Letters to the Exchange

In the April 30 Override vote, half the Town voters were either unable or unwilling to pay the tax override which passed by 37 votes.  This was after an all-stops-out campaign for the Override and sparse campaigning against the Override.  Grave attention needs to be paid as to whether Acton citizens cannot or do not want to support a “world class education” for students at their expense.

Marion Maxwell

My First Acton Town Meeting.  I attended my first Acton Town Meeting on Monday night May 6th.  My impression of the proceedings is distinctly one of disappointment.  Clearly, the town meeting format fundamentally disenfranchises seniors and those with mobility issues from participating, thereby leaving the remaining participants largely biased to one point of view.  Supposedly, there was a way to join the meeting via Zoom, but that was not well publicized (intentionally?), and it may not have been possible to vote in any case.   The evidence is clear – the town election produced a near 50-50 split on the override question, yet the vote at Town Meeting was closer to 75-25.  It’s time to do away with this antiquated form of governance and for Acton to incorporate as a city so all of its citizens can be counted.

And for all of those who orchestrated this travesty of democracy - particularly town officials - you should be ashamed.

Bradford Milnes

Sure, we all cherish the quaint open town meeting that permits any citizen to vote on any issue. It worked well for Acton from colonial times to the 1970s. when we had 4,000 citizens. But we now have 26,000 citizens. 

But there is a better way. The representative form of town meeting brings together committed and well-informed citizens, elected by a neighborhood vote. These “Town Meeting Members” spend the time to be acquainted with all the complex issues that now face a town like Acton.

The size of the crowd, the limitations of space, and the domination of the meeting when a special interest group attempts to “railroad” its agenda can be gracefully avoided.  Local government can work better than it does now. The May 6 Acton Town Meeting clearly demonstrates that it is time to consider representative town meeting.

Become informed! Read the brief, informative comparison of various forms of town government in Massachusetts: https://www.sec.state.ma.us/divisions/cis/download/Guide_to_Town_Meetings.pdf

The following Massachusetts towns have chosen better government with choosing representative town meeting:

• Adams
• Arlington
• Auburn
• Belmont
• Billerica
• Brookline
• Burlington
• Chelmsford
• Danvers
• Dartmouth
• Dedham
• Fairhaven
• Falmouth
• Holbrook
• Lee
• Lexington
• Ludlow
• Milford
• Milton
• Montague
• Natick
• Needham
• Norwood
• Plymouth
• Reading
• Saugus
• Shrewsbury
• South Hadley
• Stoughton
• Swampscott
• Walpole
• Wellesley
• Winchester

Ralph Abbott

Thank you for Kim Kastens' thorough article on April 27 (Concord Town Meeting Warrant Requests Funding for Nagog Pond Water Treatment Plant) on Concord's proposed changes to Nagog Pond, its water treatment facility and their being evasive regarding how much water they may draw on a daily basis vs. the estimate of the U.S. Geological Survey.  In addition, her article explains the risk to Acton businesses and residents along Great Road which are currently being serviced by Concord.

Hopefully, after Acton's Town Meeting this week, Acton residents will have more time to focus on this issue.

Neal Fishman

In 2022, our family moved to the Acton-Boxborough Regional School District (ABRSD), due to the reputable, excellent education and extensive programs that ABRSD provides. We saw how an excellent school district retains and raises property values. Conversely, the opposite happens when school districts’ quality slips, leading to a cycle of lowered property values.

As a family who believes strongly in world language learning, we thought that our children would thrive at ABRSD with its outstanding, diverse world language programs and educators, as they were learning Chinese, French, and Latin at the time. The shocking news that the Chinese and Latin programs would be eliminated, if the override does not pass, concern us enormously because their elimination will greatly diminish the quality and reputation of ABRSD. At this important juncture in history, where critical languages identified by the US State Department are deemed vital to national security and business interests, it is unwise to lose any of our world language programs.

Additionally, the Acton-Boxborough community is demographically represented as 30% Asian. To keep the Chinese program reinforces the message that Asian representation matters. Since 2015, the Asian enrollment at ABRSD rose from 26.1% to 37.8% in 2023; the number of students (who are not of only Chinese descent) enrolled in the Chinese program has been consistent, whilst the number of students enrolled in French and Spanish has been decreasing.

It is imperative to keep Chinese and Latin classes available to provide all students the opportunity to learn critical languages vitally impactful to our community and nation, especially since the enrollment numbers indicate that there is no lack of interest in learning Chinese and Latin. Just as Chinese is a foundational language in Eastern civilization, Latin is a foundational language in Western civilization.  For students interested in the humanities and sciences, even a passing acquaintance with Latin gives deeper insight into the subjects they are studying. 

We believe that an excellent ABRSD preserves and advances our community’s educational and property values. Therefore, please vote yes for the override.

Thank you.

Matthew and Alethea Tan

There has been a lot of conflicting information regarding the upcoming override vote on election day, and potentially, at town meeting, if it succeeds at the ballot box.  This letter is to help lend some clarity on why I am urging people to vote “no.”

Most of what is driving this operational override is the A/B school district.  What seemed to have been the tipping point that changed the Superintendent’s message in early October 2023 indicating that he didn’t think we would need an override, too late in October 2023 when he was talking about a $7MM shortfall?  This later escalated to $9.5MM and then $9.8MM for a “level service” budget.  What!!!???

Okay, a little analysis:  Using numbers from the Department of Education and Secondary Education (DESE), over the past ten years, the school population has fallen by 10% (it was 5,658 in 2014/15 and 5,099 in 23/24 – a drop of 559 students).  During that same timeline, the teaching staff increased by 10%! (362 in 14/15 and 396.8 in 23/24 – an increase of 34.8 teachers).  Now I didn’t have a fancy A/B education growing up but, by my math, 5,099 students divided by 396.8 teachers equals 12.85 students per class!!!  That’s private school kind of numbers!

Now, the counter argument I’m hearing is “There’s been a great increase in Special Ed. And English Language Learners (E.L.L.) over that time.”  Well, let’s look at that.  Special Ed. had 34.7 teachers in 14/15, and 56.3 in 23/24 (21.6 additional teachers, or a 62% increase over the ten years) and for E.L.L., there were 3.7 Full Time Equivalent (FTE’s) in 14/15 and 14 in 23/24, an increase of 10.3 or a 278 percent increase!  So, they seem to be adding what they need in these categories.

Now they are saying that the “B” budget will require them to lay off 80 teachers and create enormous class sizes.  Let’s check: 396.8 minus 80 equals 316.8.  With 5,099 students the math says that the class sizes will be approximately 16 students per class.  Seems manageable to me.  Just say no.

Mike Gowing

Please join me in voting YES to support the override in the Acton Town Election April 30, and vote YES on the town and school budgets at the Acton Town Meeting on May 6.  

We moved to Acton 23 years ago, drawn in large part by the highly rated school system.  I started teaching at the high school 17 years ago.  Our three children experienced wonderful, dedicated teachers, engaging and thought-provoking courses and access to challenging athletic programs.  All three have since graduated from the district (K-12 for each) and were well equipped to succeed in college and future endeavors.

We have enjoyed our town libraries and attended events at NARA. We spent many hours in the Acton Arboretum with our dog, Daisy.  Any and all interactions with town staff, police and firefighters are always positive.  The town is an amazing place to live and work.   I am supporting the override to preserve what I love.

Budget cuts have already occurred over the past several years and more reductions are in store even if the override passes.  Additional layoffs and elimination of some services will occur should the override fail.  Please visit both the town and school district websites for further information on how your property taxes will be affected and what possible cuts would mean for our town and school district.

Elizabeth Parker
ABRHS Science Teacher

Why I am Against the Proposed Override.  The Acton school administrators have shown poor fiscal responsibility in managing the taxpayers’ funds.  Now they want the taxpayers to hand over an additional $6.6 million dollars to cover their fiscal mismanagement.  $1.2 million of that isn’t even needed this year!  And they have shown little willingness to compromise.  The citizens of Acton need to send a clear message that we will not be held responsible for their mistakes.  Vote NO on the override.  Ask yourself: Can you afford an extra $100 per month? 

Bradford Milnes 

There is a $6.6M override on the ballot next Tuesday, April 30. Keep Acton Affordable has been working to combat the narrative that this override is necessary due to extraordinary events and inflation. 

The fact is this override is driven by the refusal by the School Committee to address a steep and steady decline in school enrollment over the last 15 years, down from a high of nearly 6,000 students in 2009 to 5,100 in 2024. They have been aided and abetted by the Select Board and Finance Committee, who rather than working on behalf of all residents, function as de facto School Committee members, caving into their demands year after year. 

Declining enrollment and increasing budgets can mean only one thing: rapidly increasing per pupil expenditures. Over the last 10 years, cumulative inflation has been 32%. But the cumulative increase in per pupil spending is a whopping 67%. This is clearly not sustainable. 

Proponents of the override insist there should be no correlation between enrollment and budgets, because “education has changed.” Know what else has changed? – aging! People are living longer and will face greater medical and long-term care expenses as they age. I’ve heard from several residents that they are worried about being forced to leave their home of many decades. 

Yes, inflation has been high. This has created hardship for many families, particularly seniors, in our community. And yes, there were unforeseen expenses last fall, primarily some very large health insurance claims. Out-of-district tuition for some high-needs students increased by 14%, but this was known in October 2022, so shouldn’t have come as a surprise. Had reserves been responsibly managed by the Acton Health Insurance Trust and the school district, reserve balances would have covered those unanticipated bills.  

The School Committee and the Select Board want us to trust them with another $6.6M of our tax dollars, despite the fact that they have not given any indication that they’ll change their ways. 

Election Day is next Tuesday, April 30. Please vote NO on this override!

Corinne Hogseth

Although I was appointed to the Acton Finance Committee on Jan. 23, 2024, the views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire committee. In fact, I shared the same facts and analysis in an article entitled, “Acton Facing Prop 2 1/2 Operational Override Vote,” which The Acton Exchange published on Jan. 17, 2024.

Back then, I reported that David Martin, a member of the Select Board, recommended cutting the Town’s budget by $1 million less than a level-services budget as well as cutting the School’s budget by $2 million less than a level-services budget.

Martin said, “These would be painful, but not harmful, cuts.”

Tori Campbell, a member of the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee, said, “David’s proposal is a good starting point.” But to show people the choice they were facing, she said, they need to also know what would be cut in the “B” budget.

Campbell also shared some research she’d conducted on school quality and home value. She said, “Since regionalization in 2015, our district has consistently been among the top in the state…And all this as a per-pupil spending rate that is near or below the state average. Our schools are efficient, and they make a difference in our students’ lives.”

And at the end of the article, I wrote, “Acton held nine Proposition 2 1/2 override votes between 1989 and 2005, however, there hasn’t been one in 19 years. The overrides passed in 1989, 1990, and 1991, failed in 1993 (twice), 1994, and 1999, and passed in 2003 and 2005.”

I added, “Many of the previous override votes were close, and this year is not likely to be an exception. The outcome could go either way.”

So, your vote is needed on the override April 30 in the Annual Town Election and again on the school and town budgets May 6 at the Annual Town Meeting. As I wrote three months ago, this “promises to be one of the most consequential local elections in a generation.”

Greg Jarboe

If the proposed tax override in Acton fails, the town and the school district will move forward with budget Plan B. Disaster is not imminent.

Town Manager John Mangiaratti and Fire Chief Anita Arnum confirmed on April 12 that no police officer and no firefighter will be laid off. The Town would just not fill new positions: a second social worker at the police department and a mid-day EMS worker at the fire department.

The school district will combine some classes. Many parents are worried about this, but children are more resilient and flexible than adults. Children will accept and adapt to an additional 1-5 students joining their classrooms, and class size will continue to be manageable for teachers because the numbers will simply hover around the State’s suggested, but not required, class size of 22.

Parents might worry about the possibility of their children’s class moving to a different school building, but the children and their classmates will simply go along with the change and adapt to their new circumstances. 

Children who come from families where education is valued tend to do well in school. The fact that so many parents move to Acton for the great education in our public schools indicates that our students are receiving support and encouragement at home, and teachers know that parents are watching. Parental expectation of a great education for their children will continue to drive success in our school district. 

Joan Milnes

As a concerned parent in our community, I am writing to express my strong support for overriding the decision to cut the Chinese language program in our schools. With a significant portion of our student body being of Chinese descent, it is crucial that we maintain and enhance this valuable educational offering. 

Learning Chinese not only connects these students with their heritage but also provides them with a competitive edge in an increasingly globalized world. China's economic and political influence continues to grow, and proficiency in Mandarin will open doors for our children in their future careers. Moreover, language education has been shown to improve cognitive skills, creativity, and academic performance across all subjects. Cutting the Chinese program would be a disservice to all of our students, regardless of their background. We must prioritize the long-term benefits of language education over short-term financial concerns. Our children deserve a well-rounded education that prepares them for success in the 21st century. 

I urge our school board and community members to come together and find a way to preserve this essential program. Our students' futures depend on it. 

Sincerely, 
Gabe Sater

I like being able to finally see local news. Could the publication date be part of the masthead?

David A. Manalan 

The Acton Exchange website is impressive. Congratulations to all on an ongoing great job!

Sarah Coletti

I read The Acton Exchange for the first time this evening.  Very professional and easy to navigate.  I will recommend it to my family and friends.

Ricky Ann Bauer

Letter:  Override Thoughts from a Teacher Whose Job is at Risk

My name is Tim Ryan, and I am a math teacher at R.J. Grey.  I'm new to the district this year and have been grateful to be welcomed by students, families, and colleagues at the school and districtwide. I love it here and I would love to spend the rest of my career here.  But I am writing because, due to the fact that I'm the most recent hire in my department, my job is at risk.

A website opposing the override says it is "probably fearmongering" to say that more than 60 teachers will be laid off.  I just want everyone to know that the job cuts being discussed are not theoretical.  If the override vote is unsuccessful, I will be let go from my position.  My principal informed me of this in a one-one-one meeting in January and confirmed it to still be the case a few weeks ago.  Colleagues have had similar meetings and received similar news.  These sort of "conditional pink slips," if you will, have already been issued.

There are dozens of other teachers across the district who are in the position of losing their job if the override doesn't succeed.  Please vote "Yes" to keep those teachers, their talent, and their dedication to their students in the district. Teachers around the state know A-B is a great school system; it has long been a place where any teacher would love to work.  Please vote "Yes" so the district can remain that way and can continue to attract the best teachers year after year.  Generations of A-B students have benefitted from being in a district that valued their educational experience and took steps to ensure the very best educators were there to provide it.  Don't future A-B students deserve the same?

Tim Ryan
RJ Grey 7th Grade Math Teacher

Acton leadership suggests they are submitting level service budgets – not true. They also are not submitting level funding budgets by a long stretch. FY25 budget spending is $123.5M vs $113.5M expected for FY24 – an increase of $10.0M or 8.8%. All budgets are increasing:    Town up     5.1%   -   ABRSD up 10.8%   -  Minuteman up 7.4% - Capital additions for the town up 128.6% - Overall up 8.8%.

Additionally, an article requesting $6.6M of capital additions (outside the budget) to be bonded as well as an article for approval of CPA capital improvements will be voted at town meeting. CPA is tacked on to your property tax bill at the rate of 1 ¼ % and has been for many years.

The overall budget is well above inflation and presents an alarming trend. Shortfalls of past years have been covered by use of reserves ($2.1M in the FY25 budget) which are now fairly well depleted and are likely to be gone by FY27 if costs are not reduced.  We hear a great deal about layoffs, but the budgets keep growing year over year. Something doesn’t quite add up.

An override grants to the town the right to tax over and above Prop 2 ½ in whichever years leadership sees a need. Prop 2 ½ became State law in 1980 as an effort to combat runaway budgets and allows Acton roughly 3% annual budget growth along with an override process. The override request on the April 30 ballot is for $6.6M of which $5.4M will go to partially cover the $10M spending increase of FY25. Many Acton residents must live within their means and should expect no less from Acton leadership.

I urge residents to get out to vote on April 30. Those with mobility issues can request an absentee ballot from the Town Clerk at 978-929-6620 or e-mail to clerk@actonma.gov. Time to request an absentee ballot is running short – the request must be made before April 23. This is your opportunity to vote for or against the override and the article will carry on a simple majority vote.  

Bob Hertz

Editor’s note:  Although the vote by mail application deadline has passed, voters may still go into the Town Clerk’s office to vote in person up until 12:00 noon on April 29, 2024, the day before the election.

Letter:  Support our Schools for the Benefit of Our Town (Override)

As a Spanish teacher in Acton deeply invested in the educational success of my students, I am reaching out to emphasize the critical importance of the upcoming tax override vote for our town’s school district. This decision will have significant repercussions not only on the diversity of programs available to our students but also on the broader community and its future. The proposed cuts that will come without the approval of this override include the discontinuation of essential language programs such as Chinese and Latin and up to 60 teachers. 

The removal of these programs will not only impact my position as a Spanish teacher but will also drastically reduce the linguistic and cultural learning opportunities for our students, which are crucial in today’s interconnected world.

It’s important to note that quality education is a key driver of community value. Even those without direct ties to our schools should consider the wider economic implications, including potential impacts on property values. Good schools attract families and investment, and conversely, the lack of funding can lead to a decline in desirability and economic health of the area. 

The cost of supporting this override is not easy but is modest compared to the benefits it will preserve. For less than the cost of a daily coffee, we can avoid severe educational cutbacks that threaten to erode the quality of education and diminish our town’s appeal to current and prospective residents. 

I urge everyone in our community to view this tax override as a necessary investment in our children’s future and the overall vitality of the town. Voting “yes” is a step toward ensuring that our educational system remains robust and competitive. 

Let us all show our commitment to maintaining excellence in education and stability in our community. Thank you for your support.  

Sincerely, 
Timothy Chávez

Please join me in voting YES for the operating override on April 30. While my service as a Select Board member informs my perspective, the views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire board. To safeguard the services residents have come to expect, we must reset the base of the tax levy to catch up on the rising costs. The Select Board, Finance Committee, and School Committee all endorse the assessment of an additional $6.6 million in taxes to fund the operating budgets of the public schools and municipal government. 

The town’s calculator will show the impact on your household taxes. The recommended budgets rely on a portion of the override amount in FY25, $5.4 million. These budgets represent approximately $5 million in cuts from the level services of FY24 due to dramatic cost increases to health insurance, special education, and transportation. 25 positions have been cut from the school budget and 7 from the town budget. 

If the override fails, 85 positions from the schools and 10 from the town will need to be eliminated. This would mean the loss of classroom sections and the transfer of ~200 elementary students to different schools.  Class sizes and student: teacher ratios would increase above recommended guidelines. The Memorial Library would no longer be open on Sundays. The town would need to eliminate special events like July 4, Hazardous Waste Day, and flu clinics. 2 per diem positions would be eliminated from Nursing Services. There would be reduced funding available for maintenance at the arboretum, rail trails, and parks, as well as for small engineering studies and road repairs. The town would see a full-time clinician in the Police Dept reduced to part-time, and the loss of the impact shift to support the Fire Department. 

Both the town and schools have managed spending responsibly, within the constraints of Prop 2.5, for decades. Staff have brought in millions of competitive grant funding, reorganized departments, shared staff, and more, to creatively resolve budget challenges. It's time to support the work that's done on our behalf.

Alissa Nicol

There are many reasons to reject this override. First and foremost, the inverse correlation between school enrollment and spending is a sign that our money is not being spent wisely. Excess teacher and administrative headcount should have been gradually reduced, principally by attrition. 

Average salary increases through collective bargaining have been running ahead of inflation for a long time. That is not  sustainable and has caused us to deplete our reserves. This is true for both the Town and schools. 

The schools have lost focus. Instead of a basic education combined with a healthy dose of physical fitness, they have instead focused on non-educational, ideological, and activist doctrines and wasted money and resources. The same is true of the Town, but at a smaller dollar amount. A portion of the reduced enrollment is due to parents removing their kids from such toxic educational programs, and instead moving them to private, Catholic, or home schools. 

Note that their scare tactics involve cutting the most important and useful positions, and not the least important and unnecessary. This tells us that fiscal responsibility is not their highest priority. 

The school Superintendent actually identified several structural changes that will need to be made if the override fails. Some of us had suggested those very same changes in emails to the school committee, but wanted those changes made BEFORE consideration of an override. If the override passes, those changes will not be made, and there will be no incentive for fiscal discipline. Public memory is short, and they will come back for more and use the same scare tactics. 

If the schools make those structural changes first, they will gain my trust, especially if inflation remains stubbornly above 3%, and they will need to override Prop 2 1/2 at some point. But since they have not made those changes yet, we should force them by voting NO on April 30.

Nijan Datar