CLT recommends local budget
savings
We anticipate that the Governor will veto the Overlay exclusion
from Prop 2½, a tax
increase in the Municipal Relief bill. We hope that you will vote to
sustain this veto.
As House Minority Leader Brad Jones said during debate on this
amendment to the municipal package, cities and towns can seek an
override for the amount of money in the overlay account, so this
exclusion is unnecessary. At that time, they can make their
complicated arguments as to why they think voters should approve this,
while telling them how they plan to spend the money.
But we have another suggestion for getting the money for local
services. The Eagle-Tribune Publishing Company has published a
dramatic series on public school teacher absenteeism, which often
takes place on Fridays, Mondays, and the days before and after a
holiday. The series concluded that $1 billion a year statewide is
spent for substitute teachers.
Instead of complaining about cuts in local aid, advocating state
tax increases for more local aid, and supporting the Overlay exclusion
from Proposition 2½, local officials would do well to address this
serious abuse of sick leave. The Legislature can help by giving the
cities and towns line-item authority over the school budget, so that
salary accounts can be controlled and school committees can’t cut
direct services to children instead of addressing absenteeism.
You can be connected to the series through the CLT website; we hope
you will read it, then vote to preserve Proposition 2½.