Camacho Reads Patch Comment at Council Meeting

Your voice is heard on Patch.

On Wednesday, we ran an article about the public budget hearing and asked readers to provide feedback about the proposed 3.87 percent residential and commercial tax hike.

At the council meeting, Councilor Marco Camacho read the following Patch comment written by CurtyNPT:

STOP RAISING MY TAXES!!!! Born and raised is NPT and now I'm a homeowner. I love where I'm from, yet hate the fact that I have to keep paying more and more each year to live in the town I grew up in. I'm on deployment in Afghanistan so I won't be able to make the hearing tonight. Hopefully a fellow patcher can make my voice known. Also, how about the city council stop raising taxes on residents and businesses to cover their spending and deficits, and start finding a way to reduce their spending?? They are spending our money without our approval!!

“How can I ignore that?" Camacho asked adamantly. "How can I ignore someone serving my country? He’s not here, but he’s paying taxes.” Camacho added he would not vote in favor of a budget that raised taxes higher than 2.5 percent. 

In a 4-3 vote, Council approved a revised budget proposal that reduced the residential tax increase to 2.99 percent and 3.11 percent for commercial. Camacho along with Michael Farley, Kathryn E. Leonard voted against the motion.

Camacho stated more residents need to call, write, comment and attend meetings to apply pressure on policy makers. Want a voice? Post on a local voice article on Patch. 

"Right now, there isn't the political will," he said after the council meeting.  He said the city needs to put pressure on union contracts, look for additional revenue streams and explore shared services.

In an email sent to councilors last week, City Manager Jane Howington outlined the following budget amendments that reduced the rate:

• Reduce beach repairs by $75,000 which would defer a portion of the repairs to the next fiscal year.
• Reduce the Armory repairs by $75,00 which would defer some of the wall repair to next year.
• Reduce the fire station facility maintenance work by $35,000.
• Move the parking facility improvements of $75,000 from the general fund to the parking fund.
• Reduce the Bellevue Avenue concrete repairs from $500,000 to $250,000.

What do you think? Is the modified tax rate increase of 2.99 percent still too high?