When you vote on March 10 for Weare town issues, you may be an uninformed voter. It may not be all your fault. Were you informed that the select board has already issued a $13,132 pay increase to one town employee? The board did not give you any choice via a separate warrant article on how to spend your tax dollars.
Were you informed that the board in the proposed budget includes a $8,500 pay raise for another employee? The board did not give you any choice via a separate warrant article on how to spend your tax dollars.
The board in 2019 used a budgeted $13,000 line item to offset the purchase of a $26,000 piece of highway equipment. They can do that. Were you informed that in the 2020 proposed budget that line is reduced to $2,000, yet the default budget remains at $13,000? The board chose not to consider that equipment as a one-time expenditure, therefore also reducing the default budget. The game continues.
I believe the finance committee in the town mailer will chart out an anticipated tax rate based on their recommendation. The committee may or may not inform you this rate excludes the state education and county taxes. Using the Oct. 28, 2019, tax sheet those two taxes combined with the town overlay account and veterans’ tax credit was an additional $3.56.
Be informed of those untold obligated tax estimates. How you vote on March 10 will not show up until your December tax bill.
FRANK CAMPANA
Weare