Self described “3rd Generation Melrosian” and One Melrose, Leader Mark Garipay states that the Override is not a “campaign of the schools against public Safety”. If this were true, school funding needs would have been part of a package which included Override and bonding questions for all the city’s needs including fire and police stations and not just focused on the schools. Mr. Garipay (whose Bellevue area house would sell for 850-900 K) helped limit the focus only to the Schools in the April Override. He knows a comprehensive tax increase debate about bonding Public Safety Buildings would the get support of taxpayers over the schools. Garipay’s life long best friend, Rob Dolan never supported the needs of Public Safety personnel and neither does Mark. “0ne Melrose” means more than just the MPS.
Garipay’s rhetorical spin does not spell out that all the money is going to the MPS. People know all the $ is promised to the schools. People know that other city needs are not addressed in the Override. People do not trust past or present political leaders to represent or advocate for everyone. ONE Melrose does not equal ALL of Melrose. Unless and until ALL of Melrose’s problems are honestly tackled together, a tax increase just for the schools will never happen.
Voting No !
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.
Voting No !
Isn't Mark Garipay the son of deceased vice principal Peter Garipay?
Mark Garipay sits on the Melrose Retirement Board.
MG is RD's very close buddy, and yes son of PG.... Just more of RD's patronage and nepotism scheme that persists totally today.
Wonder how many of these good ol' boys and gals bought into the felonious cemetery scheme (to which at least two former alderpeople and/or their families were allegedly linked) of RD's now convicted felon godfather/chief of staff?
The Retirement Board is thoroughly infested....
Had to laugh at today's "retiree in support of override" letter that was published in Patch, with all the clean-sounding "reasons" for lining up behind/underneath this newest boondoggle. There is absolutely nothing clean about the governance in this pustulent mess of a city. The most laughable was the remark about transparency and the ability to get "thoughtful" and timely responses to "any" problem put to city officials now, that is if one has properly scraped and bowed (and written campaign checks) to the officials and gives no appearance (now or in the past) of questioning or contradicting their greater wisdom (wink, wink, nod, nod).
Speaking of felons, this is the same oozing, infected place that has now elevated a convicted disbarred felon (who stole $$$$$$$ from senior citizens) to the head of the school committee, with the former chronic lawbreaker as the vice (so that they can conspire together to keep as much information hidden from the public and even fellow elected officials, thanks to their Joe McCarthy rules of "order").
But then all you have to do if you don't believe this is turn on the tube and watch the sick little charade with all those grim characters and their dumbed-down scripts (or the $180,000 hired hack leading the charade, the one who wouldn't be able to figure out the difference between a noun or verb, let alone how to lead with clarity, vision, and inspiration) on Tuesday nights. If that doesn't sicken you, watch the BOA on Mondays and Thursdays, especially during the lineups where they have the paid slimeballs come in with their cooked "data." If that is still not enough, and if you know how to use the Google Machine, go to the city website and find the printed versions of the PR pieces that are supposed to placate inquiring minds.
There's a few people on here (or maybe the same person, I don't know), who seem to HATE this City, or maybe just the people who run it. Why do you stay? And what do you do to try to make it better, since it seems you have chosen to stay? Last question...when was the last time you were happy with the state of the city?
Not surprisingly, you have it exactly backwards. We actually love this City. What we hate is what's it's been turned into over the last 15 years by the disgusting gaggle of morons, thieves, and liars running things right now.
Why do we stay? I just told you. What do we do to try and make it better? Get rid of those in power now. When was the last time we were happy about the state of the city? One day before Dolan was elected.
I'm sick and tired of those who have moved here recently and who think they know better than anyone else, especially those of us who have lived here our entire lives. I'm sick and tired of those knuckleheads that think the only thing that matters is the schools.
Any more questions?
Yes. What's recent? Like, when has a non-native Melrosian been here "long enough" to count?
And, get rid of EVERYONE "in power"? Any keepers?
One more question...are you this angry in your "real" life, or just here? Oh, I guess that's two.
The newcomers who think they know what's best for everyone are self-serving hypocrites . They are ramming what they think is best for themselves and their families down the throats of everyone else. Very selfish. The elderly and those without children are expected to happily pay extra because these people want their little darlings to have the best of everything in a middle class community. Should have moved to Lexington. Couldn't afford it? Don't make that my problem.
They do not care that I am going to have trouble paying for the rest of my utilities as long as their child has everything. The leftist socialist leanings that they are accused of couldn't be further from the truth. These people don't care about others. They are attempting to burden others to get what they want for themselves.
I stay because this where I live. Why should I be driven out?
Been Here is absolutely correct. I wonder what these people will say when this override attempt goes down in flames like the last one did? My guess is we'll start hearing things like "You're against the kids." again, as if the fact we're fighting for our own financial survival is something we should be ashamed of.
It's a page right out of the Dolan playbook - demonize and denigrate - but unlike in Lynnfield, where another water and sewer debacle - and if you go over what the proposal was there, you'll see it's remarkably similar to what he saddled us with - lasted about two weeks because citizens stepped up, raised hell, and got the entire matter tossed onto the garbage heap, right where it belongs. Their elected officials listened and responded, unlike here, where with one notable exception, ours rolled over and played dead.
If our elected officials won't speak for us, then we have to do it ourselves. Personally, I couldn't care less if these self serving hypocrites call me names.