I have an elderly parent who lives in the Levi Gould house. They had a meeting with the residents to discuss the override vote. They told these senior citizens that if they didn’t vote for the override that they would lose the Milano center among other things. I am so disgusted at the way the democrats in the city are fear-mongering. Just disgusted in liberals in general. The lies, the deceit at all levels of government apparently. Like the college students, the residents of these buildings do not have to pay for the taxes and no it will not show up In their rent either. They are scaring them into voting for their override knowing they don’t have full support of property owners. My parents moved us here 52 years ago and I’ve never felt such a disdain for the city and how it’s run as I have over the last ten years. shortly after the democrats took over after 100 years of republicans. It wasn’t perfect by any means those 100 years but didn’t have the level of bull****ery it does now.
Um, what your mother was told is correct. Unfortunately, schools have a minimum amount of funding required, and if the revenue isn’t available then other city services will be cut...most likely starting with the discretionary senior programs. Just because you don’t want to pay your fair share doesn’t change the reality.
Also, your “100 Years of Republicans” Theory doesn’t match reality...but feel free to romanticize the past before that pesky 15th Amendment to the US Constitution. Again, your “landowners should only vote” rhetoric was already lodged by your buddy THE TRUTHSAYER a couple threads over. I know you’re raging against the dying light...it’s a natural reaction to being on the wrong side of progress.
Get a different slant.
Based upon the city’s strong financial statements, I was disappointed and shocked school committee chair, who is a convicted felon, and other SC members failed to ask at the SC meeting this week why the city supposedly can only contribute 2% in FY 20 despite contributing 4.5%and 4% in FY 19 & 18 respectively. Is there some Macro event in FY 20 that is causing the seismic reduction to the schools in FY 20.
Thank you, "Illegitimate Tactics"! We, also, are liberal democrats who are voting NO (and did last time). The idea that this is a Dem vs Repug issue is wrong. Those in the Melrose Dem Committee are a bunch of two-bit, self-serving phonies without any real philosophy, let alone integrity. They'll say or do anything as long as they keep their tight little bunch of frauds in business. They could just as easily be Republicans, except that, ironically in Melrose there are Rs who have actual integrity and care about the core issues in much the way that old-fashioned Dems and Republicans both used to care equally.
I wish the right-wingers who are writing to say why they are against the override would cut it out with their anti-"libtard" anti-dem mentality. They sound so Trumpian and undignified/ignorant. They are only hurting their point against the override (on which we happen to agree, along with a whole lot of other local issues about which we'd also probably agree for the most part!).
Many of the current fake Dems in Melrose now tend to be well-heeled (and often very spoiled) types who either arrived fairly recently or who had lots of help in buying into Melrose (lots of parents providing down payments and even the entire package for many of these families). Many have no idea what it means to have had to scrape every penny together to buy their home, cars, etc. They have zero empathy with those who might look affluent here but in fact are struggling to make ends meet. They are not happy with their large water/sewer bills, but they just figure the bills are legitimate and don't make a stink about it. They are unwilling to question the status quo, and they really seem to need to believe they are supporting their "One" community in this unthinking, unquestioning way. They have zero tolerance for those who have different beliefs (though they're they first to line up for the feelgood international dinners and celebrations. They shun and/or attack openly those they have been told to criticize and bully (also sounding and behaving in a very contemptuous, ignorant way).
There isn't much new in this current fear-tactics campaign. They did it all before, and it caused a lot of harm in the community, not because it failed but because of the flawed and fraudulent reasoning and because of the disgusting conduct of so many who are trying to cram this down our throats. Now they are demanding a lot more money and have beefed up the fake stats correspondingly.
Sadly, there might be reasons that we might want to sacrifice a little more each month (like for a new public safety building), and even for the schools if only we had any reason to trust that the bunch of weird freaks in charge would make better decisions and manage better. (And do they really think that having a SC Chair who is a convicted, disbarred felon is going to help their cause?!) Given the atrocious people on the school committee and throughout the administrative structure (that awful super and her two ignorant, foolish asst supers, none of whom can utter a grammatically viable sentence), along with the batch of thoroughly unqualified principals throughout the district, and a laughably unqualified business manager), there is zero reason to trust that appropriate decisions would be made. The scorn and contempt that the people in charge and running this campaign have for those who dare to question them is also reason enough to say no!
I tend to forget this is not a party issue because its democrats who constantly want to shove a big one up the asses of the middle class and it’s the democrats of the city who are pushing it. I do also personally know democrats voting against it and even a couple “trumpians” as you do lovingly refer to them, who are not.
I’ll bet my left *** that the senior center will not close should it not pasa, unless out of spite.
Can we talk about how this current illegitimate mayor came to be. As a former neighbor, I can honestly tell you she was one of the most ungrateful, unappreciative persons in the neighborhood and if you only know her as a politician, don’t argue with me on that. She expected everyone to do for her and never gave thanks. As a resident in her ward I can’t remember her ever making herself visible or known that she is available to help. Can’t think of anything shes accomplished in 20 years yet here she is, solely responsible for pushing the override with the future of many people in her hands. Many people who won’t be able to afford higher taxes and will have to move. It’s not right.
Despite all your complaints about Gail, she was elected Alderman for your Ward. Clearly, the majority doesn’t share your opinion. Same for all the complaints about the “convicted felon running the School Committee.” He was elected and re-elected. Clearly, the majority doesn’t see his prior legal troubles as disqualifying. All the complaining and name calling in this small little message board and nothing is changing. Keep it up, suckers....
The school chair was disbarred which means he can never again be trusted to represent clients again. This was in addition to going to jail. There were articles in 2013 discussing it when he first ran for SC and lost. However, in 2015 people forgot about it again as there were no articles about when he ran in 2015. He has only been elected once, the SC is a four year term. So the convicted felon, who stole from seniors is up for re-election in November. Rest assured anyone running against him will continue to bring this up and the fact he has failed to pay restitution. It’s sad that he is the face of the school committee. Just shows the other committee members poor judgement.
What possibly could be wrong? You said it yourself: he was elected in 2015. ELECTED. That means he received enough votes to be elected to the office he sought. People had to make each and every single vote for him. You lost, try again next time.
Maybe you're right about the next election and maybe not. But please, keep screaming about how "everyone knows [INSERT PUBLIC OFFICIAL] is [INSERT CORRUPT/UNINTELLIGENT/ILLEGITIMATE] and [He/She] will be VOTED OUT in [INSERT ELECTION]!!!!!" No one is listening. You continue to lose.
What kind of example is it to law abiding citizens in Melrose for SC to elect a convicted felon to the chair? The most people do think it is ok to steal from seniors and others. Getting a second chance is one thing. However, now being chair of the SC whee he is in charge of a $30 million plus budget is another.The loud minority wonder why people do not believe any information coming from city and school officials is amazing.
So why didn’t you run instead of whining on an anonymous message board? Because you are in the minority, that is why. Complain all you want about the elected officials in town, but - unfortunately for you - they are ELECTED. You lose...good day, sir.
461 for votes against 23 write ins and 117 blank ballots in 2017 from ward 5 for our now Alderman elected mayor, Gail Infurna. Quite an underwhelming mandate. Her lack of leadership and transparency has ruined any chance of the override passing. Perhaps city hall will declare a moral victory if the override gets 40% of the vote. I’m sure you will agree with this at about 8:15 pm on April 2.
The poster Another Family is correct. Also correct is no one caring much about the ward 5 position over the years.
Disgusting is the absolute disregard for our seniors. Scaring them into voting for the override by threatening the Milano center? The Felon stole millions of dollars from the elderly robbing these people of their retirement funds. Although these defrauded people live in Cambridge, he is a disgrace of the highest order preying upon senior citizens.
Voters have said that they didn't know about his background during the prior election and whether that makes a difference now I don't know. I do know that it's foolish to put a thief in charge of the money 💰 but time will tell.
The unchecked selfishness of the override brigade is astounding. Remember what goes around comes around and someday you will be old too.
These are not political party issues.
The only reason Gail got so many votes is because she was the only one running. Most people will fill it in on such a case. I think that 117 did leave it blank is very telling.
Folks! As someone who has kept up with school issues for the past 18 years - don't be crazy enough to buy into the phony override request!
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As someone who often gave GI ‘s sons ride to school, to and from sporting games, I will say that there was never reciprocation, never a thanks. That’s the kind of woman she is. Yea you would see her blowing her bugle on LL opening day and think, how wonderful, but who someone is when nobody’s looking is what really matters.
37 year resident here and I’m not voting for this override. The democrats have been in charge for almost 20 years now. Let them eat ****. I’m not handing them money to bail them out. If people didn’t vote based on their concern for transgenders and which bathroom the can use they’d realize democrats can not run things. My $129,000 house is paid off. If and when I decide to sell and get $650,000 instead of $750,000 because Melrose is no longer the most desirable, I don’t care. I wasn’t stupid enough to pay $60000 over asking.
People forget (if they were around at the time and are still here) how narrowly the 1992 override (for the Tot Lot takings fiasco - another example of lifer insiderism (GOP flavor) and self-serving bad legal counsel) won. And that we are still paying that override long after the takings compensation was paid. Imagine if someone proposed an underride (the mostly forgotten part of Prop 2-1/2 - but there have been 10-20 of them in the Commonwealth, if memory serves).
Now the library and city hal employees are on the chopping block, at least hours cut. . None of the second floor employees are threatened though. How many assistants does GI have? How about the part-time aldermen getting full-time health insurance? Why isn’t that being threatened?
It's not just Aldermen. This from a post in November:
"As to the important point - part-time city workers who will receive a life pension with 10 years service, and currently receive full-time health insurance at $18,000 a year, which also extends into retirement. Not including teachers, who have their own retirement system, right now we have 350 retirees; there are 450 lined up for retirement. Only 25 percent are former and current police and fire personnel. A majority of all of these city workers are part-time employees getting full-time benefits now and in retirement. Mayor Gail Infurna refuses to publicly disclose these budget-busting numbers." (Free Press)
"So, 800 retirees/future retirees minus 25% police & fire leaves 600. A majority of those are part-timers, and for argument's sake let's go with the smallest possible majority, or 301. That 301 cost the city $5,418,000.00 per year in health care costs."
Any of the Alderman That we’re getting insurance have already vested and thus can continue to get it for life. Just ask pm as He really knows how to work the system. “Eliminating health insurance”is really a show as it only impacts future Alderman and current BOA who have not vested. The article below explains it.
https://melrose.wickedlocal.com/article/20141024/news/141027629
Point is stating the city was eliminating health insurance is a show which people see. The expense is the same for the city. There was no cost savings Because the only Alderman taking it already vested. The newer BOA were not taking it anyway.
Get a different slant
So only the alderman who voted to give the at the time mayor Rob Dolan a raise will receive the health insurance for life. I believe that may be called bribery. This city does some questionable things in the political realm which is why most people I know at least will vote No on the override.
The city employees had to go to the GIC health plan, that was supposed to save money. All the newly built apartments, that was supposed to increase the tax base and help things. The pot shop is supposed to help things. Well nothing seems to actually help things and it’s doubtful an override is the answer.
Morty gets a retirement AND his health insurance (and for his family) for life! And of course he'll keep sponging on any free meal he can score (even the ones he's supposed to pay for, like at Rotary)....
This is what happens when the public sits silent and allows politicians to run amock fulfilling their patronage obligations instead of holding true to their oaths of office, as they do here.Is this meeting open to all and the date and Church Name and time .Thank you Discover.
Just looking at all Topics about this override on April 2 2019.
One Melrose STOP ringing my doorbell! Now there is a new street group heading out to badger residents. Voting NO and nothing will change my mind
citizens need to come together to say no to this freight train called the Override about to steamroll over Melrose in order to line the greedy pockets of administration and do nothing to improve anything. It can be derailed, as similar efforts by some of the same players have been in past years.
Melrose likes to keep teachers for two years and let them go before they’re tenured. This is how they treat them and no override is going to make it better. They also like to hire 28 year old Principles. Just because you took studies on how to be a Principle, doesn’t make to a good one. How about years of experience as a teacher dealing with children. Whatever happened to the old system where you worked your way up?
As for the Aldermen, we just keep electing the same ole because they’re the incumbents who’ve been there for years and people become complacement. Nobody wants to run against a 20 year incumbent.
Why would Melrose like to get rid of teachers after 2 years and hire young and inexperienced principals other than the obvious fact that that is a cost savings strategy for a cash strapped system? You can’t hire seasoned people at the salaries we can afford to pay.
We actually have a few new Alderman from this last election cycle and, as I recall, quite a few contested races.
Loser MBMM was taking free health insurance for two until facing backlash. She opted out (for the time being) then began getting free no cost insurance for her family from her three hour per week salaried position at Melrose television that cable subscribers pay for each month in their bills
Melrose has been letting teachers go for years before they are tenured. This is not a knee practice because their cash-strapped. They just don’t care about improving the education system. It hasn’t changed in 25 yearr, other than the obvious changes like common core and basically going pc and getting rid of all the fun. They are cheap and greedy. Plain and simple. They are just using this override to take our money and nothing will change.