Spending and Tax Increase Scenarios

The town manager laid out for the council what it will take to reach different tax hike percentages.

Next, apparently what they do is make cuts to reach these levels.

Property Tax Increase	Spending Reductions	Spending Increase	Non-Tax Revenue	Current Year Tax Revenue	Increase in Current Year Tax Revenue
6.6% This was the adopted budget level that was defeated.	$ -	3.48%	$31,298,893	$ 171,972,293	1.94%
6.50%	$ 160,000	3.40%	$ 31,298,893	$ 171,812,293	1.85%
6.00%	$ 960,000	3.00%	$ 31,298,893	$ 171,012,293	1.38%
5.50%	$ 1,760,000	2.59%	$ 31,298,893	$ 170,212,293	0.90%
5.40%	$ 1,932,951	2.50%	$ 31,298,893	$ 170,039,342	0.80%
5.00%	$ 2,560,000	2.18%	$ 31,298,893	$ 169,412,293	0.43%
4.57%	$ 3,279,653	1.81%	$ 31,298,893	$ 168,692,640	0.00%
4.50%	$ 3,360,000	1.77%	$ 31,298,893	$ 168,612,293	-0.05%
4.00%	$ 4,160,000	1.37%	$ 31,298,893	$ 167,812,293	-0.52%
3.50%	$ 4,960,000	0.96%	$ 31,298,893	$ 167,012,293	-1.00%
3.00%	$ 5,760,000	0.55%	$ 31,298,893	$ 166,212,293	-1.47%
2.50%	$ 6,560,000	0.14%	$ 31,298,893	$ 165,412,293	-1.94%
2.30%	$ 6,843,640	0.00%	$ 31,298,893	$ 165,128,653	-2.11%
2.00%	$ 7,360,000	-0.26%	$ 31,298,893	$ 164,612,293	-2.42%
1.50%	$ 8,160,000	-0.67%	$ 31,298,893	$ 163,812,293	-2.89%
1.00%	$ 8,960,000	-1.08%	$ 31,298,893	$ 163,012,293	-3.37%
0.50%	$ 9,760,000	-1.48%	$ 31,298,893	$ 162,212,293	-3.84%
0.00%	$10,560,000	-1.89%	$ 31,298,893	$ 161,412,293	-4.32%

One suggestion: Perhaps what they ought to do is have the Town Manager go back to his department heads and request that they each re-submit a budget to him that reflects a 2.5% spending increase (or close to it), and let the managers make appropriate cuts in their own departments.. rather than have the Town Council lop off whole programs and gut services in town to reach a specific budget level. Each department head should be able to determine an appropriate level of staffing and expenditures to reach specific budget goals.