It is really amazing the information you find when you take the time to read the minutes to the BOS meetings.

Since the middle part of September, all the news outlets have been reporting on this "economic" slowdown.   This global credit crisis that has been affecting "Main St" and "Wall St" for the past 60 days or so.   

We have seen the Commonwealth slash a thousand  jobs and a billion dollars from the 2009 Fiscal Budget.  It is well known that there will probably be more cuts after the 1st of the year. 

Housing values have fallen in excess of 20% year over year since 2007. Foreclosures are on the rise.   We wonder how well the tax collections are going now that the second quarter was due on 11/1.  A neighboring town is reporting a 93% collection rate down from 98% a year ago.

From reading the minutes however, one would realize that Millville must be immune from this crisis:

Take a look:

In what this observer sees as a most unusual twist in town demographics, in a  very close race McCain/Palin took Millville by a small margin over Obama/Biden.

McCain/Palin:  772 votes

Obama/Biden:  733 votes

For those who know town history, Millville (as well as her sister to the East, Blackstone) were once considered the most Democratic towns in the state.  A memorable race for Senate back in 1966 in which Edward W. Brooke a Republican announced in his nomination acceptance speech that he would start his campaign in Blackstone and Millville, two towns he lost in 2 years prior when he successfully ran for State Attorney General.  He wanted to convince the voters that he should be their candidate for US Senate.

By Phil Tympanick

So you’ve decided to vote for Obama, but will do so with some reservations. This article isn’t for those that have been drinking the BO-Kool-Aid since he arrived on the scene in 2004 when he gave the key-note speech at the Democratic Convention. This is for those people who, based on a 4-1 spending differential and clear media bias for BO, have been convinced that their lives will improve under a President Obama administration, and worse, a super majority in the house and senate under which the democrats would have unchallenged power and a majority that could change the world, and not just the United States as we know it.

-  CLARIFICATION - 

 See below for a clarification on the issues that lead to the action by Mr. Labonte.

We are hoping that someone from the BOS will comment on this story, as it is quite troubling.

Out of respect for the FinCom Chairman, blogMillville has been reluctant to post anything on the resignation of Gerard Labonte, longtime FinCom member and chairman.

We are told that Mr. Labonte had requested to consult with Town Counsel over an issue regarding a matter dealing with the Fire Department Budget.

Question 1 on the ballot this year has to do with the repeal of the state income tax.

A vote in the affirmative (Yes) will repeal the state income tax in two steps.  It will drop the Income tax rate to 2.65% on January 1, 2009, and to 0% on January 1, 2010.

So the story goes like this:  Bids are being solicited and are advertised on the Cable Bulletin board for various highway projects and supplies.    The notices inform the viewer to contact the Board of Selectmen....

...  well not for all of the "Bids" so to speak.   Seems that although we thought we had banished the queen back to the Tree Farm, she still has her fingers in the "River Beautification Project", which we hear is just a new name for the Business Retention grant secured via our representatives (read earmark) in FY09. 

We have to wonder outloud, why she would have anything to do with this, since she has left office nearly six months ago.  What possible official standing could she have, unless of course this is a favor returned to her by Lurch and Tree-Boy?

By Phil Tympanick

The recent turmoil in our financial markets have left many to ask, who’s to blame? The finger pointing has started, and some say it’s George Bush's fault, because, well, he’s responsible for everything bad that happens in the USA. Others are saying that it’s the greedy profit mongers on Wall Street and politicians that have made credit so easy to access, that we the consumers simply couldn’t help ourselves. It was like they were serving crack, and we the consumers became addicted. This article will examine the facts of the financial crisis, and will shed some light on who’s really to blame.