Melrose Cares: Open Community Dialogue




Click here to report offensive or inappropriate posts.



Alderman & City Politics
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
Melrose Taxpayers Alliance lying to businesses

Read Stephen’s Auto Body and Towing’s Facebook Post:

“We were approached by someone who stated that the city of Melrose was trying to raise only commercial taxes for local businesses, but that person never specified it would be used towards the Melrose Schools, or that it would help our community.” Of course, once we realized what the ballot was for and read up about it, we immediately took down signs that were located at our building.”

Shameful.

Re: Melrose Taxpayers Alliance lying to businesses

The only thing shameful is your attempts to portray this as an attempt to derail the override. It's about setting the rate shift for FY202's tax rates. Go away.

Re: Melrose Taxpayers Alliance lying to businesses

The MTA got caught lying to businesses, plain and simple. And one business owner posted a public statement to that effect.

The excuses started as something akin to “he must have been an idiot to not know how taxes work”...and now has evolved to “rate shift” excuses? Come on.

Take your lumps. The MTA was trying to get busy business owners to put “No” signs in their windows but saying “only commercial taxes are being raised”...the Stephen’s post says that. They did it. Other businesses have reported it. Stop trying to explain it away.

For all the sanctimonious posts from you about “can’t trust the CIty” on their numbers, it’s pretty amusing to see your the MTA called out for blatant lying.

And to small businesses! The lifeblood of our community!

Makes me wonder who else they’re lying to and manipulating.... (looks at Police and Fire).



Re: Melrose Taxpayers Alliance lying to businesses

Nope
The MTA got caught lying to businesses, plain and simple. And one business owner posted a public statement to that effect.

The excuses started as something akin to “he must have been an idiot to not know how taxes work”...and now has evolved to “rate shift” excuses? Come on.

Take your lumps. The MTA was trying to get busy business owners to put “No” signs in their windows but saying “only commercial taxes are being raised”...the Stephen’s post says that. They did it. Other businesses have reported it. Stop trying to explain it away.

For all the sanctimonious posts from you about “can’t trust the CIty” on their numbers, it’s pretty amusing to see your the MTA called out for blatant lying.

And to small businesses! The lifeblood of our community!

Makes me wonder who else they’re lying to and manipulating.... (looks at Police and Fire).



Small business ARE the lifeblood of the community. But, as the city keeps converting commercial property to residential, those too will be lost. And all in the guise of "more money" for the city...
In the case of Stephen's Auto body, could have been any number of reasons. They could have misunderstood, or perhaps been told a slanted view. Either way, we may never know, but really, a business owner NOT aware of the override - after all this time - is a little weird, especially if you live here as well.
But shouldn't the "Yes" side be happy that they were able to possibly "convert" someone and get rid of that obtrusive and offensive black and white sign?

But here is a thought. If small businesses are the lifeblood of the community, and with a limited budget they donate to such entities as sport teams, school fund raisers, and other things, would they now be forced to designate that money toward paying higher taxes? Don't forget that all businesses pass along all costs to the end user as a cost of doing business, it's just a fact.

All expenditures are passed along, whether I own a business (higher end user costs), or a condo (higher condo fees), or rent a home (higher rents). So think about this as well. I may have to pay higher taxes - whether through rent or a mortgage, but then I have to suffer the additional hike through whatever goods or services I use within the city of Melrose. That is just basic economics.

The "Yes" side seems to be very adept at raising funds for their side (I heard $30,000 at last toll). Seems to me that money could have been better spent on a school fund of some sort....

Re: Melrose Taxpayers Alliance lying to businesses

"Donations given to political campaigns are a way of getting a far larger return on investment.

Can we finally let that bizzare attitude die?"

This a great response. Let me tell you why. Thirty or Forty Thousand dollars in donations for the "yes" side, to quite possibly under several thousand in donations from the Taxpayers Alliance.

How is that discrepancy in totals possible? Is this the "haves" against the "have not's"?
I assume the MTA is getting donations from its citizens opposing the override. Is the same true for the "Yes" side? I'm not saying anything improper is being done here, I'm just asking who is "getting a far larger return on investment" if some of this money is from outside Melrose. I just can't see that kind of money being raised from WITHIN this city for this override...

Oh, and by the way, if an entity went to city hall with a huge some of money to be donated to the school system, I'm sure it would not be turned down - it may not be used wisely, but it wouldn't get turned down...just saying.

Re: Melrose Taxpayers Alliance lying to businesses

“I'm not saying anything improper is being done here, I'm just asking who is "getting a far larger return on investment" if some of this money is from outside Melrose. I just can't see that kind of money being raised from WITHIN this city for this override... “

Here is the campaign finance reporting for One Melrose as of the last reporting period; you can see that every single donor is a resident of Melrose.

https://www.cityofmelrose.org/sites/melrosema/files/pages/one_melrose.pdf

The MTA doesn’t have such a list published yet, as they weren’t formed until after the Dec. 31, 2018 reporting timeframe. They will have to report shortly before the election, if I recall correctly.

As for “return on investment” of supporting a campaign vs. “dropping it off at the schools”...the goal here is to not continually be in dire straights from a funding standpoint, but to create a sustainable fiscal environment to meet our funding requirements. This “donate to the schools instead of funding a campaign” crap is ridiculous. BTW - I would venture that nearly every single one of those people listed are donating FAR more to the schools than just their One Melrose campaign donation; school supplies, PTO fundraisers, volunteering (essentially in-kind donations).

Re: Melrose Taxpayers Alliance lying to businesses

Google is AMAZING
“I'm not saying anything improper is being done here, I'm just asking who is "getting a far larger return on investment" if some of this money is from outside Melrose. I just can't see that kind of money being raised from WITHIN this city for this override... “

Here is the campaign finance reporting for One Melrose as of the last reporting period; you can see that every single donor is a resident of Melrose.

https://www.cityofmelrose.org/sites/melrosema/files/pages/one_melrose.pdf

The MTA doesn’t have such a list published yet, as they weren’t formed until after the Dec. 31, 2018 reporting timeframe. They will have to report shortly before the election, if I recall correctly.

As for “return on investment” of supporting a campaign vs. “dropping it off at the schools”...the goal here is to not continually be in dire straights from a funding standpoint, but to create a sustainable fiscal environment to meet our funding requirements. This “donate to the schools instead of funding a campaign” crap is ridiculous. BTW - I would venture that nearly every single one of those people listed are donating FAR more to the schools than just their One Melrose campaign donation; school supplies, PTO fundraisers, volunteering (essentially in-kind donations).
Wow! That was a quick reply of information, thank you! I wondered and was answered. No accusations were intended. Thank you for keeping it civil and polite.