Will economy endanger tax hikes on the ballot?
As municipal budgets tighten and the economy gets worse, towns and cities throughout the region still must decide what to do about overcrowded schools, deteriorating town halls, and attracting and keeping qualified teachers, fire fighters, and police officers.
And, while many are trying to hold off on some spending as long as possible, some are going forward with proposed tax hikes in these lean economic times.
In Needham, for example, voters will be asked Nov. 4 whether to approve a tax increase of $1.9 million to operate its new High Rock School for sixth-graders, which would help alleviate overcrowding at the Pollard Middle School.
Last week, Town Meeting in neighboring Wellesley voted to build a new high school rather than renovate the existing one.
Meanwhile, Upton's Board of Selectmen is expected on Tuesday to leave off its Nov. 18 Town Meeting agenda a proposal to advance a $6 million renovation of the town's 120-year-old Town Hall building.
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For those towns which had opted for the additional CPA tax levy (usually 3%), it is time for CPA participation to be reviewed at the polls. Voters may decide it is inappropriate to refer CPA surcharge dollars to an unelected committee, while being asked for another tax override. In lean times accountability and prioritization come first. All revenues collected should be disbursed through a single, elected body.
Check out Donovan Slack's story in today's Boston Globe on the Boston Licensing Board: That the board members receive $85,000 for working part-time, their only requirement being to show up for public hearings three mornings a week.
That the chairman, who's paid $100,000, "sets his own hours."
That they were making $60,000 before Gov. Deval Patrick signed a pay raise into law last year. Tell me there are no places to cut in city and state and town govt!
Sickening.
And you wonder why voting for Q 1 is going to pass?
In the private sector, payroll is usually the budget killer. Public officials don't seem to get that. Gee, I wonder why? These clowns are not going to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. Getting rid of the income tax is the only way to clean house.
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
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