In our second historic budget referendum, the voters of Hopkinton approved the municipal budget by a margin of 17 people, 135 to 118. That’s pretty slim if you ask me. Despite the fact that the budget only moves the mill rate from $14.19 to $14.47, it points to continuing discontent and anxiety about local property taxes. Combine that with the weak value of the dollar, recession and state budget woes and I am surprised the Hopkinton budget passed at all. We’re all watching the train wreck in Stonington. The 1.97% tax increase certainly was not the 18% increase of 2004 and look at how close the vote was. I wish we had had the referendum in ‘04. I have heard Councilor Kenney say in the past that the Hopkinton budget may someday shrink. Well, it hasn’t happened yet but the Council may seriously think about it the next time around. Even a flat budget may work. I’m not sure that the electorate is going to allow the Town Council to spend like its going out of style for too much longer.
I was personally thrilled to see the road bond and the GIS fund transfer tank. What was the Town Council thinking? A $3.5 million bond, for roads, in a recession, when the price of oil is at a record high and people are actually driving LESS? I don’t care if DiLibero does get more phone calls about roads than anything else (as he was quoted in the Sun). That just points to the fact that the problems in Hopkinton probably don’t justify a Town Manger and his $70,000 a year salary. This is a rural town. I have more tractors and horses on my road than cars. Road bond, sheesh (he says with audible disgust)! And I think we are all well aware that the GIS position is a boondoggle. We don’t need the position and we certainly don’t need money in a restricted account for a position we don’t need. Say that 3 times fast.
- Your Neighbor, Ishmael (ps All comments are moderated so don’t get excited if they don’t pop right up).
June 16, 2008 at 9:18 pm
I’m not big on moderated forums, so probably will refrain from posting regularly, but I wanted to offer my best wishes to your blog. There cannot be too much discussion and information. Good luck with your efforts.
June 18, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Hi!
I plan to run for Town Council this year. Filing is between June 23 to June 25, no later than 4:00 P.M., the last day.Declarations must be filed between these dates. For declarations forms, etc., check out http://www.sec.state.ri.us/elections/ , and hit icon for 2008 Elections.
Regards,
Scott
scottbillhirst@yahoo.com
June 23, 2008 at 3:04 pm
I don’t know… people could get killed on 216. Something really needs to be done there.
June 23, 2008 at 3:10 pm
I won’t argue that 216 needs to be fixed, it does. But 216 is also the responsibility of the State of Rhode Island, not the Town of Hopkinton. We don’t plow it and we don’t pave it. The road bond was for Town roads only. A good candidate for the Town roads might be Woodville-Alton. However, driving the speed limit tends to make that particular road less of a hazard. It’s been a long time since I have seen anyone drive the limit on that road, but it could happen.
June 26, 2008 at 1:29 pm
I didn’t realize 216 was a state maintained road. So who do we call to get that fixed?
June 27, 2008 at 2:23 am
You could call the RIDOT but since the State of RI has a $350 to $450 million deficit that the Legislature just barely fudged, don’t count on it. The money just is not there. And since they just barely fudged it, more cuts are coming in January.
June 27, 2008 at 12:53 pm
The town has definately called and tried to be put on the extremely long waiting lists for road construction on the state roads. RIDOT’s real problem is going to be all the bridges that are needing their very slow and barely moving processes before one collapses.
The road bond proposed (and not passed) addressed our roads all throughout town. Dye Hill was a major issue and will continue to be one. A bond for work over 5 years to address twenty years or more worth of infrastructure would have been reasonable and frugal. Interest rates are cheap right now, they won’t be in the future.
And all the fear that the state was going to chop even more of our state monies did not happen – they actually gave us a little (God knows, little) more. I hope we bring this bond forward again and soon.