Here are some important facts voters in Mexico need to know before the town meeting.

Last year, almost every town account was overspent. The money appropriated at the last town meeting was not enough to cover expenses. Some say the accounts were “under-funded,” which means that there was not enough money to cover expenses. Others say the expenses were simply too high. The result is that there was not enough money. These people see the accounts as overspent, rather than under-funded.

Ten years ago, the town had a surplus. Today, that money is gone. It was spent to help pay for all of the services of the town without increasing the mill rate. Some people will say again accounts were under-funded, and we needed to use the surplus to ease taxes. Other people will say that using the surplus, and still having a high mill rate, proves that the town spent too much. We must note, however, that it is wrong to spend the surplus for expenses. The auditor recommended that a town the size of Mexico should keep a surplus of at least $300,000 to cover unexpected expenses. That important fiscal fact was disregarded.

In June 2004, the reserve was used to pay end-of-the-year bills because the town did not have sufficient funds. Now, by law, the town has to put those funds back. So the need to borrow again or run short of money at the end of the fiscal year looms.

Gary Coffin,

the Mexico Taxpayers Association, Mexico