that's fine, whderv. It also could be the schools were hoping
another department would tack it on to its budget. I still feel
anything predominantly for schools should be on the school
budget. Let the truck be at the top of the school budget, then. View Comment
Everyone wants a facility where DPW workers
have all the tools and resources they need to do
their jobs and keep out of the elements. Everyone
wants DPW equipment to be well maintained and
out of the elements. But does that really cost
$8 million? View Comment
I'll question your math, whderv. How many years at $100 per year per family
equals the $8 million? 1 year = 80000 families, and you can break it down
from there. How many families are in Northbridge? View Comment
Northbridge isn't Westboro. Nowhere near the tax base.
The priority is cost effectiveness. Property tax payers in
this town aren't sold on the proposals. View Comment
I'm sorry, Sonny, the schools trying to honestly save the
taxpayers money? I got a bridge in Rockdale you might
be interested in. It's already finished. View Comment
If it's that old and in that condition why
hasn't it been addressed in previous
school budgets?
It shouldn't be bundled or attached as a
rider to other non-school items. Even
if it's used by others, it's primary purpose
is school-related. View Comment
Trying to sell the Community Preservation Act when this
will benefit predominantly school-related activities. Another
way to shield and pad the school budget.
When the economy is down where is the first place the
town cuts? The little, easy stuff... seniors, playground,
library, all those little budgets that really don't add up to
much but do a lot. But doing that protects a teacher's
salary, or another body that's considered more important.
Show you've got your department houses in order before
trying to stiff the property owners. View Comment
Replacement windows would have been cheaper and
more energy efficient, and looked just as good. Since
the town took the preservation funds that won't happen.
Considering how little funds were accepted, it would
have been worth investigating whether the town could
have returned those funds, then gone with modern
windows. If there is a next time, I hope more thought
is put into accepting preservation funds. It may not be the
optimal choice. View Comment
If those who have a vested interest, i.e. competing
businesses who feel the playing field isn't level,
want to bring up the issue I can see taking the time
for discussion then. But if you're talking about
looking under every rock for any possible tax
money in town, forget it. There's too many rocks. View Comment
Just another example showing the School Committee has no
teeth and the School Dept is running amok. The School Dept
talks about 5 iPads to the School Committee, then goes out
and purchases 50. If all the School Committee gets a say in
is the 'big picture', then maybe they should think twice about
rubber-stamping a final budget figure that the School Dept
has shown time and again they will find ways to skirt around.
The School Dept gives them the same line every time... it's
none of the Committee's business. How many times will
they turn the other cheek? Before approving that budget,
consider the history of 'extras' the School Dept slides
through every year. Factor that in by negotiating a lower
budget. The School Dept has no courage to put everything
up front and on the table, because they know that what they
truly want each year is excessive. View Comment
Well TB, if the schools put everything on the table instead of
trying to play a shell game maybe they'd get a better shake.
And if parents are paying their fair share I can see more
cooperation from the town. There's a lot of renters with kids
in town. They're not really paying taxes.
I like the sign idea. I would help pay for that. View Comment
If it's not in the school budget, then the opinion of
the School Committee and school administrators
is that it's not important enough. Stop trying to go
outside the budget to get more. Put it ALL in the
budget. It's called transparency. View Comment
If the debt on the high school was paid off early, wasn't that
done at taxpayer expense? That means we've been paying
more than we should have these past few years. Now it's
time to catch a break, and instead there's a line forming to
keep the spending levels up.
There's a lot about this being for the children. To me,
children = schools. This should be part of the school
budget. View Comment
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