From the mailbag...

Not one but TWO letters in the Telegram and Gazette this morning! Unfortunately, the T&G site doesn't have them up online yet...we'll link when they do.

Something is wrong when you realize that city funding for public education has dwindled annually for the Worcester Public Schools for years now, but many of our city leaders don't seem alarmed or even interested in changing that...It's plain to see that as they consider the budget for fiscal 2009, the Worcester City Council needs to take the call of experts, taxpayers, voters and parents alike much more seriously so that the children of our community get the high quality education they deserve.
(Letter to the Editor, Gretchen J. Switzer, 5/27/08)

In 2007, the legislative and executive costs increased by 15.9 percent. In 2008, recreation and culture spending increased by 18.2 percent. On average, funding for public education increased an average of 3.4 percent each year. The largest average yearly increase was received by the health and human services (25.1 percent), followed by general government (10.4 percent)...If we don't increase funding for public education, we will see the cost of human services continue to rise as more of our kids graduate unprepared for the future and become dependent on social services. Is that what we really want?
(Letter to the Editor, Kevin B. Austin, 5/27/08)