tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3947607097668387126.post162865302752478064..comments2024-03-28T14:43:46.573-04:00Comments on Franklin Matters: Letter from Scott MasonSteve Sherlockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13070688297607895943noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3947607097668387126.post-78465765402073882572010-06-10T13:00:34.706-04:002010-06-10T13:00:34.706-04:00Dear Mr. Mason,
First, I want to thank you for yo...Dear Mr. Mason,<br /><br />First, I want to thank you for your time and the personal sacrifice that you and the other of the Town Council and the School Committee have made.<br /><br />My wife and I moved into Franklin almost 13 years ago and I personally feel the citizens of Franklin have let down the charter paved by previous Town Councils - one of expansion to being the vibrant growth to this town. The citizens had a choice to voice their displeasure with this charter two decades ago when the expansion began and they did not. Instead, the citizens happily saw their property values rise and only complained when the increase in costs to meet contractual obligations and the rise in population resulted in the need for the override. The rejection of an override is not new to the town of Franklin.<br /><br />I understand that the economy has hit us all in ways that were hard to imagine just a few years ago. Also, the powerful unions that cover our public workforce must be confronted in order for its members to understand life in the private sector.<br /><br />In 2009, the average in the state for teacher salaries was $67,577 and Franklin's was $71,503. This information was retrieved from the DOE (http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/schfin/statistics/salary.xls). The guaranteed salary increases and the high benefit costs for retirement in the public sector are now misaligned to that of the private sector employee. The unions and their members must begin to rationalize this disconnect.<br /><br />I only hope that we can now move forward to find common ground since there is so much work to be done!<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />Gerry ArmstrongSteve Sherlockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13070688297607895943noreply@blogger.com