There are at least five good reasons to read Bound, a new novel by Brewster resident Sally Gunning set for release in the spring.
The Up Island Regional School District budget for fiscal 2009 is slated to increase 1.9 per cent.
Still, enrollment swings and a new allocation system for building costs will have a large financial impact on two of the three Up-Island district towns if the budget is approved at town meetings.
The average cost per pupil under the proposed budget is $24,137, up from $21,143 last year, a 14 per cent increase. Enrollment dropped to 325 students from 357 a year ago, a decline of nine per cent.
New single family home permits issued last year on the Vineyard soared 38 per cent over 2006, a rate of increase reminiscent of the building booms
Fewer Island houses sold in 2007 for slightly more money than in 2006.
Despite a fourth-quarter rally, Island real estate transactions in 2007 declined 8.6 per cent, although median home sale prices increased 3.5 per cent from 2006.
Overall, fourth-quarter sales activity was the year’s strongest. But a three per cent increase in sales also included a seven per cent decline in median sales price.
The domino effect of a few 2006 property sales that have doubled some assessments and taxes in two West Tisbury neighborhoods are simply part of a trend toward sharply increasing values on waterfront and high-end properties, the town principal assessor said this week.
A number of Tisbury Great Pond and Seven Gates Farm homeowners are in the eye of the tax bill storm, while other West Tisbury tax bills have increased moderately, are unchanged or even lower than in 2007.
James H.K. Norton is a retired history professor, farmer and Island historian. He is also a humanist and social ethicist.
