Dear Neighbors,
This week Brattletboro passed a budget for the 12 months starting July 1. You can hear my thoughts (3-minute clip) on the budget here: https://www.youtube.com/live/YduOTj9stGs?feature=shared&t=1119
I supported the budget, and it passed Representative Town Meeting with flying colors (110-4, with about a dozen people abstaining). It represents compromise. We should look to the budgeting process for the following year, and time between now and then, to strengthen our Town’s financial situation, with an eye out for generations to come.
Below are my thoughts on both what we did well and what we need to do better next time around.
We did some good. We:
- Reduced the 12.1% municipal tax increase that the last selectboard had proposed to 10.8%.
- Agreed to multi-year financial planning moving forward, restoring over the coming years the Emergency Fund reserves to a level of 10% of the Town’s annual budget, and reviewing financial statements monthly.
- Received a more realistic picture of predicted Fire Department overtime expenses and took measures to curb those expenses.
- Restored the Town Arts Fund from $0 to $10,000. (Last year it was awarded $20,000, but the last selectboard had proposed eliminating it for the coming 12 months.)
- Made the biggest cuts primarily to the biggest departments. This makes sense. Cuts to tiny departments have a much bigger impact on the town.
We can do better in the future. I still have a number of concerns about the budget we passed:
- A budget should be a realistic financial plan, which I’m not confident this is. Underestimating costs could set us up for another year of deficit spending. It’s important that we continue to review Town financial statements — on a monthly basis.
- The budget adds 8 new Police Dept positions and 3 new Fire Dept positions. These positions — which add significant recurring expenses to our annual budget — were created in response to emergent situations. We have not yet discussed how will we know when those situations are no longer emergent. We should talk about this — soon.
- This budget further defers capital investments. For example, it delays payment to the ambulance fund which looks to me like kicking the can down the road. We have looked at cutting a position here or there, but we need to more comprehensively and strategically look at how we can reduce staffing — as painlessly as feasible.
- I’ve expressed concern that this budget, while increasing staffing on the streets of Brattleboro, cuts important administrative and financial positions at the core. We need to reassess this approach for the following year’s budget.
- Finally, in putting together the next budget, I’ll be looking for us to make good on the commitments we made for financial responsibility, and planning for the future. It’s one thing to set a policy — it’s another to actually follow it.
In creating the next budget, we should seriously consider the Representative Town Meeting Finance Committee’s recommendations in their report. Thank you to the current members of the committee: Millicent Cooley, Ernie Coughlin, David Levenbach, John Lightfoot, Nell Mayo, P.J. Melton, and Trish Twining.
I see an important opportunity in these coming weeks to assert a vision for Brattleboro that brings people together for financial responsibility, safety, inclusivity, and the values you bring to the table. I welcome your communication about selectboard matters at ievans-frantz@brattleboro.gov.
With hope and energy,
Isaac
