Rauseo: Budget battle worth it

I agree with Mr Rauseo that at Towm Mtg residents are given an opportunity to exercise the right to determine how their community should be run. Officials in this town have put the schools on par with the recreation and the Senoir Ctr.??? The town was pretty much left intact. Mr Carey say that Mr Rauseo was out of his element -How about the Town Mgr who constantly cuts school funding without any regard for consequences. As Mr Johnson always says it wasn't a perfect solution but when everyone is palatable in some degree we come together.Unfortunely parents were pushed to the brink especially after newly elected officials turn their backs on them. Parents will now hold the Mgr accountable shortchanging the future of their childerns future

I agree with Chas, but with one exception, not just parents will hold Town Manager Cressman accountable, but all the tax payers of Tewksbury will, because with all the talk about how bad our school system will be,one simple fact is being overlooked, a fire station is being closed July 1st and if any member of my family needs the fire dept.and they are not here in time because the south fire sta was closed Mr Cressman better have a good lawyer and yes I did vote for the override

Lowell Sun - how about you interview some of the supporters and other members of the alternative budget group instead of just the senior citizen, old boy network that put the town in this predicament in the first place?

Keith Rauseo's plan was formulated in 2 weeks. Although flawed, at least someone put in some ideas after the override was shot down. The budget and finance committees seem to just not care that people are struggling with the current taxes.
One of the best comments I heard was from a teacher who said "We really don't get 10 weeks off in the summer, only 8!". Boy, was I relieved to know that these hard workers worked a whole 10 months a year. Oh, yeah I forgot about the 3 school vacations, sick time (sometimes puchased back), and personal time. They should get paid more because it's tough to use all that time off if you don't have enough cash!

Can homeowner's policies be increased without a fire station in the immediate area?

"Can homeowner's policies be increased without a fire station in the immediate area? "

It sure can....depending on the distance from your home to the nearest OPEN fire station It also depends on the closet fire hydrant or water source to your home.

Tewksbury Taxpayer wrote:

Keith Rauseo's plan was formulated in 2 weeks. Although flawed, at least someone put in some ideas after the override was shot down. The budget and finance committees seem to just not care that people are struggling with the current taxes.
One of the best comments I heard was from a teacher who said "We really don't get 10 weeks off in the summer, only 8!". Boy, was I relieved to know that these hard workers worked a whole 10 months a year. Oh, yeah I forgot about the 3 school vacations, sick time (sometimes puchased back), and personal time. They should get paid more because it's tough to use all that time off if you don't have enough cash!

It would be worth examining the source of your resentment. Should we judge others until we walk in their shoes? I know people are frustrated with the economy. It is getting very scary, especially with winter heating bills already on our minds. The poor state of our economy and any mismanagement by town officials is not the fault of the teachers. One thing you have to keep in mind about Tewksbury schools is: class sizes go up, resources go down but test scores do not. That speaks volumns.

I don't hear resentment - I hear someone who is fed up with the town employees getting far better than average benefits and then squawking that they don't make enough money. It will be interesting to see how the teachers handle the upcoming year. I hope that taxpayers DEMAND that levels of service - especially teaching - remain the same.

Test scores are going down! Talk to parents of school age kids before you make that statement again. Oh unless you mean MCAS because my 3 kids get study guides all the time to pass MCAS. That is the only thing important to the administration. God forbid our kids should fail MCAS never mind their regular studies. What a joke! for sale sign out in front of many homes.

My children have only been taught what is on the MCAS and how to take the MCAS. They are missing so much general learning in this town! Talk to other parents from other towns.
Have any of you spoken to teachers and town employees from other towns? They would LOVE to come work here because the benefits are MUCH better than elsewhere.
I'd love to move but it's not happening because of the economy.

I know kids who go to private and charter schools in Massachusetts, and they DO NOT get taught to the MCAS. They are taught the fundamentals of knowledge, the basics of reading, writing, math and science and then go and pass the tests anyway. That was and is the intention of the MCAS. The principals feel compelled to make sure that every child passes MCAS instead of using these tests for what they are intended, which is a benchmark of what the students are learning.

If I could afford it my kids would be in private schools, as it is my wife is teaching them at night. She goes over their textbooks and makes up work for them. If it wasn't for her, they wouldn't be half as smart. Thank God for her.

I thought Keith Rauseo's plan was very thought out. He should be thanked for taking the time to do that. The selectman and town manager don't want anyone stepping into there territory because now your attacking the hugh pay and benefit packages they all get. I bet anyone out there would love to get there pay and benefits. I think all the towns out there get more than above average pay and packages and it time to stop that. I never here anyone talking about the pensions they all have, why cant we switch to a 401k system like most of the big cooperations have. If they can't afford it how can the towns? Why, because they have an endless supply of funds, all of us tax payers. Everything has gotten well out of hand. When are we going to see that the future is our kids, how can we expect them to learn in over crowded class rooms. The teachers only have to work 10 months a year and still have attitudes and think they deserve more. What ever happened to do your job or there's the door, which applies in the every day work place.

What about the totally free house the town gives Cressman to live in totally free, yes I said free. Along with the car, gas, insurance again totally free. You would think with the salary the man makes he could afford rent. It's time for a change.