"Our human resources are our most important asset"

The Milford Daily News reported on the School Committee budget review on Tuesday in part as follows:

School Committee Vice Chairwoman Sue Rohrbach commended Goodman and other administrators for presenting a clear, well-developed budget. 

"Every year we have a budget presentation … and you walk away saying, ‘We should have done this a little differently,’" Rohrback said. "But this is the first year where I think we really hit the nail on the head." 

Sabolinski said officials built the budget conservatively, attuned to the state of the town’s "economic climate." 

"We are calling this a level-service budget," she said. "This is our third consecutive year of not reducing any teacher positions."

Read more: http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x1433795577/Franklin-School-Committee-reviews-FY-14-budget#ixzz2NPZu3P6k

The detailed budget package can be found here.
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/03/fy-2014-franklin-public-schools.html

The school budget will move to be reviewed by the Finance Committee in a budget hearing on Thursday, March 14 before moving to the Town Council for their budget hearing and final approval. The budget needs to be approved by Jun 30 and will begin with the new fiscal year July 1, 2013.

The current budget hearing schedule for the Finance Committee (Wed Mar 13 and Thu Mar 14)
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/03/spring-green-for-budget-season.html

Note the fiscal year (FY) is usually referred to with the year ending in Jun. So this current budget is called FY 2013. The new budget for next year is called FY 2014 because it begins July 2013 and ends in June 2014.

"Franklin faces Wilmington on Sunday afternoon at the TD Garden"

Hockomock Sports has the write up for the Franklin Panthers hockey win to bring them to the State title game on Sunday.

The Franklin Panthers will be moving to Division 1 next year, so they made sure to leave D2 as they have spent each of the past two seasons – on top. 

Franklin scored inside the opening 30 seconds of the game and went on to win its third straight D2 South sectional title with a 3-1 victory over the Oliver Ames Tigers. This was also the fourth straight year that Franklin has eliminated OA from the postseason.

Read the full article here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/1/post/2013/03/three-peat-complete-for-the-panthers.html

MassBudget: tax fairness + revenue proposal options

MassBudget    Information.    Participation.  Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center    Democracy. Revenue Options and Tax Fairness To fund new investments in education and transportation--and prevent cuts to other vital areas--the Governor has proposed a tax plan that would 1) raise significant new revenue and 2) increase the fairness of our tax system. These two features of the Governor's plan are the subject of two new MassBudget factsheets. The first, "Possible Reforms to the Governor's Tax Plan," analyzes four options that would raise roughly the same amount of revenue as the Governor's proposal without eliminating personal income tax deductions. The Governor's plan eliminates a number of these personal income tax deductions--many of which are popular and serve legitimate policy goals. Currently, the tax system in Massachusetts is regressive, meaning that low and middle-income people pay a larger share of their income in state and local taxes than high-income people. "Examining Tax Fairness," our second new factsheet, describes the various causes of this imbalance. In addition to these new factsheets, MassBudget has also updated "Effects of Raising Rates and Exemptions on the State Income Tax," an analysis of a proposed tax reform plan would would raise the state's income tax to 5.95%, increase the personal deduction, and set a single tax rate of 8.95% for all investment income. Read POSSIBLE REFORMS TO THE GOVERNOR'S TAX PLAN Read EXAMINING TAX FAIRNESS Read EFFECTS OF RAISING RATES AND EXEMPTIONS ON THE STATE INCOME TAX The Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget) produces policy research, analysis, and data-driven recommendations focused on improving the lives of low- and middle-income children and adults, strengthening our state's economy, and enhancing the quality of life in Massachusetts. MASSACHUSETTS BUDGET AND POLICY CENTER 15 COURT SQUARE, SUITE 700 BOSTON, MA 02108

Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center | 15 Court Square | Suite 700 | Boston | MA | 02108

In the News: free ride, readiness defined, Senate candidates, anti-casino

Free tolls on the Mass Pike Friday

by Staff reports

Drivers on the Massachusetts Turnpike this Friday will get a break on some tolls thanks to Cumberland Farms, the company said today.

State education boards develop new post-high school readiness definition

by Staff reports

The state’s Board of Higher Education Tuesday voted to accept a new definition of post-high school readiness, encompassing skills and qualities ranging from reading comprehension to the ability to receive direction and criticism in the workplace.

Republican Senate candidates talk gun control, sequester at Stonehill College forum

by Alex Bloom

The three Republican candidates for U.S. Senate looked calm and composed as they appeared for the first time together in an issues forum at Stonehill College.    Former U.S. Navy SEAL Gabriel Gomez, of Cohasset , State Rep. Dan Winslow, of Norfolk, and former U.S. Attorney Michael Sullivan, of Abington,  exchanged few blows and appeared prepared for tough issues as they talked about personal issues, gun control, the federal budget, and immigration.

Milford anti-casino group to host forum at Holliston middle school

by Joe O'Connell/Daily News staff

In an effort to educate residents on the work it takes to challenge a proposed casino development, a Milford group is hosting a forum Thursday at Holliston's Robert Adams Middle School.

Spring green for the budget season

Doesn't exactly feel like spring with so much snow around. It is March. The Ides of March approach on Friday. St Patrick's Day on Sunday. There should be lots of green around this weekend.

Community garden bed

There will be green on the minds for some Franklin discussions this week beginning with the School Committee meeting Tuesday evening. The school budget is proposed to be $54,307,969 an increase of $1,597,969 or 3.03% over the current year budget.

The full set of budget documents for the school budget can be found here
http://www.franklinmatters.org/2013/03/fy-2014-franklin-public-schools.html

The Finance Committee opens its series of budget hearing with meetings on Weds and Thurs. Both nights beginning at 7:00 PM in the Council Chambers on the 2nd Floor of the Municipal building.

I find the Finance Committee budget hearings to greatly insightful. They tend to be more collegial and more informational than the Town Council budget hearings (sorry Councilors!). If you really want to find out what goes into the budget, the interviews with each of the department managers during the series of budget hearings, I think is the very best time to do so. I learn so much from each of these sessions.


Budget Hearing (3/13/13)

Assessors - 141             A-10
Board of Health - 510    E-1
Public Health - 525         E-6
Planning - 175                A-40
COA - 541                    E-7
Recreation - 630            F-7
Town Council - 111       A-1
Town Admin - 123        A-2
Fin Comm - 131            A-4
Comptroller - 135          A-5
Treasurer - 147             A-14
Legal - 151                   A-21
Central Services - 196  A-53

Action Items (3/14/13)

Request for Funds: Pedestrian Safety Signal - Parmenter School $35,000
Request for Funds: Del Carte Recreation Improvements $395,000

Budget Hearing

Inspection - 240                  B-67
Appeals - 177                     A-39
Police - 210                         B-1
Parking Meters - 293           B-74
DPW - 422                          D-1
Streetlights                          D-21
Enterprise Funds                 H-1
School Dept - 300               C-1
Information Systems - 155   A-30

The full agenda for the FinCom meeting on Wednesday
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczQnhKQ2pzN29Jdjg/edit?usp=sharing

The full agenda for the FinCom meeting on Thursday
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczeHhORXRxbHRsTjQ/edit?usp=sharing

Rail Trail Committee meeting: 7:00 PM - YMCA

From the Franklin and Bellingham Rail Trail Committee email I find:

The Franklin and Bellingham Rail Trail Committee will have a meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 7:30 pm at the Franklin YMCA.  Attached is the agenda and minutes from the last meeting.   

Some items that we will be discussing include details for our upcoming road race (Saturday, May 11, 2013), other potential trail events, and a review of our strategic plan.

The full agenda for the meeting Tuesday evening can be found here (yes, the date on the PDF file says this is for Feb 12 but in comparison to the original Feb 12 agenda, this has been updated and different - with the exception of the date).

You have two choices to run a road race in Franklin on May 11

The Rail Trail 5k
http://www.franklinbellinghamrailtrail.org/3rd-annual-road-race

The Elks 5k
http://www.franklinelks5k.com/

In the News: casino, baby shower

Franklin to examine Milford casino proposal

by Matt Tota/Daily News staff

Town leaders have agreed to host serious discussions over the Crossroads Massachusetts Milford casino proposal, which has steadily gained steam and opposition.

St. Mary’s plans annual Baby Shower, donations sought

by GateHouse Media, Inc.

St. Mary’s Parish in Franklin is hosting their annual Baby Shower March 16 and 17 at the church.