Gary Morse
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On the article FTM Voters Nix Amendment to Add Cash to School Budget
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On the Blog Post Palmer Pointe – What Can Average Barrington Resident Do?
Gary Morse
11:20 pm on Wednesday, May 22, 2013
ReplyI think a strong message was sent tonight by residents. Many thanks to a well informed public for speaking out on this matter.
A $400K line item in the budget for "tax abatements" would in the past have been a housekeeping item and sailed through. The town uses the abatements partly to give business's a reason to come and stay in Barrington. It also pays for those assessment appeals the town loses. It's usually money well spent.
But at the moment, residents have good reason to be suspicious. If the "tax abatement" was voted down in a 2 to 1 loss, then town officials were told they have some work to do. Trust needs to be rebuilt.
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On the Blog Post Palmer Pointe – What Can Average Barrington Resident Do?
Gary Morse
11:17 pm on Wednesday, May 22, 2013
I think a strong message was sent tonight by the residents.
A $400K line item in the budget for a "tax abatements" would in the past have been a housekeeping item and sailed through. The town uses the abatements partly to give business's a reason to come and stay in Barrington. It also pays for those assessment appeals the town loses. It's usually money well spent.
But at the moment, residents have good reason to be suspicious. If the "tax abatement" was voted down in a 2 to 1 loss, then town officials were told they have some work to do. Trust needs to be rebuilt.
The words have become synonymous with bad government.
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On the Blog Post Palmer Pointe Petition Delivered To The Town Council
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On the Blog Post Palmer Pointe Petition Delivered To The Town Council
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On the Blog Post Palmer Pointe Petition Delivered To The Town Council
Gary Morse
7:54 pm on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Lancer
The petition is at:
As far as the total expenses for schooling etc, that is an issue the council can only inquire on to the Planning Board (see town ordinance 37-7). They cannot specifically vote on the side issues such as impact to schools.
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On the Blog Post Why I Don't Support an Additional Increase to the School Budget
Gary Morse
8:42 am on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
ReplyThank you Geoff!
Mr Tarro, the town's school administrator, is responsible for the school departments administration and finance, and is well paid by the town to get these projections within a few thousand dollars.
Has there been a response by the school committee as to how the projections could be wrong by more than 300%?
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On the article Budget With 1% Hike, But Amendment for Schools, Goes Before FTM
Gary Morse
6:26 am on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
ReplyMany thanks to the COA for their hard work to keep our town taxes from sending the average resident packing. Barrington already has the highest tax bill in the state when measured on a per capita basis (I don't count the summer communities of Jamestown and Block Island).
It is a shame that the question of a property tax subsidy for Palmer Pointe, to be paid by town residents, was not included in the FTM. There was plenty of time for town officials to have organized this for a vote by residents.
In effect, the town has simply been served with notice that residents "will" be providing subsidies to EBCDC for that project.
The total tax bill for Sweetbriar (another project subsidized by residents) was $35K for all 47 units in FY2012. That amounts to a total annual tax bill per unit of $745.
Palmer Pointe wants the same deal.
Even those living in Walker Farm affordable homes are required to pay about 5 times that amount.
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On the article Budget With 1% Hike, But Amendment for Schools, Goes Before FTM
Gary Morse
6:25 am on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
ReplyMany thanks to the COA for their hard work to keep our town taxes from sending the average resident packing. Barrington already has the highest tax bill in the state when measured on a per capita basis (I don't count the summer communities of Jamestown and Block Island).
It is a shame that the property tax subsidy for Palmer Pointe, to be paid by town residents, was not included in the FTM. There was plenty of time for town officials to have organized this for a vote by residents.
In effect, the town has simply been served with notice that residents "will" be providing subsidies to EBCDC for that project.
The total tax bill for Sweetbriar (another project subsidized by residents) was $35K for all 47 units in FY2012. That amounts to a total annual tax bill per unit of $745.
Palmer Pointe wants the same deal.
Even those living in Walker Farm affordable homes are required to pay about 5 times that amount.
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On the Blog Post Palmer Pointe – What Can Average Barrington Resident Do?
Gary Morse
9:00 am on Saturday, May 18, 2013
ReplyThinking about my above example of the homeowner paying $2970 in annual taxes, let's compare if both households had $28,000 in annual income, and the homeowner was over 65 (Barrington's senior discount).
Under the Affordable Housing guidelines, and assuming the council voted to grant the tax abatement, the Palmer Pointe renter's annual tax bill, paid by EBCDC, would work out to:
$28,000 * 30% * 8% or a $672 annual tax bill.
The homeowner next door paying $2970 would have their tax bill reduced by $500 (town ordinance exemption) and another $500 would be kicked in via the Spencer Trust making the total annual tax bill $1970.
The homeowner still has to pay expenses to keep the roof from falling off, paint the house, rake the leaves, etc. The renter gets to go to the beach on Saturday morning.
Does the Town Council actually think this is a fair and constitutional apportionment of burdens?
Gary Morse
9:08 am on Thursday, May 23, 2013
James,
The thanks really goes to the 2/3rd's of the attendees last night who voted against the $400K in "general" tax abatements. Town residents are paying close attention to these fiscal matters and sending a strong message to the town council that we have had enough with lack of prioritization of town spending.
Barrington is the highest taxed community in the state on a per capita basis, and we are not all rich. 20% of the community has total household income of less than $40,000. 200 households receive heating assistance grants. More could likely qualify.
The school funding formula punishes Barrington's low and moderate income residents through a "wealth calculation" that leaves them lumped into the so-called "rich" category as viewed by the state.
Then the state punishes us again by saying we have to assume state mandates for affordable housing and subsidize that as well.
The entire 47 unit Sweetbriar apartment complex paid only $35,000 in property taxes last year, while residents living in homes smaller than a Sweetbriar apartment paid 4 times Sweetbriar's per unit tax rate.
I will give a pass to any "yahoo's" last night as this was a hard fought victory by the COA. I just hope the Town Council, and town officials, got the message last night.
Many thanks to the residents who were able to show up.