Town needs more information

Town needs more information March 13, 2006

Tom O'Neil, Precinct 8, Framingham Metrowest Daily News

On March 8, I listened to part of the presentation by the Social Service agencies to the PILOT Study Committee and returned again on March 9 to express my own views of the study. I suggested five items that need to be researched concerning the financial status of the agencies ranging from tax returns to assets, income statements and clients served. I was unanimously rejected by the committee.
If this committee is going to make a recommendation to Town Meeting concerning Payment In Lieu of Taxes, they certainly have to know the financial status of any agency. How can the committee conlude that any amount is a fair payment to the town, if these facts are not brought forth? An agency that buys a parcel of land, zoned for residential use, for 1.4 million dollars and proposes a 15 million dollar building on the site should reveal their finances and their source of income if they wish to avoid taxes. How else can the committee suggest a PILOT without that information?
I hope the committe will reconsider their treatment of my suggestion or walk away from the mission prescribed by Town Meeting and allow the Board of Selectmen to establish a new committee.

Town needs more information	March 13, 2006
Tom O'Neil, Precinct 8, Framingham	Metrowest Daily News
On March 8, I listened to part of the presentation by the Social Service agencies to the PILOT Study Committee and returned again on March 9 to express my own views of the study. I suggested five items that need to be researched concerning the financial status of the agencies ranging from tax returns to assets, income statements and clients served. I was unanimously rejected by the committee. If this committee is going to make a recommendation to Town Meeting concerning Payment In Lieu of Taxes, they certainly have to know the financial status of any agency. How can the committee conlude that any amount is a fair payment to the town, if these facts are not brought forth? An agency that buys a parcel of land, zoned for residential use, for 1.4 million dollars and proposes a 15 million dollar building on the site should reveal their finances and their source of income if they wish to avoid taxes. How else can the committee suggest a PILOT without that information? I hope the committe will reconsider their treatment of my suggestion or walk away from the mission prescribed by Town Meeting and allow the Board of Selectmen to establish a new committee.

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