Hebron Dollars & Sense

This should be a lively topic!

I support bifurcating the town budget and listing the HBOE Budget separately on the ballot because it is the largest 'line item' on the municipal budget. As a line item, it is buried.

I read through the available HBOE budget and did NOT support it. On the other hand, I did support the budget put forth by the BOS for our community. Several departments cut their funding to "bare-bones" and made an effort to keep expenses down. I felt there were was just a "feeble attempt" from the school side of the equation. Without the separation of these budgets, I was forced to vote NO on the town budget.

Read the posted minutes of the May 6, 2009 meeting of the Charter Revision Committee. Here's the link: http://tinyurl.com/n2y7kv

Send your comments to the Charter Revision Commission at: CharterRevision@HebronCT.com

Does the email address ensure that my comments will be entered as part of the public record? I see others have submitted emails to express their opinions on this matter.

I cannot believe the hearsay that is influencing the CRC. I fear the CRC has already decided to NOT include this idea. The fear mongering of "special interest groups" voting down ideas is ridiculous. That argument would mean the CIP folks should be getting voted down every time, yet that doesn't occur. In fact, this year, they made large cuts which probably helped their budget get passed.

If a sufficient proportion of voters vote down the education budget, my guess is that we don't have that many people in the school program.

Also, I don't think the issue is transparency. I can (eventually) see where the money is going in the BOE budget, I just don't have a say in changing it.

Color me peeved.

Not sure .. at one time, they asked for letters or emails to be included in public record for that meeting. I sent in an email and encourage others (pro or con) to write too.

THIS IS NO LONGER AN ISSUE... they voted. Minutes from the Charter Revision Commission meetings (May 6 & May 20) are posted on-line. The BOE budget will not be listed as a separate budget on the ballot.

Hope next year, we can get FULL answers to our questions from both the BOE and/or Ms. Cruz. I still don't know what the line item for $4800 ('superintendent's transportation') is used for. Another user on this site said it was to "... cover commuting costs from Ms. Cruz home in Essex to Hebron ..."

My comment: Nice perk in this economy ... with my tax dollars!

I don't really feel strongly either way about this topic.

I suppose that the argument against bifurcation is that it could raise overall expenses if additional budget referenda are needed.

But the only comments seem to be that there isn't a strong enough voice saying we really need it.

Voter turnout has for the past several years shown there has not been material opposition to the entire budget - as opposed to material voter apathy.

We shouldn't be making more work for our various boards, etc., especially the registrar of voters.

We should be finding ways to spend less, combining services in departments to gain economies of scale, cutting beaurocracy.

EASY WAY To Send Your Email Comments & Keep Your Home/Personal Email Address Outta The Public Record.
Go To Library & Use Their Computer & If A Site Prompts You For A Email Address, DUMMY UP A Fugazy Address From A ISP Not Your Own Service OR Use A Widely Known Email AD Such As Customers Service @ Subway.com Etc. Works Great For Me;) Will comment On Bifircation Later, But It Should Be Done & The CRC Showed No Spine Or Gonads On It:P

NP: How do you know all this stuff -- looking forward to your reply. Although we were given an email address to submit our input on this issue - 2 folks replied to the chairs personal address. Thank goodness the "blackberry" transmission was outside the meeting! See pages 9&12 of the May 6, 2009 minutes.

That may be another issue to address in this modern age. The BAN of all electronic communication devices during meetings. Remember years ago (the tapes would be televised), when private notes were passed during BOS meetings. Sometimes the individual reading the note would giggle or laugh. I thought that activity was inappropriate then -- and consider it inappropriate and rude today.

I believe the vote on bifurcation was too early. The most amusing comment in opposition was from the BOE (pg 5 of the April 1st minutes). In opposition to the separation of budgets, the phrase "cleaner process" was used. WHAT does that mean?!?