<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:12pt"><DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">Just to clarify, the current infrastructure project is only repaving a small fraction of the total town roadway.</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif"> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">Kate Sharpe</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">Council-Elect, Ward Two<BR><BR></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman, new york, times, serif">----- Original Message ----<BR>From: CHRISTINA DAVIS <book-smart@verizon.net><BR>To: Maureen Farrington <maureen.farrington@gmail.com>; TownTalk <towntalk@riverdale-park.org><BR>Sent: Thursday, May 24, 2007 8:17:54 PM<BR>Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] no vote will be taken at the budget hearing<BR><BR>
<DIV>My predecessor explained it to me this way when I was itching to repave all<BR>of the ward at once:<BR><BR>Paying for a house all at once will save you money in interest paid.<BR>However, few people can afford to do so, and those who can are often<BR>reluctant to sink so much money into one investment, especially when they<BR>have other rising expenses, like home repairs, utilities, car payments,<BR>education loans and savings, taxes, and food. Or, sinking it all into one<BR>type of infrastructure, when you have other capital improvements, salaries<BR>and benefits, insurance, fuel, utilities, tree and park planting and<BR>maintenance, and equipment purchase and maintenance, which are perpetually<BR>rising costs and for which you may need the money. <BR><BR>Sure, you can save on asphalt and concrete costs, which we also did by<BR>borrowing $500K on several occasions and paying it back in 5 years, keeping<BR>the tax hit low while slowly moving toward
completion of the town (or paying<BR>off the mortgage).<BR><BR>But, in the long run, the entire street inventory is scheduled to fail again<BR>at the same time, running up a somewhat untenable bill for the townspeople<BR>and business owners 20-30 years from now. Which is what that aforementioned<BR>former mayor did; he certainly was popular among his mid-century<BR>constituents, but not with the children of those constituents, who were<BR>left, in essence, with a big chunk of his bill.<BR><BR>Chris Davis<BR><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: towntalk-bounces@riverdale-park.org<BR>[mailto:towntalk-bounces@riverdale-park.org] On Behalf Of Maureen Farrington<BR>Sent: Tuesday, May 22, 2007 11:24 AM<BR>To: TownTalk<BR>Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] no vote will be taken at the budget hearing<BR><BR>If repairing the roads all at once saves us money, I don't see how<BR>this is a bad thing for the future of the town.<BR><BR>On 5/22/07, CHRISTINA DAVIS
<book-smart@verizon.net> wrote:<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>> The budget historically has been delivered the week before the election<BR>(in<BR>> election years), and preparation with town staff began 1-2 months earlier.<BR>> Perhaps this has changed more recently, but it might be a good system to<BR>go<BR>> back to. It is unusual in the town's history for a proposed budget hike of<BR>> this size to have not been discussed during a campaign, either pro or con.<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>> Also, I have been hearing much about road improvements; streets that were<BR>> repaired 5-10 years ago are being redone again now. This is not unusual if<BR>a<BR>> utility company destroys them and pays for the complete over-hall (usually<BR>> after much legal wrangling). But, if these newly done streets did not<BR>> survive their proposed 20-30 year life span, then perhaps the road repair<BR>> company should be taken to task and repair them
at reduced or no cost.<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>> A now-deceased mayor from the 1960s touted himself as the "road-paving<BR>> king," and did all of the town streets at once. Then, in the 1980s and<BR>early<BR>> 1990s, they all failed at the nearly same time (as their life expectancies<BR>> all expired at the same time), a problem which my generation of<BR>> councilmembers inherited. A more moderate approach seemed to be warranted,<BR>> as it would not seem prudent to pass this problem along to your children<BR>> after the town had learned such a valuable lesson then.<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>> Chris<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>> -----Original Message-----<BR>> From: towntalk-bounces@riverdale-park.org<BR>> [mailto:towntalk-bounces@riverdale-park.org] On Behalf Of<BR>> Dwight Holmes<BR>> Sent: Monday, May 21, 2007 3:50 PM<BR>> To: TownTalk<BR>> Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] no
vote will be taken at the budget hearing<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>> Roland--Thank you for the information here you've given us that I was not<BR>> previously aware of, and which is good to know. The value of this thread<BR>> continues to accumulate. However, I'm puzzled a bit by your citing of my<BR>> earlier email. What I wrote was "Like some have already said, I think it's<BR>> too bad the discussion couldn't have started somewhat sooner -- it does<BR>feel<BR>> a bit rushed, for something as momentous as this is. But it is good to<BR>know<BR>> that there are at least a few meetings to go before things are finalized."<BR>> You took a piece of that out of context. I think it misconstrued the<BR>> meaning of what I wrote.<BR>><BR>> And whether we are eventually talking about tax hike of 27% or 18% or<BR>even<BR>> 10%, I think it's fair to say that it is momentous. I would argue at the<BR>> very least
that it *should* be seen as such. I'm not advocating for or<BR>> against any particular proposal at this point. As a new homeowner in the<BR>> town, I want and need much more information. That's why I've appreciated<BR>and<BR>> expressed as much for the current thread(s) we've got going here. Without<BR>> this email list I would know nothing of any of these issues. It's really<BR>> too bad more of our residents don't join in. But mainly, I'm just saying<BR>> that a tax increase of any amount in that range (10 - 27%) is certainly<BR>not<BR>> inconsequential, is certainly significant, and may be seen by many on<BR>tight<BR>> budgets as mom entous.<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>> On 5/21/07, Roland Walker <walker@pobox.com> wrote:<BR>><BR>> [Dwight Holmes writes]<BR>> > it does feel a bit rushed, for something as momentous as this
is.<BR>><BR>> Outside the world of this email list, the budget process is neither so<BR>> rushed, nor the taxation decision so momentous.<BR>><BR>> No vote will be taken tonight -- the meeting is only a hearing, one<BR>> that is required under the laws that govern the process.<BR>><BR>> The mayor's submitted budget represents, in large part, "wishlists"<BR>> put forward by town staff, gathered up together, and proposed to the<BR>> council.<BR>><BR>> Tonight's hearing publicizes a maximum number, which our taxes cannot<BR>> exceed. However, it is expected that the final taxation instructions<BR>> we send to the county will be lower. The law gives us the flexibility<BR>> to move down -- but not up -- from the publicized number. So we call<BR>> it first on the high
end.<BR>><BR>> Right now, what is happening is that your councilmembers are poring<BR>> over the budget, finding items to remove or add, generally working to<BR>> bring the budget down by whittling away at staff wishlists. One<BR>> councilmember has also found a revenue item which was missing.<BR>> Citizens have also read the budget and forwarded good money-saving<BR>> suggestions, and are encouraged to do so.<BR>><BR>> The incoming council are the ones that will actually pass the budget.<BR>> They are on point right now to see that the budget fits their policy<BR>> priorities as described to voters.<BR>><BR>> This is generally a consultative process, not an adversarial one. Mr<BR>> Oppenheim's exhortations on the subject may be charitably explained by<BR>> noting that having
served only half a term, he is not very familiar<BR>> with the process.<BR>><BR>> The final tax rate will be lower than the advertised rate. It will<BR>> probably represent a modest rise in rates.<BR>><BR>> Vernon Archer ran for mayor in '05 on a platform or building up our<BR>> town, and was unopposed in '07. Perhaps someone will run in '09 on a<BR>> platform of cutting police and public works. In the meantime,<BR>> measured, steady buildup will continue.<BR>><BR>> This was the choice of the voters.<BR>><BR>> R<BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> TownTalk mailing list<BR>> To post to the list, send mail to TownTalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>> TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org is for automated<BR>> subscription processing
only<BR>> <A href="http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk" target=_blank>http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk</A><BR>><BR>> For more information about Riverdale Park, visit<BR>> <A href="http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us/" target=_blank>http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us</A><BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>> --<BR>> ~~<BR>> Map of Riverdale Park MD Trolley Hiker-Biker Trail and Cafritz Property<BR>> <A href="http://tinyurl.com/2wsfql" target=_blank>http://tinyurl.com/2wsfql</A><BR>> ~~<BR>> Tracking the Washington Nationals' 2007 season (will they catch the '62<BR>> Mets?):<BR>> <A href="http://tinyurl.com/2m6f43" target=_blank>http://tinyurl.com/2m6f43</A><BR>> _______________________________________________<BR>> TownTalk mailing list<BR>> To post to the list, send mail to
TownTalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>> TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org is for automated<BR>> subscription processing only<BR>> <A href="http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk" target=_blank>http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk</A><BR>><BR>> For more information about Riverdale Park, visit<BR>> <A href="http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us/" target=_blank>http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us</A><BR>><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>TownTalk mailing list<BR>To post to the list, send mail to TownTalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org is for automated subscription processing<BR>only<BR><A href="http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk" target=_blank>http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk</A><BR><BR>For more information about Riverdale Park, visit<BR><A href="http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us/"
target=_blank>http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us</A><BR><BR>_______________________________________________<BR>TownTalk mailing list<BR>To post to the list, send mail to TownTalk@riverdale-park.org<BR>TownTalk-request@riverdale-park.org is for automated subscription processing only<BR><A href="http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk" target=_blank>http://riverdale-park.org/mailman/listinfo/towntalk</A><BR><BR>For more information about Riverdale Park, visit <A href="http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us/" target=_blank>http://www.ci.riverdale-park.md.us</A></DIV></DIV>
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