The Utica Common Council is approving an override of the state's  2% tax cap for the City's newest budget.

According to 4th District Councilman Joe Marino, the cap prevents the city from having to pay a penalty if the upcoming budget is difficult to work with.

Marino says the cap has been used in the past and is a contingency plan.

The legislation passed by a vote of 7-2 with Council members Frank Vescera and David Testa as the only negative votes.

The Common Council has also approved a measure that would keep another Charter School from opening in the City of Utica in the near future.

Councilman Joe Marino wrote the proposal and says the council and the school district need to work together on this issue to keep money in the public school system.

Marino says that if another unproven entity like a Charter School is allowed to take even more money from the district, it could result in endless cuts to the public school's budget.

Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi has stated that the city's' existing Charter School siphons more than 1.5 million dollars from the already underfunded Utica School District and adding another one would mean even more layoffs and programs cut.

 

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