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Photo Vincent Guadazno
Barbara Rushmore lobbies for support of her petitioned articles on the April 7 Town Meeting warrant. |
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Falling revenue tests town
By Pru Sowers
Banner Staff
PROVINCETOWN — About 300 people attended a “pre-town meeting” Monday night to air questions and concerns about the issues facing the town.
The two-hour meeting saw several citizens step up to the microphone, many not asking questions about articles on the Town Meeting warrant per se but using the opportunity to voice their opinions about a wide variety of topics. First, however, Town Manager Sharon Lynn read a “state of the town” address that outlined her first year on the job, causing the audience to break into applause at several points, including a standing ovation at the end of her speech.
Lynn described the difficulties facing the town when she was hired, including “lackluster performance, diminished accountability, disengaged employees, low employee initiative and lack of discipline.” She then outlined her efforts to combat those governance challenges, saying it was a long road ahead.
“It’s a lot easier to lead when there’s a lot of money to do so. Unfortunately, Provincetown has been in a declining state with decreasing revenue for at least five out of the last seven years,” she said.
Lynn then spoke about the reasons why there were so many Proposition 2 1/2 articles on the Annual Town Meeting warrant this year. In addition to lower revenues, the town is facing almost $600,000 in increased costs in fiscal year 2009 for health insurance, ambulance services and energy costs.
“With the current budget crisis, we had to face the reality of having to redesign the manner in which we deliver community services since the current tax base can no longer support them all,” Lynn told the audience.
“We’re facing the most difficult time we’ve ever had in this town’s history,” said Gary Delius, chair of the finance committee.
“We’re at the levy limit,” said Cheryl Andrews, former board of selectmen chair. “We’re going to stay there. It’s a mathematical fact.”
The tone at Monday night’s meeting was challenging but largely positive, a mood that board of selectmen chair Mary-Jo Avellar predicted would not last, saying she expected “fireworks” when town voters come together for this upcoming Monday’s Special and Annual Town Meeting. Several residents at the “state of the town” forum spoke about the need for the community to work together to create a long-range plan for the town.
“The voters were never given a complete picture,” said former economic development council member Bill Dougal about the town’s finances pre-Lynn. “That’s what’s causing the current voter distress. The sooner we get to that total picture and build consensus in this community … will we have a new beginning.”
“Where is the grand design?” asked Clarence Walker, one of the founders of the Provincetown Association of Concerned Citizens, a local resident watchdog group. “Where are all the pieces? We have genuine needs but we have genuine limitations. I don’t hear anyone coming up with a grand plan.”
Resident Barbara Rushmore offered several ideas on how to increase revenue to the town, including imposing a one-percent tax on all local home sales — a petitioned article on the warrant that Rushmore is sponsoring — and imposing a 50 cent-per-passenger fee on all whale-watch boat passengers.
“We need to focus on bringing more money to Provincetown. I would like to see other ideas,” she said.
Resident Heather Wishik asked if an article that would award a three-percent raise to Town Hall employees was tied to a proposal for town union employees to reduce their weekly hours from 40 to 37.5, a move that would save the town $277,000. Lynn reported that the union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, had voted Monday to reject the contract offer, which tied the three-percent raise to an agreement to cut hours.
“Now there is no need for a three-percent increase in this article unless voters want to hear that and vote on it,” Lynn said.
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Fishermen’s race revives
Jetty & harbor fixes tallied at $1.1M
School Lunch
Worship
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Apr 3rd, 2008