Mayor Robert G. Nunes' reasoning for where the money should go was detailed in the series and gives insight into why $149 million doesn't go as far as one might expect.

In a recent "Only Yesterday" column in the newspaper, it was reported that Mayor Joseph C. Chamberlain had submitted to the City Council a record high budget of $40,000.

Nobody uses that term much in budget talk anymore, but it refers to charges and assessments over which local government has little, if any, control.

For the public safety departments, the 2007's spending appropriation is up compared to this year, but Police Chief Raymond O'Berg isn't happy.

Some of their discontent can be considered rhetoric designed to win support from councilors who can only urge the mayor to reconsider his figures.

The councilors can cut items, but they reluctantly pick up the axe only when forced to do so, as ex-Mayor Ted Strojny did in 2003 during the state budget crisis.

Readers learned from the series of articles that level funding for the Department of Public Works didn't mean that streets were being ignored in this budget.

Years ago, Benjamin A. Friedman was advised on taking office as mayor that taxpayers would be more willing to accept tax increases if they could see where their money was going.

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