"If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking."
--General George S. Patton
After town meeting, one of you asked me, “Can you ever speak about something without getting shouted down?”
She was referring to my comments on town meeting floor about Article 30 - a Prop 2-1/2 tax override that would give $3.7 million to 210 homeowners in New Silver Beach for a neighborhood septic treatment plant. I didn't expect to be the only person speaking against the tax override, but I was, and one of the selectmen called me "irresponsible."
Who was being irresponsible? I was simply questioning the public benefit of giving more public money to private homeowners. Every year, many of Falmouth's homeowners will replace failed septic systems. However, unlike the residents of New Silver Beach, they won't get a penny from the town, let alone $17,000.
In fact, the town has already helped New Silver Beach with the costs of this plant. All of the engineering and permitting (not to mention 10 years of legal fees) have been paid for with public funds. One of our elderly neighbors keeps her thermostat at 60 degrees all winter and she watches TV in the dark to keep her utility bills down. We're going to increase her taxes so that 210 homeowners can have another $3.7 million of public money?
Whether the override succeeds or not, New Silver Beach will have a septic treatment plant. The question - to be decided at the town election next May - is whether we should increase our taxes to give away $3.7 million.
Tell me what you think.
2 comments:
I remeber this, and I will say the name... Carey Murphy. I was surprised, he sounded angry and a bit out of control.
New issue...
I am against any involvement by the Town in the Woods Hole Gardiner Rd. sewall repair. The problem is very small, and people how live, build or rent property in flood plains should accept the risk. There is no safety issue here.
I am also aginst the further development of the Webster Woods in Woods Hole.
Sincerely your,
Nick Witzell
We don't need anymore politians and that is what Carey Murphy is. I hope if/when you are elected as selectman that you will not succumb to the politics in Town. The residents of New Silver should most definitly pay their own way. Sure I use the beach, but I don't have a "free ride" - I pay not only RE taxes for services in all of Falmouth, but I pay $60 for a 2-yr sticker so that I can go to the beach! The same with the sea wall, I mean really, why should all taxpayers pay for the choice (and opportunity) to live on the water. You are so right about taking care of the farming, the town is really getting "lost" with all the McMansions! Concerning sewer, I'm not convinced that sewer plants are the answer. What about Sweden? The water there is so clean you could almost drink it. What is their secret to treating the sewer of all the people who live by that waters edge?
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