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NEWS
Bnei Brak Budget Cuts
by A. Cohen
"The difficult economic situation requires the City to
conduct itself like a commercial enterprise by avoiding even
slight irregularities in the municipal budget," said Bnei
Brak Mayor Rabbi Yissochor Frankentahl at a special gathering
of the directors of the municipality's various departments
and sections to prepare the new annual budget. The meeting
was attended by Deputy Mayor Rabbi Yaakov Asher, Deputy
Mayors Rabbi Avrohom Rubinstein and Rabbi Pinchos Tzabari and
representatives from the accounting offices of Breitman-
Almagor.
Rabbi Frankentahl called the directors meeting in addition to
the regular daily meeting of department heads to exchange
views, pass on reports and transmit directives and updates.
The objective of the meeting, explained the Mayor, was to
switch to a system based on solid economics--assimilating
economics and balanced spending into the administrative ranks
as an essential element of the culture of management as part
of efforts to strengthen the city's independence.
"Fortunately," added Rabbi Frankentahl, "besiyata
deShmaya we have been able to pay salaries on time since
I took office, unlike dozens of local authorities that did
not pay at all or paid very late, but this very fact demands
the proper steps be taken for the future."
Toward this end, at the Mayor's request representatives of
Breitman-Almagor, one of the country's largest accounting
firms, began to help the municipality prepare the budget,
build a cash flow system in a circumspect, controlled manner,
and in a regular meeting with all of the department directors
design a proper organizational structure. To accomplish this
goal accountants, administrative engineers and organizational
consultants from Breitman-Almagor, Ltd. are working with the
municipality.
City Treasurer Shmuel Shamash commented on funding
perspectives, stressing that in the last two years a severe
decline in the city budget's balance sheet has taken place as
a result of marked reductions in the city's income stemming
from the financial circumstances of residents facing severe
socioeconomic circumstances, the reduction in income among
business owners and the reduction in new large-scale
construction of office buildings and residential buildings,
like in other towns and local councils.
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