City Council Remarks 5/12/10

Good Evening,

My name is Aviva Grasso and I am here this evening on behalf of Good for Dover. As you may recall, Good for Dover members and a variety of other organizations dedicated many hours 2 ½ years ago to efforts to avoid a tax cap and the difficult position it has put us (well, you) in today.

Good for Dover believes that our elected representatives will do what is best for the city when given the opportunity to do so. As a result of the tax cap, the proposed budget this year is bad for Dover. As long as we have a tax cap in place, the budget process will be even harder and uglier than it needs to be. By combining the tax cap with the costs being shifted down from the state and county, things will only be worse next year. Will we close another fire station? Lay off even more teachers? Putting off maintenance to roads and other city facilities only means that repair or replacement will cost even more at a later date.

Most taxpayers in Dover are also drivers. However, thanks to the tax cap, there aren’t enough funds in the proposed budget to maintain, let alone repair, the roads they will be driving on. And the longer we put that off, the more expensive the repairs will be. And, thanks to the tax cap, we still won’t have the money. So, to avoid a mere $29 addition to the average tax bill (about 50 cents a week), we will do at least double that in damage to our cars driving over pot-hole filled, cracked and rutted roads. Good for Dover would rather see our elected officials have the authority to devise a budget that does right by everyone who drives in Dover.

Our city councilors and school board members also tend to be homeowners and taxpayers. They do not want to be taxed out of town any more than the rest of us do. City and school staff provide them with information about what it costs to maintain public health, safety, and a well-educated, vibrant community. They They know how much it costs to do what is good for Dover. Sadly, with a tax cap in place, the superintendent and city manager must present budgets that fall short of those standards.

It is unfortunate that many people had to see the recent newspaper headlines to recognize the negative impact of a tax cap. Many people, including Good for Dover, predicted these problems and worked hard to spread the word. But, with extremely low voter turn-out, it became the law and changed how city staff and elected officials do business.

We are losing so much for what will save the average homeowner only $171 per year! That is just $14.25 per month to ensure that all our fire stations are open, that our swimming pools aren’t turned into gardens and that roads and buildings are properly maintained.

Good for Dover appreciates the opportunity to address the council and Dover residents with our observations about the damage the tax cap has and will cause. Ultimately, what is Good for Dover is repealing the tax cap and returning authority to city officials. We sincerely hope that all those who have turned out in recent weeks will remain engaged in our city well beyond the current budget cycle. As our name implies, we only want what is best for our city and its residents.

Thank you for being here, for listening, and for doing what is Good for Dover in the long-term.