Published in tonight's Sentinel and permission given to reprint here:
For you individuals that belittle this man and his efforts to bring fairness to all of the people of Winchester regarding your tax burden, read his words well and take heed.
In supporting the needs of our local government and schools, the
revenue for these expenditures are levied on the property owners. This
tax rate is determined by gathering revenue from other sources (vehicle
tax, timber tax, permits etc, state revenue sharing) of which is
subtracted from the requested revenue by town and school. The difference
that remains is levied on the property owner. This means each year as
the revenue request increases this cost increases is levied against the
property owners only. This way of taxation which is at a flexible rate
depending on needs and requests in a certain year. In a period of
raising expenditures the tendency is to raise the rate on the property
owner faster than any other tax, this tax increase does not take a
legislation battle to change year to year. On the other hand the state
has a fixed rate of gathering revenue. The state tax rate remains stable
except in times of increased needs and requires a legislation battle to
change. This is not true with the property tax. Local government relies
on the elected officials to be honest about their needs with the tax
payers. Greedy local governments, special interest groups and
individuals can levy unneeded cost simply by collecting 10 signatures to
file warrant articles to be placed on a ballot, well knowing mostly the
special interest will show up to vote. This places most property owners
at a disadvantage, allowing a few to dictate the increased tax rate for
the many when these people know only 21 percent of the registered
voters will show up to vote. What a state of disarray we would become if
only 21 percent of our state Legislature showed up to vote and pass
laws. To get fair taxation with representation at least 51 percent of
registered voters must vote on the warrant articles before any increases
could be levied on the property owners.
Last year the Winchester Budget Committee became responsible and cut the town’s request to increase the burden on the property owner. The state legislated the towns shall have a balanced budget. Last year, the Winchester Budget Committee worked many hours on the town budgets until finally voting on a budget that was honest to the town’s needs and fair to the property tax owners. Then at Winchester’s deliberative session, the selectmen were furious over the budget committee’s budget, and attempted to nullify the budget committee’s decision. For once, this time the selectmen failed in their attempt to get the voters to fall for their devious and scheming attempt to circumvent the budget committee to accomplish their selfish needs.
The Legislature mandated budget committees to be a
independent entity process and not be overruled by five selectmen’s
agenda or having to require more oversight. Yes, the budget committee
includes a voting selectmen member, and that should be the limit of
their influence. The system is broken. The selectmen, in their attempt
to get their own greedy way, petitioned the state and had the budget
committee decision reversed and the money restored to their town’s
budget How fair is this to the voters if their choice of budget
committee members can be overruled by a state agency that does not own
one piece of property in Winchester or does not understands how
manipulating a town government can be.
This year, the selectmen, in another and different approach in their attempts to control the budget committee, are presenting a warrant article to reduce the number of members elected to the budget committee from seven to five. This is still another attempt by the selectmen to eliminate people on the budget committee that push back on spending.
These flexible taxes are unfair and more revenue should come from the state Legislature, instead of being controlled by greedy self-serving people.
Robert Davis
893 Old Westport Road
Winchester
Last year the Winchester Budget Committee became responsible and cut the town’s request to increase the burden on the property owner. The state legislated the towns shall have a balanced budget. Last year, the Winchester Budget Committee worked many hours on the town budgets until finally voting on a budget that was honest to the town’s needs and fair to the property tax owners. Then at Winchester’s deliberative session, the selectmen were furious over the budget committee’s budget, and attempted to nullify the budget committee’s decision. For once, this time the selectmen failed in their attempt to get the voters to fall for their devious and scheming attempt to circumvent the budget committee to accomplish their selfish needs.
This year, the selectmen, in another and different approach in their attempts to control the budget committee, are presenting a warrant article to reduce the number of members elected to the budget committee from seven to five. This is still another attempt by the selectmen to eliminate people on the budget committee that push back on spending.
These flexible taxes are unfair and more revenue should come from the state Legislature, instead of being controlled by greedy self-serving people.
Robert Davis
893 Old Westport Road
Winchester
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