By S.D. Plissken | December 20, 2019
As a delegate to the Continental Congress, and its president, John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence in July 1776. His signature appears first and is the largest by far. It is likely apocryphal that he said he wrote it large so that King George could read it without his spectacles.
His name became a synonym for “signature,” although perhaps less so in recent years. But you may have been prompted at some time or another to put your “John Hancock” upon some document.
This is one of those times and one of those opportunities. The Milton Taxpayers Association (MTA) is sponsoring a petition warrant article (“Tax Cap”) that would limit future Town budget increases, and therefore, future Town tax increases, either to 2% or to the amount of the Consumer Price Increase (CPI), whichever amount is the lesser.
Now, a Tax Cap is no panacea. It will never change the mindset of those who think that more and more of your money, year after year, is never “enough.” You need to identify them and cease gifting them your vote. A Tax Cap can not by itself restrict their other methods of increasing taxes, nor their excessive “fudge factor.” We can work on that. And the Tax Cap’s limitation begins at the current absurd baseline, rather than backing out past excesses.
One might think of the Tax Cap as a place to start. When you find yourself in a hole, it is time to stop digging. Past time really.
There is really no doubt that the Tax Cap will appear on the March ballot. But will your “John Hancock” appear on this declaration?
As mentioned previously, a representative of the MTA may be found at Milton’s Dunkin’ Donuts shop this Saturday (tomorrow) between 8:00 and 10:00 AM. (There is no reason to suppose that the Dunkin Donuts corporation has any part in this). I have been given to understand that they will proceed from there to the front of the Milton Mills post office, where you may sign from about 10:15 AM until 11:00 AM.
If you would like to further assist in this groundbreaking effort, petition sheets may be obtained from MTA representatives for you to use in canvassing your friends and neighbors. (Those friends and neighbors that are Milton registered voters, that is).
I have been given to understand that signage will become available also as the election approaches.
References:
Wikipedia. (2019, October 25). Law of Holes. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_holes
Milton Observer 