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I have a few more questions
It did help,thank you Mr.Langill.
I have a few more questions,
Here is some data provided by a member of town meeting.
I did some research last night on how the town spends it's money. I used the Finance Committee's handbooks of FY96 (town budget was $56,886,147)and the FY04 book (town budget was $84,734,842). Over past nine years, the town's budget has grown 49% (almost 5.44% each year on average) or a total growth of $27,848,675. We're spending more than we can raise under Prop 2 ?½.
Schools: +50% or +$14.7Million growth over past 9 budgets.
is this data accurate or flawed, please comment thank you.
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I have a few more answers
I am happy to try to answer any respectful and productive question. Maybe we'll start a new trend on this site.
As to your further question...The bottom line is that we do not spend more than we raise. Unlike the federal government, the town cannot deficit spend (except for snow removal costs). We must develop a balanced budget every year...meaning we need to have a revenue source for every dollar we spend.
The tax levy is only a part of the money we raise (~ 73%). Our revenue also includes such things as local aid (net = ~$8.6M for FY05) and local receipts (fees, etc. = ~$9.3M for FY05).
There is no doubt the cost of running a municipal government has grown over the last several years (I do not know of many costs that have decreased the last decade)...but it is inaccurate to say our problem is that we spend more than we raise.
Personally, I think our fiscal problems have more to do with 1) how we spend our money (i.e. the balance between salaries versus jobs and services), and 2) spending one-time revenues on recurring expenses (creating a structural deficit in our budget).
Take care.
-Ted
By Ted Langill
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Thanks
At least the people in the elected seats are stepping up to answer the questions.
Thank You
A voter and a reader
By Appreciative
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Unanswered questions if you
would please, I realize that your free time is consumed
and as it is you provide most generously to the town of your time already ,thank you in advance.
Question number 1: is this statement true? Over past nine years, the town's budget has grown 49% (almost 5.44% each year on average) or a total growth of $27,848,675.
Question1:a Did we as a town take in $27,848,675 to cover the budget.,Are we including one time monies into the budget as annuity streams?
Question 2: is this statement true? School spending: +50% or +$14.7Million growth over past 9 budgets?
is this data accurate or flawed, please comment.
Again thank you, you are most kind and as it is one of the only source of factual information available.
As an aside, would it be possible for the town to publish an honest, easy to understand comprehensive breakdown of expenditures including year to year increases for the financially challenged (non Beancounter) , no insult intended.
By Leo Brock
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