AMG Municipal & School Budget Spending Watch
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When I was a selectman, I learned all about the Town Meeting game. Here is how it is played:1. Load the front end of the warrant with small dollar items. The local loudmouths will all show up, primed with jugs of coffee and belching fried eggs, and argue endlessly about $1,000 items.2. Break for lunch. Feed the loudmouths.3. After lunch, the loudmouths go home, the attendance drops 75%, and the remaining seniors vote all of the big dollar items through without comment.The Town Meeting game.
Gosh, your town meeting sounds like more fun than ours. At least you get lunch out of the deal!I've asked them to move ours to Saturday for years. We have town meeting Thursday nights (or at least we did pre-LD1, now it may be Thursday night and Friday night both) where they try and dash through the warrant at warp-speed, and hope the dissenters will either fall asleep or leave before the real damage is done.
quote:Originally posted by Melvin Udall:
Bob....precious few have privileges for knowing what's going on in the inner sanctum. It will only be revealed when it is fait accompli.That's french for "when the taxpayers are screwed."
AMEN...In my town the deal is done way before any public comment is allowed. Actually, it's a done deal when the new employee contracts are approved, as they always are.
quote:Originally posted by Naran:
[b]3. QUIT WHILE YOU'RE AHEAD. "Don't beat things to death," advises Wayne Adams, of Kennebunkport.This quote is amusing - Wayne Adams is the perennial Kennebunk town meeting moderator; he's in the Kennebunk town fathers' pocket, and my, he certainly does pick and choose who he wants to hear from on the town meeting floor.It's amazing how fast that gavel can come down when he disagrees with the speaker's point of view, as opposed to someone the town fathers like.I guess riding roughshod over the voter's right to be heard is okay, which means that "beating an issue to death," ie exercising the taxpayer's right to try and direct the spending process isn't.[/b]
In Portland we get three minutes to speak, well after the decision has already been made but before the vote. Absolute waste of time, yet I play the game about every year.
At least in Portland and other places with representative democracry, there is no question whom is making the decisions. In most towns with town meetings, things really work just like they do in Portland but the town meeting gives elected officials cover because they can say the voters approved all the spending. It is a fraud.
quote:Originally posted by Naran:
Gosh, your town meeting sounds like more fun than ours. At least you get lunch out of the deal!I've asked them to move ours to Saturday for years. We have town meeting Thursday nights (or at least we did pre-LD1, now it may be Thursday night and Friday night both) where they try and dash through the warrant at warp-speed, and hope the dissenters will either fall asleep or leave before the real damage is done.
Really true here. I remember the big fee increase scam. They proposed over a million in fee increases so a very large and irate crowd showed up. The council spent over 3 hours squabbling about licence issue, bar renewals, etc, till way after 10PM on a working night with the temps in the room over 90deg. Then, when the 40 irate folk, many with kids had all left, they let the three of us who remained tell them how bogus the increases were, promptly voted for what they had already decided before the first meeting started.It's all a scam. Government does exactly what it wants and hopes it can hide that which is unpopular under a lot of smoke, mirrors, and procedures so boring as to insure no one complains.
A favorite trick in Brunswick is to find out how many in the crowd want to talk on a controversial issue in public hearing mode. The larger the crowd, the greater the likelihood that they will suggest an agenda change to move it to the end of the meeting so they can "get all the simple items (bravo sierra) out of the way first."Then plan on one, maybe two potty breaks caused by our leading socialist. The breaks end up running way over.Net result? After three hours or so of listening to truckload after truckload of manure, you might get a chance to speak, to a crowd of now almost zero. And a TV audience that has long since dozed off or turned in.
We had our town meeting in Ripley today. Spending is up about 10%. We decided to put more into road repair (about half the increase), estimated school spending, and County taxes account for the rest.The town sold a small piece of land, and with the money budgeted but not spent last year, taxes should go down for the second year in a row.All the most important articles were before lunch as they always are. We elected two new selectmen (I'm not on the board this year). Not everyone was happy, but they all got their say.Town meetings can, and do work when people get involved. So quit your bitching, and roll up your sleeves.
Ah, Doug. If only it worked that way in every town.Glad it does in yours.
One interesting development yesterday was the flack over FirstPark at St. Albans. While it's mostly symbolic, residents who showed up yesterday voted overwhelmingly to seek ways end the town's relationship with FirstPark, citing the high contributions versus very small returns. I had mixed feelings about the venture, figuring (correctly) that the first tenants would probably be existing businesses, so there would be very little net gain. Sure, T-Mobile is coming in, but their arrival scared off L.L. Bean's plans to move into the park. So the jury is still out on whether regional support of an industrial park is viable.I am glad that voters approved bonds to fix some of the roads in town, however. We've fallen way behind in maintenance.
We had our town meeting yesterday, do not know what the bottom line will be but everything that was proposed was raised with the exception of paving a small section of one local road and the only thing that prevented this was the residents on that road did not want it paved. I found this quite telling on page 7 of town report state valuation went from $17,800,00.00in 2004 to $20,400,00.00. Not bad for a town that is only 1/3 ot a township with less than 500 residents. on page 8 of town report this appeared
The assessors prepared a revluation of real property at the directive of the Maine Revenue Services. The land values have increased as follows, undeveloped lot value 100%; developed lot(camp) 33%; developed lot(house 25%; per acre 33%, the building values were increased an average of 10% also. State raised your valuation how is this not a tax increase, we were already at 100% for 2004, must be inflation?
Sounds like there are practical folks in Hartland.
Sunday, March 6, 2005Hartland budget sails through
By MIKE LABERGE
CorrespondentCopyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
HARTLAND -- About 60 voters on Saturday took two hours to approve a $600,000 municipal budget, according to Town Clerk Joyce Halford.The annual town meeting drew debate about a range of topics, from tree trimming to the ambulance service. In the end, townspeople approved most of the 38 warrant articles intact.The meeting, Halford said, offered no surprises. "We were here last year almost exactly the same time -- two hours," she said.On Friday, the annual election drew 57 voters. Selectmen Harry Gould, Steven Hersey and Harlow Powers were re-elected without opposition, as was the town clerk. The budget proposal that went to voters on Saturday differed little from the one approved in 2004. Town officials had said the proposal contained just enough money for basic services -- running the town office, plowing the roads, keeping the firefighters on duty and maintaining the cemetery and other public grounds.Voters, Halford said, went along with most spending requests. They balked on just one question: They reduced the proposed amount for the Hartland-St. Albans ambulance service by $10,000, largely because the town most likely could make up the difference through the future sale of the old fire station.The ambulance service will run from Hartland's new fire station, on Canaan Road.As a result, spending for town services will rise by just $6,000 from last year. Officials have said that will have little effect on Hartland's tax rate of $18.75 per $1,000 of assessed valuation.Voters approved money to replace the leaky roof over the Town Office. The job will cost about $40,000. The town already had $28,000 but needed to raise an additional $12,000. They also agreed to raise the code enforcement officer's pay by $500 so he can attend all Planning Board meetings. Finally, townspeople for a second year placed $6,000 in an escrow account for construction of an indoor municipal swimming pool. Selectmen are working on the project with the directors of the town's community center. They are hoping to use the $12,000 already set aside as matching funds for a grant that would cover the bulk of the project. "It went, overall, fairly good," Halford said shortly after the meeting's end. "Quite a few people had input. It wasn't just one or two."
Lowell...What town do you live in?Bob
Ripley's tax rate could drop, but ... By MIKE LANGE
CorrespondentRIPLEY -- Residents of Ripley approved all 31 articles at Saturday's town meeting, including two measures dealing with limited access to discontinued roads. Even though the $199,073 municipal budget request is $22,785 higher than last year, the town's property tax rate could decrease from $13.40 per $1,000 of assessed value to $13, according to First Selectman Douglas A. Thomas.Nevertheless, Thomas, who now serves in the Maine House of Representatives, cautioned voters that the recently-passed tax reform package known as LD 1 could have an adverse effect on local taxes. Part of LD 1 increases the Homestead Exemption for property owners from $7,000 to $13,000, but the state will only reimburse towns for half the cost. So Thomas warned that local communities will have to make up the shortfall from local tax dollars."It's an awful bill. It makes people think they're getting a tax break when actually they're not," said Thomas.After a 20-minute debate, an article was enacted that requires anyone who uses the discontinued portion of Laughton Road to obtain written permission from abutting landowners beforehand.Bernard Chadbourne, one of two residents on the half-mile dirt road, requested the article because of ongoing problems with all-terrain vehicles in the area. While some residents questioned whether the town should pass an ordinance in reaction to a few careless riders, others spoke on Chadbourne's behalf.A few minutes later, Ripley voters also approved an article prohibiting the "placing of obstructions on any town right-of-way." In recent years, some rural residents have apparently used old farm gates to curtail traffic on discontinued roads adjacent to their property. "What happens if a snowmobile hits one and someone gets hurt?" Thomas asked. "The town is liable."There were no contests for municipal elections, although only one member of the Board of Selectmen sought re-election. Thomas stepped down as first selectman and was succeeded by Andrew Sevey, who had served on the three-member board previously. Rodney Farrar was re-elected as second selectman while Sandra Blaney, who serves on the town's library committee, replaced Sharon Hopkins, who did not seek re-election.Longtime resident Jay Hanson served as moderator.
We had the shortest town meeting on record, less than one hour:
quote: Newport: Citizens accept all articles as recommended by board NEWPORT — Christopher Lindsey's motion to accept all articles on Saturday's town meeting warrant as recommended by the Board of Selectmen had no trouble passing.The 50 people who attended the meeting passed it without opposition, leaving only eight articles to be discussed. Those articles also passed with little discussion, and Newport's annual exercise in democracy ended in little more than half an hour.Selectman John H. Buckland took the development as a vote of confidence in the board and thanked voters for that showing.Town Manager James A. Ricker told residents there was no increase in the municipal budget this year, thanks to the diligence of selectmen. The board managed to turn $51,000 back to the general fund, which offset the $50,400 increase in municipal spending.Voters also approved taking $55,295 from savings to pay for a new fire department extrication device, a public works truck and new doors on the town garage. The fire department paid for some of the costs through fund raising, Ricker said.In Friday's elections, incumbent Selectman James N. Brann defeated Thomas E. Stone, 105-68. George F. Lougee retained his seat on the School Administrative District 48 Board of Directors with 117 votes to 32 for write-in candidate Carl Smith.
Anson was in a cost-cutting mood
quote: Another lengthy wrangle was held over an article which called for $151,564 to be raised for administration. The item was reduced by $1 as a show of protest. The action was meant to send a message to state government that the town is not happy with the way in which state legislators addressed the 55 percent education funding matter.
Bob I live in Cambridge, which split off from Ripley back in the 1800's
All this information about how various town meetings are "run" is interesting! In our town,requests from the fire department are NEVER
voted "down"! The firemen,their families & close friends always attend the meeting until after their issues are voted "in". Then the entire group gets up and walks out! When I was a new resident here I couldn't believe it! Now I realize it's just the way things have always been done here & will continue to be done here forever!
Naran:Before you congratulate Randy and SAD 48 for a thrifty school board let me give you a more complete and broader view.Randy: "Our SAD has been better at controlling costs than the municipalities have. Budget increase in SAD 48 last year - 0.9%
Municipal Budget increase (excluding education) - 10%."Comment:Randy's 10% figure is for Newport only not for the entire 6 towns of SAD 48. Most of the other towns except Corinna had little if any increase last year. Over the last 10 years most of the budget increase even in Newport has gone to SAD 48. I agree, Newport is the most flagrant of the 6 towns at increasing municipal spending. In Palmyra, all of the tax increase over the last 20 years has gone to SAD 48.The school budget for SAD 48 last year increased 0.98%. Randy's figure is correct rounded. But even if the budget increase was under 1%, school taxes for the six towns last year increased 6.3%; 9% in St. Albans, 8.2% in Newport, 7.3% in Plymouth, 7.2% in Palmyra, 3% in Corinna, and 1.7% in Hartland.Over the last 2 years school taxes for SAD 48 increased $1.005 million (20.6%) and the budget increased $867,699 (5.5%).Can you legitimately say that the school board is "thrifty" if all of the budget increase, plus $137,444, comes from higher taxes on the citizens when the school tax mill rate is already well above the state average? If you want a legitimate picture of how thrifty the school board is keep your eye on what is happening to school taxes.[ 03-07-2005: Message edited by: Hadley E. Smith ]
quote:Originally posted by Calvin:
All this information about how various town meetings are "run" is interesting! In our town,requests from the fire department are NEVER
voted "down"! The firemen,their families & close friends always attend the meeting until after their issues are voted "in". Then the entire group gets up and walks out! When I was a new resident here I couldn't believe it! Now I realize it's just the way things have always been done here & will continue to be done here forever!
Ditto here - also with the police department, and the town hall salaries and budget. Those chairs might as well have permanent name cards on them.
Hadley - thanks for the further info. Would you happen to have the total ten-year school tax portion increase? Ours, as I mentioned earlier, is an 85% increase since 1994.
quote: Can you legitimately say that the school board is "thrifty" if all of the budget increase, plus $137,444, comes from higher taxes on the citizens when the school tax mill rate is already well above the state average?
Yes. The school board has no control over the State Funding formula. All increases in funding come from taxing somebody, you just want it to be somebody else. The only thing that the school board can control is the spending, and 1% increase beats 10% every time, regardless of the source of revenue.Would it be OK with you if SAD48 had a 6% budget increase like Windham, but got a big windfall in the EPS calculation and ended up with your taxes being lower? Would that make them "thrifty"?
Naran:In 1994 the SAD 48 total school tax was $2.037 million.In 2004, the school tax was $5.891 million which was 189.2% increase, or $3.854 million. During the same period the budget increased from $9.833 million to $16.734 million, an increase of $6.901 million or 70.2%.During the 10 years, of the $6.9 million increase in the budget in 2004 since 1994, 55.8% was financed by higher school taxes.In 10 years school taxes nearly tripled.During the last 2 years the budget increased 5.5% but school taxes for the district increased 20.6% which means that all of the budget increase was paid out of higher taxes, plus $137,444 to offset reductions in state support.It is common to hear that SAD 48 is one of the most efficient of Maine schools because it has near the lowest cost of operation per student.I would agree with that view, but one could also say, using the same data, that SAD 48 is one of the most underfunded of Maine schools. To raise SAD 48 funding to the state average per student would require $2.8 million of additional funding, but it certainly cannot come from higher school property taxes.
"Can you legitimately say that the school board is "thrifty" if all of the budget increase, plus $137,444, comes from higher taxes on the citizens when the school tax mill rate is already well above the state average?"Randy says yes, I say no, and so do a majority of the voters at every vote at the polls during the last 2 years when they voted down the budgets 8 times. It is time for the school board to give first priority to the taxpayers rather than teachers and administrators.Since our school tax mill rate is already above the state average we should limit school tax increases to not more than the rate of inflation. In SAD 48 that means budget increases of under 1%.
Hadley, thanks for the info. Since I've followed the SAD 48 budget battles for a couple years, I was curious as to the numbers.I have been impressed with the steadfast determination shown to get the spending under control. We were gratified to defeat the budget over here three times, let alone 8! Way to go!
quote: Since our school tax mill rate is already above the state average we should limit school tax increases to not more than the rate of inflation. In SAD 48 that means budget increases of under 1%.
Last year's budget increase was under 1%, and you still opposed it. My post was in response to the assertion that Municipal goverments were better at controlling budget growth than SADs. In my town that is not true.You are totally focused on YOUR taxes. If the State changed the revenue sharing formula and the town had a flat budget, but your property taxes went up, I suppose you would blame the town selectmen?Fact is that after all the NO votes, there was not a single serious proposal to reduce the budget.
What was the enrollment increase or decrease last year, Randy?
quote: What was the enrollment increase or decrease last year, Randy?
2000-2001 2,227
2001-2002 2,197 -1.3%
2002-2003 2,216 +0.8%
2003-2004 2,143 -3.2%
quote: Randy's 10% figure is for Newport only not for the entire 6 towns of SAD 48. Most of the other towns except Corinna had little if any increase last year. Over the last 10 years most of the budget increase even in Newport has gone to SAD 48. I agree, Newport is the most flagrant of the 6 towns at increasing municipal spending. In Palmyra, all of the tax increase over the last 20 years has gone to SAD 48.
Palmyra is in the enviable position of having almost all of "Newport's" valuable commercial property, including Wal-Mart, most of the fast food joints and shopping centers thought of as being "in" Newport, even though Newport provides fire, police and municipal services. The 10% increase I listed for Newport EXCLUDES education taxes.
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We've tried on occasion to get someone else to run as moderator. The problem being, qualified people who know the rules are few, and those who do know are usually tied up long in advance. Town meetings tend to be the same day around here.It is interesting that most towns do have moderators who don't live in the town where they're moderating.The speed at which they bang these elections through in our town meetings is breathtaking. I only wish they were as thorough and dedicated with the real money issues.