Editorial

The drums are beating

What would make a dozen people launch themselves from their sofas, leave the comfort of their homes in the evening gloaming, park themselves in Stimson Hall and step up to a podium, one after the other, to declare their thoughts on a town budget?

A pinched wallet.

Taxpayers are increasingly feeling the burden of having to pay ever higher taxes, while seeing that tax-freedom day creep ever forward into the calendar year. Ironically, this year, tax freedom day was on April 15.

The Gray town budget will be before voters on June 5 at Town Meeting. This year, the proposed increase is 14%. Each year over the last dozen years, the town budget has increased. Three years ago the increase went from linear to exponential.

It will have doubled in the last six years if this year’s budget passes. The citizens at the Gray Council meeting Tuesday night said enough is enough.

One after the other they asked pertinent questions of the intricacies
of the budget, heard answers, then asked the Council to spend responsibly, or don’t spend at all.

It was good to see the participation, and the thought that went into their questions. Every year, the Council asks for input. “Let us know what you’re thinking! Be part of the process!” They say. Well, this year, citizens stepped up the podium, often and early in the budget process.

One hopes that just because the message was one of fiscal moderation, that their comments are not discounted. The tired chestnut of, “Oh, it’s just the same people with the same message” is no longer workable. The bottom line is, the council heard a message from interested citizens repeated as a drumbeat, and let’s hope they heed it.

But...the proof is in the pudding. Your vote counts at Town Meeting. That’s when the final say rings down from the rafters, when citizens vote “Yes” or “No” on their budget.

Town Meeting is June 5 at 10 a.m. at a location to be determined.