No sooner do the holidays end when town managers, boards of selectmen, budget committees and school boards across the land hammer out the details of their town and school budgets and a variety of warrant articles. These public servants are just trying to figure out how best to spend your money. Remember, we live in a state that supports itself with stiff property taxes.
Town meetings are a New England tradition dating back centuries.
Once a year after the winter and before planting season, townsfolk would gather and conduct the town's business for the next year. It was a social as well as political event, perhaps a highlight of the year, especially after a long winter. Apparently, not many. Only one person a former Budget Committee member represented the general public, and he made just one comment, criticizing the lack of a line item by line item review of the budget. Not one person asked a question.