Frequently asked questions: "Can’t we keep using money from the stabilization fund"

Can’t we keep using money from the stabilization fund to get rid of our budget deficits?

No. Using one-time monies to pay for ongoing costs is what leads to deficits. The funds we have set aside now are the minimum we need to have on hand in the event of a disaster or serious emergency. If we use any more of this revenue to pay for annual costs, the money won’t exist to help the town through a crisis. And once the money is spent, how would the town continue to pay for important services year after year? If the town decided to use the entire $5 million rainy day fund in the town’s fiscal 2011 budget, how would it find that same amount when it came time to pay for the fiscal 2012 budget?

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:

1. Make your choice
2. 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:

• http://investinfranklin.weebly.com/index.html
• http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/override-page/
• http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/budget-override-collection-fy-2011.html

Franklin, MA

Frequently asked questions: "Will the override affect the Charter School?"

My children are in a Charter School. Will the override affect them?

Yes, Charter Schools are funded based on a per pupil expenditure. In other words, tuition for each Franklin student sent to a charter school is the same amount Franklin spends on education per student. So if Franklin spends on education per student than they would if the override passes, charter schools would also receive less tuition for each Franklin student that attends.

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:

1. Make your choice
2. 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:

• http://investinfranklin.weebly.com/index.html
• http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/override-page/
• http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/budget-override-collection-fy-2011.html

Franklin, MA

In the News - Art, Veterans

Flag-burning art decried in Franklin

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Joe O'Connell/Daily News staff

Franklin veterans remembered

from The Milford Daily News News RSS by Joe O'Connell/Daily News staff



Franklin, MA

Frequently asked questions: "The town officials have found money"

The town officials have found money in the past. They’ll find it again this time, won’t they?

Town and school leaders have done what they could to protect services for the community. The most critical issue facing Franklin is its dangerous reliance on state aid. We rank 1st out of 30 peer communities in the percent of town revenue that comes from state aid. But state aid is a revenue source over which we have no control. In fact, our over-reliance on state aid was cited by Moody’s Investors Service as a reason for downgrading Franklin’s bond rating in late 2009. The state aid we have come to rely on is estimated to decrease in the years ahead.


In the past, Franklin was able to protect core services by annually tapping into additional sources of revenue to avoid the need for property tax overrides. Those funding sources are no longer available. Franklin also has used legal settlement proceeds (which have been spent), incremental property tax revenue associated with rapid population growth (which has dried up almost completely), one-time revenues such as federal stimulus funds (which are set to expire after this year), and money from our emergency fund. We cannot continue to rely on one-time wind falls or state aid. It’s time to decide the type of community we are willing to fund as citizens and taxpayers.

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:

1. Make your choice
2. 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:

• http://investinfranklin.weebly.com/index.html
• http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/override-page/
• http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/budget-override-collection-fy-2011.html

Franklin, MA

Joint message on the June 8th special election

A joint message from Scott Mason, Town Council Chair; Jim Roche, Finance Committee Chair; and Jeffrey Roy, School Committee Chair to all the citizens of Franklin, MA:

Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io

How busy are the Police in Franklin?

If the three dispatchers do get cut, there is a chance that when you call 911 in the off hours instead of talking directly to someone, you will end up hearing a recording something like "You have reached the Franklin Police, please leave a message after the beep".

How busy are the police in Franklin? They post their Daily Log of activity, call by call each morning for the prior day. The weekends tend to be a shorter report; the week days a busier report.

Let's just pick Wednesday of this week for your review:
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Police/may2010/may252010.pdf

You can choose a daily log from the monthly selection here:
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Police/newlogs



Franklin, MA

Senator Karen E. Spilka Re-Election Reception & Food Pantry Collection

Senator Karen E. Spilka Re-Election Reception and Food Pantry Collection

Join us for a Reception & Food Pantry Collection* for Senator Karen E. Spilka, 2nd Middlesex and Norfolk District – Ashland, Framingham, Franklin, Holliston, Hopkinton, Medway, Natick
Chair, Economic Development and Emerging Technologies

Monday, June 7, 2010, 5:30-7:00 PM
at Ken’s Steakhouse, 95 Worcester Road, (Rt. 9), Framingham, MA 01701

Suggested Donation: $25 - $50 - $100 – but whatever you can contribute is accepted with appreciation!

*Please bring an item to donate to the food pantry *


Franklin, MA

Frequently asked questions: "What has the town done to try to eliminate waste and bring spending under control?"

What has the town done to try to eliminate waste and bring spending under control?


·   Streamlined operations


o Centralized administrative functions (e.g., facilities, HR, IT, accounting)


o Automated processes using information technology (e.g., payroll system)


·   Reduced employee benefits


o Increased employee medical co-pays, saving $200K per year


·   Increased volunteerism ( e.g., Senior Center reported 10,000 volunteer hours per year)


·   Enhanced revenue


o Residents passed a $2.7M override in 2007


o Leased space on water tanks for cell towers


o Increased fees for services (e.g., sports participation fees, bus service)


o Approved a 0.75% meals tax that will take effect in FY 2010


o Agreed to share recreation services and our library director with Medway


·   Spent cash reserves (e.g., used $7.5M 2005 to 2008)


·   Delayed repairs to the public way (e.g., roads and sidewalks)


·   Town and school employees agreed to defer pay increases in FY 2010


·   Reduced headcount


o Loss of more than 100 teaching positions


o Loss of 7 school administrative positions


o Loss of 32 municipal positions


·   Held the line on department recommendations to increase headcount. For example, the number of police officers remains the same today as in 1999, despite a 12% increase in town population and a two-fold increase in number of police calls.


The fundamental financial problems the town faces have not been caused by waste, but by Franklin’s rapid growth over the last two decades. That growth dramatically increased the need for services like professional, well-staffed police and fire departments, updated streets and sidewalks, sewers and water lines, additional recreational facilities, and better schools. But the town’s ability to raise revenue through property taxes is restricted by the state law, and fixed costs for things like contractual obligations, utilities and health insurance keep increasing.

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:

1. Make your choice
2. 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:

• http://investinfranklin.weebly.com/index.html
• http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/override-page/
• http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/budget-override-collection-fy-2011.html

Franklin, MA

Spruce Pond - Building Blue

The Charles River Watershed Association presentation on Monday evening (May 24) covered a study of the Spruce Pond area in Franklin. Spruce Pond is visible along King St and runs above ground behind Parmenter and portions eventually run in an underground culvert through the Fletcher St fields on their way to Mine Brook and eventually to the Charles River.

Background information on the project can be found on the CRWA page here
http://www.crwa.org/projects/blue_franklin.html

The map above outlines in the yellowish lines the area of the study along Spruce Pond and related streams.

Some of the work scheduled to be done this summer as Wachusetts St is rebuilt will include some waste water treatment on the grounds of the Parmenter School. Some of the run off from the street will flow into a rain garden on the grassy area in front of the school.

-------
Yes, the meeting was broadcast but the recording failed so it is not available for review. The presentation document is available here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/06/spruce-pond-building-blue-presentation.html


Franklin, MA

Sir Ken Robinson on education

For something inspiring, view the following video clip:



If you missed the original TED Talk from Ken Robinson, you can find it here:
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2009/01/creativity-should-be-priority.html

Franklin, MA