As your next Mayor, my commitment is simple: Responsible spending, efficient government, and smart growth — all aimed at keeping taxes stable for our residents.
Even with the Acme’s $25,000 tax subsidy expiring in Jan 2027, here is how I will work to keep taxes low:
1. Eliminate Wasteful Spending
- Line-by-line budget review: Identify unnecessary or redundant expenses and redirect funds to essential services.
- Prioritize resident-focused investments: Spend only on programs that deliver measurable benefits to residents — not on political pet projects or unnecessary extras.
- Transparency in spending: Publish quarterly spending summaries online so residents can see where every dollar goes.
2. Modernize Borough Operations to Save Money
- Digitize outdated processes: Move from manual to digital systems to save on paper, postage, and processing time.
- Update procurement practices: Use competitive bidding and bulk purchasing to reduce costs for supplies, services, and equipment.
- Grant writing initiative: Proactively pursue state and federal grants to fund improvements without burdening local taxpayers
3. Collaborate with Neighboring Towns
- Shared services agreements: Partner with nearby towns for services like garbage collection, snow removal, and emergency management to cut costs through economies of scale.
- Joint purchasing agreements: Collaborate on buying materials and resources to secure better pricing.
4. Encourage Economic Development
- Support small businesses and local entrepreneurs: Streamline permits and reduce barriers to business growth.
- Promote responsible development: Attract businesses that align with our town’s character and can expand the tax base without overburdening infrastructure.
- Incentivize property revitalization: Offer tax abatements or credits for improving blighted or underused properties, growing our tax base over time.
5. Financial Oversight and Planning
- Cap future spending increases to a fixed percentage unless essential (e.g. emergency infrastructure).
- Build up a rainy-day fund for emergencies so we’re not relying on tax hikes when unexpected issues arise.
- Create a Finance Advisory Panel made up of residents with financial or accounting backgrounds to ensure every major expenditure is vetted through a fiscal lens.
Bottom Line:
Fieldsboro residents deserve peace of mind that their money is being spent wisely. As your Mayor, I will guard every taxpayer dollar, eliminate waste, and find smarter ways to grow our town — without reaching deeper into your pockets
