Ross: How casino money will be spent
How casino money will be spent
Posted Jul 30, 2013
MILFORD —
The casino issue has been a really hot topic for the past couple of months/years. Today’s focus seems to be on water, sewer and traffic.
I think the time has come to assume, for the sake of an argument, that the casino just may become a Milford reality. So if it does and the water issue is resolved, and the sewer issue is resolved and all the other real, relevant issues are resolved, then what happens to the $20 million in revenue coming to the town?
How will the town use this money?
The selectmen owe it to everyone to detail what the plans would be for this money, the first year and every year thereafter. How can you dump millions of dollars into the town treasury without strong rules for utilizing this money?
They will always find new ways to spend it and not always for the good of the many. As a matter of fact, I’d like to see a town bylaw, approved by a ballot question at the next appropriate town election and then by the Town Meeting that sets down the rules for expenditures as a percentage of the total.
And only the Town Meeting could change the bylaw.
As an example, let’s say that a minimum of 80 percent would be used to reduce the tax rate for all, residential, commercial and industrial. That would mean that the town budget, every year, would have to be determined without any of this 80 percent money being considered. Then, once the budget is complete, add 80 percent to the treasury and reduce the calculated rate. Everybody wins.
There would, by necessity, need to be an oversight committee, possibly a subcommittee from the Finance Committee, to make all these numbers public every year. This money needs to be taken out of the hands of every politician; $20 million is a powerful aphrodisiac.
I remember one selectman, still in office, who said(and I paraphrase), “we have to raise taxes, we have a town to run here.”
Well, every household is in the same boat and they have had to get creative in order to balance their books. They cut back on unessential expenditures.
Does anyone believe that the town of Milford couldn’t get by with a few less employees, lower spending or save through a little reorganization?
Don’t be unwise and ask me for suggestions. To be honest, I don’t expect that anyone will come forward with a clear, concise summary of how to use this money.
Be prepared for political psychobabble, taxes will go up, patronage jobs will go up, and on and on. I’ve been wrong before, but the smell in the wind is a little pungent.
ALLAN S. ROSS
Milford
Read more: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/opinions/letters_to_the_editor/x853697221/Ross-How-casino-money-will-be-spent#ixzz2awYZIVKM
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