We find ourselves again in Northampton in the throes of new budget planning and the costs and revenues that comprise said budget.
I’ve spent a little more time this go around trying to better understand its complexities. As I’ve tried to unravel the various pieces, two items came into focus that, while not getting much attention, made me stop and wonder why.
On the revenue side, the city supports many nonprofit organizations and the city accepts donations “in lieu of taxes,” for tax exempt property, under a program labeled PILOT. The largest of these groups is Smith College, which is comprised of nearly 150 acres of mostly well developed land and its tax exempt property is estimated at $380 million.
I pay $4,000 for my acre as my tax assessment. Smith College’s contribution is $100,000. You can do the math! In my opinion, it’s shameful.
On the cost side, and which seems to be getting a lot of attention lately, are educator wages. Did you know — I didn’t — that educators with up to 11 years of tenure get a 4.5 percent yearly increase just for getting older, under a contract provision labeled Appendix A Salary Schedule. I wish I had had this provision in my job.
This is a cost that automatically goes up every year and has to be provided for in the budget and which obviously is paid for by our taxes. I would think it be an important part of contract negotiations, but as I said, it doesn’t seem to get much attention.
This increase is a fact and is on the plate before any “merit” increase is negotiated. Two items of many, both of which give me pause to wonder why.
Eric Stahlberg
Florence