The Selectboard's charge is to protect the health, safety and welfare of our residents and guests. Sometimes that means making hard choices.
On February 2nd, our Selectboard sat in judgment at a vicious dog hearing which involved a Meals on Wheels worker being attacked and injured so severely that he had to be transported to the hospital via ambulance. That was not the only incident involving this dog. Requiring that a dog be relocated or even put down is not an easy choice. I know this from experience.
The Selectboard's priority must be the safety of the community. After a nearly two-hour hearing, If on the Selectboard, I would have come to a different conclusion, as summed up best by the victim: https://www.youtube.com/live/_-1-YXAqLT0?t=7254s. If elected, I pledge to keep the community's interests first on all issues before the Selectboard.
After watching six years of budget cycles, one thing I would like to change if elected is the Fund Balance Policy. Each January, I have observed that our Town spends less or receives more revenue than budgeted from the pror fiscal year. This results in a surplus. Our current policy allows up to 15% of the current budget to be retained, with its use unassigned. This is effectively an emergency fund. However, after topping off that fund, we have had a surplus for many years. Over the last five years the average is $684K per year!
The current policy allows the Selectboard to assign this surplus to expenditures recommended by the Town Manager, bypassing the normal budget process. I am uncomfortable that the consolation prize for not making a budgeted hire or gaining a windfall is that the Town Manager and the Selectboard get to decide how it will be spent. I would like to see that money returned to the voters as tax relief or the pending budget include the expenses the surplus will cover.
Reviewing the town's annual budget is one of the most important functions of our Selectboard. It impacts all landowners directly, and renters indirectly, in their pocketbooks. Those who pay attention to their tax bills will notice that our municipal taxes (not the education tax) have two components: the municipal tax and the capital tax.
It is important to understand that the capital tax is a fixed rate on a property's assessed value, currently $0.05 on each $100 of assessed value. That rate does not change annually, as the municipal tax rate does. This means that the amount raised each year to fund future capital expenses will vary directly with the value of the grand list. It also means that when reassessment is complete, if a property's assessed value increases by 50%, the municipal tax rate will likely be reduced, keeping the municipal tax (on average) the same. THIS IS NOT SO FOR THE CAPITAL TAX. That tax will automatically increase based on a higher new assessed value.
I don't think this is the right way to fund our capital needs. As proof, I submit the fact that the capital fund has had to be supplemented with the budget surpluses I mentioned above. I recently asked the town auditor if a separate capital tax was how other municipalities fund their capital needs. Hear the response for yourself.
This needs to change. We also need to be informed of all the capital expenses planned beyond the five years presented in the town annual report. This is a goal I will work toward if elected.
I know my fellow residents have plenty of opinions on what is best for our town. I established Essex PoliTalk in 2019 to provide everyone the opportunity to engage in conversation, ask questions, and stay informed. Each weekend, I moderate a dozen or so residents as they compare notes on the meetings attended and issues they care about. Email me at ken@signorello.net to get on the e-mailing list or click the link above.
