On the eve of tax day, about half of Americans say they feel their federal taxes are fair, according to an Associated Press story. Which is less surprising when put in this context: about half of American households paid no federal income taxes at all in 2009. Either their incomes were too low or they […]
budget
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Bus funding safe from Lewiston cuts, councilors assure residents
LEWISTON — Funding for the Twin Cities’ bus system is pretty secure, city councilors said Tuesday, but sign-carrying supporters spoke up, anyway. Members of the Visible Community and a handful of bus riders attended the City Council’s review of agency funding Tuesday night, urging councilors to continue their support for bus service. The bus system […]
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Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Budget hunt continues as Auburn targets joint agencies
AUBURN — Arts groups, economic development agencies and 911 call centers may be perfectly fine, but councilors Monday night said they were not willing to overlook anything when it came to trimming budgets. “It’s the same thing we heard from the schools last week: people will move here because of the schools or the library […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
‘What have you done lately’ a common question for growth council
LEWISTON — Every few years, Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council President Lucien Gosselin hears the same question. City officials want to know what he’s doing with the $335,000 they give him each year. Despite 30 years of championing economic development in the Twin Cities, elected officials want recent results — preferably something within the past 12 months. […]
Posted inFranklin, The Franklin Journal
Special ed, math instruction for lower grades among cuts in RSU 9 draft budget
FARMINGTON — Community members and staff from Regional School Unit 9 crowded into the Mt. Blue Middle School cafeteria Thursday to comment on $577,000 cut from the $25.4 million draft budget for 2011-12. The school board made it through two-thirds of the list of proposed cuts and increases recommended by the Budget Committee and district […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
School supporters fill council budget hearing
AUBURN — School supporters filled the City Council chambers Monday night to urge support for a 5 percent spending increase for education — despite increases in property taxes. “If we give our kids that good education, they won’t have to worry about not being able to pay their property taxes,” Barry Skillings of 1425 Riverside […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Lewiston Council starts budget talks with 84-cent hike
LEWISTON — A proposed tax rate increase might start at 84 cents, but City Administrator Ed Barrett said he’s confident it will go down significantly over the next few weeks. “I would think that the council will look clearly to get it down below 50 cents,” Barrett said Tuesday. Barrett presented his draft budget to […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
Auburn councilors suggest growth council, arts cuts, pay-per-bag ideas
AUBURN — Cutting money paid to the Growth Council and L/A Arts, and charging residents for trash bags were ideas put forward Monday to keep the city’s budget in line. City Manager Glenn Aho repeated his request to councilors to put their budget trimming ideas on the table. Municipal cost increases are responsible for about […]
Posted inOur View
Two Auburn councilors should consider resigning
Like many cities, Auburn is in the midst of a fiscal crisis. But here’s the bad news: Almost half its elected leaders are temperamentally unsuited for public office and have no patience for finding constructive solutions. Any doubt about that was dispelled Monday when three councilors walked out of a presentation being made by the […]
Posted inLewiston-Auburn
3 councilors walk out from city, school budget talks
AUBURN — Councilors and school officials foreshadowed an emotional showdown Monday night, sparring over the school department’s proposed 5.2 percent budget increase. “I want to do what’s right for the kids and I believe in their education, but my hands are tied,” said Auburn City Councilor Belinda Gerry. “I wish you had come to us […]