City of Quincy looking at $47.2 million operating budget for next fiscal year

QUINCY — Quincy Comptroller Sheri Ray presented a first look at the city’s budget for FY 2023 at Monday night’s Quincy City Council meeting.

The proposed $47.2 million budget is $2 million lower than the final FY 2022 budget, but is nearly $8 million higher than the budget approved last April.

Ray said the budget increased as revenues increased as the city received additional funds from the state as well as more money from taxes on gaming, marijuana, and food and beverage sales. The city had $7 million more in revenue than what was anticipated, bringing in more than $46 million.

Aldermen must sign off on a new spending plan by April 30, so the presentation gives them time to consider the administration’s proposal.

The budget includes an average of 2.75 percent in salary increases for employees as well as two more firefighters to get back up to staffing levels. The plan would put the Quincy Fire Department at 57 firefighters. QFD has been spending more salaries in overtime to make up for the shortage and city officials say adding two firefighters will reduce overtime spending.

The city is projected to be at 314 full-time employees, which is one more than last year when the city added three employees to the street crew. Quincy had 338 city employees back in 2010.

Employee salaries and benefits make up 62 percent of the overall budget and police and fire staffing account for 60 percent of city salaries.

The budget also includes more than $9 million in employee pension obligations.

Quincy Utilities and Engineering Director Jeff Conte also gave aldermen a look at $14.6 million he’s proposing in infrastructure repairs.

Conte proposed:

• $2 million to repairs on Jackson Street from the 500 block to the 800 block, where the sewer has collapsed.
• $1.7 million for work on water mains and abandoned railroad tracks in the 600 block of North Second street near McNay Trucking.
• $1.4 million for storm sewers, curbs and gutter work additions along Wells Avenue, Center Avenue and North 17th.
• $1.2 million to replace a sanitary sewer and street work from the 1800 block to the 2100 block of Hampshire.
• $800,000 for curb and gutter work, water main replacement on Adams Street from the 1400 block to the 1600 block.
• $470,000 was budgeted for the Fox Run West Replacement Project, which aims to reduce flooding in the area.
• $450,000 in street repairs on North Avenue east of 18th Street.