Here’s a link to the Article as it will appear on the Ballot:
What it means: Drainage work was completed by the Town in 2012 that left Belmont Circle, Fairfield Drive and Ruth Lane in bad shape. For the best repair outcome, the Town needed to allow 2 “freeze-thaw” cycles (2 Winters) before fully repairing the streets. That work is scheduled for this year, and the funds from the Highway Block Grant will be used to offset the costs.
Those in favor say: Rather than listing many streets to be repaired as has been done in the past, the Selectman are targeting streets in priority order, and are committed to completing this work in 2015. These streets need the repair work that would be funded if this Article passes.
Those against say: There was a lot of discussion at Deliberative Session not actually against the concept of repairing the streets, but about the way the funding is represented in Article 19. If the funds are coming from the Highway Block Grant – why is there a fiscal impact? The response was given that the town has the option to use the Highway Block Grant to offset the Operating Budget (be put into the general coffers). The Town will not recognize that Operating Budget offset, since it will be using the money to repair the streets, so there is a fiscal impact and that’s why it is represented as such in Article 19.
Fiscal Impact: The average Hampton home valued at $329,000 would bear an increased tax cost of $31.65 if this Article passes.