The Fire and Police do not matter in Melrose.
The Fire and Police Stations are a disgrace.
The Fire and Police Stations are unsafe.
The Fire and Police Stations should be condemned by OSHA.
The Fire and Police Stations were put on “file indefinitely” by city officials.
The Fire and Police Stations have not been mentioned during the Override campaign.
The Fire and Police have been given the middle finger by “One Melrose”.
When will the Fire and Police needs be addressed?
Our family will Vote No tomorrow because of the disrespectful and unfair way the Fire and Police have been treated for decades.
A “Schools Only” Override should never have been put to voters and should be defeated. VOTING NO tomorrow.
Amen brother! Voting NO too.
OP is absolutely right.
Yes, the police and firefighters matter. Amen.
We need to treat them with respect and give them what they need. Which is exactly why I'm voting *yes*.
Maybe you missed Infurna's explanation. It's in there along with a million other details on a website that I found with five seconds of google searching.
( https://www.cityofmelrose.org/budget-information-resources )
To pick just one example from there,
"Chief Lyle needs five police cruisers, but we asked him to only replace the three that are in the worst shape." ... the problem is that the portion of the budget that should be directed toward police and fire is being given to the operating budget of the schools because it's basically at the state mandated legal minimum.
The override funds the schools -- so that the money that should be given to police goes to police.
Which is stated explicitly.
Has anyone asked Chief Lyle's thoughts? During the last override campaign the mayor made some assertions that Chief Lyle said weren't true.
For those smugly saying the building improvements would be a debt exclusion, you are intentionally missing what people are saying.
If more money is taken from people's pockets for the schools override, voters are less likely to agree to a debt exclusion soon after. Even you holier than thou types don't have unlimited funds.
You are just making sure that your children get the funds 1st.
I do have unlimited funds. I don’t have kids though. I just want to take your money away.
It is understood that an Override cannot pay for new buildings for the Fire/Police. They should have been the #1 priority before the schools. If Public Safety Building funding were put to a vote, the money/taxes would be approved. The divisive One Melrose/Illegitimate Gail/sycophantic BOA members manipulated putting the Override ballot for the MPS alone. If it does pass, no other tax raises will be approved in the near future. Firefighter and Police Officer morale is terrible. Those who live in Melrose will probably Vote No even if they have children in the MPS. It is astonishing to read the comparisons regarding schools/teacher salaries in Melrose and other cities and towns. Would anyone DARE to compare the facilities the MPD and MFD are forced to work in or the equipment they routinely use while putting their lives on the line with how other cities and towns support/treat Fire and Police? I think naught. Anyone running for Mayor needs a clear plan/proposal ASAP.
Voting No against the Schools Only Override!
Voting Yes for the Override DOES NOT help the fIre and Police Departments. Vote No tomorrow!
Just in case you missed the comment on the other thread, it said:
Guys, you're not paying attention.
It's really quite specific.
Here's the city budget in the case of an override failure:
Cut $138,000 from Melrose Police Department:
* Eliminate staff position: School resource officer at MVMMS (*)
* Eliminate staff position: Detective Position (*)
* Eliminate staff position: Drug task force officer (*)
* Eliminate staff position: 1 Full-time police officer
* Eliminate police details for community events (memorial day parade, etc.)
(*) For the first three, officers would be reassigned back to patrol - reducing overtime costs. The fourth would be a straight cut.
If you're not familiar with how police get paid here in Massachusetts, let me enlighten you: Overtime matters, and is part of the compensation you plan your life around.
Wait, how could there be a yes AND a no vote both in support of the fire and police? I’m confused!