Selectboard's Top Ten list (not ready for prime time)

So you can tell illustrious Amherst Select Board Chair (Princess) Stephanie O'Keeffe's only work experience was as an auto industry PR flack.

Fifteen minutes of the official tax-funded March 1 public Select Board meeting was wasted honing a "top ten" list of reasons why overburdened taxpayers should support the March 23 $1.68 million tax override.

And then they spent time discussing when the best time would be for their propaganda to appear in the local bricks-and-mortar media. Let's hope the crusty Gazette/Bulletin plays it fair and balanced and allows the Amherst Taxpayers for Responsible Change equal time.

There they go again with rookies in command

UPDATE: 9:00 PM So obviously Kevin's guitar strings are strung a tad too tight. Now he's up to 1,000 signatures by March 8. Hmmm...He has only managed less than two-thirds that over the past two months on a internet petition sight with no barriers whatsoever to "signing" but he's going to get a 1,000 in under a week on real paper?

I'll bet him $1,000 that is not going to happen.
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March 2, 2010

Dear Amherst Town Meeting:

I have read that, "the Select Board has proposed a $1.67m override to deal with
yet another budget deficit which is the result of the Town living beyond its
means. We need greater accountability for what and how we spend." Forcing many
residents to sell their homes?

If this is true, why have we stood by while you, the Amherst Town Meeting,
engaged in this behavior? How is that Amherst Town Meeting, who are responsible
for oversight of our governing body, the Amherst Select Board, is not
accountable for our deficit spending, forcing many residents to sell their
homes? If our elected representatives, the Amherst Town Meeting, who are
responsible for oversight, is not accountable, they should be dismissed by
town-wide referendum at the next available election.

The deadline for Citizen Petitions is March 8 and I will have no trouble
getting a thousand signatures to put the item on the agenda at Town Meeting: “Why is
Amherst Town Meeting, who are responsible for oversight of our governing body,
the Amherst Select Board, not accountable for our deficit spending, forcing
many residents to sell their homes?". Amherst citizens MUST KNOW!

This is a question that MUST be answered: “Why is Amherst Town Meeting, who are
responsible for oversight of our governing body, the Amherst Select Board, not
accountable for our deficit spending, forcing many residents to sell their
homes?". I will file a petition today.

Thank you all for your effort and hard work making our town great.

Best, Kevin Collins

cc: Select Board of Amherst
Town Meeting members, attached

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UPDATE: Tuesday 3:45 PM Gotta love his naive enthusiasm!

From: kevin@redbarnmusic.com
To: amherstac@aol.com
Sent: Tue, Mar 2, 2010 1:24 pm
Subject: Re: Why is the Select Board forcing many residents to sell their homes?

Why, Larry! I didn't know you cared!

Really, that is very nice of you. Thanks.

Kevin


From: amherstac@aol.com
To: kevin@redbarnmusic.com
Sent: Tue, Mar 2, 2010 3:19 pm

Hey Kevin,
So I'm told by an ultra reliable source that you are a "really nice" guy--"idealistic" but nice. As I'm sure Ricky Boy Hood was three years ago when he was in W-A-Y over his head, as you are now. I really don't blame you or Mr. Hood as the old rule applies: "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."

The real fault here--now and then--is with Baer 'The Turk' Tierkel, the burly man behind the curtain. He would have made a great Pentagon general during the Viet Nam conflict.

Keep in mind I only fight when I know I"m right--and I then I fight to win; however, I always play by the rules--and I'm smart/experienced enough to actually study them. You should give it a try.

Larry

Sent: Tue, Mar 2, 2010 4:12 pm
Subject: Re: Why is the Select Board forcing many residents to sell their homes?

Hi, Lare
Please don't get me wrong, I only do this for fun.


From: amherstac@aol.com
To: kevin@redbarnmusic.com
Sent: Tue, Mar 2, 2010 4:47 pm
Subject: Re: Why is the Select Board forcing many residents to sell their homes?

Hey Kevin,
Yeah, it shows.
LK


#################################
ORIGINAL POST:

Three years ago the Amherst Center types let Ricky Boy Hood spearhead the campaign to pass the 'Amherst Plan' $2.5 million Override. He should have done them a final favor and fallen on that spear a month before he sent the campaign spiraling into the abyss.

Now it's equally naive, tenderfoot, Kevin Collins--who takes credit for starting the Blank Check Pro Override Online Petition two months ago still less than two-thirds to the target goal of 1,000.

Yet he threatens Stan Gawle with getting 600 signatures on a honest to goodness hard copy petition (a Hell of lot harder than getting folks to click a mouse at their convenience) in only a week.

Well gee there Kevin, if it took you six weeks to get 600 signatures (many of them out of state, too young to vote, or anonymous) how the Hell are you now going to do that in only a week where they all have to actually scribble their names on an official form and be of-age registered voters?

Of course if Mr. Collins was not such a tenderfoot he would know it only takes ten signatures to get on the ballot for Amherst Town Meeting. Yeah, I guess even he should be able to handle that.
###################################
From: kevin@redbarnmusic.comkevin@redbarnmusic.com>
Subject: Re: Why is the Select Board forcing many residents to sell their homes?
To: SelectBoard@amherstma.gov
Cc: townmeeting@amherstma.gov, moderator@amherstma.gov, gawles@verizon.net, ngrabbe@gazettenet.com
Date: Monday, March 1, 2010, 1:27 PM

Dear Select Board of Amherst:

I read that “Out of control spending coupled with wasteful and in-efficient use
of our tax dollars is forcing many residents to sell their homes.”?

http://www.nomoreoverrides.com/

If this is true, then what kind of people are we?

And if it is not true, why have we stood by for the last two years and watched
while a Town Meeting member preyed on the fears of the elderly and less
fortunate? What kind of people are we, then?

Stan Gawles has a point and we need to do something about it! I think the
entire Town Meeting should examine this question: why is the Select Board, our
governing body, forcing residents to sell their homes?

The deadline for Citizen Petitions is March 8 and I will have no trouble
getting 600 signatures to put the item on the agenda at Town Meeting: “Why is
the Select Board, our governing body, forcing many residents to sell their
homes?”. Amherst citizens MUST KNOW!

This is a question that must be answered: Why is the Select Board, our
governing body, forcing many residents to sell their homes? I will file a
petition today.

Thank you all for your effort and hard work making our town great.

Best,

Kevin Collins
Amherst

cc: Town Meeting members, attached Amherst Bulletin

#################################################
From: amherstac@aol.com
To: gawles@verizon.net; kevin@redbarnmusic.com; selectboard@amherstma.gov; townmeeting@amherstma.gov; moderator@amherstma.gov; ngrabbe@gazettenet.com
Sent: Mon, Mar 1, 2010 9:06 pm

Subject: Re: Why is the Select Board forcing many residents to sell their homes?

Can we keep a secret and not tell this tenderfoot you only need ten signatures--not 600--to get on the venerable annual TM warrant???
Larry K

Let the backstabbing begin...

Hitchcock's Psycho Shower Scene: Flickr.com

From:
To: Richard B. Morse
Date: Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:46:35

Rich--

I've just read your 7:30 AM comment on Catherine's blog. My take is that over the last few weeks or so, you've been baiting a number of people to come out and play on her and Larry's blogs.

Here's my other take: You were once a measured, thoughtful citizen with strong, challenging opinions. You've now become a bitter, public asshole.

I'm sorry to say that. With no sarcasm, I truly hope all's well with you.

J

##############################################

Mrs. Morse pulling the same stupid stunt 3 years ago


Soooooooo, Overriders are already desperately eating their own--or I should say formerly one of their own.

I can't think of a more "centered" (although listing to the left) mainstay for all things Amherst than Rich Morse, who I always affectionately refer to as the "Grumpy Prosecutor"--with no disrespect intended to his vital profession.

And he freely admits to voting for every Override that has come down the pike in his relatively brief years inhabiting the People's Republic.

So when he recently started to question the wisdom of this current Override I knew Overriders were in serious trouble. This nastygram from Mrs. Churchill only confirms that!

How soon they forget:

When the 'Amherst Plan' Override failed 3 years ago Mr. Churchill received a threatening phone call from then Selectman Rob Kusner:
The Amherst Bulletin gleefully reported (with audio file no less)

Mr. Morse's offending remark from this morning (Oh my!):

Marty K's post may be the most vivid demonstration that we may not be able to have an honest debate on these issues in this town.

And last time I checked, Rivkin and Sanderson are in the majority on the local School Committee. In other words, the touchstone of effectiveness in elected office in Amherst is not whether or not one is able to work with Andy Churchill. It's forging working majorities. And for the time being they have one.

Rich Morse

February 12, 2010 7:31 AM

Live from Amherst Town Hall: It's SB Monday night!

UPDATE: Tuesday morning

This damn good column in the Boston Globe from fellow Umass grad Kevin Cullen should be required reading for the all the Amherst town employee unions--especially the teachers union.

What Goes Around

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ORIGINAL POST: Last night
The School Committee across town must be pretty busy as this meeting is fairly dead. Maybe a dozen folks in the Peanut Gallery.

Stephanie starts on time (no surprise).

7:02 PM
First up: Andy Steinberg, Chair Finance Committee
"Long collaboration" from the Budget Coordination Group. Best work from "all of us". Not something new. Been engaged in lengthy process. Started in 2008. Had to make substantial cuts last year and did so with no Override. Identified core services and how to provide most efficiently. Even made LSSE (recreation dept) cut back on tax support...

7:10 PM. Andy is still talking. (pretty good for not having a script). Process this year was "very difficult" Schools are still working thru it tonight and tomorrow (Regional meeting). Even with Override something will get cut. BCG reached conclusion we need "some amount" for an Override--but not to exceed $1.9 million.

Ties it all together: Schools, Library, Public Safety need this Override. Did consider a "menu Override" but decided to simply go with the all-or-nothing.
##############################
7:17 PM Open to Public Comment. First up, Clare Bertrand leader of the Override movement (replaced Ricky Boy who did such a lousy job three years ago). We've "made some really hard decisions (concerning cuts). Don't see this kind of collaboration often and we should cheer it.

Yeah, I guess as long as they agree with the Override, eh?

View it as one townwide effort (all for one and one for all). We don't want to lose "what is dear to us." One vote for the community to say what it wants.
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7:20 PM Next up Stan Gawle spokesperson for anti-override 'Amherst Taxpayers for Responsible Change', and chief architect of the torpedo sinking of the 'Amherst Plan' Override three years ago:

Excessive salary increases of 3 to 7.5% is what's causing this Override. He sites Longmeadow where the teachers union just settled for 1% per year for two years. Talking about capital items: $140,000 sitting in an account for bathroom rehab at Community Field and it's been sitting in an account for five or six years now.

Two portable classrooms we paid $215,000 for and were never used as classrooms and now are being sold as surplus.

Will the town promise to put an Underride on the ballot if more money does come in after the Override if/should pass?

Need to reduce Capital appropriations by $300,000 that could go to other things in the budget.
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Yuri Friedman, Amherst town meeting member: Put it on the ballot let the public get informed and make the decision.
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7:33 PM Rick Spurgin, Amherst Town Meeting (also a "Financial Economist"). The longer we put this off the harder it's going to be.
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7:35 Another pro Overrider. We're heading towards becoming an Argentina. Need revenue to maintain and restore some of the things we believe in. We also need Universal Health Care (what do you wanna bet he voted for Obama?)
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7: 40 PM Hwei-Ling Greeney: Voted against the last Override. Tonight I'm here to say I'm happy what the town did after the last Override failed. Applauds LSSE becoming more self supporting and the regionalization of emergency dispatch. So I'll support this Override IF shared sacrifice. Those on town payroll give back some of their payraise and step increases. If that happens before March 23rd election then I'll support the Override. I believe voters will be more likely to vote yes as well.
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7:45 PM Vince O'Connor. First confirms that Overrides are forever. Stephanie agrees this one would be a permanent increase in the tax levy. Vince would like to see a Menu Override. Can draw more people into the process, who will be interested in their niche programs.

Better to have some winners than no winners.
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7:53 PM Pat Holland President Board of Trustees, Jone Library. We are only a "little sliver" out of the total pie. Mass regulations require a certain minimum amount of tax support from the town in order to maintain state library certification. Our Trustees had different opinions. About half supported an Override. Others think question should not be the domain of the Trustees but should be decided by voters. That is why we did not take an official stand. If passed, Override would keep open the main library on Friday afternoons. Jones has about 1,000 visitors per day.

Recent gift of $293,000 is "designed to go into the endowment" (currently around $6.5 million, Hmm...) It's up to the "Friends of the Jones Library" weather to spend it avoiding all the cuts that the Override would obviate (a tad under $70,000).

8:05 PM End of 'public discussion.' Now the ball is in the Select Board court.

Princess Stephanie: If Override passes and unanticipated $ comes in, we will not tax the full amount of the Override (doesn't mention the year after, or the year after...)

Conor White-Sullivan, fresh scrubbed Umass student : We're launching a new website where everybody can make comments and discuss the Override (plus other political issues) at Localocracy.org

8:08 PM Gerry Weiss. This started out at $4.3 million short. Revised state cut from 10% down to 5% that brought us down to $3.2 million. Came up with $1.3 million more cuts and now we're at $1.9 million. The cuts are a "done deal" with or without Override. Town Meeting sets the budget so even if we promise not to tax the full amount they could still spend it (good point Gerry--but for the wrong side)

Points out the town has cut $6 or $7 million over the past three or four years. Yeah, Gerry that's true, but the town never would have done that if the Amherst Plan Override passed three years ago--and if it had passed back then, it would have now generated over $6 million in taxes from homeowners.

8:20 PM Town Manager Larry Shaffer: When the Gov announced his zero cut budget I put back restorations to Public Safety. As money becomes available we will prioritize according to a restoration list.

400 street lights have been identified for termination. (apparently not impacting public safety...apparently)

8:30 PM. Gotta go home and tuck in the kids. You can read more in tomorrow's Springfield Republican and Daily Hampshire Gazette.

Overriders last chance

UPDATE 2:00 PM. So yes--thanks for asking, I will be live-blogging the illustrious SB 7:00 PM segment tonight concerning the Override. And if I had to guess, it will indeed start pretty much on time (one thing Princess Stephanie does better than Mussolini). I would love to have Catherine Sanderson at the meeting also live posting to her blog, but she has a School Committee meeting tonight and that will prove more important than tonight's Select Board dog and pony show.

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ORIGINAL POST 10:00 AM Thus far the property tax Override campaign has been about rocky as the dark side of the moon. The Select Board had hoped to slam dunk the Override amount ($1.9 million) tonight and the structure they most prefer--lump sum general Override--but instead they will simply take "public comment" starting at 7:00 PM.

So Overriders will pack the meeting, demanding the Select Board "save our schools"--even though up to this point the School Committee has not gotten on board. And neither has the Jones Library, but that is less surprising since they did not join the lemmings parade three years ago.

The Republican Reports

Let the Judge decide!

State Ethics Commission, Enforcement Division
One Ashburton Place
Room 619
Boston MA 02108

Dear Sir or Madam,

I wish to file a formal complaint over the inappropriate use of a taxpayer funded town digital asset (High School website) to further a partisan political cause--the passage of a Proposition 2.5 Override ballot question.

Although the Amherst Select Board has not yet formulated the structure or amount for the Override, Select Board Chair Stephanie O'Keeffe has publicly confirmed they will place an Override question on the March 23 local ballot.

On January 14 an ad appeared on the Amherst Regional High School Parent Center, a page contained within the High School website (http://www.arhsparentcenter.org/)

##################################
Petition for a Prop 2 1/2 Override
Submitted by Baer Tierkel on January 14, 2010 - 6:10pm.

Override Petition If you are interested in supporting a Proposition 2 1/2 override to help avoid the most drastic cuts to our schools, libraries, and town services, there is a petition being circulated at:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/saveamherst
#################################

Since the Override online petition drive is clearly an effort to influence the outcome of the ballot question, it should not be promoted at taxpayer expense.

Sincerely Yours,

Larry Kelley

Blank check petition

UPDATE: Thursday, 8:00 AM

Okay now that the crusty Gazette and Bulletin (Front Page no less) have caught up with this cyber "story" the Overriders should have little trouble getting the remaining 750 signatures or so. Only a slight vested interest on the part of our local media as the Gazette and Bulletin get to charge "open rate" (highest possible) for political ads and Overriders tend to love those boring but large signature ads.

UPDATE: 3:00 PM

Found this blast from the past on the failure of the "Amherst Plan" Override three years ago published in the 5/7/07 Amherst Bulletin:

Although not as decisive as Select Board member Hwei-Ling Greeney would have liked it to be, the vote would send town officials a message, said Greeney, who campaigned hard for the "No" side. "Now I feel we're in a strong position to say, 'You need to go by what the voters want, which is to live within our means.'"

Override supporters said the 267-vote margin hardly constitutes a mandate.

"I think it's pretty positive," said former Select Board member Bryan Harvey, at Town Meeting members Patricia Blauner's and Peter Blier's house, where supporters met on Tuesday night.

"This is the hardest sell you can imagine," Harvey said. "Big number, multi-year, all the risk about - will it work?" There is no harder sell, and the result is we have to change 130 minds. We'll find 130 people," Harvey said.

"We have to figure out what the town really wants to do. There was some doubt about this particular package, but strong support for doing something."

Baer Tierkel, a supporter, said parents hadn't turned out in the numbers he had hoped to see. "It's up to parents to have a voice in how our schools are financed and what their level of quality is," Tierkel said.

He said he was disappointed by some residents he would have expected to support an override.

"Amherst politics always surprises me," Tierkel said. "There are a lot of people who align themselves as liberals, as progressives, as believing in using taxes to distribute the wealth.

"I understand people who are against taxes and big government being on the 'No' side," Tierkel said.

"I don't understand people who believe in government's role in providing for schools and for services to those who can't afford it, aligning with the 'No' side."

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Update 5:10 PM (EST rather than PST where petitionsite.com is located) Look who just signed the petition!

Jennie "trash talking" Traschen. You know, the Umass Prof who on the night of 9/10/2001 (about 12 hours before the fist plane impaled the North Tower) pontificated before the illustrious People's Republic of Amherst Select Board that the American flag "is a symbol of tyranny and fear and destruction and terrorism." Yikes!
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12:32 pm PST, Jan 12, Jennie Traschen, Massachusetts
To understand a society, look at how it spends money.
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Original Post 10:45 AM

So these folks--many who work for the schools--want the illustrious Select Board to put an Override on the ballot this March 23rd; and I guess they really don't care if it's for $1 million (costing the average homeowner an additional $150 in taxes) or $10 million--which would cost ten times that spare change amount.

I'm surprised their goal is only 1,000 signatures because in Amherst collecting petition signatures is a popular pastime; and using the crowd sourcing Internet, they should have gotten that piddly amount, like, yesterday.

Maybe somebody should start a petition targeting Governor Patrick demanding state workers get a raise or the Feds to give those living on fixed incomes a Social Security hike. After all, their local taxes are about to skyrocket.

Yes, we the undersigned want to pay higher taxes