Pay attention to the municipal budgets

The charm of town and education budgets eludes most citizens until their tax bills arrive. Then, the repercussions of decisions made in spending municipal money become all too real. But in the Northwest Corner, none of the towns has been so irresponsible as to shock their taxpayers with gigantic increases. Rather, the boards and commissions look at every budget line and try their best to keep spending in check.

Still, there are those who are surprised when final decisions are being made at a town meeting or referendum. We all have busy lives, and time can get away from us, but if we want to have an effect on how our town’s money is being spent, we need to pay attention during the process and planning of the budget. This is not done in secrecy. It is done in plain view, at budget workshops and hearings, open meetings where line-by-line discussions translate into the towns’ and schools’ plans for the next fiscal year.

This newspaper has been covering this planning over the entire budget season, the past several months. As the discussion is now coming to an end and final votes taken, keep track of that coverage to know what your mill rate will be next year. In each issue of this newspaper over the weeks in May, the towns and Region One have been counted down as votes are being taken and decisions finalized. 

It has happened at each of the annual meetings that some resident has expressed surprise at certain outcomes of the budgetary process. But, by then, the divvying up of the funds has been decided. It’s the up or down vote that counts rather than the deeper discussion of where the money is going.  

So remember this for next year: the time to make one’s opinions heard is during the open hearing process. Keep track of it, attend the meetings and speak directly to your town officials to understand how each strand of the revenue stream will be affected and will affect you. It’s the way to become a participant in your community, and to have control of the destiny of your tax dollars.