It is a primary job of the Board of Finance to balance the needs of both the Board of Selectmen and the Board of Education against each other, and against the ability and the willingness of the taxpayers to pay the resultant taxes. If the budgets being submitted result in tax increases so significantly above norm, we are forced to be proactive in reducing the budgets. Normally our role is more passive: simply to ensure affordability and value. It is only in the face of excessive proposed increases that we become, inadvertently, involved in establishing priorities.

This town has a long tradition of being fiscally conservative and it has diligently worked to control the rate of taxation. If elected again, I plan to continue to work to maintain these goals.