Our Voice : Citizens For a Better Lebanon Maine

It’s official tax bills received yesterday show the tax rate went from $10.30 per thousand to $13.85 per thousand. There will be a public hearing at the Lebanon Elementary School Sept 29 at 7pm.

There are several things that smell about this development and leave a bad taste in my mouth. When i read the initial report of the tax hike in the “Observer” it indicated the new Selectmen Jason Cole did not attend the meeting when this was voted on and when questioned could not provide any broad reasons or details. Are you kidding, how does a selectmen not have any idea as to why the rest of his co-selectmen would vote over a one third increase?

I next read in the Fosters on Sept 11th that selectman chair Judy Churchard said that “Lebanon’s current tax hike is not the result of increased spending in town, but rather lowered tax rates over the past couple years. The town had ample surplus funds which selectmen used to buy the tax rate down. Now the reserves, or surplus need to be replenished.” Churchard added that the increased tax rate had nothing to do with the construction of the new Lebanon Town Office. – Why do we need to replenish a reserve / surplus, the taxes levied to pay budgeted expenses only.

LD1 went into effect in 2005 just to address this issue of municipal tax increases and place a statutory limit  on the increases state and local spending allowed. According to all reports I see issued by the State, taxes and spending have gone down across the board as one might expect. So why now the HUGE increase?

How is it the tax bills get issued on or about Sept 11 but the bills themselves are dated as being issued in April? Effectively the delaying of the issue of the bills increased the tax retroactively…why did they not issue the tax bills in April?  How is it the tax bill shows as of October 6 a late fee penalty will be charged of 11%? Because the town waited 5 months to issue the bills we residents are only allowed 3 weeks to pay?

How much surplus does the town have that it can operate nearly 6 months without the tax revenue coming in?

I attended the selectmen meeting this evening because i thought many residents might be in attendance and their might be some reaction or discussion from either side. Chair Judy Churchard was not in attendance and the only discussion observed on the tax topic was that explaining several residents called upset, and that they should have made a larger increase last year to soften and offset this large jump.

Other business discussed at the selectmen meeting was..Two requests by the State Of Maine were discussed asking for information. One was regarding statistical data on subdivided property values and improvements the other request revolved around campers at campgrounds or own their own property being valued for tax purposes. Finally a resident had inquired about the blocking of an old road crossing the Sewell property. Further research would be necessary.

I believe residents of Lebanon need to wake up and demand changes in the management of the town and in particular the way budgets and finances are managed. There should not be any large reserve accounts or surplus slush accounts that can be used at selectman’s discretion and whim. I believe that line item budgets should be proposed and reported so residents can clearly see where the money is going.  Clearly when we voted this spring we didn’t have a line item asking for the tax rate to go up 34%.  If the town was in this TAX REVENUE CRISIS then they should have called a meeting before issue the bills and perhaps offer options such as cutting back projects and expenses and having a special vote.

I find these circumstances absurd and the last straw and I urge residents to get involved and effect change of our town government for the better. I love the small town we live in without all it’s big town services, and big town expenses, lets keep it affordable by ensuring it’s managed properly.

Selectmen should not have latitude and freedom they exercise over the coffers of the town and or the freedom to reach into our wallets so casually as they have. I believe given the option, residents might opt to close the town offices for a couple months to balance the budget (as we did before) versus increasing the tax rate 34%.

Small town government works when people are involved. C’mon people we don’t have to stand for this……

By the way in researching the new town webite looks to be an improved more open concept allowing the viewing of minutes, tax bills and more, but none of the information is actually viewable….when it’s all actually operational we will be a step closer to better communication and transparency.