Final Finance Committee Comment
The finance committee studies financial and other affairs of the town on behalf of ALL town residents. We have a duty to inform, advise, and make recommendations on all Town department budgets and proposed articles that come before you - the voter - at Town meetings. We have a duty to be involved in the financial planning of the Town. Committee members are not elected. We do not have to appeal to constituents. We do not owe allegiance to special interest groups with voting power.
The committee is unbiased in its recommendations. Before a committee recommendation is made, we study the impact the budget request has against the overall financial viability of the town. We look at both the short-term and long-term consequence of the articles proposed expenditure request.
The committee has seen how feelings and emotion influence a voting decision at town meeting. Our major goal is to arm you the voting taxpayer with concise data and information, provide you with actual facts and consequences (relative to each proposed warrant article), and enable you to make independent informed decisions. The finance committee welcomes your feedback. As voters and town meeting participants, if you have questions or concerns regarding finance committee data available to you, please let us know.
