You will see them, so it needs all council members. >> [laughter] >> Oh my god. All right, I'm ready when you are, Mr. President. Yep. Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to the special meeting of City Council to
present budget on Tuesday, March 31st, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Dr. Arthur? Here. Council member English? Here. Council member Vargas? Here. Vice President Gomez? Here. President Spinelli? Here. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the
United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> [clears throat] >> Public notice this meeting pursuant to the Open Public Meeting Act has been given by the City Clerk on March 29th,
2026 in the following manner: posting written notice on the official bulletin board of the lobby of City Hall, providing written notice to the offices of the Daily Journal and Press of Atlantic City, filing voicing publishing electronically on the city's official website, and filing written notice in the office of the City Clerk of the City of Vineland.
This time, I would like to acknowledge Mayor Finucci for being here and the Chief Financial Officer Sue Baldosarro and staff in presenting the introduction to the 2026 City Budget. Answer me. There you go.
All right. >> [clears throat] >> Good afternoon, Council President Spinelli, Vice President Gomez, members of Council, staff here for the city. We thank you for accommodating our meeting today for our annual budget presentation. Good. Thank you, director.
Go ahead. So, as you can see, presentation here right now, our accomplishments for throughout 2025, we did a brief listing of some of the items that we have worked on and some of the things that you know already that aren't on there that have been completed. This will be,
as usual, something we go through and will be emailed to you in PowerPoint form as well. You could see, without listing every event that's there, a variety of the things that we've gone through throughout the course of the year from awards to grant receipts, etc. That's okay. You got me.
>> [snorts] >> So, revenues versus our appropriations from calendar year and fiscal year 25 through 26, both our budgeted year, our realized portion in 25, along with what is budgeted for this particular year. Particular challenges that we're facing,
as usual, obviously, are contractual increases, along with several, you know, pension charges and things that have increased. The biggest hurdle the city has faced this year, which every municipality and every school district has faced, has been the massive increase in health insurance costs. It's been the biggest
hurdle to try to balance this particular budget and get things under control as the skyrocketing costs through state health benefits. As we know, some areas have received between 40 and 50% increases. We were staring at 30 plus, and we ended up in the 20 plus range for
an increase alone in our benefits packages for health insurance alone. Here. There's a variety of issues. Now is obviously not the time to tackle it because there's state issues with how they have rated and run the fund for state health benefits. We were able to find some alternative methods to get out of here and get out
of the state health benefits program to keep our employees covered properly and appropriately with our collective bargaining agreements, and making the increase about 2.1 plus million dollars compared to the 3 plus million dollars we were staring at. So,
unfortunately, we're still way over where we should be, but health care costs throughout the country are just rising and are out of control. So, we're going to continue to do our best to cover our employees properly, and continue to balance the budget accordingly. >> [clears throat]
>> Our state aid amount that needs to be raised and where we really are, if you could see, where we really are is the red line here. If you'll notice in years at the tail end of 22 going into 23 there, they were the only
increases in state aid that we've seen in our tenure here. That was the remainder of COVID funds that were passed out. There was 11 million dollars we received over two-year period. So, we averaged it out about 5 and 1/2 million a year that was dumped in, but they were given and wiped out. As you
know, Vineland received a very small amount compared to similar municipalities in the state of New Jersey that were receiving 50, 60, and 70 million dollars, which was unbelievable how they distributed that aid. But, as you could see, moving in back into 25 and 26, our
aids were our aid was reduced again back to a flat level. Once again, another budget challenge we face. >> [clears throat] >> History of assessed valuations. You could see the ups and flows here early on, which were the tail ends of the revaluation that took place a few
administrations ago. And as it continues to to peak and valley, and now we're on the the steady rise with our our ratable base. So, we are increasing. The average residential assessment for 2026 here in the City of Vineland has
steadily increased, so values have continued to go up on homes all the way throughout. And then our favorite slide year in and year out. This is again for the public edification. Council already knows this. However, for those in attendance and those that will be watching at home,
this is the breakdown of every dollar that comes into the City of Vineland. As you could see, these are statutory amounts. The library here is on to your far right on this particular screen, which is their minimum amount, their statutory amount is 1.48% of each dollar goes to fund the public library. That is
by state statute. The school district takes about 26%. So, about 26 cents on every dollar that comes in goes to fund the school system directly. The City of Vineland is at 33.66 cents, which includes every service that you receive in the City of
Vineland what is paid for directly from your tax dollars is there. And then as you could see, the lion's share of this goes to Cumberland County. The county takes just under 39% of that. That number is probably close to 50 million again, I would think, this year. So, out of all
the tax revenue that comes in, I know that's a constant question, where do my tax dollars go? Well, this tells you where your tax dollars go. So, you're seeing that live and in person here, and that information is available to anyone that needs it, they can request it. But,
that's where we're going. Once again, our biggest amount of money, which has always been the history here, has been going to Cumberland County to fund those particular projects. The unfortunate part is the better Vineland does, the better the county does, they take more from it because we have our neighboring cities that have been struggling and are continuing to struggle with development
to get on tap for what is necessary to fulfill their tax obligations to Cumberland County. History of fund balance, as you know when we took office, the last year that was here, you could see where we were and how we've been trying to be frugal with the money
that's here and be prepared for any type of disaster that would ever come in. So, there's savings for the city to either A, in rough times like we have now where we're facing a two plus million dollar shortfall in health benefits, be able to pick up funds to cover those shortfalls until the state can get some things
corrected. If there was something major as far as a disaster that came out from the city that we needed to recover funds, we have funds. Unfortunately, there was a lot of different spending priorities years ago, but since we've been in you could see we've steadily increased that to make
sure that the financial health of the city is there, especially in the event of a major problem that we may have. These are the goals for the new year in which the budget is going to be addressing, which as you can see is our all inclusive park, which is we have termed Jake's Park, which includes all
people of all abilities. And we are going to our road program, which you'll be seeing information on tonight with a bond ordinance. Infrastructure is included in that. Neighborhood advanced community engagement and etc. You could see all the things that are here on what's
happening, including court renovations, honoring our veterans in Landis Park with a war on terror memorial that we we are completing thanks to Director Alice's help and Councilman Vargas over the years for helping us improve that park. Thank you. Public works, we're working on finishing
up their facility on Park and West. And and of course the the window replacement here in the building. That's okay. And of course budget process obviously we're introducing to council now in a public hearing so that way it's available. Your next public hearing on
this budget will be in April on the 28th. >> [laughter] >> The computer's playing with us a little bit. And any amendment if necessary and we try to keep those away from the clerk's office if possible. It's a lot of work. And then the adoption the tentative date
would also be that April 28th 2026 date. So, officially the budget document has been everyone has received their the budget. Okay. Any questions you would have on that, feel free to reach out to finance at any
point in time. And the budget now is council's officially. So, welcome to the process again. And if there's anything you need in particular on that, Sue and her team are available. Big thanks to Sue, Norma and Yolanda for all their help. Drew was a big part
of this this year too in putting together a lot of numbers. This has been a very big challenge as usual. We've had challenging budgets, this one has taken the cake this year because of a variety of expenses that are climbing. They're no secret, they're all over the place unfortunately, especially this health insurance one.
This one really We kind of knew this would happen. There was an issue with state health benefits two budgets state budgets ago where the fund was not funded properly at the state level
and unfortunately we knew that was going to come back and start an implosion. That's where it is now. School districts are facing a huge catastrophic loss with these things too. Recently have seen something coming out from the health insurance funds around the state. Some information has been
posted on that where the mismanagement of this fund if it continues into through this calendar year and into next will be so catastrophic they don't even know if they'll be able to recover or they're going to be pulling more from the municipalities to fund that or
increasing taxes all the way down the line on every resident in New Jersey to supplement this. So, actuaries are looking at this. A lot of experts are looking at this. I have been serving on a task force with the League of Municipalities on this particular issue trying to address it
through state health benefits. That's been a problem. Our appropriations cap has been a problem. We've been working on that. We have a meeting at the end of April coming up with other folks from the league coming in and to discuss things with this. We tried this under Governor Murphy's administration.
We talked to the general accounting office at the state through a virtual meeting. I think those cries have fallen on deaf ears. Council President Spinelli was at a a meeting last night on behalf of the city for us with respect to the governor's aid coming down and if I recall correctly
Paul, you had mentioned that you know, pretty much every municipality was there all complained about the same issues. So, we're I guess misery likes company, but not like this. This is rough. So, we're hoping that Governor Sherrill will be able to enact some policies and work with the
legislature to figure some things out because if not, it's going to be worse for each municipality moving forward. And then frankly as you can see our contributions increased to the county. They're covered into the same insurance programs as everybody else and and of course our dollars are going out to fund
that as well as funding our own. So, this is why we're working very hard to try to keep this under control. Council members have anything? Questions? Anybody? Okay. Council President, thank you. Vice President, thank you. Council members, I
appreciate your time. I know you have business to attend to, so we will get out of your hair. Okay. >> Thank you Thank you, Mayor. Yep. Sue, thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> [clears throat] >> You staying for the whole meeting? No. Okay.
Ready? We'll open up the public comment portion of the meeting. Public comment provides an opportunity for the members of the public to inform the governing body about their views. The governing body prescribes the city council's bylaws and the New Jersey statutes on open public meetings when engaging during public comment. As such, each individual shall
have a three minute limit to comment, cannot yield time to another individual, may only approach the podium once during public comment for any one topic. City Council will not engage in dialogue with the public during this time. Disruptive conduct by audience members may result in removal following a warning and all
participants are expected to adhere to professional decorum. The governing body maintains model courtesy and respect and requires the members of the public to do the same. This time if there's anyone who would like to speak from the audience, please step to the podium and state your
name and municipality where you live. Good afternoon. Sandy Acevedo, Upper Deerfield Township. Do we have copies of the budget tonight for public or is that something we have to open or How do we >> You can get it tonight from the city clerk. It's actually it'll be online,
but I could get you a copy as well. >> Okay. Correct. Correct. All right. Thank you. Thank you. What else? I'll open it up. >> Ramon Mora Jr. Ramon Mora. Oh.
Hi, man. >> Land. Yeah, you got Is it okay if she goes Okay. Oh, okay. My name is Andrea Land. Andrea Land. >> Resident of Vineland. I just have a few comments to make on a Mr. Benay's new letter to Vineland. This may have come from an interview he
did with the Vineland Voice. I'm not sure. I just want to comment on a few things he said and maybe get some clarification. He says, quote, "We take security on and around the site very seriously. We are following the most stringent rules to
ensure public safety which are firmly regulated by law." If he if Mr. Benay could just clarify what these stringent rules are and what regulated by what laws. What laws are they following on these stringent rules?
The second thing he says is storage tanks are in a very safe location. I just think he should clarify what criteria he's using when he says safe location to determine they're in a safe location. What criteria did he use and what would be an
example of a not safe location? Would that be near residences? And then he says and the storage tanks are subject to standard inspection as is the construction site as per general
procedures. And to me that sounds very vague. Like what are standard inspections? What do they entail? And as per general procedures, what what does that mean general procedures? And then just one more thing. He says
down here >> [clears throat] >> in 2024, well he says Mr. Benay responded to why the new blueprint was not in either of the first two site plans. And then he says in 2024, the project
was approved by the seller of the land who did the plan for data center data center comp campus. Nothing like the AR factory that is currently being built. What that sounds like is he's currently
building a data center campus that he has not submitted or had his plans approved for. So, um I would just appreciate it if someone could get Mr. Benay to clarify um
what he's speaking about in all these statements he made. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. Moore. Please state your name where you live. Absolutely. My name is Ramon Moore Jr. I'm from Vineland, born and raised. Um I just wanted to address some things
that the mayor brought up and uh his projected goals for 2026. Um I see that there's a deficit uh with the health insurance and the cost of the salary increases. So, I ask um why is there a deficit? Is it the tax breaks that we're giving
companies like the data center that could be paying into our uh funding our city? Is it the window replacements that is so important to city hall? Or is it the renovations and the new
uh vehicles that we buy for public works when large portion of the people in Vineland are struggling to pay their bills? Meanwhile, we we have we have money to be spending on salary increases and renovations and tax breaks?
So, I ask where are we going to make up the shortfall? Right? Because from the chart that I saw the mayor have, we need roughly like what, 40 million, 39 million that we need to raise somehow? Are we going to tax the residents even more? Cuz my taxes have been going up every year.
What are we doing? Are we just going to keep letting big businesses that can't afford to pay their fair share not pay their taxes and charge the people who are lower and middle class to foot the bill? How are we going to fund this? How are we going to fund all these
renovations and and the the infrastructure costs that are going to come with something like the data center? So, my question is, how are we going to pay for things like this, for the mayor's goals? That's all. Thank you. >> Thank you. Is there anyone else?
Anyone else would like to speak? State your name, where you live. Uh Larry from Vineland and I just want to know why we didn't like give more notice for this meeting. I get 48 hours is the legal, but like this feels like a pretty important meeting that we keep most of the public out of. It's also really cool to see Finucci dip
out before public comment. But um yeah, um there's just more notice. Like why do you it's just keeps you keep continuing a thing where you just don't want the residents involved. And then even some of the stuff we're focusing on a 2026. I'm just like, what why are we doing a war on terror
memorial? It's like one of the darkest things America probably ever did and done to their own citizens by sending them over there. That's all. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else? Seeing no one, I'm going to close the public portion. All right.
Mr. President, I present ordinance number 2026-20, which is ready for first reading. Chair entertains a motion that ordinance number 2026-20 be taken up for first reading. So moved. Second. Dr. Arthur? Yes. Councilmember English?
Yes. Councilmember Vargas? Yes. Vice President Gomez? >> Yes. President Spinelli? Yes. Ordinance 2026-20, bond ordinance providing for improvements to various roads and related drainage and sidewalk improvements in and by the city of Vineland in the county of Cumberland, New Jersey, appropriating $10 million
even therefore and authorizing the issuance of $9,500,000 even bonds or notes of the city to finance part of the cost thereof. Chair entertains a motion that ordinance number 2026-20 be passed for first reading, that a public hearing be held
on April 14th, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. So moved. Second. Any questions by council? Seeing none. Dr. Arthur? Yes. Councilmember English? Yes. Councilmember Vargas? Yes. Vice President Gomez? >> Yes. President Spinelli? >> Yes.
Present ordinance number 2026-21, which is ready for first reading. Chair entertains a motion that ordinance number 2026-21 be taken up for first reading. So moved. Second. Dr. Arthur? Yes. Councilmember English? Yes. Councilmember Vargas? Yes. Vice President Gomez?
>> Yes. President Spinelli? Yes. Ordinance number 2026-21, ordinance appropriating $9,850,000 even from the electric utilities capital improvement fund for various improvements to the Vineland municipal electric utility in and by the city of Vineland in the county of Cumberland,
New Jersey, be it ordered by the city council of the city of Vineland in the county of Cumberland, New Jersey as follows. Chair entertains a motion that ordinance number 2026-21 be passed for first reading, that a public hearing be held on Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. So moved.
Discussion? Seeing none. Dr. Arthur? Yes. Councilmember English? Yes. Councilmember Vargas? Yes. Vice President Gomez? Yes. President Spinelli? Yes. Present ordinance number 2026-22, which is ready for first reading. Chair
entertains a motion that ordinance number 2026-22 be taken up for first reading. So moved. Second. Dr. Arthur? Yes. Councilmember English? Yes. Councilmember Vargas? Yes. Vice President Gomez? Yes. President Spinelli? Yes. Ordinance 2026-22,
bond ordinance providing for various capital improvements in and by the city of Vineland in the county of Cumberland, New Jersey, appropriating $10 million even therefore and authorizing the issuance of $9,500,000 even bonds or notes of the city to finance a part part of the cost thereof.
Chair entertains a motion that ordinance number 2026-22 be passed for first reading, that a public hearing be held on Tuesday, April 14th, 2026 at 5:30 p.m. So moved. Second. Discussion? Seeing none. Dr. Arthur? Yes.
Councilmember English? Yes. Councilmember Vargas? Yes. Vice President Gomez? Yes. President Spinelli? Yes. I present resolution number 2026-145, a resolution to introduce the calendar year 2026 municipal budget of the city of Vineland. Chair entertains a motion
that the resolution number 2026-145 be adopted according to law. So moved. Second. Discussion? Seeing none. Dr. Arthur? Yes. Councilmember English? Yes. Councilmember Vargas? Yes. Vice President Gomez?
>> Yes. President Spinelli? Yes. Present resolution number 2026-146, a resolution making temporary emergency appropriations for the calendar year 2026 pending final adoption of the calendar year 2026 budget. Chair entertains a motion that resolution
number 2026-146 be adopted according to law. Second. Discussion? Seeing none. Dr. Arthur? Yes. Councilmember English? Yes. Councilmember Vargas? Yes. Vice President Gomez? Yes. President Spinelli?
>> Yes. Present resolution number 2026-147, resignation resig- resolution, excuse me, acknowledging compliance with the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's enforcement guidance on the consideration
consideration of arrest and conviction records in employment decisions under the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Chair entertains a motion that resolution number 2026-147 be adopted according to law. So moved. Second. Discussion?
Seeing none. Dr. Arthur? Yes. Councilmember English? Yes. Councilmember Vargas? Yes. Vice President Gomez? Yes. President Spinelli? >> Yes. Present resolution number 2026-148, resolution of the city of Vineland
making application to the Local Finance Board pursuant to NJSA 40A:4-43.3, subsections EE. Chair entertains a motion that resolution number 2026-148 be adopted according to law. So moved. Second. Discussion?
Seeing none. Dr. Arthur? Yes. Councilmember English? Yes. Councilmember Vargas? Yes. Vice President Gomez? Yes. President Spinelli? Yes. I present resolution number 2026-149, resolution authorizing the execution of an agreement with Associated Humane
Societies, South Vineland, New Jersey for animal shelter services, January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026. Chair entertains a motion that resolution number 2026-149 be adopted according to law. Second. Discussion? Seeing none.
Dr. Arthur? Yes. Councilmember English? Yes. Councilmember Vargas? Yes. Vice President Gomez? Yes. President Spinelli? Yes. Anyone from council have any comments? No. Anybody? Seeing none, chair will entertain a
motion to adjourn the meeting. So moved. Second. Dr. Arthur? Yes. Councilmember English? Yes. Councilmember Vargas? Yes. Vice President Gomez? Yes. President Spinelli? Yes. 4:28. Thank you very much. Everyone have a great night. Be careful going home.