Tag: Massachusetts

Fair Teacher Negotiations: Addressing Class Sizes and Compensation

Belmont Educators Getting Squeezed

In an open letter to residents, the Belmont Education Association (our teachers’ union) looks to set the record straight about ongoing negotiations: expressing their commitment to students, and their concerns over ongoing contract negotiations with the Town. The teachers’ priorities? Reducing class sizes, increasing collaboration time, and providing fair compensation (so: not ‘more work for less pay’). Unfortunately, the BEA writes that our School Committee has been rejecting fair proposals, putting the onus on the community to support teachers and ensure a productive bargaining that seeks to maintain Belmont’s quality educational environment.

IF I MAY: Keeping Belmont’s Democracy Alive

Viglirolo Rink

In her latest If I May opinion piece, Judith Feinleib calls out the town’s political leadership for what she describes as efforts to dismiss contrary voices and opinions. Feinleib calls on residents to speak up.

BEA: Belmont’s School Committee Is Marketing, Not Bargaining

Belmont Education Association

The Belmont Education Association says that Belmont’s School Committee is locked in to a “starvation budget” for the Town’s schools and refuses to look at creative funding solutions to address the problem.

Widmer: Criticism of Committees Won’t Be Allowed at Town Meeting

For Freedoms Image

Belmont’s Moderator Mike Widmer declared emphatically in a debate Monday evening that, if he is re-elected, Town Meeting Members will not be permitted to speak critically of the Town’s appointed committees, calling criticism of committees “ad hominem attacks” worthy of censorship.

Vote For Change: My Picks For The April 2nd Town Election

Vote for Change Belmont

For the first time in years, voters have the opportunity to enact big changes to Belmont’s leadership. It’s not an opportunity we should pass up. Change is on the ballot, Belmont. Let’s make it happen! Here are my picks for the April 2nd 2024 Town Election.

Belmont: 3 Reasons To Vote Yes On Question 1

Vote Yes on 1 lawn sign

On April 2nd, residents will be asked to approve Question 1, which raises our property tax levy to fund critical Town- and school operations. Check out the top 3 reasons that I am going to vote YES.

Is Moderator Widmer really fair? I asked the experts.

A hand on a scale holding people

Mike Widmer’s running for Moderator on the basis of being fair and balanced. His decision to declare criticism of Town Officials ‘out of order’ suggests otherwise.

Opinion: Belmont’s Broken Zoning Is Making All Of Us Poorer.

two small children standing in front of a suburban home

Will your kids be able to buy a house in Belmont? 8 of 10 Belmontonians say it’s “very unlikely.” The MBTA Communities Act may change that- but not if NIMBY gets its way.

We’re Voting “NO” On Leaving Civil Service. Here’s Why.

thumbs down

Our research into Article 8 convinces us that the arguments made by the Town Administrator, Police Chief and Select Board for exiting the Civil Service are not supported by the facts. We’ve listed our main reasons for voting “NO” here, with further explanation provided below.

If I May: Civil Service Redux

Puck Civil Service

In her latest “If I May” opinion piece, Town Meeting Member Judith Feinleib argues that the Town’s proposal to have Town Meeting withdraw the Belmont PD from the State’s Civil Service program leaves lots of questions unanswered.