NEWARK - It appears that neighbors of the Newark Public Library's First Avenue and Madison branches have until 5:30 p.m. Aug. 27 to check out materials, access the Internet or read.

The respective storefronts at 282 First Ave. and 790 Clinton Ave., are to then close to help the library system absorb a $2.45 million cut of the city's proposed 2010-11 budget allocation.

It is not known whether Madison and First Avenue's closing is indefinite or final. That decision may be up to those across the city who are able to prevail on Mayor Cory A. Booker's administration to partially or completely restore the cut.

NEWARK - The Municipal Council present at their Aug. 4 meeting here at City Hall has unanimously voted to put Mayor Cory A. Booker Administration's proposed $220 million water and sewer Municipal Utilities Authority on ice.

Council President Donald Payne, Jr., after receiving the votes to move up the MUA creation resolution, moved to defer that bill at 1:14 p.m. The council members present - Augusto Amador, of the East Ward; Ras Baraka, of the South Ward; At-Large Councilmen Carlos Gonzalez and Luis Quintana; North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos, Jr. and Central Ward Councilman Darrin Sharif - joined Payne in deferring the proposal for the fourth time since July 15.

Five of Newark's council members called a press conference on Thursday July 22 to clarify their side of the story. Council President Donald Payne, Jr., councilpersons Mildred Crump, Luis Quintana, Darrin Sharif, and Ras Baraka joined hands together to protest the budget presentation or introduction by Mayor Cory Booker. They also said that Councilman Ronald Rice, Jr., who was out of town, is with them and conveyed a message of support to their group.

According to the councilpersons, the mayor did not give them enough time to study and make their decision. Now they have studied it for a bit, and opposed the mayor's proposal of creating a Municipal Utilities Authority. $70 million is already part of the mayor's proposal. According to the mayor, once the budget has been introduced, it is the council's responsibility to accept, reject, or come up with an alternative plan. That means the council has to come up with an alternative plan to fill in the gap of $70 million. The council stated in the press conference that they have a significant plan to fill the gap. But to my question, the council has not explained or exposed their plan. I asked some of the citizens, and they did not agree with the council. People want the reason and alternate plan for their opposition.

Mayor Booker called an emergency press conference to explain the consequences of a dire situation. Booker introduced his budget in June of 2010 with the previous council and re-introduced it to the new council on July 7, 2010 with the Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) proposal. The mayor came up with the solution as he feels it could solve many problems, but that solution has been defeated by the council with a vote of 5-4. Booker's proposal fills a $70 million dollars gap filled with the creation of the MUA.

Michael Green, Acting Business Administrator, said that with the creation of the MUA, the MUA will pay $70 million in the first year, $30 million in the second year, and $5 million to the city for the first two years and $5 million a year for the remainder of the 30 year contract. He further said that right now, the water department is making $5 million a year in positive cash flow.