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VOTE NO ON PROP 2 ½ OVERRIDE

VOTE NO ON PROP 2 ½ OVERRIDE. Billerica Taxpayers Association Parker School Assessment. Billerica Taxpayers Association Parker School Assessment This Is NOT The Time To Be Taking On Unnecessary Debt. Topics For Discussion. Why You Should Vote NO Background & Flawed Process

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VOTE NO ON PROP 2 ½ OVERRIDE

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  1. VOTE NO ON PROP 2 ½ OVERRIDE Billerica Taxpayers AssociationParker School Assessment

  2. Billerica Taxpayers AssociationParker School Assessment This Is NOT The Time To Be Taking On Unnecessary Debt

  3. Topics For Discussion Why You Should Vote NO • Background & Flawed Process • Tax Implications • MSBA Risk

  4. Background • Town and School Infrastructure • Decades of Neglect • Nearly All of Our Schools Require Major Repair or Replacement • Parker Elementary School (397 Students) • Moratorium on State Funding Lifted • Free Money!

  5. Flawed Process • Building Committee not reflective of community • 8 out of 13 were either employees, relatives of employees or did business with town • Committee ruled out a proposal that would NOT have required an override

  6. MSBA • MSBA – PROCESS IS NOT TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT! • WILL CONSIDER A LESS EXPENSIVE ALTERNATIVE • MSBA DOES NOT DIRECT SCHOOL SIZE AND COST • THEY LIMIT THE ABUSES --- SETTING STANDARDS • MSBA STANDARDS SUPPORT 400 STUDENT SCHOOL • COMMITTEE USED CROWDING AT OTHER SCHOOLS TO JUSTIFY LARGER SCHOOL • MSBA APPROVED THE LARGER SCHOOL (CONDITIONAL) • CANNOT COME BACK TO MSBA FOR ANOTHER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

  7. From April 29th Minutes of Parker School Building Committee “Below are the specific examples listing intent to withhold information from Spring 2009 Town Meeting.” “D. Creesy asked about the relative cost of a 96,000 SF building at an estimated $35mil compared with the earlier estimate of a 72,000 SF building at an estimated $22 mil.”

  8. March 2009 MSBA Presentation On Towns

  9. MSBA RISKS • Will The Money Be There? • FY 2010 $600 Million State Revenue Shortfall • MSBA $150 million contribution • Reduced Sales Tax Revenue results in another $27 million • Projected Revenue FY 2011 Abysmal – much worse • Additional MSBA “contributions” • Reduced Sales Tax Revenue • Will 2012 be worse?

  10. Issues • 400-Student School ($22M) vs 500 Student School ($34M) • 400 Student School Within Debt Limit • Meets Parkers Current and Planned Reg • 500 Student School Requires 2 ½ Override • Exceeds Parkers current and planned reg. • 2 Story School vs 3 Story School • Available Land and Abutters

  11. Economy and Tax Implications • Worst Economy Since The Great Depression • No End In Sight (Halfway Through FY And $600M Shortfall) • 10.2% unemployment nationally • 30 % Of Billerica Residents On Fixed Income • No Social Security Cost Of Living Increase • Medicare And Medicaid Benefits Reduced • Town Plans Increase Water And Sewer Fees • Commercial Real Estate Market Collapsing • Current Split Between Business And Residential • Business taxes pay nearly ½ of current budget • What Happens If More Businesses Close? • Residential Makes Up The Difference

  12. Nearly $1.6 Trillion Mortgage Resets2010 - 2012

  13. Better to use current debt capacity for an affordable school and reserve override option for future needs, if they arise.

  14. Effect on Ability to Attract and Hold Businesses • We will become uncompetitive with neighboring communities. • We already have millions of SF of empty industrial space.

  15. BTA Proposal • Build a 400-student, 22M Elementary School within current debt limit. • Previously considered but rejected by Building Committee.

  16. MSBA RISKS • WILL THE MSBA APPROVE A 400-STUDENT SCHOOL? • YES THEY HAVE A PROCESS • OPPONENTS ARE USING SCARE TACTICS • COULD WE LOSE FUNDING? • YES, BUT UNLIKELY • MSBA UNDERSTANDS THE URGENT NEED

  17. VOTE NO ON PROP 2 ½ OVERRIDE Billerica Taxpayers AssociationParker School Assessment

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