Greenfield’s Select Board discussed a single page quick-facts sheet that will be presented at Town Meeting during a regular meeting Tuesday night.
The sheet is aimed at providing taxpayers with an overall summary explaining its budget.
The board also talked about how to describe terms such as fund balance, which Town Administrator Aaron Patt said is a complex topic.
“You could say fund balance is a combination of deferred tax, unexpected appropriation, and excess revenues as directed by the Department of Revenue and tracked by our auditors,” Patt said during the meeting.
The Select Board has the discretion to use some of those funds to help offset the tax rate. As it stands right now, the board plans to pay about $200,000 from the fund balance to help offset its tax rate in 2017, which amounts to about $1.45.
Selectman Robert Marshall said the sheet should also include a series of frequently-asked questions such as, how much does the town have in its Capital Reserve accounts? Where can I find town revenues and incomes? Where can I find expenses? How many years are left on the bonds?
Patt said he will make amendments to the document, which will be ready to hand out to taxpayers by Town Meeting.
Chair Margo Charig Bliss said the document helps explain the nuances of a budget and works to enhance transparency.