tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1377411732843394854.post1930756781972699658..comments2024-02-18T06:41:44.121-05:00Comments on Thinking Out Loud In Sturbridge: My TurnUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1377411732843394854.post-2675656636104251402012-03-30T20:15:35.112-04:002012-03-30T20:15:35.112-04:00What now? Vote Yes on Ballot Question 4! :)What now? Vote Yes on Ballot Question 4! :)Carolnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1377411732843394854.post-37582679874263073842012-03-24T14:11:00.681-04:002012-03-24T14:11:00.681-04:00I think it's time to ask questions again! It s...I think it's time to ask questions again! It seems that the ballot section on this matter is worded incorrectly. The absentee ballots may have already gone out. (I'm told they have gone out.)<br />The summary on the ballot question reads, in part:<br />"Rescission of the CPA will mean that the Town WILL NOT collect the surcharge or matching<br />funds from the state."<br />I believe that the rescission of the CPA would mean that the Town WILL still collect on the surcharge and matching funds from the state until the debt we owe is paid off!<br />So, if the ballot is wrong, WHAT NOW?Pay Close Attention!noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1377411732843394854.post-14240486129470323302012-03-15T08:38:30.608-04:002012-03-15T08:38:30.608-04:00Just one last note: the assessed value of that bui...Just one last note: the assessed value of that building next door to Town Hall is $204,600. I imagine that value is current and is based on sales of similar properties.<br /><br />So, why the purchase price of $315,000? Is there extra money built into the price to gut rehab the property? Or is the price just too high?Carolnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1377411732843394854.post-89813984595895996812012-03-15T08:20:38.564-04:002012-03-15T08:20:38.564-04:00I was told by a reliable source that the petition ...I was told by a reliable source that the petition was signed by several town employees. However, maybe my reliable source has made an error in her understanding of the situation? The best way to really know is to check the signatures on the petition. <br /><br />As for habitability: there may be people living in it; that doesn't mean it meets the standards for habitability normally required in a dwelling unit. I prefer mushrooms IN my salad. <br /><br />Also, during my phone conversation with the town's Finance Director, she said that if the CPA was revoked, it might be possible to pay off the debt earlier than 2030. My understanding is, without anymore spending, the surcharge and matching funds will collect much faster (the debt must be paid first and the matching funds will hopefully hold at a reasonable percentage), then the debt can then be "recalled" in 2017 when the Riverlands debt is paid off, and it's possible to shuffle the debt at that time with new bonding that allows early payoff. Let me be clear: she did not take a position one way or another with regard to revoking the CPA. And if my understanding of this is incorrect, please correct me. <br /><br />Also, I just wanted to stress one more point with regard to the matching funds: it is NOT grant money and it is not a "state-matching fund." The money is NOT from the state. It is money collected when fees and surcharges are paid for real estate transactions at the Registries of Deeds and it's citizens like you and me that pay those fees. For example, when I refinanced in November 2010, it cost $275; that money went to pay for recording the documents but there's also a fee built in that goes to the state-managed CPA fund. <br /><br />Maybe we should consider how the brick sidewalks were funded? When that project was considered by Selectmen, those who voted in favor of it made it very clear that those funds came from Chapter 90 funds, which are license and fees collected at the Registries of Motor Vehicles. The statements made by local officials at that time clearly stated to Sturbridge voters that the brick sidewalk money came from those fees and not from local tax revenues. <br /><br />However, at the last Selectmen's meeting, the Chairman said whether it's grant money, state-matching money or whatever, it all comes from taxpayers. Really? Is it different now because Selectmen want to keep the CPA? <br /><br />In fact, when Selectmen discussed the brick sidewalks in 2010 and 2011, they established a "funding ceiling" so that the final cost of the brick sidewalks would not exceed a reasonable amount. The brick sidewalks cost $131,000; CPA projects have cost millions. <br /><br />My question is: why hasn't a ceiling been placed on spending with CPA projects? Looking at the Provincetown, MA CPC webpage, they've done just that - they've placed a ceiling on spending because they want to pay down the debt and they've put it front and center for everyone of their citizens to see. To quote Wally, this is not rocket surgery.Carolnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1377411732843394854.post-65592984260342017252012-03-14T15:26:26.649-04:002012-03-14T15:26:26.649-04:00I heard that the petition was brought forth by a l...I heard that the petition was brought forth by a local builder who had been on the Town Hall/Center School Renovation Committee, who along with another local builder, also on that committee, were not listened to, when they voiced their opinions about how the job should have been done.<br />Perhaps town employees who agreed with these builders, or who wish they had known what was going on at the time (Where did the minutes reside?) did sign the petition?1+1 doesn't equal 2 any longernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1377411732843394854.post-20675804035404757202012-03-14T15:19:14.683-04:002012-03-14T15:19:14.683-04:00Our taxes, though supposedly limited at an increas...Our taxes, though supposedly limited at an increase 2.5%, are expected to be at 4.8% with the coming budget, PLUS the 3% surcharge on top of that and yet we are considered to still be at the 2.5% limit.<br />How does that happen? Well, we have the debt exclusion(s), for things like the new school, and we have the CPA 3% tax surcharge on our property taxes, beyond the first $100,000 assessment of our homes. So 4.8% plus a 3% surcharge on the taxes mentioned above equals 2.5%.<br />If we don't all understand that math, or don't like that math, we need to be doing something to slow things down. Yes, we are stuck paying the CPA debt until the year 2030, but there are some who are somehow rationalizing that we should leave our methods as they are, as they have been, while all this CPA spending has taken place, and that we should just depend on every town meeting to be well attended thus prevent over spending. Isn't the definition of "crazy" doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results? <br /><br />We even voted for Saturday town meetings to make it easier for a well-rounded sample of individuals to attend the Town Meetings. It was quite contentious and we lost by just 1 (ONE) vote. Did the moderator then even suggest a re-count? No! Did he hear the called out request for a recount? No, I guess not. Are the selectmen and the CPA listening to us now? No, it seems not. Are the selectmen's meetings becoming advertisements for the CPA?<br />It looks that way to me.1+1 doesn't equal 2 any longernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1377411732843394854.post-39816720528702137662012-03-14T14:45:19.210-04:002012-03-14T14:45:19.210-04:00Carol is wrong about the petition article to purch...Carol is wrong about the petition article to purchase the house next to Town Hall. It was not brought forward by Town Hall employees nor is the house uninhabtable.There are presently people living there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1377411732843394854.post-63131655087418848792012-03-13T21:09:25.593-04:002012-03-13T21:09:25.593-04:00Wally, thanks for seeing the world as it is and fo...Wally, thanks for seeing the world as it is and for reporting it as it is. It seems that some, who we would look at as learned individuals, either cannot or will not think beyond a certain point, and there lies the problem. They present themselves as so well versed in their current projects that they fluff up their feathers when someone asks,"If we continue on this path, what comes next?"<br /><br />It's only natural in a situation like that in which we find ourselves with the CPA spending and debt, to ask these questions. The non-answers we've heard, and the grandiose suggestions for what may come next are not acceptable to many of us.<br />We are already being told that the public will have to understand that these projects will need more funding than CPA money, through more taxation to continue on the desired "path."<br /><br />There were supposed to be methods to stop this bus if we wanted to get off, but no matter how hard we pull the cord, the driver(s) seem to keep the petal to the metal and even as the gas runs out, get refueled with loans on the fly.<br /><br />So, I ask, what do WE suppose should come next?Stop the bus, already!noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1377411732843394854.post-59868424038641162642012-03-13T20:56:57.512-04:002012-03-13T20:56:57.512-04:00Hey! Are you psychic or something? I just found ou...Hey! Are you psychic or something? I just found out today there will be a warrant article at the (is it June?) Town Meeting asking voters if they want Town Meetings on Saturdays!<br /> <br />Also, I learned of another petition that will place a question on the warrant to ask voters if they want to...wait for it...wait for it...purchase the building next door to town hall for MORE town offices. This petition was apparently brought forward by EMPLOYEES at town hall. That building is currently uninhabitable and even has mushrooms growing in it; so there's the purchase price of...I think $320,000 plus the cost to gut rehab.<br /><br />I thought all town employees and/or department heads had input into the renovations and new offices at town hall & center school? <br /><br />Wally, thanks for allowing me the space to pass important information on to voters about the CPA. I appreciate it, and I'm sure other residents and your readers do as well.Carolnoreply@blogger.com