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Quack Quack
Hang your hat on the DPW argument all that you want. I agree that it wasn't a well thought out program that was approved by Town Meeting but I think that we'll be seeing the ''economies of scale'' that you are seeking in the near future.
From the past two years, it is obvious that people do not understand the finances of the town. Last year the vote was to exclude money to fix the roads and buildings within the town - not to increase salaries or give pay raises. The debt would be paid over ten years if I remember right. The funny thing is that we are paying more in our trash fee than it would cost to do all of this work. People didn't take the time to understand it and it was defeated. Now we have a trash fee, which is an increase in our payments to the town (aka TAX).
I would never support an override for services, despite what the Mackins, Kramers and the rest of the school committee have to say.
By Donald
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Slash Budgets to Fund Needs
I as one taxpayer would welcome an override if the town leaders would do the following - slash each department's budget paid by taxpayers by 5% for the next year including the budget busting Schools. We have (round figures) an $80 million budget. A 5% budget slash will save $4 million dollars. Yes, only way to do it would be with layoffs as our budget is about 80% payroll. Then, our Selectmen haul in the BELD Commisisoners and air out what the hell is going on with a 12% pay increase contract with their employees and now BONUSES being paid. Then, haul in School Committee - showing backbone leadership - and condemn their 10% 4 year contract settlement. That's leadership. What will we do with the $4 million saved in one year? Fund our capital needs based on our department head priorities announced at a public forum that taxpayers and town meeting members can grill the department heads alike hosted by the finance committee. That's leadership before we start speaking about overrides. If that were done, I'd be more than willing to CONSIDER an override the following year. If we took the Plaza out of the equation, our crime stoppers would be able to absorb a 5% staffing slash. Let the Plaza pay for any police response over and above their taxes paid. I would guess at least half of our police calls are for Plaza issues.
Same with K Mart Plaza and Pearl Plaza.
Sell off Water Building, Monatiquot School, Eldridge School, Foster School and former BELD building on Allen Street and use income to pay for school building improvements, water office costs at Torrey and pay for minimal pay raises to our employees. Get Smart, Selectmen and Finance Committee members, and then get TOUGH!
By Plain and Simple
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Vote No on 2 1/2 SCAMS !
Like the livestock they are our public employee unions will be knocking down the fences in a stampede to come home to feed and graze on any green grain raised by us hard working taxpaying citizens, and not to leave out our dearest population among us, our senior citizens.
That Joe Cubbard guy, his cubbard might not be bare, but in that Ledger article, he just about told our senior citizen population to get real and fork over more money to feed our public employee unions the 10% raises Hubbard thinks they deserve.
Braintree has to prove to its citizens it can tighten the fiscal belt, make the real tough choices, layoff staff, and cut salaries before they can even hint at asking its taxpayer residents to take a pay cut.
At every town meeting out town union employees herd the back walls taking notice of who votes against the unions.
You can hear them snorting.
The property owners are getting it in the groin again.
Stand up and get out and VOTE NO on ALL 2 1/2 OVER RIDE SCAMS !
By I Vote NO !
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And Another Thing......
Many communities I know pick up recycling items every other week rather than every week we do here in Braintree. Some like Randolph prohibit construction debris curbside when remodeling. Those decisions made elsewhere are saving annual costs to trash pick up contracts. I like plain and simple's logic - get smart and get tough.
By the way, didn't school committee rescind bus fee and/or athletic fees at schools? If not this year, then insist they don't for foreseeable future.
It's apparently simple math people. Let's get smart and let's insist our leaders get tough as well.
By Daisy Quacker
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