Tom Marsh 2010

March 16, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Katherine Holt
Marsh 2010
Tel: (860) 526-2003
email: marsh2010@gmail.com
www.marsh2010.com

Marsh Opposes Regional Taxation and Mandated Regional Governance.

Chester, Connecticut — March 16, 2010 — Republican Tom Marsh, exploring a run for the governor’s office, feels the legislature’s push to regionalize municipal services either through mandate or incentive poses a serious threat to the quality of life, fiscal stability, and individualism of the 169 towns that make up our state…. and they don’t make fiscal sense.

Marsh has specific concerns that the powers in Hartford are taking regionalization to a new level, with objectives like regional revenue sharing (a new level of taxation), regional governance (a new level of government) and regional planning & zoning, (allowing a regional board to decide if a project should be built in your town).

Marsh contends that “adding a new layer of taxation will not promote job growth, help keep our young people from leaving the state, or add to the quality of life enjoyed in most communities. Adding another layer of government will not increase governmental accountability or increase fiscal responsibility and transparency.”

Marsh points out that “every municipality can, whenever they want, choose to regionalize most any service. Voluntary sharing of services between towns has been going on for decades. It is a valuable tool, allowing towns and cities to expand services to meet the expressed needs of the community. These are local decisions, driven by taxpayer demand and fiscal practicality.”

The regionalization efforts and “blue ribbon panels” such as the recently formed M.O.R.E. (Blue Ribbon Commission on Municipal Opportunities and Regional Efficiencies) may be a bit disingenuous, Marsh believes. “Hartford needs to concentrate on the serious issues that only they can address: the deficit, debt burden and improving the state’s unfriendly business legislation. It is a disservice to the residents of Connecticut for the legislature and governor to get distracted (or distract the public) from these serious issues by meddling with our most accountable, fiscally prudent form of governance - local government.”

If elected Marsh would strongly advocate for municipalities to be treated as partners in state governance. “State government needs to improve the services only they can provide, while listening to local leaders and allowing them to do more locally or through voluntary regional efforts. The state needs to share revenue from the existing tax structure with municipal governments to take advantage of their prudent budgeting practices, and help relieve the dependence on property tax.”