The Pot Calling the Kettle Black

In yesterdays Westerly Sun, the following sentence led off an article about Hopkinton and Chariho:

HOPKINTON — Members of the Town Council criticized the Chariho Regional School District’s proposed $53.32-million spending plan for 2009-10, accusing the School Committee of not following orders from town officials to slash expenses below those allocated for this year. [Following orders?  I did not realize that School Board reports to the Town Council- wouldn't that be a hell of a conflict-of-interest for Felkner, to have to report to himself?]

Followed by:

Councilors said they fear that if potential cuts in state aid are not set off by reductions in education expenses, they will have to cut town services. Education is about 75 percent of Hopkinton’s spending plan for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. [I wonder how much goes towards duplicate policing, you know, the work we pay the Hopkinton Police to do that the State Police already do?]

With this sprinkled in for good measure:

Capalbo also noted that taxpayers in Stonington rejected the town’s proposed budget four times last summer, forcing officials to make further reductions, including education funds.
  “If that’s what it takes, I would like to see that,” she said.

 

Now here is the thing:  I don’t give a rats furry ass about “Town Services” in Hopkinton.  I don’t use them.  And since this seems to be the rationale we use to assail Chariho (despite how stupid this rationale is), I can use it here for my purposes.  The Town of Hopkinton proposes to raise our taxes on municipal services this year.  Admittedly, I think the Town has done a good job by proposing a small raise, but it is still a raise.  Hopkinton IS NOT laying anyone off to keep the municipal budget level funded, nor are they cutting salaries like up in Northern RI.  So why should Chariho do any better?  Chariho is planning a small increase (about 1%) and Hopkinton is planning a small increase (less than 1%).  And in fact, Hopkinton’s share of the Chariho budget is down 0.23% from last year.  Obviously, we have no idea how much state-aid is going to get chopped so theoretically, we could be on the hook for a 5% tax increase (can’t go higher than that, State law, right-  HA HA HA, like they won’t just get a legislative over ride and screw us for 18% again).  But if Hopkinton can’t clean up its own house by dumping useless positions (I mean you, GIS guy) and cutting to the bone, why should the school district?  On a single day, Chariho SERVICES more people than Hopkinton does in a month (albeit most of them are small and can’t vote and are thus considered worthless citizens).  

This is a case of the Hopkinton Town Council saying, “do what we say, not as we do”.  When the Town Council (and Mr. Manager) can cut Hopkinton’s budget, then they can strong-arm Chariho with the appropriate amount of self-righteousness.

Oh, and Mrs. Capalbo, how about we vote down the Hopkinton Budget in June?  Should we obstruct all those important Town Services by voting against the Hopkinton budget and forcing you to deal with level funding?  And even if we do, Chariho will still get their cut!  The only way to stop them is to vote down the Chariho referendum and I doubt we’ve got the votes for that.  Besides, threatening Chariho has gotten so passe.  Foist the blame on someone else all you want, you are doing nothing to solve our Towns financial woes and have become quite transparent in your scapegoating.