Board of Selectmen Remains Neutral on Debt Exclusion

The Wrentham Board of Selectmen will not take an official stance on the upcoming debt exclusion vote, though individual members said the town will face serious cuts should the measure fail.

Selectman Stephen Langley requested that the board formally recommend the debt exclusion.

"I feel it's important for the board to go on the record, individually and collectively, about whether we support the initiative," he said. "I think it's incumbent upon us to lead."

Langley said this endorsement need not hinder the board's efforts to inform the community, but he felt it would be useful to townspeople if the board made a recommendation.

"If the Board of Selectmen doesn't support this, what is the impetus for the townspeople to say OK?" he said. "If they believe the board is fine with cutting people, [it won't pass]."

He said he was concerned about the cuts to the town's police department, fire department, department of public works and schools, should the measure fail.

Board Chairman Joseph Botaish said he felt the board should not take positions on matters before the townspeople.

"I feel it's our job to educate people, so they can go home and make the right decision for them," he said, adding that he was aware of the tough economic circumstances. "I don't want the people who have the ability to vote yes to vote no because of principle."

Botaish said people must decide the matter by weighing the merits themselves.

"Do not vote no or yes based on what someone told you or a sign you saw," he said. "Vote based on what you think."

He emphasized that, should the town approve the exclusion, the selectmen would not rest on their laurels, but would continue to seek new sources of revenue.

Selectman Michael Carroll said, though he voted to put the matter before voters, his own support of the measure was waning. He said he felt the town's budget could be controlled more effectively.

Langley's motion failed on a 3-1 vote.

There was also criticism of signs advocating against the exclusion. Langley said the contention that the measure would raise property taxes for residents by 7 percent is untrue.

"It's an outright falsehood," he said. "It's wrong, and it's a lie."

Town Administrator William Ketcham explained that the tax increase would vary from household to household.

"Everyone thinks Proposition 2 1/2 limits how much taxes can go up — it doesn't. It limits how much the town's levy can go up," he said. "What decides your taxes is your property value against the levy."

Ketcham said another misperception is that the town's rate increased by 2.5 percent every year. He said last year's tax rate was, in fact, lower than the 1999 rate.