In Plymouth, the average tax bill could increase by about four hundred dollars –an amount called for in the operating budget of over three hundred one million dollars for fiscal year 2025. The Select Board approved this budget on a 4 to 1 vote at their meeting on the 9th. –-Selectmen Quintal, Canty, Mahoney and Bletzer in approval; Selectman Helm voting no in objection to the rate of the tax increase…
WATD’s Bobbi Clark has more…
Town Manager Derek Brindisi:
“The budget represents a 6.9% increase to our taxpayers, which represents the average taxpayer approximately four hundred dollars in new taxes owed. But, at the same time, this budget provides continued level services to our community: fire, police, DPW.”
So why do we need to do this now?
“Historically, the town has not invested in this infrastructure. From the fire stations and public works, facilities are in disrepair. We often hear comments about our roads are in disrepair. This budget, finally, after, decades, infuses funds so that we can bring those infrastructure needs back to where they need to be.”
And what some see as an historic problem is that the town’s employees are underpaid:
“That was a true statement three to four years ago. Over the course of time, that our employees were underpaid compared to other municipalities on the South Shore. We’ve made those adjustments, so we believe that we are paying those employees competitive to their other colleagues in the South Shore.”
Brindisi says the problem…
“it’s not just in Plymouth, it’s in every community in Massachusetts, is recruiting and retention. We have some of the lowest unemployment rates in Massachusetts in history. So it’s a challenge to find employees to come work in the public sector today than ever before.”
The FY 25 budget goes next to the Advisory and Finance Committee for review.
