Wilmington Mayor Dennis Williams (D) presented his 2016 budget proposal to the City Council.
The $151 million plan is less than one percent larger than the current year’s budget, and does not seek a property tax hike. Last year, Williams asked for a 10 percent tax hike and settled for 5 percent.If implemented, the Williams administration says its plan will leave around a $4 million surplus.
Williams’ speech focused largely on public safety. He asserts safe communities are needed to drive local business investment and lure young professionals and their spending to the city.
"Anybody who wants to build in Wilmington and put their money in Wilmington, well you’re a friend of this administration. I want to tell you, scared money can’t make money," he said.
Williams added that recent policing changes aimed at reducing violence are working. Over a month after increasing the number of officers in the city’s highest crime areas, he claims homicides have dropped 40%. His proposed budget calls for a 1.4 percent increase in spending for city police.
The Mayor also called for expanding youth programs and finding a way to give city employees a pay increase.
Council Member Hanifa Shabazz said that while the proposal was comprehensive, she was curious to see how well the actual budget could accommodate the Mayor’s vision.
City Council Member Loretta Walsh was skeptical about the speech and budget proposal.
"I think it was a little short on content. It was an opportunity for him to give some healing to our residents, who have been operating under the impression that they should be scared for the last year or so," she said.
Walsh added that although all the programs Williams mentioned were positive, she wasn’t clear on how the city would manage to pay for them.
