Showing posts sorted by relevance for query override. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query override. Sort by date Show all posts

Monday, June 7, 2010

Letter from Ed Cafasso

Hi everyone,


Over the past few weeks, many of my friends and neighbors have asked good questions about this Tuesday’s override vote. I wanted to share some of those with you in the hopes that it will help you to vote “Yes” when the polls open at the Field House on Tuesday.


But before I do I want to address two items that appeared in the local newspaper recently. In one letter to the editor, a resident said he said was tired of supporting “assistants to assistants” in the schools. There is no such thing. This belief represents baseless ignorance. Franklin spends far below the state average on administration in our schools. In fact, we spend below the state average in every category of school investment.


Another prominent resident claimed that citizens are afraid to express their views about the override for fear that their children would be punished in the schools. This is either an outrageous lie or a convenient rationalization. I have been active in the schools since 1998, and I have been involved in every override since. I have never ever heard of a single such incident. I have never even heard a rumor of such an incident. The resident who made this statement owes our schools either the proof to support the claim or a candid apology.


And now for some of the thoughtful questions that I have heard in my travels…


What is the relationship between the override vote and the planned renovation of Franklin High? There is none. The override would deliver an additional $3 million to the town’s operating budget, including $1.8 million for the schools. The override is designed to close a revenue shortfall. The FHS renovation is a capital project. Later in 2011, voters will be asked to give the town permission to borrow money for the work, like a mortgage. The state will reimburse approximately half the cost for the FHS project, and the cost of the borrowing will not show up on tax bills for three or four years.


Where’s the proof that the schools need these funds? Things seem fine? The Franklin schools are indeed high performing and tremendously efficient. That’s exactly why you should support the override as an investment. The lack of financial support for the schools is like termites living undetected in a house. The truth is that we have eliminated 100 teachers and seven administrators in the past five years. Class sizes have gone up. Kids with learning challenges are getting less personal attention. Teachers are getting less professional development. New fees have been created and existing fees have gone up. Our hardworking school employees are doing their best to hold back the tide, but the odds are against them over time unless we help now.


I am senior citizen on a fixed income. I can’t afford this, and why should I support the schools? My kids are grown and gone. The number one investment for any citizen of Franklin, young or old, is their home. And the best way to protect and strengthen the value of your home is to protect the quality of services in your community – police, fire, schools, public works, etc. If you are a senior, think about how the community helped pay for the public education your children received. Think about what will happen to the value of your home if the quality of services here continues to suffer from lack of investment.


Is there any guarantee that the Town Council will deliver $1.8 million from the override amount to the schools? Yes, their word. The council is publicly committed to that amount for the next two years. As you know, many councilors are actively campaigning for the override. There is no legal way to guarantee what happens when a new council takes office in two years, but history shows that the schools have received tremendous support from the Council. With the exception of one year when state aid was delivered late, well into the fiscal year, the schools have always received all of the state funds designated for education, as well as substantial revenues from property taxes..


Why should I add to my property taxes? Doesn’t it just make more sense to pay more in fees? Your property taxes are tax deductible. Fees are not. On a pre-tax basis, the proposed override will cost the average taxpayer $254 per year, about 70 cents per day, based on the average property assessment of $368,000 in Franklin. Passage of the ballot question would add 69 cents to the tax rate, or $.69 per $1,000 of the assessed value of your home. If the override fails, some athletic fees will increase more than the average annual tax cost of the override!


Where can I get more information about the override?


An excellent brochure has been developed that attempts to answer common questions and provides a chart of what services will be affected by the outcome of the override vote. You can view and download the brochure at: http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/override-brochure/


Up-to-date information and links on financial and academic issues, particularly from a school perspective, are available at: http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/override-page/


Concerned citizens who support passage of the override have formed a group called “Invest in Franklin.” You can visit the Invest in Franklin web site for additional information at: http://investinfranklin.weebly.com.


You can visit and join the Invest in Franklin group page on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2265200218&ref=ts


A Facebook event page has been created as a reminder about the June 8 vote. You can view it here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=118040221563289


My personal view is that Tuesday offers you a modest opportunity to invest in your community. No one agrees with every decision the town makes, but I am convinced, based on my years of involvement in town government and the schools, that Franklin is exceptionally well run, well intentioned and very efficient. Franklin lives within its means, provides a great quality of life, and does what it needs to maintain public property.


The outcome of this override has implications for all the essential services on which you and your family rely. In my mind, a “Yes” vote represents a well-deserved, very modest investment in the schools, police, fire, public works and library services that support my family, my friends and neighbors, and my property value.


Your town and schools need your help. I hope you will join me in supporting the override. Every vote is needed. Passage is by no means certain. Please do your civic duty on Tuesday and encourage all of your fellow citizens to do the same.


This e-mail reflects my opinion alone and is provided as a constituent service. Be on the look-out for an update soon on the great progress being made around the FHS renovation project.


As always, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions. If you are receiving duplicate e-mails or if you no longer wish to receive these e-mails, please let me know and I will remove you from the distribution list. If you know of someone you would like to add to the list, please send along their e-mail address.


Thank you!


Ed Cafasso, Member
Franklin School Committee
edcafasso@comcast.net



Franklin, MA

Budget - Override Collection - FY 2011

The following links provide access to information on the budget for Fiscal Year 2011

Additional items will be added here as they are found/prepared.
If you are looking for something in particular regarding the budget and don't find it, please let me know.

Now what?


Letter from Ed Cafasso

Joint Statement on Override - June 8th
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/joint-message-on-june-8th-special.html

Scott Mason Interview on the whole gamut of topics around the vote on June 8th
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/fm-69-scott-mason-part-1-of-2.html
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/fm-69-b-scott-mason-part-2-of-2.html

Town Fiscal Year 2011 Budget document and cover letter
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Admin/FY%2011%20Budget/

Budget Workshop (held Jan 25, 2010) to prepare for the budget
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/01/budget-workshop-collection-12510.html

Finance Committee budget hearings
May 4th http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/finance-committee-050410.html
May 6th http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/finance-committee-050610.html
May 10th  http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/finance-committee-051010.html

Town Forum at Horace Mann School Auditorium (video)
http://view.liveindexer.com/ViewIndexSessionSL.aspx?indexPointSKU=mGsI6gdlM4Tf2oFU7LAn9g%3d%3d


Town Council budget hearings
June 9th - meeting notes can be found here
June 10th

Franklin budget for FY 2010
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Admin/FY%2010%20Budget/

Franklin budget documents for years prior to 2010
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Admin/previous

Financial audit reports for Fiscal Years 2008 and 2009
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Admin/Audits/

School Department/School Committee budget book
http://www.franklin.k12.ma.us/co/supt/budget/FY2011Budgetbook.pdf (PDF)

School Department proposed cuts to the level service budget (assuming override does not pass)
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/franklin-ma-school-budget-possible.html

School Committee override page
http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/override-page/

Schools presentation on budget and need for override
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/franklin-ma-choice-we-have.html

Financial Planning Committee report (long term plan) and documents
http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_BComm/financial%20planning%20committee%20report/

A series of posts on State Education Mandates (unfunded mandates)
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/05/state-education-mandates-collection.html

Invest in Franklin: http://investinfranklin.weebly.com/

The June 8th Special Election Flyer can be found here

The forums and events calendar to hear and discuss information on the Special Election June 8th can be found here

Franklin's override and debt exclusion history
http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/2010/04/franklin-ma-override-debt-exclusion.html

Frequently Asked Questions




Significant comment discussion is also found in these articles on the Milford Daily News website

http://www.milforddailynews.com/topstories/x1372400798/Franklin-puts-money-aside-to-pay-laid-off-workers

http://www.milforddailynews.com/topstories/x1602636112/Franklin-proceeds-with-layoffs

http://www.milforddailynews.com/topstories/x1602634672/Franklin-plans-for-layoffs

http://www.milforddailynews.com/topstories/x682904107/Franklin-votes-on-tax-override-today

http://www.milforddailynews.com/topstories/x682904075/Franklin-planners-OK-Big-Y

http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x88774700/Case-made-for-Franklin-tax-override

http://www.milforddailynews.com/topstories/x457996868/Franklin-schools-discuss-cuts

http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/x88775036/Franklin-principals-say-cuts-have-been-harmful

http://www.milforddailynews.com/newsnow/x644095507/GUEST-COLUMN-Vote-yes-on-Franklin-override



Franklin, MA

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

On this day: May 22, 2007 Franklin voted for the first operational override

On this day, twelve years ago, 8759 Franklin residents went to the old high school field house to cast their votes for an operational override. The vote was successful and historic. 

While Franklin has successful passed debt exclusions for several school buildings (including most recently for the new high school in 2012), this was the only operational override passed.
"The votes came in to pass the first operational budget override in Franklin's Prop 2 1/2 history.
The final tally was 5,028 for and 3,722 against with 9 blanks and 8,759 total votes cast."
https://steves2cents.blogspot.com/2007/05/vote-tally-override-52207.html

The override collection for the 2007 vote can be found here
https://steves2cents.blogspot.com/2007/04/franklin-override-collection.html

Yes, this was the beginning of Franklin Matters. The domain and new website came online in November 2007. Links to the prior posts on my personal blog are still valid in the archive where needed.

Franklin failed to pass operational overrides in 2008 and 2010 and has not had a vote scheduled since that time. However, next year maybe an opportunity.

Franklin override collection for 2010 (FY 2011)
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2010/05/budget-override-collection-fy-2011.html

Franklin override info for 2008 (FY 2009) (not a single collection; I learned as I went along to do so)  https://www.franklinmatters.org/search?q=override%2C+2008



On this day: May 22, 2007 Franklin votes for first operational override
On this day: May 22, 2007 Franklin votes for first operational override




Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Override & debt exclusion info in the archives

Now that the "O" word (override) has been mentioned, there is a bunch of information in these  archives that may be useful to provide the historical perspective. 

Long time readers may recall that Franklin Matters came to be during the 2007 override and the domain officially was born in Nov 2007. 

The 2007 Override is noteworthy as it is the only successful override Franklin has passed in its history to date. It passed because there was unified support across the Town Council and School Committee. The succeeding overrides (2008 & 2010) failed because that unity did not exist. Some naysayers among the Council and School Committee created enough doubt and discord that success was unattainable. 

There also was a special ballot question on the State election of 2014 to provide $1.5 million to fund road maintenance that failed significantly. As it was a Sate election, Franklin turned out at 59% (normal for State elections) and 8289 voters said No, 3583 said Yes. https://www.franklinmatters.org/2014/10/ballot-question-5-dedicated-override-to.html

Coming out of the 2008 override failure there was recognition that a long term financial plan needed to be developed. A committee was created and began work on that in early 2010. The Financial Planning Committee changed to the Long Range Planning Committee. The first report they produced is now what we see each year when the Town Administrator publishes their 5 year outlook.

The Joint Budget Committee is the current working group to help with these long range and financial planning matters. They have not met frequently enough so we find ourselves now in a position where some folks understand the situation and many do not. The Joint Budget should meet more frequently (at least quarterly, in my view) rather than the annual meeting they have had in recent years.

The archive has links to collect the information pasted for each of the elections. 

There is also a spreadsheet with the specific ballot question history for both the debt exclusions (i.e. schools) and override votes. 
Some of the links break as the Town and School pages were updated twice since then (and neither upgrade maintained link integrity). 

If you find a link that might be valuable for your research, let me know, I might have the individual document in my own archives and can find and update the link accordingly.

Additional archive links can be found in the Key Link tab https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/important-links.html

Lincoln St road work during Aug 2014
Lincoln St road work during Aug 2014

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Letter from Ed Cafasso

Hello everyone,

I hope you enjoyed the stunning weekend weather.

As you know, Franklin voters will be asked to go to the polls on Tuesday, June 8, to decide a proposed $3 million override of Proposition 2½. If approved, approximately $300,000 will be used to restore municipal services, $1.8 million will be used to restore educational services, and $900,000 will be used to maintain roads throughout the town.

We need this money to stop the continued erosion of school and municipal services our community and to maintain our property values and quality of life.

Override votes can be a polarizing, which is not surprising when people’s money is at stake. On a pre-tax basis, the proposed override will cost the average taxpayer $254 per year, about 70 cents per day, based on the average property assessment of $368,000 in Franklin. Passage of the ballot question would add 69 cents to the tax rate, or $.69 per $1,000 of the assessed value of your home. That’s the out-of-pocket cost, but please also keep in mind that your local property tax payments are deductible federally.

I am writing today to pass along the wealth of information available to you to explain the proposed override and what’s at stake with this vote – and to offer you the opportunity to become actively involved in the effort if you wish.

Here’s what’s available to you:

An excellent brochure has been developed that attempts to answer common questions and provides a chart of what services will be affected by the outcome of the override vote. You can view and download the brochure at: http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/override-brochure/

Up-to-date information and links on financial and academic issues, particularly from a school perspective, are available at: http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/override-page/

Concerned citizens who support passage of the override have formed a group called “Invest in Franklin.” You can visit the Invest in Franklin web site for additional information at: http://investinfranklin.weebly.com.

You can visit and join the Invest in Franklin group page on Facebook at:  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2265200218&ref=ts

A Facebook event page has been created as a reminder about the June 8 vote. You can view it here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=118040221563289

If you want to volunteer for the effort, please contact: Elise Nulton at lcnot@comcast.net or Deb Bartlett at bartlett.family@comcast.net. Both Elise and Deb are listed in the Franklin phone book; they would welcome your support.

Financial donations in any amount to defray the cost of the campaign are also welcome. Checks made out to “Invest in Franklin” can be mailed to the group’s treasurer, Deb Bartlett, 2 Eldon Drive, Franklin, MA, 02038.

There are a number of forums and meetings taking place throughout the community in the coming weeks to help our friends and neighbors learn more about why this vote is so important. On Monday, May 24, 2010, there will be a town-wide forum at the Mercer Auditorium at Horace Mann Middle School beginning at 7 p.m. Town officials will be on hand to present the facts and answer your questions. I plan to attend and hope to see you there.

The outcome of this override has implications for all the essential services on which you and your family rely in Franklin.

Your town and schools cannot continue to do more with less and still meet your expectations. From a public school perspective, Franklin now spends below the state average in every single category of measurement.
(See: http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/schfin/statistics/function09_sum.aspx?ID=101).

Yet our students – your children and grandchildren – enjoy one of highest performing school systems and rewarding academic experiences in Massachusetts. Every day, our schools work efficiently and well to earn your trust and support, as do our woefully under-funded police, fire and public works departments.

I hope the informational resources provided above give you an ample opportunity to learn more about the override, so you can cast an informed ballot on June 8. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

This e-mail reflects my opinion alone and is provided as a constituent service. As always, I welcome your thoughts and suggestions. If you are receiving duplicate e-mails or if you no longer wish to receive these e-mails, please let me know and I will remove you from the distribution list. If you know of someone you would like to add to the list, please send along their e-mail address.

Thank you!

Ed Cafasso, Member
Franklin School Committee
edcafasso@comcast.net


Franklin, MA

Friday, May 30, 2008

What You Need to Know to Make an Informed Vote on June 10th

The contents of a recent email from Tom Sousa representing the Franklin Cares email distribution listing is worth sharing here:


1. The Vote is Soon!
Voting will take place on June 10th at the Franklin High School Field House from 6:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

2. The Proposed Override Will Average Only $243 per Household.
The override translates to an increased tax bill of only $243 per household. Since the tax payments are tax deductible, the after-tax cost is approximately $168 or about 50 cents a day.


3. Without the Override, You May End Up Spending More
You could be spending more per year by voting down the override because of cost increases for items such as pay-to-ride and athletic participation fees. If the override fails, there will be a $100 increase per student in the pay-to-ride bus, and cancellation of late bus service for students who need to stay after school for academic, clubs and extracurricular programs.

4. Franklin's Educational Spending is efficient.
Currently, Franklin is spending $2,200 less per pupil in 10 of the 11 State Department Education categories than the average in the state. We would have to add $13 million to the education budget just to be average spenders in the state.


5. Pink Slips Were Not Delivered for Dramatic Effect.
Teachers and administrators who received Pink Slips last week will indeed be gone if the override doesn't pass. This translates to a loss of approximately 43.5 teaching positions – 16 at Franklin high, 12.5 at the middle school level, and 15 at the elementary level.

6. It Will Be a Step Back for Franklin if Layoffs Occur.
The number of classroom teachers in Franklin is as follows:

School year
# of classroom teachers
2003-04
408
2004-05
459
2005-06
449
2006-07
466
2007-08
443

During that same time period, enrollment in the Franklin schools has increased by approximately 500 students and the Keller-Sullivan schools were opened. If the override is unsuccessful, the number of classroom teachers is expected to dip below 400 for the 2008-2009 school year, which means we will have less teachers than we had in 2003, but 500 more students and a new school facility.

7. Class Size Will Significantly Increase Without the Override.
The range for elementary school class sizes will increase to between 19 to 30 students per class. The middle school and high school will average roughly 25 to 30 students per class.

8. The Charter School Will be Impacted.
The Town of Franklin per pupil cost directly drives state re-imbursement for the Charter School. If we spend less, the Charter School will get less.


9. Unemployment Costs the Town.
If the town rejects the override, it is liable for up to $675,000 in unemployment for the laid-off teachers and administrators.

10. Families With Young Kids Are the Lowest Voting Population in Franklin
Regardless of how you vote, make your voice heard about this issue. Absentee ballots are one solution for busy families who want to be heard. Absentee ballots can be submitted at the Town Clerk's Office, 355 East Central Street, between 9am and 4pm. The deadline for absentee ballots is noon on June 9th.

Monday, June 15, 2020

Town Council positions on the override - Nov 2019

During the run up to the Town of Franklin local election in November 2019, we shared the interviews with many of the candidates for the Town Council and School Committee.

One of the questions asked the Town Council candidates was:
“The Town Administrator has suggested that Franklin needs to consider an override measure. What actions will you take for this? “
Note these answers were provided by the candidates in the run up to the election. This is the historical record of their position at that time. The successful candidate positions are shared here. The full listing is provided in the link below.

*** Town Council answers

  • Eamon McCarthy Earls
EE - I think it's a great question. Certainly we've been faced with some very trying times. A lot of it ties back to escalating costs for health care and our overall pension and other post-employment benefit (OPEB) liabilities which continue to mount and which probably nobody back in 1980 was concerned with or fully cognizant of how much it would cost.

I think it's ultimately a decision that rests with the voters. I would support offering that as an option to the voters to decide. I think it's really important to have that participation in something so critical in our town. I'm sure it will be a hard fought issue. Franklin residents have had debates in the past about budgets and cuts. Questions of overrides came up particularly the late 2000s. So I think really letting each side make their case will be really important.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/franklin-candidate-interview-eamon.html

  • Melanie Hamblen
Audio interview https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/fm-173-this-internet-radio-show-or.html

  • Tom Mercer

TM = First, we’ll need to monitor the towns’ budget situation closely throughout the year as the Town Administrator and Superintendent build their budgets. I’d expect that we would have a reasonable number in late January. My guess is the next Town Council and School Committee will have to discuss an override, how much and for what and what the community strategy may be.

At this point, I support and hope a discussion will occur next year on discussing with taxpayers a revenue increase. As the Town Administrator has stated numerous times, the cost of doing business is far exceeding our ability to raise revenue. Construction costs, personnel costs and Heath care costs are increasing at a rate that has put stress on the system relative to service demand. It’s a partial symptom of a good economy for sure. And it’s something we need to really engage a wider audience in the community on. Everyone will need to be involved. As ultimately any override is a decision made by the Community as a whole not the Town Council. It is the Town Council’s job to provide the community with all the facts so they can make an informed decision.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/franklin-candidate-interview-tom-mercer.html


  • Andrew Bissanti

AB = I think ultimately what's going to happen is the council is going to push the override to a ballot and let the people decide. That seems to be rhetoric from the existing council right now. I think it's only fair that way. I want to make a rational decision. How it's going to affect dollars, and the people of Franklin. Whatever the greater good is for Franklin. I don't want to see services to the town and infrastructure suffer. Careful study and examination and reporting will and is being conducted and we will have more facts soon.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/franklin-candidate-interview-andrew.html

  • Robert Dellorco
Audio interview https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/fm-179-franklin-candidate-interview.html

  • Matt Kelly
MK = So I'm on the budget subcommittee and I'm probably one of the more vocal people on the budget subcommittee. I know I didn't make any friends with the School Committee when I told them that I didn't necessarily agree with their budget. Councilor Mercer and I are the only two that were on the School Committee prior to being on the Town Council. I wish there was a prerequisite so that everybody would have to do that because I think you learn a lot.

Looking at the budget, I don't think we're ready for an override yet and there's a number of factors for this. I don't see that the budget has all the fluff cut out of it and I don't see any clear projection of numbers. I agree, that our administration is telling the truth when they say that it's getting tight, but I also understand that a lot of people out there are getting tight on their budgets too. We need to look at what our plan is, is it a reduction in our budget, and an override? Who knows right now and now isn’t the time to ask our citizens either. We have to consider what this going to do to our senior population. That has increased tremendously for people in our town. People on fixed incomes, we need to look at what it will do to them as well. There needs to be a conversation with our town’s people before you start talking override.

That's the business side of it. The human aspect is that times are too good for people to believe that we need an override. We're adding firefighters, adding police officers and there's no visible pain. You might see that we need more DPW workers or your road isn't getting done fast enough, but people don't want to vote for things until there's pain, number one. Number two, when the people complain that they're going off to pay for high school parking, then town council comes running to their rescue and says, “oh, no, we're going to give you that money in the budget.” It's not the time for an override. We should be able to say to our citizens, we can't find any money before we say override.

The reality is, I am going to be very, very stingy when it comes to saying we need an override because I'm going to pay for it just like you are.

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/10/franklin-candidate-interview-matt-kelly.html 


*** School Committee

The School Committee candidates did not get that question. The questions they answered as shown here.
  • There are and have been many opportunities to volunteer with community groups in Franklin. Have you taken advantage of any of these? Which ones, and why did you choose that/those?
  • Where do you get your news about Franklin?
  • The possibility of a change in school start times was a recent controversial topic taken up by the School Committee. Where do you stand on the issue of school start times in Franklin and what actions do you plan to take around this issue during the next term of the School Committee?
  • While the current School Committee has attempted to reach the community through various forms of communication including coffee chats, email newsletters, attending events such as the farmers market, etc., they have been generally unsuccessful at increasing the engagement with important issues related to the schools. What actions will you take to increase citizen engagement with the School Committee?
  • The Town Administrator has suggested that the School Committee investigate the possibility of closing Davis Thayer Elementary as a possible cost-saving mechanism for the town in these tight economic times. Where do you stand on this issue and what actions will you take to support your stance?
  • Why should I vote for you?

The Election Collection can be found here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/07/franklin-election-collection-2019.html

Franklin Election Collection - 2019
All precincts vote on Nov 5, 2019 in one location, Franklin High School

 

Saturday, May 24, 2008

Simple choice - maintain or cut

As demand for services rise our staff levels continue to fall. There are two unpleasant solutions to this problem. Continue to reduce services or increase taxes.

An override will be requested for the FY 06 Budget. I estimate it will require approximately $4 million to maintain the level of services that currently exist. A successful override will allow us to balance the budget in the short term but in the long run the fundamental gap between revenues and expenses will arise creating the same problem in the future. The only long-term solution will depend upon changing the the tax laws to curtail the over reliance on the property tax as the primary source of funding local government.

The override is intended to address the current financial problems. It does not address the need to upgrade the high school, reconstruct roads and sidewalks, or fund a hugh unfunded health insurance obligation. These issues will have to be addressed over the next three years.
From the FY 2005 Budget Statement (PDF) published by Jeff Nutting in April 2004. This quote can be found on the bottom of page 11. The override mentioned was held in November 2004 and it failed by a 1,148 votes.

The future fiscal years beyond FY 07 will be difficult to deal without additional revenues. Please carefully review pages 4-6 titled FY 08 Budget Projections. You will note that with a very modest 2.5% increase in general costs along with increases in energy, health insurance, etc. the town will face a multi-million dollar shortfall. The 2.5% increase is not adequate to provide the same level of services that are currently provided and will lead to reductions in school/municipal services. realistically, the increase would need to be closer to 5% to maintain services. There is no way to avoid the eventual reality that our reserves are dwindling while our costs continue to rise faster than our revenues. I believe that FY 08 will be the year that difficult choices will have to be made in order to balance the budget.
From the FISCAL 2007 Annual Report published April 20, 2006 (PDF) by Jeff Nutting. The quote can be found on the bottom of page 2. The difficult choices mentioned did occur in FY 08 and resulted in the first operational override to pass in Franklin by a margin of 1,306 votes.

Final Comment - What do you get for your property taxes?
Franklin's property taxes are very reasonable. Unlike other taxes we pay, all of your property tax dollars remain in Franklin. The average tax bill in Franklin is $3,872. That amount provides high quality education, saves property and lives, plows your streets, provides library and recreational opportunities, and assists our senior citizens and veterans. When you need a paramedic, police officer, or other public service, they are a phone call away. Your tax dollars are used to improve your quality of life, and in the case of property owners, maintain and increase the value of your investment. In good times or bad, we strive to be prudent with your tax dollars and be responsive to your needs.
This is from the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Statement (PDF) as published by Jeff Nutting in March 2008. This quote can be found on the top of the last page, page 11.

As these quotes from the budget information provided during the past several years indicate, an override this year is not a surprise. We have a systemic issue that is not being addressed. We have avoided the painful choices by drawing down the stabilization fund. It is no longer a smart fiscal choice to make. The choice remaining is to cut services (in this case educational services for our children) or raise taxes.

Put all the other arguments aside: Do you want to maintain our quality educational services or do we start cutting deeper than we have before?

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Learn all you can by visiting here frequently.

Visit the School Committee override page for the schedule of information sessions

You can find override related information here


Be informed to cast your vote on June 10th

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Override failure reasons - my 2 cents

Why did the override fail?

By the numbers, 1600 yes votes from last year did not vote yes this year:
  • 500 of them chose to vote no.
  • Just over 1000 stayed home and chose not to vote at all.
What happened to these yes votes?

I think there are a number of reasons.

Apathy is always a factor - "My vote won't make a difference." On a national scale, the individual vote does not count for a whole lot. On the local scale, one vote is ONE vote.

Town priorities - The school budget is always a town matter. The School Department and Superintendent are properly advocates for what they need. The Finance Committee provides some oversight and validation but the ultimate responsibility lies with the Town Council. So while this year (and last) the School Committee brought forth what they needed to maintain the level of education that they were providing, the Town Council chose to follow the beat of their own drummer. Last year the Town planned for the override in advance and included town operations in the override amount. This year, the Town set the schools up on their own and only allowed an override when forced by the School Committee and the presence of growing support within the community. Alas, the support was not enough to carry all the way through.

Mis-information - The hearsay, mis-information and inaccuracies were prevalent in the community discussions. Trying to get the proper information out to the folks was like swimming against the riptide. The Milford Daily News closed out anonymous comments the day after the vote but the damage was done. The constant naysayers were abusive and out in force. Heaven forbid, you try to get a word in edgewise. The key point on this is the difference between a capital expense and an operational expense. Clearly, the majority of Franklin voters don't understand or appreciate the difference.

The 5 Year Plan - This is another aspect of the Town priorities but an important one. This item was brought up several times during the healthy discussion during the Override of 2007. Everyone agreed it was a good thing to do. During the ensuing year, the Town Council did nothing. They instead chose to sit on the school budget problem and hid it from the voters during the November election. That was more important. Some of the councilors chose to break their own by-laws and put up their election signs for the November election in advance of when they were supposed to. That was more important. Some of those councilors chose to make take pot shots at the School Administration and School Superintendent. Sound bites travel well especially when they are unfounded. Finally, the Town Council appointed a committee to develop a long range plan the week before this years override. Too little too late.

State money - The Town has gotten too used to the largess of the commonwealth and the ability of our local representatives to tap the coffers to fill the Franklin revenue needs. The decade plus time of increasing state aid is likely behind us. Other towns are recognizing what we have benefited from and getting jealous. We could make a case for the increases with a growing enrollment. The enrollment growth is tapering off and so will the state funds. The unwillingness of the Franklin tax payer to dip into their own pocket got proved again. Only one operational override has successfully passed. Don't ask a Franklinite to take money out of their pocket for something they should pay for. If the state won't pay for it, Franklin certainly won't.


I believe the Franklin voters who did not cast their ballots will come to regret their decision. The days of Franklin being selected in Top 10 or Top 100 are over. Digging out of this hole will be the hardest thing to do.

The task of the Five Year Plan Committee will be immense. We, the voters, will have a chance of getting a decent plan. There are two "normal, everyday citizens" on the committee along with the elected and appointed officials. We will have to monitor the committee to ensure that they are open and doing something productive. We can not let the Town Council let this opportunity sit idle.


What can we learn from the failure?

Personally, letting others direct the conversation, reporting the facts, hoping for the best doesn't work.

Action will be required. The level of engagement in the town meetings (especially the Town Council) needs to increase.

You, yes you! Don't sit at home and let the talking heads babble on. Make the effort. Go to the Council Chambers. Show them that there are real live people for whom they should care about what they do. Hold them accountable.

Conversation about what is happening needs to maintain some focus on the real issues. Don't let the agenda hide some items. Ask where is it? Ask what is happening? Ask why?

Together we can come out of the hole. Or separately, we can see our home values decline, or students fall behind, our future dim.

This is our choice.

What choice will you make?

How much does Franklin matter to you?

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Frequently asked questions: "Can the town guarantee that the funds from the override will always be spent exactly the same way?"

The wording of the ballot question asks for $3 million, but I am told $1.8 million will be used to maintain services in schools, $300,000 to maintain town services and $900,000 for road repair. Can the town guarantee that the funds from the override will always be spent exactly the same way?

Only for one year. There are some states where property taxes are divided into school taxes and other taxes, but that is not the case in Massachusetts. All property tax revenues flow into the town's general fund, and the Town Council can only allocate money from the general fund one year at a time, based on the town's priorities and needs. This provides flexibility in case circumstances change; one year the Police could need more money and the next, it could be the Library.


The override will balance the budget and prevent a major deficit. It will increase the amount of money in the general fund that Franklin will have available to meet our town's needs in future years, providing better financial flexibility to help the schools, police, public safety and library, as well as other important services. The percentage of Franklin's budget allocated to each town department has been relatively stable from year to year, and it would take extreme financial circumstances for the Town Council to attempt to dramatically change the budget. Although they cannot legally make any guarantees, the Town Council and Town Administrator have clearly stated their intention of adhering to the numbers given in the override question in future years.

One of a series to address frequently asked questions
http://investinfranklin.weebly.com/faq-part-1.html


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The special election on June 8th gives Franklin voters the choice:

Increase taxes to continue to provide the services we have this year (and that does not restore any of the services already cut)

Or

Continue to cut municipal services for all and cut educational opportunities for our children

I'll help to provide the information. You need to do two things:
  1. Make your choice
  2. Vote on June 8th

You get bonus points if you talk with your neighbors about this and get them to vote!

Additional information on the override can be found here:


Franklin, MA

Friday, February 28, 2020

In the News: Bellingham to decide on a $1.5 million override; Franklin schools budget gap expected to close

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:
"Voters will decide in May on a $1.5 million override requested by the School Department for its fiscal 2021 budget. 
Selectmen last Saturday approved the override, meaning the proposal will appear as a ballot question at the annual town election on May 5. The measure requires approval from a simple majority of voters to pass. 
Superintendent of Schools Peter Marano said the school district is seeking the override to help compensate for a lower reimbursement expected from the state on charter school funding, as well as to add positions in areas of increased need. 
For the average homeowner, the $1.5 million override would result in property taxes being increased by about $160 in the next fiscal year, Marano said, based on a home value of about $325,000.
Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200226/bellingham-override-bid-heads-to-ballot-selectman-oked-15-million-school-budget-override-request


"The School Department anticipates “a budget gap to close” after reviewing its plans for fiscal 2021, requesting an increase of $3.9 million in funding from the town, according to Superintendent of Schools Sara Ahern. 
Reviewed on Tuesday night before the School Committee, the proposed school budget of $68,767,873 represents an increase of $3,909,373 (6%) over the current budget, said Ahern. Fiscal 2021 begins on July 1. 
The town’s total current budget is $129.6 million, with about half of it - $64.8 million - allocated to Franklin Public Schools. 
Even though the school district is requesting a $3.9 million increase for the coming year, Ahern said she doesn’t anticipate the town paying that entire amount."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20200227/franklin-superintendent-anticipates-budget-gap-to-close

The live reporting from the School Committee meeting on Tuesday on the budget for FY 2021
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2020/02/live-reporting-recommended-budget-fy.html

Assume Town of Franklin gets $3m in expected revenue, with schools proposing an increase of $3.9m over last year we have a math problem
Assume Town of Franklin gets $3m in expected revenue, with schools proposing an increase of $3.9m over last year we have a math problem

Sunday, May 4, 2008

In the news - seniors tax break bill not likely this time around

GHS
Posted May 04, 2008 @ 12:13 AM

FRANKLIN —

The situation is not unique to Franklin: the elderly are pitted against young people in a battle to pass a Proposition 2-1/2 tax override that keeps schools competitive during budget crises.

Seniors on fixed incomes speak out about their struggle to pay for basic needs and hang onto their homes, while those who are the voice of another vulnerable population - children - endure attacks for proposing a tax increase.

Now that Franklin is in the throes of an override battle, School Committee Chairman Jeffrey Roy is urging citizens to appeal to their senators (Sens. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, and Karen Spilka, D-Ashland) to pass a bill permitting towns to exempt eligible seniors from tax overrides.

On Feb. 28, the House overwhelmingly (111-34) passed Bill No. 2840, which gives Franklin's Town Council the ability to give this tax break to seniors aged 65 or older with a family income of $60,000 or less (if their real estate tax payments exceed 10 percent of their total income). The bill was sent to the Senate and referred to the Senate Ethics and Rules Committee.

Read the remainder of the article in the Milford Daily News here

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Franklin seniors seek override relief

By Joyce Kelly/Daily News staff

Sun May 04, 2008, 12:08 AM EDT

FRANKLIN -

A group of women playing Scrabble at the Franklin Senior Center recently said a bill protecting them from override taxes ``sounds good'' to them.
``Oh yes, definitely,'' said senior Clare Flynn.
The women ``don't make nearly $60,000,'' and their Social Security income is so low, they are considered to be living in ``poverty,'' they said, laughing and adding they would like to be given the same tax breaks as billionaires.
An exemption would not automatically compel them to vote in favor of a Proposition 2« tax override, however, they said.
``It would depend on what the override is for, if it seemed they (town officials) spent money foolishly, and why they reached the point where they'd have to call for an override,'' Flynn said.
``If the money really would go for what they're saying, then I'd consider it,'' she said.

Read the full article in the Franklin Gazette here

Monday, April 14, 2008

In the News - override views mixed, FINCOM to hear school budget

GHS
Posted Apr 13, 2008 @ 09:08 PM

FRANKLIN —

Dale Lippert, a retired instructor from Dean College, didn't pause before expressing his thoughts on a tax override to save the schools from drastic layoffs and cuts this year.

Sitting at the Honey Dew Donuts on Rte. 140, Lippert shook his head, and looking to his friend, another senior, said, "It's not going to happen."

"The bucket is only so deep. I don't think it's a Franklin issue - I think it's a U.S. issue, an economy issue," said Lippert, lamenting the rising cost of gas, milk, and bread.

People on fixed incomes can't meet their basic needs, and others are losing their homes, he said.

"I was a teacher, and I'm 150 percent in favor of education, but there has to be fiscal responsibility. They can't just keep asking people (for more)," Lippert said.

If Franklin puts a tax override question on a ballot this year, he predicted, "a gray revolution" - the senior generation organizing to fight it - adding that he'd be "on the front line."

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News

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GHS
Posted Apr 13, 2008 @ 08:33 PM

FRANKLIN —

Tonight, School Committee Chairman Jeff Roy will make two financial requests of the Finance Committee: To support a tax override and agree to a $58.6 million budget for schools - $3.2 million on top of Town Administrator Jeffrey D. Nutting's proposed $55.4 million budget.

The School Committee is seeking the tax hike to fund a budget sufficient to maintain the same level of services, teachers and staff at schools.

An adequate tax override would prevent 45 layoffs (mostly teachers) in schools and increased pay-to-ride fees, and save the late bus.

"I'm hoping the Finance Committee will support an override, or at least an override question. I think it's the only real option, because there aren't any real sources of (additional) revenue," he said.

Read the full article in the Milford Daily News here

Monday, May 10, 2010

Live reporting - Finance Committee endorses the override

Rebecca Cameron provides an update on the Long Range/Financial Planning committee report
brought the 2 1/2 override to the Council and to the voters for a vote
we need to be on the same page to help the process

Roche
The plan was right on target except for the items that weren't on the planning horizon
the forecast has been reconciled to the original report
the Town Council has a $3 M override budget
to use $1.8 M for schools, $300,000 for the Town, and $900,000 for the roads to get started in addressing that problem
we have a way to go with $15 M to fix the worst 30 miles of roads and only $900,000 to start with

Goldsmith - I feel very comfortable asking the Town's people to consider coming forward, the increase are warranted to provide the services to the Town

Roche - There is not a lot of waste out there, the department heads are doing their job and we are getting to lean

Quinn - If you look at the five year plan, it gets worse. Police down, Fire down, DPW, Schools (hundred lost teachers, 1,000 more students). It is unfortunate, times are tough but I think failure to pass the prop will be an issue

Rivera - one of the most important things we can do is to educate the residents as much s we can, if we don't do something what will it look like in a few years, if they have questions, the info is on the website

Roche - Town wide forum on May 24th at 7:00 PM at Horace Mann/Thomas Mercer Auditorium

Cataldo - We can't keep going this way, personal safety is important, this money is not going to be slopping in a trough, this is to provide services that we have had , not increases but the same services

Q
Nutting - Est $255 per average bill for the $3 M override

Quinn - It is important to say, 10 failed overrides with one passed, we are asking for a tax increase because some of the others haven't been passed with growing expenses. Got to make ends meet.

Feldman - we can see some signs of improvement in the economy here and there, hopefully things will continue to improve

Cameron - the important thing is that everyone comes out and vote, the votes need to be cast, we understand the impact it can have on certain people. I get the feeling that this group understands the override is necessary to keep the services. I would like to make a recommendation to support the override.

Motion to recommend $3 M override, passed 8-0

meeting for 1st Tue in June (Jun 1) to be kept for now

motion to adjourn, passed


Franklin, MA

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Live reporting: DPW proposal on road repairs


H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS 
- Department of Public Works

Kate Sjoberg, Mike Maglio, Robert (Brutus)Cantoreggi, and Laurie Ruszala



(document to be added)


http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_DPW/General_Pages/2013%20Roadway%20Presentation.pdf

roads rated 69 or less analyzed

quite a few roads rated 69 or less

if depending only upon Chap 90, the road repairs would decrease
proposal with a possible override shows getting to 70 or better within 5 years


focus had been on water/sewer repairs with road repairs

60% funding from water 40% from other sources

Chap 90 funding is variable (shown in chart)


Council appropriations also vary year to year (shown in chart)


initiative '14 plan

looking for a debt override of a $1M per year (how long not answered yet)

new water study being done in 2014

Nutting

200 miles of roads and each can have an individual issue
water can continue to supply funding for the foreseeable future

dedicated override can be kept to a fund for perpetuity

a million dollar override would cost about $18 per homeowner

Q - Kelly - would the plan be to get the roads accepted before we repaired

A - Yes, we would get them accepted before work is done

Q  - would be reducing the road size?

A - yes, 
discussion on size of the road in subdivisions, they cover that size of the road

reducing the size avoids the cost of repair and future maintenance


C - Powderly - thank you for this, easy to understand, folks can see where things fall out. The Town is reliant on a zero sum game. the only thing that will fix the roads will be a dedicated override


C - Roy - The legislature did authorize more money in Chap 90. The Governor is authorized to do so, he has not released the funds. he is getting pressure from legislators everyday. With the economy going, I am not sure if this is time to do an override. You'll have a new council in place in November and it would be better for their decision.


C - Bissanti - what happened in the 80's, the DPW were not doing the core and compression tests when they were being built, which is why we ended up with the roads we have now.


C - Nutting - you had residents come in a couple of months ago, more are likely, the only thing that will fix the roads is money. Utimately, the town is going to have to take more responsibility


Q - Dellorco - where are the road ratings?

A - The road ratings are on the town website (see link to be added). If I don't fix them, they are calling you. We are up against it. We have done a lot of work in town. full reconstruction is about $100 sq ft. I am not saying Brutus wants an override. If it is adjusted, we can live with it. The facts speak for themselves. The bubble of the last 80-90's is coming and needs to be addressed.