Got a Beef With the Town's Preliminary Budget?

With the North Kingstown Town Council's approval of a preliminary $98 million budget, we are in the thick of budget season – and with it the start of the inevitable discussions of what should be cut and what should not be cut.

The preliminary budget for 2014 funds the school department's request, increasing it by $1.6 million from last year's allotment. Overall, the town's budget will jump by about $2.5 million – resulting in a tax levy increase of about 2.95 percent. For the average homeowner in town (with a home valued around $310,000), this averages out to about a $171 tax increase.

Click here for a breakdown of the preliminary budget.

Both the North Kingstown Town Council and School Committee will be addressing the budget issue for the next several weeks to hammer out the details before the budget is adopted – scheduled for May 1.

Are you worried about some of the cuts/increases being proposed? Do you not want another year of tax increases? Do you support the council fully funding the school department?

For those with budget concerns (like those above), you have plenty of opportunities to be heard. 

On Monday, April 8 both the council and school committee will hold budget hearings at Beechwood Center. Residents are encourage to attend and speak during the forum.

If you're not one for public speaking, we have another option for you:  submit a letter to the editor or create a blog post. Your entry will appear right on the North Kingstown Patch site. There are no word counts or maximum length – though we do ask that you not write a novel. 

• For a blog post: Submitting a Letter to the Editor as a blog post is easy (really as simple as writing an email) and immediate. (As soon as you hit “Approve,” it’ll be live on the site.) If you plan on submitting multiple letters over time, submitting them as blog posts will also allow you to establish a voice or presence on the site. However, still feel free to submit as a blog even if you only plan on writing one.
• For an emailed Letter to the Editor:  By emailing it to North Kingstown Patch Editor Samantha Turner at samantha.turner@patch.com. If you chose this route, be sure to include your name and the name of the street you live on, and please specify that your email is intended as a Letter to the Editor in the subject line. We try and publish emailed Letter to the Editors within 48 hours (during the week) but there is no guarantee.