Two events to put on your calendar: an October 13 chat with Massachusetts House Ways and Means Chairman Charlie Murphy on the state of the State's budget. Then set aside the evening of October 27 for an important Community Dialog on the future direction of the public schools.
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With all the debate in town about preserving our elementary school libraries, I couldn't help but note this story on the front page of today's New York Times about sci-fi writer Ray Bradbury's crusade to preserve public libraries in his home, Ventura County, California.
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An amendment by TM member Anne Mahon targeted at using free cash to preventing cuts at Belmont High School and preserving elementary library aides looked like a long shot, but won overwhelming support at Town Meeting last night. Where were you when you heard the Cat Leash speech?
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MSBA Executive Director Kathy Craven told Belmont voters that now was the time to act on funding a new Wellington Elementary School, and that $12.4m in State funding will be off the table, and given to other towns if the town fails to pass a debt exclusion in June.
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Proposed cuts to local aid and a variety of programs supporting public education programs could hit Belmont, and other towns, hard.
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Federal stimulus money may not avert staffing cuts. The School Committee meeting at Chenery Middle School Tuesday at 7:30 PM may be your best opportunity to speak out against cuts to teaching and support staff in Belmont's Public Schools.
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A precipitous drop in State revenues could jeopardize local aid payments and eviscerate funding for social services and education. Suddenly "Read my lips: No new taxes!" doesn't sound so cool.
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One that caught my eye in the Warrant for the meeting, however, harkened back to one of the crazy ideas that B2 floated in 2008, namely: a PILOT agreement with the Belmont Hill School.
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An estimated $1.3m in stimulus money will help stave off cuts to staffing and materials on the school side and, coupled with some savings from attrition, let the town squeak by for one more year without needing to raise property taxes.
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Town leaders stared into the abyss on Wednesday, contemplating "what ifs" should the town not pass a Prop 2 1/2 override. Teacher and town layoffs, fee supported sports and reduced emergency services are all possibilities.
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