Foxborough Town Meeting Postponed Until May 23

With budget numbers still uncertain, the Board of Selectmen voted tonight, April 5, to postpone the annual Town Meeting to May 23. 

The Board of Selectmen believed it was in the best interest of the town to postpone Town Meeting in order to be better prepared to explain the budget in a way the voters will understand.

“What we don't want is another town meeting with last minute changes and confusion,” said selectmen chairwoman Lynda Walsh. "Residents do not want to be blindsided when they arrive at the meeting again." 

Walsh said hopefully by postponing Town Meeting the selectmen will be able to reach out to the public and help them understand the budget. 

Town Manager, Kevin Pacios along with Randy Scollins, town accountant, presented a proposed balanced operating budget to selectmen tonight that included revenue of $300,000 from the meals tax.

However, there was uncertainty surrounding the proposed balanced operating budget from selectmen and town residents.

What concerned selectmen and residents about the proposed operating budget was the fact that it is not, in reality, "truly balanced," and instead is based on the assumption of the meals tax passing at town meeting.

If the town votes to pass the meals tax on May 23 then the current proposed budget (as presented tonight and attached to this article) will stay the same. If the meals tax does not pass at town meeting, the town would then need to cut an additional $300,000 from the budget. $90,000 would need to be reduced on the town's end and the schools would need to cut an additional $210,000 from their budget.

The items that would be cut from the budget if the meals tax does not pass is unclear at this time.

"I will have a list of what items would need to be reduced at the latest, next Tuesday," said Paicos. "The public will be informed well in advance of what items would be cut if the meals tax does not pass."

Selectmen, Paul Mortenson, casted the only lone vote against postponing the town meeting.

"I don't understand what needs to be straightened out," said Mortenson. "The only piece of information we are missing is what will need to be cut from the $300,000 if the tax does not pass."

Selectmen Lawrence Harrington supported postponing the meeting in order to give the public more time to absorb what cuts would be on the table if in fact the tax was voted against.

"What we do not want is a meeting where article 4 (the meals tax) does not pass and we get to article 5 (the budget) and say..'this is what is now going to be cut,' in a threatening manner," said Harrington. "I want to make sure the cuts that will be made, are the cuts that we are prepared to make.

Foxborough resident Cindy Khalife spoke to the board on her personal thoughts regarding the meals tax.

"Last year I voted against the meal tax, but this year I find it a solution," said Khalife. "We don't want to go forward with more taxes on ourselves, but lets tax other people...lets get their money."

The voted 5-0 last evening, April 4, to approve their budget with the understanding that the meals tax may not pass at town meeting.

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