Colarusso A Watchdog For The Taxpayer

A Letter to the Editor from George Georgountzos:

I write to correct gross misstatements and exaggerations in Mike Bettencourt’s the letter to the editor last week. If by “toxic political tactics” Bettencourt means being a watchdog for the taxpayer, then he would be at least on the right track, but sadly he used tired political gimmicks and inflammatory language to falsely paint Stoneham Selectwoman Caroline Colarusso as out of touch.

I would like to set the record straight with some facts.

I served on the Stoneham Finance and Advisory Board (FAB) with Caroline long before she ran for State Representative. Our principle fiscal watchdog on the Board, Caroline exposed the miss-allocations in the water and sewer accounts. When I chaired the FAB, it was Caroline’s diligence that showed that DPW payroll was being miss-allocated, and that enterprise funds were being misused. As a Select Board member, Bettencourt should know that receipts from water and sewer can only be used for water and sewer related projects. However, Caroline confirmed that Stoneham had been using those receipts for other projects and, as a consequence, inappropriately raising water and sewer rates which is strictly prohibited under Massachusetts
law. After Caroline exposed this practice, two different town administrators were forced to lower the rates which hadn’t been lowered since 1986. Stoneham’s Town Accountant publicly stated that reserves were healthy and could be used to lower the rates. Also, management procedures were implemented to ensure that DPW employees were properly allocating their time to reflect the actual work they performed. The $1.8 million shortfall Bettencourt refers to had nothing to do with these sound fiscal practices, but because of a switch in the accounting practices in the town. Members of the Water & Sewer Board have stated that the rates will be reduced back to their general levels once they implement this change, which will result in cost savings over time. It wasn’t until she was elected to the Board of Selectmen that Caroline was really able to make policy differences and change management practices, much to the dismay of the town insiders,
most of whom have endorsed and support Mike Day.

Additionally, Caroline also exposed the mishandling of the trash collection enterprise fund which under Massachusetts law can only charge a fee for the price of the service the town provides. For the last ten years or so, Stoneham taxpayers are charged a “temporary trash fee.” Here, Caroline’s efforts to fight for taxpayer is to be commended. Unlike what Bettencourt refers to as “reeking fiscal havoc,” Stoneham experienced its largest free cash surplus in decades this year in which the State certified a surplus of $3.4 million in free cash left over after all the town's bills were paid. STONEHAM HAD NEVER SEEN THAT TYPE OF SURPLUS BEFORE. At a town meeting, I, Caroline and others moved to refund the trash fee to the taxpayers and end this “temporary” fee from becoming permanent. While that effort was unsuccessful because town
meeting wanted to build reserves, it was not surprising to see that those “reserve” funds were used just last month at town meeting to purchase over $600,000.00 in capital equipment. So much for building up reserves!

But for Caroline’s efforts, spending in town would run unchecked, and fair and transparent accounting practices would continue to be mired in confusion. Truth be told, the town was getting away with larceny until Caroline exposed the malfeasance. That's the truth about what Caroline has done for Stoneham, and why she is just the type of leader we need to challenge the business as usual crowd on Beacon Hill and why I am supporting her for State Representative.

George Georgountzos, Fieldstone Drive