Towns resist 9% budget increase; Officials say school request is unaffordable.Byline: Jean Laquidara Hill PAXTON - Faced with $540,323 less than anticipated coming from the state for the Wachusett Regional School District
The proposed school district's $70.2 million budget is 9 percent more than the current year's budget. Even before the Legislature's aid figures were announced Wednesday, officials from most towns in the school district had asserted they could not pay what the school district is asking. The governor's budget had projected about a half million dollars more for the district, but the Legislature used a different formula benefiting some communities, but not others. Officials from four of the school district's five member towns attended the quarterly regional selectmen's meeting last night. Rutland representatives did not attend. Officials from Paxton and Princeton, the smallest towns in the school district, have expressed deep concern in recent weeks, saying their towns are already hurting because municipal needs have been sacrificed to pay for education. Last night, as officials talked, David J David J. Haskins (b. April 24, 1957, in Northampton, England) is a British alternative rock musician. He was the bassist for the seminal gothic rock band Bauhaus. Life and work . White, chairman of the Holden Holden, town (1990 pop. 14,628), Worcester co., central Mass., a residential suburb of Worcester; settled 1723, set off and inc. 1741. Manufactures include electrical and metal products, plastics, and machinery. Board of Selectmen SELECTMEN. The name of certain officers in several of the United States, who are invested by the statutes of the several states with various powers. , said talk without unity was a waste of time. "In my five years of being involved here, it's the school board's policy or their practice to divide and conquer," Mr. White said. "The school board will come right out and say, we can put the fannies in the seats to get the budget passed," Mr. White told the regional group. The state assigns Individuals to whom property is, will, or may be transferred by conveyance, will, Descent and Distribution, or statute; assignees. The term assigns is often found in deeds; for example, "heirs, administrators, and assigns to denote the assignable nature of a percentage of the cost of the school district to each town. "We're not going to bail just because our needs are being met if other towns are being hurt," Mr. White said. Paul Challenger, chairman of Holden finance board, said he has heard school officials say they could pack town meetings with voters who would approve the budget. Mr. Challenger said, however, that a look at town meeting votes proved that wrong. He said the finance board voted not to support the school district's proposed increase. Alan M. Sentkowski, chairman of the Princeton Board of Selectmen, said there is no way his town can afford the increase and remain within Proposition 2-1/2. He said there are plenty of residents who want to withdraw from the school district. "We've sacrificed in Paxton," Selectman se·lect·man n. One of a board of town officers chosen annually in New England communities to manage local affairs. Noun 1. selectman - an elected member of a board of officials who run New England towns Frederick G. Goodrich said. "We cannot give away our needs for the infrastructure of this town to the school every year," he asserted. John E. Potter John E. Potter is the current United States Postmaster General and CEO of the United States Postal Service, becoming the 72nd Postmaster General on June 1, 2001. Prior to becoming Postmaster General, he had been Chief Operating Officer of the U.S. Postal Service. , chairman of the Sterling Finance Committee, said his town's revenues have increased dramatically this year, and that half the revenue increase could go to the schools and half to the municipal side of the budget. Mr. Sentkowski said the financial picture is different in Princeton, where there has been virtually no new growth in the past year, and the school budget absorbs 65 percent to 67 percent of the town's total budget. Mr. Potter A potter is someone who makes pottery. Potter may also refer to: People
"We won't be there," Mr. Goodrich said. Mr. Potter said if the school district really needs the increase, it should go for a Proposition 2-1/2 override An arrangement whereby commissions are made by sales managers based upon the sales made by their subordinate sales representatives. A term found in an agreement between a real estate agent and a property owner whereby the agent keeps the right to receive a commission for the sale of . "A Proposition 2-1/2 override never makes sense for any operating budget Noun 1. operating budget - a budget for current expenses as distinct from financial transactions or permanent improvements budget items, operating cost, operating expense, overhead - the expense of maintaining property (e.g. ," Mr. Goodrich said. Michael T. Quinlivan, chairman of the Paxton Board of Selectmen, said school administrators should not be planning new programs during such a lean year. Mr. Challenger said School Superintendent Noun 1. school superintendent - the superintendent of a school system overseer, superintendent - a person who directs and manages an organization Thomas G. Pandiscio knows he has to reduce the budget and would cut it by $1 million. What's needed to make it affordable for Princeton, Mr. Challenger said, is a $2.5 million reduction in the overall school budget. Paxton Town Administrator Charles T. Blanchard said the group must decide on a percentage increase all the member towns will accept. NAME: WACHUSETT REGIONAL SCHOOL COMMITTEE |
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