Brattleboro Citizens’ Breakfast
February 21, 2014. Gibson-Aiken Center – Brattleboro VT
Selectboard Candidates’ Forum
One candidate for (1) three year seat
David Schoales
David reiterated three objectives he talked about last year:
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to move toward a more collaborative climate; move to a more problem solving approach
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to ensure that any new jobs created through public investment go to Brattleboro residents
to look to new revenue sources
With respect to the first item, David gave the example that the Selectboard has developed the ability to listen to each other in connection with the issue of staffing. Various ideas were discussed when reviewing staffing occasioned by an employee leaving. After looking at ideas such as hiring “freezes” or “pauses,” the Board ultimately came up with the idea of looking at how an individual department operates to determine whether a position is necessary.
With respect to local hiring, David noted that the manager of the Police/Fire Project has taken it upon himself to act as a conduit between the contractors and the Windham Regional Career Center, Voc-Rehab, VCC, VTDoL and Vermont Works for Women. Language is being looked at to incorporate in the bidding process documents.
On the revenue side, when the Town Manager’s office is fully staffed, research will be conducted to see how one can quantify the police and fire service provided to non-profits (e.g., the Hospital and the Retreat) with a view toward approaching those organizations to generate revenue to offset those costs.
David also spoke in favor of the 1% local option sales tax (“LOST”) proposal, noting that the law exempts a long list of items from the tax. [1] This option would generate the revenue needed for the police / fire facilities project. Despite its merits the local option tax has received a negative response from the business community.
Another initiative involves getting the legislature to look at the fact that the surrounding communities access and depend on services in Brattleboro and there ought to be some contribution to the Town on that basis.
Two candidates for (2) one year seats
Donna Macomber
Donna is seeking election to the three year seat to which she was appointed in June 2013 when that position was vacated by the resignation of Ken Schenk. She feels she has been gaining momentum and traction especially in understanding the inner workings of Town Government. There is a lot going on and people are generous about sharing their perspectives.
On the one hand, one might say that the fact that this election is uncontested is a vote of confidence for the incumbents; on the other, it might be a recognition that folks are just flat out busy and understand that service on the Selectboard takes a considerable investment of time.
Donna noted the roots of current concerns which include:
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increase in taxes – the cost of everything is going up – there are concerns that it is geting expensive to live here
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the Selectboard tasks to re-design resources to alter budget issues
She hears these concerns.
Donna also pointed to some capacity to look at change. The relatively short length of Select board terms does not give much room for learning experience. She noted her interest in exploring philosophical aspects of governance leading to lasting change. A crucial question is: “Is this action in the best interest of Brattleboro going forward?”
The Town’s level of preparedness, as shown in the wake of Tropical Storm Irene, is “key to quality of life when the going gets rough.”
John Allen – (not in attendance) Question period
A comment followed up by noting that the Town Finance Committee recommends establishing a “Futures Committee” to look at the basic structure of the Town. At the Board level the focus should be on leadership rather than administration.
A question concerned whether the police / fire project includes elements that are unnecessary, thereby unjustifiably raising the tax rate, one already higher than surrounding towns. David noted the Brattleboro Police-Fire Facilities Building Committee will meet Thu., Feb 27 for a public presentation of plans at 5:30pm. The committee looked at the details of this project on which the
Representative Town Meeting decided to give the go ahead. Many of the facility improvements have been needed for 30-40 years. Those interested should attend the Feb. 27th meeting.
A recommendation was voiced that the Selectboard should meet at locations other than the Municipal Center in order to reach out to other segments of the population.
[1] Sales and Use TaxThe general sales tax rate is imposed on the buyer on the purchase price of tangible personal property, amusement charges, fabrication charges, and some public utility charges. There are 46 exemptions from the tax which include medical items, food, manufacturing machinery, equipment and fuel, residential fuel and electricity, clothing and shoes. http://www.state.vt.us/tax/majorvttaxessalesanduse.shtml
32 V.S.A. § 9741 Sales not covered
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/statutes/fullsection.cfm?Title=32&Chapter=233&Section=09741~ Announcements ~
- Vermont House Speaker Shap Smith will speak at the 5th annual O’Connor Awards on Mon, Feb 24th, 2014 at 7:30 p.m at the River Garden. Details in Press Release here.
- Brattleboro Police-Fire Facilities Building Committee – Thu., Feb 27, 2014 – display of design plans at 5:30pm in the Selectboard Meeting Room with opportunity for public input to follow at 6:00pm.
- Election Schedule
- Tue., Mar. 4 – Town & Town School District Elections by Australian ballot, advisory vote on local option sales tax, resolution on climate change
- Wed., Mar. 12 – Town Meeting Informational Meeting & Caucus preceding meeting to fill vacant Town Meeting Representative seats – Academy School, 5:00pm
- Sat., Mar. 22 – Representative Town Meeting – 8:30am
- National Alliance on Mental Illness – Family to Family 12 week program for families and friends of individuals living with a mental health condition starts in Brattleboro on Thu., Mar. 6 – Advance Registration Required 800-639-6480 x102– Details here.
- Windham Orchestra lunchtime concert to benefit Brattleboro Senior Meals – Thu., Mar. 20 – Menu & details here.
The Rent is Too Damn High
On one of my visits to the Village last summer a black fellow named Jimmy McMillan, who looks like a parody of 1890 politicians with his muttonchops, was campaigning out of his car parked on Bleecker Street. His single issue, “the rent is too damn high.”
During the recent NYC mayoral and city council election season last year not one “damn” politician used the word “rent” or the words “rent is too (damn) high.” A few candidates obliquely referred to “affordable housing” but none used the word rent.
In reading over this post I did not expect to see any mention of escalating rents. I wasn’t disappointed. Rent was not mentioned one “damn” time.
How High is the Rent?
Here are some data reported by The Rural Data Portal http://www.ruraldataportal.org/
For Renter Occupied Units, the Median Gross Rent for 2006-10 was Estimated at $731 in Windham Co. VT, compared with $841 for the US, generally.
The largest grouping of rents for Windham Co. VT was in the range $700 to $999 (n= 2,112) 38.7%; for the US generally this was also the largest grouping, with the number in this range being 10,749,077 or 29.9%.
Of course, you can also reserve a penthouse in the Brooks House for $2,600.
Could have an economy starting above the basic-needs-threshold
The Windham Co Median Gross Rent for 2006-2010figure is over several years outdated. Rents here are definitely escalating and can continue to go only one way – up. I think you also will see more rents that do not include heat and/or electric. Even without singling out Brattleboro, there is no question that rents most everywhere are becoming an increasing burden in an increasingly bad economic outlook. There seems to be an eerie unstoppable correlation between higher rents as the economy worsens.
But this is not the big picture. The true letdown is that when our so-called civilization turned food, clothing and shelter into moneymaking propositions, they blew it.
We could have just as easily created a capitalistic economy that started above the basic-needs-threshold but chose not to. That kind of “civilization” sucks from the get-go.
a bad loop
Many people own rentals to supplement their income and help pay their property taxes.
As rents go up, there is less money to be spent on other things, so businesses falter. They are unable to hire people at wages that can pay their rent and bills.
When businesses fail, the grand list shrinks, and property taxes must go up to cover the shortfalls.
As property taxes go up, the costs are shifted to renters. This gives them less disposable income to spend at local businesses, which puts more pressure on local business.
Based on ability to pay, I’d say that a fair rent for a 1 bedroom in this region should be in the $3-500 range. A nice two or three bedroom should be in the $600 to $1000 range. Anything over $1000 is too damn high, as the saying goes.
There are a quite a few people that are homeless right now because rents are out of their ability to pay. They could afford something for $3-500, and would be happy to stop being homeless.