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Compelled to Disagree

As much as I enjoyed Carol Walter’s letter of Sept. 28 (“Preserve the Experience, Acumen, and Intelligence”), I feel compelled to disagree with two points. When Carol claims that the entire Town Council worked to hold the mill rate flat, she is misleading you — only one Republican voted with the Democrats to keep the mill rate flat on this past budget. Their vote against lowering your taxes is on record.

As to Democrats Chris Passante, Hank Teskey, and me (Carrie Allen) tapping into the undesignated fund to lower your taxes - that is true, and there is a logical reason behind our decision. Three years ago, the council voted to maintain a “rainy day” fund balance of 15% of the targeted operational budget, but by the time Chris Passante and I arrived, that fund had climbed to 26.3%. This year, it was up to 28% - almost double what the council had decided to maintain three years previously.

So yes, we did vote to use more of the excess undesignated fund in order to lower your taxes because you elected us to represent your best interest, and we felt overtaxing you wasn’t best.

Carrie Allen

Clinton