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3/12/2013 6:46:00 AM
Templeton residents should support schools To the Editor: 3/12/2013 |
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Matthew
Syring
Templeton To the Editor: As a taxpayer of Templeton, I am writing to pledge my support and commend Superintendent Ruth Miller for her proposed budget for the upcoming FY2014 school year. Despite facing drastic cuts in state aid, a reduction in other revenue streams, and an increase in the overall costs of running a school district, Dr. Miller has proposed a budget that is fiscally responsible and sensible for these ever challenging fiscal times. After attending the recent budget meeting on Feb 28, and listening to the proposed budget, it is evident that the school department has made countless numbers of cuts, and has been chiseled down to the bone. With a failed override last year, and a lack of available resources, the school department has been forced to recommend a budget seeking some assistance from the townsfolk. Local bloggers are quick to paint school supporters as “out of touch” and greedy. The reality is that we have made draconian cuts — as we all have over the past five years — and it is time that we as a community step up to the plate. With our classroom sizes busting at the seams, students using science texts pre 1970, and teachers earning salaries amongst the lowest in the commonwealth, I would not classify it as greed. I would call it embarrassing. With all of these facts presented, I truly understand that we are all doing more with less. Despite this, I would argue that we need to jumpstart our local economy and turn this thing around. Let's vote “yes” to this proposed override, and say yes to our children's education and future. Matthew Syring Templeton |
My Name is Paul H Cosentino. I started this Blog in 2011 because of what I believe to be wrongdoings in town government. This Blog is to keep the citizens of Templeton informed. It is also for the citizens of Templeton to post their comments and concerns.
Its not that I don't want to support the school...or seniors...or any citizen of Templeton. Its the fact that I am struggling to pay my bills-pay my existing taxes, mortgage, food, etc. And I honestly don't know if I can afford to pay more. I really wish people wouldn't demonize others who don't give them what they want. Its not the way to reach a goal. Everyone wants support and resources for the parts of a community that they feel the strongest about. By saying something like seniors won't support schools or young people won't support funding for council on aging services is really pointless. How does that benefit either side? Insulting people right before asking for money never seems to work very well. I think we all can agree that we, as a community, want and deserve a successful school system, good quality essential services (police, fire, rescue, highway, light, water, sewer, governing officials), supportive services for our seniors, passable roads, and a great quality of life. However, there is a financial crisis in Templeton. If people do not take the time to understand our financial situation, they will have a hard time completing their mission. Please stop pointing fingers and slinging insults at one another and start providing solutions to the town's problems. Isn't that, after all, our collective goal--finding solutions to our problems?
ReplyDeleteMr.Syring, I would like to THANK YOU for this article. I can feel in my heart that you are talking from yours. My wife and I cannot afford any more taxes. However, I will vote in favor for the overide, for the sake of our children.I also voted for the senior center and last years override so our town employees hours and pay would not be cut. I understand these are hard times but sometimes we just have to give up a little more. Good luck and God Bless.
ReplyDeleteanon 11;28 PLEASE don't fall for the "for children" crap !!!! the children have nothing to do with it !!!!! the teachers union and the "power" of the super have 110% to do with it !!!! we spend 400% more than we did 30 years ago, FOR THE SAME RESULTS !!!!!! the web site --publicschoolreview.com/school_ov/school-id/38156 will open your eyes !! we pay for a 13.1 ratio teacher to student vs the state average on 14.1. we have a 9.3% ratio more than the state average, and we graduate 67% of the students. the state average is 86% !!!!! boston, springfield, all "urban" areas are there. !!! we fail 33% of the children and you want to give them more $$????? let them show us that they "care for the children" first!!!! raze the results !!!!! they have us over a barrel !!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI posted this under "Kent Songer's letter to the editor" also. Some of my comments might not apply here.
DeleteCut the bullshit about teachers salaries and the hours they work. When I left the computer industry to begin teaching, I took a 60% cut in salary. If you add up the number days/hours/after school/take home work and figure it out, they maybe they make $40-%50 and hour. if you think that's too much salary for someone the state requires to have a masters degree, to be their babysitter, jailer, shrink, truant officer, Psycologist, and still find the time to teach them something and have a goddamn "individual education plan for each and every student, I'd like to see YOU try it. How much time have YOU spent in a classroom. If you care to investigate instead of shooting your mouth off, you will find that teaching is number 7 in the top ten college degrees/ careers that DO NOT return adequate ROI for the investment incurred.
I suggest you look to the people in Malden/Boston who make us spend money on SPECIAL EDUCATION like we have a goddamn money tree in the backyard. Then you will see where all money goes. How about we spend some money on the gifted and talented kids some of whom might cure cancer someday, instead of the sad cases of those who will never be able to recognize their own name on a piece of paper.
If it were up to you, you'd have people with PHD's working for minimum wage. I think the salaries are about where they should be.
And if you had any balls, you wouldn't hide behind "anon"
I love the phrase "my opinion supported by facts"
The school deparment has not been forced to recommend a budget seeking some assistance from the town folk. Every year a school budget is presented to the town because the school budget comes from the tax payers from two towns. Here is an idea, go to the light & water commissioners and tell them the town needs more money to give to the school district for the kids, can you please increase the amount of the pilot turned over to the town so they may assist us with our school budget. Then you can see how much they care about the kids. Do not take the we don't work for the town crap, it is after all the Templeton municiple light & water dept. Look for a further blog from me with a statehouse news article on the approach all teachers from all school districts could take to alleviate some of this financial burden placed on them.
ReplyDeleteOh Jeff..... Stop the light and water thing and do YOUR job! The ratepayers of the light and water should not have to subsidize the town cause you suck at your job.. Vote for an overide and lets get moving to a better place!
ReplyDeleteAnon 8:10AM, I could not agree with you more. I believe neither jeff nor julie will ever be for the towns people,just themselves and there friends.My opinions.
ReplyDeleteAll we are leaving for our children is a huge debt that can never be repaid. If we can not afford a new school then so be it. Learn to live within your means.
DeleteHey Dana, why don't you use your name! You and Anonymous 9:am, know better. Julie and Jeff will always work for the people in this town, just as I will. We know the truth, how can a town give more when a large % have no work, the town has no industry? It is the truth that the kids are coming to school hungry, and people are looking for help with their heat. Yes, there are some people who are well off. They can pay more, but when you tax, you tax everyone. The override will pass or it won't. I said Dr. Miller was out of touch, and she is. The same goes for the school committee. They will walk in to town meeting, vote their cause,and leave. Leaving the rest of us to figure out how to manage, with what little we have left. If the town had money, say the money from 252 Bald. Rd.,the money we put into the golf course, and the other projects, we burned up our money up on, it would help a lot. We are paying taxes for nothing,for years, because this is what we got from these projects, NOTHING!! This is a town that is running on four days a week, because we do not have the money. Most of us know all this, because we go to meetings, and have worked to find ways to help. Go with the over ride, it will pass, or it won't. Bev
DeleteActually I am doing my job and I am on kind of a leave of absence from my selectmen duties. The last time I looked, I led the push to do away with any pay for selectmen so as to make selectmen not able to join the worcester county retirement system thus saving taxpayers from that expense, for the selectmen anyway, how does that make me looking out for myself. Now as for light, they do not pay property tax on the entity so I believe a fair PILOT in line with the majority of the other muni light companies, and according to NE Public power, the median contribution is 5.2%, which if the net revenue is around 7 million dollars would equal a pretty nice turn over to the town which may be enough to assist the school and negate the need for an override which is a tax increase on the taxpayers of Templeton. It is a suggestion that would benefit the entire town. Just for the record, I was not one of the selectmen who voted last February to fire a law firm that ultimately wasted 5 grand of taxpayer money. I do not pass the budget or money spent on the town, the taxpayers do so if there is not enough money to cover basic things perhaps you should rethink the statement about selectmen or I suck at our jobs.
ReplyDeleteBev, I believe people do not use their name bacause they are in fear of being harrassed,bullied,stalked among other reasons. You want proof, the blog is full of it.
ReplyDeleteand why do we have all this debt. We can thank Gerald and Carol Skelton, Robert Columbus, Dennis OBrien, Kopelman and Page. Thank you for running our town into the ground.
ReplyDeleteYes folks if you went to last weeks town meeting, article 1 and 2 were because of the mess Carol, Columbus, Wilder, Mullins and K&P did to the May town meeting articles. They are the ones who were there when it was decided that they would take the MEMA money and just put it to town charges. Some people are going around saying it was Jeff Ritter and the new Town counsel. but Jeff R was pushed out in the end of March. Carol Skelton came back in April. K&P was brought back in February. Town Meeting was May 25th. Jeff Ritter didn't come back until June and new town consel was hired in August. Soif you remember May town meeting Kay Doyle form K&P was on the stage. So people get your facts right! If these people (Skelton, Columbus etc were working for this town we would not have to pay back $700,000. for the mess of 252 Baldwinville Rd. They people should have known that the MEMA money had to go to Free Cash and get certified first.
So Mr. Syring how much does your wife make working for NRSD
ReplyDelete