School days

In my opinion, if the school teachers stayed out of school building committee meeting, things would go a lot better. I went to one meeting and all I heard from Ms. Kozial is that-the kids this and the kids that, the kids need and the kids need. It looks to me that it's all about the teachers need and what the teachers want and how elaborate the new school must be. and the parking issue, does anyone even listen to Ruth Miller?

The town needs an elementary school for 500 to 600 kids, and of course teachers. Where is the plan on paper almost like Bill Claybaugh  showed at the selectmen's meeting. Where is the proposed floor plan? What the architects going to do? Build a big box to their specs and then put the kids into it, one by one? Ken  Case said it right, have our school built with our spec, not someone who just dropped in from Mars or Venus, if you know what I mean. And don't forget, Narragansett high school building has not been a dream come true, it was someone else's idea and we are still paying for architectural blunders as Ken Case says. I don't think Templeton is trying to build a new school, I think someone is trying to build a new town. Did anyone read Gardners Mayor Hawke statements about the prevailing wage issue, wrecking communities, and one state rep says getting people out of Boston brings better workmanship and experience, yeah bull---. Us people here in Templeton have just as good or better skills as workers out of Boston. Just because you belong to a union does not make them better workers or contractors. Other words if you live and work in the Boston area you're worth 75 bucks per hour so if you come to Templeton to work, you are going to get 75 bucks per hour? Boston can afford 75 bucks per hour labor but Templeton can't and that's all there is to it. In the Boston area a person would pay $1800 per month for one bedroom apartment, could we get that high rent here in Templeton? No Way, José. In my opinion, let Boston take care of Boston and Templeton take care of Templeton. And as I say in the past, after you figure, standard wage and standard material cost here in Templeton and then figured the Boston wage in the Boston material charge at 40% to the total, so-called prevailing wage and in my opinion that is what is going to kill the school deal and any of the projects that include the prevailing wage. Ever wonder why the economy is so ---ed up? People go from Massachusetts to New Hampshire to save 6.25% sales tax, that issue builds New Hampshire economy and lowers Massachusetts economy right? Other words if you are asked at town meeting, do you want and $8 million school at Templeton wages or do you want that same school built with prevailing wage from Boston for $12 million. While there is nothing we can do about it, because "Boston" makes the rules. So let's repair and upgrade what we got and save about $10 million. And to you people "taxpayers" that say you don't mind higher taxes for new school, a new police station, new town hall, a new sewer treatment system I hope you stand together at the polls. In my opinion, where is the end to all this "new" stuff without concern about us taxpayers well-being, food, house payments, transportation to our jobs, sky high heating costs, etc. add it all up on a piece of lined paper and it will scare you out of your old worn out sneakers. It's cheap to knock an old good brick or concrete building down but it's big, big, big  bucks to build a new building, no matter for what use and don't forget prevailing wage. And let's not forget the interest payment for the "new" building loan. I for one do not want to ride by one of these new buildings on my way to the welfare office in a Mart Bus get it? One thing I will never forget the other procrastinators saying, it's only $.70 or it's only $.40 or it's only one dollar and never once added up all these projects to come up with the total amount to be added to our taxes forever. And as far as these so-called "grants" go, where does all that money come from? Right-taxes. Don't ever think you are getting something for nothing. It looks that way but figure it out. I just got my household insurance bill, fire, wind, act of God, $1984 for one year, that's $165 per month, now add that to your tax bill and house payment and heating bill and water and sewer bill and electric bill. I just roughly added an average household and came up to about $500 per week and didn't add food or other extras. So you as an average household add up all your expenses and it will scare you to "drink" and don't forget your real estate taxes. Mine are approximately, on my house $290 per month, $3400 per year. So as a taxpayer and of losing your home, it is partly your fault as well as mine, because we, as in taxpayers didn't add up all our costs compared to what we earn before we voted for project that we now know would sink us. So smarten up people, we are not going to hit the lottery anytime soon. So be prepared and this is only my opinion. Thanks for reading-Pauly