With multiple projects of various price tags on the agenda, the Marion Capital Improvement Planning Committee met on the evening of Thursday, April 19, with a plan to prioritize the list, before presenting their findings to the Board of Selectmen.
The physical and financial condition of the town indicated revenue of $22.5 million and a ten-year capital expenditure forecast of $57 million. With the total number of taxpayers at 2,471, that leaves a debt and unfunded benefit total of approximately $46,000 to $56,000 per taxpayer over the next ten years. This figure could double taxes in Marion over the next ten years.
One of the major issues brought out at the meeting was the fact that 61 percent of the town revenue is allocated to education, both at Sippican Elementary School, ORR Junior and Senior High School and the Upper Cape Vocational Technical School.
Committee member Ted North provided a handout showing that 8.5 percent of the town budget was funding Sippican Elementary School which has approximately 467 students, or 8.9 percent of the town population, which is 5,256.
The junior and senior high school and the Upper Cape Cod Vocational Technical School, which service 768 students, represent 22 percent of the budget of the town of Marion.
The total school population of Marion is 14.6 percent and represents 61 percent of the town budget.
North discussed the discrepancy between the “per student” costs at Sippican School versus the “per student” cost at the high school.
“Why is the cost per student so high at the elementary level?” asked North.
“The elementary school population is 8.9 percent of Marion’s population, yet it represents 38.5 percent of our total town budget,” said North. “We are spending over 61 percent of our town budget on education,” said Mr. North.
The committee also discussed the upcoming Marion Town Meeting warrant, which includes an approximate $388,700 in expenditures. The warrant includes $95,500 for boiler control upgrades and repair of a leak at Sippican Elementary School.
In discussing town department issues, the committee wanted to coordinate with Town Administrator Paul Dawson, in submitting and discussing requisitions or any capital improvement with the committee. The committee discussed the importance of town departments prioritizing requests to go before the town in the warrant.
Other capital improvements discussed included a new town house telephone system with voice mail at $50,000, which will be on the town warrant in May. Committee members agreed that any item that would be proposed for the town meeting warrant should go through the capital improvement planning committee.
Committee members also discussed requests from town departments for various items including a fiscal year 2013 request from the fire department for $62,500 for two EMS life pack defibrillators and $20,900 for a police cruiser.
The committee consists of six members including Chairman Norm Hills, Ham Gravem, Rico Ferrari, Carol Sanz, Ted North and Dick Giberti.
The committee is looking for additional members. The next meeting will be on Thursday, May 3, at 7:00 pm at the Marion Music Hall. For more information, contact Paul Dawson at the Marion Town House at 508-748-3550.
By Joan Hartnett-Barry
The town needs to start looking at Tabor Academy. Tabor Academy does not pay taxes in the Town of Marion, yet the resident teachers are allowed to send their children to the Sippican School. The town needs to begin to tax resident teachers and to tax housing for teachers at Tabor Academy. We also need to bring in more revenue generating businesses in this Town. The town needs to stop working against businesses, and start working with them. It’s time to get rid of the old in Marion and welcome in the new. The town debt is growing everyday. The town has the ability to pursue different avenues for revenue. The time is now. The Town needs a drastic change, from selectman to bi-laws, to the way business is conduct in this town. “The new Marion”