Thursday, March 10, 2011

"It's misinformation that makes barriers to good decisions"

"There are very well-educated, insightful people who say I don't have enough information, so I'm always going to vote no," Chairman Doug Hardesty said. "To me if we can define what the questions are that will really provide a roadmap ... I think Franklin will be better off because you will have a bigger group of people more confident about decision they will make." 
In 2009, the committee, which was then composed of members of the Town Council, School Committee and Finance Committee, produced a 45-page report that explained how the town was facing a structural budget deficit where annual revenue growth was less than what was required to maintain town services. They projected that, through 2014, expenses would grow faster than revenue by $7 million to $10 million. 
The following year, voters rejected a $3 million property tax override. 
Graydon Smith, one of the seven residents who comprise this year's committee, noted many residents may assume the town has direct control over costs such as pensions and benefits provided to part-time employees. Instead, those are mostly determined at the state level and are difficult to change.
Read more: Franklin financial planners at work again

My notes from the meeting can be found here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2011/03/live-reporting-long-range-financial.html


Franklin, MA

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