Franklin Fourth fete has fresh features
Franklin, MA
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While athletic and academic prowess usually get the most attention, music provides a different method of learning — fostering creativity, innovation, and teamwork toward a common goal, supporters say.Read the full article in the Boston Globe West Section here
“It’s through music and the arts that we tell the human story,’’ said Bill Pappazisis, the fine and performing arts director for the Belmont schools.
The National Association of Music Merchants surveyed teachers and administrators to distinguish 174 districts and schools in 30 states. Each school was selected based on criteria including funding, the amount of staff and their credentials, student participation and career paths, curriculum, facilities, and public support.
The functions of these programs differ widely, but they all share one remarkable feature. The taxpayer dollars were not wrenched from the pockets of the Commonwealth’s residents. Instead, thousands of Bay Staters checked off boxes on their income tax returns opting to contribute to the funds. These people paid, in other words, what sounds like the ultimate oxymoron: voluntary taxes.
Though voluntary tax programs could never generate enough money to run a state, more people chip in than you might expect (more, that is, than none). And according to some enthusiasts, we could be doing more to capitalize on this surprising willingness to give. Voluntary taxes, these thinkers say, offer a politically palatable way to raise additional revenue and perhaps even to strengthen Americans’ sense of patriotism and citizenship. And in the current political and fiscal climate, lawmakers are frankly desperate for creative solutions.and this from a study referenced by the article
The authors concluded that dislike of taxes may be not just a matter of reluctance to part with our money, or mistrust of the government: It may be largely about the lack of control over where exactly our money goes.I think too little is paid to this particular aspect of control. Several of the comments on the Milford Daily News pages mentioned this lack of specifics as to where the money was to be used. Even though the authorization from the Town Council was for the $3 million to be divided with $1.8 M for the schools, $300,000 for the Town and $900,000 for road repair, the question on the ballot per state guidelines was phrased as:
Shall the Town of Franklin be allowed to assess an additional $3,000,000.00 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purpose of the operating budget for which monies from this assessment will be used for the fiscal year beginning July 1, two thousand and ten?Indeed, the article does go on to say
... it seems that giving taxpayers some control over the funds is key. The University of Texas economists found that when subjects were permitted to earmark their donations, contributions more than doubled.Read the full article in the Boston Globe Ideas section here:
New Trash and Recycling Carts
Your new trash and recycling carts are currently being
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PLEASE DO NOT USE THE NEW TRASH AND RECYCLING CARTS UNTIL JULY 1
Thank you.
“Our message all along has been clear and consistent: Massachusetts will only adopt the Common Core standards if they match or surpass our current expectations for students,” said Education Secretary Paul Reville. “Even if the Board votes to adopt, the Commonwealth would still maintain the opportunity to add to the standards, personalize them to Massachusetts and build them out in a way that will allow our educators to propel our students to the next level of learning.”
“Our goal is to provide every student in the Commonwealth with the best possible schools, teachers, curriculum and opportunities they need to be successful in school, college, careers and in life,” Chester said. “We will take the time to evaluate the Common Core Standards before making a decision, and if we ultimately find that the final product represents a decline in expectations from our state standards, we will not hesitate to walk away.”
The Common Core State Standards and survey can be viewed by clicking hereRead the full posting on the School Committee blog here:
The 495/MetroWest Development Compact is aimed at ranking infrastructure improvements for the region as a whole, rather than tackling projects piecemeal.
Greg Bialecki, the state secretary of housing and economic development, and Jeff Mullan, secretary of transportation, announced the compact at the 495/MetroWest Partnership's annual conference.
Bialecki said the compact will help create a common "strategic action plan" for all of the agencies involved to get behind, rather than "creating a laundry list of changes to infrastructure that need to be made."