Taxpayers Deserve Thorough Financial Forecast
I’m writing this letter as a tax payer in Fairhaven with my own personal viewpoints regarding the override question. My thoughts are not meant to represent any other Elected Official or member of Town Administration.
Tax payers deserve a clear vision of how the Town plans to balance the cost of services with tax payer burden and what the goals and priorities are for the Town. These are major policy decisions and the Select Board, according to the Town Administrator Act, is “the Chief Policy setting agency for the Town”.
Several critical steps were skipped prior to asking for an override, and I believe the cart has been placed before the horse. During the weeks leading to Town Meeting, the narrative changed from “this $450K will right the ship, “to “this should last us about two years, “to “wouldn’t you rather pay a small increase of $50 this year than have it come back as $200 next year.” If a $50 tax increase equates to a $450K override, then a $200 tax increase would equate to a $1.8 Million override.
This vast range of numbers shows that the $450K request is not supported by analysis.
Tax payers in Fairhaven deserve nothing less than a thorough financial forecast BEFORE being asked to consider raising our own taxes, including the following;
1) Complete a five-year projection of revenues and expenses. This is actually required by the Town’s Financial Policy on an annual basis. To request an override of $450K without having gone through that fundamental exercise is unacceptable. A five-year projection paints a broader financial picture, accounts for goals to increase revenue, streamline operations (regionalization) and highlights specific circumstances that justify the extent to which an override is necessary.
2) Complete a thorough staffing analysis. The Fire Union has stated that, even with the four new positions funded this year, we are still woefully understaffed, the School Department raises concerns about Net School Spending penalties the Town could face if cuts are too deep and argues that their current share of “40% of the Town budget is unacceptable”. We are told that multiple departments could use additional staffing to adequately deliver the Town Services. Translation: $450K is not going to solve the problem outlined above.
3) Create a realistic Capital Improvement Plan. The current plan calls for funding a Public Safety Complex starting next year, however the Town Administration says that is completely unrealistic and Select Board members refer to the plan as a “pipe dream”. Fiscally conservative communities build up free cash through conservative revenue projections in their operating budget and use free cash to fund Capital projects. The Select Board needs to establish the parameters for revenue forecasting and factor them into a five-year projection, to demonstrate the Town has Capital Improvement capacity.
4) Provide context for the cost impact of the override relative to other major projects on the horizon. The cost of the Waste Water Treatment plant is estimated to increase rates for the average family of four by $480 annually and a large capital project funded with “debt exclusion” (Public Safety Facility) could cost tax payers a similar amount. These costs could dwarf the override impact. Tax Payers deserve to have full context.
I believe a thorough analysis and vision of the future will instill confidence that the Town is justified in requesting an override, has a solid plan for your hard earned tax dollars, and will not be back to the well in the near future.
I will not be voting for any override void of a clear vision.
Bob Espindola, Fairhaven (Mr. Espindola is a member of the Fairhaven Select Board, but writes to express his own opinion, not that of the board.)
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