Ellen Hamilton asked for my position on an override for this November in the comments of another post and I feel it is important enough to bring out to a post. Here is what Ellen said;
To Bill from Ellen-Would you consider supporting an education override targeted at text and tech question 1 and MALL (music back in 3rd grade and Kindergarten, art materials and back to old level for K, languages back in 7th grade, and school libraries with SAILs and more resources and a shared elem. librarian professional who floats between Quinn, Potter, DeMello) Please share your thoughts...I think the override total would be around $100on avg.For those who missed it, she is refering to an letter to the editor that she wrote on July 3rd. You can read it here. At Monday's meeting, Ellen brought the subject of this override up to the School Committee. Curt Brown of the S-T wrote about that here. The chairman said ...
... that they would be discussing that with the Select Board in a joint meeting of the two boards that is being planned tentatively for August. Since overrides are a political hot potato, I don't see the Select Board bringing forward a proposal for one without a request from the School Committee detailing the amount needed and its intended use.
My feeling about an override request is that it is a tough time to be asking people to raise their taxes. November should be about the time many have filled their oil tank for winter and the shock from that is going to be fresh in their minds. Add to that the continuing rise in gasoline and it makes for bad timing which may doom any request. The Finance Committee has just appropriated the balance of the FY08 Reserve Fund ($300,000) to the schools. Link here. I would like to hear from the School Committee on what steps they have taken to provide the books and materials that our students need. I know that they are spending some money but not what is needed. So my question will be, What is the school department doing to resolve this situation? I would like to see them place a high priority on funding textbooks and technology. If they are unwilling to reallocate funds within the school budget to these needs, I would be reluctant to support an override request.
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11 comments:
I'm with you Bill. The people responsible for the school budget need to take a long hard look at their past/present decisions. If they are there to serve the children then they have failed miserably. There seems to be no effort on their part to initiate change, the latest hire being a sad example, and to ask the taxpayers for more is not only arrogant but a sure sign that they have no regard for the community they claim to care so much about. Lets put another override on the ballot so we can continue to be divided and more voters can become alienated from the schools. Is that the best plan they can come up with???
I posted this elsewhere, but it really belongs here.
NO OVERRIDE REQUEST!!!!!!
(Yes, that is intended to be a YELL!)
Are you kidding me? The schools hire the newbie at an insane starting salary/benefits package, which just shows us all, once again, how they manage our money. Then we get another request for an override? No way! Taxpayers are smart enough to realize that funding an override just allows the school department to make more stupid financial decisions without suffering ANY consequences!
Want money for these "only a small override items?" Then force the school committee to move the funds they already have into different line items to fund a more responsible budget!
We cannot keep making up for the school department/committee decisions to spend what many feel is too much on the salary/benefit line item by making up the difference on "critical needs" each time!
Inflation is now at the highest it's been in decades, gas/fuel prices are ridiculous and cold weather is just around the corner, the housing market has crashed & burned and foreclosures are on the rise. Good luck with that override!
The schools need to show taxpayers that they have a plan for textbooks. Waiting around for reserve money is not the answer. That worked out this time, but I don't expect Dartmouth will have money left over every year. I would like to see the schools get serious about textbooks. They had a walk for education recently and raised funds. What if the same group had a walk for sports?
The group that held the recent walk was put on by the Dartmouth Education Foundation, a private not-for-profit organization established to help provide enrichment programs for children throughout the school system in Dartmouth. The walk raised about $8,000 which will be used to serve that mission. You should be aware that both Mr. Trimble and his family as well as Mr. Carney supported this first walk for education and deserve our thanks.
In its short life the foundation has funded an after school program for the elementary schools, assisted in sending 2 teams to the recent Destination Imagination competition in Tennessee and purchased reading materials for the Middle School Library. As fund raising and awareness for the group grows - through events such as the Kids Count Walk for Education - the foundation hopes to be able to fund many other initiatives within the schools to supplement what the system is able to provide with their resources. The foundation will never be a replacement for traditional school funding sources, but hopefully will continue to grow and be able to add to the educational experience for all students in the system. If readers of this blog would like to know more about the foundation you can go to the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts and look for the link to the Dartmouth Education Foundation. Thanks.
Greg Jones
Thanks Bill for helping with initiating open forum and discussion. I like that you like to talk things through...and weigh the pros/cons, feasibility, options, points. I also agree that the SC needs to get going and take responsibility for the education needs, discussion, open info to all etc...Will check in later...Thanks again...
Bill-I forgot to say--Do you know how people (maybe just retirees) can reduce their property taxes by volunteering at the library? I think there is or used to be a program...maybe I'm wrong.
Bill I also forgot to add that Shawn McDonald did say at SC mtg. he'd get an education needs list (to demonstrate cuts to program and underfunded academic or cocurricular areas areas) with numbers ready before Aug 18th...The sooner would be better to think about and analyze.
Hope everyone is staying cool today!
This voter says "No"
Hi everyone, I'm just curious why you who say no say no right off without discussion...Please elaborate your reasons for my understanding purposes- Thanks a bunch, stay cool... Ellen
Ellen, How about the fact that the schools came up with a number for texts before they even knew what they were buying. They get $340K and THEN form a committee to decide which books to buy? After screaming for texts all this time, they get the money but the kids won't have their books until fall of '09? Please go back and chastise the school committee again.
Reasons for saying "no" right off. Where was the plan and actual dollar amount being saved when threatening to close two schools? Why don't the kids have textbooks and computers while the non-essential activities continue to be funded? Why did the schools hire someone new without attempting to negotiate a better deal for the taxpayers? How did they come up with a dollar amount for textbooks when they don't even know what textbooks they will be buying? Why do they continue to insist salaries aren't too high while giving away unheard of benefits? I think you get the idea.
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