It should be no surprise that towns such as Sudbury could suffer fairly severe budget shortfalls during the current down economy. Rather than wait for forced cutbacks following Governor Patrick's recent cuts at the state level, I believe towns such as ours should take a more proactive approach including such measures as:
- Hiring freeze
- Overall reduction of town employees
- Overall reduction of school budget led by a responsible school committee
- Reduced town hours
These things should be done now, ahead of a fiscal "emergency". There is significant doubt that a proposition 2 1/2 override would pass during the current recession, and property tax revenues are likely to fall. Responsible town government needs to identify areas that can be reduced, and prepare for a significant "lean" time period. The school committee must begin doing the same - before a severe crisis.
Areas that should not be cut include safety, roadway, municipal and water. Sudbury is fortunate to have its own self-sustaining water district and infrastructure.
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