NEW ALBANY — Mayor Doug England fielded questions from New Albany residents for nearly 90 minutes during a public forum Wednesday.

Problems with flooding, crime and taxes were among the issues discussed, though most of the inquiries surrounded the city’s aesthetic appeal.

“We can’t even sit out in our backyard,” because of bug problems associated with an overgrown lot neighboring her property, Woodrow Avenue resident Bridget Kraft said.

She complained of blighted conditions in her neighborhood as well as concerns about people selling drugs.

England countered that his administration has ratcheted up demolitions of dilapidated structures and is pushing the council to adopt a new deal with the city’s waste hauler to include collection of yard debris.

But New Albany won’t be a clean city if it relies strictly on government to maintain properties, he added.

“One thing we cannot legislate is morality,” England said, urging residents to be more vigilant in keeping their neighborhoods clean.

But England conceded that he quit pushing for landlord registration after the idea was shunned by some local organizations, including many Realtors.

The plan was for rental property owners to register their land with the city to expedite communication in case a code problem was reported. A City Council committee was formed to research the suggestion, but a vote was never taken.

England said slum landlords can be blamed for many of the cleanliness issues the city faces, but added “there’s so many fights to be done you have to pick your battles.”

England said he does still support a landlord registration program.

The mayor used the reference to drug problems to touch on his effort to have the council appropriate Economic Development Income Tax funds to balance public safety budgets this year.

The request — which is listed as being up to $2 million in EDIT — would allow five new police officers to be hired while staving off layoffs in the fire department.

England said the public safety budgets have been under funded since 2004, and the state property tax reform has made it more difficult to adequately finance police and fire.

“Service cannot continue at the same level and everybody pay less,” England said.

“We cannot go down to less [staff] than what we have now, it’s unacceptable.”

England said $1.5 million for 2010 and 2011 should cover the gap.

The sponsor of the EDIT request, Councilman Bob Caesar, said Wednesday he would not bring the measure back for a final vote until the state certifies New Albany’s budget.

While an official with the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance said Wednesday Floyd County budgets would be certified by the end of the week, England said New Albany’s has already been accepted.

“The budget we submitted was approved,” England said, adding he doesn’t know if he has the five council votes necessary to pass the EDIT request.

After 2011, England said the city will need the Local Option Income Tax, or LOIT, to sustain public safety personnel levels. Last year, police officials said annexation would cover the salaries of the additional officers after 2011.

As for other subjects, the mayor touched on local stimulus funding, a new community swimming pool and the growth of downtown through local investment.

England said one of his ideas — converting some of New Albany’s one-way streets to two-way traffic patterns — remains in limbo. Much of the past three years have been spent by the administration trying to balance city budgets in a down economy, England said.

“The mayor figured when he got back, he could hit bigger projects that would make this city a better place to live,” Deputy Mayor Carl Malysz said. “He wants to go on to bigger and better things.”

Tension between the administration and the council has led to gridlock on some of England’s plans, Malysz said. But England vowed to push for more changes and infrastructure projects before next year’s election.

He said if he’s not re-elected or chooses not to run, New Albany will still be able to gauge his impact by the continuing efforts that started under his administration.  

“There will be lots of work on that next mayor’s desk,” England said.