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January 13, 2006     Barnstable Patriot
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January 13, 2006
 
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CONTINUED FROM PAGE A:7 She said her office is catching up on "other stuff that doesn't always geLdone" while awaiting the updated computer program to handle the 20 percent exemption. Her office is busy nonetheless, processing bills for sewer rentals and some 45,000 excise tax bills that, with new purchases and trades, is expected to boost that number to 60,000. The holdup at the mo- ment is in the informa- tion systems department. Director Dan Wood shrugs over the complaints that employees weren't given enough time to prepare for the changes. "We knew there ' was the possibility of an exemption, so we put specs out to Munis in the fall." Munis is a division of Tyler Technologies. It pro- vides information systems for the public sector and is currently modifying the town's computer tax rev- enue program In his fifth floor town hall office, Woods appears un- perturbed by the delay.He says Munis had the work scheduled for December and is essentially done. "We are currently testing the system for everything " the split tax, the 20 percent exemption and the small- business exemption. We need to be sure it all tunc- • tions together properly. "Because we're still test- ing, we haven't had a com- plete run yet but things look OK." He said he can't predict when the system will be ready "until our first test run. Then we (asses- sors, collectors, financial and information depart- ments) willlook at the figures. It's hard to predict a time without a full run." Take allthe timeyou want. Nobody ever was in hurry to pay taxes. Implementing tax breaks harder than voting... CONTINUED FROM PAGE A:7 regulations. If the Com- monwealth wants to stay competitive , more taxation and government mandates are certainly not the an- swer. I am supporting Gov- ernor Romney's proposal that would open the door to affordable health insur- ance products without any new taxes while allowing for health insurance plans costing approximately $200 a month for an individual, compared to the current $350 average in the small group market and $500 in the non-group market. A family plan will cost about $500 a month under Rom- ney's plan. Another important fea- ture of Governor Romney 's plan is the creation of the Commonwealth Care Ex- change, which allows the uninsured to use pre-tax dollars for the payment of premium costs. Depend- ing on income , the ex- change will allow families and individuals to save an additional 15 to 30 percent off their insurance bill. Using pre-tax dollars will enable working individu- als to purchase the new plans for an effective cost of between $134 and $160 a month, or approximately $350 a month for a family plan. Often times, people who can afford insurance don't buy it. In fact, over 100,000 of the uninsured have household incomes of over $75,000 a year. I suspect we all know people who say that they don't buy health, insurance for reasons rang- ing from; its expensive, they bet they won't get sick, if they do get sick they won't be refused healthcare to their employer doesn't offer insurance. Our over regu- lated insurance industry in Massachusetts often prevents insurers from offering policies with only basic benefits. Costly op- tions are mandated by the Legislature under the guise of protecting the consumer. However often have the effect of deterring people from choosing and being able to afford a reasonable health insurance product. We must also recognize that some of the largest costs in our system are non-medical and need to be addressed. They include administrative, malpractice, and defen- sive medicine costs. Fraud prevention must also be an integral part of health care reform in Massachusetts. If we do not restrain the growth in healthcare costs and change how we deliver healthcare for those who receive it, increasing health care costs will continue to outpace influence and con- tinue to decimate our local, State, and Federal budgets, but the creation of new taxes on the business com- munity is not the solution. While I am pleased that we are getting close to providing health care insur- ance to more residents of Massachusetts, we simply cannot do it with more spending and higher taxes. What is needed is real reform! As always, I would like to hear from you about any issue we are dealing with in your State Govern- ment. Rep. Perry may be reached at his District Office , 508-888-2158 or via e-mail at electjeffperry@aol.com. On the verge of health care reform... CONTINUED FROM PAGE A:7 2:30 p.m. this Sunday) ; and the incrediblejazz concert featuring Dave McKenna and Ruby Braff and Donna Byrne and Gray Sargent and Marshall Wood at Christmastime 1994. 1can't look at our piano without thinking of Dave, who can't play anymore. • • • But now, about my invita- tion to you to come to St. Francis Xavier at 7 p.m. on Jan. 23. Around Christmas, Father McCullough of St. Francis and I took part in a memorial service. We shared a few laughs and a few tears, and our time to- gether felt like a friendship. We agreed that we should do something about the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, an occasion marked in the churches since the early twentieth century. Last week, my new friend called me with a suggestion: how about a service at his church on Jan. 23, with me as the preacher and several laypeople from Federated Church and St. Francis sharing the leadership of the service? I almostjumped through the phone in my eagerness to say "yes."The parishio- ners of Federated Church that I have contacted about the service have all reacted the same way. In a world that has more than enough of brokenness, the people of St. Francis have offered a little bit of wholeness with their hospitality to the people of Federated Church, and we'd be more than happy to share the joy. Readers of In Other Words would be most welcome on Jan. 23 at 7 p.m., for the ser- vice and the social hour that is to follow. Please come! In other words... CONTINUED FROM PAGE A:6 more than 3,750 pupils and operatingandmamtainingthe variousschoolsisanestimated $332,837 above last year. 1976 Probably unconstitutional on its face if fortune tellers could just get themselves or- ganized for the battle, there nonetheless existastate stat- uterequiringayear'sresidency in a town before a fortune teller can hang out his or her shingleand practice oneofthe oldest crafts known to man. This week, the Barnstable Selectmen shook the dust off the law and invokedit against Christine Cox and Agnes To- nis who had hoped to open a tarot card and palm reading business. "We do not favor es- tablishment of fortune tellers intown,"grumped Selectmen Paul Brown. "Isn't that dis- crimination?" protested Ms. Cox.Noitwasaquestionofres- idency, countered Brown and colleague William Eshbaugh who determined the $2license could not issue because Ms. Cox was a registered voter of Yarmouth.Her idea squashed, Ms. Cox will continue to draw unemployment. 1986 PaulLorussowillstep down as president of Independence Parkbytheend oftheyear.Lo-'* russomadetheannouncement; himself at a press conference held Monday to announcethe hiringof Frances Broadhurst, veteran Cape newspaper and broadcast journalist, as as- sistant to the president. "I feel a great deal of the con- troversy surroundingthe park is a consequence of me being in the forefront ," the former Barnstable resident said. "I will be replaced. The park meansmore to me than being president." 1996 A group of Barnstable Vil- lage residents is looking at the resurfacing of MainStreet as an opportunity to promote designandlandscapeimprove- ments along the town-owned portion of Route 6A. "Can we miss this opportunity to influence the way historic BarnstableVillagewilllookfor probably the next 50 years?" Barnstable resident Douglass Payson asked somewhat rhe- torically, because the answer to him was so apparent. i EARLYFILES... Need the right mortgage for your home in Hyannis, Osterville, Barnstable Village, or Nantucket? 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The Barnstable Patriot 396 Main Street, Suite 15 Hyannis , MA 02601 Call 508.771.1427 or visit the web site www.barnstablepatriot.com Letters to the editor The Barnstable Patriot welcomesletters to the editor. Please keep them brief and either type or print them neatly. Include name, address and telephone number. Anonymous letters will not be published, but names will be withheld upon request. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. j HYMN ' SMA026D1 * ** * * * * * >- THE OIL PEDDLER mmm\ mm\iF! 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