PER LINE ITEM
Several residents expressed concerns about their tax bills not reflecting the expenditures approved on Town Meeting Day; one community member suggested listing the tax impact of each article so residents were better able to gauge the increase in taxes per line item expenditure.
Select board member Dave Van Deusen reminded taxpayers that a significant portion of the town's tax burden is the result of the schools taxes.
Moretown resident and planning commission member Don LaRocca called attention to what he said was an "underutilized" school building given the decrease in students attending.
MORE EFFICIENT USE
LaRocca asked whether the various expenses necessary to maintain the town clerk's office, the Town Hall, and the school could be consolidated for more efficient use.
"Can we use our school building for town purposes?" LaRocca asked.
Moretown resident Hoover Austin addressed "several extra line items" on the town's budget each year.
"We can't afford $25,000 in extra line items," Austin said.
Austin also discussed the decrease in participation on Town Meeting Day and the possibility of holding more than the single informational meeting before Town Meeting Day.
"You don't get the participation you used to get. People need time to digest it. Two separate meetings might be a good idea," Austin said.
Town Treasurer Amy Deutl asked whether the town might consider the overall budget process, including the printing deadline for the Town Report.
BE AS TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE
Deutl also suggested that the select board post and advertise a draft of the proposed budget to provide residents with the opportunity to respond before voting at Town Meeting.
"Be as transparent as possible," she said.
In addition, Deutl suggested that the town consider changing from a calendar-year-based budget to a fiscal year budget in order to control spending before the town approves the budget.
"By the time we approve the budget, we've already spent two months worth of funds," Deutl continued.
She suggested forming a committee to investigate the change from calendar year to fiscal year, and said that VLCT has a "way to help towns do that."
SOME EXPERTISE
Select board member Stephanie Venema said that a budget analyst might be required to aid in the possible transition.
"It's going to take some expertise," she said.
Austin asked whether there was a way to list the projected tax rate based on the proposed budget at pre-Town Meeting. Austin said the select board could use the old grand list to project the tax rate so as to avoid "sticker shock" upon residents' receipt of their tax bills.
Van Deusen discussed whether it was possible to petition to tax second-home owners at a different rate to offset full-time residents' costs as well as target landfill monies "for folks that could use it," he said.
INCREASED RATE
Moretown resident Jack Wood warned town officials against taxing second-home owners at an increased rate.
"I'd be very careful about taxing our second-home owners; they pay for a lot of our services," he said.
Town Clerk Cherilyn Bandy indicated that some properties in Moretown are non-residential and are currently being taxed at the residential rate.
One resident suggested that the town examine the percentage of taxes collected this year when considering next year's budget in order to gauge the affordability for taxpayers.
Select board members said they plan to investigate the various suggestions of its residents and begin their budgeting process earlier than they typically do in order to gather as much public input as possible.
The next meeting of the Moretown Select Board is scheduled for Monday, September 7, at 6:30 p.m.
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