How does a debt exclusion differ from an override? Both are Proposition 2½ questions and, in municipal finance language, both are technically overrides. However, there are some basic differences. While both will increase your property taxes, a debt exclusion is a temporary increase while an operating override is a permanent increase in the town’s tax levy limit. A debt exclusion finances a particular project(s) and your taxes increase for a period of time, usually 10-20 years, to cover the cost of the project. When the financing bond is paid off, your tax increase for that project goes away.
Why are there two votes – one at the polls and one at Town Meeting? A debt exclusion is required to pass two thresholds: a simple majority at the ballot and a two-thirds majority at Town Meeting.
No debt exclusions, no overrides. Templeton spending is out of control. Be very watchful - the Deep Town may try the usual tactic of sneaking an override or debt exclusions through. A Special Town Meeting and Special Election are the usual tactic. Vote No on any additional spending above the Levy Limit.
ReplyDeleteI think you will find this Board of Selectmen is really willing to do the work necessary to tighten up our finances. There has not been a plan for anything, like how to pay for future projects, or a plan for anything at all, for years and years. Part of the problem has been that the town has had to react to influences outside our control. Changes in State funding has been a problem especially when we are dependent on those funds. Not following the recommendations of the DOR is another big problem. Jeff spoke about the use of free cash and Stabilization money. Changing the way things "have always been done" is necessary and he knows it. This Board of Selectmen will work for us. We need to support them. Bev.
DeleteThere is no "sneaking" an override or debt exclusion thru, it is a 2 step process and is advertised. It is all a matter of what the residents want and what they are willing to pay for. Do not say you want a bridge and then follow up with "but we do not want to pay for it"
DeleteCould you please explain, give example of Templeton spending "out of control".
DeleteWhat is your suggestion?
Here are some examples:
DeleteRiver's Edge Park
Fancy Signs all over Town
Scout Hall Spending
Vagrant-Free Lunch Pagoda
$2 million for Baldwinville Housing
Patching Royalston Rd
Repeated re-Engineering Royalston Rd
Hand-me-down Vehicles
Taj-Ma-Complex at Gilman-Waite
Any money for CERT
Incompetent Accountant
Incompetent Town Administrator
Administrative staff growth
Building Senior Center Stupidly
Big $$$ for Senior Centers kitchen
Want more?
All of these items were funded by CPA through the Towns CPC. The CPA was approved by Town meeting in 2007 and is not part of Templetons General Fund Budget. Signs are required on projects funded by CPA funds.
DeleteRiver's Edge Park
Scout Hall Spending
$2 million for Baldwinville Housing
Taj-Ma-Complex at Gilman-Waite
Big $$$ for Senior Centers kitchen
Fancy Signs all over Town
___________________________________.
General upkeep from years of neglect. Patching was DPS suggestion as delayed repair by all involved( IMHO)
Patching Royalston Rd
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The following items I believe you can look to the last 9 years of Selectboard members for answers along with the previous TA, ATA. Some of these items are being addressed and other like "hand me down cars" have been mentioned a few times in recent months as bad ideas.
Hand-me-down Vehicles
Any money for CERT
Incompetent Accountant
Incompetent Town Administrator
Administrative staff growth
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In my mind these two items show an example of just how poorly Templeton has managed any project within town. Look to Senior Center, Scout Hall, Police Station, Gilman Waite. All multi year/decade projects, all started out on the cheap. Many with volunteers and eventually turned into something much larger, more costly and less effective.
Building Senior Center Stupidly
Repeated re-Engineering Royalston Rd
Just my thoughts on the subject.
Nobody mentioned the police station, that was promised at under one million, but required an additional amount that was, if I'm not mistaken, even higher than the $880k or whatever was sold as the total cost.
ReplyDeleteReality is the fact that when anyone is elected to the Board of Selectmen, you inherited baggage. The good and plenty of bad. The way we, as in the "Town" are doing things now, the new Selectmen have to deal with a budget accepted by another board. Even if you were a member of the board, the majority calls the shots. We can only move forward and improve the way business is done. Crying over spilled milk gets us nowhere. Improvement in the way we do business is what I expect, and I am more hopeful than I have ever been. I am "Yankee" enough to believe in living within our means. We will see how this goes, but there is no way things could be worse than being told, "We have plenty of money." When that is anything but the truth.
ReplyDeleteThat all sounds fine and dandy. Unless this next budget isn't a "how much do we have to spend" budget, the new board won't make any difference. We have too many efforts, with new ones popping up all the time. Too many demands to make the town "better". Those all cost money. Too many employees looking when debt is retired so they can get something else.
DeleteIt would be like a homeowner who spends his whole paycheck on living expenses but decides to improve his home. It's how this town stays "poor".
If I'm not mistaken when it was first brought to Town Meeting it was for $975,000 and ended up being $2,750,000 or there about.
ReplyDeleteMore less than ideal planning, trying to get off cheap and spending extra.............
We need to break this cycle. I would however say that just saying No to everything is not a solution.
We have to use a "four letter word" in Templeton- PLAN
Those details sound correct to me.
ReplyDeleteI think we MUST say No to everything until we put significant money into a capital expenditures fund and stabilization. No more debt for any reason. Set a reasonable goal and pass a resolution at Town Meeting that Templeton will not take on any new debt until we set aside $X for stabilization or CAPEX. This would force management to spend less than the full tax Levy. After we've succeeded at living within our means, maybe then we can consider new vehicles for Recreation, firetrucks, lawn mowers.
Town departments need to behave in the best interests of taxpayers. Unfortunately, they all think that more spending is the answer. Whoever gets hired as TA should have a hard nose attitude about spending. Every dollar must be justified and many justifications must be rejected. We are in deep shit. We need a new culture in Town Hall. No more whim spending.