Another budget year mostly completed and it looks like town side taxes will be increased by .16 cents begining in July 09 budget.
Councilors spent the last two weeks reviewing the 09 budget line by line and came out with a budget that did not spend up to the tax cap. The allowed tax increase via town tax cap which is deterimed by the prevuious years CPI index would of allowed a .21 cents increase ( my previous post made .23 cents was incorrect) however the sitting councilors found savings of about $153,000 from the Administrators recommendations.
Items cut were: a vacant librarian position (Derry public Library)
$8000 in Health Dept's personnel line
A part time custodian position from Public works ( Funding of position)
And we had savings from insurance that helped lower the numbers.
Most important is that the majority of councilors allowed the police chief to hire two officers ( which were previuosly flagged for elimination or/ combo 1/2 elim with funding) However we recognized the fact that these are not 2 new positions but replaced postions with retiring officers.
Another good job by this council on a good budget process.
What do you think about budget process??? Share your thoughts!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Here's your chance!
Next Tuesday night at 7pm is your chance to come to the public hearing on the towns budget. Its usually not that well attended in prior years and we always hear of complaints during the year about our taxes.
Keep in mind that we councilors only control the towns side of taxes which at this time represents $7.50 of your $22.05 per 1000 tax bills.
1 out of every 3 dollars you send in for property taxes goes to town side services such as police protection, fire protection, snow plowing and grounds maintenance, capital projects, recreation.
library's ( and I'm sure I'm leaving something off this list)
Now is the time to come to Tues nights meeting 4/22 at town hall to speak your mind!
Hope to see many faces at this meeting!!!
Keep in mind that we councilors only control the towns side of taxes which at this time represents $7.50 of your $22.05 per 1000 tax bills.
1 out of every 3 dollars you send in for property taxes goes to town side services such as police protection, fire protection, snow plowing and grounds maintenance, capital projects, recreation.
library's ( and I'm sure I'm leaving something off this list)
Now is the time to come to Tues nights meeting 4/22 at town hall to speak your mind!
Hope to see many faces at this meeting!!!
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Twenty three cents
Twenty three cents is the amount allowable under our tax cap here in Derry on town side budget items. The tax cap which is determined by the previous years CPI index this year came in at 2.8%. Meaning that town side spending this year has a maximum allowed increase of .23 cents.
What this tax cap does is to keep town side taxes from run away spending and forces the councilors, dept heads and administrator to prioritize projects. We cannot do everything all at once.
Over the last few years, with health care increases in the double digits percentage wise, cost of living increases, step raises and retirement costs going up every year- the town is put into a corner eventually by pitting employee costs vs infrastructure improvements and this is where councilors jobs get tougher each year. However, because at some point the allowable increases on future budgets will "force" the hand of the town to make serious employee cuts ( if we don't bring in more tax revenues from our depts and from economic development the matter can be worse). It is thought that next years "2010" budget we will begin to see these issues.
Some people are not worried about possible lay-off or reduction in staff and some believe it will benefit the community. I look at it this way. You will still see increases in the town side budget however you will be getting "less bang for your dollar". What do I mean by this? Less workers will have to do more work for the same coverage. You say whats wrong with that? Overtime budgets! Don't they get trimmed back too. Eventually yes! and then what? Services will begin to be effected in a negative way.
Some are pointing the finger at this council to not spend an additional penny of the 23 allowed. You do the math. 23 Million dollar budget with no increase this year however we pay the increases in health care, COLA's gasoline, oil and all other costs that have gone up in price and then next year the CPI will more than likely be under 3%. You can see this would create an even more dramatic cutting of personnel and services.
The tax cap was created to be a fixed budget to work with each year. It forces us to make priority decisions. hard decisions which is a good thing
However, we can't be irresponsible. Not this does not mean we need to increase right up to the cap however the folks that think not spending an additional penny should look at the facts a little bit harder.
What this tax cap does is to keep town side taxes from run away spending and forces the councilors, dept heads and administrator to prioritize projects. We cannot do everything all at once.
Over the last few years, with health care increases in the double digits percentage wise, cost of living increases, step raises and retirement costs going up every year- the town is put into a corner eventually by pitting employee costs vs infrastructure improvements and this is where councilors jobs get tougher each year. However, because at some point the allowable increases on future budgets will "force" the hand of the town to make serious employee cuts ( if we don't bring in more tax revenues from our depts and from economic development the matter can be worse). It is thought that next years "2010" budget we will begin to see these issues.
Some people are not worried about possible lay-off or reduction in staff and some believe it will benefit the community. I look at it this way. You will still see increases in the town side budget however you will be getting "less bang for your dollar". What do I mean by this? Less workers will have to do more work for the same coverage. You say whats wrong with that? Overtime budgets! Don't they get trimmed back too. Eventually yes! and then what? Services will begin to be effected in a negative way.
Some are pointing the finger at this council to not spend an additional penny of the 23 allowed. You do the math. 23 Million dollar budget with no increase this year however we pay the increases in health care, COLA's gasoline, oil and all other costs that have gone up in price and then next year the CPI will more than likely be under 3%. You can see this would create an even more dramatic cutting of personnel and services.
The tax cap was created to be a fixed budget to work with each year. It forces us to make priority decisions. hard decisions which is a good thing
However, we can't be irresponsible. Not this does not mean we need to increase right up to the cap however the folks that think not spending an additional penny should look at the facts a little bit harder.
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Back to the budget drawing boards
Budget time started as I returned from my vacation ( 90's all week and sunny) returning to Boston weather at 38 degrees was a shock to old system.
I decided to get an update as to the council meeting I missed and the first budget meeting. I spoke to only a few people so far and they tell me it has been quite an interesting meeting. The N.N. reported that there were a few eyebrows raised when council choose board members this time around. You remember that I tried to re-shedule that meeting so that I as a sitting councilor would have a say, however the rest of the council choose to keep it that day without me being present.
In the days when I was first elected, it was protocol to give full membership to an alternate member who showed that they "paid their dues" and came to each meeting, participated, and went to educational classes to learn the process. Sadly, today we have a political way of picking regular members with no or little expertise and knowledge and this sets a very bad message to the very businesses that will come to town and get "cherry picked" when certain groups either like a business or not.
Very very dangerous for the town of Derry! Mark my words here and now. The taxpayers will pay dearly. I hope someone will prove me wrong, but time will tell. And what message does this send to the very people who sacrifice time and their own money learning these new laws to learn that they could be gone the next time around because councilors consider them "friendly" or "unfriendly"- sad but true!
Now budgets- My understanding right now is that KC wants $75,000 cut from the personnel line of the police budget. He says that next year they will have to lay-off anyways. If this is true and I'll have to verify, Then I want to make this statement. Cutting Police officers when we have not hired any new additional officers in 4 years and when the City of Manchester is hiring 25-30 police officers is wrong! These police officers in my book are far to important for our safety and well being and quite frankly, I would cut from other parts of a budget and my safety personnel are the very last people to get cut.
Remember, we must ask ourselves these questions. Is it a need or a want.
we have far to many "wants" in this town and not a lot of "needs" or must haves- policeman and women are definite needs, especially in the 4Th largest community in New Hampshire.
What are your thoughts
I decided to get an update as to the council meeting I missed and the first budget meeting. I spoke to only a few people so far and they tell me it has been quite an interesting meeting. The N.N. reported that there were a few eyebrows raised when council choose board members this time around. You remember that I tried to re-shedule that meeting so that I as a sitting councilor would have a say, however the rest of the council choose to keep it that day without me being present.
In the days when I was first elected, it was protocol to give full membership to an alternate member who showed that they "paid their dues" and came to each meeting, participated, and went to educational classes to learn the process. Sadly, today we have a political way of picking regular members with no or little expertise and knowledge and this sets a very bad message to the very businesses that will come to town and get "cherry picked" when certain groups either like a business or not.
Very very dangerous for the town of Derry! Mark my words here and now. The taxpayers will pay dearly. I hope someone will prove me wrong, but time will tell. And what message does this send to the very people who sacrifice time and their own money learning these new laws to learn that they could be gone the next time around because councilors consider them "friendly" or "unfriendly"- sad but true!
Now budgets- My understanding right now is that KC wants $75,000 cut from the personnel line of the police budget. He says that next year they will have to lay-off anyways. If this is true and I'll have to verify, Then I want to make this statement. Cutting Police officers when we have not hired any new additional officers in 4 years and when the City of Manchester is hiring 25-30 police officers is wrong! These police officers in my book are far to important for our safety and well being and quite frankly, I would cut from other parts of a budget and my safety personnel are the very last people to get cut.
Remember, we must ask ourselves these questions. Is it a need or a want.
we have far to many "wants" in this town and not a lot of "needs" or must haves- policeman and women are definite needs, especially in the 4Th largest community in New Hampshire.
What are your thoughts
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
