Franklin Matters: override

Showing posts with label override. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

More 'Yes' than 2008, but not enough

In comparison to the 2008 failed override, there was a gain in Yes votes and less No votes as the margin narrowed.

In 2008, the override failed by a vote of 4290 to 3382.
In 2010, the override failed by a vote of 4143 to 3820.

Precinct	Yes Chg	No Chg
1	103	-26
2	22	-27
3	74	-22
4	42	-23
5	58	-7
6	52	-33
7	60	-29
8	7	20
	418	-147

A comparison of the 2010 to 2007 and 2010 to 2008 is shown below:

Franklin, MA

Override fails by 323

7966 voters cast their ballots, 4143 against and only 3820 for the override hence failing by 323 votes. (Yes, 3 people went to vote but their ballot did not count. Either they did not fill in the circle one way or another or they filled in both circles.)

Precinct	Yes	No	Blank	Totals
1	491	512	0	1003
2	402	505	2	909
3	300	631	1	932
4	610	538	0	1148
5	413	464	0	877
6	395	520	0	915
7	697	431	0	1128
8	512	542	0	1054
	3820	4143	3	7966

Franklin, MA

Franklin, MA: Vote June 8th

All the discussion on the pros and cons has lead to this day

It is time to vote

Go to the high school field house between 6:00 AM and 8:00 PM

to cast your ballot

Monday, June 7, 2010

Budget - Override Collection - FY 2011

The following links provide access to information on the budget for Fiscal Year 2011

Additional items will be added here as they are found/prepared.

If you are looking for something in particular regarding the budget and don't find it, please let me know.

Letter from Scott Mason, Town Council Chairman

Letter from Ed Cafasso

Hi everyone,

Over the past few weeks, many of my friends and neighbors have asked good questions about this Tuesday’s override vote. I wanted to share some of those with you in the hopes that it will help you to vote “Yes” when the polls open at the Field House on Tuesday.

But before I do I want to address two items that appeared in the local newspaper recently. In one letter to the editor, a resident said he said was tired of supporting “assistants to assistants” in the schools. There is no such thing. This belief represents baseless ignorance. Franklin spends far below the state average on administration in our schools. In fact, we spend below the state average in every category of school investment.

Another prominent resident claimed that citizens are afraid to express their views about the override for fear that their children would be punished in the schools. This is either an outrageous lie or a convenient rationalization. I have been active in the schools since 1998, and I have been involved in every override since. I have never ever heard of a single such incident. I have never even heard a rumor of such an incident. The resident who made this statement owes our schools either the proof to support the claim or a candid apology.

And now for some of the thoughtful questions that I have heard in my travels…

What is the relationship between the override vote and the planned renovation of Franklin High? There is none. The override would deliver an additional $3 million to the town’s operating budget, including $1.8 million for the schools. The override is designed to close a revenue shortfall. The FHS renovation is a capital project. Later in 2011, voters will be asked to give the town permission to borrow money for the work, like a mortgage. The state will reimburse approximately half the cost for the FHS project, and the cost of the borrowing will not show up on tax bills for three or four years.

Where’s the proof that the schools need these funds? Things seem fine? The Franklin schools are indeed high performing and tremendously efficient. That’s exactly why you should support the override as an investment. The lack of financial support for the schools is like termites living undetected in a house. The truth is that we have eliminated 100 teachers and seven administrators in the past five years. Class sizes have gone up. Kids with learning challenges are getting less personal attention. Teachers are getting less professional development. New fees have been created and existing fees have gone up. Our hardworking school employees are doing their best to hold back the tide, but the odds are against them over time unless we help now.

I am senior citizen on a fixed income. I can’t afford this, and why should I support the schools? My kids are grown and gone. The number one investment for any citizen of Franklin, young or old, is their home. And the best way to protect and strengthen the value of your home is to protect the quality of services in your community – police, fire, schools, public works, etc. If you are a senior, think about how the community helped pay for the public education your children received. Think about what will happen to the value of your home if the quality of services here continues to suffer from lack of investment.

Is there any guarantee that the Town Council will deliver $1.8 million from the override amount to the schools? Yes, their word. The council is publicly committed to that amount for the next two years. As you know, many councilors are actively campaigning for the override. There is no legal way to guarantee what happens when a new council takes office in two years, but history shows that the schools have received tremendous support from the Council. With the exception of one year when state aid was delivered late, well into the fiscal year, the schools have always received all of the state funds designated for education, as well as substantial revenues from property taxes..

Why should I add to my property taxes? Doesn’t it just make more sense to pay more in fees? Your property taxes are tax deductible. Fees are not. On a pre-tax basis, the proposed override will cost the average taxpayer $254 per year, about 70 cents per day, based on the average property assessment of $368,000 in Franklin. Passage of the ballot question would add 69 cents to the tax rate, or $.69 per $1,000 of the assessed value of your home. If the override fails, some athletic fees will increase more than the average annual tax cost of the override!

Where can I get more information about the override?

An excellent brochure has been developed that attempts to answer common questions and provides a chart of what services will be affected by the outcome of the override vote. You can view and download the brochure at: http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/override-brochure/

Up-to-date information and links on financial and academic issues, particularly from a school perspective, are available at: http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/override-page/

Concerned citizens who support passage of the override have formed a group called “Invest in Franklin.” You can visit the Invest in Franklin web site for additional information at: http://investinfranklin.weebly.com.

You can visit and join the Invest in Franklin group page on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2265200218&ref=ts

A Facebook event page has been created as a reminder about the June 8 vote. You can view it here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=118040221563289

My personal view is that Tuesday offers you a modest opportunity to invest in your community. No one agrees with every decision the town makes, but I am convinced, based on my years of involvement in town government and the schools, that Franklin is exceptionally well run, well intentioned and very efficient. Franklin lives within its means, provides a great quality of life, and does what it needs to maintain public property.

The outcome of this override has implications for all the essential services on which you and your family rely. In my mind, a “Yes” vote represents a well-deserved, very modest investment in the schools, police, fire, public works and library services that support my family, my friends and neighbors, and my property value.

Your town and schools need your help. I hope you will join me in supporting the override. Every vote is needed. Passage is by no means certain. Please do your civic duty on Tuesday and encourage all of your fellow citizens to do the same.

This e-mail reflects my opinion alone and is provided as a constituent service. Be on the look-out for an update soon on the great progress being made around the FHS renovation project.

As always, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions. If you are receiving duplicate e-mails or if you no longer wish to receive these e-mails, please let me know and I will remove you from the distribution list. If you know of someone you would like to add to the list, please send along their e-mail address.

Thank you!

Ed Cafasso, Member
Franklin School Committee
edcafasso@comcast.net

Franklin, MA

Sunday, June 6, 2010

In the Globe - override

At a budget forum late last month, Town Councilor Joseph McGann said that he would not be supporting the override proposal, and that he would support raising taxes only “when I feel as though every dollar is being accounted for efficiently.

“I’m not saying ‘waste,’ ’’ he said, but “I continue to say there is some fat in some of the budgets.’’

Read the full article in the Boston Globe West section of the Sunday edition:
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/franklin/articles/2010/06/06/franklin_upton_concord_voters_face_decisions_on_tax_increases_tuesday/

Franklin, MA

Frequently asked questions: the full listing

Frequently Asked Questions: (each line is a link to the question and answer)

If there is another question you would like answered, please ask.

Franklin, MA

Frequently asked questions: "Is it true that we have too many overpaid administrators?"

People tell me that our schools cost too much money, and that we have too many overpaid administrators. Is that true?

Based on statistics maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Franklin pays less than half of the state average for administrative and labor costs. The statistics for all 11 categories of education spending are included below:

According to Massachusetts Department of Education, more than 85 percent of the K-12 districts in the state spend more per pupil than Franklin. Franklin’s per pupil spending is the third lowest among its 30 peer communities. The per pupil expenditure for children in Franklin’s “regular day” school programs (which excludes Special Education) has lagged well behind the state average for the last 5 years, according to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. In fiscal 2008, Franklin spent $9,751 per pupil in these programs -- $2,702 less per pupil than the statewide average of $12,453.

One of a series to address frequently asked questions
http://investinfranklin.weebly.com/faq-part-1.html

------------

The special election on June 8th gives Franklin voters the choice:

Increase taxes to continue to provide the services we have this year (and that does not restore any of the services already cut)

Or

Continue to cut municipal services for all and cut educational opportunities for our children

I'll help to provide the information. You need to do two things:

Make your choice
Vote on June 8th

You get bonus points if you talk with your neighbors about this and get them to vote!

Additional information on the override can be found here:

Franklin, MA

Frequently asked questions: "Why have my taxes gone up so much in the last four years?"

If Proposition 2½ says my property taxes can’t go up more than 2.5% per year, why have they gone up so much in the last four years?

Proposition 2½ does not say that your taxes cannot go up more than 2.5% each year. It says that the total amount of money the town raises from property taxes cannot increase by more than 2.5% a year plus new growth.

The reason some residential tax bills have increased significantly over the few years is because the market value of some homes– probably your family’s most important investment – has increased. This is due in part because Franklin is perceived to have good municipal services, strong public safety, convenient businesses and top quality schools, and, hence, Franklin is considered a great place to live. Our assessed and fair market property values reflect that market perception.

Notwithstanding the appreciated values referenced above, some residential property owners have, in fact, experienced a flattening or even a decrease in the assessed value of their homes in recent years due to the macroeconomic environment. And, keep in mind that commercial and industrial property is assessed based on income, so the value of those assessments has been stagnant due to the economic downturn that affected the business community.

While the total amount of revenue the town can raise from property taxes can only increase by law, by 2.5% each year, how much money each property in the town contributes to the total amount can change based on changes in its respective assessed and/or fair market value.

One of a series to address frequently asked questions
http://investinfranklin.weebly.com/faq-part-1.html

------------

The special election on June 8th gives Franklin voters the choice:

Increase taxes to continue to provide the services we have this year (and that does not restore any of the services already cut)

Or

Continue to cut municipal services for all and cut educational opportunities for our children

I'll help to provide the information. You need to do two things:

Make your choice
Vote on June 8th

You get bonus points if you talk with your neighbors about this and get them to vote!

Additional information on the override can be found here:

Franklin, MA

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Frequently asked questions: "Why should the community support the school budget?"

Why should the community support the school budget?

The commitment to educate our children is a commitment that the residents of Franklin have long supported. Horace Mann, the father of public education and integral to Franklin’s historical legacy stated, “Education then, beyond all devices of human origin, is the equalizer of conditions of men, the great balance wheel of the social machinery”.

The School Committee, administration and staff developed a fiscally responsible budget that promotes student achievement, protects core programs and is respectful of the current economic climate. The FY 2011 proposed budget requests a 3.89% increase to maintain level services. We have used grants, stimulus and revolving funds to reduce the budget gap and we are requesting what we needed to maintain the program we currently have in place for our students.

Having strong and vital schools is important for every community. Those who advocate for greater investment in education often make the economic argument: more education leads to higher wages and is critical for financial stability and independence. They’re right. Robust evidence supports the view that higher levels of educational attainment are linked to higher incomes, less unemployment, less poverty, and less reliance on public assistance.

More education is also linked to better physical and mental health, longer lives, fewer crimes, less incarceration, more voting, greater tolerance, and brighter prospects for the next generation. More education is good for individuals who stay in school to earn their high school degree or who enter and graduate college, but it is also good for all of us, paying big dividends in the form of increased civic engagement, greater neighborhood safety, and a healthy, vibrant democracy.

One of a series to address frequently asked questions
http://investinfranklin.weebly.com/faq-part-1.html

------------

The special election on June 8th gives Franklin voters the choice:

Increase taxes to continue to provide the services we have this year (and that does not restore any of the services already cut)

Or

Continue to cut municipal services for all and cut educational opportunities for our children

I'll help to provide the information. You need to do two things:

Make your choice
Vote on June 8th

You get bonus points if you talk with your neighbors about this and get them to vote!

Additional information on the override can be found here:

Franklin, MA

Frequently asked questions: "Will the override solve all of our fiscal problems?"

Will the override solve all of our fiscal problems?

Unfortunately, it will not. However, it will balance our budget this fiscal year. It is estimated that next year’s budget may require as much as an additional $6 million in revenue for fiscal 2011 to maintain level services. This is due largely to the anticipated decrease in state and federal aid that have been received in each of the last two fiscal years.

Going forward, Franklin will need to confront the fact that basic municipal and school expenses continue to outstrip its ability to raise new revenue from property taxes. There will be other community needs, like the eventual renovation of Franklin High School, repairs to roads and sidewalk, and the town’s unfunded retiree health care, as well as annual increases in fixed costs for insurance, contractual obligations and utilities.

One of a series to address frequently asked questions
http://investinfranklin.weebly.com/faq-part-2.html

------------

The special election on June 8th gives Franklin voters the choice:

Increase taxes to continue to provide the services we have this year (and that does not restore any of the services already cut)

Or

Continue to cut municipal services for all and cut educational opportunities for our children

I'll help to provide the information. You need to do two things:

Make your choice
Vote on June 8th

You get bonus points if you talk with your neighbors about this and get them to vote!

Additional information on the override can be found here:

Franklin, MA

In the News - graduation, override, drinking water

Franklin grads ready for the future
from The Milford Daily News News RSS by By Ashley Studley, DAILY NEWS STAFF

Franklin override opponents speak out
from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

Franklin drinking water safe after E.coli found in ground water

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

Franklin, MA

Friday, June 4, 2010

Frequently asked questions: "Has Franklin really laid off any teachers?"

Have you really laid off any teachers?

The tables below reflect, over a 10 year period, the increase in Franklin’s student population and the associated decrease in its teaching population. At its peak in 2005, Franklin had 517 teachers. Since that time, Franklin has eliminated more than 100 teachers. These staffing cuts have taken place at the same time Franklin has experienced increasing student enrollments, resulting in larger class sizes. That is a worrisome trend and is not a good long term indicator for positive educational results.

You can obtain additional historical teaching figures in Franklin at the following blog post:http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/2008/05/17/information-on-teachers-in-franklin/.

One of a series to address frequently asked questions
http://investinfranklin.weebly.com/faq-part-1.html

------------

The special election on June 8th gives Franklin voters the choice:

Increase taxes to continue to provide the services we have this year (and that does not restore any of the services already cut)

Or

Continue to cut municipal services for all and cut educational opportunities for our children

I'll help to provide the information. You need to do two things:

Make your choice
Vote on June 8th

You get bonus points if you talk with your neighbors about this and get them to vote!

Additional information on the override can be found here:

Franklin, MA

Frequently asked questions: "When would the impact of an override take effect in Franklin?"

When would the impact of an override take effect in Franklin?

The June 2010 override ballot question would apply to the fiscal 2011 budget. That is, the override would take effect on July 1, 2010. However, the increase in taxes would not show up until the third quarter tax bill which is mailed at the end of December and due by February 1, 2011.

What is my tax rate now and how does it compare to surrounding communities?

Franklin employs a single tax rate for both commercial property tax payers and residential property tax payers and that rate is currently 12.03 per thousand dollars of assessed property value. Fourteen of our thirty peer towns employ split, or dual property tax rates, one for residential payers and a higher rate for commercial payers. Set forth below is a chart in descending order which shows how Franklin’s $12.03 single property tax rate compares to our 15 other peer towns that employ a single property tax rate. Franklin also happens to have a lower property tax rate than most of our 14 peer towns that employ a split tax rate.

Town	2010Tax Rate
Sharon	17.92
Westborough	16.98
Holliston	16.31
Medway	16.29
Hopkinton	15.76
Chelmsford	15.15
Northborough	14.38
Medfield	14.24
Southborough	14.06
Average	13.95
Reading	13.75
Millis	13.64
Franklin	12.03
Natick	11.67
Foxborough	10.91
North Attleborough	10.44
Shrewsbury	9.68

One of a series to address frequently asked questions
http://investinfranklin.weebly.com/faq-part-1.html

------------

The special election on June 8th gives Franklin voters the choice:

Increase taxes to continue to provide the services we have this year (and that does not restore any of the services already cut)

Or

Continue to cut municipal services for all and cut educational opportunities for our children

I'll help to provide the information. You need to do two things:

Make your choice
Vote on June 8th

You get bonus points if you talk with your neighbors about this and get them to vote!

Additional information on the override can be found here:

Franklin, MA

Franklin Matters

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

More 'Yes' than 2008, but not enough

Override fails by 323

Franklin, MA: Vote June 8th

Monday, June 7, 2010

Budget - Override Collection - FY 2011

Letter from Ed Cafasso

Sunday, June 6, 2010

In the Globe - override

Frequently asked questions: the full listing

Frequently asked questions: "Is it true that we have too many overpaid administrators?"

Frequently asked questions: "Why have my taxes gone up so much in the last four years?"

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Frequently asked questions: "Why should the community support the school budget?"

Frequently asked questions: "Will the override solve all of our fiscal problems?"

In the News - graduation, override, drinking water

Franklin grads ready for the future
from The Milford Daily News News RSS by By Ashley Studley, DAILY NEWS STAFF

Franklin grads ready for the future

Franklin override opponents speak out
from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

Franklin override opponents speak out

Franklin drinking water safe after E.coli found in ground water

Friday, June 4, 2010

Frequently asked questions: "Has Franklin really laid off any teachers?"

Frequently asked questions: "When would the impact of an override take effect in Franklin?"

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Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Monday, June 7, 2010

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Franklin grads ready for the futurefrom The Milford Daily News News RSS by By Ashley Studley, DAILY NEWS STAFF

Franklin override opponents speak outfrom The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff

Friday, June 4, 2010

GA4

Franklin grads ready for the future
from The Milford Daily News News RSS by By Ashley Studley, DAILY NEWS STAFF

Franklin override opponents speak out
from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Ashley Studley/Daily News staff