Councilor Retrosi: Why Dover needed to exceed tax cap
April 5 − To the Editor:
I want to acknowledge the difficult decision we were facing in voting to override the tax cap this year. It was not a decision that I took lightly, as I understand the concerns of residents about increasing taxes.
However, in this particular year, due to factors like rising costs and reductions in state funding to our school system, simply maintaining the current level of funding requires us to exceed the limitations set by the tax cap. After careful consideration and thorough analysis, I firmly believe that this decision was necessary to address the pressing needs of our city and ensure its continued growth and prosperity.
This was necessary to prevent cuts to crucial services and programs that our community relies on.
I want to clarify the decision to override the tax cap in this instance was not primarily about increasing funding for schools, but rather about preserving the current level of funding to maintain the status quo. Difficult decisions were made during the recent budgeting process, resulting in cuts to various programs and services that we would have liked to have maintained. While these decisions were not taken lightly, they were necessary in order to address the financial challenges facing our community.
While I support overriding the tax cap in this instance, I agree that it should not become a recurring practice. It is important for us to strive for fiscal responsibility and explore alternative sources of revenue to fund essential services without placing a heavy burden on taxpayers.
Moving forward, I will continue to work diligently to advocate for prudent budgeting practices, prioritize spending, and seek out cost-saving measures to prevent the need for future tax cap overrides. It is crucial that we carefully consider the financial impact on residents and make decisions that are in the best longterm interests of Dover.
I appreciate the understanding and support of residents as we navigate these challenging circumstances and commit to continuously reevaluating our budget priorities to ensure that tax cap overrides are not a regular occurrence.
Tony Retrosi, City Council Ward 3, Dover