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State
Fiddles While School Funding Shrivels
Lonnie Brennan, Georgetown
Selectman
Georgetown
Selectman Lonnie Brennan Budget season is upon us.
Make the sound with me: ka-ching, ka-ching, ka-ching.
Thats the sound of the potential impact on our
future tax bills (think override requests) if nothing
changes.
First ka-ching: our School Committee members
have begun their search for a new superintendent.
Theyve looked at the salary ($116,000+) paid to our
16-year veteran and decided its just too low for a
new guy or gal they hope to hire this spring, so
theyve set the bottom line at no less than $135,000
(and numbers have been floated in the $142,000 range or
more for a newbie). That is, of course, before any
benefits and other provisions which come with the top-dog
position of a school system that has three buildings and
approximately 400 kids in the entire high school.
Oh, and did I mention that theres some talk about
possibly lowering the credential requirements for the new
hire? So lets see, theres a possibility that
we could pay more and get less?
Only one member of the School Committee, Don Cudmore,
bucked the trend and voted against the recommendation of
the hiring consultant (did I mention theyre using a
consultant?) and suggested that this whole idea of
setting an initial salary higher than the current
experienced superintendent, and trying to
compete with others in an unknown race to
find the best and brightest, could use a little more
discussion. While the team is indeed eager to move
forward with the hiring process, Cuddos to
Cudmore for asking the challenging questions are in
order.
Another ka-ching: the initial requested
increase of $1,901,624, or 18.66%, to next years
school budget.
Thats a lot to swallow in one year. A year in which
the state continues to leave Georgetown as well as many
other communities in our district short-changed in local
aid funding. For those counting, most cities and towns in
our district are still limping along with aid numbers
that are 5% or more below the levels they were receiving
before the big dig and out-of-control state spending
stole our state aid away.
Funny term, aid. Makes it seem like the state
is being kind to the cities and towns. In reality the
state takes our income taxes, our sales taxes, our meals
taxes (on every cup of coffee, on every ice cream cone,
on every dinner, on every pizza, on every take-out order)
and spends it on whatever it wants, and trickles back a
small percentage to our town and to our schools.
So, getting back to the 18.66% increase, it includes a
lot of things, most designed to provide our students with
the best education possible and to meet the shortcomings
noted in the New England Association of Schools &
Colleges, Inc.s Commission on Public Secondary
Schools accreditation report rendered onto the school
system in October of 2006. While the commendation list
was long and heartfelt, the concerns list was almost as
long and led to the Georgetown school system being placed
on a warning status.
Some of the items which resulted in the warning include:
insufficient number of desks, insufficient parking, use
of the stage area as a teaching station, limited access
to computers, close proximity of the gymnasium bleachers
to the playing area, lack of a regular allocation of
capital funds to purchase new equipment, failure of the
budget to keep pace with increases in enrollment, and
increasing class sizes, amongst others.
One would expect that its a relatively easy process
to address the technology and facility concerns with
sound budget processes and the support of various town
boards to set priorities and regular maintenance and
upgrade schedules, but its the increasing class
sizes that really need attention. As the budget process
unfolds, more will be learned and one would hope that
some of the proposed expenditures will be funded through
a portion of currently available free cash to ensure a
safe school environment with adequate basics such as
furniture and equipment.
But an 18.66% increase? As we enter a new year (another
loop around the sun), our new governor has pledged to
restore any and all cuts in state spending vetoed by
former governor Romney. Not one cent can be cut from
state spending. Indeed, Mr. Patrick has even wasted no
time in proposing new taxes (local meals tax) to drain
more money from the taxpayers. But wait: have you heard
anything about restoring cuts in local aid to cities and
towns? Thought not. Stay hopeful, though.
Work Off Your Taxes
On a similar note, our local work-off-your-taxes
program is getting renewed attention. Run by the
Council on Aging, this first-come, first-serve program
allows senior citizens to work for the town doing
clerical and other work, in exchange for a reduction on
their tax bills up to $500 each year. The fund is
currently limited to just 10 seniors, and the demand
appears to have spiked recently and may warrant a new
look at that 10 person cap.
Bridge to Nowhere
The much-debated Bailey Lane Bridge remains closed to all
since the fall, due to reported structural defects and
decay. Plans are underway to re-open the roadway to
ensure the safety of the local residents, but funding
sources have yet to be identified as this column went to
press.
Georgetown Today Media
Updates of events and items and links of interest can
always be found on www.GeorgetownToday.com.
Its a freebie site so just send your posting along.
Most budget items will eventually make their way onto the
site, so lets hope we can get through our budget
process this year as neighbors and friends, respectful of
one another, with a watchful eye and a careful ear,
allowing for the inputs of others and the dissention of
many.
Lonnie Brennan is a selectman in Georgetown, you can
email him at lonnie@thechocolatecellar.com.
*Send your questions
comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The January 2007 Edition
of the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2007, Valley Patriot, Inc.
We publish 10,000 newspapers and distribute in Andover,
North Andover,
Methuen, Haverhill, Chelmsford, Georgetown, Groveland,
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Beach, and Lowell.
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