Susan Roache: Belmont voters: Do necessary homework before voting

To The Daily Sun,

Serving on the Budget Committee, I found that pretty much all is decided before it ever reaches the committee. I've been advised it is, in fact, only an Advisory Budget Committee.

I feel and still feel that many line items could have been lower when a budget has not passed in two years and now possibly a third year. Raises are being given at 4% when the cost of living is at 2.8%, and 87% of insurance is paid for. I am not against raises, most are deserved. A special warrant is asking for $300,000 to start an account for renovations to the Mill Building for future move of the Town Hall into the Mill Building. I am against this as it will take many, many years to accumulate funds to accomplish this. In 2015 there was a plan for moving into the Mill, at a cost of $2.9 million. That was 11 years ago and there were warrant articles asking voters if they wanted the Town Hall to move to the Mill Building and also if they wanted to sell the Mill Building, both were voted yes.

There is also a Warrant Article this year to sell the Mill. As a senior, I cannot afford for my taxes to keep going up. If all is passed this will surely happen. Get a Voter's Guide, do necessary homework and be an educated voter. This really is a time for "need" or "want."

Please get out and vote, every vote does matter. And to close, there still is no senior program after closing after only two months open under Park & Rec. Why is this when the director is still getting paid the hours to do this?

Susan Roache

Belmont