A group of residents meet Tuesday mornings at the senior center to solve the world's problems.

But sometimes they settle on discussing Barrington's issues.

According to one of the group's members, the challenge to finding a solution to the town's ever-growing taxes continues to consume them. Allan Klepper said the problem can be traced to greed — the longtime resident said Barrington school officials could have requested a lesser increase this past budget season, but instead pushed for more money.

"The school committee usually gets what they want," Mr. Klepper said. "They get what they want because they can. It's unfortunate because they've set the stage to alienate a number of people."

This past spring, school officials were consistent in their message to taxpayers: Anything less than a $1.2 million increase to their nearly-$50 million budget would force them to eliminate staff positions and school programs. Included in the proposed cuts was $30,000 for all middle school sports. (The budget increase is combined with debt service payments on a $68.4 million bond to pay for a new middle school.)

Residents turned out in droves to budget meetings, pleading for officials to avoid the cuts.

Mr. Klepper said school administrators knew exactly what to do to ensure the $1.2 million increase to the budget. 

"I'm for the schools," said Mr. Klepper. "I'm not against the schools. I'm not questioning them. But this kind of thing — they did this because they could."

Mr. Klepper, who has lived in town since 1965 and has volunteered in a number of capacities, said all residents will feel the pinch of the budget increase when they receive their new tax bills. 

"I can pay for this. I'm not leaving town," he said, adding that other people may not be so fortunate. "I think the schools could have managed with less. 

"It looked greedy."

Mr. Klepper said he has been approached a number of times — on bike rides around town, at the barber shop — by people who feel similarly. 

"I think I hit a nerve," he said.

Tax exemption work

Barrington officials have heard residents' concerns and a new committee is researching potential tax exemption options. The committee has met twice and focused most of its work on senior citizen tax exemptions.

Barrington Tax Assessor Michael Minardi is a non-voting member of the committee and said the group has discussed about a half-dozen elderly tax exemption option — one is allowing seniors to work off their tax bills. 

Research showed that other communities have already been offering the option. For example, Taunton, Mass. has a "tax work off program exemption," which allows seniors to work up to 75 hours each fiscal year to receive a maximum rebate of $750. Attleboro's program has a maximum credit of $600 and Newburyport's program has a maximum benefit of $1,000 for 125 hours worth of work. 

The existing programs have minimum age requirements and offer varying work options — in Newburyport, senior citizens can work in municipal and school departments, helping with anything from building maintenance to answering phone calls. 

Mr. Minardi said another tax exemption option would be to offer a tax freeze to residents who qualify once they turn 65 years old. Committee members also discussed making all elderly tax exemptions means-based.

"Means-based got the majority of the conversation," said Mr. Minardi, "but nothing's been voted on yet."

Once their research is complete, the tax exemption committee members will report back to the town council with a recommendation. 

Mr. Minardi said the council is requesting that any recommended exemption option have a fiscally-neutral impact on the town. Mr. Minardi said the town currently offers about $550,000 in elderly and circuit breaker tax exemptions.