April 29, 2005
Board of Finance - May Campaign '05
I am running for the Board of Finance in a small New England town. I replaced a person who moved in January and have to run for my own seat in municipal elections this spring. Saturday I was campaigning door to door, speaking with whomever might be home on a beautiful spring day. Taxes were on many minds, which is not unusual. Of the many people I spoke to, one in particular stood out, not that he was so unusual, but that he was perhaps most usual. When I asked what he was concerned about he mentioned taxes and waste in government. "Ah," I asked, "what is the problem? Can you give me some details of where the town is wasting money" He could not answer me with any specifics. He had not been to a Board of Finance meeting. He had not been to a Board of Education meeting, where most of our tax money goes, he had not even been to a Town Meeting where we approve the yearly budget. He just knew that we wasted at least 10% of our budget, because that is what he saw in his company. Hmmmmm. I have had an opportunity to sit on the board for the past three months while we have gone through the budget process. I watched as the board examined every expenditure, every purchase, including paper goods. If this board is wasting money they have sure fooled me. This man, like many others, is absolutely, without question, convinced that the town is wasting money, his money, yet he has never, ever, been to a board meeting, never spoken to Board of Finance members, never been to a Town Meeting to approve a budget and still KNOWS that the town is throwing his money away. He will vote accordingly. Would you respect a person like that?
Posted by Chip Spear at 9:42 PM | Comments (5)
White Is......
Posted by Chip Spear at 9:31 PM | Comments (0)
Bush hits a double to start big rally
G. W.'s press conference last night took some of the initiative away from the Democrats who have made substantial inroads over the past few weeks in slowing the President' Social Security plans. The President put a proposal on the table that was carefully crafted to resonate with the electorate. The idea of graduated benefits makes a certain amount of sense. More benefits go to those who need them. What could be wrong with that? I am unclear at this point of any other details, those are what appear in the NY Times today. It is a good play. I didn't see or hear any mention of private accounts, which the public doesn't seem to like right now. The Republicans are poised to use this initiative to head behind Congressional doors. We shall then see where this proposal goes. In light of past experience I would not think that something this simple will be all of the plan.
Posted by Chip Spear at 9:10 PM | Comments (1)