By JEFF EPSTEIN
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SPRINGFIELD, Vt. — The select board voted last week to take a 2019-20 municipal budget of $11,877,207 to town meeting, with an increase of $44,968 or 0.47 percent above the current budget. If approved, the property-tax rate for homeowners would increase by $0.0082, for a new tax rate of $1.7657 per $100 of assessed valuation, town officials said.
The budget passed the select board, but it wasn’t easy. The spending plan brought concern and dissension from at least one person in the public, and board chair Kristi Morris cast the lone negative vote on adoption of the nine town meeting warrant articles, which passed as a group 4-1.
Morris was not against the budget, however. Indeed, he made a point of explaining how much he thought taxpayers were getting for their taxes. His fear had to do with the concerns of taxpayers over the amount the town is spending. His particular concern was with an article dealing with street paving. The expenditure would increase from $600,000 to $700,000, and he said he was worried that the increase might be enough to bring a defeat at town meeting.
The paving expense is actually one example of the stress in Springfield’s long-range plans, including its ongoing campaign to grow itself back to prosperity.
Despite the public hearing and critical vote, only two public commenters were in the audience (albeit on a night of difficult weather).
Resident Bruce Richardson commented that he thought Springfield’s property tax was too high. He claimed Springfield has highest tax levy in state, and 76 percent higher than the state average.
“The population keeps shrinking, people keep leaving,” he said, but the town insists on maintaining services. “It’s a death spiral.”
Morris asked him what he would cut from the budget. Richardson suggested lowering the police budget, which is said was out of proportion to the population. However, he also stated he was not familiar with the budget details, including how many police officers the town has.
“I’m just saying there are a lot of people who are very upset,” Richardson said.
Morris said he took Richardson’s point. As to the budget itself, “I happen to think we are at minimum staffing in most areas.”
He also noted that other towns with lower property tax rates may also have more businesses and grand lists of greater value. Smaller towns may not have police at all, and rely on the state police for service.
The town has already tried to squeeze out savings, said board vice chair Stephanie Thompson. “We’ve gotten to the point where, especially with our infrastructure we are needing to invest more because we kind of dug ourselves a hole.”
“I share your sentiment about the pace of improvements. It’s certainly a glacial pace,” said member Michael Martin. “People are trying to find every dollar they can to lower the cost.”
However, member Walter Martone said, the town has approved a master plan that requires investment. Martone was referring to the plan, largely overseen by the Springfield Regional Development Corporation, to demolish or renovate old mill work buildings and create streetscapes that will attract new employers and retail businesses as well as tourism. “It’s a strategy, and it’s going to cost money … and we’ve just started the actual implementation of it,” he said. “First impressions do make a difference.”
So, Martone said, big budget cuts now would be counterproductive. Cutting police could result in an increase of crime that would chase new businesses and residents away.
“I feel optimistic, but I also feel we cannot take a big step backwards,” he said.
Another public commenter, long-time resident Dick Andrews, said, “The big thing is that focusing on tax rates is unfortunate and misleading.”
This was the context in which the paving article came up. The select board acknowledged a tension between forward progress and the desire of residents for low property taxes. Even something as simple as road conditions reflects on the town’s reputation, they said.
Springfield has terrible roads due to deferred maintenance, said Martin. Not fully addressing the paving issue would be counterproductive for anything else the town does, he said.
Also, Martin said, the actual cost of the proposed paving increase amounts to “$18.22 for the average homeowner.”
Member Peter MacGillivray, attending by telephone, agreed with Martin.
Richardson said he appreciates good roads, too.
In the end, four members decided to defend the paving increase, and one, Morris, thought it might be too much for voters to take. Because it passed, all nine articles will go to town meeting.
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