As our Town Council moves into final deliberations on Morrisville's coming fiscal year budget, I welcome guest blogger TJ Cawley. He raises some valid and well reasoned points. TJ?
"I recently took an interest in learning how our
budget is created and I am glad I did because I learned that Morrisville currently has a $2.9 million dollar
backlog of roads which require routine repairs.
"Morrisville Town Council directed staff to prepare a budget predicated on maintaining the current property tax rate. This is unusual because a generally accepted budgeting principle is to first gather facts and then determine what tax rate is required to achieve an organizations mission and goals and adjust it as necessary. By fixing the tax rate in advance of gathering facts the process is undermined and it simply becomes an exercise of cutting expenditures until they match revenue. This would be fine if existing revenue streams exceeded the expenditures required to fulfill the towns mission and goals, but they do not. The tax rate has not been raised since 2005 and tax base growth has not adequately outpaced inflation. The resulting budget struggles to maintain current service levels, defers required maintenance and postpones actions that would enhance the town’s economy and quality of life for its residents.
"These past few months have been dedicated to the effort of “letting the people decide” what nice to haves they are willing to pay more taxes for in the form of bond referendums. Our representatives are really looking for permission to raise taxes and this method would give them “political cover”.
"Unfortunately they skipped the step where the residents are asked if they are willing to pay more taxes to fund the towns routine operations and maintain current assets. Morrisville has 4.6 miles of town owned roadways that require routine maintenance right now at a cost of $2.9 million. This unfunded core service need existed last year ($3.05 million) and will exist again next year ($2.9 million) unless the council provides dollars via the towns accumulated savings or increased tax revenue. A two cent tax increase ($20/year or $1.67/month for each $100k of your homes assessed value) will fully address our outstanding road maintenance liability within 5 years.
"How can the council responsibly entertain any other spending to enhance Morrisville while this core service deficiency remains? To put it simply they can not.
"Morrisville is able to balance the budget by continuing to defer its obligation to maintain the town’s assets on behalf of the residents. The council responded to resident’s desire for increased fire/rescue staffing and will respond again if you indicate that maintaining town roads is important. You can be part of the solution: Email TownCouncil@TownofMorrisville.org and indicate you either want your tax rate to remain fixed at .3665 (as it has been since 2005 despite inflation) OR you want a better town and are willing to pay for it. A modest increase will go a long way to a better Morrisville."
Have comments on our Town's approach to maintaining public infrastructure? Send an email as TJ suggests above to our
Morrisville Town Council. Or attend this evening's June 12th public hearing and share your thoughts in person. Town Council meetings begin promptly at 6:30 PM and the budget public hearing is near the top of the agenda. You must sign in at the computer just to the left of the Town Council chamber double doors and comments should be 3 minutes or less. Overflow parking, as always, is available across Town Hall Dr at Indian Creek Park or at Town offices located at 260 Town Hall Dr.
