FARMINGTON – The Franklin County Budget Committee met Wednesday night to discuss the proposed $6.2 million county budget, voting in line with the commissioners’ proposal to reduce funding to several social service agencies. The committee also recommended another $18,750 in cuts to the county budget.
Commissioners previously proposed a $6.21 million budget, including $2 million for the Franklin County Detention Center and $4.21 million to fund county operations. As part of that budget, commissioners proposed reducing Program & Grant funding, which includes $209,330 in requests from Children’s Task Force, Adult Basic Education, Western Maine Transportation, Community Action Program, Greater Franklin Development Council, Seniors Plus, Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Services, Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice, Franklin County Soil and Water and the Franklin County Firemen Association, down to $61,200. Several agencies were recommended by the commissioners at zero dollars, while others were reduced.
The budget committee voted in favor of zero dollars for CTF, Adult Ed, GFDC, SAPARS and Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice. The committee voted to fund Western Maine Transportation at $7,500, less than the $10,500 request; WMCA at $20,000, less than the $30,000 request; SeniorsPlus at $10,000, less than the $30,000 request; and Soil & Water at $20,000, less than the $25,000 request. Franklin County Firemen’s Association’s request of $3,700 was recommended for full funding.
Board members commented on several program cuts, including Adult Education. “There is never going to be enough money, because that’s just the way it is,” committee member Mike Pond, a Strong selectman, said. “We have to live within our means. I can’t support them [Adult Ed] because I know what we pay. It doesn’t help my area.”
Others agreed that with Adult Ed programs receiving funding through the county jail budget for inmate services, as well as contributions from individual towns, the scenario would be a case of “double dipping.”
“For me to support this would be like a slap in the face to Jay. We need to find a fairer way to do it,” committee member Travis Pond, a New Sharon selectman, said.
Chesterville selectperson and committee member Tiffany Estabrook suggested that the nonprofits in question need to be “pushed to look within themselves for funding.”
Committee chair Joshua Bell, a Farmington selectman, pointed out that any resident can donate money to the organizations that are being cut. Bell echoed similar suggestions at Tuesday night’s Farmington selectboard meeting, stating that if the public believes in these organizations they can make the choice to give them money.
A number of residents attended the meeting, standing at the back of the room with signs supporting the funding of social service programs.
“When these programs go to Augusta to ask for funding, they want to know what your local community thinks of your program. That funding is going to go away if these organizations can’t demonstrate local support,” former director of the Children’s Task Force Elizabeth Kuhlman said.
“I think we need to be a more compassionate board and really consider this,” committee member Ruth Cushman, a Wilton selectperson said, referring specifically to the zeroed out funding for Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice. “Until you’ve used the service you just can’t comprehend all that they do.”
While the budget committee followed the commissioner’s budget in regards to Program & Grants, they made three reductions elsewhere in the county budget. The budget committee voted to remove a part-time clerk position from the District Attorney’s Office, a $10,000 reduction, as well as a software time clock in the treasurer’s budget, a $7,500 reduction. They also recommended cutting $1,250 from the Technical Services budget for the webmaster position.
There will be a public hearing on the budget on June 7 at 6 p.m. at the Franklin County Courthouse. The budget committee will then meet at a later date and approve a budget. Commissioners can change aspects of the budget, if they are unanimous, but the budget committee can override a commissioner change with a two-thirds majority vote.
As usual the poor and struggling lose again. Glad I don’t live in Farmington anymore. The cuts will increase the cost in the long run. Well you will all meet your Maker, how will you answer: “how you treat the least of my brethren you treat me!”
A budget is a values statement.
What does the proposed budget suggest Franklin County values and to what extent is that an accurate reflection of our community?
if you look at proposed cuts it’s pretty clear what “values” are considered important…just commenting
Mr. Ryder,
I disagree. A budget is what we can afford monetarily. If we say no or yes to everyone someone will be upset. We can’t just say yes, because “they” did in the past. I am in agreement with the board, more needs to be done by the organizations seeking tax based funds.
So we have $6.2 million… out of which only $210K of it would fund a large number of essential community-based services. Those non-profits that are losing funding would literally milk every single penny that they are given to help break the cycle of poverty, substance abuse, domestic violence, childhood hunger, social and medical isolation, and psychological disease in our community, and move us forward to a better day.
Or, we could not. And we’ll continue to watch our community suffer, like I do every day at Franklin Memorial where I am a physician. And then you’ll lose the physicians in your community, who eventually will move on to other counties where they have the community-based resources to support the essential work they do every day to improve the health and wellbeing of the community. Then our neighbors (that’s us Franklin county!) will continue to get left in the dust.
Dr. Erika Schumacher
Mr Ryder,
If I cannot afford to buy skiing equipment for my child but I am able to provide snowshoes,, does that mean I don’t value my child?
This analogy is about as simple as yours.
I’m not saying I like the cuts. I don’t.
But it’s NOT as simple as you make it out to be.
Honestly you could say this gives the general public an opportunity to get personally involved with the needy..
That might be a lot more effective anyways..
Think about that.
Did the budget go up but with less value for our buck? At first glance it seemed like they were trying to save us big bucks by cutting 5 local services and reducing 4 more but it didn’t really reduce the budget at all, just shifted it. Shifty, Magic.
I stand by original statement: a budget is indeed a values statement.
How much you choose to spend and where you choose to spend it is a reflection of what you find most important based on the resources you have available. Some people choose to live beyond their means and incur debt. Others choose to exercise extreme thrift to the detriment of opportunity. And others choose to invest limited resources in ways that they believe will pay great dividends in the long run. And still others find a happy balance between the three.
Making choices and decisions about budget is very difficult; the more people that are involved and the more people affected, the more difficult that process becomes. I don’t believe I have suggested anywhere that the budget process is easy. Were it easy, someone probably isn’t doing their job well.
And still I stand by my basic statement: a budget is a values statement.
I would like to hear some more answers to my original questions: What does the proposed budget suggest Franklin County values and to what extent is that an accurate reflection of our community’s values?
Two straightforward questions that I would expect have complicated answers.
I also disagree with this budget committee and the commissioners. How many of them actually visited these programs or seen the results of their services. I would hope that they do what they are being paid to do by researching this before they make a final decision. I was hoping that when I elected some of these people, I made the right choice. I clearly did not. I care about my neighbors, who have worked hard all their lives, and now need help. Yes we can help some on an individual basis; however we do not have the expertise that some of these services have.
To AC:
Just so you know the exact pay for being on the budget committee is $0.00
With that being said you should contact the committee member from your town, and advocate for what you believe in. Social media and protests do not explain what words can. This was a preliminary vote, there will be a public hearing, a week off, then the final vote will be cast, of which the results could be over turned by the commisioners.
Are we really saving money by having our own jail?
How much were we paying when it was only a holding facility?
1/3 of the budget for the jail? Ridiculous!
I don’t understand why people do not mind constant increases in the police budget to “prevent crime” and “Keep people safe” but at the same time they want to cut social services . Social services actually keep people safe and help prevent crime. This budget committee needs to be changed , Time for some new people to make decisions that actually help the town . How much money was wasted on the side walks in front street that can’t be plowed around and are already ruined . Also they caused less parking so we can get more tickets. I bet the money spent on that and the increase in police force could have fed a lot of hungry seniors stranded in there homes and helped a lot of poor family get what they need for their kids. Why are we wasting money .
To: Local painter
The committee does not vote on town sidewalks only on county expenditures, parking lots are again town owned property. It appears some people do not know what complain about so they are just digging to find something….. please make it relevant
So the committee decides things like repaving the private county employee parking lots, county employee pay raises, housing feeding and proving medical services for prisoners in a maximum security jail but decides not to fund the prevention of much needed county wide child services, help for rape and domestic abuse victims, career path education for adults who have aged out of public school, and basic dignity for the dying. This is not only a value statement but is a lack of responsibility for the health and well being of our most vulnerable. We are not talking about handing out cash to the undeserving this is serving about serving kids, victims of terrible crimes, and those who are dying alone. Wrecking ball politics is more than just a local phenomenon I ask those who identify with the us against them mentality to dig deeper into your consciousness. United we stand but divided we fall. If the commissioners choose to ignore the “social media commenters” then we will see what happens at the ballot because we all vote. Shifty magic.
We are in this together and should help each other. I am hoping that the commissioners and committee members are seeing this. It’s worth my extra $5-10/yr. Thank you for viewing this.
Trump will fix it all just wait and see!
As one member of the public who argues most times for restraint on public spending, I say that the members of the budget committee and the county commissioners both widely missed the mark !! I truly believe that they are being very short sighted in how they view spending on these social services and other NGO’s I feel that they are being very penny wise and DOLLAR stupid ( yes STUPID not foolish ) we either pay now or we will surely pay latter with many many very sad tales to tell, Yes a budget is truly a values statement and what this budget says we value is very disturbing to me !!!!!
a true Maine Republican ….. DO NOT WASTE MY TAX MONEY PLEASE,
One thing that the social service agencies forget to mention are employee bonus every year. If you cut them out it might be easier to keep them going.?as a former employee significant other you would be surprised as to the waste of money on social service agencies. They need to tighten up as well.
Mr. Ryder
“How much you choose to spend and where you choose to spend it is a reflection of what you find most important based on the resources you have available”
If the resources are dwindling, then cuts have to be made no matter how large or small. I would guess that given the choice of buying a new car and doing home maintenance you would buy the car, just because you wanted a new car. Not fiscally responsible and in my opinion not a sound decision.
Look at administration of these non profits, and see who is making what for money. The answer may be there.
charles, you have successfully made a non comparable association. There is no way that you can compare buying a car that you “Want” with aiding the “Needs” of children, families, and those of the victims of rape in our county! Do you read the Bulldog often? I can’t think of a week that there wasn’t a sick minded sexual predator who got away with ruining the well-being of this community or an obituary posting… My point is also that the budget did not “save” us it just took it way from our part of needed services and shifted them to local incarceration services that are only an end to the means. The candle must burn on both ends if we want to cut down on the real problems and to do that we need to use public monies appropriately. Yes, hard working people, especially those who help communities, should be paid and appreciated. In fact, lets look at all the pay-rates of civil service employees and decide with your simple meter of “Do they deserve it?” methods. Wordplay is the first strategy of a propagandist who intends to mislead the public from information. Punishment is a temporary band aid that opens the cut when removed. Look at the recent articles and tell me how targeted cuts at the chosen non profits is (1.) not personal politics considering your views and (2.) like buying a sports car? To be frank, I’m just another taxpayer. Thank you Mr. Ryder for asking the questions that need to be considered before voting.
Charles,
Since you — and at least one anonymous commenter here — seem to be well-versed in how much the administrators and staffs of these non-profit groups make, perhaps you might share with the readers here your research and links/publications where we might be able to take a look. And please be certain that these salaries are paid through local contribution dollars and not through national endowments, federal grants, or larger national entities that specifically support the existence of these positions so that local dollars can be spent on local needs.
Take a look here for an example: http://www.uwtva.org/who-we-are/faq. Admittedly, one must place a degree of trust in these figures. You might use https://www.charitynavigator.org/ to help you, though because the organizations asking for county support are fairly small, I’m not sure they are listed there. And again, you’d have to trust the source. We have a really difficult time with trust in our community right now — actually all over the place — so I understand that challenge.
As for my personal spending habits, well . . . I make a fairly modest salary, but with very reasonable benefits, as a public educator in RSU 9. Though I have just shy of 20 years in, because I took a leave to teach at UMF and a leave to attend graduate school years and years ago, I believe I land on the 16 or 17 year step. I have a masters degree so that give me a little bump, and I help maintain and run the performance facilities at Mt Blue Campus, so that gives me an even smaller bump, but a bump. You can probably come within a few hundred dollars of my annual salary through a little research on the RSU 9 website. During the summers and weekends I do some consulting work and a few paid improv gigs, so I suppose I should consider that as well though most of that money goes right to my kiddos and their needs, and a solid third of it to income taxes.
But you didn’t mention my salary, you mentioned my spending habits as it relates to cars. That was all just context.
I drive a 2007 Nissan Frontier with 130k miles on it that I bought used in 2012. (Lee in Auburn as a matter of fact. Treated me super nice.) It’s in pretty great shape actually, because I have a good local mechanic — shout out to Collins Enterprises — and a neighbor who helps me out when something feels wonky. I’m also super fortunate that I can ask students at Mt. Blue Campus in automotives to help me out.
We keep the mileage low on it because I’ve been able to commute to work in my wife’s old 1998 Toyota Corolla (bought used in 2003 from Emerson in Auburn) which is pushing between 200k & 250k these days. It’s a bit of a mess — okay, a tremendous mess — but it runs and we like having it for when her 2008 Prius (bought used in 2013 from Lee in Topsham because again, super nice folks at Lee) needs work or my truck needs work and we need that other car. We’re also able to lend it to neighbors and family in need. We’re really lucky to have folks help keep all of these running.
Now, one time I did LEASE a brand new car. It was spring 1999 and it was a terrible decision. Leased a RAV 4 from Emerson and I spent the next three years anxious as all get out that I’d go over mileage, that I’d bang it up (I did — cost a mint to fix it), or that it’d get stolen. I purchased my late grandfather’s 1994 Mazda pick up from my grandmother the day my lease expired and swore off new cars from that day forward.
You know why? New cars? Terrible investment. You put money in and you don’t get anything back. They literally lose value the moment you drive them off the lot. I hate that — a lot. I like to spend money — however much or little — on things that will continue to provide me with either health, joy, wealth or peace. Those are my spending values.
I donate to causes that give me peace of mind and bring joy and health to others. I support town budgets that support causes that bring peace of mind, joy and health to others. I support county budgets that support causes that bring peace of mind, joy and health to others. I don’t call it double dipping when they approach both towns and county — I call it an opportunity for double investing.
I have the seen the power those organizations have to heal and improve the lives of their clients. I have had conversations with individuals who are alive today because they were helped by two or more of the services. I have had conversations with individuals who are going to college part time and working a full time job because of adult education. These are past students, parents of past students, and family members of past students.
I invest money in ways that will grow my family’s wealth over time — a long time, a seriously long time, I think my Roth IRA matures in like 2125 or something — just before I retire. Wait . . I can’t retire. (See also: Maine Teachers Retirement history on the internet. Boring reading but you’ll see what I mean.)
I also never complain about my taxes. It’s true. Ask my friends and enemies. My wife and I are lucky enough to have decent jobs, supportive family and friends, and live a fairly frugal middle class lifestyle where we can pay the bills and a tuck a little away for college funds.
One way we do that? Used cars. Always used cars. And a mechanic who treats us nice and never gets mad at us when I forget to pay a bill on time.
Charles, I’d like to know about your spending values. I’m not going to assume anything because I don’t know you — I don’t even know your last name — and I’m hoping you now get a sense of where I’m coming from. I want to help those around us to the best of our abilities. I want the county to invest at least much in the law abiding people of these communities as it does in the incarcerated people of these communities, if not more. Yet, I do not want us to spend money we do not have because I do not spend money I do not have.
(I pay my credit card bill, in full, every month. Okay — except the months where I forget that one of them isn’t on autopay and then I get right pissed at myself for having to incur a late fee on a Netflix subscription charge. I have a house mortgage, though. You got me there.)
So Charles — one, I’m super impressed you read this far because let’s face it, I really got carried away on this Bulldog comment board this time around — let’s sit down and talk about how we might make fiscal and socially sound decisions together as a community. There must be a middle ground between zero and whatever figure is requested. I’ve grown awfully fond of Tucks as of late, but if you’d like to name somewhere else to meet and we can work out a time that suits both of our schedules, let’s talk it out. I’ll even bring the Corolla.
And Sam? Thanks for the thanks. I appreciate your words as well. You can come to Tucks, too.
Dan is right. This budget absolutely reflects values … the values of the Budget Committee who voted for it. It does not reflect my values. I suspect it does not reflect many others’.
I ask “Committee member” (if you are indeed a Committee member) if you are a member of the committee, why do you not use your name here in defending the committee’s votes? It’s good for voters to know the positions of their elected officials. Why did you choose to not identify yourself?
Are you not proud of your preliminary vote and the comments you have made here? Do you not want your neighbors to know your values and where you stand? Do you not want voters to know your values and where you, an alleged elected official, stand? Seems you don’t want to be held accountable by your neighbors and by voters. Of course, you may be bluffing and are merely posing a committee member — in which case your credibility is zero.
I also ask “Committee member” if she or he had actually visited any of the agencies to understand exactly what kinds of services they provide, who they serve, and why. I suspect he or she did not. Had “Committee member” used a real name, this could be confirmed or denied by those at the agencies.
Reminds me somewhat of Edward Everett’s two hour speech at Gettysburg after which he said,”…Lincoln said more in two minutes than I did in my two hours…” However, teachers like to expound on how much they know, and seemingly forget that they suck from the ” public udder also”.
I’m glad I can pass the time between now and the release of the next Game of Thrones novel by reading Dan’s haughty treatise on car-buying habits as it relates to town budgets.