Reallocation of funds may be put to vote - Sentinel & Enterprise

Residents in Lunenburg are expected to vote next month on withdrawing $142,000 from the town's stabilization account to help eliminate a deficit in the current fiscal budget.

[concerned]

I think it is a sad state of affairs that the fund needs to be tapped at all.
The clowns in the state house are running our towns and cities into the ground.
Patrick when he was elected promised to change the way the state would be run.The good ole boy way of doing things would be history,well scince he's been in office not much at all has changed,it's all only gotten worse.We just read how the crooks running the Turnpike handed out payraises all the while being told their is no money to be had.It's all bull.The rest of us have tightend our budgets and are living within our means,why can't the State.
Deval Patrick if I were you I'd be calling my pal the Prez and ask if he can put you on his payroll,because you are a one and done deal.Phoney as the day is long.Term limits on all politicians.They are all crooked.Throw em all out..........

[First Leominster Resident]

If it will saves jobs then they should do it!

[Lunenburgian]

If you get something, you got to give something. Please catagorize what new significant improvements have been implemented in the Town of Lunenburg with all these higher paid top dogs to justify the salary burden. The unions had their benifits packages renegotiate to reduce health insurance costs. How about a 5% administration paycut to all those making over 100K a year with benifits included. That would save 30 - 50K right off the top. Hopefully there is at least a top admin wage freeze in place, Renegotiate their benifits package. Lets also face it, at some point their also needs to be staff reductions. Also stop over estimating the projected health insurance and other costs and undeestimating revenue sources in your projected budget.

[fact check]

Lunenburgian wrote:

If you get something, you got to give something. Please catagorize what new significant improvements have been implemented in the Town of Lunenburg with all these higher paid top dogs to justify the salary burden. The unions had their benifits packages renegotiate to reduce health insurance costs. How about a 5% administration paycut to all those making over 100K a year with benifits included. That would save 30 - 50K right off the top. Hopefully there is at least a top admin wage freeze in place, Renegotiate their benifits package. Lets also face it, at some point their also needs to be staff reductions. Also stop over estimating the projected health insurance and other costs and undeestimating revenue sources in your projected budget.

Though you make some good points on equalizing the burden across all levels of town government, they are almost lost in the mis statements of fact you include.
Not sure who all these "top dogs" are you claim have been added-the town has the same structure this year as last. And yes, total administrative costs have been cut year to year as a qualified town manager and treasury/collector have been hired. The Town Mgr who does make over $100K/year has not taken any increase in pay. The non union employees and managers are either at the same participation % in health care costs as the unions or pay even more. And staff has been cut by attrition.
A major part of the current deficit is revenues were over estimated, not underestimated as you claim.
Health Insurance has come in very close to estimated, and for the record, the budget is created before employees make their choices and actual costs are known. It would be incredibly poor management to understate that expense and have no ability to absorb a higher cost. And as always, any excess, if there is any, only gets reallocated by town meeting vote.
Opinions are great, facts are better.