This past Wednesday, February 4th, Chatham Concerned Taxpayers had its first meeting at the Chatham Community Center. Although the meeting was at the unusual hour of 8 a.m. and was taking place after a snowstorm, some 65 taxpayers showed up. The meeting was advertised principally by email and word-of-mouth. From the discussions that took up most of the meeting time, Chatham taxpayers are indeed concerned. We will post on this website some of the material -- graphic and written -- that was presented at the meeting. We will be updating this website frequently as we develop more information.

The graph shown below probably got the most reaction. Chatham's town spending has sooared from $21 million plus to $31 million plus in just eight years. That's 44%.

Despite the financial crisis the world, the nation, the state and Chatham citizens find themselves in, the town's draft budget proposes yet more spending that will result in property tax increases at a time when citizens are trying to make do with what they have.

Click on the chart to get a bigger picture.