For 2020 the Weare voters approved a default budget for the board of selectmen to operate with. Within that budget the board continued a $13,000 and $8,000 pay raise for two employees. Both raises were given by the board circumventing approval by ballot vote of taxpayers, as has been past practice. Possibly, the board felt you should not know or have a say in how to spend your tax dollars.
In addition, the default budget satisfied a $68,816 increase in an insurance line. Also, approximately $11,200 was used to purchase, service, and equip a used vehicle for animal control personnel, of which one selectman was not comfortable with the purchase without a town vote.
Only three examples due to limited space here.
Given the above, the default budget realized a $293,656 year end surplus. Following town government I canโt recall hearing any concerns expressed by the board of what didnโt โget done.โ
The proposed 2021 budget is a $305,488 (4.5%) increase compared to the 2020 approved default budget. Finally the 2020 town portion tax rate is a $.36 (8%) increase compared to 2019.
To be fair, some portion of that increase is how you voted. The uninformed or under informed voter by no fault of their own is at a disadvantage. Vote on March 9.
FRANK CAMPANA
Weare