[RP TownTalk] no vote will be taken at the budget hearing

Wed May 23 11:57:36 UTC 2007

I was on my way back from a business trip, on Monday night, and couldn't
attend the meeting. How can I catch up with what happened and where the
Council is in the discussion?

-----Original Message-----
From: towntalk-bounces at riverdale-park.org
[mailto:towntalk-bounces at riverdale-park.org] On Behalf Of Maureen Farrington
Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 11:24 AM
To: TownTalk
Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] no vote will be taken at the budget hearing

If repairing the roads all at once saves us money, I don't see how this is a
bad thing for the future of the town.

On 5/22/07, CHRISTINA DAVIS <book-smart at verizon.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> The budget historically has been delivered the week before the 
> election (in election years), and preparation with town staff began 1-2
months earlier.
> Perhaps this has changed more recently, but it might be a good system 
> to go back to. It is unusual in the town's history for a proposed 
> budget hike of this size to have not been discussed during a campaign,
either pro or con.
>
>
>
> Also, I have been hearing much about road improvements; streets that 
> were repaired 5-10 years ago are being redone again now. This is not 
> unusual if a utility company destroys them and pays for the complete 
> over-hall (usually after much legal wrangling). But, if these newly 
> done streets did not survive their proposed 20-30 year life span, then 
> perhaps the road repair company should be taken to task and repair them at
reduced or no cost.
>
>
>
> A now-deceased mayor from the 1960s touted himself as the "road-paving 
> king," and did all of the town streets at once. Then, in the 1980s and 
> early 1990s, they all failed at the nearly same time (as their life 
> expectancies all expired at the same time), a problem which my 
> generation of councilmembers inherited. A more moderate approach 
> seemed to be warranted, as it would not seem prudent to pass this 
> problem along to your children after the town had learned such a valuable
lesson then.
>
>
>
> Chris
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
>  From: towntalk-bounces at riverdale-park.org
> [mailto:towntalk-bounces at riverdale-park.org] On Behalf Of Dwight 
> Holmes
>  Sent: Monday, May 21, 2007 3:50 PM
>  To: TownTalk
>  Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] no vote will be taken at the budget 
> hearing
>
>
>
> Roland--Thank you for the information here you've given us that I was 
> not previously aware of, and which is good to know. The value of this 
> thread continues to accumulate. However, I'm puzzled a bit by your 
> citing of my earlier email. What I wrote was "Like some have already 
> said, I think it's too bad the discussion couldn't have started 
> somewhat sooner -- it does feel a bit rushed, for something as 
> momentous as this is. But it is good to know that there are at least a few
meetings to go before things are finalized."
> You took a piece of that out of context.  I think it misconstrued the 
> meaning of what I wrote.
>
>  And whether we are eventually talking about tax hike of 27% or 18% or 
> even 10%, I think it's fair to say that it is momentous.  I would 
> argue at the very least that it *should* be seen as such.  I'm not 
> advocating for or against any particular proposal at this point. As a 
> new homeowner in  the town, I want and need much more information. 
> That's why I've appreciated and expressed as much for the current 
> thread(s) we've got going here.  Without this email list I would know 
> nothing of any of these issues.  It's really too bad more of our 
> residents don't join in.  But mainly, I'm just saying that a tax 
> increase of any amount in that range (10 - 27%) is certainly not 
> inconsequential, is certainly significant, and may be seen by many on
tight budgets as mom entous.
>
>
>
>
> On 5/21/07, Roland Walker <walker at pobox.com> wrote:
>
> [Dwight Holmes writes]
>  > it does feel a bit rushed, for something as momentous as this is.
>
>  Outside the world of this email list, the budget process is neither 
> so  rushed, nor the taxation decision so momentous.
>
>  No vote will be taken tonight -- the meeting is only a hearing, one  
> that is required under the laws that govern the process.
>
>  The mayor's submitted budget represents, in large part, "wishlists"
>  put forward by town staff, gathered up together, and proposed to the  
> council.
>
>  Tonight's hearing publicizes a maximum number, which our taxes cannot  
> exceed.  However, it is expected that the final taxation instructions  
> we send to the county will be lower.  The law gives us the flexibility  
> to move down -- but not up -- from the publicized number.  So we call  
> it first on the high end.
>
>  Right now, what is happening is that your councilmembers are poring  
> over the budget, finding items to remove or add, generally working to  
> bring the budget down by whittling away at staff wishlists.  One  
> councilmember has also found a revenue item which was missing.
>  Citizens have also read the budget and forwarded good money-saving  
> suggestions, and are encouraged to do so.
>
>  The incoming council are the ones that will actually pass the budget.
>  They are on point right now to see that the budget fits their policy  
> priorities as described to voters.
>
>  This is generally a consultative process, not an adversarial one.  Mr  
> Oppenheim's exhortations on the subject may be charitably explained by  
> noting that having served only half a term, he is not very familiar  
> with the process.
>
>  The final tax rate will be lower than the advertised rate.  It will  
> probably represent a modest rise in rates.
>
>  Vernon Archer ran for mayor in '05 on a platform or building up our
>  town, and was unopposed in '07.   Perhaps someone will run in '09 on a
>  platform of cutting police and public works.  In the meantime,  
> measured, steady buildup will continue.
>
>  This was the choice of the voters.
>
>  R
>  _______________________________________________
>  TownTalk mailing list
>  To post to the list, send mail to TownTalk at riverdale-park.org  
> TownTalk-request at riverdale-park.org is for automated subscription 
> processing only  http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk
>
>  For more information about Riverdale Park, visit 
> http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us
>
>
>
>
>  --
>  ~~
>  Map of Riverdale Park MD Trolley Hiker-Biker Trail and Cafritz 
> Property  http://tinyurl.com/2wsfql  ~~  Tracking the Washington 
> Nationals' 2007 season (will they catch the '62
> Mets?):
>  http://tinyurl.com/2m6f43
> _______________________________________________
> TownTalk mailing list
> To post to the list, send mail to TownTalk at riverdale-park.org 
> TownTalk-request at riverdale-park.org is for automated subscription 
> processing only http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk
>
> For more information about Riverdale Park, visit 
> http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us
>
_______________________________________________
TownTalk mailing list
To post to the list, send mail to TownTalk at riverdale-park.org
TownTalk-request at riverdale-park.org is for automated subscription processing
only http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk

For more information about Riverdale Park, visit
http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us