Brookline explores meals taxes
With some of Gov. Patrick’s revenue-raising proposals stalling in the Legislature, at least one town is attempting to take matters into its own hands.
Gatehouse News Services’ Neal Simpson writes up the options being weighed by a Brookline committee charged with helping the town avoid a Property 2 1/2 override.
Local options taxes, one of the proposals pushed by Patrick on Beacon Hill, is one way. Another one the committee is looking at closing the telecommunications tax exemption.
The committee’s energy subcommittee also found out some interesting tidbits:
The subcommittee reported that although the town is doing a good job procuring the cheapest electricity possible, energy costs have shot up in recently renovated buildings.
Committee Co-Chairman Lloyd Dahmen reported that even so-called “green buildings” such as the Public Health Building now require 150 percent more energy than before they were renovated.
“That jumped out at me because the town spent a lot of money on that, and supposedly it was being spent to get some savings,” Dahmen said after the meeting. “Then all of a sudden the total amount of energy used went way up.”
Dahmen said the extra energy consumption comes from bringing the buildings up to code…