How Much Will Your Taxes Be Next Year?
Tree Lighting Brings Out Community | A Timeline to the Financial Information Situation | Council Decides Tax Rates | Rumors about Robinsons Hardware | The Fried Chicken Mile | Community Events | The C
There are 3 Tuesdays left in 2023, Framingham.
The holiday season is in full swing in our fine city. Last Friday was full of fun and excitement as many of us gathered for the 32nd Christmas Tree Lighting outside the Memorial Building. Santa and Mrs. Claus arrived in fine fashion on top of a fire truck, much to everyone’s delight. The screams from the kids when he arrived gave me goosebumps - this is what the holiday season is really all about, right?
This Thursday is the Menorah Lighting on the Framingham Centre Common at 4pm. To my neighbors who celebrate this week and next, I wish you a joyous Festival of Lights full of family, laughter and love. Chag Sameach!
Have a comment or question? I’d love to hear from you. Email me at mkfeeney@gmail.com
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What is in the Special Accounts? Money Info Still Wanted.
Not over: The back and forth between the Finance Subcommittee and the Chief Financial Officer’s Office continues. The CFO uploaded 20 years of audits and reports to the City website last week - without informing the Finance Subcommittee ahead of their meeting and not fully fulfilling their requests.
What exactly are Councilors looking for: They are looking for three things: year end report; checkbook of all expenditures and payroll; quarterly reports; and special purpose account reports.
Deadlines: On June 6, 2023 the Council voted 11-0 to include a provision in the annual appropriation order - part of the FY24 budget - requiring the Sisitsky Administration to report “any and all activity over the previous fiscal year” for all gift and special purpose accounts by October 1.
The Finance Committee, Councilors Cannon and Stefanini all asked numerous times since July, publicly and privately, for all activity of the books of the City (checkbook), special accounts, ARPA funds, and quarterly reports of the City.
What are special purpose accounts? Special purpose accounts enable departments to spend money without approval from the Council. Some accounts have existed since our days as a town, but this summer the Council agreed to a special account for the Mayor’s Office.
What did the Finance Committee receive: They received a FY24 Q1 report, and the end of the year budget. Not included was payroll or the special accounts. The City has created a new document page (City/Gov/Fin Dept/Finance Reports/) that now includes EOY and Quarterly reports, and partial expenditures.
I checked the website later in the week and today, to discover a full spreadsheet of FY24 expenditures uploaded, but it doesn’t include payroll or specifics about the special account.
On an aside: Having read through a number of these budgets this last week, I find it amusing that the spreadsheets still refer to “Selectmen & Town Manager” and not the Mayor’s Office and “Woodrow Wilson School” instead of “Harmony Grove”.
Let’s talk transparency: May 2021 the Council voted 11-0 to approve a transparency ordinance refining the public records process, and the posting on the website of certain documents, including “all licenses issued by the City, including licenses to grow, manufacture, and sell marijuana, and all contracts executed on behalf of the City shall be conspicuously published in a searchable format on the City website.” As of writing today, this has not happened.
The Spicer Administration also purchased a three year contract for OpenGov software for publishing of the budget. There was a major rough start with the public accessing information and the city posting information on the software.
A year and half ago the CFO canceled the contract.
Before OpenGov was purchased, Framingham had a good financial database on the website. You could look up payroll, contracts, bills, expenses with no issue. This is what people are looking for when referring to having the budget online. Not just spreadsheets, but the entire budget in an interactive and searchable format. Massachusetts state budget is like this online (C-THRU), for example.
What is next? Tomorrow’s Council Agenda includes the highly unusual motion of requiring the Administration to produce the information:
Upon the request of Councilor Stefanini an order directing the Mayor and Chief Financial Officer to produce searchable digital reports (Excel files), in accordance with Article II, section 7(b) of the Framingham Home Rule Charter, for the following:
All individual expenditures, including all related internal codes, made from the treasury of Framingham in the previous fiscal year (checkbook);
All expenditures made from ARPA funds;
All transaction of any kind on all of the specialty accounts of the City, including the Mayor's special event account (so-called); and
The unaudited end of the year report for the last fiscal year (July 1 quarterly report).
Stay tuned to Tuesday’s Council meeting.
Taxes are Going Up
Setting the rate: Tonight the Council meets with the Assessor to decide the tax rates for next year.
Values increased at lowest levels: Residential values increased 12.4%, while commercial increased 5.4%, industrial increased 10.5% and Personal increased 6.1%. However, Framingham’s overall new growth is at its lowest level since 2017. Meaning, Framingham is spending money while not growing its tax base - especially commercial.
Split tax rate: Framingham has a split tax rate, so residential and commercial pay different percentages. For example, if you lessen the rate for residential, then commercial pays more. Framingham’s split tax rate is higher than communities around us, like Marlborough.
Local business groups, like the Framingham Business Association, are advocating for a modest shift to help businesses and encourage more economic activity.
What are proposed rates? According to the Assessor’s presentation in the background materials for tonight, the average single family value of $600,800 will pay $7,402 which is an increase of $289. This is only proposed, since the Council will be setting it tonight. But it is safe to say, our taxes are going up.
Rumors about Robinsons Hardware
No, they aren’t going anywhere: Robinsons Hardware is not closing.
False news: Rumors were flying yesterday after Framingham Unfiltered posted that the Pinefield hardware store’s lease was not renewed and the property was posted on real estate websites. The speculation about its closing caused customers to ask if the rumors were true.
Joe Deignan from Robinsons put out a video clarifying the facts. They are renegotiating their lease with the landlord. They have no plans to close. “It's not going to happen.” Closing “would be such a crush to Framingham.”
The Fried Chicken Mile
New fast food joint coming: Raising Cane’s, the Louisiana based fast food chicken chain, is looking to build a new restaurant at the site of the old Aegean Restaurant.
Just call Cochituate Road “Fried Chicken Mile”: All of your fried chicken needs are found on Cochituate Road. At one end is KFC, then Burger King and McDonald’s with their chicken sandwiches, the new Dave’s Hot Kitchen and Chick-fil-a in Shopper’s World. Even Panera features a fried chicken sandwich!
What is Raising Cane's? They are known for their chicken tenders. It is the only menu item, and comes with sides like crinkle cut fries, Texas toast and coleslaw. The signature dipping sauce is "Cane Sauce".
The location: The Aegean sadly closed in 2020 and has sat vacant. The location was rumored to be another cannabis dispensary. According to plans, Raising Cane’s will construct a brand new building with a double drive-thru like Chick-fil-a.
Community Events
Celebrate New Year’s Eve on the Cochituate Rail Trail!
Join your neighbors for a walk along the trail, and enjoy hot cocoa, s’mores, music, and fun. Visit various tents with fire pits, games and activities.
Caroling on the Common!
Join the Framingham History Center and Voices of MetroWest for our annual FREE holiday celebration!
Guests of all ages are invited to sing along to their favorite carols inside the historic Village Hall on the Common. Discover the history behind some of your favorite holiday tunes while enjoying caroling, holiday crafts, and delicious treats and hot cocoa.
FREE for all ages!
The Civic Week Ahead
Monday, December 4
4:15pm: Dunning School Council Agenda
4:30pm: Board of Library Trustees Advocacy Subcommittee Agenda
4:45pm: School Committee School Building Committee Application Review Subcommittee Agenda
6:00pm: Keefe Technical High School Committee Budget Subcommittee Agenda
6:00pm: Council Public Health, Safety & Transportation Subcommittee Agenda
7:00pm: Board of License Commissioners Agenda
7:00pm: Women, Children, and Families Commission Agenda
7:00pm: Community Preservation Committee Agenda
Tuesday, December 5
10:30am: MWRTA Advisory Board Agenda
2:15pm: Keefe Technical High School Council Agenda
3:30pm: School Committee Unit A Subcommittee Agenda
6:00pm: Keefe Technical High School Committee Budget Subcommittee Agenda
6:00pm: Charter Review Committee Communications Subcommittee
7:00pm: Council Agenda
7:00pm: School Committee Agenda
Wednesday, December 6
7:00pm: Charter Review Committee Agenda
Thursday, December 7
In Closing
The best part about this time of year is the sense of community that resurfaces in Framingham. With so many activities, there is so much to do, people to see, celebrate the holidays and Framingham. Someone said to me recently that Friday’s event was “like it was when we were growing up in Framingham” and another said we need more community events like it. I agree. Community isn’t simply politics or civic activity - it is also about having fun and celebrating.
It is a wonderful thing to see this past week.
-Mary Kate