1992-Annual Town Report - Laserfiche WebLink

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Y Report of the In response to the Fiscal Policy Report, we made a recommendation to the Selectmen that money left over at Finance Committee the end of the year(free cash)not be recycled into budgets the following year. Rather, the excess be placed in the Stabilization Fund, along with 1% of the levy increase. To the Board of Selectmen Use only 1-1/2% of the levy plus non-tax revenues to and the Citizens of the Town of Mashpee: finance budget increases and new positions. It encourages the government to find non-tax sources on We, the Finance Committee, respectfully submit our income to finance new projects and positions. This annual report for the calendar year 1992. "forced savings" prepares for the future demand for capital, so that we will be in a position to pay our way Our approach to town finances is fourfold: 1) We are instead of borrowing. spending someone else's money; 2) We must pay attention to the long-term consequence of our funding Sincerely, decisions; 3) We can improve so our costs go down and/or non-tax revenues go up and 4) We want much Deirdre Greelish, Chairman more service than we can afford. Dan Goggin, Vice Chairman Denise Sullivan, Clerk We decided early on that we would balance the budget Ed Baker and maintain services without an override. While our Roger Dunivan Debt decreased $133,000, our Fixed Costs increased John Ferriday $400,000. We met the challenge by reducing the hours of Tony Gallo the Assistant Town Planner,Planner's Secretary,Animal Control Officer, Assistant Health Agent, and Shellfish Constable, and laying off the Assistant Building Inspector. We also cut budgets in the areas of Health& Welfare, and Cultural & Recreation and allowed only minimal increases in Public Safety, Public Works and General Government. Our priority in 1992 was to educate the voters about the finances of the town. We prepared tables and charts, which the local newspapers generously printed, that informed the taxpayers about union contract benefits, comparisons of Mashpee's expenditures to other Cape towns,and a worksheet which explained how the tax levy was calculated. We include with this report two tables and graphs depicting our fiscal position over the past five years. During the same five years,Mashpee's population increased 500%. It is clear that the government has made a serious effort to live within its means. ;A •.'. -i • S -7- 1