Another tax cap proposal? Seems to be breaking out all over!
Today's Laconia Daily Sun had an extensive article:
Lovett proposes spending cap for Meredith
Miller Lovett, who with Colette Worsman cast a dissenting vote when the selectmen adopted the 2007 budget, is proposing guidelines to control governmental spending.
[snip]
...In particular, he recommends "calculating the tax dollar increases from new construction and using that for new costs due to population growth" and ensuring that "the maximum average tax bill for propertyies with no new improvements will not exceed a cost of living index."
It seems that one of the Selectmen over in Meredith is proposing an "informal" cap on spending. I applaud Miller Lovett and his efforts to protect taxpayers. The only reason why I put it as "informal" as Meredith, as here is Gilford, there is no City Charter to formalize a tax / spending cap.
However, the idea that Selectmen can do the same thing holds a lot of merit. Limiting the growth in spending by the Town and School District by a specific inflation rate bumped up only by taxes supplied by new building (residential or commercial) - it seems reasonable. To no one's surprise, I am a proponent of the idea "Why should government spending effectively be unlimited where ordinary families are limited?"
I wonder if our Selectmen and School Board would seriously consider such a voluntary spending limit.
