Wayland Town Crier 11/15/11: Wayland board decries lack of info. on free cash plan. A standoff between town officials and proponents of a tax relief article continued at last night's hearing on the special Town Meeting warrant. With the session set to begin Thursday night at Wayland Middle School, selectmen still don't know how much in free cash the article's sponsors want to apply to the fiscal 2012 budget to lower property taxes. "The call for transparency is often heard by this board," said selectmen Chairman Tom Fay. "It's frustrating not to see that same transparency by the petitioners." Proponents have said that they want to use at least $4 million, but have consistently refused to give an amount for Article 3. The measure calls for reducing the amount raised by taxes and increasing the portion to be transferred from the town's $10.3 million free cash balance.

Boston Globe 10/30/11: On taxes, a push for some cash back. Some Wayland residents say the town is padding its coffers by overtaxing property owners…

Wayland Town Crier 10/26/11: Wayland special Town Meeting may be stormy. Residents attending special Town Meeting on Nov. 17 may want to fasten their seat belts, because if Monday night's hearing on the warrant is a preview of the expected debate, it's going to be a bumpy night. A special Town Meeting was called in response to a petition signed by 397 registered voters who want to tap into the town's hefty free cash account to lower their tax bills. The residents want to apply a surplus of free cash to the town's previously approved fiscal 2012 budget for an immediate lowering of the tax rate. The amount of free cash certified at this year's annual Town Meeting was $8.5 million, or 13.2% of the total budget. Due to unanticipated revenues, that amount has grown to $10.3 million, or 14.9%.

Managing Wayland’s Finances By Wayland Finance Committee Much has been written about the questions residents have raised about our free cash balance and our finances. We…

Wayland Town Crier 10/20/11: Wayland Finance Committee discusses Town Meeting articles. The Wayland Finance Committee met this week with the four lead petitioners of two articles at the upcoming special Town Meeting on Thursday, Nov. 17, aimed at using excess free cash to reduce tax rates. The FinCom wanted to hear the arguments behind the two articles before drawing up their comments and recommendations for the Town Meeting Warrant, which goes to press next Tuesday.

Wayland Patch 10/18/11: Finance Committee Talks with Petitioners About Special Town Meeting Articles. Finance Committee members heard Monday night from lead petitioners in the two articles submitted Oct. 7 as part of the petition that led to selectmen scheduling a Special Town Meeting on Nov. 17. The warrant for the Special Town Meeting closed Tuesday afternoon at 4:30 p.m., but, because of the tight deadlines for the Special Town Meeting, the FinCom invited lead petitioners Donna Bouchard, Kim Cook, Kent George and Tony Boschetto to speak with the committee Monday night rather than waiting until all articles had been submitted, as is the practice under normal time constraints.

Wayland Patch 10/12/11: Special Town Meeting Scheduled; State of the Town Postponed. Wayland residents will have a chance to reexamine the FY12 budget during a special town meeting on Nov. 17 at Wayland Middle School. Monday night, the Board of Selectmen officially set the date for the special town meeting called by a petition submitted last Friday that included 397 validated signatures from residents. The meeting will take place at 7:30pm, in the gymnasium at Wayland Middle School. The warrant for the special town meeting will include at least the two articles submitted as part of the petition to call the meeting as well as an article submitted by the Board of Selectmen proposing residents approve option C of four options vetted by the Finance Committee. After reaching conclusions regarding the upcoming Special Town Meeting, Board of Selectmen Chair Tom Fay proposed postponing the State of the Town meeting scheduled for Nov. 19 in light of the now scheduled Special Town Meeting.

Wayland Town Crier 10/12/11: Wayland calls Special Town Meeting of Nov. 17, disposition of free cash at issue. Selectmen last night voted to call a special Town Meeting on Nov. 17 responding to a petition from a group of residents who want to tap into the town's hefty free cash account to lower their tax bills. The residents hope to apply a surplus of free cash to the town's previously approved fiscal 2012 budget. The petition for a special Town Meeting did not specify the amount of free cash to be applied, which has town officials worried. The amount of free cash certified at this year's annual Town Meeting was $8.5 million, or 13.2 percent of the total budget. Due to unanticipated revenues, that amount has grown to $10.3 million, or 14.9 percent. A resident at last week's selectmen's meeting suggested returning $5 million in free cash to taxpayers in the form of lower fiscal 2012 tax bills.