Opinion: Marino Calls for Fiscal Accountability

The following statement was submitted to Chelmsford Patch by Chelmsford’s Board of Selectmen candidate Louis Marino:

Select Board Candidate Louis Marino today called for fiscal accountability in the budgeting process. Marino was responding to remarks of Town Manager Paul Cohen at Monday’s Select Board meeting. Cohen had stated that the town budget should be balanced with Free Cash.

Free cash is the term used for unused appropriations from a previous fiscal year.

“Free Cash is really just taxpayer dollars, and if the money is not going into the stabilization fund or being used to create new sources of revenue, it should be returned to the taxpayers” Marino said.

“It is imperative that public officials be good stewards for the taxpayers’ money” added Marino.

“I understand the tight fiscal situation Paul is facing in developing this budget, but this is the second year Chelmsford has had a deficit budget, which is against rules passed by the Select Board. This deficit spending is becoming an all too regular occurrence” Marino stated.

Louis Marino believes there are steps which can be taken to get the town out of this perpetual debt cycle. First is to fight for increases in Chapter 70 funding for schools.

This will require a strong voice advocating for Chelmsford, and continually drawing the attention of legislators and the Governor to the issue. Secondly the town must expand the tax base, and develop new revenue streams in order to provide tax relief to residents.

Marino has previously offered proposals to bring new revenue into town through the construction of a Recycling Center, and through incentives such as the creation of economic development zones to make it attractive for new residents to move to town, and for small businesses to build and expand in Chelmsford, particularly in the Center Village area. He has also proposed finding efficiencies by merging some town and school system administration functions, and allowing oversight of the school system budget by the Town Finance Administrator.

Louis Marino is a community leader, and experienced businessman. He serves as the Town Meeting Representative for Precinct 5, and is a member of the Chelmsford Recycling board. He owns two small businesses – Mass Investigations and Recoveries, and Chelmsford Programming Services LLC. Marino’s community service roles include terms as Chief Financial Officer of the Disabled Citizens Network, and as a Board member of MASSPIRG. He is a 22 Year member of the Sons of Italy, and a parishioner at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church. He holds a Bachelors in Criminal Justice and Forensics, and an MBA in Criminal Justice Administration from Western New England College. Louis and his wife Nanette have two daughters ages 4 and 14, both of who attend Chelmsford public schools.