A reason to miss 'His Lordship'

So Mr. Weiss must have had too much cake at his going away party preceding the Select Board meeting last night, as he couldn't even spit out a spirited counter using his taxpayer funded Bully Pulpit of his previous spot-on pubic statement that the People's Republic has been "living beyond its means."

And if my memory serves he specifically pointed out the raises and step increases granted to the town employees--mainly the Teachers Union. The concessions made to the Town Manager (Police) and now most recently the Regional School Committee are token at best.


And I believe Mr. Weiss was also the attribution/source used by that damn "anti-Override organization" disclosing the over-$1 million surplus last Fiscal Year.

A very public bribe

Amherst teachers agree to contract givebacks if override passes
By NICK GRABBE
Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 16, 2010

AMHERST - The teachers union voted Monday to turn three "professional days" into unpaid furloughs if voters approve a tax-cap override on March 23.

The vote would affect about 380 employees at the elementary, middle and high schools. It would reduce the budget impact of salary increases next year from about $1.3 million to about $930,000.

The average teacher would receive about $1,000 less than if the union had gone along with its negotiated contract, said president Tim Sheehan.

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Damn! Voted on Monday and it made the Gazette already. How very bloglike of them.

So let me get this strait: If the Override passes, they still get their full raises and step increases but the teachers are going to give up three days of paid professional development and simply take them as "unpaid furloughs." But they will still take all of them as days off...probably not to engage in "professional development."

When the Override fails, 95% of them will still get their full raises and step increases AND those three paid "professional days," only there will be a few less teachers.

Even the spotted salamanders know better!

Click photo to enlarge/read

So for those of you new to the People's Republic of Amherst (living here less than 20 years and probably still pronouncing the h in Amherst) this inside joke references one of the first things I experienced as an 'Only in Amherst' event dating back to the late 1980s.

The spotted salamanders crossing bucolic Henry Street in the far reaches of North Amherst during that time of year when they get, umm, horny (early April) were getting squished by the ever-so-occasional auto. The town installed "Salamander tunnels" so the critters could safely cross under the road (Hell, at Hampshire College you would be awarded a degree for that).

But of course nobody told the Salamanders about the tunnel--even in Amherst town officials do not speak or write Salamander and do not have a Star Trek universal translator to communicate with them.

Thus to this day volunteers go out to this site in early April at dusk with flashlights to assist the little critters crossing the street.

Do-gooders herding salamanders into an expensive tunnel: Only in Amherst.

Yes, the NEW YORK TIMES (actually) reported
To this day Henry Street is not exactly "busy". Obviously the NY Times, as they say in journalism, "phoned in" this story.

And of course some of you townies will remember that then Select Board Chair (Umass History Professor) Richard Minear the year before spearheaded the socialistic takeover of the Cherry Hill Golf Course for the most money this town has ever paid out for such a heavy handed taking. And the only time the town used an obscure provision in the law making that taking "referendum proof" by the taxpayers.

No More Overrides: Even the White Elephant Golf Course agrees!

Click to enlarge/see the angry yellow jacket No More Overrides lawn sign

Ten years ago some Nitwit wrote a scathing 'Letter to the Editor' published in the venerable Amherst Bulletin complaining most vociferously about a pair of political lawn signs in this exact location promoting the election of George W. Bush for President.

Gasp! How could the People's Republic of Amherst allow town property to be used as a platform for the likes of him, a--double gasp--Republican.

Turns out, when the town snatched the Cherry Hill Golf Course from Dave Maxon in 1987 for $2.2 million (the highest price ever paid for land acquisition) using eminent domain under an "emergency measure" so that it was Referendum proof, that astronomical price did not include the nearby Maxon homestead, where his family still lives today.

And obviously they have good taste when it comes to political issues.

There they go again

This time it's the staid Finance Committee disingenuously spinning figures to aid town officials in their faltering battle to raise taxes.

According to their unanimously approved manifesto, the FinCom lays the blame on Prop 2.5, which Amherst overwhelmingly voted against 30 years ago: "Even with careful management, costs for local communities to provide education, libraries,public safety and other community services increase at an inflation rate greater than 2.5 percent."

But our supposed watchdog financial consultants are conveniently forgetting "new growth" allowed by Prop 2.5. The Facilitation of Community Choices Committee recognized that in their financial report two years ago by clearly pointing out:

"Prop 2.5 allows for an annual increase in property taxes of 2.5% plus any new growth in taxable property such as new construction or additions.

Amherst has averaged 1.5% per year during the last ten years for a total average increase of 4% in the tax base."

And last I looked, inflation was below 4% over the past ten years--and in 2009 almost 0%.

Particularly troubling, rookie Finance Committee Chair Andy Steinberg (also a long-time Town Meeting member) was a member of the FCCC and present on the day the discussion of "new growth" took place.

Lay on Macduff...

So the die has been cast, the Rubicon crossed or as General Custer so famously last exclaimed, "We got 'em boys!"

As expected the Select Board this morning rubber stamped the orchestrated package presented to them by the Budget Coordinating Group--albeit slightly less (looks like the Regional Schools cut their demands a bit, maybe by tapping the $1 million stashed in their E+D Account.)

Now the amount is $1,680,441 and it's a single amount, all or nothing lump sum with "allocations". And because it's a General Operation Override, it is FOREVER.

But yes, the following year the "allocations" are gone; only the tax amount remains--plus 2.5% of course.

Live from Town Hall: It's BCG Wednesday morning!

10:36 AM
Well, this will pretty much decide the amount of the Override and structure.

10:38 AM Stephanie starts (without the Town Manager). John Musante on cell phone, presumably calling the town manager.

10:45 AM John Musante Updated Cut list. Let's hear from the heads of those budgets. Streetlights put back on list if addition funds come in. Grand total for town budget is $537,252. If state aid is only cut 5% then Pubic Safety (including Police Animal Welfare Officer) are safe. (the Governor's budget actually calls for 0% cut)

10:48 AM Elementary Schools: (Rob Detweiler Business Agent) $400,000 is our request from an Override. SC voted 5-0 for that.

Regional Schools: Asking for $950,000 from the Override. Amherst taxpayers will pay almost $750,000 of that (since we are three quarters of the Region.) Region vote was 8-0-1 (one abstention)

Library: met last night reconsidered the Override and went back to an amount of $88,994 from an Override.

Stephanie: Did they make any strong statement on the Override?

Pat Holland: "No"

Gerry Weiss: Trustees voted for this amount ($89,000) but they are not asking for an Override???

Holland: They are not taking a position on the Override. (Gerry looks a tad pissed)

11:05 AM The Town Manager has entered the room! (who needs Elvis?)

John Musante: $1,765,000 is the new (and improved) grand total for the Override.

11:10 AM Stephanie: Priorities are good--but they are inexact. Doing the best we can. We do not have strong Ra Ra support from all the boards. Looking at $1.8 million Override and $2.5 million in cuts. What is our best way to go forward? With a goal of getting some restorations would a Menu Override have a better chance of getting something passed or would a lump sum work better? Had this discussion before but it's now a "fever pitch" point with the general public. Do we want some rather than none?

11:15 AM Irv Rhodes: our 5-0 vote was NOT to support an Override, it was simply to put the $400,000 into the mix but not an official vote on the overall Override. If we had more time we would have come up with a different number. Very, very imperfect number (the $400K.)

Stephanie: "It's clear the School Committee is not vociferously supporting this."

11:20 AM Gerry Weiss reads the entire SC statement. Stephanie: "Again, not strong support for the Override." So how do we get them (schools, town, library) the extra money? Some of this is not "sexy". Library has a serious PR problem with its request (I assume she's talking about the recent six digit gift the Jones Library received)

Catherine Sanderson told Regional School Committee she strongly supported a Menu Override. Andy Churchill on the other hand strongly supported one lump sum (we all rise or fall together.)

11:25 AM Stephanie parses the written report of the FCC. They said to "consider" a menu override and that is what we are now doing. (Hmm...but they were a tad more definitive than that Princess Stephanie--and they also said an Override would be necessary in the next FIVE years.)

Gerry Weiss: Why did FCC recommend Menu?

Stephanie: Because it allows many different people speak to aspects of an Override. The problem is it gives people the right to say NO to certain parts, and it's only a tiny statement. "We give choice too much credit" (Hmm..why am I reminded of President Reagan's observation that the scariest line ever is, "I'm here from the government and I'm here to help".)

11:30 AM Gerry Weiss: "I think a lump sum Override will sink. As a lump sum we're holding each other hostage."

Bonnie Isman (Library) The voters are going to be skeptical. If schools are not ready now, why not go to Town Meeting and have them vote a budget contingent on an Override.

11:45 AM Irv Rhodes: I would welcome a delay. Otherwise, a Menu Override.

11:47 AM Stephanie: Extraordinary amount of discussion with unions (Police and Fire) giving up COLA's. Not fair to now NOT have the Override on 3/23. Contingent Override via Town Meeting is still a "safety net" if the 3/23 Override fails.

11: 52 AM Stephanie: BCG sent preliminary report to Select Board Monday night suggesting "lump sum". Do we now (BCG) still support that?

Gerry Weiss: Yeah, MOST people at this table still supports that (Lump Sum with Allocations)
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HERE IT IS FOLKS:

Shall the Town of Amherst be allowed to assess an additional $1,765,441 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of funding the following expenses: Town Operation Budget ($537,252) Elementary Schools Budget ($400,000), Regional schools district Budget ($739,195) and Library Operating Budget ($88,994) for the Fiscal Year beginning July 1, 2010?

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Musante: Explain it to the community this way. Extra state aid would be a "Great problem" to grapple with. We can then not levy to the limit as the town in 2004 when that $2 million Override passed. We got an extra $650,000 from the state and the town did reduce the levy of the Override amount that year. (Yes John, but what about the following year and the following year. Amherst has only had two general operation Overrides over the past 30 years and they are still both to this day generating extra revenues.)

Heated discussion between Musante and Rhodes (voices raised), Stephanie acts as ref.

12:08 PM GOTTA GO. If I had to guess they will put the above lump sum Override on the ballot for this coming 3/23. But as Bill O'Reilly would say, "I could be wrong."

Gold plated potties?

UPDATE: Wednesday morning

Nostradamus strikes again. Yesterday I predicted the Region would cave in to the bully Select Board and ask for $1.1 million (+ or minus $100-K) piece of the Override pie and apparently last night they requested $950,000--nice price point.

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ORIGINAL POST: Tuesday morning
So at last night's Select Board Override extravaganja festival Stan Gawle, 'Amherst Taxpayers for Responsible Change' spokesperson, mentioned the $140,000 sitting in a Capital Accounts slush fund for over a half-dozen years that Town Meeting appropriated for renovations to the "comfort station" at Community Field, recently renamed Ziomek Field.

And of course this particular comfort station is also Stan Ziomek's summer office for all things baseball.

But my sources tell me the reason the money was never spent to actually do the renovations is because LSSE (and Stan Ziomek is on the LSSE recreation Commission) wants to build a gold-plated $10 million Recreation/Teen/Senior Center on or around this site and it would look fiscally irresponsible to renovate the bathrooms and a few years later have to tear it down to make way for the Taj Mahal.

Since the town closed the War Memorial Pool next door after more than fifty years of continuous summer operation, and since the Town Manager is talking about replacing it with a water sprinkler park, why not roll that $140-K into that less grandiose idea?

Override rumination

The Jones Library is runner up to the venerable Amherst Public Schools in the pecking order for Sacred Cows in the People's Republic of Amherst. Three years ago the Library Trustees failed to fall into line and vote to support 'The Amherst Plan' $2.5 million Override that narrowly failed.

Recently the Jones Library received an unanticipated bequeath of over $500,000 to stash with their current endowment of $7.6 million.

Yet to save a piddly $8,575 they plan to close on Friday's next Fiscal Year because it is the most visible cut they can make to promote the Override--and apparently Friday's are a popular day for patronage. "This will be an argument for the Override," Trustee Chair Patricia Holland boldly declared.

Well hey, at least she was honest.

Bad news Overriders, good news Taxpayers

UPDATE SATURDAY MORNING: "No school district will receive less this year than last year," Patrick said to applause.

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6:30 PM

So Governor Deval Patrick has just announced (on Twitter no less) that his state budget this year will have no cuts to Chapter 70 education money thus giving bean counters about $1 million more to the Regional High School and $600,000 more for the Amherst elementary system than previously expected.

And since hardly anybody in this town seems to give a damn about Public Safety or the DPW, the threatened cuts there on the town side when an Override fails (now guaranteed) are not going to generate a slew of support.

Even with the sky is falling rhetoric of Overriders only concerned with the schools, as of today they could only manage 337 signatures on the blank-check Internet Override petition.

Lies, damned lies, and statistics

So in both today's Gazette and Amherst Bulletin we have the perfect example of warm and fuzzy emotional arguments trying to undermine that cold cruel scientific world of statistical data. As Commander Spock would say, "fascinating".

Two young ladies (editors of the school newspaper no less) poke Catherine Sanderson's assertion that ARHS needs Advanced Placement courses next year while she simultaneously does not bemoan the cutting of ceramics, woodcutting or gay/lesbian literature ("Vagina Monologues" anyone?) in a Guest Editorial aptly headlined "We're Students, Not Statistics."

"Simple statistical analysis cannot be the answer," the young women insist. Yeah, woodcutting is w-a-y more fun than advanced calculus, but now that Cowls Building Supply is closing down their lumber mill...

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And in the Amherst Bulletin former School Committee Chair--you know right up there with being Captain of the Titanic--Elaine Brighty decries Stan Gawle's Bulletin column from last week that used a devastating comparison between Amherst and Northampton school industries. Mr Gawle dared to ask the question:

"Why does it cost Amherst $12,344,000 more to educate our students than Northampton? Northampton has a comparable school population; has more kids in special education; zero study halls while we have two; and more advanced placement course offerings than we have."

Brighty insists "Comparing the cost to educate students in different towns and cities is more difficult than it should be." She goes on to suggest that some towns hide education costs (retirement, health insurance, and other benefits) in the town government budget rather than schools.

Even if true it would not make up a $12 million difference! And doesn't address the BIG difference in forced study halls and AP courses offered.

Mr Gawle also pointed out: "The town employs approximately 920 employees. Ten earn between $100,000 to $157,000; 24 earn between $80,000 to $100,000; and 433 earn between $50,000 to $80,000." And in the current Fiscal Year "Amherst gave $2,171,526 in raises and had only $1,459,084 in projected revenues to cover those costs."

Ms. Brighty declares: "Our employee compensation is comparable to that of other communities." Maybe, but apparently not Northampton where--according to the Mass Dept of Elementary and Secondary Education--teachers earn an average salary of $54,000 compared to Amherst Regional High School's $62,500. And 100 teachers at a $8,500 difference adds up.

Let the scare tactics begin

So just as he did three years ago to lay the groundwork for an ill-fated $2.5 million Proposition 2.5 Override, the Town Manager is already threatening to take a meat cleaver to public safety items. This time it's that most basic of safety measures a civilized government provides to The People: streetlights.

The Town Mangler plans to snuff out half of them to save $50,000. Of course one accident, rape or murder occurring in that new zone of darkness will result in a lawsuit costing 100 times that amount.

(Over) Riders on the Storm

Hold on to your golf clubs; as President Reagan would say, There they go again!.

Now they want budget builders (Schools, Town, Library) to "coordinate and accelerate their individual budget calenders in preparation for an Override Question on the March 23rd Annual Town Elect Ballot" so as to push/promote hard pressed taxpayers for a Proposition 2.5 Override in the middle of the worst depression since the Great Depression.

Yeah, like we should trust the Budget Coordinating Group!

First shots fired

A-Rod leads the charge

So our newest highest paid government employee must think he's a superstar baseball player or something as he is already championing a Proposition 2.5 Override.

The Gazette forgot to mention in addition to his $158,000 salary (a tad above former Golden Boy Jere Hochman's $135,000) rookie school superintendent Alberto Rodriguez also gets $15,000 in housing/transportation for two years. And he left his family behind in Miami to simply rent rather than buy a home here which of course is more directly subject to the vagaries of property taxes.

Plus he's a rookie to not only Amherst in particular--but to Superintendency (if that is a word) in general.

The 3.5% negotiated teachers union raises this year alone are costing taxpayers over a $1 million and the Teachers Union already told the Town Manager to go to hell on forgoing them. Can't really say I blame them, since the new guy came in to replace the old white guy at a 15%+ increase.

School Superintendent Rodriguez admires President Reagan as an influential role model because of his insistence on smaller more efficient government. But Super A-Rod now heads that part of local government that consumes the vast majority of tax dollars and he's already advocating an expansion of that expenditure.

Ch. 3 TV reports

The Bully reports (better late than never)

Override Blunders Continue

In addition to having a fan who arrogantly breaks the law by stealing opponents lawn signs, the we-need-to-pay-more-taxes coalition also violated state law last Monday by not filing with the Amherst Town Clerk their Campaign Finance Report, due eight days prior to the May 1’st Election (a “special” election costing taxpayers $12,000 simply to hold).

Although ‘Save Amherst Schools Ballot Committee’ did file on time (as did ‘Amherst Taxpayers For Responsible Change’), the main proponent of increased taxation ‘The Amherst Plan Committee’ failed to file their disclosure report. Interestingly Rick Hood is a leader on both committees.

And by “main” committee I mean they will sponsor a giant “Signature Ad” (effective only if you have 1,500 names) in tomorrow’s Amherst Bulletin costing well in excess of $1,000.

Campaign Finance Law is kind of like the Open Meeting Law, which shines a light on activity, not on what government does but what private individuals do who wish to influence government.

If I were a pro-Override person (and obviously I'm not) I would now be wondering what else have they botched?