New Bedford mayor announces austerity measures following budget cuts

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WLNE) — Following $10.2 million in budget reductions by the New Bedford City Council to his planned budget, New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell said that the city needed to take measures to fulfill its legal obligations.

Mitchell said that many cuts made by the council would leave the city unable to complete some of those obligations, and said that implementing austerity measures in order to restore legally required spending that the Council cut was necessary.

In total, Mitchell announced the following measures online:

• A hiring freeze for non-public safety agencies for the first quarter of the fiscal year.
• The closure of the Casa da Saudade library.
• The reduction of operating hours at the Wilks and Lawler libraries.
• The elimination of the introduction of “Citibot” to enhance customer service at City Hall.
• Deferral of the city-wide census and certain capital maintenance projects at City Hall and the Waldron Barracks, along with sidewalk repairs.
• Reduction in grass cutting and other landscaping at city parks.
• Elimination of the van driver position in the Department of Veterans Services.
• The possibility of “browning out” fire stations as a result of the Council’s cuts to overtime in the fire department

Organizations that will receive restored funding in order for legal obligations to be completed, Mitchell said, include the New Bedford School Department and Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, and additional funds will go toward fulfilling contracts related to trash pickup and cybersecurity.

The city council released a statement reacting to the mayor’s actions, which said, in part, “these are not serious solutions; this is political theater.”