Mayor James L. Richetelli Jr. called his proposed $71,724, 978 million 2008-09 budget, which represents a 2.36 percent increase a “bare bones” spending plan that just maintains current services.

The current city budget is $169,047,545 budget for the current fiscal year, and Richetelli’s proposal calls for an additional $1.65 million in spending.

Richetelli said no new programs are being added, and that one new police officer and a new auditor are the only positions added. The Mayor did say that because the Board of Education has approved an $82.9 million budget or a 6.4 percent increase that it may lead to a tax increase. Richetelli said he’s disappointed that the Democrats campaigned on a theme of fiscal responsibility, but the Democratic controlled school board failed to make any reductions.

Richetelli said he reduced department heads requests by $5.4 million. Read more about this in Saturday's New Haven Register, or check www.nhregister.com, or this blog.