LIL'LORI IS LIT UP ABOUT RIDICULOUS RAISES

For me, the question is not should the Mayor be paid a higher salary?  (I actually believe she should).  The question I have is where will the money for these raises and new benefits come from?    The last I heard, the legislation addressing our current net school spending crisis has not been approved.  Yet, the Mayor is still unwilling to fund our schools at 100% as is required by law.  Some council members have compared Lynn to Quincy, so I will do the same.   Lynn has been under-funding our schools for years.  Quincy, on the other hand, has been over-funding their schools by an average of about $15 million each year for at least the past decade. 

Until the Mayor is able and willing to fund our schools at at least 100%, you should not even be thinking about giving raises and new benefits to anyone, especially to yourselves.  

I am actually very confused about the financial standing of the city.  Is the city is such dire financial straits that every department in the city must cut their budgets by 2% and the Mayor is unable to fund our schools?  Or is the city so financially sound that it can afford and sustain exorbitant raises and new benefits?

According to the Mayor, all departments have been asked to cut their budgets by 2%.  She stated it was a real balancing act that has to go on and she is walking a tight rope as far as not having to lay anyone off.  She went on to tell the school committee they and other department heads had to distinguish between wants and needs.  She said the budget simply cannot balance if wants are included and it had to be stripped down to needs.  She stated and I quote, "It boils down to tough choices, so some things will just have to wait until another year and it's as simple as that."

I am curious if this council's plan to give themselves and the Mayor a raise, is a want or a need?   I agree that this plan should, as the Mayor stated, just have to wait until another year.  I think it should wait until the commencement of the next term of office of the Mayor, as is stated in the city charter.

LIL'LORI POINTS OUT PATTI'S POSITION

I just watched a portion of the last SC meeting again before attending tonight's city council public hearing. I have to quote Patti Capano because she said it perfectly!! 

"I cannot support a single drop in funding or positions in this budget because it will directly touch a student's growth, a student's development, and the betterment of our education system." 

She went on to say, "We are already living year after year at less than 100% and I, as a committee member, do not want to live in the 95% range anymore. I want to finally see our students hit a 100%."


STAY FIRM PATTI!

AS THE WORLD SPINS

Even before my cataract surgery I was still able to see "THE LIE OF THE LAND" in Lynn FISCAL CARTOGRAPHY.

The Mayor has said the schools are being treated "really well" by getting a 9% raise in spending over last year. Okay......

I just don't know how we are supposed to be believe in this raise when JUDY, HERSELF stated that we are NOT fully fund in the schools but instead coming in closer to the 95% required for NET SCHOOL SPENDING requirements that the STATE demands.

Yet we are supposed to believe a 5% DEFECIT is really a 9% increase.

If JUDY CAN SELL THIS I THINK NEXT SHE OUGHT TO TRY AND SELL TREASURE MAPS TO DUNGEON ROCK!

LIL'LORI LOOKS AT SPENDING SAGA

FY13 Original Figures

• Required NSS:   $168,333,399
• Reported amount spent:  $159,747,443
• Amount below requirement:  $8,585,956
• Amount carried forward and added to FY14:  $8,285,391
• Amount of penalty:  $300,565

FY13 Updated Figures

• Required NSS:  $168,333,399
• Actual amount spent:  $158,780,042
• Amount below requirement:  $9,553,357
• Amount carried forward and added to FY14:  $8,285,391 
• Amount of new penalty:  $1,267,966

FY14 Updated Figures

• Required NSS:  $182,057,577 (Includes the $8,285,391 carried forward from FY13)
• Budgeted amount spent:  $168,807,112
• Amount below requirement:  $13,250,465
• Amount to be carried forward and added to FY15:  $8,688,609
• Amount of penalty:  $4,561,856

FY15 Required NSS:  $190,452,724 (includes carried forward amount)

If  you want to check out the numbers your self, here you go. After cataract surgery yesterday it's clear to me "WE ARE IN TROUBLE!"

Compliance With Net School Spending Requirements - School Finance: Chapter 70 Program

www.doe.mass.edu

The Commonwealth's school finance statute, Chapter 70 of the General Laws, establishes an annual "net school spending" requirement for each Massachusetts school district. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in non-approval of a municipality's tax rate, enforcement action by the Attorn…

Lori D'Amico

Roger from the DESE informed me of the penalty amounts. The FY15 $181,764,115 figure is based on the preliminary ones that were released in January, which Roger told me "are certain to be the final amounts for FY15." I then added the expected carry forward from FY14 to that figure for the new expected FY15 NSS of over $190 million.

Of course these figures will most likely change if or when the legislation passes.

My guess is Judy and Peter Caron will not be using these REAL figures at Thursday's meeting and will be using their own hopeful figures

But I will be quoting these REAL ones at open mic!!

I sent the same email to the SC and Dr. Latham

A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS! (WE NEED TO RAISE MONEY FOR RAISES)

An Education Blog

2 hrs · 

The next Lynn School Committee meeting is this Thursday, June 12th at 7pm; the meeting will be held at the School Administration building (100 Bennett Street).

Items on the agenda include:

-Net School Spending discussion - Peter Caron, City of Lynn Chief Financial Officer...

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www.lynnschools.org

LYNNSCHOOLS.ORG

PARADISE HAS NO ROOM

Funny, the LSC and most if not all of the administration touted the EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER as leading cornerstone in the forward progress of education. I was chastised by many of my friends for opposing it.

Let me recap a bit. I was against busing Kindergarteners by themseles across town. There have been none too publicized problems with a few fights on buses, buses being late, and a few traffic problems. There hae also been a few weather issues. All in all, it could have been worse.

The big arguement about not moving the fifh graders was that it wasn't fair to moe them out of their home school even though they are more able to handle a move physically and better able to adapt developmentally.

So they moved the kindergarteners from three different  schools, moving our littlest ones away from their own communities and families when they are least able  to adapt psychologically. Now come o find out they are't going a GRADUATION CEREMONY.

That is an important milestone in their development. I amsure my daughter will always remember the bonquet of flowers my wife got for her after marching across the floor of the Ford School gymnasium. I hate to think others are going to be denied their own memories because thereis no place to have it,

THE HALLS OF PICKERING ARE A BUZZING

Johnny DiFilippo would like to thank all those who donated to help support the Kids Cancer Buzz Off. It was a great day at Gillette Stadium with over 1,000 buzzees helping to raise over $1 million dollars. I am very proud of him.

 — with John DiFilippo.

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RISE UP OVER RAISE - MY LETTER TO THE ITEM EDITOR!

While I do empathize with the Mayor’s frustration over the comparatively low pay that the job offers, I strongly feel such an enormous raise as the one proposed at this time is both reckless and fiscally irresponsible. It is not as if the pay rate was a surprise to her when she took office. In fact she invested an enormous amount of the city’s resources through litigation just what the actual amount was as called for in the charter.

To turn around now after successfully adjudicating for a lower amount and turn right  seek such an outrageous increase to me, smacks of such blatant hypocrisy that it must give many of her supporters sleeping problems. At a time when the city is riddled by lawsuits and an as of yet unresolved net school spending crisis it baffles my mind that such a self-centered, self-absorbed idea would even be considered. At a time when the city teeters on bankruptcy the timing is far from right. 

LORI WANTS THE MAYOR TO COME CLEAN BUT WILL JUDY FEEL THE NEED?

Lori D'Amico‎Stanley Wotring

21 mins · 

I just left the following comment on the Mayor's facebook page:

"I just finally got around to watching the video of the last school committee meeting. It is outrageous that you, the Mayor of Lynn, are still refusing to fund our schools at 100% as the state requires. I also could not believe you had the audacity to lecture the committee on distinguishing between wants and needs. Tell me.....Is the plan, that has been so diligently worked on, to give you a 76% raise and each city councilor a raise, a want or a need?"

For those who have not watched the video, I urge you to. The conversation about the budget and net school spending takes place during the last half hour or so of the video. I hope this link takes you to the video: http://10.100.230.20/tcs/?id=26DA2F43-0ECE-4940-8422-C5E51C2E605E

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SWOOSH, NOTHING BUT NET

I APOLOGIZE FOR THE FORMAT BUT AS YOU KNOW I DO NOT HAE MAD TYPING SKILLS. I AM A COPY AND PASTE KIND OF GUY!



Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Office of School Finance
Chapter 70 Net School Spending Compliance, FY13


163
163 LYNN
School Committee
City/Town
Total
1
Administration (1000)
4,528,162
1,791,714
*
6,319,876
2
Instruction (2000)
89,139,202
0
*
89,139,202
3
Attendance-Health (3100, 3200)
2,719,228
0
*
2,719,228
4
Food Services (3400)
718,954
0
718,954
5
Athletics/Student Activities/Security (3500,3600)
2,203,283
0
2,203,283
6
Maintenance (4000)
4,663,129
11,534,802
*
16,197,931
7
Employer Retirement Contributions (5100)
0
8,936,669
8,936,669
8
Insurance (5200)
278,711
20,544,389
20,823,100
9
Retired Employee Insurance (5250)
0
0
0
10
Rentals (5300)
33,333
0
*
33,333
11
Short Term Interest (5400)
0
0
0
12
Tuition (9000)
6,419,465
8,365,981
14,785,446
13
Total School Spending (lines 1 through 12)
110,703,467
51,173,555
161,877,022
14
FY13 School Revenues
14a) FY13 School Revenues *
388,494
0
388,494
14b) FY13 Charter Reimbursement
0
1,741,085
1,741,085
14c) Subtotal, School Revenues (14a+14b)
388,494
1,741,085
2,129,579
15
FY13 Net School Spending (13 minus 14)
159,747,443
16
FY13 Chapter 70 Required Net School Spending
165,707,824
17
Carryover from FY12
2,625,575
18
Total FY13 Net School Spending Requirement (16 + 17)
168,333,399
19
Shortfall in Net School Spending (18 minus 15)
8,585,956
20
Carryover/Penalty Calculation, Percent Unexpended (19 / 16)
5.18%
21
FY13 Carry-Over into FY14 (Line 19 or 5% of line 16 )
8,285,391
22
Penalty (19 minus 21)
300,565
* Budgeted amounts as reported on FY12 End of Year Pupil and Financial Report, Schedule 19
5/8/2014
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Office of School Finance
Chapter 70 Net School Spending Compliance, FY13
163 LYNN
School Committee
City/Town
Total
1
Administration (1000)
4,224,582
1,686,058
5,910,640
2
Instruction (2000)
90,596,639
0
90,596,639
3
Attendance-Health (3100, 3200)
3,101,249
0
3,101,249
4
Food Services (3400)
888,621
0
888,621
5
Athletics/Student Activities/Security(3500, 3600)
2,435,190
0
2,435,190
6
Maintenance (4000)
5,307,721
11,403,519
16,711,240
7
Employer Retirement Contributions (5100)
0
9,477,815
9,477,815
8
Insurance (5200)
300,000
22,599,797
22,899,797
9
Retired Employee Insurance (5250)
0
0
0
10
Rentals (5300)
40,000
0
40,000
11
Short Term Interest (5400)
0
0
0
12
Tuition (9000)
6,655,798
11,092,063
17,747,861
13
FY14 Budgeted School Spending (lines 1 through 12)
113,549,800
56,259,252
169,809,052
14
FY14 Budgeted School Revenues
14a) FY14 Budgeted School Revenues
0
0
0
14b) FY14 Charter Reimb (local districts)
0
2,111,021
2,111,021
14c) Subtotal, NSS Revenues (36a+36b)
0
2,111,021
2,111,021
15
FY14 Net School Spending (13 minus 14)
167,698,031
16
FY14 Chapter 70 Required Net School Spending
173,772,186
17
Carryover from FY13
8,285,391
18
Total FY14 Requirement (16 + 17)
182,057,577
19
Shortfall in Budgeted FY14 Net School Spending (18 - 15)
14,359,546
Carryover/Penalty Calculation, Percent Unexpended (19 / 16)
8.26%
21
Potential Aid Penalty (Amount of Line 19 Greater Than 5% of Line 16)
5,670,937
Chapter 70 Net School Spending Compliance, Budgeted FY14
5/8/2014
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Office of School Finance

A HEALTHY DOSE OF PARANOIA MAY BE IN YOUR BEST INTEREST

You may wonder why I am always harping about the lead and asbestoes in our schools. Then there are my worries about the contaminated land at BROOKLINE SR., the location of the NEW BUILDIG SITE for MARSHALL.

Folks it is what I've seen, where and how I grew up. Read this story and you might appreciate my paranoia a little more and call into question those people who say they are llooking out for you!

Virally Suppressed

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"Over those 3 months, I gradually forgot about the injustices being carried out against the people of West Virginia. I forgot about the water crisis and the tens of thousands of people who still refused to drink the toxic, anisette-scented water that came through their faucets. It was easy for me to forget about these things because I don’t have to live with them on a daily basis and very few people outside of Appalachia are talking about them. When I turn my shower on, I don...

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The Family Afterward: West Virginia Four Months After The Freedom Industries Chemical Spill

“Put a marshmallow on it.” he told her. “I'm telling you, fish love the...

COBBETT KID QUEEN CROONER

Amanda Mena in the Final 6 | Lynn Happens

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LYNNHAPPENS.COM

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HOLY CRAP! I GOT TO CHECK MY G-MAIL MORE OFTEN

Hello Mr. Wotring,

My name is Joe Smith; I heard about your blog through a Lynn Public School staff member. I am a graduate of Harrington Elementary, Eastern Junior High, and Lynn English High Schools. From high school, I went on to study Business Administration and Management at Norwich University – The Military College of Vermont. Upon graduation, I became a very successful college admissions counselor and then the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management at the age of 34 to me education is very important. I terminated my career to come home to start a company.

I write to you due to my several posts against the Lynn Public School system for corruption and cover ups.   I get a lot of phone calls and folks walking up to me, but people are afraid of retribution from the LPS administration. Personally, this is no way to run an organization in 2014!

From this morning, I share with you my latest posting on Facebook.

This is how the Lynn Public School system is so screwed up!!!!

Emily Spinucci greeted nephew and I very rudely unprofessional and condescendingly as soon as we walk through the door. I disengage her and went to follow established protocol when visiting a school campus. Obviously, Spinucci had established her own guidelines. With Spinucci not allowing me to sign, I requested for the Lynn Police because Spinucci was not following established protocol for visiting a school. At no time was I deemed a safety or security threat by Spinucci or the teacher on duty at the front desk.

Here is the crazy thing:

Why would I want to go back to the place where the Vice Principal, Emily Spinucci physically assaulted me, accused of abducting a child, made a statement that was deeply rooted in racial bigotry, demanded for me to surrender my cell phone, would not let me leave campus and say I was trespassing. It’s insanity!

The police let me leave campus in minutes because I had nothing wrong. After the police spoke with Diane Paradis, the principal, she instructed the staff to not document the entire truth on their incident reports, and went on to give specifics on what to exclude.The following morning I informed Tom Iarabino about the indiscretions of the Emily Spinucci and Diane Paradis, and said he would look into it. I received a follow up call from him name calling me, and informing of his decision not to do allow me to file a complaint.

Question?

Why would I go back to place where I was physically assaulted, racially bigoted statement made, demanding my cell phone, and no one in the administration does anything but try to cover it up. The police felt I was in my legal rights!

But somehow, the Lynn Public School had decided to ruin my life by depicting me in a photo line-up with two other guys. I covered up their faces. I don’t know what they did.

Thanks to the Lynn Public School system, I have people are asking me, if I belong to the sex offender registry! Incredible!!

RAISES AIN'T FOR READING

Lori D'Amicoposted to‎Stanley Wotring

about a minute ago

I thought I saw you post somewhere that Charlie Gallo mentioned buying new history books for students? Well I just happened to come across my son's history book. He is a junior in high school and it is a US History II class. The book is entitled, 'America; Pathways to the Present'. The problem is, according to this decade old book, the "present" is 2003. One of the last mentioned events in the book (and it is briefly mentioned) is the 9/11 attack.

Well that's pretty good LORI, last year when my son was at PICKERING he talked of history books that were from the SOVIET UNION era. I have to give DR. LATHAM credit for at least thinking about climbing into this century with E BOOKS that could be updated. The MAYOR said basically, "Ain't gonna happen!".

KEEPING TRACK OF SUCCESS

5th Grade Track & Field Day at Manning Field (32 photos)

Aborn, Brickett, Connery, and Hood schools came together to compete against each other in the first annual 5th Grade Track & Field day. — at Manning Field.

ALL ABOARD THE GOOD SHIP ABORN

Aborn Elementary School added 5 new photos.

59 mins · 

The Northeastern University Marine Science Center brought over some sea creatures for the kids to touch and learn about. They even had a blue lobster.

LORI IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN WRITE LETTERS

Lynn Public Schools Net School Spending Status


June 3, 2014

Dear Mr. Hatch,

I am writing to you for some clarification and to express my concern about the spending status of Lynn Public Schools. While this is the first time I have actually written you, I know others have approached this subject with you. You should know that I have a blog, LYNN SCHOOL WATCH,and I plan to share any and all communication with my readers.

I know from watching the last LynnSchool Committee hearing and attending the Mayor's "State of the City" address this past Saturday that she is confident a $126 million budget will satisfy the Net School Spending rewuirements while on your website today I hought I saw a $181 million figure required. Such a diacrepancies quite alarming.Hopefully you can provide an explanation that will alleviae my fears of a fiscal armageddon.

I will appreciate and look forward to your response.

Sincerely,

Stanley H. Wotring, Jr.

LONGNECKS AND SHORTCHANGE

That cool breeze you've been feeling on your  backside may have just been the MAYOR blowing smoke up your #$%. She has told LSC members that thet aregoingto have to trim around FIVE million fromthe budget they were presented down to 126 Million. All the time they were being told to see their cuts as an almost TEN PERCENT increase. Don't you love how smart people do math?

I go to the STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS and she appeared to somewhat reluctantly broach the subject again when some holigan in the audience asked a question about it. Once again she said the people she talked towho sounded to meworked FOR the city were condident this 126 number was going to fly.

So I checked the DESE website just now and guess whatnumber I saw the required amount is 181 MILLION.

Summary chart, showing foundation enrollment, foundation budget, Chapter 70 aid, and required local contributions for each school district.

I DON'T KNOW WHO SHE IS TALKING TO BUT I WANT SOME OF WHAT SHE'S BEEN DRINKING!

INGALLS SPED SHED

After much chest thumping and bravado over both e success of the vaunted EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER and the commitment to the SPED department to place students inenviroments wherethey have the best opportunity for success, we heard tell of a planned MOVE that seems to question whether or not someone should be COMMITTED.

There are a group of MEDICALLY INVOLVED SPED students who currently go to INGALLS where I believe there is a HEALTH CENTER and move them to the EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER.

Sure there are nurses assigned to these students but one has to question the wisdom and appropriateness of the move. It is an INSULT to these SPED students to treat them as if they were kindergarteners regardless of their chronological age.

Although when LSC member DONNA COPPOLAquestioned whether or not DESE would go alongwith such a haphazard movingaround of SPED students, DR. LATHAM assured her that the department wason solid ground. Good enough for me. Have you everknown DR.LATHAM to be wrong before?

FOOD AND FUNDRAISING

JUN

05

HHF Fundraiser @ Texas Roadhouse

JoinMaybeDecline

Public · Fundraiser · Hosted by Hayley's Hope Foundation

Hayley's Hope Foundation Youth Suicide Prevention & Awareness Thursday June 5th 4:00 - 9:30 Texas Roadhouse 301 Newbury St Danvers MA

There will be a variety of Raffles and a 50/50 drawing.

https://www.facebook.com/events/407368736072140/

FIREWORKS ARE COMING IN JUNE THIS YEAR

I am so STUPID! No wonder nobody believes me. Maybe it is that trail of hayseeds I leave behind or that coal dust behind my ears.

I was a wondering why the only LSC member I saw at the Mayor's STATE OF THE CITY address was CHARLIE GALLO. I mean he is always eveeeerywhere and he is running for another political office. Then I rememberedhe is a board member of the LYNN COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION so he ind of had to be there.

He left pretty much afterthe speech and didn't smooze around lie a good politician should. In fact I almost fell chasing after him to tell him what a good job he did standing up for the student's needs at the LSC meeting. In so many words he said we have not yet begun to fight.

Maybe, just maybe the other LSC members stayed away on purpose because they would haveinterrupted the speech with cackles of laughter and gnashing of teeth when the Mayor was painting such a rosy picture about the financial condition and health of the city.

WE ARE IN REAL TROUBLE!

Of course When I finally got the chance to ask a question at the end I recounted some of our looming fiscal crisises they were downplayed.She assured everyone that it was being handled. We were told how funding for schools was increasing nearly TEN PERCENT while over on the city side every other department was being asked to reduce by 2%. (Although I wonder if she is going to push for a raise for herself?).

I kind of thought she was consciously avoiding my question after the speech but then again I am kind of full of myself sometimes but apparently I wasn't the only one who thought so. Read what a friend who didn't go to the speech said.

Friend at talk today described some guy in front row that the mayor was very obviously trying to keep quiet and how he asked questions that she clearly didn't want to answer - sure enough I was able to describe you. Who else would be in the front row asking about the school budget?

I AM GUILTY!

Here is the whole speech thanks to LYNN HAPPENS. You be the judge!