Everyone knows it is financially impossible to increase spending and decrease taxes! This year the town board spent $1,564,257 more than last year. To make things look good during election season, next year’s proposed spending will increase by $770,257. Less of an increase, but still an increase. The Town Board recently approved $900,000 to build another unnecessary pavilion, so the $770,257 increase seems disproportionately unrealistic. Don’t be fooled by the clever names politicians use to pretend money comes from somewhere else, everything they spend is taken from us taxpayers.
The question becomes; “How can they promise a tax decrease while increasing spending?” First of all it is a “political promise,” and the actual budget adoption takes place after the election, when the taxpayers are powerless to object. According to the town website, board members are optimistically anticipating an additional $1,108,708 in revenue. What happens if they counted chickens before they hatched? Also they are cleverly taking $614,514 from “Fund Balance” (taxpayers savings acct) to offset additional spending. Even with those two questionable amounts equaling $1,723,222, the amount needed “Raised by Taxes” is still higher than the current year. Don’t take my word, look on Lewiston’s website, the data tells the truth!
Essentially, what’s happening is this; Board members are overspending on unnecessary items, using the taxpayer credit card, while neglecting the things that truly matter, fantasizing about receiving an extra million dollars from unknown sources, making only the minimum payment, and then boasting that we’re spending less. Everyone knows what comes next — when the next bill arrives, you will pay a double dose of tax increases.
When elected leaders violate the law or people’s rights, we all need to hold them legally accountable. I am asking taxpayers to vote for me, and I will defend you.