Myth: The Quality of Education.
By Jim Conley • Apr 21st, 2008 • Category: Brookline Override, Brookline Politics, Campaigns, Myths of the OverrideTo hear some of the Proverriders tell it, the May 6th Proposition 2.5 ballot is about quality education for Brookline students. Would that that were true.
It may be about a $1 million pay raise for teachers. And it may be an attempt to give the schools superintendent another $800 thousand to launch a [...]
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Myth: There’s No Fat to Cut.
By Jim Conley • Apr 8th, 2008 • Category: Brookline DPW, Brookline Finances, Brookline Override, Brookline Police, Brookline Selectmen, Myths of the OverrideIn a separate universe the idea that voters would have to bail out a town government—in a community of $14 billion valuation—to the tune of $6 million (or roughly 2.5 percent of operating revenue) would be the stuff of tragic comedy, not serious policy.
But here on Planet Brookline we’re treated to an epic display of [...]
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Myth: Capital Spending is Not a Factor.
By Jim Conley • Mar 25th, 2008 • Category: Brookline Override, Myths of the OverrideOf all the myths leading us into a May override bailout ballot, this one puzzles me the most. It seems that lots of people in town government believe that the money spent on buildings (like a town hall renovation), roads and the golf course operate under a fixed formula that has no bearing [...]
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Myth: It’s Affordable.
By Jim Conley • Mar 12th, 2008 • Category: Brookline Finances, Brookline Override, Brookline Selectmen, Myths of the OverrideThe argument in favor of a Proposition 2.5 override for Brookline is that for the median single-family residence the additional tax amounts to a little over a dollar per day. The price of a cup of coffee. How affordable is that?
Eminently, if you look at the tax increase in the abstract. [...]
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Myth: An Override is the Last Resort.
By Jim Conley • Feb 25th, 2008 • Category: Brookline Override, Myths of the OverrideHow’s this for irony? In May, residents of Brookline will begin receiving Federal tax rebate checks as part of an economic stimulus package and, at the same time, Brookline town government will be asking for a portion of the proceeds (a Prop 2.5 override ballot) to cover its recent spending binge.
How did we get to [...]
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Myth: An Override Will Solve Brookline’s Budget Problems.
By Jim Conley • Feb 19th, 2008 • Category: Brookline Finances, Brookline Override, Brookline Schools, Brookline Selectmen, Myths of the OverrideSuppose 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 [...]
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Myth: Brookline’s Structural Deficit.
By Jim Conley • Feb 11th, 2008 • Category: Brookline Finances, Brookline Override, Brookline Selectmen, Myths of the Override“The OSC also concluded that even with an override, the town will face an on-going structural deficit [emphasis added] in the coming years as health care and SPED costs continue to grow at rates that exceed revenue growth and under-funded retiree benefits add additional financial burden.” - from the Brookline Selectmen’s Over-ride Study Report
Folks, there [...]
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