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Vol. 4, No. 4
Monday, April 29, 2002
Contents | Wellington News | Home
Contents | Wellington News | Home
There was a request that we allow folks to express their opinions on the upcoming Tuesday override petition for or against. The following sections provide two diverse opinions received. All residents are strongly urged to educate themselves on this issue and to cast their ballots in the Tuesday, April 30th, special election. Wards 3-1 and 3-3 vote at the Newton Community Service Centers (the non-profit sponsor of our organization). They do an awful lot of good in our community whether it be with child-care, teen programs, sports, or elderly services. We are fortunate to have them so close.
"I don't know the details of how the No Override budget will affect Parks specifically, but the No Override budget will cut 8 DPW positions. In such a small department even the loss of a couple of positions will hurt. It will restrict any kind of discretionary municipal spending. Even CDBG funds might get diverted to more core city activities which are deemed block grant eligible. (Although it sounds like our current path project will go forward.)
Routine maintenance of our park improvements will suffer. Even with the override, the reductions in state local aid below the levels that had been anticipated will constrain spending.
Prop. 2 1/2 in Boston resulted in dramatic cuts in parks spending in the 1980's that took nearly a decade to recover from. Our situation is not so dramatic as that, but when public safety and education accounts are threatened, it is certain spending for the parks and open space improvements or even regular maintenance will be seen as something that can be cut in bad fiscal times.
When it comes to the parks, a yes vote supports our progress and a no vote is a bad bargain that threatens what we have achieved together."
- Kelley Brown (Waltham Street)
"Let me get this straight. The mayor of Newton claims that if the taxpayers of Newton don't immediately fork over $11 million this year and forever that the Garden City is going to wilt. His recent forecast of our impending fiscal doom was quite sensational. What's next? Will the National Guard be needed to patrol our streets, how about a volunteer fire department or 30 students sharing one pencil?
Funny, I didn't hear much about our fiscal Armageddon before the mayor's re-election. Now, three months later, we're collapsing faster than Enron. Was the city this shortsighted or were we kept in the dark until after the election? Either way, shame on this city. When companies fall on hard times, they tighten the belt, hold the line or cut back. Newton's rationale is let's have an override, that will cure all our problems. How easy can it get, let the voters decide.
This city seems hell bent on squeezing the moderate-, low-, and fixed-income citizens out of this city. If this override passes, there are many people in the city that will have to choose between food and prescriptions over a tax lien on their house. This city does not need an override. What it needs is sound fixcal policy that plans for the future not planned from the past."
- Norman Westlund (Henshaw Street) from a previous letter to the Tab
I am against the override although I promoted the CPA because its funds are insulated from the inefficient city administration but I oppose the override because it will feed the bureaucrats.
- Anatol Zukerman
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Park users are requested to help provide bags at the park entrances for dog waste and trash pickup purposes. It's a good use for those newspaper, supermarket, and convenience store small plastic bags. Just stuff them in one of the larger bags you may see around the park. Use of them really contributes heavily to the cleanliness at the park. Thanks!
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The Wellington Park News email edition is the fastest and easiest way for to keep in touch with you. Others may be reading it on the park entrance clipboards. If you wish to subscribe, just send an email to info@wellingtonpark.org or call (617) 969-6222 and leave a message. Or if you wish to be removed from the list, let us know the same way. Email addresses change often, so, if you used to get this newsletter and now don't (since you may be reading it on a clipboard), send us your new email address. And of course, check out our web site www.wellingtonpark.org. Back issues of Wellington News are available online. Hope to see you at the park soon!
Contents | Wellington News | Home
Contents | Wellington News | Home