One of the things I find amusing in Brookline’s Proposition 2.5 override debate is the near universal agreement that we need more money for street and road repair. And as the debate unfolds, we are likely to learn the reasons behind our sudden paucity in our ability to pave.
Questions will likely be raised, and [...]
Suppose a Proposition 2.5 override is approved by voters in May. What then? Well, in the short term it may relieve pressure on the municipal budget. But over the long term it won’t matter much.
As a one time infusion of cash to solve a trumped-up “structural deficit”, the override (at the contemplated [...]
What would it take to bounce someone from holding the public trust in Brookline? Well, when it comes to Town Counsel Jennifer Dopazo I don’t think it’s possible.
There’s the general incompetence of the office, but that pales next to her woeful performance in the Arthur Conquest matter. And I have to believe that [...]
There’s a troubling story in today’s Herald concerning Boston’s civilian police review panel. It seems the Boston panel operates with an unusual amount of opacity. Plus, the they seem to be on the leap year meeting schedule.
Folks, if you’re going to throw a panel together for the sake of political expedience, this is [...]
On Tuesday, Brookline School Superintendent Bill Lupini presented a $1.5 million deficit reduction plan in advance of his Fiscal Year 2009 Budget. Let’s call the cost reductions what they are — a screw to the heart of low income families and those on the margin.
In today’s Times, columnist Paul Krugman writes:
But the fact [...]
There are people still in darkness,
And they just can’t see the light.
If you don’t say it’s wrong then that says it’s right.
We got try to feel for each other, let our brother’s know that we care.
Got to get the message, send it out loud and clear.
None of us are free.
None of us are free, [...]
Archie’s given some thought to gag orders on legal settlements - like the one in the Geoffrey Hicks case - and I’m running it on the front page [begins below].
When I found the reference to Hicks in the selectmen’s executive session minutes last month [see previous post], I thought Hicks had won an award against [...]
Here’s how Brookline Schools Superintendent Bill Lupini plans to curb a $1.5 million deficit - push the burden of cuts onto students and then try to scare voters into a Proposition 2.5 override.
I left last night’s school committee meeting, unsure whether I had just attended a budget presentation or a seminar on the report made [...]
This is enough to make you cynical. Check out this page (II-10) of the selectmen and town administrator’s 2009 municipal budget. Look at the debt service line. Does the $1.4 million in red make you think that we’re spending that much less for debt service?
Well then, you’re wrong. But you’re right [...]
I am not sure I heard this right, but during his budget presentation on Tuesday Brookline Town Administrator Richard Kelliher said that the local aid revenue (derived from the State) in his 2009 budget includes the proceeds from Governor Patrick’s plans to license casinos.
If the casinos fail to materialize, said Kelliher, we’ll be facing another [...]
I think it is hard to miss that Brookline’s over-ride debate comes down to town departments versus the school department ( a new twist on towns vs. gowns). Will the override be packaged so that voters are forced to vote on a full $6-8 million override? Or will specific items be voted on [...]
Tomorrow evening, Brookline Schools Superintendent Bill Lupini will present his 2009 Budget (Jaysis, another night out). And it looks like more deficit.
Here’s how we can save $800 thousand right off the bat - cut don’t pursue the world languages program increase to the Schools budget. It’s a great idea to have world languages [...]
There’s a masterful ad running for IBM where employees sit through an executive presentation and mark off bingo cards with the buzzwords they’re sure to hear [watch the ad above]. I wish I had such a card during last night’s presentation of the Brookline municipal budget.
The big winner in Brookline’s buzzword bingo is [...]
Well, whenever people from Brookline town government get together someone is bound to be marginalized - and tonight’s victims are the five students from Brookline High School’s “Steps to Success” program.
It was they who led off the selectmen’s public hearing on a Proposition 2.5 override with a fervent plea to “save their program from being [...]
Gee, I’m looking through Town Administrator Richard Kelliher’s FY2009 budget and I must be missing some pages. That’s because in his so-called Budget Message he seems to have forgotten about the $14 million in capital spending for the town hall renovation, though he lists various other major capital projects (like new playground equipment).
And, when [...]
