By Scott MacKeen
Staff Writer
10/22/09
With some debate, Special Town Meeting voted unanimously on Oct. 19 to balance the budget and implement a new meals excise. The meals tax, a 0.75 percent increase that takes effect April 1, is conservatively estimated to generate $70,000 in new revenue for the town. The Selectmen and Warrant Committee both recommended that the town adopt the new tax, which is given by the state as a “local option” to cities and towns that choose to use it for budgetary relief. To date, more than 30 communities have elected to implement the new tax option. However, there was some hesitation from Town Meeting members, who wanted more information before voting in favor of it. One concern was that many of Milton’s neighboring communities remain undecided on the tax. Some said it could put the town’s eateries at a disadvantage if its neighbors decide against it.
One concern was that many of Milton’s neighboring communities remain undecided on the tax. Some said it could put the town’s eateries at a disadvantage if its neighbors decide against it.
“Boston, Newton and Cambridge have proposed a meals tax … Randolph has said no, and Canton, I believe, has said no,” Selectmen Chairman John Shields said, adding that the board wasn’t opposed to studying the idea further.
Town Meeting member Tim Lowney suggested the town hold off on the tax and form a study committee that would report to the next Town Meeting – giving neighboring communities more time to take a stance.
“This is a good idea. This is one occasion where there does need to be more study,” said Town Meeting member Rick Ward, pointing out some uncertainties as to the revenue estimates for Milton.
For example, Warrant Committee Chairman Tom Hurley explained that the $70,000 in anticipated revenue from the tax doesn’t take into account the recent opening of two new restaurants: Abby Park in Easy Milton Square and 88 Wharf in Milton Village.
“I recommend we vote ‘no.’ I don’t think we have enough information on this yet,” said Town Meeting member Steve Morash.
“There should be an opportunity for these new restaurants to see how they can do before [taxing them additionally],” said James Mullen, Town Meeting member and the town clerk, who agreed with Morash.
However, Hurley thought the amount is not enough to drive business away from town.
“On [a] $100 restaurant bill, that’s 75 cents,” he said of the new tax. “Is that really going to keep you from going to that restaurant?”
Hurley said Vance Welch, proprietor of Abby Park, wasn’t against the new meals tax. When asked, he added, Welch was only concerned that Milton not be the only community to adopt it.
Morash said he heard the same thing from John Collings, a managing partner of 88 Wharf.
State Sen. Brian Joyce urged Town Meeting to implement the tax hike, saying he thinks “all other surrounding communities will adopt this meals tax eventually.”
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news … [but] we’re in extraordinarily dire straits,” said Joyce, as he described an ever-increasing state deficit.
A motion by Lowney to refer the matter back to Selectmen for more study was voted down. The meals tax was accepted unanimously.
Also approved without opposition were department budgetary reductions necessary to balance the town’s operating budget. According to Hurley, the town needed to make up around $330,000 from cuts to state aid that occurred after Annual Town Meeting voted on the town’s fiscal year budget.
He explained why the town doesn’t have available revenue to make up the cuts: It is dealing with rollover costs from last year’s snow-and-ice deficit and does not have the free cash that was anticipated.
“The bottom line is, there is really no place to come up with the $330,000 except through [budget] reductions,” said Hurley.
The largest cut the town is experiencing is to the Quinn Bill program for police educational incentive payments. Another hit was to Chapter 70 aid for the schools.
Although nearly all of the town’s current police officers are compensated through the educational incentive program, the town is contractually obligated to fund just half the amount. The state is supposed to reimburse half but instead cut funding for the program this year.
The cuts approved by Town Meeting amount to the following: $110,000 to schools, $175,000 to the Police Department, $15,000 to the Fire Department, $13,000 to public works, and $16,000 to other controllable budgets such as the library and information technology.
The Selectmen and Warrant Committee warned that more state cuts are likely to necessitate further reductions in the fiscal year.
Solar Panels
Town Meeting also included a ribbon-cutting ceremony for 10 solar panels installed on the roof at Milton High School over the summer.
The event was originally planned for ¡CelebrateMilton! on Oct. 3 but was rescheduled due to rain.
The two-kilowatt solar array was earned through residents’ participation in the New England Wind Fund’s Community Solar Challenge, in which 150 families had to contribute to make the town eligible. More than 300 families made contributions.
“We just want to thank everyone who participated in this great effort,” School Committee Chair Lynda-Lee Sheridan said.
A miniature version of the solar array was displayed to Town Meeting. Barbara Plonski, head of science for the schools, explained how students can use data from the technology to calculate weather, wind speeds and different energy measurements.
Those interested can visit www.sunviewer.net/portals/MHS to view the data.