City Council Offers Plan To Address School Dept. Deficit

The New Bedford City Council says it has a plan to resolve the estimated $3-million deficit in the School Department budget. 

Finance Committee chair Jane Gonsalves said at a news conference Tuesday, the Council is prepared to transfer from free cash or reserve accounts the money the School Department needs to close the budget gap. 

However, Gonsalves says that amount will be deducted from next year's School Dept. budget returned to the city's reserve accounts

Councilor David Alves had other concerns --- like why the Mayor's office never communicated with the council about the deficit......

Mayor Mitchell says he can't comment on the council plan, because he's not sure the numbers they've used are correct, but in general the Mayor says he shares many of the council's concerns about the School Dept. budgeting process.