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Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

I am willing consider voting "yes" only when city hall and the superintendent's office come forward with requested information on past spending as well budget projections. In the past, they refuse to release this information, even to our elected alderman and school committee members who have had to repeatedly enforce compliance with the State's Public Records laws by filing complaints with the Secretary of State's office. I consider this obstructionist and undemocratic behavior by the mayor, school committee chair, superintendent of schools and other complicit public servants as a personal attack against the taxpayers and students of Melrose. This abhorrent behavior continues to this day and was the primary reason the last override failed miserably. Melrose taxpayers would like to make an educated decision on the override, but cannot if these city officials continue to deny information requests.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

I am willing consider voting "yes
I am willing consider voting "yes" only when city hall and the superintendent's office come forward with requested information on past spending as well budget projections. In the past, they refuse to release this information, even to our elected alderman and school committee members who have had to repeatedly enforce compliance with the State's Public Records laws by filing complaints with the Secretary of State's office. I consider this obstructionist and undemocratic behavior by the mayor, school committee chair, superintendent of schools and other complicit public servants as a personal attack against the taxpayers and students of Melrose. This abhorrent behavior continues to this day and was the primary reason the last override failed miserably. Melrose taxpayers would like to make an educated decision on the override, but cannot if these city officials continue to deny information requests.
It all comes down to trust. Nobody trusts anything those clowns, especially the non elected Mayor have to say. Oh please, I almost puked when I read "dire times outlined ahead" and City Hall: "We can't help schools anymore". Absolute BS. Lame over dramatic scare tactics. Any naive resident who believes this BS deserves to pay more taxes for the rest of their lives with no positive outcome from it.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Just look at the history of the superintendent as she has not been transparent over the years . A few years ago a member of the SC resigned and asked for the superintendent’s resignation. Now the SC has a disbarred lawyer and ex convict as its chairman. It should be no mystery why the majority of residents in this community do not trust the information coming from city hall.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Melrose takes awhile to wake up and hopefully not to long this time. It is time for This superintendent. To be fazed out soon.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

I still smile whenever i think of that override getting flushed down the toilet by the realistic people in our city.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

If people think that the override will serve the attended purpose, then they are ill-informed or completely ignorant. While many good educator's have left this school system, for varied reasons, the administrator's have replaced them with inexperienced, sub standard teachers for lower salaries. Look no further than the English department at the high school, or the math department.
People leave positions all the time for more pay, better work environment, better benefits, ect. This is not a unique situation. When used to justify pulling more tax $$ from hard working people it is insulting.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

VOTING NO
If people think that the override will serve the attended purpose, then they are ill-informed or completely ignorant. While many good educator's have left this school system, for varied reasons, the administrator's have replaced them with inexperienced, sub standard teachers for lower salaries. Look no further than the English department at the high school, or the math department.
People leave positions all the time for more pay, better work environment, better benefits, ect. This is not a unique situation. When used to justify pulling more tax $$ from hard working people it is insulting.
Would you ever support an override for any reason? Did you support in '92?

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

The reason you don't see many administration supporters posting here is because every time they do try to pass on the administration's propaganda, they are totally and thoroughly debunked with facts they can't dispute.

The administration is scared to death of this site, both now, and in it's prior incarnation. Why else do you think Dolan banned access to it, a practice that continues to this day?

This is the only place where voters can get even a portion of the truth. They certainly can't get it from city officials, who continue to mislead, obfuscate, and outright lie about all things fiscal. Melrose is a house of cards. The sooner that house of cards collapses, the sooner we can get a mulligan and fix the mess we've allowed to happen.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Awareness
VOTING NO
If people think that the override will serve the attended purpose, then they are ill-informed or completely ignorant. While many good educator\\\'s have left this school system, for varied reasons, the administrator\\\'s have replaced them with inexperienced, sub standard teachers for lower salaries. Look no further than the English department at the high school, or the math department.
People leave positions all the time for more pay, better work environment, better benefits, ect. This is not a unique situation. When used to justify pulling more tax $$ from hard working people it is insulting.
Would you ever support an override for any reason? Did you support in \'92?
I was not here in 1992... why is this relevant?
There have been more recent override attempts

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Just curious about whether or not folks are opposed to THIS override or all overrides. If you don't want to share, that's cool.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

I voted for the large override in 1992 (which, btw, we still continue to pay; it was in inflation-adjusted terms comparable to the current override proposal), and for the middle school debt exclusion even without children of my own in the system. I did not vote for the 2015 override proposal, which was a grab-bag of divers goodies whose incoherence left my mouth agape.

I am open to project-specific debt exclusions for capital construction projects for a policy and fire buildings (not one bond to cover multiple projects - I do not trust the current administration to resist the temptation to hide problems by moving money around), preferably timed to kick in when the middle school bond is paid off (or, to figure out a way to retire that bond earlier).

For now, I lack trust in the school administration and Dolanite insiders in City Hall to support this override. Exposure to the underside of the city's governmental insiderism has done that to a number of Melrosians, very much including on the progressive side of things where there's not a simple allergy to taxes. (To put it in local terms, whereas back Ye Olde Days the late Sue Kelleher (d. 2009) was our local version of Barbara Anderson (d. 2016) and skepticism about property taxes was more associated with one segment of the political spectrum, today I would very say: not no mo', and override proponents would be well advised to avoid assuming things now are like Ye Olde Days in that regard.)

As I've mentioned elsewhere on these boards, the property taxes on my modest apt have increased nearly 13% in the last year, and over 11% in the previous year, and my property taxes have increased over 75% on a compounded inflation-adjusted basis (over 120% in absolute terms) in the last 14 years - so far ahead of anything like 2.5% a year. I am not persuaded that I am undertaxed in light of what an override can bring in the future, but without the governmental and administrative culture changes that would be needed to restore the bona fides of City Hall and the school administration.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

I appreciate the answer. Next question....how do we move forward/change enough to satisfy folks like yourself? Who has to leave the City admin? I wonder how many years it will take. And I'm a little afraid of what will happen to city services in the meantime. Thanks.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Taymore must go. And the lifers on the BOA and School Committee who've never demonstrated any critical fiscal and governance distance from the Dolan borg*. (Mind you, I voted happily for Dolan at first and then a few more times, given the GOP borg that preceded him - Balfour (anyone remember him? he had the MDC sinecure) would have been a disaster.)

It would be much more helpful if we had a skeptical editor of our local press organs. Local press (hardly unique to Melrose) tends to be credulous of what municipal administrations put out in the feeder, so it's generally just more PR than news.

* I would not welcome Scott Brodeur as mayor unless and until he demonstrated that, either. I am not holding my breath. And I'd want any mayor to commit to leave after no more than 8 years. Ditto aldermen. We don't have a have a charter amendment to demand that. Zwirko, who I had high hopes in when he was running, has disappointed me greatly; he poses well but allowed himself to be assimilated into the borg.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

*Paul Brodeur

So, looks like Driscoll is the SC member you speak of? All of the others are fairly new, and I wouldn't call them lifers. BOA, decent mix of old and new. But I see where you're coming from. Thanks for the info. I appreciate knowing where people are coming from.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

I also voted for the 1st override with no problem! I voted no on the 2nd because I felt too much money going to administrators. I am voting no on this one for a number of reasons. I have an issue with how fast this was done. I would have preferred an elected Mayor to address the override. Also this is a lot of money for one department. I am nervous about where the money will be applied in the future. If the amount requested was less I would probably vote YES. I think it was either Stoneham or Reading that reduced the amount asked and it passed Thank you for respectfully asking why.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

And thank you for a simple answer!

Seems that a large part of the 5.18 will go to rehires (from cut positions), new hires and teacher salaries, and those things will not go away in the future and will need continued funding (well, if those did get cut to put money elsewhere, you'd have all of the "yes" voters going bonkers after working so hard to get more $$ more the schools). But I do know a lot of share that concern. Lack of trust in city govt.

If the override fails again, I think we'll be having the same discussions again, pretty soon.

Stay warm!

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

The reason you don't see many administration supporters posting here is because every time they do try to pass on the administration's propaganda, they are totally and thoroughly debunked with facts they can't dispute.

The administration is scared to death of this site, both now, and in it's prior incarnation. Why else do you think Dolan banned access to it, a practice that continues to this day?

This is the only place where voters can get even a portion of the truth. They certainly can't get it from city officials, who continue to mislead, obfuscate, and outright lie about all things fiscal. Melrose is a house of cards. The sooner that house of cards collapses, the sooner we can get a mulligan and fix the mess we've allowed to happen.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Whose leaving now?

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Respect The Rights Of Others. Treat others as you want to be treated.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

This is the only place where voters can get even a portion of the truth. They certainly can't get it from city officials, who continue to mislead, obfuscate, and outright xxxx about all things fiscal.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

They are hoping to get lower voter turnout in order to pass it. Everyone equates Election Day to November. They mayor and proponents will suggest it’s because fiscal year begins July 1. However, the fiscal year begins every year on July 1. Think about it. The 2015 override was in November and the citizens spoke loud and clear in soundly defeating it.Their only chance to ever pass an override is through a special election. If the election was in November instead of April it would only impact one fiscal year. The cost for the special election at all 14 precincts is 25-30k. Seems such a waste when a mandated election is 7 months later. Additionally, the mayor has been discussing override plans since last April. She could have asked BOA toput it on November 2018 ballot. However, she knows it would be defeated by a wide margin if election is in November. Shameful!!!

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

The override debate has dominated civic discussion in Melrose ever since the Board of Aldermen agreed to this tax override vote.April 2 2019 Tuesday .

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Congratulations. You just got you Masters in stating the obvious - again.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Duh
Congratulations. You just got you Masters in stating the obvious - again.
THANKS.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

It could be interpreted that way I suppose. But how about this? Stop swiping METCO funds for use in the general school budget.

The override is going to fail. I wonder what disingenuous snarky comment she'll make then? The expression on her face as she was saying that made me want to throw a brick at the TV. What a tarantula.

Do yourself a favor. Take a long, hard, honest look at the collection of nitwits running the schools. How could you possibly expect anything but what we've gotten?

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Educated and informed voter.We do have.Just to get even basic information in order to make informed decisions on important votes. The voters will do April 2 2019.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Lesson to be learned: Change.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Vote.April 2 2019 Tuesday .
Educated and informed voter.We do have.Just to get even basic information in order to make informed decisions on important votes. The voters will do April 2 2019.
Thanks for reviving this valuable public service message board!

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Demand Truth and Accountability.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Verizon
Vote.April 2 2019 Tuesday .
Educated and informed voter.We do have.Just to get even basic information in order to make informed decisions on important votes. The voters will do April 2 2019.
Thanks for reviving this valuable public service message board!
This superintendent needs to go.It is time fire her.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Zoom
Verizon
Vote.April 2 2019 Tuesday .
Educated and informed voter.We do have.Just to get even basic information in order to make informed decisions on important votes. The voters will do April 2 2019.
Thanks for reviving this valuable public service message board!
This superintendent needs to go.It is time fire her.
So get out and make your vote matter. April 2 2019

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is still a long way from the White House. But if elected president, the Massachusetts senator has already settled on one person from whom she’ll seek advice.

Jacob Lemay — a 9-year-old transgender boy from Melrose, whose story went viral after his mother Mimi wrote an open letter in 2015 about his early-age transition — got to ask Warren a question during CNN’s presidential candidate town hall on LGBTQ rights Thursday night.

“What will you do in your first week as president to make sure kids like me feel safer in schools?” Lemay asked alongside his mom from the live audience at the Los Angeles event. “And what do you think schools should do better so that I don’t have to worry about anything but my homework?”

Warren said she liked the question, even if she didn’t immediately get into specifics. The Cambridge Democrat did however reiterate her commitment to appointing an education secretary that “believes in public education,” and would enforce students’ civil rights. And she said that Lemay would have a say on who it is.

“The secretary of education was given a whole lot of power over the public schools and over the rules and how they’re enforced,” Warren said. “And we’ve had some secretaries of education who have been better and we’ve had one that’s been a whole lot worse. Her name is Betsy DeVos.”

DeVos, a former Republican Party leader who has called for expanded charter schools and school voucher programs, has come under intense scrutiny from Warren’s office since being appointed by President Donald Trump, including for her office’s stance on civil rights protections. Under questioning by Massachusetts Rep. Katherine Clark in 2017, DeVos declined to say if she would withhold federal funds from private schools that deny admission to LGBT students or families (Clark, who represents and resides in Melrose, applauded Lemay’s question Thursday).

“When I’m president, she’ll be gone,” Warren said Thursday.

Whoever replaces Devos, Warren added that she would get Lemay’s input on the person.

“Here’s what I plan to do,” she said. “I want to make sure that the person I think is the right secretary of education meets you and hears your story. And then I want you to tell me if you think that’s the right person, and then we’ll make the deal. Does that sound good?”

Lemay replied with a thumbs up.

Elizabeth Warren on transgender children feeling safe in school: “We've had some secretaries of education who've been better and we've had one that's been a whole lot worse. Her name is Betsy DeVos. So when I'm President, she'll be gone.” #EqualityTownHall https://t.co/dBF43PYMdk pic.twitter.com/4Md8UQftRI

— CNN (@CNN) October 11, 2019

According to his family, Lemay’s assigned gender at birth was female. But before he was even 3 years old, Jacob began to consistently insist he was boy. After consulting with experts and struggling with the decision, his parents decided to let him make the decision. Mimi’s open letter to her son on his fifth birthday — which was published on Boston.com — about raising and accepting him as transgender made national headlines.

In a post Friday morning, Mimi wrote on Facebook that she was “bursting with pride” over the courage Jacob showed in his nationally televised appearance Thursday night.

“Jacob struggled for a long time. He struggled coming out to us, because we struggled to understand what he was asking for,” she wrote. “He struggled being one of few kids in his daily life who were special in this way. He struggled with the fear of what kids would say if they found out – so we kept our advocacy in silos, mine active, his dormant. Then came last night and he was ready, and he shone his beauty into the world and came out – I would argue – in spectacular fashion.”

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Parents should be blamed for some of their actions. I don't think they have to worry it will be the same president again.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

As we have discovered (almost daily!), you can apparently lie despite the facts, and a lot of buffoons will STILL Not have all the facts.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

How can you stop teacher from leaving? More are leaving again. No leadership or control from this administration.

Dolan and Taymore Banking on Paul B. to win then he's all set again.

Monica would never take Melrose in the wrong direction again like Mayor Dolan or Clarke I was voting for Monica anyway her record speaks for her.

Going Against the Odds To Be Successful. Never be afraid to have a little sane touch of madness. Like Ellen DeGeneres now saying what the presidents family face daily is not kind.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Great post i agree with it all.this democrat will be voting for her.i do not care about the R next to her name its about the person for me and she is fair and will listen to both sides.with me its time for a change in this city and with paul its the same crap we had with Dolan..

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Lesson to be learned: Change the school superintendent . short of this nothing changes.This is for PAUL Brodeur,Hopefully with all your experien you will have a new superintendent

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

This is the only place where voters can get even a portion of the truth. They certainly can't get it from city officials, who continue to mislead, obfuscate, and outright lie about all things fiscal. Melrose is a house of cards. The sooner that house of cards collapses, the sooner we can get a mulligan and fix the mess we've allowed to happen.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

It's about being accountable. How can Taymore look people in the eyes and say that she are for educational excellence when she lack a basic understanding of transparency and honesty towards the residents of Melrose.This website often sheds light on subjects politicians.The truth hurts.We all have every right to be concerned.What's going on in Melrose?

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Lesson to be learned: Change the school superintendent . short of this nothing changes.Do it soon 2019.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Where have you been? She's retiring June 30th. There's no way in hell now that anyone is going to do anything before then!

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Where has he been? He's been busy repeating the same idiotic post over and over and over again under different screen names.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Taxpayers
VOTE NO
Using scare tactics is a typical MO in this town. Similar ones were used in the last override attempt. (funny that the town survived even though the override failed) Now the local press is actively recruiting teachers to back this override, asking them to write stories in local media including newspaper\'s and Patch. Usually would not be a problem voicing an individual opinion, but then again who would not want a raise? Trying to maintain quality teachers is a fools errand. The really good ones will seek out towns and cities for a better salary or quality of life regardless. Simple fact of being an employee. A quality is not guaranteed by the salary of a teacher. But, this is only one part of this money grab by an administration who thinks they can solve all problems by throwing more money at the problem.
Medeiros: Taxpayers need unobstructed view

from the M Free Press:

Opinion: Medeiros: Taxpayers need unobstructed view
Posted at 12:40 PM Updated at 12:41 PM

Submitted by Alderman Monica Medeiros.

Last November, I, as an Alderman, voted against moving the Mayor’s proposed $5.18 million tax override question forward. I felt the city had not been thorough enough in evaluating our financial picture, nor in considering the effects of adding these millions of dollars of new spending.

In preparing for this vote, I learned that our city had much bigger problems than I had suspected. Namely that the executives in our city government have failed to do any long term evaluation of our financial outlook.

I felt it critical to have a full understanding of the financial assumptions the city was making before I could vote to pass such a hefty burden on to seniors and families.

After asking Mayor Infurna for copies of any long range budget forecasts that had been prepared and used by the City of Melrose over the last five years, I was forced to appeal to the Secretary of State’s office for this information only to learn that no such documents exist.

The Mayor’s office directed me to a tool on our city website, “Visual Budget.” In the Aldermen meeting, I asked our CFO & Auditor Patrick Dello Russo if this was the tool he was using to make our predictions in terms of revenues and expenditures. His reply? “We don’t make predictions. This is not a magic show.”

Try as I might, I could not seem to match the “Visual Budget” figures to the actual budgets I had voted on. Days later, Kerriann Golden, our Assistant Auditor confirmed, “The last actual figures reflected are Fiscal 2016,” -- two full fiscal years behind.

The outdated “Visual Budget” data was not only a waste of thousands of taxpayer dollars spent on this service, but also so inaccurate that it was actually misleading to the public. Most importantly, it could not have been being used as an accurate tool for evaluating our city’s financial outlook by anyone including our city executives.

Melrose is at a crossroads. Real estate prices have skyrocketed to an all-time high. Many new families have chosen Melrose for its great schools, beautiful downtown and its relative affordability.

Conversely, many of our families, seniors and one-income households are struggling. Recently, a Melrose Housing Authority Commissioner testified at our meeting that the waitlist for housing of Melrose families, seniors, Veterans and the handicap is in the thousands.

Sadly, I hear from residents who are told if they can’t afford this increase, they should move along. But where will they go? After paying their taxes for years, volunteering in our community, donating to all kinds of causes, including our schools, they are told they haven’t paid their “fair share” and should move along. I can think of little that is so cruel.

Even for those of us who are working, many of us are only one lockout or government shutdown away from being in financial peril.

But regardless of income, every taxpayer deserves good fiscal management.

As an Alderman-at-Large, my job is to consider the big picture ramifications of our decisions, especially when it comes to spending and taxation. When it comes to the big picture, the taxpayers deserve an unobstructed view.

If our leaders are not looking forward to ensure we can sustain the costs associated with the hiring of nearly 30 new positions and school department raises (not teachers only) of nearly $2 million included in this proposal, every one of these positions is at risk.

Before final decisions are made, the voters also need to know that large expenditures are waiting in the wings. What’s not included in this override, may be most significant.

This proposed tax increase includes no money for any other city department other than the schools. Although $250,000 is included in the override for the loss of rent from Beebe School, no plan exists to bring this building back online and fund the staff, renovation nor utility costs. As we make room for some Melrose students, we will disrupt the lives of the 30 or so Melrose special needs children who currently attend the SEEM Collaborative who will be uprooted and bussed to a new school outside our city limits.

Plans are in the works for the rebuilding or repair of the police and fire stations, and renovations of the library. Whether or not this question passes, each of these is expected to be presented to the voters in the form of an increase above the Prop 2 ½ limit.

Like our taxpayers, our leaders need a panoramic view before they make decisions that affect individuals so significantly. Financial forecasting in budgeting has been considered a best practice for more than a decade. Melrose can do better. Before any tax increase is considered, our taxpayers deserve an objective analysis of our financial picture and an independent audit of our books.

Demand accountability. Vote NO.
This is such a great post. Read it in its entirety and change your life!

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

The best
Taxpayers
VOTE NO
Using scare tactics is a typical MO in this town. Similar ones were used in the last override attempt. (funny that the town survived even though the override failed) Now the local press is actively recruiting teachers to back this override, asking them to write stories in local media including newspaper\\\\\\\'s and Patch. Usually would not be a problem voicing an individual opinion, but then again who would not want a raise? Trying to maintain quality teachers is a fools errand. The really good ones will seek out towns and cities for a better salary or quality of life regardless. Simple fact of being an employee. A quality is not guaranteed by the salary of a teacher. But, this is only one part of this money grab by an administration who thinks they can solve all problems by throwing more money at the problem.
Medeiros: Taxpayers need unobstructed view

from the M Free Press:

Opinion: Medeiros: Taxpayers need unobstructed view
Posted at 12:40 PM Updated at 12:41 PM

Submitted by Alderman Monica Medeiros.

Last November, I, as an Alderman, voted against moving the Mayor’s proposed $5.18 million tax override question forward. I felt the city had not been thorough enough in evaluating our financial picture, nor in considering the effects of adding these millions of dollars of new spending.

In preparing for this vote, I learned that our city had much bigger problems than I had suspected. Namely that the executives in our city government have failed to do any long term evaluation of our financial outlook.

I felt it critical to have a full understanding of the financial assumptions the city was making before I could vote to pass such a hefty burden on to seniors and families.

After asking Mayor Infurna for copies of any long range budget forecasts that had been prepared and used by the City of Melrose over the last five years, I was forced to appeal to the Secretary of State’s office for this information only to learn that no such documents exist.

The Mayor’s office directed me to a tool on our city website, “Visual Budget.” In the Aldermen meeting, I asked our CFO & Auditor Patrick Dello Russo if this was the tool he was using to make our predictions in terms of revenues and expenditures. His reply? “We don’t make predictions. This is not a magic show.”

Try as I might, I could not seem to match the “Visual Budget” figures to the actual budgets I had voted on. Days later, Kerriann Golden, our Assistant Auditor confirmed, “The last actual figures reflected are Fiscal 2016,” -- two full fiscal years behind.

The outdated “Visual Budget” data was not only a waste of thousands of taxpayer dollars spent on this service, but also so inaccurate that it was actually misleading to the public. Most importantly, it could not have been being used as an accurate tool for evaluating our city’s financial outlook by anyone including our city executives.

Melrose is at a crossroads. Real estate prices have skyrocketed to an all-time high. Many new families have chosen Melrose for its great schools, beautiful downtown and its relative affordability.

Conversely, many of our families, seniors and one-income households are struggling. Recently, a Melrose Housing Authority Commissioner testified at our meeting that the waitlist for housing of Melrose families, seniors, Veterans and the handicap is in the thousands.

Sadly, I hear from residents who are told if they can’t afford this increase, they should move along. But where will they go? After paying their taxes for years, volunteering in our community, donating to all kinds of causes, including our schools, they are told they haven’t paid their “fair share” and should move along. I can think of little that is so cruel.

Even for those of us who are working, many of us are only one lockout or government shutdown away from being in financial peril.

But regardless of income, every taxpayer deserves good fiscal management.

As an Alderman-at-Large, my job is to consider the big picture ramifications of our decisions, especially when it comes to spending and taxation. When it comes to the big picture, the taxpayers deserve an unobstructed view.

If our leaders are not looking forward to ensure we can sustain the costs associated with the hiring of nearly 30 new positions and school department raises (not teachers only) of nearly $2 million included in this proposal, every one of these positions is at risk.

Before final decisions are made, the voters also need to know that large expenditures are waiting in the wings. What’s not included in this override, may be most significant.

This proposed tax increase includes no money for any other city department other than the schools. Although $250,000 is included in the override for the loss of rent from Beebe School, no plan exists to bring this building back online and fund the staff, renovation nor utility costs. As we make room for some Melrose students, we will disrupt the lives of the 30 or so Melrose special needs children who currently attend the SEEM Collaborative who will be uprooted and bussed to a new school outside our city limits.

Plans are in the works for the rebuilding or repair of the police and fire stations, and renovations of the library. Whether or not this question passes, each of these is expected to be presented to the voters in the form of an increase above the Prop 2 ½ limit.

Like our taxpayers, our leaders need a panoramic view before they make decisions that affect individuals so significantly. Financial forecasting in budgeting has been considered a best practice for more than a decade. Melrose can do better. Before any tax increase is considered, our taxpayers deserve an objective analysis of our financial picture and an independent audit of our books.

Demand accountability. Vote NO.
This is such a great post. Read it in its entirety and change your life!
Thinking before you speak or do something. It's about knowing that every day, the choices we make can and will affect our lives. It's about being accountable for our choices in life. We have the right to make our decisions every day, and every day is a new day. But will the school committee make good decisions and the superintendent Cyndy Taymore?

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

What the hell is wrong with you? Are you off your meds or something, or did the attendants leave the door unlocked again? First you waste a massive amount of space re-posting other posts, then you follow up with the same post you have made 50 other times under different screen names.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Heartbreaking
The best
Taxpayers
VOTE NO
Using scare tactics is a typical MO in this town. Similar ones were used in the last override attempt. (funny that the town survived even though the override failed) Now the local press is actively recruiting teachers to back this override, asking them to write stories in local media including newspaper\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s and Patch. Usually would not be a problem voicing an individual opinion, but then again who would not want a raise? Trying to maintain quality teachers is a fools errand. The really good ones will seek out towns and cities for a better salary or quality of life regardless. Simple fact of being an employee. A quality is not guaranteed by the salary of a teacher. But, this is only one part of this money grab by an administration who thinks they can solve all problems by throwing more money at the problem.
Medeiros: Taxpayers need unobstructed view

from the M Free Press:

Opinion: Medeiros: Taxpayers need unobstructed view
Posted at 12:40 PM Updated at 12:41 PM

Submitted by Alderman Monica Medeiros.

Last November, I, as an Alderman, voted against moving the Mayor’s proposed \$5.18 million tax override question forward. I felt the city had not been thorough enough in evaluating our financial picture, nor in considering the effects of adding these millions of dollars of new spending.

In preparing for this vote, I learned that our city had much bigger problems than I had suspected. Namely that the executives in our city government have failed to do any long term evaluation of our financial outlook.

I felt it critical to have a full understanding of the financial assumptions the city was making before I could vote to pass such a hefty burden on to seniors and families.

After asking Mayor Infurna for copies of any long range budget forecasts that had been prepared and used by the City of Melrose over the last five years, I was forced to appeal to the Secretary of State’s office for this information only to learn that no such documents exist.

The Mayor’s office directed me to a tool on our city website, “Visual Budget.” In the Aldermen meeting, I asked our CFO & Auditor Patrick Dello Russo if this was the tool he was using to make our predictions in terms of revenues and expenditures. His reply? “We don’t make predictions. This is not a magic show.”

Try as I might, I could not seem to match the “Visual Budget” figures to the actual budgets I had voted on. Days later, Kerriann Golden, our Assistant Auditor confirmed, “The last actual figures reflected are Fiscal 2016,” -- two full fiscal years behind.

The outdated “Visual Budget” data was not only a waste of thousands of taxpayer dollars spent on this service, but also so inaccurate that it was actually misleading to the public. Most importantly, it could not have been being used as an accurate tool for evaluating our city’s financial outlook by anyone including our city executives.

Melrose is at a crossroads. Real estate prices have skyrocketed to an all-time high. Many new families have chosen Melrose for its great schools, beautiful downtown and its relative affordability.

Conversely, many of our families, seniors and one-income households are struggling. Recently, a Melrose Housing Authority Commissioner testified at our meeting that the waitlist for housing of Melrose families, seniors, Veterans and the handicap is in the thousands.

Sadly, I hear from residents who are told if they can’t afford this increase, they should move along. But where will they go? After paying their taxes for years, volunteering in our community, donating to all kinds of causes, including our schools, they are told they haven’t paid their “fair share” and should move along. I can think of little that is so cruel.

Even for those of us who are working, many of us are only one lockout or government shutdown away from being in financial peril.

But regardless of income, every taxpayer deserves good fiscal management.

As an Alderman-at-Large, my job is to consider the big picture ramifications of our decisions, especially when it comes to spending and taxation. When it comes to the big picture, the taxpayers deserve an unobstructed view.

If our leaders are not looking forward to ensure we can sustain the costs associated with the hiring of nearly 30 new positions and school department raises (not teachers only) of nearly \$2 million included in this proposal, every one of these positions is at risk.

Before final decisions are made, the voters also need to know that large expenditures are waiting in the wings. What’s not included in this override, may be most significant.

This proposed tax increase includes no money for any other city department other than the schools. Although \$250,000 is included in the override for the loss of rent from Beebe School, no plan exists to bring this building back online and fund the staff, renovation nor utility costs. As we make room for some Melrose students, we will disrupt the lives of the 30 or so Melrose special needs children who currently attend the SEEM Collaborative who will be uprooted and bussed to a new school outside our city limits.

Plans are in the works for the rebuilding or repair of the police and fire stations, and renovations of the library. Whether or not this question passes, each of these is expected to be presented to the voters in the form of an increase above the Prop 2 ½ limit.

Like our taxpayers, our leaders need a panoramic view before they make decisions that affect individuals so significantly. Financial forecasting in budgeting has been considered a best practice for more than a decade. Melrose can do better. Before any tax increase is considered, our taxpayers deserve an objective analysis of our financial picture and an independent audit of our books.

Demand accountability. Vote NO.
This is such a great post. Read it in its entirety and change your life!
Thinking before you speak or do something. It's about knowing that every day, the choices we make can and will affect our lives. It's about being accountable for our choices in life. We have the right to make our decisions every day, and every day is a new day. But will the school committee make good decisions and the superintendent Cyndy Taymore?
Yup, I agree!

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Of course you do. Nitwits often travel in pairs.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

This is what happens when the public sits silent.

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

Agree!
Heartbreaking
The best
Taxpayers
VOTE NO
Using scare tactics is a typical MO in this town. Similar ones were used in the last override attempt. (funny that the town survived even though the override failed) Now the local press is actively recruiting teachers to back this override, asking them to write stories in local media including newspaper\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s and Patch. Usually would not be a problem voicing an individual opinion, but then again who would not want a raise? Trying to maintain quality teachers is a fools errand. The really good ones will seek out towns and cities for a better salary or quality of life regardless. Simple fact of being an employee. A quality is not guaranteed by the salary of a teacher. But, this is only one part of this money grab by an administration who thinks they can solve all problems by throwing more money at the problem.
Medeiros: Taxpayers need unobstructed view

from the M Free Press:

Opinion: Medeiros: Taxpayers need unobstructed view
Posted at 12:40 PM Updated at 12:41 PM

Submitted by Alderman Monica Medeiros.

Last November, I, as an Alderman, voted against moving the Mayor’s proposed \\$5.18 million tax override question forward. I felt the city had not been thorough enough in evaluating our financial picture, nor in considering the effects of adding these millions of dollars of new spending.

In preparing for this vote, I learned that our city had much bigger problems than I had suspected. Namely that the executives in our city government have failed to do any long term evaluation of our financial outlook.

I felt it critical to have a full understanding of the financial assumptions the city was making before I could vote to pass such a hefty burden on to seniors and families.

After asking Mayor Infurna for copies of any long range budget forecasts that had been prepared and used by the City of Melrose over the last five years, I was forced to appeal to the Secretary of State’s office for this information only to learn that no such documents exist.

The Mayor’s office directed me to a tool on our city website, “Visual Budget.” In the Aldermen meeting, I asked our CFO & Auditor Patrick Dello Russo if this was the tool he was using to make our predictions in terms of revenues and expenditures. His reply? “We don’t make predictions. This is not a magic show.”

Try as I might, I could not seem to match the “Visual Budget” figures to the actual budgets I had voted on. Days later, Kerriann Golden, our Assistant Auditor confirmed, “The last actual figures reflected are Fiscal 2016,” -- two full fiscal years behind.

The outdated “Visual Budget” data was not only a waste of thousands of taxpayer dollars spent on this service, but also so inaccurate that it was actually misleading to the public. Most importantly, it could not have been being used as an accurate tool for evaluating our city’s financial outlook by anyone including our city executives.

Melrose is at a crossroads. Real estate prices have skyrocketed to an all-time high. Many new families have chosen Melrose for its great schools, beautiful downtown and its relative affordability.

Conversely, many of our families, seniors and one-income households are struggling. Recently, a Melrose Housing Authority Commissioner testified at our meeting that the waitlist for housing of Melrose families, seniors, Veterans and the handicap is in the thousands.

Sadly, I hear from residents who are told if they can’t afford this increase, they should move along. But where will they go? After paying their taxes for years, volunteering in our community, donating to all kinds of causes, including our schools, they are told they haven’t paid their “fair share” and should move along. I can think of little that is so cruel.

Even for those of us who are working, many of us are only one lockout or government shutdown away from being in financial peril.

But regardless of income, every taxpayer deserves good fiscal management.

As an Alderman-at-Large, my job is to consider the big picture ramifications of our decisions, especially when it comes to spending and taxation. When it comes to the big picture, the taxpayers deserve an unobstructed view.

If our leaders are not looking forward to ensure we can sustain the costs associated with the hiring of nearly 30 new positions and school department raises (not teachers only) of nearly \\$2 million included in this proposal, every one of these positions is at risk.

Before final decisions are made, the voters also need to know that large expenditures are waiting in the wings. What’s not included in this override, may be most significant.

This proposed tax increase includes no money for any other city department other than the schools. Although \\$250,000 is included in the override for the loss of rent from Beebe School, no plan exists to bring this building back online and fund the staff, renovation nor utility costs. As we make room for some Melrose students, we will disrupt the lives of the 30 or so Melrose special needs children who currently attend the SEEM Collaborative who will be uprooted and bussed to a new school outside our city limits.

Plans are in the works for the rebuilding or repair of the police and fire stations, and renovations of the library. Whether or not this question passes, each of these is expected to be presented to the voters in the form of an increase above the Prop 2 ½ limit.

Like our taxpayers, our leaders need a panoramic view before they make decisions that affect individuals so significantly. Financial forecasting in budgeting has been considered a best practice for more than a decade. Melrose can do better. Before any tax increase is considered, our taxpayers deserve an objective analysis of our financial picture and an independent audit of our books.

Demand accountability. Vote NO.
This is such a great post. Read it in its entirety and change your life!
Thinking before you speak or do something. It\'s about knowing that every day, the choices we make can and will affect our lives. It\'s about being accountable for our choices in life. We have the right to make our decisions every day, and every day is a new day. But will the school committee make good decisions and the superintendent Cyndy Taymore?
Yup, I agree!
I think this City is great!

Re: More Staff Leaving the High School?????

The PR Machine is still managing to keep hold of these well-meaning but naive parents, feeding them just enough to let them think they are having an effect and that they can feel proud being part of a "positive" process. They don't realize how they have been co-opted and are being used. They don't realize that they are only being given just enough information to make them Believe.

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