Reprinted from The Trumbull Times © Copyright 2010
March 18, 2010

By Donand Eng

Three full months of budget work has paid off in a $1 million savings for taxpayers, according to numbers released by First Selectman Tim Herbst Wednesday morning.

Herbst, who made identifying $1 million in operational savings in his first 100 days in office one of his top campaign promises, issued the statement on March 17, his 101st day in office.

"I am proud of the fact that we identified $1 million dollars in operational savings, while maintaining senior tax relief and maintaining our leaf pick up program," Herbst wrote. "We were able to achieve savings while sustaining town services."

In a spreadsheet issued with Herbst's statement, he and Town Treasurer John Ponzio showed the bulk of the savings coming from.

three items: Eliminating the natatorium (swimming pool) from the Trumbull High renovation, at an annual savings of $350,000; Salaries and benefits from four Public Works Department staff reductions, $269,216; and eliminating the "free" health care benefits the town had been providing to several dozen employees, $231,285.

"By reducing eligible employees that receive health care benefits and eliminating the practice of 'free' healthcare, we were able to save the taxpayers $231,285 in this area alone," said Ponzio. "This reduces the burden to the taxpayers without compromising town services."

According to the spreadsheet, the town also saved $44,779 through staff reductions at Town Hall, $13,608 by cutting the number of town-owned cell phones in use from 79 to 52 and $5,411 through a 3% pay cut to Herbst, Ponzio and Town Clerk Suzanne Burr Monaco. The cut also was a campaign promise.