Isn’t a Senior Center Worth 34 Cents?
Senior Center Facts:
- By 2010, 42% of Templeton’s projected population will be seniors.
- Transportation requests are doubling each year.
- Demand for senior center services will increase by 30% over the next 20 years.
- The current 900 sq ft senior center is grossly inadequate to serve the seniors and results in activities and services being operated out of 4 or 5 different locations.
- There is no capacity left to support the increasing senior population and the increasing demand for services and activities.
Proposition 2 1/2 Facts:
Override – is a permanent tax increase and only the money from the first year is guaranteed to go for the intended purpose.
Debt Exclusion – is a temporary tax increase for a specific number of years and all of the money goes for the intended purpose.
How much would a new senior center cost ME?
The approximate cost of a new senior center is $1,000,000. Assuming this money was raised through a 3 year debt exclusion, the cost to a household with an assessed value of $250,000 would be $125.00* per year for 3 years. That is only 34 cents per day, which is less than the cost of the Gardner News.
Why do we need a new senior center?
Senior centers provide a vital role in today’s communities. Not only does a senior center provide activities for seniors it is also a resource center for both seniors and care givers. As the population ages each generation of seniors have different needs, and senior center programs and services must keep expanding and evolving to meet these needs. The senior center staff works hard to offer interesting and fun activities and trips. The community’s input and participation is essential to a successful senior center.
While the activities and trips are what you hear most about from the senior center there are many other things going on. The senior center operates the food pantry, meals on wheels program, lunch programs, and transportation services. The staff can assist seniors with information on fuel assistance programs, adult day care programs, visiting nurse programs, Medicare, Mass Health, and much more.
With the next generation of seniors, more focus will be on wellness and exercise programs. There has already been interest expressed for nature programs, historic excursions, and a more diverse offering of group classes. With more and more seniors being cared for at home more informational seminars for care givers are needed, including topics such as State and Federal assistance programs, and area service providers.
The senior center is a great place to gather and visit with friends, or just sit back and have a cup of coffee or tea, play a game of pool or cards, or read the newspaper. While enjoying all that the senior center has to offer, you can stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
So when asked if you want a new senior center, think about all you can get for only 34 cents a day.
This table breaks down the tax impact of a three year debt exclusion.
| Assessed Value | Yearly | Monthly | Weekly | Daily |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150,000 | 75.00 | 6.25 | 1.44 | 0.21 |
| 200,000 | 100.00 | 8.33 | 1.92 | 0.27 |
| 250,000 | 125.00 | 10.42 | 2.40 | 0.34 |
| 300,000 | 150.00 | 12.50 | 2.88 | 0.41 |
| 350,000 | 175.00 | 14.58 | 3.37 | 0.48 |
Some daily cost comparisons:
- The Worcester Telegram and Gazette about .56 cents a day
- The Gardner News about .50 cents a day
- Comcast Basic Cable about .39 cents a day
So you can see that at .34 cents a day a new senior center is a real bargain.