[Referendum of 11-21-1968]
Not later than February first of each year, the Mayor shall
submit to the Board of Finance a proposed fiscal budget. Said fiscal
budget shall consist of:
(1) A budget message outlining the financial policies of the City government
and describing in connection therewith the important features of the
budget plan;
(2) Estimates of revenue, presenting in parallel columns the itemized
receipts collected in the last-completed fiscal year and receipts
estimated to be collected in the current fiscal year and estimates
of the receipts estimated to be collected in the ensuing fiscal year;
(3) Itemized estimates of expenditures presenting in parallel columns
the actual expenditures for each department, office, agency or activity
during the last fiscal year, the amount estimated to be expended in
the current fiscal year and the amount estimated to be expended in
the next fiscal year;
(4) As a separate report thereto, a program previously considered and
approved by the Planning and Zoning Board, a budget of proposed capital
projects for the ensuing fiscal year and for the four fiscal years
thereafter. Estimates of the costs of such projects shall be submitted
by each department, office or agency of the City government annually
as directed by the Mayor. The Mayor shall recommend those capital
projects to be undertaken during the ensuing fiscal year and the methods
of financing the same.
[Referendum of 11-8-1972]
The board of finance upon receipt of the proposed fiscal budget
from the Mayor shall hold one or more public hearings at which any
elector or taxpayer of the City may have an opportunity to be heard
on the said proposed budget. Not later than March 31 of each year,
the Board of Finance shall submit to the Board of Aldermen the proposed
fiscal budget in the form prescribed in Section 1 and make a recommendation
as to the tax rate to be fixed for the ensuing fiscal year. The Board
of Aldermen shall hold a public hearing on said proposed fiscal budget.
[Referendum of 11-21-1968]
Not later than May seventh of each year, the Board of Aldermen
shall adopt and file with the Town Clerk the budget for the ensuing
fiscal year and fix the tax rate to be levied on property in the City
in the ensuing year. The Board of Aldermen may reduce or delete any
item therein by a majority of members present and voting but it will
require a vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting to
increase the budget or to add any item thereto or increase any item
therein.
The fiscal year for the City shall commence on July first and
shall terminate the following June thirtieth.
When as a result of any general municipal or special election
it is necessary to break a tie, a special election confined to the
tied candidates shall be held within 30 days after such election to
determine which candidate is elected.
[Referendum of 11-7-1972; Referendum of 11-8-1983]
The Mayor, Town Clerk, Registrars of Voters, and City constables
and appointed members of boards and commissions may be recalled by
the electors of the City. Any member of the Board of Aldermen, Board
of Education or the elected members of the Planning and Zoning Board
may be recalled by the electors of the aldermanic district which that
member represents.
An affidavit shall be filed with the Town Clerk containing statements
of the grounds for recall. Such affidavit shall be accompanied by
a petition signed by the electors of the City, or in the case of the
Board of Aldermen or the Board of Education or elected members of
the Planning and Zoning Board the aldermanic district, to the number
of ten per cent of the electors of the City, or in the case of the
Board of Aldermen or the Board of Education or elected members of
the Planning and Zoning Board of the aldermanic district and certified
by the Town Clerk as correct. A referendum shall be held within 30
days in the district or districts involved, the form of the question
being as nearly as may be, "Shall A be recalled?" The voting machines
shall provide a means of voting "yes" or "no". If a majority of those
voting, which shall represent at least twenty-five per cent of the
electors of the City or of the aldermanic district involved shall
approve, the elected official or appointed board and commission member
whose recall is sought shall vacate his office. If the recall of more
than one elected official and/or appointed board and commission member
is sought, there shall be a separate question for each. If the elected
official or appointed board and commission member resigns, a referendum
need not, in his case, be held. If the elected official or appointed
board and commission member is recalled, his position shall be filled
as provided in this charter.
[Referendum of 11-6-1973]
The electors of the City may introduce legislation before the
Board of Aldermen in the following manner: If a petition signed by
five per cent of the electors of the City and stating the matter to
be considered is filed with the Town Clerk and certified as correct,
an election shall be held within 30 days of certification of the petition
and the question shall be asked "Shall the following matter be put
before the Board of Aldermen?" followed by a statement in detail of
the matter. Any matter involving proposed bonding issues shall be
expressed and include not only the principal amounts to be bonded
but also the total projected interest charges on said proposal as
determined by the Director of Finance. The voting machines shall provide
a means of voting "yes" or "no" on each question so presented. If
a majority of those voting, which shall represent at least 25% of
the electors of the City, shall approve, the matter shall be submitted
to the Board of Aldermen at its next regular meeting. It will require
a vote of two-thirds of the members of the Board of Aldermen to disapprove
any legislation so introduced.
Any action by the Board of Aldermen shall be subject to overrule
as follows: If a petition, signed by five per cent of the electors
of the City and specifying the matter to be overruled, is filed with
the Town Clerk and certified by him to be correct, an election shall
be held within thirty days of date of certification of the petition
and the question shall be asked "Shall the following action of the
Board of Aldermen be approved?" followed by a statement of the action,
and the voting machines shall provide a means of voting "yes" or "no"
on each question so presented. Any action so submitted to the voters
shall stand approved unless a majority of those voting thereon shall
have voted "no" and such majority shall equal in number at least twenty-five
per cent of all the electors in the City.