To the editor:
Henney Penney, the sky is falling, the sky is falling!
I don't really think so, and many citizens agree with me. I would like to counter some points made in several recent letters to the editor supporting the override request:
1.) "It will only cost a cup of coffee a day." This analogy has been going around for the last 15 or 20 years. The citizens can no longer afford 20 cups of coffee a day!
2.) "Many teachers will get laid off." What about the VERY large administrative staff? Why don't you start there instead of with the teachers? We all know this is just a scare tactic. Why not look into subcontracting out some of the services such as custodians and cafeteria workers? It would save on benefits, vacations and retirement costs.
3.) "User fees will increase." And well they should! Are parents losing sight of the fact that their children are going to school for the academics? The sports' programs are a part a well-rounded education, but not a requirement. If parents can't afford all of the user fees, then they will have to pick and choose which sport their child will participate in.
4.)"Children will be redistricted." What do you think we have school buses for? Or you may have to drive an extra two miles.
5.) "Class sizes will increase." No solution for this one, but we have a teacher and an assistant in most classes. I don't see how this is a severe problem.
6.) "What about teachers' salaries?" According to an article written recently by Superintendent Marinel McGrath, the teachers received a 7.8-percent increase. With the increase in the CPI (Consumer Price Index) consistently running between 3 and 4 percent, this is quite extravagant. I know contracts are contracts, but it's time to start thinking about the taxpayers' pocketbooks when these negotiations come up.
7.) "The override requests pit parents against seniors." Really! I've got news for you. There are many parents who are also against the override — parents who are struggling to make ends meet, both parents working, some even two jobs. They cannot afford "again" another $400 added to their already burdening tax bill. Hamilton's taxes have risen 80 percent over the past several years, mainly due to the schools' override requests.
8.) "What about health insurance costs?" Can school personnel and teachers join the state insurance program? Can we save money if they do? Something for the School Committee to look into.
9.) "We couldn't run our household on a mere 2.5-percent budget increase." Welcome to the real world. If taxes weren't increasing at such a rapid rate we probably could! Many citizens are experiencing "decreases" in their income. You have to live within your means, and $27 million is a lot of money for the schools. They will just have to make it work!
10.) "Our property values will drop if we don't support the schools." The only people really worrying about property values dropping are the parents that come into town, educate their kids, then sell and get out, leaving the rest of us to foot the bill. For those who intend to stay, we are not really concerned.
The town of Hamilton is also asking for a $177,000 override for its operating budget due to lost revenue. I am not against this request. This request is a one-time deal. Hopefully the economy will turn around soon and the lost revenue will return.
But the school override will be with us forever. Do the citizens understand that each year a school override passes it changes the tax rate going forward forever? One override just adds to the next one, and on and on.
Enough is enough! The buck stops here!
WARREN GRAY
Hamilton
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