Challenging Moves at the School Committee
By Shawn on Feb 1, 2013 in Community, Schools
I am told that a little more happened last week with the Dracut School Committee.
In recognition of the fiscal decisions needed to be made, two meetings ago, Matt Sheehan made the motion to move forward on closing the Parker Avenue School and the board voted unanimously in support.
Today, I am told that the School Committee is working now to collect all the necessary information necessary to write up a warrant article calling for the town to end its participation in the Community Preservation Act, ending the 2% surtax on our property taxes.
Ultimately, this would make available the possible increase in funds for the School District, which as of the last school committee meeting was still facing a $233,000 transportation deficit.
I think I would make that trade.
Last we heard, the Dracut CPC fund still holds somewhere between 7 and 8 million dollars, with only a portion of that needed to pay off current debts.
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Rich Cowan | Feb 1, 2013 | Reply
Shawn — while the surplus of the CPC fund is worth attention, I do not think that you should print rumor as fact. To do so merely serves to pit one side of the town (the community preservation advocates) against another side (public school consumers).
The information that you posted does not make it clear if it is the whole School committee or just one member leaking this the information to you. The information you posted suggests that one individual is “collecting information”
but this does not mean there is a majority committed to any specific proposal as of yet. If you have more definitive info, then please print it.
“Collecting information” is something that I would encourage every committee to do. Unless the school committee places the item on its agenda and specifies the details of their proposal (i.e. whether to eliminate the CPA tax or just reduce it), I think that your post jumps the gun just a bit.
Full disclosure: I have not had conversations with any school committee members about this issue. To my knowledge, the last time it was even mentioned was during the formation of the “study committee on town finances” at the June town meeting.
Shawn | Feb 1, 2013 | Reply
Rich, you’re not too good at this “blogging” thing..
This is obviously a teaser post, intended to draw attention to the issue. I’m sure you’ll hear something similar in the Sun soon as well.
All of my postings regarding these types of issues eventually come to pass.
And if you listen to 980 WCAP this Saturday morning, you’ll hear even more on this.
george boag | Feb 1, 2013 | Reply
Would this be paired with an override? If so would they be linked or could you vote to cut the CPA and oppose the override?
Shawn | Feb 2, 2013 | Reply
I don’t know if even they know the specifics yet.