-Basis for Position on a Possible Property Tax Override (Brookline Tab, February 22, 2007)
A clarification of position
Many thanks for your balanced and well-researched article in the TAB of Feb. 15 about the forthcoming election for selectman. It enabled me to present to the voters my position on a possible property tax override in general; however, the limited space available in the article meant that my presentation did not contain any specifics.
One specific basis for my position occurred to me last fall while making phone calls to voters on behalf of Deval Patrick. The Patrick staff asked the volunteers to become familiar with his platform in order to be knowledgeable when discussing his stands on issues. I thus learned that his platform included a plank on financial assistance for cities and towns. Hence my press release to you of Monday, Feb. 12, included the following: “Governor Deval Patrick has promised, but not yet been able to fund, reductions in residential property taxes and increases in school and local aid. I know that he will bend every effort to find these funds. I hope he does so before an override becomes necessary.”
Coincidentally, three days later, on Thursday, Feb. 15 (and continuing on Feb. 16), the Boston Globe reported that “Despite a potential budget deficit of $1 billion, Governor Deval Patrick has been under pressure to deliver on his campaign promise to assist cities and towns to diversify their revenues for the purpose of providing property tax relief. Yesterday he took a bold approach with a plan to help them lessen their dependence on residential property taxes.” (Ellipses omitted)
I might mention incidentally that your Feb. 15 article contains a minor factual error. In 2003, I did not run in an election for School Committee. I was considered to fill a temporary School Committee vacancy by a method which is the counterpart of a caucus to fill an unexpired term of a Town Meeting member.
Jules Levine
Williams Street
http://www.townonline.com/brookline/opinion/x1290303266
