"We do well in e-commerce but the important thing now is the retail environment is changing and e-commerce is becoming so terribly important. We really need a lot of expertise in that area."
-- Jane Iredale
In his letter to the editor, Chip Elitzer writes: "A new train service to the Berkshires from NYC makes no sense. Metro-North already runs a frequent, reliable, inexpensive service between Wassaic and Grand Central."
"While our state’s educational system is highly regarded throughout the country, our analysis found that the processes governing school regionalization and its funding are antiquated, and have not kept pace with the modern challenges facing communities."
-- State Auditor Suzanne Bump
Unfortunately for Great Barrington taxpayers, the proposed BHRSD budget calls for an increase in the town's assessment of almost 6 percent, with an increase in Stockbridge of 1.16 percent and an actual decrease in West Stockbridge of 4.58 percent.
In his letter to the editor, Chip Elitzer writes: “For all 58 Massachusetts school districts, that additional amount in FY2017 [that would have been raised by the Education Finance Reform Act] would have been $210 million.”
The amendment won’t change the current headcount formula, but will give Great Barrington a break by using a measurement of a town’s wealth to determine how much it should pay for future capital projects.
In his letter to the editor Chip Elitzer writes: "By changing the method of apportionment from a pupil headcount basis to an assessed property value basis, this act would improve the finances of every regional school district, especially BHRSD's."
Representatives from Stockbridge, West Stockbridge and Great Barrington, along with school committee members, were finally able to hash out something that could ease some of Great Barrington’s financial burden.
The towns will pay for future improvements or building projects for the district’s three schools based on what the state calls “equalized value [EQV],” defined as the “full and fair cash value” of all taxable property in a town.
“The issue tonight is how are we gonna raise that [$14.5 million].” If voters said no, the Selectboard would have to “come up with that $14.5 million and they’d have to find it somewhere.”
-- Richard Coons, former Berkshire Hills School Committee member
In his letter to the editor, Chip Elitzer writes: “A Massachusetts Education Finance Reform bill that would fix dysfunctional aspects of current laws and put all of the Commonwealth's regional school districts on a sounder financial footing.”
“We’re not kidding around about this. We care about education...we’re not interested minor tweaks [to the agreement]...we’re going to start saying no [to the school budget].”
-- Sean Stanton, chair of the Board of the Selectmen, who favored a vote on a unified school district tax rate
In a letter to the editor, Chip Elitzer of Great Barrington writes: “I urge GB residents to attend the Select Board meeting on Wednesday, May 18, at 7 p.m. at Town Hall.”
In a letter to the editor, Chip Elitzer of Great Barrington writes: "What counts is a framework that gets the [School] District the money that it needs to survive and prosper, and the most efficient way to do that is a unified tax rate."
“Capitalism has its limits. I’m a capitalist but it has to end somewhere. In this case I am for spending taxpayer money.”
-- George Beebe, speaking on behalf of granting $170,000 of Community Preservation Act money to Windy Hill Farm for an Agriculture Preservation Restriction
