More financial transfers requested:

A total of $52,833.00 will be before the Advisory Committee for approval in end of the year transfers from various accounts to other accounts to balance things out.

posted by Jeff Bennett

from the MMA website:

We are reviewing all of the amendments that have been filed, and in the meantime would like to highlight the MMA’s position on a number of the amendments that you will be debating this afternoon, and offer a summary below.

Please SUPPORT the following amendments:

Amendment #4 – This amendment filed by Rep. Jones would eliminate requirements that state agencies limit certain grants to cities and towns that are pursuing regionalization projects.

Amendment #15 – This amendment filed by Rep. Jones would close two significant loopholes in the municipal unemployment system, addressing the situation that allows school employees funded in the municipal budget to collect unemployment during summer vacations and holiday breaks, and closing the loophole that allows retirees on a public pension to also collect unemployment benefits once they reach the 960-hour cap on post-retirement work. This is not a new issue – the House has already voted to support these reform provisions in previous legislation.

Amendment #19 – This amendment filed by Rep. Peisch would add a municipal representative on the State Retiree Benefits Trust Fund Board of Directors, a needed step, as an increasing number of cities and towns are investing their OPEB with that agency.

Amendment #28 – This amendment filed by Rep. Dykema would clarify that cities and towns can establish water and sewer banks to help finance needed improvements to critical environmental infrastructure systems.

***Amendment #29 – This amendment filed by Rep. Dykema would establish a commission to study the issue of veterans’ preference within the civil service system.

Number 29 is another attempt to take away another promise made to veterans, please call your state representation and ask to oppose this amendment.

posted by Jeff Bennett

June 28, 2016

Deliberations on the fiscal 2017 state budget have been thrown into disarray by a major slump in state tax collections, which the Baker administration yesterday said could be $200 million worse than the gloomy projections made less than two weeks ago.
 
Gov. Charlie Baker announced yesterday that fiscal 2017 tax revenues are now projected to be $650 million to $950 million lower than the consensus projection that the administration and the House and Senate used when building their budget plans.
 
The revision is largely due to widespread financial volatility stemming from the Brexit vote, combined with lower-than-expected tax collections as the state closes fiscal 2016. Capital gains taxes are particularly sluggish and vulnerable to economic instability.
 
A revenue loss of this magnitude will force deep cuts across all areas of the state budget for fiscal 2017. The budgets set by the governor, House and Senate were all based on the original, higher revenue growth projection of $1.1 billion, which means that all of the plans are out of balance.
 
The governor yesterday signed a one-month, temporary budget to cover state obligations through the end of July and provide some breathing room for legislators while they dramatically scale back their budget bills for fiscal 2017, which begins on July 1.
 
The grim news comes at a time when cities and towns have already set their budgets based on estimates of local aid and education funding that were contained in the three budget bills. Any cuts to municipal or school accounts would trigger major budget problems in all 351 cities and towns.
 
“Any local aid reductions at this point would be incredibly disruptive, and would force communities to reopen their already-passed budgets and impose mid-year cuts,” said MMA Executive Director Geoff Beckwith. “Reliance on the property tax to fund municipal and school services is at a 30-year high, and it is too late to pursue tax overrides to replace lost local aid. Any local aid reduction would translate into cuts in essential services and programs that are necessary for our economic growth and stability.”
 
A gap approaching $1 billion is relatively small portion of a nearly $39.5 billion state budget. But roughly two-thirds of state spending is locked in, for items such as health care, debt service and pensions, leaving little room to maneuver in order to bridge the gap.
 
State law requires the budget to be balanced, and doing so is the biggest challenge facing the Legislature before the formal session is scheduled to close on July 31.


from the MMA website

posted by Jeff Bennett

from last nights selectmen meeting:
John Caplis submits resignation letter as Templeton Veteran service Officer.
Town Administrator has submitted his resignation effective July 11, 2016.
Fiscal Year 2013 financials are complete and the Town is awaiting the auditors to come to Templeton to begin their work. Maybe this will be the time this actually happens, as this has been put out numerous times by the administrator. The Abrahams group has completed their work and fiscal 2014 work will be completed by the Town Accountant sometime in August.

There may be more end of year financial transfers by July 15, 2016 to balance out the FY16 budget.

It was stated that 21 applications for fire chief in Templeton have been received at Templeton Town Hall.

Selectmen voted to not release the written legal opinion concerning the election issue with regards to a candidate for the light & water commission.

posted by Jeff Bennett