Attend the Financial Town Meeting Saturday, May 9, 9:00 AM at Tiverton High School.
Vote for Michael C. Smith for Town Moderator
Click the arrow to watch the video of the TCC Forum on April 27.
Letter to the Editor:
2009 property revaluations have been mailed out in Tiverton, and if you listen carefully you can hear a collective sigh of relief across the town: “My property value has gone down, my taxes must be going down. Life is good, and I’m safe, at least for the time being, from the insatiable tax demands of the Tiverton government. For once, I can relax…right?” Actually, no. Unfortunately, things are not what they seem. There are two good reasons why you need to pay careful attention.
First, the letter we taxpayers got in the mail was our property revaluation, and, indeed, for many of us it is significantly lower than the previous assessment (my own decreased about $120,000). The tax RATE is the other key component in the final calculation of YOUR property tax bill. The FY2009 tax rate proposed by the Budget Committee is $14.73/1000. This is a $3.47/1000 increase (31%) over the current tax rate of $11.26/1000. So even if your assessment has gone down, your taxes could substantially increase. In my case, even though my assessment decreased $120,000 (14%), I estimate my tax bill will increase by over $1,100 (12%).
Secondly, but much more frightening, any voter can make a motion from the floor during the upcoming Tiverton Financial Town Meeting to increase the budget, for any reason, by any amount. If a majority at the FTM approves it, that motion becomes law-- bypassing months of intense work by the Town Council, School Committee and Budget Committee. Presto! Your taxes go up by this additional amount. Rumor has it that there is going to be a motion from the floor to increase your property tax dollars going to the school department by $500,000. Also, there’s an outrageous petition to buy a new fire truck (which wasn’t addressed in the Fire Department’s budget submission and which the Town’s fire chief apparently didn’t even know about) at the cost of $110,290 per year for ten years. Ask yourself: what other “good ideas” are going to bubble up at the FTM?
There is always an asymmetry at the FTM, where well organized public employee special interest groups attempt to pack the hall with their members and friends and block vote themselves more money (or a new fire truck that the town doesn’t need). If more that 50 percent of the FTM approves the motion, it becomes law, and your taxes go up…again. (Surprise!) You can be absolutely certain that those Town employees who desire more money will be there, carefully organized and fully prepared to vote to jack up your taxes as high as they can.
For your own self protection you need to come to the Tiverton FTM on 9 May at 9 AM (come a little earlier to park and get a seat) at the high school. Vote NO for ANY budget increase from the floor; vote NO for the un-needed fire truck; vote YES for a secret ballot vote. So come (be certain to bring your friends) and vote. Help restore sanity to Tiverton’s budget, especially during these troubled economic times.
Tom Parker, Tiverton
Mr. Parker is a member of the Tiverton Budget Committee
Click here for a message from Dave Nelson, President, TCC