On March 27 Franklin taxpayers should Vote No to the proposed extravagant, wasteful, and expensive 104.5 million dollar high school.
Proponents say Franklin residents will only have to pay half of that — but the fact is the project hasn’t even been put out to bid yet.
The ballot question does not give any specific dollar amount it is asking voters to agree to. Here is how it reads:
Shall the Town of Franklin be allowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition two-and-one-half, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued in order to construct a new high school, to be located at 218 Oak Street, and for the payment of all other costs incidental and related thereto?
Proponents deny the meaning of the plain English of the ballot and say it doesn’t matter because it is only the binding resolution with specific numbers that is important.
Trouble is that the binding resolution also says in plain English:
…any project costs the Town of Franklin incurs in excess…shall be the sole responsibility of the Town of Franklin.
That is to say, the sole responsibility of the Franklin taxpayer who will pay the bill. The bottom line is that the state has wisely limited its exposure to cost overruns in this transaction while there is no similar protection for the Franklin taxpayer.
Some don’t care what the cost is and by their way of thinking the more it costs the better because (I take them at their word), they think it will raise their property values. It is these same big spending people who will be in charge of overseeing the project.
So “Buyer Beware” on this one. Personally I’m voting No. I won’t be giving a blank check to big spenders.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Exciting Changes coming to Foxboro, Franklin, & North Attleboro
FROM
VISION
TO REALITY
EXCITING CHANGES COMING TO FOXBORO, FRANKLIN & NORTH ATTLEBORO!
Invensys Foxboro Branch
Thanks to the early success of the Campaign to build the Spier Family Outdoor Aquatic Center, we have broken ground!
A committed group of Y volunteers led by Jeff Dufficy, Greg Spier, Danielle Fish and Jay Barrows have raised $647,000 toward the project cost of $913,000, leaving a balance of $266,000 to raise in the next six weeks.
Included in this amount is a $250,000 Challenge Grant from Alex and Sonja Spier. For information on how you can help us meet the Spier Family Challenge, please contact Peter Waisgerber at peterw@hockymca.org.
Positive changes are also coming to Franklin and North Attleboro this April!
Bernon Family and North Attleboro Branches
Exciting changes are in store at our Bernon Family and North Attleboro Branches!
This April we have new state of the art equipment coming to both branches. This dynamic cardio and strength training equipment will be a tremendous enhancement to our health and wellness areas. A complete listing along with photos and videos of the equipment will be shared next week and leading up to installation.
Installation will take place during school vacation week. We ask for your patience and understanding as our installation occurs.
The Bernon Family Branch Health and Wellness Center will be closed for 2 days starting April 16th, 8:00am - April 18th, 5:15am.
Installation will take place during school vacation week. We ask for your patience and understanding as our installation occurs. The Bernon Family Branch Health and Wellness Center will be closed for 2 days starting April 16th, 8:00am - April 18th, 5:15am.
In addition to new equipment, the North Attleboro Branch will also be receiving a brand new wellness floor and HVAC system. The North Attleboro Health and Wellness Center will be closed starting April 16th, 8:00am - Sunday April 22nd.
Group Exercise classes and Family Events will continue at each branch during this time. In addition, please feel free to visit our Invensys Foxboro Branch Health and Wellness Center during your branch's construction.
I know you will be as excited as we are when all of these changes are complete and we are able to improve your Y experience. For additional information, please call Kimberly Cohen, Sr. Director of Health and Wellness at 508.772.1310.
Thank you for being part of our Y Family!
Sincerely,
Your Friends at the Hockomock Area YMCA
www.hockymca.org
facebook.com/hockomockareaymca| Click to view this email in a browser |
| Hockomock Area YMCA 300 Elmwood St North Attleboro, 02760 US Read the VerticalResponse marketing policy. |  |
Friday, March 23, 2012
New MassBudget Video Discusses Education Funding in Massachusetts
MassBudget has re-done their website and introduced a new report. The report is summarized with an 8 minute video. What has this got to do with Franklin?
Our school budget is half the overall Franklin budget. Over the past several years, the per pupil spending across the categories that the State watches has dropped below the state average. With the proposal for the new high school taking front and center stage for conversation in the last couple of weeks, how Franklin will budget for the schools next year has not been discussed. The "No" voters are worried about the maintenance budget when they probably should be more worried about the overall budget.
The new high school (if approved) may come with 6 more class rooms but if the budget continues to get cut, will there be enough teachers to fill those class rooms?
The point of this video and report from MassBudget is to highlight that the state funding formula that doesn't fully cover the increased costs in health and special ed. Franklin's school budget is directly affected by those factors. You can go back to any of the last several years of budgets and the cost drivers are exactly that.
What does this do to the 'average' student? It reduces their educational opportunity. Those under special education plans are covered with services that by law, Franklin must provide. So when the budget gets tight, the average student and the advanced students will suffer.
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Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108
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“This is fitting for his retirement”
The Milford Daily News reports on the retirement party of former Chief of Police Stephen Williams which was held Thursday night.
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x221201081/A-hearty-sendoff-for-Franklin-Chief-Williams#ixzz1pvoXZTas
Williams retired in December after nearly 40 years with the Franklin Police Department, and eight of those years as chief.
The chief grew up in Franklin — he went through the public school system, got his associate’s degree at Dean College, and worked his way through the ranks in the Police Department, earning him the respect of law enforcement personnel in surrounding towns, in addition to his own.
“I worked with Steve a long time,” Bellingham Police Chief Gerard Daigle said. “He’s a great guy, and I wish him a great retirement.”
Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x221201081/A-hearty-sendoff-for-Franklin-Chief-Williams#ixzz1pvoXZTas
DOR mobile app now available from Apple and Google
An app from the DOR? At least it is available for both Apple and Google but really did we need this?
Sent to you by Steve Sherlock via Google Reader:
via Commonwealth Conversations: Revenue by Robert Bliss on 3/22/12
The Department of Revenue has produced, in-house, a new mobile smartphone app that allows taxpayers to check the status of their refund, file for an extension and make an estimated payment, take corrective action should a refund be held up, and keep up with DOR alerts and video.
In a press release issued today, DOR Commissioner Amy Pitter said that "DOR wants to engage and communicate with taxpayers in the easiest and most direct manner possible, and for many taxpayers, that means their smartphones which are already a center for commerce and personal business."
The release includes links to Apple and Google where the app can be downloaded at no cost. No other state revenue department offers a similar app with the same level of functionality.
Pitter said she was "proud of the development work for this app that was done by DOR's Information Services Organization Web and Mobile Team," and noted that the groundwork had been laid for more apps in the future.
DOR's homepage features a story complete with screenshots of the new app.
In a press release issued today, DOR Commissioner Amy Pitter said that "DOR wants to engage and communicate with taxpayers in the easiest and most direct manner possible, and for many taxpayers, that means their smartphones which are already a center for commerce and personal business."
The release includes links to Apple and Google where the app can be downloaded at no cost. No other state revenue department offers a similar app with the same level of functionality.
Pitter said she was "proud of the development work for this app that was done by DOR's Information Services Organization Web and Mobile Team," and noted that the groundwork had been laid for more apps in the future.
DOR's homepage features a story complete with screenshots of the new app.
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