I would like to thank Jeanne Comee Evans for her post about the budget, selectmen and things in general with regards to the Town and finance. I hope many people read her post and get mad enough to show up and demand changes, demand that selectmen work for the town and not just one or a couple issues and to be truthful. In the Gardner News article, there was a mention of a tax rate of 22 dollars per thousand by 2020 which is less than 4 years away. So think about this, right now 0ne dollar per thousand raises about $556,000.00 and the police station addition is advertised to cost about one million and the school is advertised to cost you about 24 million over 28 years with a loan payment per year at about 1,300,000.00. The exact numbers we can discuss later. Just take those numbers and do some simple math. Take the $16.47 tax rate from right now and then figure what amount is needed to raise one million 300 thousand dollars, close to 19 dollars per thousand for just the school, take into account increases (expected) for retirement, health insurance, school assessment for two districts, Monty Tech and NRHS and other things. Keep in mind that one million 300 thousand is based off an interest rate of 3.5%. An increase to just 4% increases the pay back cost which affects the tax rate. So what will is cost to build the school/ No one can say exactly, it is all an estimate until it is finished and that is fine, because if you get what you want, the costs do not really matter, as long as that is said up front! no sales pitch, no magic math, no if you take this and move it over there and add this and change that, etc, etc. No, this is what it will cost on today's numbers from your taxes and this can go up and we cannot tell you exactly what that will be right now, do you wish to do this? Yes or no. All I can say is to look at Ashburham, they built a 30 million plus dollar school and their tax rate jumped 4 dollars per thousand and when asked why, the answer was most of it is because of the new school. Anyone can look that up and I encourage you to do so. I hope the tax rate only goes up $1.74 per thousand, but I expect it to go higher and I expect people will be mad and not really because of the increase, but because they will have been lied to again.
posted by Jeff Bennett
Saturday, August 6, 2016
If you have read the Gardner News article from Thursday, August 4, 2016, you might be mad.
I think it is probably time for some town residents, not me or the usual same ones who regularly attend meetings of selectmen, but some others who may watch on tv but generally do not go and I think they should ask to speak and ask each one of the selectmen, on camera, did you know or were you aware of these raises? Were you aware of the issues with regards to new growth and motor vehicle excise tax? And no, that budget did not have to be put in front of the voters, you are allowed by law to recess Town meeting so things could be "fixed" or adjusted. There are at least two emails that show selectmen did not want town department heads meeting with Advisory Committee and the other shows selectmen knew or were told that the day before Town meeting, an individual was making changes to the document that selectmen had already approved to present to town meeting. Remember it was John Columbus who was chairman of the select board until the May election and he is the one who said "we (selectmen) do not need the DOR, inspector general, the attorney general or anyone else because we are doing what needs to be done, we are solving issues" I hope some people are finally mad enough to attend and ask some direct questions to all as in each and everyone of them and demand an answer
I think it is probably time for some town residents, not me or the usual same ones who regularly attend meetings of selectmen, but some others who may watch on tv but generally do not go and I think they should ask to speak and ask each one of the selectmen, on camera, did you know or were you aware of these raises? Were you aware of the issues with regards to new growth and motor vehicle excise tax? And no, that budget did not have to be put in front of the voters, you are allowed by law to recess Town meeting so things could be "fixed" or adjusted. There are at least two emails that show selectmen did not want town department heads meeting with Advisory Committee and the other shows selectmen knew or were told that the day before Town meeting, an individual was making changes to the document that selectmen had already approved to present to town meeting. Remember it was John Columbus who was chairman of the select board until the May election and he is the one who said "we (selectmen) do not need the DOR, inspector general, the attorney general or anyone else because we are doing what needs to be done, we are solving issues" I hope some people are finally mad enough to attend and ask some direct questions to all as in each and everyone of them and demand an answer
your selectmen at work:
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Diane Haley Brooks <seldhaleybrooks@templeton1.org>
Date: Wed, Aug 3, 2016 at 9:45 PM
Subject: Re: TAC request for agenda item
To: "Templeton, MA Advisory Board" <templetonadvisoryboard@gmail.com>, Selectman Caplis <selectmen.caplis@templeton1.org>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Diane Haley Brooks <seldhaleybrooks@templeton1.org>
Date: Wed, Aug 3, 2016 at 9:45 PM
Subject: Re: TAC request for agenda item
To: "Templeton, MA Advisory Board" <templetonadvisoryboard@gmail.com>, Selectman Caplis <selectmen.caplis@templeton1.org>
Hello John and Wil
Being on vacation and also not being at the meeting and wishing to catch up, I would request this be put on a later agenda. I saw the email that there were possible errors and I feel our Board should discuss this first among ourselves.
Thank you.
Diane Haley Brooks, Realtor
that is a selectmen response to this:
Visit my website! TuesdaysInTempleton.com
> On Aug 3, 2016, at 9:27 PM, Templeton, MA Advisory Board <templetonadvisoryboard@gmail.com> wrote:>
> John,
> The Advisory Committee was wonder if the BOS would add 2 agenda items for Mondays BOS meeting,
> 1. Discussion on scheduling the fall Special Town meeting and setting the date of the STM
> 2 Discuss a schedule for when the next joint meeting of the BOS and TAC will meet to go over the amended budget presented on July 21th.
> If you do add these items and would like TAC to attend then please feel free to schedule us for the discussion.
> Thank you for considering these items
> Wil
> John,
> The Advisory Committee was wonder if the BOS would add 2 agenda items for Mondays BOS meeting,
> 1. Discussion on scheduling the fall Special Town meeting and setting the date of the STM
> 2 Discuss a schedule for when the next joint meeting of the BOS and TAC will meet to go over the amended budget presented on July 21th.
> If you do add these items and would like TAC to attend then please feel free to schedule us for the discussion.
> Thank you for considering these items
> Wil
Perhaps someone wishes to get their stories straight. It is tow simple items, a town meeting date and schedule of more joint meetings between selectmen and advisory committee, what could be the problem?
posted by Jeff Bennett
Friday, August 5, 2016
from the Municipal calendar: August 31
Begin Work on Tax Rate Recapitulation Sheet (to set tax rate for semi-annual bills)
Until the Tax Rate Recap Sheet is completed and certified by the Commissioner of Revenue, the community may not set a tax rate nor send out its property tax bills (unless it issues preliminary quarterly tax bills or requests from DOR the authority to send out preliminary tax notices if DOR requirements are met). Communities should begin gathering the information in enough time for the tax rate to be set and tax bills mailed by October 1. The Tax Rate Recap Sheet provides Mayors or Selectmen with a ready-made financial management tool because the town's most important financial management information is summarized on this form. The Mayor or Selectmen should review the Recap Sheet in preliminary form in order to understand the following financial information:
Page 1 (Tax Rate Summary) -The proposed tax levy should be compared to the levy limit. If a community does not levy to its limit, the remaining levy is referred to as excess levy capacity. Excess levy capacity is lost to the community for the current fiscal year although it will always remain in the levy limit calculation.
Page 2 (Amount To Be Raised) -This section includes appropriations and other local expenditures not appropriated. These include overlay deficits, revenue deficits, state and county charges, Cherry Sheet offset items, and the allowance for abatements and exemptions. By comparing this information to the prior year(s), any significant changes can be determined.
Page 3, Schedule A (Local Receipts Not Allocated) -By comparing these figures to prior year(s), the Mayor or Selectmen can determine any changes in these revenues.
Page 4, Schedule B (Certification of Appropriations and Source of Funding) -This section includes financial votes of City/Town Council or Town Meeting not previously reported on last year's recap.
posted by Jeff Bennett
Begin Work on Tax Rate Recapitulation Sheet (to set tax rate for semi-annual bills)
Until the Tax Rate Recap Sheet is completed and certified by the Commissioner of Revenue, the community may not set a tax rate nor send out its property tax bills (unless it issues preliminary quarterly tax bills or requests from DOR the authority to send out preliminary tax notices if DOR requirements are met). Communities should begin gathering the information in enough time for the tax rate to be set and tax bills mailed by October 1. The Tax Rate Recap Sheet provides Mayors or Selectmen with a ready-made financial management tool because the town's most important financial management information is summarized on this form. The Mayor or Selectmen should review the Recap Sheet in preliminary form in order to understand the following financial information:
Page 1 (Tax Rate Summary) -The proposed tax levy should be compared to the levy limit. If a community does not levy to its limit, the remaining levy is referred to as excess levy capacity. Excess levy capacity is lost to the community for the current fiscal year although it will always remain in the levy limit calculation.
Page 2 (Amount To Be Raised) -This section includes appropriations and other local expenditures not appropriated. These include overlay deficits, revenue deficits, state and county charges, Cherry Sheet offset items, and the allowance for abatements and exemptions. By comparing this information to the prior year(s), any significant changes can be determined.
Page 3, Schedule A (Local Receipts Not Allocated) -By comparing these figures to prior year(s), the Mayor or Selectmen can determine any changes in these revenues.
Page 4, Schedule B (Certification of Appropriations and Source of Funding) -This section includes financial votes of City/Town Council or Town Meeting not previously reported on last year's recap.
posted by Jeff Bennett
What is or could be on the horizon:
NEW POLL: Mass. governor Baker recently opposed a Fed-sponsored vehicle-miles traveled tax pilot program. Bad choice? Would this not be a sound alternative to a gas tax boost for generating state revenue?
Drop by our homepage and take this week's poll question, which considers miles-traveled taxation as a potential boon to state revenue.
Drop by our homepage and take this week's poll question, which considers miles-traveled taxation as a potential boon to state revenue.
This would be a tax on the miles you actually drive, question is, how will they (government) enforce this? How will they track your mileage without tracking you? I guess they did not think about the consequences of all the electric cars, hybrids and increased mileage requirements which results in less gas used which means less gas tax collected which equals less money for roads. Here is an idea, stop paying Iran 400 million dollars and no over one billion in interest to Iran. Actually stop sending tax dollars over seas and start spending them here, at home. I would not look for that to happen so we can expect for this mileage tax to not go away and rather expect them to keep it on the table and eventually get to us.
The Massachusetts state legislature wanted the governor to apply of a federal "grant" (your tax dollars) to do a pilot program here in the commonwealth, work out the kinks, figure out the way to track you and see how much money can be taken in, then tell you this is the new thing, pay to drive, in addition to what it already costs you. This looks like it makes all of Massachusetts one large toll plaza. What do out of state drivers pay under this system? This item needs to stay on the radar.
posted by Jeff Bennett
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Some information from past Templeton tax recapitulation sheets and fiscal year 2017 budget spread sheet from town meeting.
Fiscal Year estimate Fiscal Year actual differential
2012 - $788,000.00 $853,798.00 $65,798.00 above estimate
2013 - $821,000.00 $813,759.00 $ 7,241.00 under estimate
2014 - $888,779.00 $948,747.00 $59,968.00 above estimate
2015 - $942,000.00 $970,753.00 $28,753.00 above estimate
2016 - $980,000.00 to be determined to be determined
2017 - $1,110,00.00 to be determined to be determined
So, is an increase in motor vehicle excise tax receipts of $130,000.00 an unrealistic expectation?
posted by Jeff Bennett
Fiscal Year estimate Fiscal Year actual differential
2012 - $788,000.00 $853,798.00 $65,798.00 above estimate
2013 - $821,000.00 $813,759.00 $ 7,241.00 under estimate
2014 - $888,779.00 $948,747.00 $59,968.00 above estimate
2015 - $942,000.00 $970,753.00 $28,753.00 above estimate
2016 - $980,000.00 to be determined to be determined
2017 - $1,110,00.00 to be determined to be determined
So, is an increase in motor vehicle excise tax receipts of $130,000.00 an unrealistic expectation?
posted by Jeff Bennett
Templeton fiscal year schedule A versus fiscal 2017 spread sheet presented to Town Meeting:
If you go to the Templeton Town web site and find the 2017 operating budget document, and if you find and look at page 10 of the excel spread sheet, you can look at long term debt, under heading of debt service - long term.
look at the column titled FY 2015 and scroll down to debt service - long term.
What you will see is principle on long term debt - $1,287,024.00
What you will see is interest on long term debt - $ 0.00
On the Templeton schedule A, for fiscal 2015 is long term debt - $1,007,597.00
On Templeton schedule A, for fiscal 2015 is interest on long term debt $ 279,427.00
The total is the above figure of - $1,287,024.00
Perhaps not a big deal, but why not show the people who pay the bills, what exactly it is costing them to have this one million plus dollar debt on the books?
Would that be called transparency?
Would complete transparency be a good idea for a 47 million dollar project?
What would the total interest cost be on 24 million dollars over 28 years at 3.5%?
The above is not a lecture, it is information and a few questions for thought.
posted by Jeff Bennett
If you go to the Templeton Town web site and find the 2017 operating budget document, and if you find and look at page 10 of the excel spread sheet, you can look at long term debt, under heading of debt service - long term.
look at the column titled FY 2015 and scroll down to debt service - long term.
What you will see is principle on long term debt - $1,287,024.00
What you will see is interest on long term debt - $ 0.00
On the Templeton schedule A, for fiscal 2015 is long term debt - $1,007,597.00
On Templeton schedule A, for fiscal 2015 is interest on long term debt $ 279,427.00
The total is the above figure of - $1,287,024.00
Perhaps not a big deal, but why not show the people who pay the bills, what exactly it is costing them to have this one million plus dollar debt on the books?
Would that be called transparency?
Would complete transparency be a good idea for a 47 million dollar project?
What would the total interest cost be on 24 million dollars over 28 years at 3.5%?
The above is not a lecture, it is information and a few questions for thought.
posted by Jeff Bennett
John Columbus - Templeton Selectman Sorry Kevin, I'm not complaining. The Town has an $800,000 deficit from FY 2013. we had to spend an additional $100,000 to clean up the mess. Those responsible won't acknowledge their culpability and have the gall to lecture the current board on finances. They even denigrate Bob Markel, the person most responsible for getting the Town back on track. We are solving issues, they are not.
What happened to the $750,000.00 certified free cash that we were told was coming? The supposed funds John Columbus talked about using for some expense a little prior to the May 2016 elections. He, as chairman, threw a person out of a meeting of selectmen, after that individual commented that was not a good thing to consider.
I think the above caption/instagram photo may say it all, with regards to John Columbus, but I think if checks some facts, he would see that on the Templeton Town meeting warrant for May 15,16,21,23 2012, which includes the budget for fiscal 2013, he will find a familiar name, Columbus. Members of the select board at that time were Robert Columbus, Chris Stewart, Patrick Mullins, Virginia Wilder and Jeff Bennett. Those were the selectmen from the recall election in February to the election in May of 2012. I also can say that if John checked or if he had attended, I told people at a meeting in the KIVA, the fall of 2013 that if they wanted to point a finger, if they wanted someone to blame, that would be me, Jeff Bennett, as I was the current Chairman of the Board of Selectmen. I did not hear John Columbus say much at a meeting on July 21, 2016, at the KIVA, where discussion focused mostly on budget issues for fiscal 2017. If you check, you will find John Columbus was the chairman of the Board of Selectmen for the time of January 1, 2016 until the first meeting of the BOS after the May election of 2016. So to John Columbus, will you be stating your culpability in the current budget mess? Or will you continue to denigrate those who are trying to advise you on a course that perhaps will stop this from happening again as we move forward. I believe it is important enough that it deserves the effort to try to instill the changes needed to get a budget process in place that demonstrates Fact, Law, and Transparency. (Thank You Jeff) John may take some things as lecturing, but it is advice based on experience, outside information and looking at how other communities successfully get a town meeting warrant and budget spread sheet out to the voters at least three weeks prior to Town Meeting. I would like to see Templeton do the same. When we have a person changing something that the selectmen have already voted on, the day before town meeting, I think someone could use a lecture. Remember John, you were the Chairman of the select board while that budget was put together, so take responsibility for it. In a sense, listen to what you wrote on your face book page.
That is my opinion, and in no way reflects any thought or position of the Advisory Committee, of which I am a member.
posted by Jeff Bennett
What happened to the $750,000.00 certified free cash that we were told was coming? The supposed funds John Columbus talked about using for some expense a little prior to the May 2016 elections. He, as chairman, threw a person out of a meeting of selectmen, after that individual commented that was not a good thing to consider.
I think the above caption/instagram photo may say it all, with regards to John Columbus, but I think if checks some facts, he would see that on the Templeton Town meeting warrant for May 15,16,21,23 2012, which includes the budget for fiscal 2013, he will find a familiar name, Columbus. Members of the select board at that time were Robert Columbus, Chris Stewart, Patrick Mullins, Virginia Wilder and Jeff Bennett. Those were the selectmen from the recall election in February to the election in May of 2012. I also can say that if John checked or if he had attended, I told people at a meeting in the KIVA, the fall of 2013 that if they wanted to point a finger, if they wanted someone to blame, that would be me, Jeff Bennett, as I was the current Chairman of the Board of Selectmen. I did not hear John Columbus say much at a meeting on July 21, 2016, at the KIVA, where discussion focused mostly on budget issues for fiscal 2017. If you check, you will find John Columbus was the chairman of the Board of Selectmen for the time of January 1, 2016 until the first meeting of the BOS after the May election of 2016. So to John Columbus, will you be stating your culpability in the current budget mess? Or will you continue to denigrate those who are trying to advise you on a course that perhaps will stop this from happening again as we move forward. I believe it is important enough that it deserves the effort to try to instill the changes needed to get a budget process in place that demonstrates Fact, Law, and Transparency. (Thank You Jeff) John may take some things as lecturing, but it is advice based on experience, outside information and looking at how other communities successfully get a town meeting warrant and budget spread sheet out to the voters at least three weeks prior to Town Meeting. I would like to see Templeton do the same. When we have a person changing something that the selectmen have already voted on, the day before town meeting, I think someone could use a lecture. Remember John, you were the Chairman of the select board while that budget was put together, so take responsibility for it. In a sense, listen to what you wrote on your face book page.
That is my opinion, and in no way reflects any thought or position of the Advisory Committee, of which I am a member.
posted by Jeff Bennett
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)