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E-mail Address: None provided.
Precinct: 1
Current Positions Held / Political Experience
Current Occupation / Work Experience
Degrees Held / Education
Currently A Member Of...
What are your feelings concerning the closing of schools?
The closing of the Ballard and the Evans was a necessity due to the budgetary restraints imposed on the Town of Saugus and the School Committee, by the economy and the legislature's reduction in state aid. It left a difficult decision between teachers and buildings. Teachers are more important.
How do we get out of the current budget crisis?
The only way that we can relieve the budget crunch is money. Until the town or the state come up with a new source of revenues, the only source of revenue is the tax payer. Reductions in staff and services are only a temporary stop gap not a solution. A permanent solution is to find a new source of funds to augment or replace local taxes.
Do you have any ideas about how to preserve open space and fight traffic, congestion, and overcrowded schools?
Open spaces, Saugus has become almost totally saturated with new homes and businesses. People are turning to any open space to use for building. The town must retain all available space for recreational and parks for the use of residents and the children of Saugus.
Traffic is a direct relation of congestion. Add to it the amount of people who are using the middle of town to avoid the traffic on Rte. 1 and there are times Saugus is in gridlock.
As for the School Department funding for bussing would help to relieve some of the traffic but would result in keeping theConsidering the fact that townsfolk have voted against new taxes for new schools and new firefighters, what can now be done to make improvements in these areas?
Overcrowded school is a very simple problem. This can be addressed by building, and/or refurbishing and adding the existing schools The voters of Saugus left no doubt in anyones mind as to how they felt. This does not alter the fact that new schools are sorely needed. The School Committee can only continue to stay on top of the repairs to the schools and inform the public of it's concerns.
What else do you think is important?
Children. Everything stated previously all pertains to the children of the town. They are the future. By educating them the best possible we are investing in molding thier lives. To prepare them to meet the numerous challenges which they will face in the future.
Submitted: 2003/10/04
Has not yet participated.
E-mail Address: None provided.
Precinct: 3
Current Positions Held / Political Experience
- Approximately 20 years as a Town Meeting Member from Precinct 3, including 8 years as the Assistant Moderator with Richard Barry.
- Member, Saugus Town Democratic Committee
Current Occupation / Work Experience
- Computer Consultant, retired
- Adjunct Professor of Computer Science
- Three years, Massachusetts National Guard
- Three years, U.S. Army in Japan, Radio Intelligence
Degrees Held / Education
- Saugus High School
- General Electric Apprentice Program
- Lowell Institute School at M.I.T.
- B.S. Boston University School of Engineering
- M.B.A. Boston University School of Management
- Various Computer Seminars
Currently A Member Of...
- Over 30 years experience with the Saugus American Little League as a coach, manager, and Vice President
- Active Umpire for softball and Little League
What are your feelings concerning the closing of schools?
The closing of the Ballard and Evans schools were probably necessary, but the School Committee and the Superintendent could have made the situation better by being honest and telling the public sooner rather than waffling on the issue. It has created a serious problem for some of the families affected.
How do we get out of the current budget crisis?
The current budget crisis was caused by the Legislature and Governors of the Commonwealth. When financial times were very good the state reduced taxes by about 2 billion dollars over a period of about 10 years. When the economic situation changed state government was not being responsible to reinstitute at least some of these taxes.
Do you have any ideas about how to preserve open space and fight traffic, congestion, and overcrowded schools?
The problem of overcrowded classrooms can only be overcome by additional teachers. Without additional funding the problem cannot be solved.
The issues of congestion and saving open spaces will probably get worse under the 40-B program. State government must change the law that currently favors developers over community wishes.Considering the fact that townsfolk have voted against new taxes for new schools and new firefighters, what can now be done to make improvements in these areas?
The people did not vote against needed facilities in town. The West Side Fire Station was approved as was the Veterans School. The voters have responded when the need was presented in a way they could understand. The last override asked for a sum of money to be approved to replace or repair all the schools in the system. This was more than could be swallowed by the voters. A single Lynnhurst school might very well have passes as a first step in renewal. The voters have shown that they do not want to vote for overrides that are for salaries,
What else do you think is important?
It is important that the Legislature restore the funding to the communities that they have denied in the past few years. In the previous decade the Legislature granted about 2 billion dollars in tax cuts. Communities throughout the Commonwealth have done their share by supplying funds in a survivor mode. This approach cannot continue much longer before our infrastructure, education, and public systems are seriously impared.
Submitted: 2003/10/02
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