Melrose Cares: Open Community Dialogue

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Mar 21, 2019 - 7:13PM

If the Override Passes

If the override passes, I ask those of you who supported it to please take note of what actually happens to city services, especially the schools.

I'm not talking to those of you who directly benefit such as certain city hall employees, you'll be reaping the benefits for years to come. I'm talking to those who were undecided but voted yes, to those who have children in the schools who think you're going to have a Lexington level of school system, to those who think that this override will make Melrose an even better place to live.

Nope. You won't even know that there was an override until it's time to pay your increased quarterly tax bill and a few weeks later, pay your increased water bill.

The schools will be the same. Taymore will get another raise. Some friends of the connected will get jobs in the school system but there will no real difference. Special ed will still be administered unevenly, sports fees will increase every year, band fees too, mediocre principals will leave for better opportunities. Same old. Same old.

Except now you will be paying more for it. You were already paying enough.

Don't believe me? If the override passes, look around and you will see.

Mar 21, 2019 - 11:05PM

Re: If the Override Passes

Come On, Man

I think there's a good chance the money will be well managed.

History has shown otherwise. Voting no.

Mar 22, 2019 - 3:17AM

Re: If the Override Passes

Come On, Man

I would ask those of you voting no to do the same if it fails. Also, I don\\\'t think you\\\'re accurately capturing the expectations of yes voters if we win. I don\\\'t think we will get to Lexington, or that Melrose will suddenly become some kind of utopia. This is incremental progress, followed by more incremental progress, and will not magically fix everything that needs fixing in our city. It\\\'s just one step. I don\\\'t thi k we are nearly as naive as you all seem to imply we are. Money isn\\\'t a magical cure all. It\\\'s merely a resource, that we need to manage. If the funds are well managed they will help If they are mismanaged, they will not. Given the fiscal responsibility that our excellent bond rating and regular audits show, I think there\\\'s a good chance the money will be well managed (please note that \\\"well\\\" is not a synonym of \\\"perfectly\\\").

@Come on man, I hope you don't mean more tax increases when you talk about incremental progress.

I have serious doubts about the extra money from the Override being well managed. It is for you yes types to keep an eye out if it passes. I think that you were be unpleasantly surprised.

This means observing past the 1st year since the override extra money comes in every year. There will higher number of unnecessary staffing and pay raises.

Time will tell who is right.

Mar 22, 2019 - 9:40PM

Re: If the Override Passes

Time will tell who is right.

Mar 23, 2019 - 9:59AM

Re: If the Override Passes

So, in eleven days it will all be over,`cept the cryin` and movin` to Canada!
Hopefully we can all then suck it up, regardless of the outcome, and move forward without "toldyasos", to everyone's eventual benefit!
Once we get past the rhetoric, I think we can all agree that it's time for some changes to be made, and once this decision is behind us, we shouldn't just sit back and "wait til the next time"!

Mar 23, 2019 - 3:25PM

Re: If the Override Passes

With all of the misinformation out there....one thing is for certain. More money taken out of the pockets of all property owners in Melrose will not solve the so called problems in Melrose. Taymore will still be a horrible administrator who has created a toxic working environment in Melrose schools. Melrose will continue to hire sub standard teachers, but at a higher pay rate. Teachers will still leave for better districts with better working environments, better pay, better benefits (like any other employee). Future incompetent mayors will still scream that they don't have enough money. There will be higher water rates, higher sports fees, higher everything else.
Still 2 NO votes here....

Mar 23, 2019 - 4:35PM

Re: If the Override Passes

VOTE NO

With all of the misinformation out there....one thing is for certain. More money taken out of the pockets of all property owners in Melrose will not solve the so called problems in Melrose. Taymore will still be a horrible administrator who has created a toxic working environment in Melrose schools. Melrose will continue to hire sub standard teachers, but at a higher pay rate. Teachers will still leave for better districts with better working environments, better pay, better benefits (like any other employee). Future incompetent mayors will still scream that they don't have enough money. There will be higher water rates, higher sports fees, higher everything else.
Still 2 NO votes here....

I'm confused. If you hate everything so much, and have such a pessimistic view for the future, why do you want to stay?

For the record, I'm not saying you should leave. I'm just curious why, if Melrose is such a nightmare, you would want to live here?

Have to live somewhere

Mar 23, 2019 - 5:40PM

Re: If the Override Passes

Although I will be voting no, I'm not the poster VOTE NO. My answer to the above question is simply because I live here and raised a family here as my family raised me here. You have to reside somewhere. I like Melrose even if I don't like everything about it.

I don't like people moving here and immediately trying to take over, telling us long term residents that they know what's better for the city than we do. I definitely don't like when respect for what we can afford is belittled by those who secretly can't or don't want to pay for what I'm supposed to happily pay for.

I have tried to follow a path or fiscal responsibility in my life which means sacrifice. Many of these newcomers lease their phones, their cars, etc. Why? Because they want to live a lifestyle above their actual means. This currently includes extracting additional taxes from all home owners because they want what they can't afford themselves.

Last over ride vote was for 2.4 million now it's a demand over 5 million dollars? Has no one noticed that's a 100% increase in 3 years? This is nonsense.

Mar 25, 2019 - 9:31AM

Re: If the Override Passes

Individual 1

VOTE NO

With all of the misinformation out there....one thing is for certain. More money taken out of the pockets of all property owners in Melrose will not solve the so called problems in Melrose. Taymore will still be a horrible administrator who has created a toxic working environment in Melrose schools. Melrose will continue to hire sub standard teachers, but at a higher pay rate. Teachers will still leave for better districts with better working environments, better pay, better benefits (like any other employee). Future incompetent mayors will still scream that they don\'t have enough money. There will be higher water rates, higher sports fees, higher everything else.
Still 2 NO votes here....

I'm confused. If you hate everything so much, and have such a pessimistic view for the future, why do you want to stay?

For the record, I'm not saying you should leave. I'm just curious why, if Melrose is such a nightmare, you would want to live here?

Why do I stay in a town that I have lived in for over 20 years? Just because I have a different opinion? My reasons for staying in this town are mine alone, and I would not discuss them on a public forum with a complete stranger.
I have been in this town long enough to see at least 2 override attempts crash and burn. Guess what? The city survived and prospered. When this override is defeated, I suspect the city will still survive and prosper.