[RP TownTalk] no vote will be taken at the budget hearing
Dannielle Glaros
dmglaros at gmail.com
Wed May 23 12:54:15 UTC 2007
Personally, I'm really excited to see new sidewalks in my part of
Riverdale Park. Some of our streets don't have any sidewalks and
I've nearly been hit in the street taking my daughter for a stroller
ride.
Dannielle Glaros
dmglaros at gmail.com
On May 22, 2007, at 11:24 AM, Maureen Farrington wrote:
> 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
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://riverdale-park.org/pipermail/towntalk/attachments/20070523/de72f267/attachment-0003.html>
More information about the TownTalk
mailing list