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Monday, May 6, 2013

Letter to the Editor from Friday

5/3/2013 6:18:00 AM
The bigger picture from 'Gansett override vote
To the Editor: 5/3/2013
Rick Reppucci
Phillipston

To the Editor:

It is unfortunate that our children's education may suffer as a result of the no vote on the Templeton and Phillipston overrides. However, there is a bigger picture that is being ignored. That is that the taxpayers are tapped out.

The more money that goes to our already excessive taxes is coming out of our already empty pockets. When the average family spends its hard earned money, it does so very carefully. People shop for the best deal they can find and if something is too expensive, they do without; because they know how hard it was to save every penny. They may buy $20/gallon paint to paint the shed not $50/gallon. (reference to Phillipston transfer station)

On the other hand, the local towns spend as though they did not struggle to save. At the end of the month or year, if a family has a few dollars left over, they don't spend it frivolously, they save it for unexpected future expenses (especially if they know their children will do without due to future shortfalls).

With town governments, if there is money left at the end of the fiscal year, they try their hardest to spend it, or their budget may be cut the next year. This is known as Christmas in July to vendors. Either they just don't get it, or they will not take their heads out of the hole in the sand, and admit it.

I am sure we all support our children 100 percent. The no vote is a message to our administrators to stop the tax and spend mentality of our dwindling hard earned money, and they should reflect its citizens' financial position. We have all tightened our belts, and expect our elected officials to do the same.

If our standard of living has decreased, and we have to do without, then so should our government. Stop the foolish and wasteful spending, and stop using our children as pawns for your wasteful ways.

The message is not that we are not behind our kids; but rather we are fed up, and this is the only way the average citizen has to voice their frustration with being ignored. Wake up.

Rick Reppucci
Phillipston

11 comments:

  1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. I guess he feels strongly about this issue, and more than one person has said the same thing. Will the message fall on deaf ears? We will know sooner or later. The one thing he is wrong about, is the end of year spending. That does not fly in Templeton, now that Mr. Spring has his hands on the budgets. Remember Bubba buying those pricey desks? Just what the town needed,when we were broke. I think they were about $3,000. What ever happens, we will get through it. Bev.

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  2. Help me understand this, I was under the impression that the overide had to pass at the Elections AND the Town meeting, It failed by the majority of voters at the elections, Shouldn't it be over!!
    Now, spearheaded by Kenn Robinson for selectman, (check out his website), they say it aint over till they say its over and have started placing signs around town to "circumvent" the law??
    Looks like someone is already NOT working for the people who elected him, remember, he had WAY more votes than the overide did so it shows what the majority wants.

    Please someone with factual knowledge inform us whats going on here.

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  3. I went to his webpage and it says it isn't over until "the taxpayers" say it's over, not until "they" say it's over. I think what is being referred to is the fight to keep our kids educated and give them the programs they need. That fight could involve cutting the administration's budget, holding a reduced figure override vote during the June senate election, etc. The word "circumvent" is no where on the page.

    And those signs have been up since before the election!!

    This is why qualified individuals have no interest in helping Templeton out - uninformed people speaking on topics of which they have no factual information.

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  4. A lot of thinking and could haves you posted, Maybe Gerry should run again at town meeting seeing as he lost the election also.
    The signs started appearing yesterday/last night, looks like they are following Virginia Wilders lead and manipulating the system.
    SO like I asked before, could someone with Factual knowledge respond.

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  5. Maybe you should run at Town Meeting. You voiced your opinion before having the "Factual knowledge" - sounds like you'd be a great politican.

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    1. All of you please stop! This is not going to help. I do not think it is right for the school advocates to try to trash the town. The people said no! That is what they voted, and I do not think it is a smart thing to get into a fight at this stage. Shame on Ms. Miller if she does not get the message, and the same goes for anyone else that thinks this is a smart thing to do. Phillipston is in better financial shape than Templeton is, but the people voted no in Phillipston also. So do these people think they can just ignore what the people want?? My message is to Ms. Miller would be, "if you need more money to live on, go find a town with money. There is none here". It is a insult to the people in Templeton that have worked so hard to get things under control, to try to trash what we have gained, just because you can. We have had enough, of Echo Hill, but Ms. Wilder has not gotten the message, must be too much kool aid. The best bet would be for the school administration to work with the towns. Enough blood has been shed already. My opinion, Bev.

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    2. So true!! Plus, it is so easy to spend someone else's hard earned money. Who do we get to pay our bills when we have a shortfall?? No one, that's right, we have to cut back, scale back to within our means. For those who are in leadership positions, please do what you are supposed to when the taxpayers have spoken or as Bev says, go to another town if you are not happy here!!

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    3. The school advocates are NOT trying to trash the Town! Ms. Wilder suggested at a meeting that we vote down the overall Town budget and the parents decided against it (do you really think we want no police or fire protection for our children - that doesn't even make sense)! Ms. Wilder then started telling everyone that this was the parent's plan. The fact that you people would believe Ms. Wilder is SHOCKING to me! Have you attended a school advocate meeting?! If not, where are you getting your information? The school advocates "Plan" is to get parents to attend Town Meeting so they have a better understanding of the overall budget and process to move forward. It's the School Committee that will formulate a new budget - not Ms. Miller or the parents.

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    4. Yes, I agree. After watching her behavior at some of the BOS meetings & finding out she misrepresented a recall, I am not sure who would believe her either. But, that is just my opinion since I don't actually know her to understand why she does what she does.

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    5. They have a one way agenda to get what they want, That is why they want to pack the Town Meetings. I've been to a Greatness meeting and will say they will pull out all the stops to get "their" money with little regards to any other departments.

      https://www.facebook.com/GansettGreatness

      WHERE HAVE THEY ALL BEEN WITH REGARDS TO ALL OTHER TOWN MATTERS AND OTHER TOWN MEETINGS, LIKE OTHER TOWN MEETINGS THEY COME IN DROVES TO VOTE ON THEIR ITEM THEN THEY WALK OUT OF THE MEETINGS, THEY JUST DON'T CARE.

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