NEAT

New NEAT Website Launched -- Check it Out!

2008-03-26T21:48:00.009-05:00

Thanks to Tim Fisher and his insatiable energy and curiosity, we've got a new website up and running (in almost no time) at NEATonline. When I went over there tonight, Tim was on one computer and his wife, Carin Clevidence, was on another computer, working on the new site, writing letters and doing research. We are blessed to have Tim and Carin in our community.

Please keep this website address handy so you can click on it for daily and weekly updates and actions. We need your support to make this happen.

From now on, we're going to post all NEAT news to the website the maximize the possibility of more interaction and more opportunities for parents, staff and others to get themelves heard. Please direct your browser to NEATonline.

Thanks,
Jane

NEAT Action Agenda -- Part I

2008-03-25T21:35:00.006-05:00

Let's be real. The situation couldn't be worse. Closing the budget gap has always come with the dire news of layoffs and program slashes. But this year, it was worse. Closing a school. At first, it was said to be either Ryan Road or Bridge Street. Soon after, the news became clear that Bridge Street would probably be the one to close, based on future projections of expenditures. This one was chosen, even though most people who weighed in on the Sustainable Northampton project a couple of years ago said that having a school close to downtown where parents could walk their kids to town was high on their list of priorities. And then we heard that the pre-school program now housed at Jackson Street would be moved to Bridge Street after all the current K-5 kids are moved all over town. Where would those kids go? Where would they fit? And how do you save money if you don't actually close the school, but just move a new program over? None of it was making any sense.

But look what happened. People started to get informed and started talking with the Mayor and other elected officials. Parents from Bridge Street and all the other schools began calling and writing School Committee members and the Superintendent. Without splitting into factions, we sent out the message that we are all in this community together and we are going to work hard to come up with solutions. We are definitely having an effect, but we must keep the pressure on.

On 3/24 we held a NEAT planning meeting at Jackson Street School Library. Over 30 people showed up (on a night where the Mayor and Superintendent were holding a meeting in Ward 3) to lay out strategies and plans for the urgent crisis, the local efforts and statewide efforts. Here's how you can help. Take a look at what's going on and who the contact person is. Send them an email and let them know you are willing to help out. Even if you can't attend meetings, you can always make a short phone call or email (the phone calls take less than a minute and all you usually have to say is what you stand for and that you want to be counted). We are working on the imminent issues of this year's budget as well as taking time to plan for the future. School budget problems don't just happen, they are part of a structural issue that must be addressed. We are hopeful yet cautious. That's why we all must step up to the plate and do our part.

1. WIN A DELAY ON SCHOOL CLOSURE. We are working with a smaller group to continue to oppose the closure of an elementary school. There is much to be done with several important tasks coming up. The first is the signature letter. PLEASE collect names of supporters to the letter to the school committee (below) urging delay on a decision to close a school. You can give Megan the names of all who agree to sign. We're already up to close to 200 signers and we think we can get to 500 by Monday, if every one of us collects 5-15 more names. We plan to deliver it to each school committee member on Monday, in time for them to mull over the community passion prior to their Wed. meeting. Send the names to Megan.

Here is the letter we are sending -- please help us get more signatures:

___________________________

Dear Elected Officials of Northampton,

There's no question the budget climate is brutal, and that as much as we are all heartsick about it, very painful cuts will have to occur. One possible cut is the closing of an elementary school - a move would be felt far beyond just the children themselves. This decision would affect the entire city. Therefore, we strongly urge you to do the following:

Defer the decision on closing a school for one year.

And during that year, conduct a due diligence study on the full impact (educational and economic) of closing a school, including everything from city property values and the quality of learning to traffic flow and gymnasium crowding.

Show us that every scenario has been considered, and involve the community in the process. This will give us a chance to see - and ideally be part of - the thoughtful and painstaking planning that a permanent step like this deserves. It is in keeping with the city's pledge of transparency and long-term sustainability. It will ensure that as a community we make the best
decision possible. For this year, make cuts that COULD be reversed if the financial
situation changes. Buses can be re-deployed, supplies can be bought, technology can
be upgraded, aides can be rehired.

If, after a year, we've exhausted all possible cutbacks and new revenue sources and are still facing a massive deficit, then we can revisit the option of closing a school. By then the entire community, including planners and educators, will have had the opportunity to weigh in on exactly HOW to do it in the least devastating way.

You have the pledge of parents as well as community members to spend the next year working with you on ways to ease this burden and maintain our wonderful school system. The good will, commitment, and energy of the people of Northampton are among the best things about living in this town.

Please don't squander them.

Signed,

NOTE: IF YOU WANT TO SIGN ON TO THIS LETTER, JUST SEND A NOTE TO Megan.

2. Write a letter to mayor, superintendent, school committee and city councilors to delay closing and support full funding of the school budget (see a previous posting for all of their contact info).

3. Write a letter to the editor. We are crafting an op ed piece but your letters are truly having an impact to support funding of public education. Just go to Daily Hampshire Gazette Letters to the Editor and it's quite simple, actually.

4. Raising Local Revenue. Joel Feldman described how other communities have developed partnerships with local colleges (Wellesley has been giving their town funding since 1928 and it's up to $600,000 this year, Williams just built a $1.5 million elementary school in their town and the list goes on). Smith is not the only local entity we could tap. If you're interested in pursuing this topic, Joel, Kristen Edmonds and Deborah Christakos are working on it and you can contact Joel to get more involved.

5. Raising State Revenue. If you are interested in legislation on the Meals Tax, Closing Corporate Loopholes, progressive taxation, or talking with our State Legislators, there's a lot we can do. We just heard that the Meals Tax bill is currently stuck in the House. It passed a few years ago, only to be vetoed by then-Governor Swift. Let's not let that happen again. But we've got to act quickly. We are setting up constituent planning meetings with Sen. Rosenberg and Rep. Kocot, so please let Pam Schwartz know if you are interested in one or both of those meetings.

6. Proposition 2 1/2 Override. Alden Bourne gave a great update on Proposition 2 1/2 and the pros and cons of doing an override. If you're interested in further strategizing on this, contact Julie. This group hopes to set up a meeting with the organizers of the last override effort for a rundown of how they ran that campaign.

Because of the 2004 setback of trying to get an override and failing by 7 votes, this is a direction we want to choose carefully. No decision on it yet, here's where we are to date.

Alden Bourne did some great research on how to get a Proposition 2 1/2 override passed. Here's what needs to happen:

We first need to decide when we'd like it on the ballot. There has been some talk about trying to do it in June through a special election, so that the additional money could reach the city's coffers sooner rather than later. However, Wendy Mazza, the city clerk, told us that holding a special election on the issue in June versus putting the question on the November ballot would cost the city roughly $30,000 extra for election workers and printing up the ballots. If we target November, the question would just need to be added to the state ballot. We think asking the city to cough up $30,000 - especially in light of the pending budget cuts - would cast the entire effort in a negative light. We should also consider whether there are factors that would make a November proposition more likely to pass. Obviously, turnout would be much higher with the Presidential election, but that could cut both ways.

If we go for November, the city clerk needs to notify the state by August 6th that the question has been approved to put on the ballot. To get on the ballot, we need the agreement of 5 out of 9 of the city council members (a vote on a tax decrease can be initiated just by petition, but a vote on an increase requires the city council's assent). The vote by the city council could happen at any of their upcoming meetings, which are held the first and third Thursdays of the month. However, nothing can go on the city council's agenda for discussion without the mayor's approval, so we need her on board as well. I think it's important to note here that we're not necessarily asking the mayor or the city council members to come out strongly in favor of an override, just to let the people vote on it - to let democracy happen.

To get the mayor and a majority of the city council to vote yes, we think a petition drive in favor of adding the question to the ballot could be crucial. If we collected enough signatures, the mayor and the city council would simply be carrying out the will of a significant portion of their constituents. Phil Korman, who's played a major volunteer role in Northampton school issues, points out that a petition drive is also a great method of education. It would force us to talk about the issue with our neighbors and people we don't know. Those who have signed may also feel more committed to the cause on election day. The petitions need to have the Northampton voter's name, address, signature, ward number (if known), and most importantly, the specific wording of the question to be added to the ballot.

This final piece - the exact wording of the question - is the most immediate issue at hand, and obviously, quite critical to whether we could get an override passed. According to state law (M.G.L Chapter 59, Section 21C), the question has to be worded as follows, "Shall the (city/town) of _____ be allowed to assess an additional $_____ in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of (state the purpose(s) for which the monies from this assessment will be used) for the fiscal year beginning July first, two thousand and _____. The wording of the 2004 proposed override is below.*

A few questions to consider on the language:

a. Do we want an override that would just cover education or the city's full multi-million dollar shortfall? Would those without children in school be more likely to vote for a larger override that might benefit them too, or would the much larger increase in property taxes that would be required make it even more unpalatable to them?

b. If we just try to cover the schools, how much should be requested? We think it's important to wait until the dust settles with the school budget this spring, so we know exactly how much money is really needed. In the last few weeks, the school shortfall has gone down because of lower gas prices, and there's a history of the town finding money to cover at least part of the shortfall at the last minute. We don't want voters to sign petitions that ask for a $700,000 override, only to have them read a few weeks later that it turns out the schools just need an extra $300,000.

c. Should seniors be exempted in some way? Apparently, there are two ways this could occur. The first is through explicit language in our override question. The second is if we pass a standard override, and the State Senate approves a bill now before it that would permit towns to exempt seniors. More specifically, the proposed legislation would allow cities and towns to exempt seniors who make less than $60,000 a year from overrides, as long as their real estate taxes exceed 10 percent of total income. Seniors living on fixed incomes are undoubtedly the voters most likely to vote against an override.

If we can get on the ballot, we would have to undertake a serious political organizing effort leading up to election day. We would need volunteers to cover every neighborhood of Northampton. They would be responsible for contacting all the voters in a precinct to find out how they're voting. On election day, we'd mount a standard Get Out The Vote operation: volunteers would be responsible for calling all their yes votes on election day and confirming that they've voted.

The document below is a primer by the Mass. Teacher's Association on passing an override. It's a few years old, but definitely worth checking out.

http://www.massteacher.org/member_services/comm/override.pdf

*"Shall the City of Northampton be allowed to access an additional $1.7 million in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of school department, Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School, police, fire, other public safety, library, public works and general government expenses, and to fund increases in property tax exemptions granted to qualifying seniors who meet certain age, whole estate or total assets, annual income, and residency requirements pursuant to M.G.L. Ch 59 S.5 (41C) for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2004?"

If you'd like to be more involved in this effort, we are planning a meeting soon and you can contact either Alden Bourne or Julie Starr.

Meeting updates:

-- Ward meetings with the Mayor -- latest schedule: Tuesday, April 2, for Ward 7 at Leeds School cafeteria; Monday, April 7, for Ward 6 at the R.K. Finn Ryan Road School gymnasium; Tuesday, April 8 for Ward 1 at the Jackson Street School library; Wednesday, April 9, Ward 5 at Florence Civic Center; Wednesday, April 23, Ward 2, in the Little Theater at Northampton High School. All meetings are to run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on the scheduled days.

--The Ad Hoc Committee of the City Council on Best Practices will meet on Thursday, March 27 at 6:00 p.m. in the Conference Room of the Department of Public Works, 125 Locust Street, Northampton. This is the third meeting of the committee established to create and oversee a public process for reviewing municipal decision-making in the City of Northampton and make recommendations to the City Council on ensuring the use of locally and nationally accepted best practices in our community. You can find our more about this committee, their meeting agenda, minutes, etc. at www.northamptonma.gov/bestpractices/ This will be a chance to express your thoughts about this process (or lack thereof) with this threatened school closing.

--Next NEAT meeting: We had initially stated that the next NEAT meeting will be on 4/14, but we realize that may be too soon with all the work going on and the time needed to do it before meeting again. So stay tuned.

--NEAT organizational meeting: For anyone interested in discussing or being part of NEAT's internal structure, we are having a meeting to discuss where we go from here, e.g., do we reinstitute our prior model of a steering committee with representatives from each school or consider other possibilities? We know it's time to formalize our decision-making structure once again, so for all of you who like to talk or DO these matters, this meeting is for you! (If not, you get a reprieve.) It's on Monday, April 7th, 7:15-8:15 pm, at Pam Schwartz and Joel Feldman's house, 22 Columbus Avenue. If you would like to participate but can't make it, please let us know. You can leave a comment at the end of this posting.

We'll have more to report next week. But for now, keep those calls, emails and letters coming. And please comment here on the blog if you have any further updates so we can all join in the conversation. And if you're having trouble with doing that, just contact Jane.

If you know others who might be interested, please pass this along to them. If you'd like to get on our mailing list, just email Megan.

NEAT Planning Meeting on 3/24 Changed to 7:30 to Avoid Meeting Gridlock

2008-03-21T15:09:00.005-05:00

Due to recent notice that the mayor and superintendent are Budget Briefing in Ward 3 at Bridge Street School at 6:30 on Monday, 3/24, the NEAT meeting on that same night -- 3/24 -- will begin at 7:30 instead of 7:00. We hope this allows people to show up at 6:30 at Bridge Street -- numbers count -- and then move on to Jackson Street School Library for the NEAT meeting with fresh information and ideas. The NEAT meeting will end by 9:00.

Hope to see you in one or both places!

There will be Budget Briefing Meetings throughout the city in all wards. Margaret Miller passed along the following list of all the Budget Briefing meetings being held throughout the city, originally sent out by the JFK PTO Listserve. Thanks JFK parents for this info!

Pick one date below and attend to show your support for all the Schools, Teachers, Staff and Children in Northampton. The goal is to work together at these issues that could affect the whole community: Spread the Word!

March 24th - Time: 6:30 - 8:30
Ward 3 Meeting
Councilor Reckman will host Mayor Higgins and Superintendent Rodriguez-Babcock for a Budget Briefing meeting at the Bridge Street School (wheelchair accessible).
Contact Information: Councilor Robert Reckman
413-584-8905

March 25th - Time: 6:30 - 8:30
Ward 4 Meeting
Councilor Narkewicz will host Mayor Higgins in a Budget Briefing meeting at City Council Chambers (wheelchair accessible) 212 Main Street, behind City Hall.
Contact Information: Councilor David Narkewicz
413-586-7230

April 1st - Time: 6:30 - 8:30
Ward 7 Meeting
Councilor Labarge will host Mayor Higgins for a Budget Briefing meeting at the Leeds School (wheelchair accessible).
Contact Information: Councilor Raymond LaBarge
413-584-5561

April 8th - Time: 6:30 - 8:30
Ward 1 Meeting
Councilor Carney will host Mayor Higgins for a Budget Briefing.
Location: tba
Contact Information: Councilor Maureen Carney
413-584-2904

April 9th - Time: 6:30 - 8:30
Ward 5 Meeting
Councilor David Murphy will host Mayor Higgins for a Budget Briefing meeting at the Florence Civic Center.
Contact Information: Councilor David Murphy
413-586-5461

April 14th - Time: 6:00 - 8:30
Ward 6 Meeting
Councilor LaBarge will host Mayor Higgins in a Budget Briefing Meeting at the Ryan Road School
(wheelchair accessible).
Contact Information: Councilor Marianne LaBarge
413-584-7937

As always, please pass the word. We want to get as many people to these meetings as possible.

Remember: Additions and deletions to the NEAT email list may be sent to Megan Zinn at: mrzinn@usa.net.

Send Your Letters to Elected Officials

2008-03-19T20:03:00.003-05:00

Several people have begun writing and calling local and state elected officials. A number of people have asked us to give them the contact information (see earlier posts). Other people have asked us what to write. While we don't feel that there's any ONE letter to write, here's two examples of letters from Megan. The first is to the Mayor and the second is to the Governor. Please don't copy it. Think about the issues you care deeply about, think about your kids and their future education and write from that perspective. Most importantly, make your argument clearly and concisely and make it your own.

____________________________________________________________________

Dear Mayor Higgins,

I am writing, as are so many of my fellow parents, to implore you to help us find a way to avoid closing one of Northampton’s elementary schools.

To begin, the practical: You are quite aware that Northampton attracts many new residents every year. We came here from Minnesota, and we joke that it is really a refugee camp for Midwesterners and New Yorkers. We have all moved here for the tolerant community, the beautiful environment, the arts, the farms, the intellectual community, and of course, the superlative public schools. If we lose an elementary school, as well as other essential school services, the ability of Northampton to attract young families from out of state will be severely compromised.

Secondly, I understand that if we close a school it will likely be prohibitively expensive to re-open it if the need arises. In my more optimistic moments, I feel that the smart, engaged parents of Northampton will be able to effect some significant changes in the way the cities and schools are funded, and that the next year or two, the financial situation will get better. I hope we can keep all four schools open at least a year to see if this is true. In my more pessimistic moments, I look to a future when gas is so expensive that it becomes impractical for residents to live on the outskirts of towns and we all move to the denser areas. What if we have closed Bridge Street, our only school in walking distance to downtown?

Now, the emotional, the love letter to my children’s school: We purchased our house because of its proximity to Bridge Street School. My eldest was only 9 months old at the time, but we were so excited that he would attend the school one day. We were right to be so optimistic. We love this school. It is a remarkable community that provides them (now in fourth
grade and kindergarten) an excellent education. They are supported, challenged, and nurtured, and the education is as good as that of any private school. Johanna McKenna and the teachers know our children and understand how they learn best. It is also an extremely positive place, where the teachers and staff truly work as a team and have an incredible dedication to the children. When I come to the school now and realize that my youngest son may not have the opportunity to learn with Patty Dubiel, Sue Hanno, Jan Battey, or Jed Dion, it brings me to tears. When I think about the fact that my older son may have to spend fifth grade in a new school without his closest friends, it breaks my heart.

I have great admiration for the work you do as mayor and for your love of Northampton, and I know you will do your best in this awful situation. But please do what you can to save our school.

Sincerely,

_____________________________________________________________________

Governor Deval Patrick
State House, Rm. 360
Boston, MA 02133

Dear Governor Patrick,

During the same week that you announced the appointment of Paul Reville as the new Chairman of the Board of Education, the superintendent of Northampton’s schools announced a budget deficit of more than one million dollars. It is quite likely that to close the budget gap, the school committee will decide to close one of the city’s four elementary schools. This is only one step they will need to take. They will also eliminate transportation to the high school and significantly reduce transportation to the elementary schools, reduce art, music and physical education, and eliminate after school programs (the precursor to an extended day for city schools).

The school likely to close is Bridge Street School, the one to which we send our sons. In short, we love this school. It is a remarkable community that provides our fourth-grader and kindergartener an excellent education. They are supported, challenged, and nurtured, and the education is as good as that of any private school. It is also the only school in walking-distance to downtown Northampton. And now it seems clear that this will all slip away.

Northampton attracts new residents to Massachusetts every year. We came here from Minnesota, and we joke that it is really a refugee camp for Midwesterners and New Yorkers. We have all moved here for the tolerant community, the beautiful environment, the arts, the farms, the intellectual community, and of course, the superlative public schools. If we lose an elementary school, as well as other essential school services, the ability of Northampton to attract young families from out of state will be severely compromised. In addition, this is only the beginning. Next year will the situation will likely be as dire.

What can we do to reverse this horrible situation? We must find ways to increase state aid to the cities of Massachusetts. The legislature should pass the meals tax, allowing the city to build revenue from the thousands of people who come to Northampton for its restaurants every month. You can work to close corporate tax loopholes, to keep the Commonwealth from bleeding money. You can help us change the formula for Chapter 70 funding that cheats our schools of essential funds. You could help pay for mandated bussing. You can pressure Smith College to further support the city. (Smith is the largest landholder in Northampton, but pays no property taxes and sits on an endowment of $1.2 billion, the seventh largest in the country).

During Reville’s press conference he asserted that if we want to give Massachusetts’ children “a world-class education, the kind of education that we'd want to give our own children, then we're going to have to spend more money over time.” In support of Reville, Patricia Plummer, Commissioner of the Department of Higher Education said, “We need to ensure that all Massachusetts students are not only ready for college when they arrive, but prepared to succeed and complete degrees.” If we continue to cut and cut and cut our school budgets these dreams will be dead in the water.

Sincerely,

School Committee Contacts

2008-03-18T21:05:00.004-05:00

Please write or call your School Committee representative and explain your views to them personally.

Honorable Mary Clare Higgins - Chairperson
Northampton City Hall
210 Main Street
Northampton, MA 01060
(413) 587-1249

Lucy Hartry - Vice Chairperson At-Large
669 Westhampton Road
Northampton, MA 01062
(413) 584-9005

Katherine Foote Newman - At-Large
697 Bridge Road
Northampton, MA 01060
(413) 586-0273

Teddy Milne - Ward 3
15 Walnut St.
Northampton, MA 01060
(413) 584-8547

Lise Glading-DiLorenzo - Ward 2
55 Maynard Road
Northampton, MA 01060
(413) 586-4961

Edward Zuchowski Ward 4
67 Ice Pond Drive
Northampton, MA 01062
(413) 584-5515

Michael Flynn - Ward 7
9 King Avenue
Florence, MA 01062
(413) 584-1456

Davina Miller - Ward 1
33 Summer Street
Northampton, MA 01060
(413) 586-1077

Lisa Minnick Ward 6
44 Winterberry Lane
Florence, MA 01062
(413) 584-9187

Stephanie Pick - Ward 5
32 Middle Street
Florence, MA 01062
(413) 586-5652

The next School Committee's Budget and Property Subcommittee meeting is 3/19 at 5 pm at JFK Middle School. Please attend if you can.

And please pass this along to others who might be interested. If you'd like to be on the NEAT mailing list, just leave us your name and you're in! Thanks.

Meetings Meetings Meetings

2008-03-17T22:57:00.003-05:00

SCHOOL COMMITTEE: On Wednesday, March 19, the School Committee's Budget and Property Subcommittee will be meeting at 5:00 pm at JFK. The public is welcome to attend, but our recollection is that there is no public comment period. If anyone knows something different or if that has changed, please let us know.

NEXT NEAT MEETING: On Monday, March 24, we'll be having our next NEAT planning meeting at 7:00 pm at the Jackson Street School Library. All are welcome to attend and we'll be checking in about all the research and new proposals people have been discussing. It's getting very exciting and we've got a lot to discuss so come prepared to report on your research, look at options and continue strategizing.

WARD 3 MEETING: Also on March 24, for all Ward 3 residents, the Mayor (and possibly the Superintendent) will be meeting with Ward 3 at 6:30 at Bridge Street School. This is one of the neighborhood meetings that the Mayor will be holding in each of the wards. Please pass the word on that as well.

Contact Info for Elected Officials

2008-03-17T22:46:00.005-05:00

People keep asking how to get in touch with our elected officials. Here' s the contact info for our state legislators and city councilors. Please share whatever information you receive with others.

State Legislators

Rep. Peter Kocot Local Phone:582-6111 State House: 617-722-2210 Rep.PeterKocot@hou.state.ma.us

Sen. Stan Rosenberg Local Phone: 584-1649 State House: 617-722-1532 Sen.StanRosenberg@senate.state.ma.us

City Councilors

James Dostal, At-Large
City Council President 586-1390
jmdostal@comcast.net

Michael Bardsley, At-Large 586-1431
michael.bardsley@verizon.net

Maureen Carney Ward 1 584-2904
mtcarney@comcast.net

Paul Spector Ward 2 413-250-5226
gwanorth@aol.com

Robert C. Reckman Ward 3 584-8905
BobReckman@aol.com

David Narkewicz Ward 4 586-7230
dnarkewicz@comcast.net

David A. Murphy Ward 5 586-5461
david.murphy8@comcast.net

Marianne LaBarge Ward 6 584-7937
mlabargeward6@aol.com

Raymond LaBarge Ward 7 584-5561

Please pass this info along to others. And stay tuned for more info.

We're back and the homework this week is: Save Our Schools

2008-03-16T22:17:00.007-05:00

We're back on line with NEAT! And the homework this week is to save our schools. Over 25 people met in Pam Schwartz and Joel Feldman's living room on 3/11 to discuss the imminent budget crisis facing Northampton public schools. A number of exciting ideas came up and the group took responsibilities to do action-oriented homework assignments for the next meeting doing research on the local, state and national level. And we are trying to use the media to keep our message out there. Within two days of our meeting, over 50 people showed up to the School Committee meeting on 3/13 to voice our message: Save Our Schools, Save Our Future. Thanks to the quick turnaround or great folks, we had stickers and flyers and got more people involved in NEAT. The parents and staff who spoke to the School Committee were eloquent and unanimous in their support of keeping the schools open and working together to fill the budget gap. There was great exposure in the local papers and Channel 40. The next School Committee Budget and Property Subcommittee is on 3/19 at 5 PM at JFK.

The next planning meeting for NEAT will be held on 3/24 at 7 pm in the Jackson Street School Library (we have outgrown our living rooms), so please mark your calendar and invite others to attend this important meeting.

Here's what we are doing:

Local Perspective

Attend School Committee meetings (schedule at http://www.nps.northampton.ma.us/agendas.html)
Meeting with the Mayor (Katie: kgerstle@verizon.net, Linda: Linda_C_Davis-Delano@SPFLDCOL.EDU, and Pam: pschwartz@nationalpriorities.org)
Meeting with City Council and School Committee Members
Find local tax scofflaws (Jane: jane@janefleishman.com)
Get the timeline for budget process down (Joel: jfeldman@crocker.com)
Get a historical look at budget cuts over past 10 years
Proposition 2 ½ Timeline (Julie: Julie.starr@comcast.net and Alden: acbourne@gmail.com)
Research PILOT (Payments in lieu of taxes) from other colleges similar to Smith (Kristin: edmonds.k@comcast.net, Deborah: Deborah_Christakos@yahoo.com and Joel: jfeldman@crocker.com)
Meet with Smith College Trustees, President, Alumni

State Perspective

Research corporate tax loophole and meals tax legislation (Pam: pschwartz@nationalpriorities.org)
Meet with State Legislators Kocot and Rosenberg (Pam: pschwartz@nationalpriorities.org and Michael: michaelholroyde@verizon.net)
Research local aid to cities and towns in MA and Chapter 70 formula
Connect with other similar groups across the state
Proposition 2 ½ repeal (Stephanie: Osiecki@crocker.com)

National Perspective

Find out how other comparable states are funding their education budgets

Using the Media and Getting the Message Out

Create a message: Save Our Schools, Save Our Future (Linda: Linda_C_Davis-Delano@SPFLDCOL.EDU, Lynn: lshelley@wsc.ma.edu, Pam: pschwartz@nationalpriorities.org, Darla: joedargorm@verizon.net)
Create flyers (Steve: sireci@acad.umass.edu and Rebecca: Rebecca@twentysixletters.com)
Make phone calls to other interested parents

If you are interested in one of these areas, please contact the person or people who've already signed up to do research. If no one has volunteered or you are interested in something else, please post a comment so we can keep track of who's volunteering.

We will use this blog to keep you informed. Please pass this along to others who might be interested. And keep up the great work!

Closing Tax Loopholes and Municipal Flexibility on New Taxes

2007-06-20T22:27:00.000-05:00

Last day of school in Northampton today. It was clear that students and teachers alike looked pretty relieved. But the relief felt short-lived when we started talking at a neighborhood end-of-school year party about the dire state of our school system.

Fortunately, there's one bright spot this year. The Patrick Administration is actually trying to get some legislative action on closing tax loopholes and granting municipalities the right to determine local tax vehicles to fund services.

Take a look at this notice from Neighbor to Neighbor. Though the hike to Boston for their rally tomorrow might be difficult on short notice, at least we can still call Sen. Stan Rosenberg and Rep. Peter Kocot to show our support. Please call today, it only takes a moment. And let us know how it goes.


Rally for the Municipal Partnership Act

You're Invited!

Rally for Municpal Partnership Act (MPA)

There will be a rally with Governor Deval Patrick speaking on Thursday, June 21st from 1-3pm in Nurses' Hall on the 2nd floor of the State House. We are fighting for the immediate passage of the MPA!

Call Your Legislator! 617-722-2000.

Hi, my name is _______. I live [or work] at _________. I am calling, because I would like you to support the Municipal Partnership Act. It will close outdated tax loopholes for telecommunications companies costing our cities and towns $78 million in taxes and give local governments more choices in raising revenue locally. Thank you. My phone number is ________.

Find your Representative and Senator:

Greetings!

Neighbor to Neighbor is supporting the Municipal Partnership Act (MPA), because it closes the outdated telecommunications loophole and gives our cities and towns choices about raising revenue locally!

There will be a rally with Governor Deval Patrick on Thursday, June 21st from 1-3pm in Nurses' Hall on the 2nd floor of the State House in support of the MPA

The two most important aspects of the bill are:

1.) Closing the Telecommunications Tax Loophole. This law, passed in 1915 to help bring telephones service to all Massachusetts residents, exempted telecommunications companies from property taxes on above ground poles and wires. The goal of this outdated tax break was accomplished years and years ago and costs the state over $78 million annually.

2.) Allowing cities and towns to make choices about local hotel and meals taxes This will give them flexibility about how to pay for local services. Right now, cities and towns can only use the regressive property tax to bring in local revenue.

Rally for Muncipal Partnership Act!

DATE: Thursday, June 21st

TIME: 1-3pm

LOCATION: Nurses Hall State House

MORE: Speaking Program 1-2pm. Meet with Local Legislators 2-3pm.

Please call or email Erin O'Leary at 617-723-6866 with any questions.

Thanks!

Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts

email: erin@n2nma.org

phone: 617-723-6866

web: http://www.n2nma.org

You Can Help Close Corporate Tax Loopholes

2007-05-20T22:06:00.000-05:00

If you're as tired as we are of hearing the bad news about education budget woes, here's something that just came in from Neighbor to Neighbor -- something you can do to help. You can attend a public hearing on Tuesday, May 22 in Boston at the State House. And even if you are not able to attend, please get acquainted with the information below.

Public Hearing on Closing Corporate Tax Loopholes

4pm on Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Gardner Auditorium in the State House. Come To Make Your Voice Heard!

Tell the Commission that you support closing unfair corporate tax loopholes to invest in programs like health care, housing, and education!

Background: Governor Patrick came out with a plan that would close corporate tax loopholes, raising $295 million this year and over half a billion next year. A commission was formed to evaluate the Governor's plan and they are supposed issue a report on June 15th. We are asking you to come to this hearing to push the commission to release a favorable report so we can close these loopholes to fund schools, health care and other important programs. The two loopholes that are most significant:

1. Implementing Combined Reporting. This would make is so that companies cannot shift income between subsidiaries to avoid taxes in Massachusetts.

2. Implementing "Check the Box" Reporting Requirements. This would put MA in line with 45 other states. It would make businesses conform to federal rules so that companies cannot avoid taxes by being classified as partnerships on the state level and a corporation on the federal level.

Please call N2N-MA at 617-723-6866 or email carl@n2nma.org to let them know if you can attend.

Northampton schools chief identifies cuts, sees need for more

2007-04-14T00:23:00.000-05:00

Northampton schools chief identifies cuts, sees need for more

BY KRISTINA TEDESCHI , STAFF WRITER, DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE

NORTHAMPTON - In efforts to pare down a $770,000 budget gap, the superintendent plans to cut staff across the board, use the majority of school choice surplus funds and hold off on purchasing new supplies in what most School Committee members agreed were painful but necessary measures.

The resulting savings would amount to $430,000, Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez Babcock said at Thursday night's meeting, leaving exactly $340,303 that would still need to be slashed to meet the superintendent's $27.65 million budget proposal. Although the city received $60,000 more in Chapter 70 state aid than originally expected, the money will likely land in the city's coffers, said Vice Chairwoman Lucy Hartry. She said more money from the state is unlikely.

The superintendent said she is looking to cut staff in all city schools and in the district's central office. Letters of notice are set to go out to each school once April vacation is over the week after next, she said, noting that she hasn't yet decided who to cut and where. At-large member Pamela Hunter told the committee she hoped not only staff, but also programs within the district would be considered for cuts.

In a rare move, Rodriguez Babcock recommended that $200,000 of the district's $250,000 school choice fund surplus be used to help close the gap.

"We're not comfortable with it," said at-large member Katherine Foote Newman, who also belongs to the Budget and Property Subcommittee, which had heard the recommendations last week, "but we're not comfortable with the alternatives, either."

Also under consideration is eliminating all funding for social studies materials and halting funding to administer the IOWA tests for one year.

Rodriguez Babcock decided to pass on social studies materials because the curriculum is under revision in the district and will likely be revised by the state next year, resulting in changes, she said.

However, the $200,000 earmarked for the supplies is "one-time money," the superintendent said, and new supplies will eventually be needed.

"We're only putting off the inevitable," Rodriguez Babcock said.

"If we spend it now, we won't have it next year," cautioned Ward 6 representative Lisa Minnick. She said she would be disappointed if money is not available for social studies curriculum supplies after the district puts time and effort into revising it.

"This is yet again another disaster that's been served up to us," said Minnick, "and I don't know how to fix it."

"Our deficit is a lot bigger than any of us knows how to deal with," she added.

To move forward with revision, Rodriguez Babcock said, she plans to use Title I and II state funds - which haven't been reduced and are nearly the same as last year, she said - to pay teachers and staff to work on it. Ward 2 representative Lise Glading-DiLorenzo noted hiring a director of teaching and learning in February was a smart move.

"I feel like we've made an investment in a sense that actually saves us money," she said.

Foote Newman told the committee that other recommendations were also being considered among school administrators, such as the necessity of two vice principals at Northampton High School and the practicality of heating the swimming pool at JFK Middle School and other energy costs.

The district must have a budget in place by July 1, when the next fiscal year begins.

The superintendent requested on March 22 at a special School Committee meeting that $23.4 million of her $27.65 million budget proposal come from the city, a figure that represents a 5.5 percent increase over fiscal 2007's appropriation of $22 million. But the city can only afford a 2 percent increase, Mayor Clare Higgins told committee members, or about $2.24 million more.

Close Corporate Loopholes

2007-04-14T00:19:00.000-05:00

We've still got a chance to invest in our future and raise needed state revenues for education by closing corporate loopholes, but we need your help. Did you know that the leadership in the State House of Representatives used one-time fixes to close the budget gap instead of closing unfair corporate tax loopholes?

House Leadership rejected Governor Patrick's plan to close corporate tax loopholes - a proposal that would have raised over $600 million next year. For too long, some large corporations have been taking advantage of unintended tax loopholes to avoid paying their fair share in state taxes. The rest of us have been paying the price through increased property taxes, higher fees, and cuts to programs and services. The most important thing we can do to ensure lasting economic success and job creation is invest in health care, housing, and public education. Using money from the rainy day fund to balance the budget now is irresponsible and puts us at risk for even deeper budget cuts during the next recession.

Call Representative Peter Kocot now and ask him to support closing corporate loopholes to invest in our future. You can call him at (617) 722-2000 or email him at rep.peterkocot@hou.ma.state.us.

Remind him that you believe that to have the state funding we need to responsibly invest in education, we need long-term solutions rather than one-time fixes. Urge him to raise new revenue by closing corporate tax loopholes.

Thanks to Neighbor to Neighbor Massachusetts for making us aware of this important campaign. For more information, you can log on to their website at: http://www.n2nma.org/ Thanks to you for your support.

NEAT Now Has a Blog

2007-03-12T21:41:00.000-05:00

Whoever said parents don't know how to navigate the web like their kids? OK, so we're not as adept at ipods or Youtube.com as some of our children. But we're proud to say we're back online and, if you're reading this, you're here as well.

With a little bit of help from our friend Cathy (who is a great webmaster), we've transformed our NEAT website into a very user-friendly blog. If you haven't been acquainted with a blog before, it's simple and, most important for a grass roots activist group with no budget of our own -- it's free. This is how we're going to try to keep you informed about public education funding and avenues for you -- as parents, faculty, staff and community residents -- to get involved from now on.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH FUNDING FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION THIS YEAR?
You've probably been keeping up with the articles in the press. There's some possibilities on the horizon at the State House this year with local tax options and a new governor committed to education. But there's also some alarm bells going off locally with possibilities of school budget shortfalls. A discussion of cuts is once again on the table. We'll be in touch with you as soon as we know more. But, meanwhile, we wanted to introduce you to our new blog.

LET'S KEEP IN TOUCH
Our address is above, but you can cut and paste it from here as well. We're now at http://neatonline.blogspot.com/ instead of our old web address. So please keep track of us and we'll keep you informed about how to make your voices heard. Hope you enjoy our new format. If you'd like to reach us, just leave us a comment. That's the best way to reach us these days. As we get more adept, we might even do something crazy, like paste in a photo (but that will have to wait till next time).

Public School Funding in Massachusetts: Putting Recent Reform Proposals in Context

2006-06-20T22:54:00.000-05:00

June 20, 2006

A new analysis by the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center of the most recent US Census Bureau data on state by state education financing finds that between 2002 and 2004 Massachusetts lost ground in three critical measures: spending on education as a share of total income in the state; the share of spending paid for by the state, rather than local governments; and cost-adjusted spending per pupil.

The study – the fourth edition of “Public School Funding in Massachusetts” - also discusses the changes to Chapter 70 education funding included in the FY 2007 budget proposals of the Governor, the House of Representatives, and the Senate. It examines both how the proposed changes in calculating the costs of education, local contributions, and the distribution of state education aid would address some of the shortcomings of the current system, and how they would leave other problems unresolved.

In addition, the report reviews the state education spending and inflation requirements in current law and shows that despite the proposed reforms, the budgets put forward by the Governor, the House, and the Senate fall short of the amounts called for in Section 12 of Chapter 70 of the state general laws by $276 to $322 million.

View full report at http://www.massbudget.org/Public_School_Funding_in_MA.pdf

School fees increased for sports, transportation

2006-06-09T22:53:00.000-05:00

By Ryan Davis
Daily Hampshire Gazette
Friday, June 09, 2006
NORTHAMPTON - Parents will be paying higher fees next year for children who play sports and ride the bus, after the School Committee approved increases Thursday to help balance the budget.

Every board member except one voted for each increase, though Ward 1 representative Davina Miller spoke for many when she said, 'I hate all these fees.'

Discussion centered on the inequity of relying on certain groups - athletes and those who take the bus - to balance the budget. But members concluding that raising fees is better than cutting positions.

Due to increasing costs, the district is looking to bridge a gap of $225,000 in its proposed $26 million budget. The plan is to raise fees and cut the budget for supplies, two aides, and an elementary school band program.

The fees have now been approved, but all other parts of the budget will be finalized at the next school board meeting on June 22.

Sports fees

Athletic fees for team sports at Northampton High School are now $75 per student per sport.

Committee members voted to raise that to $125 per student for the first sport, $100 for the second sport, and $75 for the third sport. There will be a $500 per family cap on athletic fees.

By comparison, students in Amherst pay between $160 and $180 per sport, students in Easthampton pay $100 and those in South Hadley pay $75.

Business manager Susan Wright said that she projects the amount of fees collected will increase by $25,000. Committee members also approved raising the cost of tickets for sporting events by $1, generating an expected total of $11,000.

The school department has a total high school sports budget of $272,000, most of which pays the salary for the athletic director, stipends for coaches, equipment, awards and other costs. The increased fees and ticket prices will generate $96,000 towards that total, Wright said, with the rest coming from an appropriation.

Bus costs

Bus fees, which apply only to middle and high school students, will also go up next year.

For families with one child, the fee will increase from $180 to $210; for two children, the fee will go from $315 to $375; and for three children the rate will increase from $400 to $490. Wright said the increase is expected to bring in an additional $12,000.

At-large School Committee representative Kathy Foote Newman, who voted for the bus fee increase and against the athletic fee hike, pointed out how unequal the fees can be.

She said a family with three children all playing sports and riding a bus would pay $1,000 in fees. A family whose three children are in the school band and walk to school would pay nothing.

Balancing a budget: a cut and hike dance - Parents lament loss of program

2006-06-09T22:52:00.000-05:00

By Ryan Davis
Hampshire Daily Gazette
Friday, June 09, 2006 NORTHAMPTON - A program that teaches about 130 elementary school students to play musical instruments inspired well over an hour of debate Thursday.

School Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez Babcock has proposed eliminating the program in order to save about $17,000 in the budget. Children will still have regular music classes.

The move has the support of all four elementary principals, who maintain that while the program has produced excellent results, it doesn't benefit the majority of children and it is disruptive to classrooms because students are pulled out to participate.

However, five parents speaking during a public comment session at Thursday's School Committee meeting and two board members argued forcefully to maintain the program. Other members said they support cutting the program, but a vote won't be taken until the June 22 meeting.

''I don't think you're helping anyone by doing this,'' said Nick Kachulis of Harold Street, whose children were both in the program. ''You're destroying the feeder system to the high school band.''

Heidi Stevens of Upland Road in Leeds said that she was ''overwhelmed with gratitude'' that her son was able to develop an interest in music in elementary school and will be joining the high school band. She said eliminating the program will make some parents send their children to other schools.

Ward 5 representative Stephanie Pick said she believes that if it is cut, only children whose parents can afford lessons will learn to play instruments.

The four principals each said they'd rather not cut anything, but saw more pressing needs in schools besides band. They acknowledged that many students enjoy it, and Jackson Street School Principal Gwen Agna even plays the flute in the band at her school.

But they said dropping the program was preferable to cutting other areas.

''This is a program that doesn't really fit in the same way the rest of the elementary program fits,'' said R.K. Finn Ryan Road interim principal Margie Riddle.

Rodriguez Babcock said the program serves less than 10 percent of the elementary population and all students will still have a full music program without it.

Northampton gets upbeat budget

2006-06-02T22:51:00.000-05:00

By Daily Hampshire Gazette
June 2, 2006

NORTHAMPTON - Mayor Clare Higgins unveiled a $67.6 million budget proposal Thursday that boosts funding in several key departments, including a 7.5 percent increase for schools, adds positions and callsfor no layoffs.

The proposal represents a 5.2 percent increase over the current year's $64 million spending plan, and 56 percent of the budget is drawn fromlocal property and motor vehicle excise taxes.

The mayor also has tapped $900,000 from the city's stabilization fund for the second consecutive year to balance the budget, leaving the citywith nearly $1 million in reserves.

School budget gets breathing room, fewer cuts

2006-05-26T22:51:00.000-05:00

By Ryan Davis
Daily Hampshire Gazette
Friday, May 26, 2006

NORTHAMPTON - The city's newly negotiated health insurance plan will mean substantially fewer budget cuts for the school department's proposed $26 million budget than had been anticipated.

One of the cuts on the table is a popular instrumental music program in the elementary schools, whose elimination will save $17,500.

Ward 6 School Committee representative Lisa Minnick said that although losing the instrumental program is unfortunate, this year's slate of cuts is 'painless' compared to past years when dozens of staff positions were eliminated.

School Committee members and City Councilors discussed the budget plan at their annual joint budget meeting Thursday.

The district is now looking to trim $225,000 from its proposed budget by increasing fees and eliminating a total of five positions. Earlier this month, before the insurance change was finalized, the School Committee had been looking at a $530,000 gap.

With the savings from the new insurance plan, the district now expects to receive $1.48 million more from the city than it did for the current year. The school department had requested $1.65 million more to maintain the same level of services for the coming year.

The news 'is pretty amazing,' said school business manager Susan Wright.

Although the difference between the increase in the city appropriation and the request is only $165,000, the total budget gap is now $225,000 due to contract extension for three school unions that were approved on Thursday (see sidebar).

Much of the discussion of the budget plan focused on the instrumental music program, in which students who have their own instruments are pulled out of class once a week to practice.

Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez Babcock said all four elementary principals recommended cutting the program rather than other positions. They argued that not all students can participate in the program, pulling students out of class is disruptive, and cutting it wouldn't affect as many students as cutting a teaching job.

She said the district will look into maintaining the program as an after-school activity.

During the public comment session, Keith Davis of Stone Ridge Drive said both of his daughters had benefited from instrumental music.

The fact that it could be cut 'really saddens me and my youngest daughter,' he said. 'I urge you to find a way to maintain this program.'

Davis found substantial support for his position among members of the City Council, such as Ward 6 councilor Marianne LaBarge, who said that the idea of cutting the program 'really bothers me.'

The budget proposal now on the table also calls for:

increasing the school bus fee from $180 to $210, generating $12,000

increasing the athletic fee for high school students from $75 to $125 for the first sport, $100 for the second sport and $75 for the third sport, with a cap of $500 per family, and increasing ticket prices for sporting events, generating $40,000

eliminating four aide positions in the elementary schools, saving $62,000

cutting the supply budget by $20,000

The School Committee has the final say on the school budget, which must be finalized before the start of the fiscal year on July 1.

Mass. Senate approves $25.4 bln budget

2006-05-26T22:50:00.000-05:00

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Massachusetts Senate approved a $25.4 billion budget for fiscal 2007 which boosts local and education aid, gradually cuts the state income tax and raises the minimum wage, a Senate spokeswoman said on Friday.

The Senate vote late on Thursday is one of the steps in the budget approval process for the year that starts July 1. The House approved its version of the budget in April.

The Senate budget lifts the previous cap for distribution of lottery aid to cities and towns and increases the so-called Chapter 70 aid for schools by $210 million. Chapter 70 aid is school funds for local communities.

"We have made substantial investment in two out of the three funds that go toward communities to help them run their schools, police departments, firefighting and first response teams," said Ann Dufresne, spokeswoman for Senate President Robert E. Travaglini.

Senators also approved a minimum wage increase to $7.50 per hour starting September 1 from the current level of $6.75 per hour. In 2007, it will rise to $8.25 per hour and starting in 2008, the minimum wage will be adjusted for inflation annually.

Lawmakers also agreed to cut the state income tax to 5 percent over the next three years, provided the state first brings its education and local aid funding to the 2002 level.

In 2000, voters overwhelmingly passed a referendum to reduce the income tax rate to 5 percent from 5.95 percent, but the Legislature froze the rate at 5.3 percent in the midst of a financial crisis.

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has called on the Legislature to roll the income tax rate back to 5 percent.

The House version does not include proposals for the minimum wage increase and for the tax cut.

Both branches of the legislature will have to name a conference committee that should reconcile differences between the House and Senate budgets before the document goes to Romney for a signature.

Budget emerging, Spending up, tax cut out in state Senate plan

2006-05-18T22:47:00.000-05:00

Thursday, May 18, 2006

BOSTON (AP) - Senate leaders unveiled their budget plan for the new fiscal year Wednesday, proposing extra spending on schools, local aid and health care - but rebuffing Gov. Mitt Romney's call for a cut in the state income tax rate.

The $25.4 billion spending plan boosts education aid to cities and towns by more than $210 million dollars and funds the state's new commitments under the landmark health care law approved earlier this year, according to Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Therese Murray.

The Senate plan would increase spending on higher education by more than $57 million, including $31 million for state and community colleges and more than $26 million for the University of Massachusetts. It would also let the colleges keep all fees and tuition instead of funneling the money back through the state.

The budget is a 6.3 percent increase in spending over the current year, but is about $30 million lower than the final House budget plan approved last month, said Murray, D-Plymouth, who called the plan ''responsible and balanced.''

Once the Senate approves the budget, both the Senate and House versions head to a six-member conference committee charged with hammering out a final compromise version to send to Romney's desk. The new fiscal year begins July 1.

Senators also want to spend more than $1 million for the state Office of Dam Safety to help speed inspection and regulation of the state's 3,000 dams, which are under renewed focus with recent heavy rains and flooding.

Senate Democrats had faulted Gov. Mitt Romney for only asking for about half as much for the dam safety office. They said the recent flooding shows the need for better oversight of the state's dams.

House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi said House members are also interested in ensuring that the state's dams are secure.

''We have to address that issue based on the evidence that's presented to us,'' said DiMasi, D-Boston. ''We will respond with the proper amount of money.''

Murray defended the decision to ignore Romney's proposal to cut the state income tax rate from 5.3 percent to 5 percent.

''We felt we would rather invest the money in education and higher education and health,'' said Murray, D-Plymouth.

Romney said taxpayers are overdue for the cut.

He pointed to a 2000 ballot question overwhelmingly approved by voters to cut the tax rate from 5.95 percent to 5 percent. Lawmakers later froze the cut at 5.3 percent. He also said the state is on track to bring in $1.4 billion more than estimated for the current fiscal year.

''How we cannot justify a tax cut to the level that was voted by the citizens is something I can't understand,'' Romney said Wednesday.

The plan would also pay for a new 60-bed substance abuse program and increase the salaries of assistant district attorneys.

The state's district attorneys had lobbied hard for the extra money in the Senate plan, which would allow them to increase the pay of assistant district attorneys by up to 10 percent. They said the low pay has made it hard to keep young attorneys feeling the pressure to pay back student loans.

Cuts, fee hikes still likely for schools

2006-05-14T22:47:00.000-05:00

Sunday, May 14, 2006
By NANCY H. GONTER
Springfield Republican

NORTHAMPTON - School Committee members expressed relief that the budget picture for next year will not be as bleak as it once was but said cuts and fee increases are still likely.

In April, the School Committee had learned it might have to cut more than $800,000 from its $26.5 million budget. Now it appears that approximately $530,000 will have to be cut.

Committee members hope that a proposal from the state Senate to increase education aid will eventually be approved. That proposal calls for Northampton to get $6.8 million from the state, a 5 percent increase.

"Our current state of affairs is less bleak because of the Senate's very generous allocation, but it's a still long way to go (before it's approved)," School Committee Vice Chairman Lucy G. Hartry said on Friday.

"It's still not enough. While it's a very generous amount, it's still not everything we need," Hartry said.

Besides the possibility of reducing the number of teachers or classroom aides, the committee is considering increasing fees as well as asking parents to send school supplies to school with their children at the start of the year, Hartry said.

Some changes under consideration are increasing the fee to ride the bus from $180 to $210 a year and doubling the athletic fee, from $75 to $150.

"It's certainly still possible that teachers or paraprofessionals will need to be laid off," Hartry said.

The School Committee is hoping to approve the budget at its meeting on June 22, at 7:15 p.m., but a vote could be delayed until June 29. The vote must be taken by the end of June, Hartry said.

Besides discussing the budget, the committee heard a report from Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez Babcock about the activities she's participated in and efforts she has made to reach the five goals she had set for herself, Hartry said.

That presentation is the first step in the process of evaluating the superintendent. Each committee member has been asked to fill out individual evaluations by May 25. After the evaluation is complete, the committee will consider any pay increases, Hartry said.

Senate's education aid figures

2006-05-13T22:45:00.000-05:00

The Senate has proposed the largest-ever increase in state education aid to communities and school districts for the fiscal year that starts July 1. Here are local figures.

COMMUNITY FY2006 FY2007 INCREASE
Amherst $5,572,787 $5,940,831 5.3%
Ashfield $66,553 $70,712 5.4%
Belchertown $9,504,784 $10,459,857 5.0%
Chesterfield $85,640 $87,186 5.8%
Cummington $32,728 $40,051 8.2%
Deerfield $712,360 $919,657 7.7%
Easthampton $7,061,164 $7,223,524 9.8%
Goshen $71,847 $72,297 9.9%
Granby $3,480,552 $3,783,978 9.2%
Hadley $625,061 $689,986 9.1%
Hatfield $619,676 $680,586 9.1%
Huntington $89,877 $141,846 6.3%
Leverett $223,181 $235,520 9.5%
Northampton $6,574,010 $6,878,748 9.6%
Plainfield $18,987 $29,968 6.3%
Shutesbury $465,653 $524,713 8.9%
Southampton $2,294,612 $2,403,792 9.5%
South Hadley $5,531,820 $5,762,688 9.6%
Sunderland $843,699 $853,199 9.9%
Whately $131,053 $167,006 7.8%
Williamsburg $359,184 $394,134 9.1%
Worthington $69,958 $70,458 9.9%

SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Northampton-Smith $738,534 $855,835 8.6%
Amherst-Pelham $9,343,785 $9,653,686 9.7%
Chesterfield-Goshen$646,741 $714,855 9.0%
Frontier $2,650,507 $2,734,996 9.7%
Gateway $5,377,752 $5,789,584 9.3%
Hampshire $2,426,572 $2,668,482 9.1%
Mohawk Trail $5,972,084 $6,034,784 9.9%

Cuts, fee hikes still likely for schools

2006-05-10T22:44:00.000-05:00

May 10, 2006

Daily Hampshire Gazette

NORTHAMPTON - Cuts to the school budget will once again be up for discussion at Thursday's School Committee meeting, as board members seek ways to cover an estimated $800,000 shortfall.

Ideas already on the table from administrators include increasing the fee to ride the bus from $180 per student to $210 and doubling the athletic fee for high school students, currently $75.

Those plans are estimated to generate about $70,000, far less than the budget gap, so eliminating staff positions remains likely.

School Superintendent Isabelina Rodriguez Babcock plans to give an update on the budget situation Thursday and possibly offer proposals for other areas to cut.

The total school budget for the current year is $24.5 million.

School officials have requested $1.6 million more from the city to maintain the same level of services, due to fixed costs such as raises guaranteed in the teachers' contract and special education costs.

Mayor Clare Higgins says the city should be able to increase spending on the schools by between $780,000 and $1.18 million, with cuts to make up the difference.

Also on Thursday, the district's Civil Rights Committee will give a presentation about the work over the past year on issues like the achievement gap between white and minority students. The calendar for the next school year should also be finalized by the board.

The meeting at JFK Middle School begins at 7:15 p.m. with a public comment session.

About

2006-05-01T22:42:00.000-05:00

Northampton, like most cities and towns, faces a fiscal crisis, which creates a crisis in education. These crises have been intensified by lack of funding for basic human and social services. We need to rework our tax structure to fund essential services like education. We cannot solve our local problems without addressing state and federal elected officials.

NEAT is an ever-growing group of parents, staff and interested citizens who are organizing around budgets and taxes for public education. We want to stop the cuts, cut corporate tax loopholes and build a solid base to fund education. We work with other groups across the state who are seeking similar goals.

Our Mission

NEAT is an organization of parents and other interested Northampton residents who are committed to funding public education through:

organizing for fair taxation;
lobbying for political action at the local, state and federal levels; and
mobilizing other like-minded people and groups across the state.