2015 Budget Proposal Special Edition of Portsmouth this Week

Town Administrator John Klimm and new Town Finance Director, Jim Lathrop, discussed the proposed 2015 Portsmouth budget on Friday's Portsmouth this Week. In his budget letter to the Town Council (available online on the Town website at www.portsmouthri.com ) and on the show, Klimm made a good case for continuing with the budgetary reforms started two years ago, which included, among other things, funding needed road maintenance and repair, beefing up the Town's "rainy day fund" to meet recommended levels, and addressing the Town's pension funding deficit. New Finance Director Jim Lathrop, has come to us from Finance positions in New London, CT and in Westerly, RI, where he was able to successfully combine the Finance director positions of the school system and the town, something that has also been proposed in Portsmouth. Klimm indicated that Lathrop has taken the Finance Director's job at a very busy time, but has already provided valuable assistance and expertise in the preparation of our budget.

The recommended budget raises the Town/School total budget to almost $58 million, a 2.2% increase over last year that will result in a 2.4% increase in taxes. The budget is now in the hands of the Town Council, who will be holding public hearings in the coming weeks. If you want to know more about how your tax dollars will be spent and why some hard decisions have to be made, watch the show at http://youtu.be/df24mCbhZPY and find details on the Town website.

Portsmouth this Week, the “Voice of Portsmouth Town Hall” is a weekly public TV program sponsored by Town Administrator John Klimm to provide a forum for issues of concern to the Portsmouth Community. These programs are aired on Cox Channel 18 at various times and are posted on Youtube for viewing anytime. Links to past editions can be accessed from the Town’s website.