Disclaimer: I have a personal interest involved that goes further than just being a citizen.
Embedded in this unusually high tax increase proposal is a wage increase for town employees as I understand it. This particular increase is much less than the proposed 21.5 percent which is understandable. My concern: why should town employees have to wait for their well-deserved wage increase while the town council (and citizens) debates a divisive tax increase?
The employees should be spared this never ending dialogue and the city management/council should approve at least that portion of the budget and extend the pay increase for its employees that can be used now for summer/family vacations etc.
It is also my understanding that the wage increase issues that are being held up are limited only to department heads. This should also not impede other necessary wage increases for the line worker.
Finally: the water department. How much more are we willing to put that group of employees through while they have to "wait" time and time again for the town council to debate the fate of this department? Those employees haven't known what their immediate future has been for years now. Make a decision and quit playing ping pong with this matter. Please.
Gary Davis