Wednesday, May 22, 2013
The local option tax will kick-in this summer in Braintree.
Following years of on-and-off debate among town officials, residents and business owners, the local option meals tax was enacted quickly Tuesday night, sailing through the Town Council with support from the mayor and a significant majority of councilors. The approval boosts the tax at Braintree restaurants from 6.25 percent to 7 percent, with the town retaining the revenue on a quarterly basis. It is scheduled to take effect in July. Councilor-at-large Sean Powers voted against the tax. All others voted in favor, expect for Paul "Dan" Clifford and Ronald DeNapoli, who were absent. Clifford voted "present" in committee last week and had previously said he withheld support because the tax would affect residents and businesses directly. …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The state also boosted Braintree's Chapter 90 transportation funding for next year by half a million dollars.
Braintree is preparing to take out $8.5 million in loans to pay for road resurfacing, school security, the East Braintree Fire Station project and more, taking advantage of favorable interest rates and potential revenue from a proposed meals tax. "We are being more aggressive in our capital expenditures than we would be otherwise because of the rates," Chief of Staff and Operations Peter Morin told the Committee on Ways & Means as it examined Mayor Joseph Sullivan's capital spending proposal Tuesday night as part of its ongoing budget review. The Town Council will likely vote on the entire budget at the end of May. Responding to earlier concerns raised by Committee Chair Paul "Dan" Clifford, Morin also said that the mayor's office will …
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Mayor Joseph Sullivan presented his fiscal year 2014 budget to the Braintree Town Council last week.
Below is a break-down of the revenue streams Braintree will use to fund its government during fiscal year 2014, starting July 1. The Committee on Ways & Means will examine the budget more closely, department-by-department, during a series of upcoming public meetings. See the schedule here: http://braintree.patch.com/articles/braintree-s-fiscal-year-2014-budget-review-schedule Return to Braintree Patch for more coverage of the budget. For a budget spending breakdown, go to http://braintree.patch.com/articles/2014-braintree-budget-breakdown Type of Revenue Amount in FY2014 Difference From 2013 Tax Levy $76,069,177 $2,692,649 State Aid $15,453,909…
Monday, May 6, 2013
Mayor Joseph Sullivan put the meals tax in his fiscal year 2014 budget.
Braintree restaurants and patrons are likely to see the implementation of the local options meals tax this year, as a proposal by Councilor John Mullaney has gained traction through Mayor Joseph Sullivan's advocacy before business groups and his inclusion of it in his 2014 budget. "This modest increase – an additional 15 cents on a $20 meal – will allow for continued investment in our community," Sullivan said in his budget speech last Wednesday. "I am committed to putting the realized revenue towards the principal and interest of an expanded capital plan." The proposal would bring the tax at Braintree restaurants from 6.25 percent to 7 percent, with Braintree retaining the extra revenue on a quarterly basis. The state Department of …
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Mayor Joseph Sullivan presented his fiscal year 2014 budget to the Braintree Town Council Wednesday night.
Below is the department-by-department breakdown of what Mayor Joseph Sullivan has proposed for funding for fiscal year 2014. Sullivan's $106 million fiscal year 2014 budget targets nearly two-thirds of a $4.76 million increase over the current year to the school department, with much of the remaining funding hike going to public safety, retirement and benefit costs and a variety of other departments. The Committee on Ways & Means will examine the budget more closely, department-by-department, during a series of upcoming public meetings. See the schedule here: http://braintree.patch.com/articles/braintree-s-fiscal-year-2014-budget-review-schedule Return to Braintree Patch for more coverage of the budget. Department FY2014 …
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Mayor Joseph Sullivan presented his fiscal year 2014 budget to the Braintree Town Council Wednesday night.
Mayor Joseph Sullivan's $106 million fiscal year 2014 budget targets nearly two-thirds of a $4.76 million increase over the current year to the school department, with much of the remaining funding hike going to public safety, retirement and benefit costs and a variety of other departments. Sullivan commended his town employees for their hard work in his annual budget address to the Town Council Wednesday night and for helping him navigate the town through an "ever-changing" economic landscape. Despite several years of fiscal difficulties in Massachusetts, throughout the United States and globally, Braintree has almost tripled its reserves, to $17 million, balanced its budget for three consecutive years without appropriating free cash and …
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Members of the Braintree High Show Choir and winter sports teams received accolades Tuesday night.
Dozens of Braintree High School athletes, coaches and family members packed the Town Hall auditorium Tuesday night to receive citations from the Town Council. The evening began with a somber moment of silence for members of the armed forces and the victims and responders of the Boston Marathon bombing before turning jubilant as the high school show choir performed the "Star Spangled Banner" and a rousing spiritual that earlier this year earned them high marks at a regional music festival. Below is a list of those honored Tuesday: Braintree High School Show Choir Rachel Hallenbeck – Director of Music Molly Frechette Stanzi Potenza Catherine Conley John O'Connell William Peacock Kaylene Snarsky Paul Valliancourt Bryan Rowell Nicolas D'Amico …
Monday, April 22, 2013
The Town Charter requires a five-year plan to be submitted 120 days before the start of the fiscal year every July 1.
Braintree's capital planning process, which involves taking out millions of dollars in bonds each year to pay for roads, vehicles and other tangible assets, should be more detailed, wider-ranging and meet the requirements of the Town Charter. That was the message members of the Committee on Ways & Means sent last Thursday evening when they recommended that the full council ask Mayor Joseph Sullivan to direct the executive branch to begin drafting a broader plan starting next year. "The capital plan we have today is adequate but it does not conform to the charter," Committee Chair Paul "Dan" Clifford said. "It's my interest that we enhance this process." Sullivan submitted a one-year plan on April 5 for the year that ends June 30, 2013. The…
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Councilor John Mullaney has again proposed that Braintree adopt the local option meals tax.
Partway into his second term, Mayor Joseph Sullivan has signalled an openness to the Braintree meals tax not seen in years past. While still undecided, Sullivan said that the local option – bringing the tax at Braintree restaurants from 6.25 percent to 7 percent – is worth exploring as a way to gird the town against diminishing and unstable federal and state revenue sources. "I've not put my shoulder behind this in the past," Sullivan said in a recent interview, during which he laid out a case for the tax. Throughout his first term, it was important to demonstrate solid financial stewardship, he said. That included building reserves, spending within the town's means and increasing its bond rating. Looking ahead, a combination of federal …
Monday, April 1, 2013
Dates and Times are tentative and are subject to change.
May 7, 2013 Law Department – 6:30 p.m. Department of Elder Affairs – 6:45 p.m. Human Resources – 7 p.m. Town Clerk – 7:30 p.m. Library – 7:45 p.m. Mayor's Office – 8 p.m. Capital Budget – 8:30 p.m. May 8, 2013 Planning and Community Development – 6:30 p.m. Municipal Licenses and Inspections – 7:15 p.m. Blue Hill Regional – 7:45 p.m. Education – 8:15 p.m. Town Council – 9 p.m. May 9, 2013 Revenue Forecast Overview – 6:30 p.m. Finance Programs – 7 p.m. Police – 7:30 p.m. Fire – 8:15 p.m. May 14, 2013 Public Works Department – 6:30 p.m. Golf – 7:30 p.m. Sewer – 8 p.m. Water – 8:30 p.m. May 15, 2013 Departmental Call Backs – 6:30 p.m. TOWN COUNCIL/ANNUAL TOWN MEETING May 28 – 7 p.m. *Dates and Times are tentative and are subject to change. All…
Tyler Seguin
8:51 am on Thursday, May 23, 2013
think it said Clifford and DeNapoli were absent from the vote.. but agree with you, Adam, Mullaney is a crook.. clueless, too.. personally, i will go out of my way not to eat in town anymore.. more ›