March 28, 2024

To Our Teacher Friends

Posted

I'm more than sure you're all aware of the vote this past Tuesday. Unfortunately with the significant increase to our taxes last year the hard working taxpayers of this town very simply couldn't afford to do it again. Whether it happened this year or had the can kicked to less than 2 Fiscal Years down the road due to a lack of honesty and integrity, it would have happened and needed to be voted down. That is, to me, an indisputable fact.

With that said we the people did vote to give the school budget 3.1 Million+ dollars from Rehoboth alone between FY19 and FY20. These amounts do not include the additional assessments that the fine people of Dighton have additionally paid, a figure which I don't immediately have handy. I believe it's in the neighborhood of $1.5 Million. I'll update if someone is able to provide a concrete figure.

With the injection of millions and millions of additional dollars into the budget in the last year, my pressing question and what I believe should be yours as well is why this money is not making it's way to the people who make the difference? Why is it seemingly evaporating and the people who are working the hardest are the ones being held hostage year over year unless demands are met? $4.6 Million additional dollars based on Rehoboth's known increase and Dighton's estimated increase given above, and there has to be the threat of layoffs over not receiving about $877,000 more on top of those millions of hard earned dollars?

To keep the financial stability of the town and it's residents, we're not able to continue entertaining paying the ransom every year for more and more when there's been generous affordable amounts given already.

I may just be slippery between the ears, but were I a teacher in this predicament I would want an answer from my leaders as to why I was being perpetually used as a ploy and my own personal stability shaken. I would want to organize at the coming School Committee meeting on Tuesday and get answers. It is food for thought.

I will personally say and I'm sure the sentiment is shared by no small amount of others that just because we weren't able to meet irresponsible demands, that doesn't mean you're not valued members of the community.

Michael Fleming

Rehoboth, Budget, Teachers, School

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here


Share!
Truly local news delivered to every home in town