PARIS — Selectmen voted 4-1 Monday night to recommend no increase in municipal spending for 2011-2012.
Selectman Ted Kurtz laid out his case with a grim prediction.
“Five years from now, the American people are going to be working for less,” Kurtz said. He predicted the value of the dollar will drop, as will home values.
“As a town, we can either go on our merry way,” Kurtz said, “or we can start being prudent and we can start to cushion this fall.”
Foremost, he said, the town will have to change its definition of “essential services.” Kurtz made clear this doesn’t include money paid to the school district and to the county, only to Paris expenses.
Selectman Jean Smart advised that the board conduct research on the consequences of keeping the budget the same as this year.
In the end, Smart was the only selectman to vote against the recommendation to voters. Selectmen Kurtz, Ken West, Raymond Glover and Lloyd Herrick voted for it.
Voters will decide on a budget for 2011-2012 at town meeting in June.
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