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Tuesday, February 28, 2017
BALLOT BUFFOONS
Just
got off the phone with the Boston Globe. My name and number was given
to the reporter in regards to the ballot problems. Story will be
published tomorrow. Stay tuned....
DENMARK'S SMELL
One
of the most fundamental rights as Americans is the right to vote. The
City of Lynn made a mistake on the upcoming election ballots. They have
been told by the Secretary of State's office to reprint the ballots.
They've also been told that any absentee ballots need to be recalled and
these votes will be void. People have the right to know if their vote
counts and what they need to do if they have to revote. People have a
right to know how much this blunder will cost the city. This is
unacceptable. And the Lynn item will not report on it t. They are a joke
. They should be ashamed of themselves. When does this end?
HARD LESSONS
Thanks to the new political direction
Future commitments may need some introspection.
Promised monies may easily go away
But taxes are here to stay.
With charter and vouchers and mass deportation
We're held hostage by whims of the nation.
So the answer of building "The Biggest School"
May cause us to look a fool.
Future commitments may need some introspection.
Promised monies may easily go away
But taxes are here to stay.
With charter and vouchers and mass deportation
We're held hostage by whims of the nation.
So the answer of building "The Biggest School"
May cause us to look a fool.
Monday, February 27, 2017
PROPOSITION OPPOSITION
No one doubts the need
There is a question of civil greed.
So about higher taxes there is some reservation
Did I mention the desire for another location?
To rob a cemetery of plots
Has part of the public twisted up in knots.
So our kids are used as hostage
While on both sides there is outrage.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
RESISTANCE
Last night, the opposition to the two schools vote had a fundraiser/rally. It looks like it was pretty well attended but then again that's what they want you to think. Everybody seems to be in agreement that there is a problem with overcrowding.
The problems come with agreeing on a solution to the problem. One wave of the resistance is focused on the location of one of the schools. No matter how correct their argument might be they would not be successful. Every location has its problems and those affected are outnumbered by those who aren't. It's hard to rally people to vote unless you can convince them it personally affects them.
I am not sure they have been successful in that. However in their favor is another strain of parallel opposition to the raising of taxes. I know there has been pushback from the pro 2 schools faction that our property taxes are only a little higher than other communities that have built schools. To that argument I want to remind everybody that we have a lot of schools including two built in the 1800's. Does that mean a tax increase each time? That will add up pretty soon. We will learn the power of compound interest.
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Friday, February 24, 2017
ENGAGEMENT IS A GOOD THING
The
Lynn Public Schools is hosting a free Family Engagement Fair!! The
event is designed to support and encourage parents of elementary age
students in their…
www.eventbrite.com
LORI LOOKS AT THE LOOMING TAXES AND TROUBLES AHEAD
Lori D'Amico There
is no doubt the city of Lynn desperately needs new schools. However,
the city hasn't been able to meet its NSS obligation for YEARS and owes
the schools the city already has standing MILLIONS!! It appears as
though every audit that is conducted on the city turns up errors, misuse
of funds and mismanagement of funds, which typically results in more
debt for the city. There are concerns and issues with how the city will
pay for contracts without any layoffs. The city continues to lose
significant tax revenues from businesses selling and non-profits/non-tax
paying organizations buying. So can the city actually afford to take
on $80 plus million or whatever the cost will be for the 2 new schools?
I will let people decide and vote for themselves
GETTING IN FRONT OF THE MIDDLE
Lynn seeks middle ground on school project
Clearly there is a deep concern about the likelihood of the passage of this measure. Plans appear in the works to peel off opposition with at least the appearance of some concession. While some people may have a valid arguments about the proposal's location, my concerns don't take into consideration the whereabouts.
It's all about the "money". While it's true that the building of a new school would have a positive effect on home values, that increase must be weighed against the stifling effect of higher taxes. But you know what, I don't even want to weigh in on that argument.
My fears are two fold: 1). I am concerned that in light of the chaos surrounding the national chaos surrounding both the direction of the US Dept of Education and the emergence of a greater proclivity for the emergence of more charter schools shared by our governor that the money coming into our district will be reduced and 2). the city's continued fiscal malfeasance in regards to their own responsibilities when it comes to solving our Net School Spending Crisis we have been spinning our wheels. This crisis has been playing out for a few years now and it doesn't seem to be getting much better. The excuses are getting old. Can we trust them to correctly spend the fruits of a $200 a month property tax increase?
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
PICKERING PROBLEMS
Interesting point, sorta. I have heard talk of maybe using the old Pickering for an expansion of Sisson. One of the arguments against the old Pickering is that it is in such deplorable condition that it is not cost effective to rehab it. Well it definitely is in bad shape, I've seen pictures.
But eventually putting elementary kids who are more sensitive to the lead and other contaminants that have to exist in any old building doesn't make the best of sense. When are they going to start tearing down the old Marshall by the way. We put extra money on the bond to pay for it, like around $4million. Disposing of certain things like asbestos is so expensive. And you know PICKERING is older than MARSHALL don't you know?
Another
twist in the Pickering saga.... superintendent said Pickering will used
for elementary school but they keep posting pictures of how bad it is.
Why can't they rehab and add new wings for a middle school then? They
say we are spreading false rumors
HOSTAGE HANGOVER
For Mayor Kennedy's attention regarding the Home Rule petition for the movement of the custodians
Dear Mayor Kennedy,
I
do hope this letter doesn't reach you after you have made your decision
on whether or not to sign the Home Rule petition. Nevertheless I felt
it important enough to take a chance and at least get my opinion on the
record.
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3:03 PM (0 minutes ago)
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Jamie Cerulli
jcerulli
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CANCELLATION CHAOS
Tomorrow night would have been a REGULARLY scheduled meeting of the LSC but thanks to the blessings bestowed by school vacation that meeting was cancelled. For some reason the scheduled meeting for m
March 9th had previously been cancelled. I don't know the "EXACT" reason it had been cancelled since I have been away but of I had to HAZARD a guess it probably have been they were acknowledging my 55th birthday and the celebrations set to ensue. I know I am loved.
Given the BIG VOTE coming up for the new school and maybe just a sense of civic responsibility LSC member DONNA COPPOLA successfully lobbied for at least a meeting on March 2.
March 9th had previously been cancelled. I don't know the "EXACT" reason it had been cancelled since I have been away but of I had to HAZARD a guess it probably have been they were acknowledging my 55th birthday and the celebrations set to ensue. I know I am loved.
Given the BIG VOTE coming up for the new school and maybe just a sense of civic responsibility LSC member DONNA COPPOLA successfully lobbied for at least a meeting on March 2.
Tuesday, February 21, 2017
THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO CITY HALL
Mayor weighs custodian transfer
Details, details, details. Funny the image the ITEM used could have a double meaning/ Yes on the surface the story is about custodians, the sweepers of the halls but it's also about a brazen attempt to sweep a pay raise under the rug.
My understanding of the current situation that the cost of the current custodians, public employees and private mop mercenaries are mostly counted in NET SCHOOL SPENDING already due to a little nefarious accounting trick called, "IN-KIND CONTRIBUTIONS". It's just that their paychecks have the City of Lynn on them instead of the Lynn School Department. Because of that fact, LPS can't count the cost of those employees' health insurance toward NSS. Really that's because these maintenance men are not dedicated workers only on school business. Has the MAYOR even asked the DESE if the city could at least pro-rate the workers' health insurance contributions to count toward NSS? Of course that would expose just how much the custodians are actually jerked around on city business.
Now I am not one to start trouble or make wild claims that may or may not be true, after all I've got a reputation to think of. Well maybe that's not the best argument. Bottom line is I believe this petition is crafted in such a way to reward certain individuals with a pay raise through a stipend that have the double benefit of being sneaky and counting toward NSS.
How it would blowup the LPS budget, now that's a different conversation for another day. On this day I would urge everyone to call the MAYOR and urge her to veto this petition to uphold her pledge to keep the move (which I do agree with) revenue neutral.
Monday, February 20, 2017
A TAXING PROBLEM
Lynn ponders tax hike for two new schools
There is no doubt we have a BIG problem with decaying schools! Some people are up inarms about the location of the proposed new schools. Honestly whereever they were to put it there would be some opposition.
I really don't want any part of that argument. My major beef is with the precarious position the city is in, the timing is bad. What's worse is there seems no real attempt to fix the problem but rather to ignore it.
AS I HAVE BEEN SAYING FOR YEARS, "WE CAN'T AFFORD TO BUILD OUR WAY OUT OF OUR EDUCATION PROBLEMS!".
NOD TO THE NEW NURSE
Once again the LSC has "elected" a new nurse. Congratulations to NENSI CIRKIC RN,BSN for her new appointment to the position.
Sunday, February 19, 2017
PREMONITIONS AND PATCHWORK PROBLEMS
There can be no debate about the sad physical state of our schools. Just look at the LSC's submission of a SOI to the MSBA for the ACCELERATED REPAIR PROGRAM for SHOEMAKER and HOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. I am not qualified to discount the need but if accepted into the program, I think its pretty safe to say this will not be at 100%.
Where is all this money coming from? What I'm hearing from all this deficit talk, it's not. Now that's what's my major concern about all this two schools talk. We obviously can't afford what we got so why would we want to take on new debt and lots of it.
Where is all this money coming from? What I'm hearing from all this deficit talk, it's not. Now that's what's my major concern about all this two schools talk. We obviously can't afford what we got so why would we want to take on new debt and lots of it.
ALL ABOUT LOCATION
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Saturday, February 18, 2017
WHO HAS CUSTODY OF THE TRUTH?
Well please excuse my ignorance for a minute. Besides just being a countrified, poor disabled poet. I've been away from the game a while. There were of course the obligatory computer problems, I had those before and it NEVER stopped me for a fraction of the hiatus I've had.Yeah there were other things.
You could even call them good things if by good you meant good at being bad. Anyhow I happened to catch parts of a couple school committee meetings being rerun on TV and I got this knawing at my stomach to comment. At least I think that's what it was and not my cooking.
At the end of the last LSC meeting in January, I swore I heard MAYOR KENNEDY go through the rationale for moving the custodians under the direct control of the LSC. Because since the paychecks of the3se maintenance employee's paychecks didn't originate from LPS Lynn was not allowed to count their health insurance and benefits toward NET SCHOOL SPENDING even though 100% of their time was spent at the schools. Sounds like a reasonable argument. The cost could add about a million dollars to NSS. A sweet little deduction. I've always said that MAYOR was smart.
Although I did remember having contact with various custodians and hearing their stories of being on the move all the time. In fact I was in city hall turning in nomination papers a few years back. (Remember me LOSING) when I chatted with a school custodian who had been called over to work in the auditorium.
But also I watched this past Thursday's LSC and lo and behold there were a couple of custodians giving testimony that seemed to contradict JUDY'S claims. Now before recent developments I might have accused her of lying, you know, fabricating. Luckily have learned recently of the existence of alternative ffacts and I guess she is just in possession of some of them.
You could even call them good things if by good you meant good at being bad. Anyhow I happened to catch parts of a couple school committee meetings being rerun on TV and I got this knawing at my stomach to comment. At least I think that's what it was and not my cooking.
At the end of the last LSC meeting in January, I swore I heard MAYOR KENNEDY go through the rationale for moving the custodians under the direct control of the LSC. Because since the paychecks of the3se maintenance employee's paychecks didn't originate from LPS Lynn was not allowed to count their health insurance and benefits toward NET SCHOOL SPENDING even though 100% of their time was spent at the schools. Sounds like a reasonable argument. The cost could add about a million dollars to NSS. A sweet little deduction. I've always said that MAYOR was smart.
Although I did remember having contact with various custodians and hearing their stories of being on the move all the time. In fact I was in city hall turning in nomination papers a few years back. (Remember me LOSING) when I chatted with a school custodian who had been called over to work in the auditorium.
But also I watched this past Thursday's LSC and lo and behold there were a couple of custodians giving testimony that seemed to contradict JUDY'S claims. Now before recent developments I might have accused her of lying, you know, fabricating. Luckily have learned recently of the existence of alternative ffacts and I guess she is just in possession of some of them.
CUSTODIAL CUSTODY
Now our Mayor may be a lady
But her accounting is a might shady.
School custodians held hostage
Want released from there bondage.
Still the ransom to be paid
Involves falling for a trap that's been laid.
For a price surely to rise
Under a plan they did devise.
But her accounting is a might shady.
School custodians held hostage
Want released from there bondage.
Still the ransom to be paid
Involves falling for a trap that's been laid.
For a price surely to rise
Under a plan they did devise.
THE POT, THE KETTLE, AND THE COMEDY OF COLORS
Funny because the Net School Spending problem was exacerbated due to the Mayor's and the CFO's own "FUZZY MATH"
CFO accuses school committee of ‘fuzzy math’
THE STORM IS COMING, TAXES ARE RISING
The schools are overcrowded on that we can all agree. The solution to the problem is where there is a strong, passionate divergence of thought.
Probably the most vocal opposition has to do with location, Regardless of where the proposed school was put somebody would be very unhappy and could make a logical, credible argument against placement there. The need to save space for future burials is an interesting one because given the city's financial state, the schools system's record of questionable spending, and the chaos the federal education system is in, we may need the space to bury public education.
I have long advocated the view that we can't build our way out of our mess.
CommentShare
Probably the most vocal opposition has to do with location, Regardless of where the proposed school was put somebody would be very unhappy and could make a logical, credible argument against placement there. The need to save space for future burials is an interesting one because given the city's financial state, the schools system's record of questionable spending, and the chaos the federal education system is in, we may need the space to bury public education.
I have long advocated the view that we can't build our way out of our mess.
Brian LaPierre added 3 new photos — attending Fundraiser in Support of 2 Schools for Lynn at Knights of Pythias.
Packed house tonight of teachers, paras, parents, students and community organizing to win on March 14th!
SPECIAL ED CRISIS
Preventing
people from learning how to get funding for their children is the same
thing as obstructing people from getting funding for your child.
Two
congressional lawmakers are asking the Trump administration to restore a
missing U.S. government website that helps families navigate a complex
federal law on students with disabilities
usatoday.com
Friday, February 17, 2017
Thursday, February 16, 2017
TWO SIDES FOR TWO SCHOOLS
Donald Castle to Protect Our Reservoir, Preserve Pine Grove
HERE YA GO FOLKS.... One of the ballot questions we shall vote on. Key words: "EXEMPT FROM PROP 2 1/2". You be the judge.
BALLOT QUESTION # 2
Shall the City of Lynn be allowed to exempt from the proposition two and one half, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bond issued in order to pay a two-school new construction building program for a replacement Pickering Middle School and a new West Lynn Middle School. The Pickering Middle School is to be located on ci...
See More
BALLOT QUESTION # 2
Shall the City of Lynn be allowed to exempt from the proposition two and one half, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bond issued in order to pay a two-school new construction building program for a replacement Pickering Middle School and a new West Lynn Middle School. The Pickering Middle School is to be located on ci...
See More
TOO LATE FOR TWO SCHOOLS
Given the chaotic state the National Department of Education, I think voters for the upcoming bond issue need to ask themselves if they are prepared to further subsidize public education? The climate nationally now has shifted away from support and the opening up to other leaks of resources.
PERSIST TO RESIST
AN
EASY ACTION: If you or your family don't have a library card, GET ONE.
DeVos will fight hard against public education. Public libraries could
be next. Local politicians look at the # of the population vs the # of
library cardholders. If the % of cardholders to population isn't high,
then they think, "Why are our people being taxed for this service?"
Getting a library card is an act of support in ways bigger than you
imagined. #supportlibraries
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