Posts

Showing posts from June, 2022

The 7% Budget Referendum: A Political Weapon, Not Reform

Image
This was the budget data the Charter Revision Commission examined. It shows the percentage of budget increase by year. The budget increase does not translate to a tax increase. In 2023, the Democrats for instance, lowered spending but taxes still increased. The party and COLA columns were added by author.  The Charter Revision Commission’s 7% budget referendum proposal isn’t reform — it’s a political weapon. It's disguised as fiscal responsibility, but it’s engineered to shift blame, confuse voters, and lock Enfield into bad policy. There are some good ideas in the commission’s package. But this one? It shouldn’t go to the ballot. Here’s what the proposal says: If town expenditures increase by more than 7% over the current fiscal year, it would trigger a referendum. That sounds reasonable — until you understand the facts. The 7% Fiction First, Enfield hasn’t approved a 7% budget hike in at least 15 years — likely far longer. No council, Republican or Democrat, proposes a 7% hike u...
Post a Comment
Read more

Enfield Square redevelopment proposal on the way

Image
Enfield Square, June 2022 The owners of Enfield Square are preparing to present a redevelopment plan for the mall.  There are three "concepts" being considered by the town and the mall's owner, the Namdar Realty Group, according to the Enfield Economic Development Commission (EDC). These concepts aren't public. That something is in the works for Enfield Square came to light in January when the town surveyed residents for their opinions on the mall redevelopment. The ideas in this survey ranged from strip malls and big-box plazas to concepts that combined retail, residential, and entertainment. They also included high-density development, with parking garages and buildings as high as eight stories.  The EDC's minutes from May reveal this:  -- The "concept plan" for the mall was expected to be submitted in early June, and a progress meeting with the state and mall owner was set for around that time. -- The Planning & Zoning Commission (PZC) will appro...
Read more