Residents press Quincy council on IT hiring, video system and grocery tax as city faces budget shortfall

Several residents used the Feb. 28 public-comment period to urge the Quincy City Council to increase fiscal oversight, criticize the city's information-technology management and oppose continued municipal grocery taxing.

Steve Holman told the council he had repeatedly tried to contact the city's IT manager and said he was concerned about IT hiring and compensation. "Mark makes $123,310. He gets 300 additional for allowance and he was paid $6,000 relocation," Holman said, urging the council to compare hires and pay to neighboring governments and to "do your due diligence" before spending taxpayer dollars. He also criticized a recent audiovisual/cloud system purchase, saying the city had just approved a $126,000 contract and warning that cloud storage could mean the city would not automatically retain older meeting recordings if the contract were canceled.

Wells Nixon addressed the grocery tax and accused the council of wasteful spending. "We get a million some dollars a year. You're all as wasteful spending that Steve just talked about has caused the shortfalls that could have been avoided," Nixon said, urging the council to let a one-percent grocery tax sunset and to find internal cuts instead of raising or keeping taxes.

Council members and staff responded during later agenda debate. Sherry Ray, identified as city comptroller, told the council she had been developing the FY26 budget and that current revenue forecasts showed a multi‑million dollar shortfall. The city treasurer, Kelly Stepaski, said implementation of a grocery tax requires lead time and explained that an ordinance must be on the books by about Oct. 1 to take effect Jan. 1, and that retailers typically need about three months of lead time to update point-of-sale systems.

Council members acknowledged the comments. Alderman Farha emphasized elected officials' accountability to residents: "I work for the residents of Ward 1," he said in response to a public speaker's criticism of council oversight. The council later moved to table final action on the grocery-tax ordinance for two weeks to allow staff to provide additional analysis on implementation timing and budget impacts.

What was said (direct quotes from public commenters and staff): - Steve Holman (public commenter): "Mark makes $123,310. He gets 300 additional for allowance and he was paid $6,000 relocation." - Steve Holman: "You guys just approved, dollars 126,000, that's something that we're we're not that that system ... everything's on a cloud with storage." - Wells Nixon (public commenter): "We get a million some dollars a year. You're all as wasteful spending that Steve just talked about has caused the shortfalls that could have been avoided." - Kelly Stepaski (city treasurer): "I believe that this to pass it, you would have to pass it and have it on the books by October 1, I believe... They need 3 months." - Sherry Ray (city comptroller): "The current budget ... there is a $5,000,000 deficit."

The public-comment speakers asked for more accountability and for the council to seek alternatives to broad taxes. Staff requested time to return with implementation details and revenue timing; the grocery-tax ordinance was tabled for two weeks.