Franklin Matters

Sunday, December 18, 2011

FHS Taxpayer costs

The full text of the letter from the School Building Committee to the Town Council on the cost to the Franklin taxpayers for the proposed new high school.

FHS Taxpayer Costs

You can also view and download this document here:
https://docs.google.com/open?id=1O2s0rg3lOHYVBE-ddEk-AibbXJwIx7pJQkBv_14HRlMXCsihkYR_4cwM-ZKA

Additional information on the new high school project can be found in this collection:
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/12/collection-high-school-building-project.html

Collection: high school building project

Photos of the last tour of the 'old' school building

In the News - Iraq War, teen sexting

Local soldiers recall bearing witness to Iraq War

by Ian B. Murphy/Daily News staff

Researchers caution alarm on teen "sexting" reports

by Michael Morton/Daily News staff

The article does not mention Franklin but the survey is one Franklin uses. The questions will be "did Franklin add this to the survey?" and "what did the survey reveal?"

Saturday, December 17, 2011

High School Project: Floor Plans

The floor plan and space summary comparing the existing Franklin High School to the new model school proposal as prepared by Ai3 Architects.

Proposed FHS Project: Space Summary

You can also find this document on the Franklin website here: (PDF)
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_BComm/School%20Building%20Committee%20Documents/FHS_.pdf

“It’s a fabulous program"

“I don’t do visual arts,” Franklin Arts Academy student Carissa Provuncher, 17, said of her concentration. “I do singing. You’re expanding your art, what you’re able to do. Even if you’re not that good at it, it’s still fun.”

The academy is part of Franklin High School and functions as a school within a school. Students take a yearlong arts class, several academic courses that integrate art into the curriculum and electives outside the academy.

“There’s really a great energy here,” said Nimmer, who has been holding similar workshops for years in colleges and high schools internationally. “You don’t always get that.”

His workshop is based on his book “Art from Intuition.”

Personal income tax rate resumes march downward

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

Personal income tax rate resumes march downward

via Commonwealth Conversations: Revenue by Robert Bliss on 12/16/11

Posted by:
Robert Bliss, Director of Communication, Department of Revenue

The Department of Revenue yesterday certified that the personal income tax rate will drop from 5.30 percent to 5.25 percent effective January 1, 2012. The savings to taxpayers will vary, but for most taxpayers it will be less than $40 and as little as $5 or $10 for those with smaller taxable incomes.

Despite the relatively small magnitude of the reduction, there is a lot of fiscal and politcal history behind it. The 0.05 percent decrease will mark the first decrease in the income tax rate in 10 years, and is the result of a legal process laid out in legislation approved in 2002.

That year, in the wake of both the dot com crash and the post-9/11 economic downturn, tax revenues in the Commonwealth fell and legislators scrambled to fill the gap. The House proposed to freeze the rate at 5.3 percent; it had been scheduled to drop to 5.0 percent effective Jan. 1, 2003, as a result of a voter referendum that had lowered the rate from 5.95 percent to 5.6 percent on Jan. 1, 2001 and to 5.3 percent on Jan. 1, 2002.

The Legislature wound up approving the freeze as well as a reduction in the value of personal exemptions for both single individuals and couples; the exemption dropped from $4,400 to $3,300 for individuals, and from $8,800 to $6,600 for couples.

In order to marshall legislative support for these tax increases, and to keep faith with voters who had approved the rate reduction to 5 percent, the legislature also created the process by which the personal exemptions would be restored to full value in four annual steps after which the income tax rate itself could resume its downward march.

The process involved a series of triggers and certifications. The first trigger; inflation adjusted baseline revenue growth had to exceed that of the previous fiscal year by 2.5 percent. But before final certification, revenues had to continue to remain steady, adjusted for inflation, over the months of September-November. If inflation adjusted revenue growth was not negative compared to the previous year in those months, the final certification for a rate reduction (or restoration of the personal exemption) would be issued no later than December 15.

That process was followed in the years subsequent to 2002, and the full value of the personal exemptions was restored in 2008 after four years of revenue growth.

But then the next and bigger revenue crash occurred in FY09, a year in which revenues fell more than $2.5 billion, removing the possibility of lowering the tax rate in accordance with the law.

It was not until FY11, which saw inflation adjusted revenue growth of 7.2 percent over FY10, followed by the required monthly certifications in the fall, that all requirements were met for the rate reduction that was announced yesterday.

Things you can do from here:

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In the News - Nutcracker, Humbug

PEDC to present ‘Nutcracker,' Dec. 17 and 18

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

FPAC presents Humbug! Dec. 17 and 18

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

Friday, December 16, 2011

High School Project - Updated pictures and November's monthly report

The news of the total cost of the high school project is now public. $104.5 million of which Franklin taxpayers would be responsible for $47 million. Assuming the MSBA approves the proposal and Franklin voters pass the debt exclusion to authorize the increase in taxes to pay for our share.

Updated photos depicting the architectural design of the model school for Franklin High School:

2011 11 FHS Monthly Report

Thanks to the Building Committee for sharing this information!

The informational forum held by the Building Committee on Nov 17th was recorded and is available for your listening pleasure here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/11/high-school-project-nov-17-2011-audio.html

Note: email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the document.

Kennedy Elementary 4th Grades help the Franklin Food Pantry

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Franklin Food Pantry, I want to send a great big" thank you" to the Kennedy 4th Graders! Your effort will help us feed our Franklin neighbors.

Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:

(title unknown)

via The Shiny Red Apple by Mrs. Williams-the big "A"pple on 12/15/11

Thanks to everyone who participated in the food drive for the Franklin FoodPantry. As a grade we collected 480 pounds of food and supplies, and a check for $20.00 which will provide 100 meals! Great job 4th graders

.

Things you can do from here:

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In the News - Charles River Trail

For the bicyclists who may use the Upper Charles River Trail in Milford, there is a section closed due to some contamination cleanup. The section will be closed through January, 2012.

Contamination cleanup to close Charles River Trail in Milford

by Brian Benson/Daily News staff

Thursday, December 15, 2011

"The cost to the town is expected to be $47 million"

The School Building Committee has come up with a pricetag for the proposed new high school: $104.5 million.

The committee submitted one of its final drafts of the school plan to the Massachusetts School Building Authority more than a week ago, and the authority is expected to accept or deny the plans by Jan. 25.

After that date, Franklin has 120 days to pass a debt exclusion to pay for the project.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/education/x1386885683/Estimate-for-new-Franklin-high-school-put-at-104-5-million#ixzz1gbFU6lPe

Related information from Open Forum about the High School Project held on Nov 17
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/11/high-school-project-nov-17-2011-audio.html

"Attendance last night was sparse"

Nutting said Public Works is short 12 positions from being fully staffed.

“It’s all about money,” Nutting said. “As far as limbs, you know what, we have no tree budget.”The workshop discussed ways to either save or bring in money, including using high school and college students for summer DPW work, which Nutting said the town does already, requiring user fees for publicly-owned fields, re-examining public employee benefits, and trying to attract more and higher-end businesses. “I am curious as to why we don’t have medium and above-grade restaurants here,” Whalen said. “The answer can’t be that we’re doomed by Taco Bells and Wendy’s.”

Benedetto suggested re-examining the development by-laws to see if businesses are being deterred either by town rules or the process the town imposes to develop land.

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x2140449791/Franklin-residents-councilors-air-concerns#ixzz1gbD3RR9G

I am disappointed in the poor participation. I was hoping there would be a better turn out. There may have been others like myself who had a work commitment that prevented their attendance.

With the Master Plan review coming up, this would be a good time to get involved and review the current bylaws affecting development. If you are interested, you can get in touch with the Town Administrators office to apply.

Related posts on the Master Plan
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/12/what-is-franklins-master-plan.html

http://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/12/live-reporting-license-renewals.html

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Town Council: Workshop - Weds, Dec 14

“It’s really a workshop to try and brainstorm about the community, get input from community members as to where their ideas are,” Town Council Vice Chairwoman Tina Powderly said. “It’s sort of an open session, a way to encourage and facilitate citizen participation.”

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1386885317/Franklin-Town-Council-wants-to-hear-from-residents#ixzz1gVRGXMdw

Details on tonight's session:

When: 7:00 PM Wednesday, Dec 14
Where: 3rd Floor Training Room, Municipal Bldg
What: Town Council to gather input from residents
Who: all Franklin residents

Open Meeting Law Workshop

The Open Meeting Law presentation document used to prepare the School Committee on the MA regulations.

Franklin School Committee: Open Meeting Law Training - 2011

View more presentations from Franklin Matters.

If you have trouble viewing the slideshow with this tool, you can also view a Google Docs version here
https://docs.google.com/open?id=1yWTROFORNeEo_Dn8xLTFNnpgba6_WBmzq4dpgmUceSHBBRfsCLGVSRE2mSru

Note: Email subscribers will need to click through to Franklin Matters to view the document