Questions from City Council: (or maybe not questions)

Councilor Rosen: "if you listened to this, you'd think that things were pretty good in the public schools...more good news...heard tonight that this is the best budget in the past six or seven years..a half dozen things that point to good news for the Worcester Public Schools. I want us all to remember...Worcester Public Schools are still not in good shape."(emphasis added)

Rosen is now listing his experience in the schools. "We are dealing with a needy population...we forget...people should volunteer in the classrooms...such needs. In some of our schools, 75% of students who start school in August will not be there at the end of the year...3000 students have left...where have those students gone?"

"Everything is not okay in the Worcester Public Schools. It has not been okay in a long time."

"The city council does not have the power to increase the budget...we can...lobby the City Manager to provide as much money to a department as possible."


Mayor: "Let me just caution the council...we have not got out of this budget yet....we have a deadline."

Zippy exchange between Rosen and Lukes about how much time he's taken on this; there have been a number of rounds of applause during his comments. Other administrators are waiting to be heard. I think she thinks he's grandstanding.