Polisena

Wells

Macera

JOHNSTON — A plan that would commit the town to more than $550,000 in vehicle lease purchases is under scrutiny, grabbing the attention of an incoming councilman.

In both cases, the issue is the town’s deficit, estimated at between $6.7 million and $10 million.

Yesterday, councilman-elect Joseph A. Wells, objected to the vehicle spending in comments that put him at odds with a key supporter of his campaign: Mayor-elect Joseph M. Polisena.

“We ought to freeze all spending until we address this deficit,” Wells said.

“You’ve got to find a way to pay for that,” he said. “To me, the common-sense approach is to freeze all unnecessary spending.”

With state Auditor General Ernest A. Almonte applying pressure, town officials are taking a careful look at several issues that could affect the town’s debt position down the road.

For example, as of last evening, they were expected to reconsider a vote that granted tax treaties to two local automobile dealers.

Against that backdrop, Polisena and Mayor William R. Macera collaborated on the vehicle spending plan. And now, Wells and Polisena disagree about the necessity of acquiring a total of 12 vehicles this fiscal year.

The spending proposal includes four new police cruisers, a pair of new fire rescue trucks, and two new four-wheel drive Ford Explorers for the offices of the mayor and the police chief.

The cruisers are $28,000 each. The Explorers are $30,000 apiece and the fire rescue vans each are listed at $140,000.

The spending plan also includes snow plows and a $3,000 vehicle lift for the mechanics at the Department of Public Works. It includes a $90,000 dump truck for plowing snow.

Including several smaller equipment items, the total cost is $582,000.

At one point Macera had proposed about $980,000 in spending for vehicles, according to Polisena. After working with the mayor to slash the proposal by $400,000, Polisena said he was forced to recommend certain expenses for public-safety vehicles, including Crown Victorias for police officers.

“They don’t need to be in a vehicle where the wheel is going to fall off when they’re responding to a call,” Polisena said.

Wells suggested cutting back on most of the purchases and purchasing two new police vehicles and one fire rescue truck.

Really, he said, the town cannot commit itself to any spending or additional debt until it resolves its finances.