Well, as a recent poster noted, it's gotten pretty boring around here. The budget is done, the Daffodil Fest is over, the softball fields are open, the cops are on the street, and the mayor and his wife have had their new baby.
So time to put out the soap box and see what's on your mind.
About Me
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- Stephen T. Zerio
- Elected to first of 3 four-year terms in November, 1995, as a Democrat. Served on the Finance Committee and the Economic Development, Housing and Zoning Committee (Chairman). Chose not to run in 2006 after 6 years as Majority Leader. Now serving a 2 year term as the CT Democratic State Central Committeeman from the 13th District. Employed at Aetna, Inc. Married with 3 children. Resident of Meriden since 1978.
12 comments:
What is the likelihood of a tax decrease with the impending revaluations next year?
Dear Mr. Zerio,
I'm wondering what movement, if any, has been happening with the City Center Initiative-you know, the one with the Arts District? I'm writing some grants to help our art agencies and I wondered what the feeling is about starting a new conversation about it? I firmly believe that investing in the clean, renewable energy of the arts can make Meriden a destination City rather than a pass-through City. I also want our children and young adults to experience first-hand the power of the municipal and private arts- living around them, honoring them, participating in them with their families, giving them the respect they deserve. I'll tell you that the State of CT Commmission on Cultural and Tourism is very interested in that plan, as it was cited in a grant application that I recently completed. So if the Commission on Culture and Tourism is intersted, there may be other entities that are equally if not more interested.
I see that an amphitheatre and other arts space is being planned for in the Hub/River re-opening project. Can we start a municipal discussion about using the arts to revitalize the downtown an entire City? A City-wide, city-sponsored conversation about bringing more of the arts to Meriden and expanding the ones we have already? I would like to be in on that conversation, as would many people.
Thanks.
Any chance of getting the pillar repaired at the train station? A car smashed into it over a month ago and it looks terrible.
Great efforts have been made to make the train station cleaner and more pleasing to the eye. Let's keep going in the direction.
Sorry for the late replies, but I've been working late, and have had 3 nights out this week for city meetings.
On the tax decrease, well, there'll be a reduction of the mill rate, but your individual taxes will be dependent on what your property is re-valued at. Theoretically, revaluation should be revenue neutral, but balances the assessments of properties that over time increase in value at different rates. Changes in value occur in any community over a period of time. Over the past five (5) years changing economic conditions and local factors combined, have caused inequalities to develop by neighborhood and/or individually. Various properties within the City change at different rates than others. The solution to this problem is to reappraise all real estate based upon current market values. Revaluation is not intended to raise revenues; its purpose is to value all properties by the same standards at the same point in time. But make no mistake, there will be an impact on property taxes. What that will be, I cannot foresee yet.
On the Arts District, I can't report on any progress. This is an area that is proposed as one possible goal of the City Center Initiative, but right now, flood control has been the number one priority of the City Council. If this centuries-old problem is not resolved, the CCI and plans within it will not succeed. That said, there are still studies on-going involving Meriden as an arts destination.
I was unaware of the damaged pillar until Anonymous 5/9 mentioned it, but I will forward your post to the City Manager for follow-up.
Thanks for your comments.
"Unconsciousable and misguided" are just two of the many less than flattering adjectives hurled at the City Council by a few of our "know it all" BOE members (May 2, BOE meeting). They were referring to the paultry 2 plus million that the BOE received for their budget allotment. What is wrong with these guys (and girls); they are not only on the "other side of the street", some of them are "off in another world". The crying and moaning has started in earnest, "we can't run the schools on a mere 96 million dollars, it's the fixed expenses we have no control over, or we're a staff driven department". Well, it looks like the answer is quite simple, cut some staff! All this talk about all the great programs in Meriden Schools and how the BOE has worked so hard to get to this point, and there is no room to make cuts - rather they need, (actually demand) more money. When the SAT, CMT, CAPT scores go up, and the truancy and expulsion rate go down, then they might make a case. As for the present, the BOE needs to suck it up, and make their more than generous budget increase (and overall allotment) work. I just wonder if they think there is some infinite source of funds that the City Council has for their every whim! Next comment has to do with this recent flurry of editiorials in the R-J, (5, count 'em 5, in the last three days) praising the virtues of our "ceremonial mayor"in his quest for the lieutenent governor post with "real mayor", Dan Malloy. Seems like quite a bit of political pandering to have your work colleagues and cronies flood the newspaper to drum up some support. Gee, that sounds sort of like the strategy used by some unnamed atheletic coaches and players in the "overwhelming public support" for our Falcon Field project. Well, I guess whatever works, but it still is quite cheesy. I like this idea of the "soap box", rather quite cathartic. Thanks, Steve.
Property reevaluation will be a hot topic this year. Could this be why our taxes ONLY went up 1.99 mills?? How much of a beating will the taxpayer take when they open their letter from the city telling them how much their property has increased? Will there be any adjustments for the price gouging in building supplies for the new homes that are grossly overstated today?
I also live in an association where I do not receive all the services of the city yet I am taxed at 100%. I asked the assuror why there isn’t a different rate for the house associations and said that would be too much to manage. How can that be any different than the inner city tax rate vs. the rest of the city? Why isn’t our mill rate lower?
OK then, what's doing with any progress on the Hanover Pond dredging plans? Are we getting money to do it? Will dredging be done this year? I am interested in the plans because it has everything to do with the Hub and the City Center Initiative, in which I am very interested.
I have a saying, "There's always something you have to do before you can do the thing you want to do". So, if the City Center Initiave depends on the water problem resolution, what are we doing about resolving the flooding problems? I ask this because you said it is seemingly slow these days and the money for the Hanover Pond flood plain has to be obtained before we can do anything else, right? Or am I missing something?
Thanks as always!
I see some constuction going on at the old Valley Oil site on South Colony Street. Has this property been checked and approved by the city for contamination. Seems to me that the ground is saturated with home heating oil and should be cleaned up prior to building on it.
Thanks
Been mighty quiet in this neck of the woods for quite a while. Quess it's time to stir things up a bit. Not very surprisingly, the bids for the Falcon Field rehab comes in "substantially over budget". All of our city "experts" did their research and assured the council that the bids will be in the 3 to 3.3 million range. Not even close at 5.3 million (and that was the lowest one I'm sure). As usual, this entire project proposal was awash with incompetence and outright lies to railroad the council and certainly the taxpayers into believing this was a project the city can afford. Serious consideration should be given to derailing the entire project, not mearly scaling it back. We all know taxpapers will be paying through the nose for years to come with this unnecessary project!
The Humane Society woes:
Now that we have a new Humane Society facility, once again the cost of caring for abandoned animals is beyond their budget. It’s time to take a proactive approach to the problem and not reactive. I don’t know what the cost is to license a dog in Meriden or if cats are also required to be licensed. If you can prove your dog or cat is spayed or neutered, then your license fee should be discounted. If you can’t, then you’ll pay much more. Use the extra funds to help finance an animal control officer.
Speaking of animal control officer, how many does the city have, one? It’s a pretty big town to cover with just one person. I’ve called a couple of times to complain about a neighborhood dog that is allowed to roam free and has chased my son aggressively only to get a voicemail and no appearance of an officer. The dog is still allowed to roam by the way. Now my son has a fear of dogs and is afraid to walk down the street.
Perhaps the state needs to get involved and pass new legislation. I propose all pet stores in Connecticut should charge for a license of a dog or cat at the time of purchase and register the animal where the owner lives. The city or town would be notified of the purchase and could issue a tag. The money could be given to the town where the owner of the pet resides.
Seems to me we have to stop the problem BEFORE it occurs so we don’t have an overwhelmed humane society. I’d be willing to bet a lot of the animals dumped at the shelter are from surrounding towns. With all the publicity in the paper about Meriden’s new humane society, it stands to reason a lot of out of Towner’s are using services intended for Meriden.
Steve - I see re-evaluation as a revenue generator for the city. If the mill rate stays the same and the property values go up, then the city reaps the benefits. If property drops, the city would raise taxes to make up the difference. From my point of view, it’s a no win situation. I believe the city needs to treat the check like it was a taxpayer. Most of the residents are cutting back “luxuries” and frivolous activities. The city now needs to do the same. Let’s look at who gets a city car and ask is that necessary.
These are tough times and will get tougher. When are the tough decisions going to be made?
Well, I am excited to see this blog, and I am concerned the posting has stopped here. I, a Meriden homeowner of just 3 years, received the dreaded letter from the city of Meriden saying my home evaluation has increased by almost double. And, if I am understanding this blog correctly, the mill rate for the next year is also increasing? The city of Meriden almost doubled my taxes?!!!? I reside in a community and also do not receive 100% of the city benefits as someone else mentions above, and that includes the police resources I see are the major cause of the mill rate increase. I also do not have children, which I hear is the second major cause of the increase and the reevaluations. I definitely want to see Meriden’s children receive a proper education, but how does that double my taxes in one year?? A standard of living raise in my salary will not cover this kind of tax hike. This kind of tax hike will force homeowners, who can easily move because they do not have children, to move to another town. It doesn’t seem like Meriden can afford a mass exodus of homeowners either. I will be attending one of the informal hearings about how it was determined my property evaluation doubled and possibly make an appeal. I enjoy my home and would like to stay there. I hope Meriden doesn’t make that impossible for me.
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