The Finance Committee (FinCom)

Every tax is a pay cut. Every tax cut is a pay raise.
Citizens for Limited Taxation

A letter to the editor concerning the Finance Committee (FinCom)

The recent Proposition 2 1/2 override passed by a slim margin. That margin could be attributed in part because the Finance Committee (all members appointed by the Town Moderator, Gerard E. Desilets) approved it or "gave it it's blessing". Since the town meeting members and much of the electorate look at the FinCom for their wisdom and advice, I think it's important to know something about those members that are appointed by the moderator.
For example: what financial qualifications must one have to be appointed to this most important appointment? Secondly, I feel it's important that the voters have a biographical sketch of each of the current members of the committee. If this advice is so important, then I want to know what their qualifications are.
This is something that should be a matter of public record.

Dear Disappointed Voter,
The FinCom is carefully selected depending on how much cuddling up they do with the town moderator. Just tell the town moderator that you love big government, and you'll have a seat on the FinCom faster than you can say "Rumplestilskin".
Now that the town has a Chief Financial Officer who makes up the budget, the FinCom is a rubber stamp committee who automagically approves the CFO's budget.
Financial qualifications are limitted to being able to add and subtract. Accuracy is obviously not that important. If it was, the override request would not have been made.
It certainly gives the town manager and the town selectmen an excuse for overrides. All they have to say is that "the FinCom" approved it.
It is possible that the FinCom has been victimized by group think.

A letter to the editor concerning the Finance Committee (FinCom)
The recent Proposition 2 1/2 override passed by a slim margin. That margin could be attributed in part because the Finance Committee (all members appointed by the Town Moderator, Gerard E. Desilets) approved it or "gave it it's blessing". Since the town meeting members and much of the electorate look at the FinCom for their wisdom and advice, I think it's important to know something about those members that are appointed by the moderator. For example: what financial qualifications must one have to be appointed to this most important appointment? Secondly, I feel it's important that the voters have a biographical sketch of each of the current members of the committee. If this advice is so important, then I want to know what their qualifications are. This is something that should be a matter of public record.
Dear Disappointed Voter, The FinCom is carefully selected depending on how much cuddling up they do with the town moderator. Just tell the town moderator that you love big government, and you'll have a seat on the FinCom faster than you can say "Rumplestilskin". Now that the town has a Chief Financial Officer who makes up the budget, the FinCom is a rubber stamp committee who automagically approves the CFO's budget. Financial qualifications are limitted to being able to add and subtract. Accuracy is obviously not that important. If it was, the override request would not have been made. It certainly gives the town manager and the town selectmen an excuse for overrides. All they have to say is that "the FinCom" approved it. It is possible that the FinCom has been victimized by group think.

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