The Democrats request came shortly after they proposed adding $72,000 to the budget.
The tenor of the discussion abruptly reversed, however, when freshman Democratic Alderwoman Ella Myles proposed a compromise by simply asking the city manager to seek possible cuts or alternate revenue sources to offset the proposed 1.5% tax increase in the proposed budget.
Democrats called the request to ask City Manager John Salomone to find $4 million in cuts to his proposed budget “hypocritical” and “political theater,” saying it’s the council’s duty to deliberate on the budget after the city manager presents it. Republicans countered that they were just looking out for the taxpayers, who have faced job losses and personal losses during the pandemic.