BENTON HARB()H
"To de I ith thi current
fin ncial problem e're current
proj ectin rt fall in general
fund of bout $347,000," Vance
id,
To try dIve the problem city
official were givin th employ
choice to t e 3 percent reduction
in p Y or go to a four-day p y eek.
P conference �ld
April 14, in the LuI Lee
Commi ion Chambers, Vance said
all employees had voluntarily greed
to take a 3 percent reduction in p Y
for the period beginning April 10
I y-o ."
Tume id
re 11y doin
pI . "
He d the city oul
h pe in t in the projecti e
incom of $5.6 millio d not
budget th hole thin but only
bout $4.6 million and the city ould
have $1 million in fund equity. e
also 'd it ould put the city in
better hape when there i
negoitations and pay incre e.
At the April 13, Benton Harbor
City Commis ion meeting, John
"
Sam , Pre ident of the eneral
employees union id they
ppreciate the way the ne
�tration is trying to wor with
By MATIAS RI
c.pIt!l N.w. Swvlc.
LANSINO- The city of Benton Harbor will lose
$93,900 in revenue- baring funds from the state if a
pair of bills in the Legislature pass through the House
and are signed by the governor.
Revenue to local governments generally increase
each year.
However, in an attempt to h lp offset Michigan'
projected $783 million deficit, $34 million in
revenues statewide may be withh ld, The amount
given to local governments would thus tay frozen at
$1.07 billion.
The lost revenu would be more damaging to
Benton Harbor than many other cities that may have
reserve funds and more table financial ituatiollS.
"THE CUTS WOULD be more detrimental there
(Benton Harbor) than a lot of places," id John
Niemela, istant director of state affairs for the
Michigan Municipal League and a lobbyist against
the bill, "Everything we're being told i that it will
pass."
The bills pas ed the Senate last October and are
currently in the House Appropriations Committee.
Since Niemela and other have been lobbying, the
propo ed loss in revenu - baring funds has been
reduced from $57 million to about $34 million.
. Niemela is not satisfied.
"They're calling it a freeze in revenue- haring.
We're calling it a cut," he said.
Benton Harbor Finance Director Mike Vance said
while the city could use additional money, it was not
e�cted.
"WE.WERE going to ume funding at about the
same levels as last year," Vance d. "We were told
funding would remain about the same."
Benton Harbor is one of four financially-pinched
are - Detroit, Ecorse and Royal 0 To hip re
the others-that must keep in clo e con ct with Lans
ing and have their budgeting d ci io approved by
the Dep rtment of Treasury.
The city meets with' financial advi ers and m t
. ubmit annual five-year plans. Thi i to pl n to rep y
about $2.3 million that was previously borrowed in
emergency loan balancing;
Vance aid about 50 percent of B nton Harbor'
6.5 million general fund com from poverty xe
and about on -third ($1.87 million) i state aid. Th
fact that both re e entially frozen h helped put
Benton H rbor in a financial bind. Gov. John Engler
signed a bill freezing property tax e m nts for
1�. .
Th result i that the city m t be frugal with i
pending.
"WE'RE TRYING to' struggle bac to a
reasonably sound fi cal be," Vance said. "Our big
problem is continuing to deliver ervice based on our
revenue situation."
Vance said a total spending freeze on everything
but necessities such as utilities and salaries has been
instituted for the remainder of thi fi cal year, which
ends June 30. Some po itions, uch as one each in the
police and fire departrn nts, have been put on hold.
Rep. Robert Brackenridge, R-St. Jo eph, aid al
though Benton Harbor is in dire financial hape, the
city is beginning to tum things around.
Brackenridge pointed to the benefit of being the
only "enterprise-zone" in th stat ,which gives pe
cial incentives to businesses and has allowed more
than 100 busine e to move into Benton Harbor or
expand since 1986. He id the city has a new attitude
and vision, but 8 10 of almo t $100,000 in tate
revenue can only damage its prog
"The gas that runs the city engine is dollars," he
said. "Anything that takes away money hurts."
"
ercy Memorial edica1 Cen er
is ponsoring a five-part educational
eri for diabeti and their famili
beginning Apri123 through May 21,
from 6:30-8:30 p.m. each Thursday.
The erie i free, but
pre-regi tr tion i required. Call
927-52f.17 on wee days between 8
a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
AID I omeone i
warned about their property
needed cleaned , they will be
given 48 hours to do so, if not they owne expense.
will be ued a ticket. In other busine s the
"I'm going to be fair and 0 r commi ion pproved the
my . ee if you need help in ppointmen of the City' Fire
getting your property clean or Chief Dave Lincoln to be
need tbedepartmcnt's tantin D' or of Public Wor t PaIb
moving something. feel free �_""-II"rKecreation and appointed the
call me, • Yarbrough d. But,"I Finance Director Michael Vance
m putting my feet down on to be the Diredor of Customer
anitatton and clean of the Services.
Lu Buchana and Jarrell Poole relax after retuning from the ·Big Game-. Benton Harbors basketball team
lost In the Class A state chB!"plonshlp to Detrolfs Pershing High School. (Photo By Bemlce Brown)
Kalamazoo
· Symphony Orch ra
The Kalamazoo Symphony
Orchestra will bring its 70th
· Anniversary Season to a clo e on
· Friday, April 24, at 8 p.m. in the
Miller Auditorium, Western
: Michigan University. Yoshimi
Takeda is music director and
conductor,
Tickets are, $20, $16, $10, and are
available at the Miller Auditorium
Ticket Office, 387-2300. Students
and children receive a 50-percent
discount on any seat purchased
before 6 p.m. on April 24.
Toughlov P r nt
Su rt Group
The Tonghlove Parent Support
Group will m t Tuesday, April 21,
at 7:30 p.m. in the nursery of the
Stevensville United M thodist
Church, 5506 Ridge Road. ·
•
African A
e iean Ce eb ation
1992
�uskegon,�chigan
00 m., 9wlday 4:00p.m.
egonCMc
Production .
. 10 &nday 4:00 p.m. Fr&IeI"ItheI Theeler, Mat!
• 'BubbI ng Brown Sug.,' A Muekegon Civic Th t
Production.
C I 722-3852 for tid<et Information.
14 ll'ueday 8:00 p.m. Mu.k MuMun of Art
• Pr .. ,WIon ��
o.n. P. Bel, 8pCI1ICI ed � rtendI d LI»rwy.
15 FrtdIay 4:00 p.m. PWlic LInry
• Dl8CU8IIon P., epoI*>I.ct by Fri
H.ckIfIt Lftnry.
18 Saturday 8:00 a.m.-5:oo p.m. egon Commtrlity College
• Mayfest 1992: PRIDE In our Culture
28 Trureday 12:10-12:50 p.m. Muskegon Muaeum of Art
• Brown Bag l.8cture : 'Romare ee.den' -FIlm
21 Friday 12:30 p.m. F,....,thaI T
• PhIl CrMoh. MetropoI Opera T enor-P«fonnance
F .... to Youlh, 1pOI.net � egon Comm Concert
T8A r:r..n.t.I Civic
* 'TheG1oIII W�
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