Poughkeepsie’s mayor on Thursday announced more financial cuts to help close the city’s projected multimillion-dollar budget shortfall from the COVID-19 pandemic.
City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison says about $500,000 is being cut from the 2020 budgets of the Police and Fire Departments, largely reflected in a freeze on filling vacant positions. Earlier this year, Rolison, a Republican, ordered a hiring freeze for all but public safety and some other key positions, and he worked with department heads to identify 15 percent in spending cuts. He emphasized that direct federal aid to states and local governments is essential to local government operations. Such aid was included in a bill the House passed in May, but a Senate bill expected to be introduced next week, so far, contains no such assistance.
