The estimated costs of the Jones Library are currently at 46 million US dollars. Last week the primary school budget was estimated at 29.5 million US dollars. This may be a rough simplification, but the city council has no financing for the library. Why do they stretch together for schools?
Buildings are built as a unique project, although we have to take up for them, since the city council covers the liability of the debts for construction costs, not the liability of salaries for school services that have no mortgage. The pony, the Jones, the fire station … but you will not take out a loan to repair the weapon roof.
However, when we talk about school staff, the city administrator and the crew quickly indicate the increasing costs for insurance and benefits. One could ask whether the librarians, firefighters, police officers and community employees are also insured, and if so, why are they not asked to shorten employees and programs to compensate for their rising costs?
All of this should not say for all austerity measures !! I only point out because it is true how consistent and unique the need to save money is directed at schools. I think that the parents who have mobilized to support schools have provided great support for other city functions (although I have strangely missed the Jones Treuhänder or APD's explanation to support strong school financing. Why can the other city departments be able to hold (or to expand), while the schools year after year for year for year for the year, children, children. that sing for their dinner and it becomes an annual tradition.
So the TL: DR – We are asking the school committee and the city council to reject the proposed household and to meet in the fight against Amherst's mismanagement of the funds.
Alex Lopez
Alex Lopez lives in Amherst