Uncorked: ‘Ratepayer’ or ‘resident’?

At the risk of overstating the obvious: I am a newcomer to Marlborough. As such, my curiosity is as high as the peak of my learning curve. Things which established Marlburians might not give a second thought make me go, “Hmm…”.

For instance, why is “ratepayer” a reflex identity adopted by – and for – people living within district boundaries?

You may be thinking, “Who cares?” or “Why does this matter?”; or, maybe, “What else would we call ourselves?”.  (If not, forget I mentioned it!)

Well, wording counts – you’re reading, after all – and, surprisingly often, something minor reveals something major. Canary in a coal mine, tip of the iceberg … that’s the idea.

Back in California, I heard “resident” most commonly as the local label and “citizen” as state or national. For government at any level: “Constituent”. When someone invokes “taxpayer” (i.e., ratepayer), that’s focused on finances.

Anyone who lives in Marlborough is a resident. Is everyone who lives here a ratepayer? Not necessarily. Tenants do not pay rates to Council; property owners write the checks. Regardless, Council provides services – and, more to the point, regulates – across the jurisdiction.

“Ratepayer” connotes “customer”. For electricity, internet and phone service, we pay the rates which the company charges. It is a business transaction.

Council is not a business, even though it conducts business. (Brian Dawson, councillor and business-group leader, speaks to that in a News profile this issue.)

Its measure goes beyond the balance sheet. Its scope transcends companies.
Marlburians – including officials – who refer to Marlburians as “ratepayers” run the risk of missing the broader implications of residency. Money is the main driver, but not the exclusive driver, of a region and its people.

Oftentimes, labels are interchangeable. That’s the power of Roget’s Thesaurus and Shakespeare’s “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”.

Sometimes, though, a synonym carries undertones which another choice might not. Ratepayer versus resident – what do you think?

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