Town Meeting will be discussing Article 14 (budget adjustment) tonight, Oct. 23. Please attend this very important Town Meeting.  

The State of Massachusetts short changed Framingham $10 million over the past 5 years resulting in over 100 staff layoffs  

After the State budget closed in July 2012, Framingham was given an additional $1.7 million in Education Chapter 70 funds. The message was let’s start more rebuilding and restore more of the cuts that were made over the past 5 years.

Our new school superintendent has made a list for rebuilding for $2.2 million, especially needed because Framingham is in the bottom 20% of the State due to low MCAS scores, and the critical needs related to unanticipated enrollment, and need for elementary and after-school transportation, and the potential costs of new collective bargaining agreements with the staff, need for professional development training for the staff, need for aides in classrooms and on over crowded buses, need for assistant principals to assist in teacher evaluations.  

What to do with the $1.7 million?

Please consider this list:  

• $320,000 for library garage demolition
• $126,000 for COLA raises for town employees
• $15,360 to keep the main Library open from noon to 5 p.m. Sundays
• $30,000 for a person to help veterans with their benefit challenges
• $1,040,000 for the schools = 60% of the $1.7 million
• $81,000 for Hoops and Homework
• $122,046 for the stabilization fund which makes it 99% fully funded

Herb Chasan

Town Meeting member, Precinct 4