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Board of Finance Meeting April 15, 2014 Public Audience My Comments


Board of Finance Public Audience April 15, 2014

We are now at the final hour in the process of the public’s assessment of the budgets. This Board has suggested the budgets should come in at 0%-!%.  Neither budgets  heeded your suggestions and now you are going to ask the taxpayers to vote on these budgets that are not consistent with your recommendations.  This year there is $900,000 taken from the General Fund in order to soften the increases off line. Money was added to the Capital Non-Recurring fund to increase spending off line.  There are shortfalls in the Golf budget year after year and this board accommodates the Golf lobbyists, knowing full well that the Golf Course will never make money or break even.  Most of the golf rounds are played by out of town players.  Year after year this board approves large maintenance expenditures at the golf course knowing that revenues are diminished year after year. It is time that this board decides whether the taxpayers should support a failing golf course or the golf course should be contracted to Golf professionals. When golf was profitable there was no discussion on future plans now that competition is fierce and there are too many golf courses competing for fewer and fewer golfers, it is time for action.  This board has approved large expenditures at the golf course with no returns on the investment. People will not purchase homes in Simsbury when they realize that they would have to pay for the upkeep of the golf course year after year. Where is the Master Plan for the Golf Course with realistic revenues and expenditures?

Why this board is discussing at this late date whether the roads are maintenance or Capital Expenditures shows poor planning. Where is the policy on the definition of maintenance and its allocation in the budget with long-term bonding for roads and other maintenance projects that need upkeep year after year?  Bonding for projects add additional costs to the projects. Maintenance should be part of the operating budget.  Where is the plan?

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At the last budget hearing a teacher from the Ethel Walker School spoke in favor of the budgets. It is easy for her to approve the budget since Ethel Walker is exempt from paying taxes on all their properties and the homes for the teachers. Since we are asked to approve millions of dollars for their land, the least they could do is give us money in lieu of taxes as does Westminster School.

Simsbury cannot be competitive unless the Mill Rate is lowered to compete with the surrounding towns.  The estimated property tax for a $300,000 home in West Hartford is $10, 890,Granby $10,449, Glastonbury $10,530, Canton, $8,073, Avon $7,896, Farmington $7,221, Simsbury tops the list with $11,553. Until we become competitive with the surrounding towns there will not be any economic development and fewer people will buying homes in Simsbury and companies will not elect to come to Simsbury.

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Perhaps the reason for dwindling enrollment is the cost of owning a home in Simsbury. The school systems in the surrounding towns provide equal education opportunities, so why pay more?

Why pay for expensive books with a mandated curriculum when the students can use a flash drive to download all the materials needed for their studies? If Edward Snowdon can use a flash drive to download all the NASA surveillance activities, why can’t the students download their curriculum for the year?  This would greatly reduce costs.

There are many facilities in town that provide needed medical services to the community. Why can’t the school system use these professionals on an hourly basis, as needed to reduce costs? With projections of continual reduction in students, at what level will the Board of Education close a school? This will reduce operating costs.

When this board appropriates bonding for 10 years, are they looking at the indicators in the community that lead to reduced revenue? Our largest taxpayer, The Hartford will be leaving during the 10 year period.  It appears that Ensign Bickford with a reduced presence will be leaving and it is questionable whether Dyno-Nobel will remain in the future. Is it time to review the amount of debt that the town can absorb without increasing taxes.  This board has the ability to reduce or cut the expenditures that are below the 1% that appear to be maintenance expenditures that will be appropriated by majority vote.  Do your job.

 The budgets as presented for referendum vote are taking from Peter to pay Paul. We cannot continue to use the General Fund as a piggy bank to lower operating expenses.   It is time for the Board of Finance to plan for the future.

This board can no longer rob Peter to pay Paul. The Board of Finance can no longer move projects around to reduce operating budgets. The General Fund was not meant to be a slush fund. I cannot support the budget as presented.

 

 

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