05/02/1994 STM-ATM - Laserfiche WebLink

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Special Town Meeting" or "Annival Town Meeting" What's the di'fference? Spring Annual Special Fantasy Town Meeting Town! Meetings Budgets The government is permitted Special town meetings are held If the voters provide additional by law to raise taxes and when unforeseen matters arise funds at town meetings after charge fees for services, but which cannot wait until an the May annual, the gov- only the voters at town meeting annual town meeting, ernment will be tempted to can give the government per- Mashpee always schedules a treat the real annual budget as a mission to spend the money. special town meeting on the "first installment." It could un- The May annual town meeting same evening as the annual derstate its real needs so that it is held so the voters can give meetings. While this is a con- appears as if it can afford ad- the government its annual venience to the voters, it can ditional programs and people, "allowance, also lead them to believe all expecting to make up the town meetings are the same. difference six months later at The government estimates the the next town meeting. amount of money it will When to Spen receive from taxes, state aid I Setting Limits and fees is about $20.6 million. The government does not like It will offer the voters $20.6 living with an annual budget, The danger is that, in time, the million in expenditures for but in May of each year, annual government will cease to view their approval. This is meant to budgets are what the voters are its May annual budget as the last all year. asked to approve. In recent spending limit it really is. An- years, the government has ticip,ating a second and third Fall Annual treated the October annual and shot at more money at one of Town Meeting special town meetings as the three other annual/special further opportunities to in- meetings on the calendar, it In October, Mashpee holds a crease their budgets. A budget will no longer feel obligated to second annual town meeting. It which could appear excessive control its spending, was designed to cover non- to the voters in May could be money matters, like zoning by- broken into two pieces, a May May Money laws. This division of budget request that will appeal October--Other activities into money decisions to the voters and an October Special=Surpris,e in May and bylaw decisions in supplemental budget just small October was meant to keep enough to be unobtrusive and If the voters hold to the 3 both meetings to a reasonable passed by the voters, Special 11 commandments" above, the length of time. It also town meetings may be used the government will take spending permitted the voters to same way. our tax dollars more seriously concentrate on their separate, in the years ahead, but equally important re- sponsibilities: financial and legislative,