"The most good for the most people"
A Tremendous Goal!
Mayor Verga said, “I am motivated to continue to look to the future and work to do the most good for the most people over the most time.” “Looking to the future to do the most good for the most people,” what a tremendous goal!
Contrary to the Mayor’s statement,
a few on the City Council followed the established protocol to initiate indentured servitude. What that means is if a senior or veteran wants a property tax abatement of $2000, they can volunteer their time. Why should a veteran have to volunteer for anything when their service is unsurpassed? Many senior citizens have and do volunteer, and many are still having to work to survive. Why is this extra burden put on their time when the problem is government mismanagement and overspending?
Why is the council using discriminatory measures (age and military service) to give a tax abatement? What about the young married couple trying to buy a bigger home to expand their family? What about the hard-working single mother trying to do the best for her family? Don’t all taxpayers deserve a property tax abatement?
The city departments have not been audited in many years. The Mayor and Council should immediately initiate an audit of all departments, with the goal of finding 5% savings in every department. That way all property owners get a tax abatement.
It’s time to look to the future, and for the Council and Mayor to empathize with the challenging, economic environment of all taxpayers, and to start finding efficient ways for government to function. Historically, the answer has been more spending of our money. It must stop before the burdensome, financial problems of the City become catastrophic.
Amanda St. John
Gloucester