http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20101228/NEWS02/712289843
Published December 28, 2010 in the Rutland Herald
Springfield budget shows modest increase
By Susan Smallheer
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — The proposed Springfield town budget of $9.09 million is up $62,000, but as proposed would require only a penny increase in the tax rate, according to the chairman of the Select Board.
The budget, which was presented to the Select Board before Christmas, will go under review starting next week, Morris said Monday.
“On January 4 , we start the process of the department heads coming in and presenting their budgets. The week after that are the workshops, the week after that, we will finalize the budget,” Morris said.
The budget does not include a wage increase for town employees, aside from regular step or merit increases, he said, and he said there are no plans to include a wage increase in the 2010-11 budget.
In addition to the operating budget of $9 million, the Select Board will have to make a decision on a proposed $1.57 million capital budget, which Morris described as a “wish list” by the town’s department heads. The proposed capital budget is up substantially, he said.
Heading the wish list is a proposal by the town’s public works director, Harry Hendersen, who has suggested a $4 million bond issue to pave all of the town’s roads over two years to catch up on long-deferred maintenance. The bond would be paid off over 10 years, Morris said.
Morris said the budget was very close to level-funded, which was the board’s goal, despite a 6 percent increase in the town’s health insurance. He said most of that increase was offset by the end of paying off the town’s new grader, which had required an annual payment of $45,000.
Morris said the town and the town’s water and sewer users would start to have to pay off the recent bond issues that paid for townwide water improvements.
He said there was some thought to having the entire town start paying for water and sewer infrastructure, rather than putting it all on the users. He said water and sewer infrastructure supported economic development in town, and he said the argument was being made that it shouldn’t be the responsibility solely of the residential and commercial customers.
He compared the issue to everyone paying for the education of the town’s students, not just the parents.
Morris said that after the budget presentation next week, budget workshops will follow the second week of January, and the budget would be finalized the third week in time for preparation of the town warning.
“We’re looking to hold the line again,” Morris said.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20101228/NEWS02/712289843
Springfield budget shows modest increase
By Susan Smallheer
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — The proposed Springfield town budget of $9.09 million is up $62,000, but as proposed would require only a penny increase in the tax rate, according to the chairman of the Select Board.
The budget, which was presented to the Select Board before Christmas, will go under review starting next week, Morris said Monday.
“On January 4 , we start the process of the department heads coming in and presenting their budgets. The week after that are the workshops, the week after that, we will finalize the budget,” Morris said.
The budget does not include a wage increase for town employees, aside from regular step or merit increases, he said, and he said there are no plans to include a wage increase in the 2010-11 budget.
In addition to the operating budget of $9 million, the Select Board will have to make a decision on a proposed $1.57 million capital budget, which Morris described as a “wish list” by the town’s department heads. The proposed capital budget is up substantially, he said.
Heading the wish list is a proposal by the town’s public works director, Harry Hendersen, who has suggested a $4 million bond issue to pave all of the town’s roads over two years to catch up on long-deferred maintenance. The bond would be paid off over 10 years, Morris said.
Morris said the budget was very close to level-funded, which was the board’s goal, despite a 6 percent increase in the town’s health insurance. He said most of that increase was offset by the end of paying off the town’s new grader, which had required an annual payment of $45,000.
Morris said the town and the town’s water and sewer users would start to have to pay off the recent bond issues that paid for townwide water improvements.
He said there was some thought to having the entire town start paying for water and sewer infrastructure, rather than putting it all on the users. He said water and sewer infrastructure supported economic development in town, and he said the argument was being made that it shouldn’t be the responsibility solely of the residential and commercial customers.
He compared the issue to everyone paying for the education of the town’s students, not just the parents.
Morris said that after the budget presentation next week, budget workshops will follow the second week of January, and the budget would be finalized the third week in time for preparation of the town warning.
“We’re looking to hold the line again,” Morris said.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20101228/NEWS02/712289843
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