Still unhappy with next year’s early budget estimates that they believe unfairly saddles the town with a disproportionate share of cost, the Edgartown selectmen are moving ahead with plans to withdraw from the Martha’s Vineyard Commission.
The selectmen will now put the question before voters at a special town meeting slated for Dec. 14.
On Monday afternoon selectmen approved a warrant for the special town meeting which includes an article to authorize the selectmen to petition the state legislature to begin the necessary steps to pull out of the commission. If the question goes that far, it would need the governor’s approval and then would return for a second vote by the town.
“We just sort of kicked it around and said why not,” said selectman and board chairman Margaret Serpa following the meeting. “It’s only a first step, it’s only an opinion type of thing anyway,” she said, adding:
“Because the issue has been discussed so much in the press, we just decided we would see what the voters wanted.”
The issue first came up three weeks ago when James Joyce, the town’s appointed representative to the commission, registered his concern over an increase in the town’s assessment for the coming year in the MVC draft budget. Originally estimated at $302,674, a second version of the budget shows the assessment would be $286,829, the same as this year.
Town assessments are based on equalized valuations under a formula established by the state legislature when the commission was created. Edgartown pays the largest annual assessment to the commission, followed by Chilmark. Mr. Joyce has suggested a new formula based half on population size and half on equalized valuations.
He also criticized a proposed 4.5 per cent pay increase for commission staff, which has since been reduced to 2.5 per cent. And he recommended that the town withdraw from the commission.
Edgartown’s complaints about the commission’s budget are not new; a year and a half ago selectmen singled out the town assessment as an override question on the annual town ballot. It later turned out money to pay the mandatory assessment had not been set aside in the town budget and a special town meeting was required to correct the problem.
In 1978 the town withdrew from the commission after bitter arguments over the commission’s broad powers; the town rejoined the regional commission in 1984.
This week commission executive director Mark London emphasized that the budget is still in its very early stages, and he referenced a recent analysis by Bruce Stone, an accountant and resident of Edgartown, which shows that the equalized valuations formula allows payments to be spread equitably among taxpayers.
“I would hope that people in Edgartown and the entire Island as a whole would feel $20 a year for a typical household [with property valued at $500,000] is a very good investment considering everything the commission has done and continues to do to protect the character, environment and quality of life Martha’s Vineyard,” Mr. London said. “Our economy and property values are very dependent on the character and quality of life here.”
Two other articles on the special town meeting warrant are intended to restart a stalled project to renovate a historic World War II hangar at the Katama airfield. The project hinges on amending a conservation restriction held by The Nature Conservancy. At the annual town meeting last year, voters approved money for the project, but the state Division of Conservation Services later rejected the plan, saying that it violated the terms of the original conservation restriction for the airpark.
A new plan calls for adding 21.2 acres off Pennywise Path to town conservation holdings to offset the slight loss of restricted land at Katama due to the hangar renovation. If voters approve, the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank will hold the restriction.
Town counsel Ronald H. Rappaport told the selectmen on Monday that the plan has the backing of the town conservation commission and is still subject to approval by The Nature Conservancy. And the town will need to petition the state legislature to allow the change.
Voters will be asked to approve two articles to accomplish the change.
“We didn’t want to lose another year,” Mr. Rappaport said. “People have been waiting a long time for this hangar.”
This article appears in November 19, 2010.
To Mark London: “The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.” — Ronald Reagan
And Mr. London,will earn $123,261.00 + benefits to do it.
John Gault (and how many get that reference?) Please carry your comments as to MVC salaries to the logical, most local extreme and ask why, for example, Edg. annual town reports have not for years broken down their salaries/ benefits by job, but have bundled them by department (the excuse about saving printing costs is one of the most lame in Edg. history).Real Answer: the town salaries are too damn embarassing in times of downturn or recession. The giving up of the COLAS by Edg. employees lasted only one year (2009) and Edg. employees were then back on train, recession or inflation for everyone else no matter. It was explained that Edg. was back on track in terms of money. Did the Selectmen really query this? Concern themselves about this cost? Ask about health insurance costs or future pension responsibility? Did the real estate homunculous they appointed to the MVC query that, as he stamped his tiny foot at the MVC meeting about MVC personnel costs? When did the Selectmen “kick this (the MVC membership) around?” (And say, Why aren’t their agendas and minutes immediately available online on a weekly basis when Edg. pays more than $70,000 a year for a computer specialist who is able and very willing to help staff provide this service but for the apparent reluctance of town boards to let the sun shine in?)
Any good objectivist like you would start from the beginning, from the local government, and that is Edg. in this case. And then tackle what that local government may have mistated or just plain not have been able to understand. It is embarrassing for Edgartown when someone like Mr. Stone makes a perfectly logical interpretation of the MVC financial fundament,as required by state law, and selectmen appointee Jimmy Joyce is left mumbling on the side of the road about ponies. You want to change the economic basis of this state law? Provide some sound reasoning, rather than the very past-tense, lower-lip-out, threats not to play ball. Edgartown is a bit more spohisticated than that kind of approach that was so popular, and so ultimately ruinous in 1978.
Let’s make positive suggestions for getting some of our money’s worth:(1) all agendas and all minutes for every town board on line every week in a timely fashion; (2)A refresher course by town counsel as to what is available to the public; (3)in town reports, not only the salary, for each position but also the inherent pension/health insurance obgligation which will accrue and when.
Ayn Rand, obviously a favorite of yours, was a striking writer and personality. Her philosophy was black and white. Local politics and financial obligations require more time and muscle than she may have envisioned for small town objectivists. We need to be clear about what we expect from elected officials and those they appoint.
Let’s all of us make a particular suggestion and follow through.
Mr. Gault,
If you are unhappy with your representation on the MVC get out from behind your computer and get involved! There were no challengers from OB in the last election for the MVC. Get involved or shut up!
To Rufus,
Well written & to quote you ‘Let’s make positive suggestions for getting some of our money’s worth:(1) all agendas and all minutes for every town board on line every week in a timely fashion; (2)A refresher course by town counsel as to what is available to the public; (3)in town reports, not only the salary, for each position but also the inherent pension/health insurance obligation which will accrue and when.
Better yet just ask Pam and see what response we get if any.
There are John Galts on any internet forum worth its salt – no rhyme intended – he’s everywhere. And the correct spelling is Galt, not that I ever read the book – way too long – but I hear it’s making a come-back.
Well Mr. Rufus Are you a red herring? Some reason you do not want to use your real name or full name. Tell me something good!!