Write to the City Manager!

OR: Moynihan Hears a Who

Today's Kenneth Moynihan column in the T&G is well worth a read and does a nice job of framing the issue at hand. Here's the history that explains why it can be so frustrating from the school side:

"Before the passage of Proposition 2 1/2, the School Committee had fiscal autonomy. The members could decide what would be a reasonable budget for the upcoming year and forward the bill to the city manager. The manager could not reduce that cost; he had to start with it on his pad and try to pencil in the remaining costs of government. The City Council also could not touch the school budget."

And here's the part that should send us to our keyboards (or pen and paper, if you're so inclined):

"Actually, the council can cut the manager's budget, but it cannot increase it."
(emphasis added)

If the money doesn't get in the budget BEFORE the budget goes to the City Council, it never will get in.

Write to City Manager O'Brien and urge him to put this money in.