Henry Raymond
Fairfax News => Current News & Events => Topic started by: mkr on March 04, 2014, 09:02:15 PM
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Everything is unofficial but this is what I have heard.
Fairfax School Budget Defeated
Town Budget Passes
Article to add 7 hours to Katrina's weekly schedule to full time - A TIE 306 to 306 (A Recount will happen there)
Peter King Elected to Selectboard
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When in the last 20+ years has the school budget been voted down? And what's going on this year that it would be?? I didn't get to any budget meetings this year; however, I know from past years that BFA is generally very fiscally responsible when it comes to the school budget and increases are usually less than 2 percent, which is reasonable considering the the cost of everything goes up. Apparently there is a shift in residency to more voters w/o school-age children, which is being reflected in the voter turnout. Unless there is something truly outrageous/egregious in a school budget increase, it makes no sense to me at all to vote it down.
I get that everyone feels squeezed, but I've been told in the past that the revenue from property taxes is only a portion of the school budget and likely less than people think it is, so if that's true, I don't understand why there is such a huge connection made between the two. ??? The solution to this fine socialist institution would be to abolish it entirely and make those folks with children pay for private education--if they wanted it. Would property taxes then decrease to a reasonable level for everyone? Likely not.
It's unfortunate that billions are spent on sports like Nascar, NFL, MLB in salaries, stadiums, merchandizing, etc and yet we have to squabble over educating our children in this country. It's like living in a children's book titled "Upside Down World."
I don't have any kids this affects, I just am frustrated by the lack of foresight that seems to infect this town (that goes back years--most recent issue being the town office debacle) and the lack of priorities in the country as a whole.
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I don't see why it wasn't approved either. You can't level fund it and get the same quality education. Maybe people see the cost and salaries go up year after year and question why they need to pay more and more when they don't get increases at their work. Or maybe they checked the wrong bubble. I thought the increase was more reasonable than other towns.
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I was told 1991 and 2002 were two other years that the School Budget did not pass.
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This is my first year in I don't know how many years that I have not been there when the polls closed. Thanks MK for posting the unofficial results. Although there were a lot of blank spots on the ballot, there was really only one contest (Conlon vs King).
So sorry to hear that the additional hours for Katrina did not go through. Also little Grace Eastman one of the rec committee spent hours out in the cold pushing for this vote. So happy to see many of you that I only see once a year and apologize for forgetting the names.
This is a wonderful town that I adopted as my hometown at the age of 20 back in 1953 when my family moved here.
Not sure what happens next, but the school budget & Katrina's additional hours need to be resolved. Heard a number of people say that item should never been on the ballot, the Selectboard should have made the decision to give her the additional hours. Oh well, have a good day and I did enjoy working with Deb Woodward, Ann Lemieux, Gary Gilbert, Pete King, Sue Mitchell & Pete Fitzgerald who were there from 10 - 3 when I was.
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Link to look at School Budget Proposal....
http://budget.fwsu.schoolfusion.us/modules/locker/files/get_group_file.phtml?gid=2213581&fid=22886034&sessionid=c5522fdc7584a988634c99d85f331503 (http://budget.fwsu.schoolfusion.us/modules/locker/files/get_group_file.phtml?gid=2213581&fid=22886034&sessionid=c5522fdc7584a988634c99d85f331503)