West Hartford Council Approves $212.5 Million Budget

[Conrad]

When Carolyn Thornberry speaks ... I usually seize the opportunity and go take a dump.

[Change Now]

Raucous wrote:

<quoted text>
I would suggest to you that if you are cutting it so tight that a zero increase in taxes, or a couple of percent increase in taxes means you can't afford to live here, then you probably already can't afford to live here. If a young couple loses half their income, that's tragic, but a few percentage points decrease in taxes isn't going to fill the massive financial hole they are facing. Listen, it is really tough out there, I know, but it isn't all about taxes right now. It seems that the Town Council has made a honest-to-goodness attempt to hold down the budget and tax increases this year.

Just a couple things. A.) Do you know what trending is? Unrealistic yearly tax growth due mainly to pay and benefits & not due to the maintenance of town services must stop now.
B.) I do quite well thank you, it's my friends and neighbors that I care about, unlike selfish you. C.) Where were these same council members last year during 2 referendums they forced us to conduct only to have them claim it was a "maintenance budget". That was a flat out lie.

[Hmmm]

West Hfd resident wrote:

any one can go to town hall and ask for the files on the above properties and see for yourself the ridiculous reasons these properties were granted appeals. Makes you sick when this money could be used towards the schools, or not cutting the library hours, or possibly saving a job.
THis is the worst town council I can remember in my 40 years in this town.

Wonder why the post with the WH properties that are getting reduced assessments was taken off, hmmmmm

[Change Now]

Hmmm wrote:

<quoted text>
Wonder why the post with the WH properties that are getting reduced assessments was taken off, hmmmmm

Thanks for pointing out that post #28 with the list of property's was removed. I'm sure there is a lame reason as usual so that facts can't be proven by the average citizen. Just another reflection on the Town, State and Country in which we live and many have died for.
Get a lawyer. So sad!

[foodreview]

did the Town Council ever discuss the loss of tax revenue from the Blue Back condos if the revaluation phase in was suspended? And what is going on with those condos; the assessments don't seem correct from the purchase prices (70% of market value?) and from the town's tax estimator on their website, it looks like all those $500,000 to $800,000 apartments at 85 memorial drive will in fact get tax refunds this year! Unless I am not understanding how to use the tax estimator, it looks like condos that would have paid $10,000 to $15,000 in taxes will get refunds with the adopted 36.97 mill rate. what's up with this?

[moving asap]

foodreview wrote:

did the Town Council ever discuss the loss of tax revenue from the Blue Back condos if the revaluation phase in was suspended? And what is going on with those condos; the assessments don't seem correct from the purchase prices (70% of market value?) and from the town's tax estimator on their website, it looks like all those $500,000 to $800,000 apartments at 85 memorial drive will in fact get tax refunds this year! Unless I am not understanding how to use the tax estimator, it looks like condos that would have paid $10,000 to $15,000 in taxes will get refunds with the adopted 36.97 mill rate. what's up with this?

These posts should never stop. There is and has been something smelly going on (Mayor) ever since Blueback and the reval took place. I was slated for a modest tax "decrease" this year that would have been a help being on a fixed income. NO, ignore the process and increase Tax's to all when they do not know what the future will bring and no doubt another reval in 2 years. Just absurd, rediculous and never explained honestly.
Where does all the new tax money from the grand list expansion go?
Budget reduced (by some $600,000) yet our tax's still are increased. Throw these lying bums out "all of them".
Davidoff the minority leader should move back to Newington where he belongs.

[Mr P]

Mad as hell wrote:

<quoted text>Thanks for your excellent post. I would also suggest that wage and benefits for each of the Unions be published info so that we can all judge them for oursellves.
Also, with all the new poles, ganite curbs, paved crosswalks, tree lined center medians, bike trails, etc, maybe we just won't have anything else to spend our hard earned tax dollars on and can shut off the spigot and perhaps even save a couple $'s.
No more of the old tax and spend please.
Not 1 more dollar spent on this plastic Town showboat without 1st restoring our full municipal services.
Not a dime increase for the teachers in future contracts until every cut program is restored.

Fellow tax payers & neighbors, perhaps we should start early to insure needed, accurate information is provided rather than (as in past years) scramble at the last minute & cut more of our cherished services while we continue with pay increases and lavish bebefits.
EXAMPLE: Our Mayor and NEW Town Manager have the nerve to insult the property owners by saying leaf vacuum pick up was to difficult due to mainly a timing issue, "the leafs didn't all fall at the same time".
No kidding, that's why we were doing it twice a year which they cut to a single vacuum in a prior budget cut. Some years ago this was performed by our Town Public Works Dept. and that is who should do it, not some contracted Company that can pretty much charge what they want, not much competition for this work. With the equipment and personnel we can and should respond throughout the fall period, late Oct. thru Nov. to keep our roads clean and safe. Many residents at the base of the Mountain and in many other areas of Town have driveways that slope down from the road with catch basins close by, who will clean the leafs off the roads and move them if some neighbors decide to just continue to leave them at the curb. How much forward planning (by our Council) has been done or will we just deal with it when it happens. We have always had an ordinance prohibiting the placement of leafs on the paved road surface but numerous residents did it anyway. Nothing was ever done about it in the past.
What a pretty sight this will be, large paper bags lining the streets for some 2 months during what will surely be cold & rainy weather with leafs all over the place.
Does the Tolwn plan on bagging leafs along the various & numerous roads that have overhanging trees & do not have homes along them?
STOP CUTTING TOWN SERVICES.

[test]

abc

[Mr P]

test wrote:

abc

With your level of intelengence you should run for a Town position (like Mayor), you would fit right in.