Looking With Different Eyes

Here's a question for you: Who do your elected officials work for? Do they work for the people who elect them or special interests groups? When one is elected do they cease being an individual and have to check their own views and thoughts at the door?

All Quiet On The Sturbridge Front

Bet you all thought I was gone huh? Nope, you couldn't be that lucky. I haven't been able to go to any local meetings lately which means I either have to write on what is in the paper or make stuff up. Of course there are many who say what we read in the paper is made up anyway. But who am I to say.

Fiscal Responsibility Means Thinking Out Of The Box

I promised the other day there would be no more posts about the Sturbridge Annual Town Meeting and I meant it. Well, okay maybe just a little bit more, although this isn't technically about it.

Town Meeting: Final Thoughts

Can we stand one more post about the Sturbridge Town Meeting? it will be the last, I promise, maybe.

If You Got ‘Em, Spend ‘Em, Taxes That Is

In yesterday’s post I mentioned how there were many “Closet Tea Partyers” at the annual Sturbridge Town Meeting. Unfortunately for the taxpayers there weren’t enough of them.

Sturbridge Town Meeting Wraps Up

You know you better hold onto your wallet when you go to the Town Meeting and the first car you see has an Obama bumper sticker, a 99% sticker, a Richard Neal sticker and an Elizabeth Warren sticker.

The Suspension is Killing Me

Well it seems the Sturbridge Town Administrator has gone and got himself suspended again. For the second time it is because of his tardiness.

More On Article 4

While this post deals with Article 4 on the warrant of the Sturbridge Town Meeting, it really applies to any town or city which is dealing with rising tax rates. As I have written before, I beleive that changing the culture of spending and taxing begins at the local level and works its way up. Fiscal responsibility starts here.

Remember the Bricks?

As the annual town meeting approaches here in bucolic Sturbridge, let's take a look at yet another questionable expenditure that some feel is necessary. 

More From A Frustrated Sturbridge Taxpayer

Let me throw this out there. I realize I am not a financial whiz, one only needs to look at my checkbook to see that. But I can’t understand why we can’t keep the town budget the same next year as it was this year.

Perusing On A Sunday Afternoon

On a lovely Sunday afternoon here in Sturbridge, I sit with my little notebook computer perusing the latest information on the upcoming Town Meeting and budgets. Ahh the interesting things we learn when we actually sit down and look.

If You Got It, Spend It

As anyone who follows this blog knows I believe in a level funded budget, meaning it shouldn’t go up every year. You know, like you do at home where you have to either spend less each year or the same as you did last year since your income more than likely hasn’t risen.

Sturbridge CPA, the plot thickens, maybe

There are days when I wish I still lived under the political rock and never got involved in anything. Of course becasue I spent so much time there already it can certainly be argued this is why we are in such a mess. Not that I was alone under the rock, I had plenty of company.

Life in Idyllic Sturbridge

Now I know I can sure be a pain in the you know where at times but having begun reading the Sturbridge Master Plan, Vision and Goals section, I was struck by a couple of things. Now I admit, this has been out since March 2011 and I am just reading it now, and it will become clear as to why I am reading it now by the end of this post.

Guest Post: Letter to the Editor

Here is a copy of a letter to the editor I was asked to post from the folks (in Sturbridge we call them folks, fits with the character of the town don't you know) who are trying to get a question on the town ballot regarding the CPA funds. As anyone who knows me knows, anything to halt to raising of my taxes I support.

What Were They Thinking - Again

First it was the brick sidewalks, then the front doors of the Town Hall no one could use and now it seems someone decided to out the old single pane windows back into both the Town Hall and Center School instead of energy efficient thermal pane windows.

It Really is for the Grandchildren

On a cold and windy Sunday, it seems the perfect time to once again remind everyone of what I (and many of my fellow tea party members) think about exactly what the tea party movement is all about.

Sturbridge Ballot Question Information

A couple of posts ago I received a comment on another post, the one about getting involved in local elections, regarding a ballot question on the Sturbridge ballot. The election is on April 9th. This is a subject which I totally agree with, and will be doing some more research on. Here is the comment:

Here's Your Chance

Looking to make a difference in Sturbridge? Well then, how about running for one of the town positions which are open in town government? Nomination papers are now availablefrom the Town Clerk, and you only need 39 signatures from registered voters, preferably ones that are still living and you could have the chance of a lifetime.

Ball fields, wood turtles and government control

Don't ever underestimate the power of a wood turtle, although with all apologies to those who like wood turtles, I am not sure it was the wood turtle who made the difference. Last night at the special town meeting in Sturbridge, Article 48 was defeated by ten votes.