Debt exclusion for textbooks clears first hurdle
A Proposition 2½ debt exclusion to fund textbooks and technology for Wareham schools cleared its first hurdle at Town Meeting on Tuesday.
The School Committee has proposed a Proposition 2½ override and four debt exclusions to ease the impact of budget cuts in next year's budget.
An override would increase property taxes above the 2½ percent annual cap on increases for an indefinite amount of time – or until voters pass an “under-ride” to stop the tax increase. A debt exclusion would also increases property taxes above the annual 2½ percent cap, but for a fixed period of time.
The debt exclusion for textbooks and technology was the first of the Proposition 2½ proposals presented to Town Meeting voters, due to the meeting's lottery system. Still on the docket are a Proposition 2½ override that would avoid a layoff of more than 20 teachers and debt exclusions that would fund school buses, repairs to the Wareham High School roof, and a feasibility study for the renovation of Minot Forest Elementary.
There are three things that must happen in order for the override or any of the debt exclusions to ultimately take effect.
- Town Meeting must authorize the town treasurer to "borrow" the sum of money requested in the override or debt exclusion, to be paid through the increased property taxes collected.
- The Board of Selectmen must vote to put the override or debt exclusion(s) on a town-wide election ballot so the electorate can decide whether it wants the property tax increase.
- The measure(s) must be approved by voters at the ballot.
Town Meeting voters completed the first of those steps for a proposal to fund $341,000 worth of textbooks and technology via a five-year debt exclusion. Of that total, $260,000 is earmarked for elementary and high-school textbooks, while $81,000 would buy computers for elementary and middle-school teachers, said Superintendent Dr. Barry Rabinovitch.
Rabinovitch said that the measure would cost the owner of a $230,000 home a total of $4.64 per year for the five years.
"The reason that this is necessary is in order to reduce our budget as we were asked to do by the Finance Committee, we took out all textbooks and technology and put them into this debt exclusion," Rabinovitch explain, referring to the difficult budget situation faced this year by all municipal departments as revenues decrease and expenses increase. "This is the only way that we will be able to get these materials."
School Committee member Cliff Sylvia said the new textbooks are needed due to state-mandated changes in instruction.
"This is another example of a non-funded mandate," he said. "The mandates come down from Boston and we don't have the money to pay for these mandates. ... We have to replace used textbooks, textbooks that we don't even have in some classes."
Town Moderator Claire Smith reminded voters to stay on topic while discussing the proposal -- that is, not to discuss whether the town should approve increased property taxes, but rather, whether to allow the treasurer to fund the measure if it ultimately is approved at the ballot.
Victoria Miles of Tinkers Lane suggested that rather than spending money, the district instead approach textbook publishers about getting involved in a "pilot" program to try new books and, potentially, software or online textbooks.
"Very often," Miles said, textbooks "end up in storage bins collecting mold and dust."
Wareham Middle School teacher Stephanie Wallace argued that the funding is much needed.
"I can assure you, my textbooks have not a single speck of dust on them, however, they are falling apart. ... There are copyrights of books in my building that are older than I am," Wallace said, noting that she isn't even sure how many students have used them. She added: "The future of education is technology. ... I cannot offer online books with no computer."
Cranberry Highway resident Stanley Andrews worried that the measure is only a bandage for the situation.
"Is this solving our problems?" he asked. "What's happening next year? ... This could go on forever. ... I would like to have the problem solved."
The motion was ultimately approved.
If other Proposition 2½ measures clear Town Meeting, it is unclear when or if they might appear on a ballot. Noting that the Board of Selectmen did not vote favorably on the textbook debt exclusion in its recommendation to voters published in the Town Meeting warrant, voter Margaret Ishihara asked whether the board was waiting for the outcome of Town Meeting to determine how to proceed.
Selectmen Chair Steve Holmes responded simply: "The Board of Selectmen is not currently in session. We will not deliberate any of this."
Town Meeting will reconvene on Monday, April 30, at 7 p.m. in the Wareham High School auditorium. High school students have volunteered to provide babysitting services at the school free-of-charge for parents in need of childcare.
