Voting “No” on Ashland’s override
“I received a post card from Brandi Kinsman today asking for my vote for the override. I don’t know who paid for the mailing – Ms. Kinsman, the town, the school department? It states that 13.2 positions will be eliminated regardless of whether or not the override passes. Are they teaching positions or administrative positions? It states that it will prevent an even larger override request for FY28. It will fully fund our athletics program. Does this mean we keep the coaches and dismiss the teachers?
What the request doesn’t address is the fact that if this passes, some of our residents will not be able to pay the increase. They will lose their homes. Let’s face facts. We are all experiencing increased costs. Are we really preparing our students the basics of economics?
Times get tough. Times get better. It has always been this way. An override only encourages more foolish spending by those who don’t have to pay the price. None of us want to see the kids in town deprived of a good education, but don’t they also have to learn that sometimes parents have to say ‘No’ to their requests. What will they have to face later in life if they don’t learn this lesson now?
I will be voting ‘No’ on the override. The town has voted no on overrides in the past. We have survived. We can and will survive again.”
– Cliff Wilson, life-long resident of Ashland
