Elm City Resident Card

(3/11/2010) Q: The citizens of New Haven were promised by many Alders and the Mayor that the Municipal ID program would only be paid for by grant funding yet we see $53,833 for a staff member (does not include pension and benefits, or unassigned managers who oversee this project) and $190,372 (in the general fund Form 106 for the CSA) in operating expenses totaling about $1/4 Million dollars. I have no philosophical problems with this program. I did state before it was approved that I didn't think we could afford to add a new program into the budget. I still feel that way. Why is this in the general fund budget?

A:The $190K in the General Fund CSA was a request that was not accepted by the Mayor. The budget recognizes that the ID card has become a standard City Document and as such transfers the responsibility to the Office of Vital Statistics. The Office, which has been understaffed, will see the addition of one new staff position $35,351 (the second position was previously funded with special funds).