I, I, and I and Real World Costs to all of us

Attending last evenings Lisbon Town Meeting, the audience is allowed to participate in the comment period. 

 Approaching the podium, and stating the concern of the soon to be considered for adoption the Amendments to the General Assistance Ordinance and Appendices, it was apparent to me that Chairman Ward was in a sentimental mood, as she personalized all her comments prefacing it with an "I". 

It was disappointing that she took these comments as something she alone would be effected by, and totally missed the reason the comments were being made.

In regards to the Maximum Allowables, The MMA may not be aware that the cost of a loaf of bread went from $1.00 to $3.00 and do not reflect the actual cost.  The only measurement provided by the CPI, as the CPI is a lagging indicator of actual REAL WORLD costs. 

Rents are in fact high, but the Maximum Allowables do not reflect the REAL WORLD.  There is a provision in Appendix C to advise the Town Council that they should only consider adopting the following numbers, if these figures are consistent with LOCAL RENT VALUES.  If they are not, a local market survey should be conducted and the figures altered accordingly,  Chairman Ward personalized it  to not be too concerned with the hardship imposed on a person who needs the rental assistance and the landlord who provides the home to the person and the costs involved.  That at a later date, it will be looked into which is never.  The actual cost of $600.00 for a rent, may only have a MAXIMUM Allowance of $400.00 and the other $200.00 must be borne by the LANDLORD, because if the landlord cannot pay the taxes on the rental property through collection of rents, the $200.00 must come out of the landlord's pocket which does not reflect the real cost of the assistance to the poor person and the taxpayers.

Appendix H.  The cost of burial of the poor, is a price fixing imposed on the funeral home bank account.  The maximum for a cremation urn is $50.00. The tone of the sentence is such that if a family burying it's dead, must choose a urn for under $50.00.  This sentence is intended to curb costs, and is not in keeping with the real market situation at this time.

If we are to kneel to the State unelected bodies, then at least our Town Chairperson could be a bit more concerned with the general welfare and not with her personal opinions of the administrative burden of looking into these items to ensure that the general welfare is looked after by those we have elected.  Public service is an honor and a duty.  She didn't have to accept the election if she thought it too much to be responsive to the public which she serves.

In Liberty

Debbie Barry