Moving Newton Forward
Enough is Enough!
Did you know?
You know that proponents of any issue will select the data that they think best supports their point of view. Moving Newton Forward (with Fiscal Responsibility) is no exception!
We present data suggesting that while the City has plenty of money, Newton households do not. Our data is organized under the following headings:
Newton, General Spending
Newton, Education Spending
Newton Spending, Police, Fire, and DPW
Possible Newton Revenue Streams
Soliciting Contributions
National
Did you know that:
- Real gross domestic product — the output of goods and services produced by labor and property located in the United States — decreased at an annual rate of 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter of 2012? That is, from the third quarter to the fourth quarter, GDP contracted, according to the "advance" estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis at the US Department of Commerce.
- Unemployment remains a national problem? According to the American Enterprise Institute, writing on February 2nd, 2013, “The January jobs report provides a sober reminder that the US labor market, while recovering, remains extraordinarily weak. The official unemployment rate ticked up to 7.9% as 157,000 net new jobs were created, according to the Labor Department.
- The national debt set a record in 2012 by reaching $16 trillion? That’s greater than the economic output of the entire country, according to About.com, US Economy.
State
Did you know that:
- Governor Deval Patrick recently proposed a $1.9 billion tax hike?
- Our state and local per capita tax burden is 4th highest in the nation? With the Governor’s proposed income tax increase, our state income tax alone could reach the highest in the nation relative to median income, according to the MA group Citizens for Limited Taxation.
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Our state’s healthcare costs crowd out other public investments?
In 2000, healthcare spending consumed 23 percent of the state budget.
In 2006, healthcare spending consumed 25 percent of the state budget.
In 2013, healthcare spending will consume 41 percent of the state budget, according to a January 24, 2013 Wall Street Journal editorial.
Newton, General Spending
Did you know that:
- 80 percent of Newton’s annual expenditures go to pay wages, salaries and benefits for city workers?
- City revenue increased at least 35 percent from 2004 to 2012, while Newton population declined 7 percent from 1960 to 2010, according to Newton Budgetary Basis financial reports and the US Census Bureau?
- During the first three years of Mayor Setti Warren’s term, annual General Fund spending has still increased by $24.5 million even with the benefit of his vaunted financial reforms?
- Pensions for Newton workers have increased 57 percent since 2004, according to Budgetary Basis financial reports?
- Newton debt service has increased 160 percent since 2004, according to Budgetary Basis financial reports?
- Using "green" electricity will cost Newton $150,000 over three years? “We are going to save about $100,000 a year for three years," [Newton’s Chief Financial Officer Maureen] Lemieux said. "If we had bought brown energy, we would be saving about $150,000 a year for three years.
Newton, Education Spending
Did you know that:
- Newton education spending is 57 percent of the total 2013 city appropriations, whereas it was 54 percent of the 2001 appropriations, according to the Mayor’s Executive Summary for the Fiscal Year 2013 Budget?
- Newton education expenses rose 60 percent since the last successful override in 2002, according to the city’s Budgetary Basis financial reports? Meanwhile, Newton student enrollment increased only 10 percent since 2002, according to the Newton School Committee’s Enrollment Analysis Report.
- Money is no guarantee of quality education? States like Texas and Kentucky were within single digits of Massachusetts reading and math test scores in 2011, but each southern state spent less than $9,000 per student in 2009. Massachusetts spent over $14,000 per student in 2009, according to the 2011 “Nation’s Report Card,” issued by the U.S. Department of Education.
- Newton Public Schools’ Student/Staff Ratio decreased by 1 percent over the last six years, according to the city’s Comprehensive Audited Financial Reports?
Newton Spending, Police, Fire, and DPW
- Did you know that spending for Newton Police, Fire, and public works accounts for only 15 percent of the City’s budget?
Possible Newton Revenue Streams
Did you know that:
- Newton is currently educating 500 non-Newton residents, for whom we pay the bulk of the cost? If the home towns and cities of these non-resident students reimbursed us, Newton could save more than $7 million annually.
- The sale of naming rights by the Newton Schools Foundation to individuals and businesses who want to name parts of our high schools could raise more than $6 million over three years?
- The Community Preservation Act (CPA) generates $3 million annually in tax income for the city? After 10 years of CPA, is it time to apply these funds to infrastructure improvements? (A referendum will be necessary to do that).
Solicit Contributions
Did you know that:
- The Internal Revenue Service treats contributions to government like those to charity? They are generally deductible from income taxes like property taxes. But many people don't know this.
There are many people who would like to give the City more of their money. Although the City makes it easy to pay taxes, it doesn't make it easy to contribute additional amounts.
The City can include a flier with tax bills explaining this and soliciting voluntary payments. Since many residents don't pay their own tax bills, there should be a coupon on the flier that could be returned along with a contribution. The tax bill itself could contain a line on the payment stub for a contribution, and a box could be added to the real estate tax payment page on the City web site for voluntary contributions.
