By Abbe Smith , Special to the News
12/12/2008
WEST HAVEN - Some residents are accusing Allingtown fire commissioners and the fire chief of using "scare tactics" to pressure voters into passing a budget next week.
Allingtown Fire Chief Peter Massaro has warned that the department is in danger of losing fire and paramedic service if a budget with a tax increase does not pass.
In the meantime, West Haven Fire Department Chief James P. O'Brien said he is working on a contingency plan in case the Allingtown department is forced to close in the near future.
"We are not legally obligated to go and provide protection to Allingtown. However, somebody is going to have to, whether it is us or New Haven," O'Brien said. "If there is an emergency or fire in that neighborhood, somebody's going to go."
The Allingtown district took a huge hit last year when it accepted and included in its budget a $400,000 overpayment from the city.
When the city demanded repayment, Allingtown was left with a shortfall. The mistake angered many residents.
"I don't know how I am going to vote. I'm upset about what is going on," Allingtown resident Margaret Krzeminski told the City Council at Monday night's meeting.
Regarding warnings that the district could collapse or that the state could come in and take over Allingtown, like it took over the city's finances in 1992, Krzeminski said: "It is a scare tactic."
Jeffrey Beckham, spokesman for the state Office of Policy and Management, said the state cannot just come in and take over a city or fire district without a special act passed by the legislature, as was the case in 1992.
Former Mayor H. Richard Borer asked for state assistance in 1992 to help the city pay its bills in the face of a $17 million deficit.
At the time, the city was experiencing some of the same financial difficulties, such as worries about making payroll, that now face the Allingtown fire district. In response to Borer's plea, state lawmakers passed emergency legislation to bail West Haven out and created a financial review board to oversee city finances.
Massaro said this week his warnings about the department's financial crisis are serious.
"It's not a scare tactic; it's reality," he said.
Massaro said the department could face firefighter layoffs and may have to eliminate its paramedic service if a budget is not passed.
Residents who spoke at the City Council meeting wondered what would happen if the fire district did go belly up.
Resident Steve Greene suggested that the Center and West Shore fire departments would come in if Allingtown goes bankrupt. Robert Wittkofske argued that consolidation may be the answer.
"If this city is going to survive, these departments need to consolidate," he said.
Outspoken taxpayer-advocate Curtis Jordan urged Allingtown commissioners to renegotiate the pension in the face of a $16 million pension liability plaguing the department.
"If they don't renegotiate their pension, then that budget should not pass," he said.
Resident Gary Perdo urged both sides to work together to find a solution to the budget crisis.
"It's not a good idea to make enemies of the people sworn to protect you," he warned.
Massaro has previously argued that fire district consolidation is years away at best and will not provide an immediate solution to the current financial crisis.
New Haven lawyer John "Chip" Walsh, who is representing firefighters in discussions with the district about how to keep the department operational, last week argued that if the Allingtown Fire Department collapses, the West Haven and West Shore departments are not legally responsible to provide fire service in Allingtown.
And assuming another department agrees to cover Allingtown, response times on fires and paramedic calls could suffer greatly.
O'Brien echoed that concern and noted that his department would respond to calls in Allingtown from the Center station, but that his primary obligation is to the people of the Center District.
"I'm hoping that cooler heads prevail and the budget passes," he said.
The budget hearing will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Forest School, 95 Burwell Road.
Taxpayers need to bring identification and will be checked in before the meeting starts. People should arrive by 5:45 p.m. to check in.
The proposed budget will be available to the public five days before the budget meeting.
©West Haven News 2009