SLEIGHT OF HAND WITH LISBON FINANCES

SLEIGHT OF HAND

I included the questions I asked during Tuesday’s town council meeting in my recap knowing fully well I will never receive an answer.   The majority of the questions pertain to tax dollars and how they are being spent.  It is my opinion that if our tax dollars are not being utilized for the purpose they were earmarked for then; it is misappropriation of our tax dollars.  I firmly believe our tax dollars are being utilized to support unknown projects.

Case in point, out of the $284,000 dollars designated to make the town’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) payments in 2012 only $177,388.15 was actually utilized.  This leaves approximately $107,000 tax dollars and during the August 21, 2012 council meeting $96,258.00 was transferred out of this account.  So where did this money go and for what purpose? 

August is the second month of the accounting year and already the town is transferring money and carrying amounts forward.  Doesn’t that seem a little strange to anyone else besides me?  Let’s look at some more (this is not the entire list):
        Transfers*                Carry Forwards
Assessing - $14,000            Insurance - $100,000
Tax Collector - $10,500            Police -$56,682.06
TIF Payments - $96,258            Fire - $93,045.62
Solid Waste - $16,538.50            Town Engineer - $283,268.87**

*Where did they transfer this money to?
** I believe that some of this is for projects which are not completed.

 Lisbon Town Council Chair Fern Larochelle Jr.

Since, I exposed LaRochelle Properties, LLC for having the illegal Homestead Exemption for the past 12-14 years; I do not receive any information from the council.  I do know the Homestead Exemption has been withdrawn from the account but no one is telling the people how much of our tax dollars was involved and what the town is doing to collect these past due tax dollars.  I guess it is because a certain Chairman has a vested interest.   Remember, how they treated Councilor Cote over excise taxes due the town.

 

 Former Town Councilor Roger Cote

As I said, the majority of my questions pertain to our tax dollars, so why can’t we get a straight answer?  The town has no problem collecting taxes from me but when I ask how MY tax dollars are being utilized; I get the silent treatment.

Makes you wonder what they are hiding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Certainly, does not conform to the town of Lisbon’s Mission Statement, does it.

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen