Board of Selectmen Meeting April 28, 2014 My Comments

Board of Selectmen   April 28, 2014

We have all witnessed article after article describing the financial crisis in Connecticut that trickles down to Simsbury. An article in a Hartford Magazine states that Simsbury has the highest Mill Rate in the surrounding areas. That equates to higher taxes.  According to a Hartford Magazine 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 be buying homes in Simsbury and companies will not elect to come to Simsbury. Many realtors are hearing from prospective buyers that Simsbury’s taxes are too high and they are buying homes in surrounding towns with lower taxes. Fewer homes sold, fewer children in schools. Simsbury cannot be competitive unless the Mill Rate is lowered to compete with the surrounding towns. All the areas with a lower Mill Rates and lower property taxes are governed by a professional Town Manager.  First Selectman Mary Glassman has stated that, if elected she would be in favor of a Town Manager. However, with a salary of $113,850 for a ceremonial position with all her duties delegated  to the Director of Administrative Assistant, Tom Cooke. Since the First Selectman’s position is a political position, it is more important  getting elected than serving the taxpayers. We are continually building bridges to nowhere paid by the taxpayers.  This administration is wasting money on knee jerk reactions that are politically motivated, more important in getting elected instead of providing long-term planning. We paid $14,000 for a consultant to evaluate the Selectmen’s Office and to date the report has not been submitted.  Why the delay?  The personnel in the Selectman’s Office including the First Selectman, consists of a Director of Administrative Services with a salary of $104,508, Deputy Director of Administrative Services with a salary of $71,238 with an additional payment equivalent to his additional services as Finance Director with a salary of $90,000, a consultant position was created  when the Deputy of Administrative Services position was vacated at a salary of $1,050 a week and the Executive Secretary to the First Selectman at a salary of $58,000.   This is without the $15,000 additional costs associated with all employees’ salaries.

The Simsbury Farms Special Revenue Fund is $235,000 in debt and has to be funded by the taxpayers through the General Fund. Although they have lost money year after year and the golf lobby has continually given excuses for their losses they are being rewarded for poor performance. At the last Board of Selectman meeting this board has condoned the poor management and losses at the Golf Course by giving them another mechanism for losing money by authorizing a Complimentary Greens Fee Policy while the taxpayers pay for their losses. For over 30 years, Mr. Toner Director of Simsbury Farms, has not had a free pass on the Golf Course but now as a perk for poor management, we are allowing him to play golf for free, taking time away from his planning on making the golf course self-sufficient.  When the taxpayers voted for the Golf Course as part of the Simsbury Farms Complex, the only person to get a free pass was First Selectman Russ Shaw. Now that we are losing money everyone has a free for all. Why the change in policy? Why is this board rewarding employees for losing money? Is it fiscal responsibility or political expediency?  Why is Simsbury Farms Golf Course promoting the Golf Course on Groupon, once again giving away rounds at the golf course? Why should the taxpayers bale out a failing activity?

A recent article in the Hartford Courant stated that 700 employees from The Hartford are being assigned to the main office in Hartford. We were told by this administration all is well for two years. This appears to be immediate action.  What are the future plans for Ensign-Bickford? What other issues have our leaders been hiding from the residents?  This loss in employment is affecting other businesses in the area. Eventually the building will be demolished and Simsbury will have a revenue deficit of $1.6 million.

Our budgets that are before the taxpayers are predicated on false assumptions. We will lose the revenue from The Hartford, our investments will not get a 7% return on investments, the Simsbury Farms Special Revenue Fund will continue to lose money, the schools will receive less money from the State since $3 billion dollars are being funneled into private Magnet and Charter Schools.  Capital Improvements have been used for off line expenditures with increased spending in debt payments for 10 years although our revenues are diminished. I cannot support any of the budgets presented since they are presented to the taxpayers with unreal expectations’ of our future Grand List and the manipulation of expenditures for political expediency. 

The only new business in town is the illegal Marijuana Factory supported by our elected officials. It appears from the floor plans that there are many specialized activities with various offices that should be regulated. Who will be responsible for overseeing this illegal activity? The Federal Government has designated Marijuana a Schedule 1 Narcotic punishable by prison sentences for people associated with the growing and distribution of Marijuana  and yet Simsbury embraces this activity as economic development.  How is the town going to assess the Marijuana plants grown in the factory?  Now that Simsbury has embraced this illegal activity, how is this administration going to provide for the safety of the children in the homes with many residents using medical marijuana? Will the town be required to call DCF to protect the children? In a rush to get tax money, the State and the Towns have lost sight of all the impediments to these activities.  Why should Simsbury be known as Pot City? It is time to put the Genie back in the bottle. The benefits do not out way the cost to society with health risks and mental illness.

I recently asked Superintendent Matt Curtis if anyone in the school administration will be appointed to the Governor’s task force to review of the Common Core standards and to receive input into the implementation of this educational  process. I was told that Simsbury was not asked to participate and therefore, does not have a place at the table. Why is our Board of Education eliminated from the process that will affect our students and educators? State charter school statutes typically relieve charter schools of state and local regulations so the schools are free to innovate and experiment. Home schooled children are exempt from the Common Core Curriculum?  Why should public schools have a rigid curriculum when others are exempt?  Our educators and students will lose when educational standards are developed by Wall Street instead of Main Street.