The Tax Story

Posted on June 10, 2008 by billmanzi

The Tribune is running a story today that essentially says that I am “blaming” the City Council for “raising taxes”. The story comes out of last nights budget workshop where I agreed to restore $400,000 to the Fire Department budget. In my post meeting interview with reporter JJ Huggins I engaged in some banter over the tax issue which related to individual requests by City Council to raise other areas of spending. I explained to him carefully that it was my belief that the additional funding for the Fire Department would likely come from “new growth” in the levy and hence still allow Methuen to produce a “no new taxes” budget. The slant of the story was other than that, and I regret the headline and tenor of the story. I assume responsibility for my comments, but they were in no way designed to create the type of story that was produced here. On the issue of taxes and spending I recognize that there are differing priorities depending on whom you speak with, but I have worked in collaboration with the Council to produce a budget that meets our basic needs without additional burden on our taxpayers. I still believe that our budget does that. To the extent that my comments created this story I apologize to the City Council.

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3 Responses to The Tax Story

  1. ben nevis says:
    June 10, 2008 at 6:59 am

    It took many years before I realized what the Tribune is all about and it isn’t news. This is my last week as a subscriber. I had a problem with a story they ran and called the
    editor but had to settle for a “call screener” who told me that “there is no way the paper would print a correction or clarify the story.” So I understand that elected official must be EXTRA careful when speaking with their so called reporters. Good luck to you mayor when dealing with them.

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  2. Jules Gordon says:
    June 10, 2008 at 10:30 am

    Your Honor,

    Congrats for fighting the fight. I presume the end of your migranes are not in site as you answer all the folks who thought you should have provided more (for them) or have not cut enough (conservative constituents, if there are any.)

    I,of course, know that dirty little secret, that pending in the halls of the great and general court of massachusetts is a bill that will free your hands to manage the city labor burden costs and generate future savings, as well as cost me a Starbucks coffee.

    Just how is that going your honor?

    Jules

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  3. Bill Manzi says:
    June 10, 2008 at 2:31 pm

    It has made it through the Senate, albeit with modifications. I now have the language, and will post that shortly. I think I owe the coffee!

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