On Oct. 7, Andover residents will get to vote on what town services will be cut and whether a new tax on eating out will be implemented to balance the town budget. The decisions made that night will affect everyone in town, and we encourage people to attend.

The Special Town Meeting to balance the fiscal year 2010 budget will begin at 7 p.m. at the Andover High School Field House on Shawsheen Road. The last day to register to vote for non-registered voters is tomorrow, Friday, Sept. 25. The town clerk's office, at Town Offices, 36 Bartlet St., will be open Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. for voter registration.

After the Aug. 31 Special Town Meeting that approved a new hotel-stay tax, it was expected Andover would need to cut about $1.8 million from its budget. But a string of better-than-expected estimates and other items have helped to decrease the amount of service cuts needed.

On the school side, Andover saved more than $433,000 by renegotiating its bus contract. A freeze in tuition for special education has meant the Andover schools will spend $160,000 less than expected in that area, which had been expected to rise. Still, the School Committee is struggling to decide how it will cut the remaining $327,000. Resident John Zipeto will again ask residents to support a meals tax that would cover much of this gap. Residents narrowly defeated the idea at the Aug. 31 meeting.

While town leaders have said they will not eliminate teaching positions or curbside leaf pickup, some things must go. By attending Oct. 7, residents can be a big part of the decision.

Pioneer makes being a watchdog easier

Most of us say we want to be informed citizens. But most of us also say we just don't have the time to do the homework required to understand and follow the labyrinthine workings of state government. Well, now somebody has done a big part of the homework for you.

The Pioneer Institute, a Boston-based nonpartisan but conservative-leaning research organization has just launched a new Web site, www.massopenbooks.org, created to provide information to the public on how Massachusetts state government spends the money it collects from you, the citizens.

According to Pioneer, some of the questions the site will answer include: What percent of state employees work 40 hours a week? What is the average salary of someone working for the State Police? How many different unions represent state employees.

The site also carries information on retiree pensions and on payments made by government agencies to businesses and individuals. The information is broken down both by departments and by individuals, and includes data analysis.

It ought to be obvious, but what Pioneer Executive Director Jim Stergios says bears repeating: "An educated citizen is an empowered citizen."

The theme of the site is also worth repeating: It's your money and your government.

So, take a look at the site - access is free - and see where your money is going.