The rules and regs that govern municipal light plants can be found in MGL chapter 164. Even commissioners who have served for a long time can be forgiven for not being familiar with Chapter 164 in its entirety. What is difficult to understand is how the Chairman of TMLWP can speak out a town meeting and say: “the light department doesn’t even have to make a payment to the town!”
Well, if ignorance is bliss, Mr. Blais must be one happy guy! Maybe he should read Chapter 164 sec 47C (j):
(j) Except as provided for herein, a municipal lighting plant cooperative shall be exempt from paying taxes, including, but not limited to taxes on its income and real and personal property situated within the commonwealth and owned by the municipal light plant cooperative; provided, however, that the cooperative shall agree, in lieu of property taxes, to pay to any governmental body authorized to levy local property taxes the amount which would be assessable as local property taxes on the real and tangible personal property if such property were the property of a domestic corporation; provided, further,
that no such municipal lighting plant cooperative shall be allowed to commence any such operations allowed pursuant to this section or exercise any such powers pursuant to subsection (d) until such payment in lieu of taxes is executed. The cooperative shall pay all sales or excise taxes which are properly assessed on its business activities under this section to the extent such taxes are assessed against domestic corporations.
Could this section of MGL be referring to PILOT payments and municipal lighting plants? This might be something for the BOS to look into.
My opinions…supported by FACTS ! ! !
Julie Farrell
Oh my, The fact that all the Light Company is required to do is, give service to the residents of this town! Oh no kidding!! It is sad these guys think they have their own private business. No PILOT agreement means, they do not have to figure a amount into their budget. With no PILOT agreement, they can buy trucks, give raises, and spend, spend, spend. Only if, they feel like it, they can be kind enough, to give the town some money. This year they gave the town 150,000. basically to shut us up! What I really want to know is, who is this lawyer they are spending so much money on, trying to cover their collective asses? Remember boys, it will come out in the wash! My opinion, Bev.
ReplyDeleteI guess we got fooled again at town meeting. So long as the person telling the falsehoods are in positions of authority we believe them. It appears we are to lazy or ignorant to do our homework even if given years to do so. Some people are waking up to the many problems here in town, the management at the Light and Water department is one of them. Eternal vigilance.
ReplyDeleteAnother part of chapter 164 refers to investments and ownership in other plants as a part on the asset value.
ReplyDeleteWe are invested in MMWEC in many ways, Not to mention our coop with princeton. We have ownership with 14 other munis on the brodie mountain windfarm 10 turbine in hancock, Hancock get a pilot of 156600.00 check from MMWEC with their tax rate @2.85 per 1,000.00 = 55,000,000.00 asset value. I wonder what the 5 reactors are valued at we have deals on. I think it's time to demand all contracts like allowed us under 56c of chapter 164 and let the advisory get a handle on our crown jewel, Yes i said OUR. "IT IS OUR BUSINESS" Dana! contracts not on file with town auditor is a clear violation of the law and could be cause for removal of the General manager. I would cooperate like i told him he should time and time again.
See you at the next meeting, hopefully more than 1 a month!
Details are a must from now on ! Get the explorer emblems put on it so people can see their investments hard at work.
when does the meter reader suv go out to bid for surplus.
Does the select board put it in the muni bid web site?
Now that your done with it selectman should be in charge of it
One would think after 102 years dana the loans would be paid off and the fat bank account would be a little larger than it is now!
ReplyDeleteWhile paying the high rates and charging as much as the for profit companys do,one would wonder what the hell happend to all the money. Why were in debt so far and paying so much in interest costs.Why is our coop partner Princeton light unable to pay the loans they have like we do. Where the money goes is the issue here.It's not going away anytime soon. Our Question's about the "non" Cost certification audit won't either.My opinion after all!