http://rutlandherald.com/article/20140703/NEWS02/707039926
Published July 3, 2014 in the Rutland Herald
Springfield taxes go up 2.1 percent
By SUSAN SMALLHEER
Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD — Property taxes are going up 2.1 percent for the new fiscal year which started on Tuesday. The Springfield Select Board set the new tax rate at a recent special meeting.
Town Manager Robert Forguites said Wednesday the total homestead tax rate will be $2.90 for both town and school taxes. Last year’s rate was $2.84 per $100 of assessed value. The non-residential rate is $2.73, he said.
The school portion of the tax rate is $1.54, and the town portion is $1.30.
Forguites said that the board voted 4-0 to support the tax rate. Selectman Peter MacGillivray was unable to attend the meeting, Forguites said.
Forguites said that both the town and the school district budgets contributed a 3-cent increase to the overall 6-cent increase in the rate, which he said represented a 2.1 percent increase.
The town budget includes funding for one new patrol officer for the police department and a new firefighter/emergency medical technician, Forguites said.
By contrast, the school board cut $1 million from its proposed budget.
Holding onto experienced police officers is a challenge, Forguites said, noting the Springfield Police Department is currently advertising for at least one officer. “We have one or two lined up for the police academy,” he said.
But Forguites said the police staffing problem is not unique to Springfield, and that the problem seems to be widespread.
“All police departments seem to be looking for people. There’s not a big pool to choose from,” he said.
Springfield recently lost experienced officers to the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department and the Weathersfield Police Department.
“We always seems to have one or two officers out on leave, too,” Forguites said.
The Grand List of taxable property in Springfield increased a modest $2 million, he said, with the total list of property at $665 million, he said.
Another Groundhog Day in Springfield...
ReplyDeleteBaahaaahaaa every year you guys are suckered into believing the crap fed to you about the proposed budgets and how it won't increase taxes. Every year you vote in the town and school budget instead of standing your ground. NOW LOOK what you got...hmm another tax increase. Bleed well my friends you got exactly what you deserve for your own stupidity.
ReplyDeleteThis was a done deal at the polls months ago. So you don't know what's going on until you read it in the newspapers, MONTHS LATER???? What a tool!
DeleteBob Forguites for state legislature. The only way Bob knows to go is up! Taxes go up! Crime rates and shootings go up! Drug use goes up! Yessiree, Bob!
ReplyDeleteFour more cops on the force would cost every household in town as much as three cups of coffee per week, yet the good citizens of Springfield complain about the $280,000 that would have to be raised in taxes to pay for them.
ReplyDeleteSo, you want lower taxes or a better town? Make up your mind...
How about the liberal "leaders" do what honest Americans do and trim the fat to make up the difference. Nice try Chuck...
DeleteChuck, not all of us buy coffeee at Starbucks.
ReplyDeleteThis is coffee at $1.39 a cup, Jean.
DeleteChuck, I'm confused. Am I suppose to drink three cups or coffee less or drink the same amount of coffee and pay more? This coffee thing is always confusing, because if I drink less coffee that will be bad for the coffee business. If I pay more and drink the same amount of coffee then I have less money. I guess either way I have less so others can have more. You should try doing your spiel using a pie sometime. Of course with pie there is only so much to go around so would the pieces get smaller or would someone go without? I guess pie and coffee don't go together do they.
DeleteNot everyone drinks coffee chuck, so give that analogy a rest.
DeleteHey, everybody, Chuck is back from his beach house and back on his anti-coffee campaign!
ReplyDeleteHave to laugh, another tax increase, yep, about the cost of inflation so another level funded budget or at least level funded to include adjustment for inflation. Can anyone tell me what has gone down in cost in 20 years?
ReplyDeleteHousehold income for the bottom eighty percent of American workers, that's what.
DeleteSure Bozo, you can start with Springfield's home prices which are direct reflections of the pathetically poor performance of its town government during that same period! Now go enjoy an imaginary cup of coffee with Chuck Gregory and have a few giggles about Springfield's misfortunes.
DeleteHome prices have actually risen over that time period, or at least until King Obama took over the throne, yes since the housing bubble has popped, but that is nationwide. What services would you like to see reduced or removed all together? Fire? Police? EMS? Snow Plowing/Removal?
DeleteThe housing bubble burst during George W. Bushs' 2nd term. Even Fox news does not try to state otherwise......
DeleteGive us a 10% across the board reduction to start, and then we'll talk. And sell off either the SPD building or town office building and consolidate departments within a single facility. That alone ought to free up enough resources to fund at least one additional officer.
DeleteHas this town ever sold one of it's unused buildings?
Deletestop giving money to all the special appropriation groups on the ballet,SOM,SRDC,the bus company,all they want is money to make sure the CEO'S of the companies get's their pay check,they have done so much for our community haven't they,the town's father's need to realize all the people that work can't afford to pay for all the people that don't,just like the president needs to learn it
DeleteStop voting all the special appropriations in, simple as that
DeleteGot nothing to do with the Town, they are separate articles on the ballot. Vote no and you save yourself 3-4 cents per thousand every year
DeleteDunkin' Donuts of Springfield is proud to sponsor Chuck Gregory's "Cut Out Coffee for Cops" campaign. For every cup of coffee that we don't sell, Dunkin will donate the equivalent price to a fund established to provide for additional manpower for the Springfield Police Department.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteWell, it looks as though the commenters here are happy with the level of law enforcement springfield has. I'll have a cup of coffee to that!
I hope it's decaf!
DeleteLaw enforcement isn't the problem. The courts are not doing their job.As long as the soft-hearted judges who live in ritzy communties won't put repeat serious offenders behind bars,we could double the police force and it wouldn't make any difference.
ReplyDeleteVERY TRUE! But our town likes to throw money at issues to give the illusion that the issue is actually being addressed.
Delete2.1% over 10 years is 20.10 %.....just saying....
ReplyDeleteYou must not be from Town, you can multiply
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