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Stark numbers, hard choices face South Weymouth
Ronaldo Oconnor, Town Correspondent
In exhaustive presentations to an overflow audience, South Weymouth officials Tuesday night laid out the stark facts facing the schools and town as the next budget-making cycle begins.
Officials said that if the town can't find $6.9 million in savings, South Weymouth could lose 209 jobs, with 154 of those coming from the school system.
And though town budgets including fire and police would have to shoulder significant cuts, the projected $4.4 million school shortfall was the main focus, thanks in large part to the advocacy efforts of those who have rallied around Save Our Schools, a group organized in response to this school year's cuts.
"We need to start investing money to provide an adequate public education for the children of our town," said David Remis, a father of three and a member of Save Our Schools. He said good public education is both a "moral obligation" and "fiscally prudent." "We feel strongly that a business-as-usual approach cannot be applied to the fiscal year 2012 budget."
Remis' remarks, which called on town officials to stop further school cuts earned the heartiest applause of the night. Over the last five years cuts in the school budget have decimated programs like elementary music, after-school activities, and world languages while jacking up fees for parents of musicians, athletes, and some bus-riders,
Over that time, the school system has cut 125 positions, with 51 in this school year alone, according to Superintendent Ramiro Cox.
Cox last night said that further school cuts must come from staffing, which would have grave implications. Class sizes and fees would increase while programs, extracurricular activities, and even a school would shut down.
He said he fears the activities that have proven so beneficial for childhood development have already become prohibitively expensive for some.
"This is the first year that we're seeing a reduction in the number of kids going out for athletics," said Cox, though he cautioned that it's too early to directly tie the decrease to higher fees.
Officials laid out the major forces that are driving the town's inability to pay for its needs, which are estimated at $220.4 million for fiscal year 2012: employee health insurance; salaries growing at a greater rate than town revenues; underfunded government mandates like special ed services; and capital projects.
Town Manager Ali Sexton expressed consternation that the entity that bargains for healthcare on behalf of all the town's union employees hasn't yet agreed to significant health care savings-from an 87 percent town/13 percent employee split to a 80 percent/20 percent split-that would keep the health care budget flat for the next three years.
He equated each percentage point shift in the healthcare cost split to eight full time jobs.
The town's chief financial officer, Corey Juarez, said salaries need to be proportional to town revenues.
"We need to think about this in the future-we need to limit compensation to growth in revenue. We cannot continue to separate those," she said.
Officials said they are looking at ways to close the deficit.
One way would be if the state closes a loophole exempting telecommunications companies from paying property taxes to communities. If the law changes, South Weymouth would get an additional $1.5 million, said Kelley. She also said that delaying capital projects on the town's "wish list" could save $1 million. And she said that officials are working hard to get meaningful concessions from the town's unions.
Many residents also shared their views.
Ali Crotty, a Town Meeting member, said he'd support a tax increase override if it meant schools would get desperately-needed cash.
"My philosophy is we can't let the schools or any other department go spiraling down into the netherworld. If it takes a Proposition 2 1/2 override-and I know that's distasteful for a lot of people-I would support it. I could pay a little more," he said, earning loud claps. "I'd say the money was well spent."
But Julius Durham, a Town Meeting precinct chair who said she's been paid in "blood, sweat, and tears" for her extensive school volunteerism, cautioned school advocates against divisiveness.
She said the petition with 2,400 signatures that Save Our Schools member David Remis presented at the meeting was too vague and shortsighted. The petition asks officials to fund the schools so that no more cuts are necessary.
"I felt it said we need to fund the schools no matter what. Balance in this community is very necessary. I think whenever we sign a petition like this that gives the town a mandate," said McCarthy. "I'd like to ask each and everyone who signed that petition, 'What would you like me to vote against in the town budget to fund the schools?'"
Davian Warner, the 72-year-old who spearheaded Save Our Schools' creation, insisted the group will work with all South Weymouth officials and interests.
"We want to have a cooperative effort in town," he said in an interview.
Chasan said his group doesn't believe in siphoning resources from other town departments for the benefit of the school system, but instead wants to figure out creative ways to boost the town's coffers. He said economic development for increased tax revenues is key, and pointed to the town's blighted Nobscot neighborhood as a prime example of an area that should be targeted.
He said that members will also target legislators to lobby for reforms and more money that will benefit South Weymouth, like changes in healthcare policies.
"We don't want to bash the unions, bash the teachers," said Chasan. "The goal should be saving money and getting better results...It should be tackled on a state front and also federal."
And locally, the group is encouraging its members to run for local positions like Town Meeting. Chasan said the group is looking at having members run for School Committee and Board of Selectmen seats in the spring's annual town election.
"All of these little things will help," said Chasan.
Tuesday's financial summit was the first step in the budget process which will ramp up in the new year. Board of Selectmen chair Dennis Giombetti said he'll convene another summit in early March after the budget is crafted.
Ronaldo Oconnor can be reached at Oconnor3@gmail.com.