Fisherman's and a Quarry

We shut down our best performing elementary school this year, along with laying off around 35 people in the Swampscott school system. So everything's going to be fine for next year, right? Things couldn't possibly get worse? Wrong. I just received next years projections and if Swampscott's taxes go up 2.5%, the maximum amount without an override, we'll be at least $880,000 in the whole. I don't see how Swampscott makes up that money without at least any additional support from the state. If the state increased Chapter 70 funding to previous levels - and the base level most towns in the state receive (around 17%, compared to Swampscott's ~14%) - it would mean more than $500,000 dollars for the town. If the state doesn't increase it, I don't know how many more cuts the system can take without making a mockery of the education I received as a member of the Class of 2002.

Labels: chapter 70, schools