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Council delays budget review after members say books not delivered; public demands forensic audit amid talk of Riviera shelter and loans
Summary
Council members and the administration clashed at the Sept. 4 Newark Municipal Council meeting when several council members said budget books had not been delivered in time for scheduled hearings and public commenters demanded forensic audits and transparency.
Council members and administration on Sept. 4 clashed over timing and transparency in the city’s budget process after several council members said they had not received budget books in time to prepare for scheduled hearings.
Councilman Gonzales told the administration the books were not available “and we don’t have the books” and that without them he could not attend a planned Saturday budget hearing. The Business Administrator, Eric Pennington, said staff were “pulling them together” and that he would provide an update.
Why it matters: Newark’s budget and its funding choices determine property tax rates, services and how the city addresses a budget shortfall residents described as a structural deficit. Several members of the public called for independent review and accountability before additional abatements or borrowing.
Public comments and demands for audit Public…
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