>>Valley Patriot>>
|
Why
I Support the $1.6M Override
In North Andover
Dawn Crescitelli
(06/05/07)
 My name is Dawn Crescitelli. I
have been a North Andover resident for 13 years. I am a
registered nurse in a large non-union Boston Hospital
where I have served on numerous committees.
I am an involved parent of 2 children at the Thomson
school. I tend to vote as a fiscal and social
moderate. I did not support the trash fee proposal at
town meeting in 2006 because I did not believe it was
well organized. In short, I put a lot of thought and
research into issues before I agree to tax and spend.
The town of North Andover has endured several years of
severe fiscal deficits that have resulted in the
elimination of critical positions in town. This is true
of the majority of municipalities within the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts because of cuts in state aide to the
perceived affluent communities. We can not sustain any
further cuts to public safety, senior center support, the
town library or academic services.
Our town is suffering. There is no fat to trim. Budgets
have been scrutinized and deemed valid. Harry Harutunian
is gone. The blame game is over. Our town is struggling
for 2 basic reasons. First, we lost almost all of our
commercial tax revenue when Lucent closed shop. Second,
we are forced to comply with unfunded state mandates.
North Andover must adhere to state regulations and
mandates but we have no say in the distribution of state
aide and receive less than our fair share. We need to
lobby our elected officials at the state level to
advocate for a more equitable state aide formula.
I AM supporting the over ride initiative on June 19th. I
think this was a well-researched, honest initiative that
will support public safety, seniors, the town library and
schools. It is also a modest over ride that will help us
get through a difficult fiscal crisis without undue
strain. On average, a homeowner can expect a tax increase
of $200.00 for a home valued at $500,000.00 by voting YES
on June 19th. In return for that modest $200.00 increase
(which works out to 56 cents per day), a police officer
will be restored. An outreach worker for the senior
center will be reinstated, the library will be able to
hire an assistant director and children will not sit in
classes with 36 students per class. This over ride is an
investment in our town with an invaluable return. The
opponents of the over ride will tell you we don’t
need an override. Ask yourself...do we need police
officers? Senior center outreach workers? Library
services? Well educated children? If you said yes to any
of these questions, then you said yes to an over ride.
Next we move to the debate of over ride vs under ride.
Did the under ride proponents do their homework? No. They
rushed to put forth a sloppy, hastily prepared proposal
at a minimally attended Selectmen’s meeting 30
minutes prior to the start of the second night of town
meeting.
If an under ride was truly desired, under ride proponents
should have availed themselves of their right to place
their idea on the town meeting warrant or they should
have proposed an amendment to the over ride proposal on
the first night of town meeting during the Article
13 discussions. Ben Franklin wisely stated, “Those
that will not be counseled, can not be helped. If you do
not hear reason she will rap you on the knuckles.”
Opponents were rapped on the knuckles and surprised by
the town wide momentum to support a modest over ride.
This momentum exists because townfolks have been
counseled and witnessed the severity of need in all of
the town departments. The Valley Patriots own Tom Duggan
voted yes to allow the over ride question to be placed on
the ballot. I won’t support reactionary movements
like trash fees or under ride proposals and I hope you
won’t either.
North Andover’s home prices fell by 10% last year.
Is that a coincidence? I don’t believe it is.
Property values have a direct connection to quality town
services and excellent schools.The MCAS scores in North
Andover are dropping, so are our property values. Home
buyers are savvy about researching community resources
and schools. It’s obvious, they don’t like what
they see. For most of us, our home is our greatest
financial investment. Isn’t it worth $200.00 to
increase your home value by several thousand? Sometimes,
you have to spend a little money to appreciate a larger
financial gain.
Our leaders on the Board of Selectmen, School Committee
and Finance Committee have all signed a Resolution called
the Memorandum of Understanding to make sure the town
moves forward to embrace wise financial strategies to
better ensure fiscal solidarity in the future. They are
showing a spirit of cooperation and good will. We need to
support these initiatives. This is our town and no one is
going to save town services except us, the citizens of
North Andover.
To view a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding, the
town and school department approved restoration lists,
pending the success of an operational over ride, and
honest up to date over ride information, please visit the
following website: www.northandover.org.
Please join me in supporting our town on June 19th with a
YES vote. United we can achieve greatness!
*Send your questions comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The June 2007 Edition of
the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2007, Valley Patriot, Inc.
We publish 13,000 newspapers and distribute in Andover,
North Andover,
Methuen, Haverhill, Chelmsford, Georgetown, Groveland,
Boxford, Amesbury, Newburyport
Lawrence, Dracut, Tewksbury, Merrimack, Hampton &
Salisbury Beach, and Lowell.
|
Valley Patriot Archive
Valley Patriot Story
ARCHIVES
Prior Lead
Stories
Prior
Valley Patriot Editorials
Prior Columns by ...
Tom Duggan
Dr. Chuck
Ormsby
Paula
Porten
Ralph
Wilbur
Hanna
Ted Tripp
Valley
Patriot of the Month
Griselsilva.com
Patrick
Blanchette
D.J.
Beauregard
Jim
Cassidy
D.J. Deeb
Marcos
Devers
Bob
Desmarais
Regina
Faticanti
Jim
Fiorentini
Bill Kelly
Wilfredo
Laboy
Peter
Larocque
Vilma Lora
Ed Maguire
Billy
Manzi
Paul
Murano
Mark
Palermo
Hartley
Pleshaw
Debbie
Quinn
Raise Em
Right
Dr. Peary
Kathleen
Corey Rahme
Barney
Reilly
Angel
Rivera
Jim Rurak
Grisel
Silva
Mike
Sullivan
Sandra
Stotsky
Mike
Sweeney
Ken Willette
Scott Wood
Jim
Xenakis
|