Citizens petition for Youth Advocate

My packet for this week includes a citizen's petition asking that the funding for the Youth Advocate's position be put on the Town Meeting warrant. I will scan and publish the petition when I have the chance. Massachusetts General Law (MGL Ch39, sec 10)requires the Select Board to place on the Town meeting warrant any written petition that comes above the signatures of ten registered voters of the town. So it is written, so it shall be done
The problem is of course that there is no extra money floating around to fund this position. That means ...
... it has to be taken from somewhere else. The question is where? The petition mentions the tax levy and also includes the Stabilization Fund as a source of funding. That inclusion is probably not a wise move since a 2/3 majority vote is required for withdrawal from the Stabilization Fund.
Without a recurring source of revenue to fund the Youth Advocate, the same issue is likely to come up again next year and so on.
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Local reps on taxes and reform

Here is the Standard Times article about the positions our local state reps have taken on taxes and reform.
I agree with Representative Quinn that the sales tax is not the right answer. He voted...

...against raising it. I also agree with his stand on reforms. We part company on the gas tax.
What are your thoughts about taxes and reform in the Commonwealth?
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Video mesage from Governor on taxes

Follow this link to view Governor Patrick's message on taxes
Several Blue Mass Group members weigh in here and here

So what do you think?
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Pa Senator Specter to join Democrats

WOW! NY Times reports today that Pennsylvania US Senator Arlen Specter will switch parties and caucus with the Democrats. Senator Specter would give the Dems 60 votes in the Senate, enough to provide cloture against filibusters. Of course that assumes ...

... the other 59 Democratic Senators will toe the line, a dicey proposition at best. Humorist and commentator Will Rogers was once asked if he belonged to any organized political party,
"No", he replied, "I'm a Democrat"
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Draft Spring Town Meeting Warrants

You can find the latest draft of the June 2nd Town Meeting Warrant here and the draft Special Town Meeting Warrant to be held on the same day here. I want to emphasize the caveat that these are drafts of the warrant, not the final version. Articles can and will be withdrawn, added, and revised before they are presented at Town Meeting.
Just to get the discussion rolling, ...

... I think the Community Preservation projects (articles D,E,F and F1) spend too much. The scope of projects should be reduced or one or more projects should be delayed.
I have to get out my copy of the Lincoln Park Overlay bylaw and go over Article R. I will post the whole bylaw with the changes marked up to this blog. I think that's the only way to make sense of this article.
I have a problem with the proposed section 7 Commercial Vehicle parking of article DD since I think it may place a burden on local craftsmen who don't have off street parking for their vehicles. I'm not talking about tractor trailers but many tradespeople have a small truck or heavy duty pickup that may meet the criteria in the proposed bylaw.
In the Special Town Meeting, article I has the Water Enterprise buying land from the Town of Darmouth? I'll have to call someone about that one. I'll blog about what I find.
Article J of the Special Town Meeting is to appropriate funds from the Stabilization Fund for this year's (FY09) expenses. Last year, the Town Meeting put an extra $500,000 in the Stab Fund in anticipation of budget cuts this year. Turns out to have been a prescient move. The town needs to take it out to meet our obligations.
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Are newspapers going to disappear?

I can't say I am enamored of the changes that have been made to the Standard Times recently. Not much in news in there anymore. Tough to have much when you only have a handful of reporters to generate copy. Still, it is the best and often only source of news on local happenings. The newspapers all over the country are going broke. The Boston Globe and Philadelphia Inquirer may soon cease to exist. The trouble is that advertising revenue is drying up, perhaps being shifted to websites and newer technologies. How will we have an informed electorate if the fourth estate is not there to tell us ...

...what our government and elected officials are doing? As much as I complain about the media, they serve a vital function in a democracy. I don't know what the answer is, what do you think?
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Governor says he will veto sales tax hike

Governor Patrick has written to the legislature about the proposed sales tax increase and told them he will veto the hike without reforms in state spending first. You can find the press release from the Governor's office here Those who follow Massachusetts politics know that a governor's veto given the huge majority of Democrats in the legislature is a symbolic gesture. Unless Governor Patrick can raise a hue and cry from the public, the legislature can easily override the veto. That leaves it up to us...

...to contact our reps if we don't want this tax increase.
I am no fan of the Governor's gas tax hike proposal either for that matter. The release mentions transportation reform,pension reform, ethics reform, municipal reforms, and targeted revenue reform. These reforms are all needed. The problem I have with the gas tax is that it is targeted at Boston area concerns. I don't see how it benefits the other areas of the Commonwealth very much.
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State budget holds up town budgets

Uncertainty about the state aid is delaying finalization of town budgets across the Commonwealth. The Standard Times has an article about that here. At issue is the amount of state aid that town's will receive on a wide range of budget categories. Dartmouth has already planned for many of the cuts but there are a few which may still impact our town budget. School aid, called Chapter 70 aid, will be funded at FY2009 levels. Other unrestricted aid will be cut. The state has already specified the amount of highway aid, called Chapter 90 funds, which I wrote about here. State Representatives are considering a sales tax increase ...

... according to the Blue Mass Group blog here and here. I would rather see a local option meals and room tax enacted or a modest increase in income tax. Sales tax is a regressive tax which falls most heavily upon those who must spend most of their income while the income tax is indexed to income and higher earners pay more. What are your thoughts on tax increases and the state budget?
UPDATE! Seems the Constitiution of the Commonwealth prohibits a graduated income tax. I stand corrected.
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Yard and leaf waste pickup schedule

The Standard Times has an article about yard and leaf waste pickup dates here. The pickup dates are one Friday during May depending on your regular trash pickup schedule. May 1 for Monday pickups, May 8 for Tuesday pickups, May 15 for Wednesday pickups, ...

...and May 22 for Thursday pickups

Leaves, grass clippings and dead plants must be placed in biodegradable plastic Eco bags or biodegradable paper bags to be picked up. If the waste is left in barrels or corrugated boxes, the containers will be emptied and left at the curb.
The yard waste will not be picked up if left in regular plastic or paper bags or with regular household trash.

Thanks to those who participated in the Dartmouth Green Up day this weekend. I saw a lot of collected bags along the side of our highways and even a group who went down the Paskamansett by canoe to pick up. Please help us keep Dartmouth clean and don't litter.
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One Hand in my Pocket-Alanis Morrissette

Alanis is an artist with a unique sound
You Tube embed after the jump


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