To the editor:
As children get their backpacks ready and head off to a new school year, a sea of change in how we fund and operate our schools is headed our way.
All around the state and all over our country, local governments and school boards are attempting to cope with reductions in government funding. But not in Hamilton-Wenham. At least, not quite yet.
After a huge, $1.8-million real-estate tax override was approved by voters by the slimmest of margins, schools open with 26 new teachers and a plethora of additional non-educational positions. Instead of trimming payrolls like surrounding towns, big raises are being handed out to administrators while teachers' union contracts continue to drive up costs.
Some of our town officials are acutely aware, after 10 town overrides, that continuous school budget increases are not sustainable. Hamilton and Wenham now have one of the highest real-estate tax rates in the region. Many areas across the country have rates half what is paid here.
For more information about the history of overrides and how it affects home ownership, we recommend the reader log onto www.enoughisenoughHW.org There, you will find information on the impact of past overrides, as well as information from around Massachusetts and beyond that addresses school funding. In a few weeks, as students settle into their studies, the regional school committee and administration will begin the budget process for the 2010 school year — a process that is clearly broken, and will inevitably lead to another override request next year. The process will focus on the minutiae of running a school and will once again reject or delay any recommendation for fundamental changes that will reduce costs and preserve educational excellence.
At the core of the Hamilton-Wenham problem is a school administration and infrastructure that serves just over 2,000 students, when comparable systems are serving 10 times as many students. If you travel to western states, you will find that schools are run by counties, not by individual towns or tiny "regional" systems like Hamilton-Wenham (with a combined population of under 13,000 residents).
But you need not go very far to look at larger systems in Massachusetts to recognize that the Hamilton-Wenham school administration and infrastructure are excessive. We have a superintendent who earns $35,000 more per year than the Massachusetts governor, and many school administrators earning over $100,000 per year.
Recently, Governor Patrick called for increased regionalization of schools. North Shore towns, including those in the Hamilton-Wenham school system, will be coming together to consider this option.
Locally, town selectmen have come forward to form a "blue ribbon" committee to study school costs and funding issues. This process has been agonizingly slow, due to much resistance from some of the regional school committee members. These members are trying to hold onto the status quo, i.e.; unfettered and unchallenged development of school budgets dependent on real-estate tax overrides to meet operating expenses. They are seriously concerned about the efforts of "Enough is Enough."
In my opinion, they are not seeing the whole picture. Even if the Enough is Enough group (opposed to operational tax overrides), did not exist, there is no taste for property tax increases. With fuel and food prices escalating and a continued weak economy, an override next spring is simply not going to happen.
As the budget process for the 2010 school year gets going in the next few weeks, there must be a new approach. Budget processes that led to yearly overrides must end.
Enough is Enough calls for town selectmen from Hamilton and Wenham to formally put the regional school committee and school administration on notice! They must prepare a budget within expected revenues that does not require an override. By taking this step now, the school committee and administration can begin crafting the best school system that we can afford. Failure to do so is unacceptable and will result in chaos next spring and summer.
While the Hamilton-Wenham Regional School Committee is responsible for the budget process, the selectmen in both towns have the responsibility to approve or reject a proposed budget to go forward at town meeting. The Hamilton-Wenham school committee and SOS (Support our Schools) cannot continue to deny the fiscal situation that exists in our communities and across the state and country. Our communities are not immune to the changes taking place.
Enough is Enough wants to ensure that we get the best education possible for our children. We have lots of ideas that can reduce costs while preserving educational excellence. "It's about the children" — it is not about preserving antiquated budgeting methods, excessive spending and maintaining political fiefdoms.
Please visit www.enoughisenoughHW.org for more information. Please join our group and work to end tax overrides while preserving quality education and our quality of life before it's too late.
ROBERT F. SICA, Co-Chair
JAMES KENT, Co-Chair
ELIZABETH DUNBAR, Secretary
BOB GRAY, Membership Chair
BRUCE WADLEIGH, Contributor
Enough is Enough
Hamilton, Wenham
