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

Fri May 25 00:17:54 UTC 2007

My predecessor explained it to me this way when I was itching to repave all
of the ward at once:

Paying for a house all at once will save you money in interest paid.
However, few people can afford to do so, and those who can are often
reluctant to sink so much money into one investment, especially when they
have other rising expenses, like home repairs, utilities, car payments,
education loans and savings, taxes, and food. Or, sinking it all into one
type of  infrastructure, when you have other capital improvements, salaries
and benefits, insurance, fuel, utilities, tree and park planting and
maintenance, and equipment purchase and maintenance, which are perpetually
rising costs and for which you may need the money. 

Sure, you can save on asphalt and concrete costs, which we also did by
borrowing $500K on several occasions and paying it back in 5 years, keeping
the tax hit low while slowly moving toward completion of the town (or paying
off the mortgage).

But, in the long run, the entire street inventory is scheduled to fail again
at the same time, running up a somewhat untenable bill for the townspeople
and business owners 20-30 years from now. Which is what that aforementioned
former mayor did; he certainly was popular among his mid-century
constituents, but not with the children of those constituents, who were
left, in essence, with a big chunk of his bill.

Chris Davis

-----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
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>
>
>  --
>  ~~
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>  http://tinyurl.com/2wsfql
>  ~~
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> Mets?):
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