Principles of Budgeting‏

PRINCIPLES OF BUDGETING

Once someone has determined how much Revenue they are going to receive during the year, the next step is to determine your Expenses.  If the Revenue is larger than the Expenses, you make a list of what you want to accomplish during the next year.  Once you have created your list, it is time to see if the items on the list are practical.   The following is a formula to see if these items on your list are feasible:

1.      Do I have enough money to pay for this now or do I have to save up during the year to pay for this?

2.     Do I have to do this this year or can it wait and do this next year?

3.     It is imperative I do it this year?

The councilors were faced with a list of items that were presented by Department Head for enclosure in this year’s budget.  One of the items on the list was set aside $50,000.00 for Route 196 Matching Grant.  I believe that $50,000.00 is too much for the town because it is going to add to raising our taxes even more.  I recommended $25,000.00 for the first year but Fern LaRochelle spoke up and said that in order to move the town forward the town needed to keep it at $50,000.00 knowing fully well it was going to raise taxes that much more.  Fern LaRochelle has plenty of money to pay these tax increases but the majorities of citizens do not because they are on a fixed income and are struggling now.  Obviously, Mr. LaRochelle could care less about the majority of residents in Lisbon.

Another suggestion was not to replace any cruisers this year.  This has absolutely nothing to do with Forfeiture Fund and it's usage.  Last year, the town replaced two cruisers and an engine in another.  The cruiser we replace the engine is one of the vehicles Chief Brooks wants to replace this year.  Now, there are two vehicles that sit at the schools daily and there is no usage on these engines while they are sitting.  So why do we need to replace any vehicles this year?  If there is a problem during the year we can replace the engine and move on.  Why waste money replacing vehicles that do not need to be replaced?

Chairwoman Ward tried to add confusion to the question about if they town wants to replace police vehicles this year.  The ONLY question that the council should address is if replacing these vehicles is imperative this year and the answer from any stand point is NO.  Again, we are wasting tax dollars to please Chief Brooks.  But as we all know Chairwoman Ward’s ONLY mission is to protect Chief Brooks’ budget.

This council needs to do what is right for the community.  I have personally identified certain items that can be reduced or eliminated to help reduce the tax increase we residents are going to be facing this year.  Councilors should be making every effort within their power to reduce the tax burden taxpayer are facing with.

Councilors need to put personal feelings aside and do what is best for the community.

Larry Fillmore