Editorial August 6, 2003
	In an effort to keep the tax rate increase as small as possible, the Town Council has increased the projected revenues of the budgeted line item for fines from $99,555 to $324,763. To accomplish this increase in revenues the Council is authorizing and instituting what it calls the Safety Improvement Program (SIP). SIP will entail increased police patrols and use of radar to ticket speeders in the Town. If the purpose of SIP was to protect lives and reduce speeding in the Town, the Council should be commended for this action. However, the real purpose is not safety. The real purpose of SIP is generating income for the Town and for this the Council should be condemned. Our Police Department's motto is "To Protect and Serve". Our police officers are not tax collectors and they should not be used in that fashion.