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Photo Pru Sowers
Provincetown finance committee member Robert Vetrick added some sparkle to Wednesday’s Town Meeting discussion on a budget override to pay for the July 4 fireworks. |
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Town Meeting finishes up
Banner Daily Update Sun. Apr. 13
By Pru Sowers
Banner Staff
PROVINCETOWN - Annual Town Meeting finished Wednesday night with voters approving a tax increase to pay for July 4th fireworks.
They also agreed to take a concrete step towards installing a wind turbine in town and to increase the consecutive term limit for appointed board members from three to four.
Voters also voted against moving ahead with a scaled-down plan to repave Commercial Street and rejected a proposal to impose a one percent real estate transfer fee on all home sales, with the revenue going into the town’s general fund to help reduce residents’ tax bill. A petitioned article asking for a one-year moratorium on a planned affordable housing development at 90 Shank Painter Road was also voted down.
While voters narrowly defeated a proposal to hold a public hearing to dissolve the Provincetown Public Pier Corp., Selectman Austin Knight told Town Meeting he intends to call for a public hearing into a possible restructuring of the Pier Corp.
The debate on whether to permanently increase the tax levy to pay for the annual July 4 fireworks was among the liveliest of the evening. The $78,000 cost for the fireworks, added police officers and trash pickup had been broken out into a separate Proposition 2 1/2 override proposal because of the town’s current budget crunch.
“It was a tough fiscal year for the town. It’s only fair that if the town wants the fireworks, it will vote for the fireworks,” Selectman Austin Knight said.
“I am not against fireworks. I am against a permanent increase in the [tax] levy limit for one night. It’s bread and circuses without the circus,” said resident Robert Guerreiro.
“This is a lot of money for one day’s entertainment,” added resident Khristine Hopkins.
The original $78,000 warrant article under debate was then amended from the floor to be reduced to $64,000, reflecting the $14,000 left over in the town’s fireworks gift fund from last year. However, because all Proposition 2 _ overrides must also be approved at the May 6 special election, voters could still reject the tax increase.
The May 6 election warrant, because it has already been printed, will still call for a $78,000 permanent increase in the tax levy to pay for fireworks. Municipal finance director Alix Heilala said if the town does not use the entire $78,000, any left over monies could only be used for other purposes if approved by a future Town Meeting vote.
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Apr 10th, 2008