I can't add one single thing to that.

Preschool Teacher $35,460
Kindergarten Teacher $67,640
Elementary School Teacher $71,380
Middle School Teacher $71,400
High School Teacher $73,090
PE Teacher $44,140
Substitute Teacher (Hourly) $16.84/hr
Teaching Assistant $30,090

Sorry for scattering these. It has taken a bit of time and work to get it all together but another comparable school system. Melrose stays right with them with better testing results.

A little clarification - the City joined GIC in 2008, and in the first year alone saved over $1,200,000.00 in premium costs. Prior to that, the City paid 82% of far more expensive plans like HMO Blue, so what the City pays now is actually less than what they paid prior to that. Now add in the wage freeze, which is sort of an override in reverse. That 0% year carries over into every following year, just as an override does, saving the City millions more every year.

Interesting sidebar - it took a 70% approval vote from the unions for the City to implement GIC. Of course, being the largest union, it was the teacher's union that sort of drove that, but three organizations did vote against it, both Police unions and the retirees. That's one of the reasons Dolan hated the Police. It wasn't long after that that he initiated that ill-fated (from his perspective) police study, and then that cockamamie overtime abuse allegation was made, which proved to be totally untrue. Both of those things made him hate the Police even more because they made him look really bad by exposing his truly petty and vindictive nature.

Which brings us to the so-called "public safety" plan. There has never been and there is not now any serious consideration of a new police station. It was and still is a smoke screen, cynically designed to garner support for the last, and now this override. It may happen at some point down the road, but as long as Dolan was Mayor, it was political bull$hit, and with the current Mayor, nothing has changed.

Correction - there were five groups (of thirteen) who voted against GIC, including both police unions and retirees, and two much smaller unions that I forgot about.

What does that even mean?

Right??? So many conspiracy theorists here. SMH.

Insinuating an affair between her and Dolan because and earlier post in another thread was hinting at it. Any proof of this? Not been provided, and, most likely, doesn't exist. It is personal, rude, and, quite likely, libelous.

But, keep in mind, it's the cabal of powerful libs that are the mean ones to all the fiscally-responsible, sensitive souls on this board. Such a joke! This place is a hole.

I am not sure about rumors although I have heard them and I think what people are saying is that this town has an issue in the hierarchy. People are nervous of their alderman, mayor, super and school committee and that is a tragedy. I am not trying to get into party stuff here just drop some information but their is a disconnect between the people on this matter. I have met most and yes with some I felt they had zero to no answers to even present an override. The Mayor is very nice but I have a hard time with a person not voted on by the people of Melrose presenting such a large override. Regardless of the charter it should have waited for someone we all had a part in choosing or hearing. I will say I have had some meetings wit the Liberal party in Melrose on the subject and yes it was scary, I heard some nasty name calling. But this is far from party politics its about truth and facts. the facts support a NO. if people will listen the No is not for the override itself i believe the No is for the number. 5.18 million is not the number. We have other areas in town too that need to be addressed. We just took an increase of 175. this is to much at once..

I will be gathering some more information that is relevent to the topic. Hope we can keep talking through it and finding a solid solution. Thank you everyone for chiming in.