask you a question without one time money. Could you balance this budget?”
“Thank you. So if we didn't approve that transfer to the Diamond Stabilization Fund, where would we be right now?”
“Just fiscally, where would we be? If we didn't have the $4 million, where were you going to pull it from?”
“Now what about the other $150,000 in free cash? I'm going to add that on top of it. Where are we getting that from? Actually, let me sum it up, I guess, easier. How do we look in FY28? I'm actually going to direct that question to you, Mr. Mayor. Do you know what we look like going into FY28?”
“And what is it at today? I think I asked the last thing.”
“And where does our debt service stand for FY28?”
“All right, so if we have local receipts that are like leveling off at 1.6 or 1.8, where are we getting the money to pay for all of this next year?”
“So the point I'm getting at here, I guess, the marijuana money. So that's another question I have. That's an increase of $100,000. I think you said that's because of the...”
“And that's not with Diamond and that's not with Conley.”
“So with Conley, that's another 1.8 or 2.2, roughly, if we go 20 years at 4%. Yeah. So to add that to the Conley bill, so that's another 6.8. Potentially, yes. Roughly on top of this. correct and again i don't have those numbers but it's and it's not set in that sense so that's why i didn't include that in that i just think we're burying ourselves i do i really do you wouldn't say this is a structural deficit we just got the million from ems that you tried to put in there like it just i tried to put in there from the cost of the indirect agreement yes yes i i um”
“We don't even know what that's going to be.”
“I would not have put it in front of you if it was 490. What is it? $500 million. I think isn't a good idea in this. I need to know if we're in a structural deficit, if we're pulling money from free cash or wherever else to backfill the budget, then we have a massive problem here.”
“Yeah, the problem is, is you raise the tax. the marijuana tax by $100,000, and that's not a reoccurring thing either.”
“Okay, so you feel like calmly purchasing calmly was a fantastic idea.”
“All right. Yeah. My problem here is everything seems like it's speculation, hypotheticals. We're hoping that this comes in.”
“Well, I know my colleagues have questions, so I'll leave it at that. With that, I yield. Thank you. Councilman Seat 4, Council Vice President Dionne.”
“Just one last thing on top of all the things I said we have to pay for next year. We're negotiating contracts, too, correct?”
“Okay, so you're projecting that to fall within that $600,000?”
“Did you take rank, structure, seniority, and all that into consideration with the $600,000? Yes, absolutely.”
“Point of clarification. Councilman C6. If you don't mind, Council. Mr. Mayor, what's the point of all this? If she's stating that she doesn't, she didn't have enough time to do this. if she doesn't have them she doesn't have the numbers ready what was the point of circumventing the council president to have this meeting tonight if nobody's prepared because it's the last day of the budget year and i thought we could get it done based on the meeting with the uh council president and the vice chairman okay so a horse and pony show on the last day of the month before we go to a one-to-one that's…”
“But with that I yield, I'm ready to take a vote.”