by Janine D. in Politics
Posted on May 31, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Last Modified on June 8, 2009 at 9:50 pm
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I have been a democrat my entire voting life. My first election was my vote for Clinton in 1992. I will state that I am not a native Somerville nor MA resident. Since moving to Somerville, where I own my house, I have become very interested in the elected officials and their votes. It comes as no surpirse that I am a little disgusted with how they vote sometimes.
I am not a Progressive Democrat, and could never be. I look at the voting histories of the elected officials who are Progressive Democrats in Somerville and shake my head in amazement. I wonder, do they think out the middle of the road democrats when they vote? Or do they just stick with the clique of PDSers?
I have yet to see anyone else with thoughts like mine post on this website. This website is suppose to be the Somerville Voices. I highly doubt that a town with such a political history as Somerville can only post thoughts of one way of political thinking.
I am not for handouts for everyone, or taxing people through the nose to have programs continue, or getting useless legislation passed (i.e. resolutions to ban the circus in Somerville (the circus comes to Somerville?), making seatbelts a primary offense to be stopped, etc.) If there are cuts, make them. If there is reformed needed, do it. Then, let’s see what we can do after these two things are done and work from there. I am a middle class taxpayer, married, mother of a toddler and another on the way.
Can anyone shed some light on others who may think like me?
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Hi Janine, thanks for sharing your perspective! I hardly think we’ve had uniform political views represented on this blog. For instance, my post about Rep. Capuano’s earmarks has generated some very lively debate.
What kind of cuts and reforms would you like to see? What specific votes and bills were you opposed to besides the ones you mentioned? Which programs would you rather let fail than pay for with higher taxes?
According to the SJ article, Jehlen: Seatbelt bill would save Massachusetts money this legislation would save tax payer money by preventing medical costs, raise revenues in fines, and prevent hundreds of unnecessary deaths and thousands of injuries. That sounds very useful and smart to me!
I believe your circus reference is about the Feb 12 order by W1 Ald Roche and W6 Ald Gewirtz asking the city solicitor to draft an ordinance banning circuses from displaying wild animals, which are apparently often mistreated by their handlers. This sounds like a well-intentioned attempt, but there are certainly many issues that are more urgent. However, without knowing how frequently such circuses visit our city, I wouldn’t make the claim that this legislation would be useless.
How would you describe your political philosophy?
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Barry, my opinion on the seatbelt law is regardless of the monies the state would receive from the federal government or by increasing fines it is basically “big brother” watching every car to make sure people have their seat belt on. It is common sense that people should wear a seatbelt. I feel this would be an ineffective use of the police’s time babysitting drivers to make sure they are using seatbelts. How about making sure people are paying for their car insurance since there is a percentage of people with no insurance causing accidents ending in serious injuries and death? Or, maybe making sure people who lose their licenses (either for a period of time or forever) actually LOSE their license?
The circus ordinance is a waste of time. I have lived in the Boston/Cambridge area for over a decade and have yet to see the circus here. Why not include the zoos in the area in this too? You use the word “apparently.” I would say “allegedly” since neither of us work for a circus and see what happens on a daily basis.
Your fellow PDSer Carl Sciortino wants to fix the MBTA. We have seen time and time again that throwing money at the massive agency does nothing except cause more debt and slower service. The entire agency needs a complete overhaul from top to bottom and I strongly doubt it will get done since the Senate will vote to provide the MBTA with more money that they will squander.
I would describe my political philosophy as a conservative democrat. I am originally from PA and grew up the projects in NE PA. I saw first hand people abusing the welfare system and to this day see it. I live on a block where I see it first hand. I chose to go to college, became a teacher, then law school and now work at the US Attorney’s Office as a law clerk. I knew I needed to better myself and not get sucked into the system, get pregnant before 18 and continue down a road that never ends. I see nothing showing young women that they do not need this life. I am proud to be a strong, independent women who can afford a house, be married and have a loving husband and son. These are all choices I made and was able to make them because I could afford to.
I would love to see the entire budget of what this Commonwealth spends and go line by line and see what can be cut. Is there a link for that?
On a side note, I notice all the links on the right side of the page. Why does Somerville Voices not link the Somerville News as a local media/news source?
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Janine, the police are already monitoring your speed, your inspection stickers, ensuring your lights are working when appropriate, and whether you are consuming alcoholic beverages while driving. So I don’t share your concern about “big brother” by adding one more provision to ensure seat belts are being worn.
It may seem like common sense to you and me to wear a seat belt, but too often it results in unnecessary deaths and injuries that are tragic for families involved and have expensive costs for tax-payers.
How about the government provides car insurance to all drivers to ensure everyone is covered?
According to these articles in the SJ, Rep. Sciortino has been a strong advocate for reforming the state’s transportation system including creating a Transit Rider’s Advocate and other transportation reforms.
It’s wonderful that you had the means and the opportunities to become educated, employed, and now raise a family. The welfare system is not perfect, and I’m sure there is some abuse, but it does help support many families that are not able to support themselves for one reason or another and that is important.
There are many budget-related resources on the state website and on MassBudget.
I told the SN editor, James Norton, that we would link to their blog if they linked to ours (only fair, right?). He said they were still working on adding a links section and other website improvements.
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Maybe because they’re not exactly a news site?
Sure, the SN reports on news stories, but sometimes their bias gets in the way.
We’ve got two newspapers in this town, Janine. Two candidates have pulled nomination papers to run against incumbents, Jim Campano against Rebekah Gewirtz for Ward Six Alderman, and Christine Rafal against James Norton for Ward Four School Committee.
I’ll buy you a cup of coffee if you can tell me which paper reported the names of both candidates in an article, and which one reported Campano’s will be running against “Princess Rebekah” and, well, “the PDSers have found a willing PDSers (sic)” to run against Norton in Ward Four.
I can only assume they’re referring to Rafal (based on what I’ve read in the Journal), and that perhaps someday before the primary, they’ll actually mention Rafal by name. Is tat too much to hope for from a “local news/media source”?
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Barry, if I am not speeding, or inspection stickers is fine, or my lights work appropriately, and am not consuming alcoholic beverages, there is no reason for the police to stop me.
And, I am one of the few people in this town that does not have a problem with the cameras being put up by DHS. You do not have a right to privacy when you are out in public. If you put your garbage outside, I can go through it (something I clearly remember from law school and since then have shreaded anything personal regarding me and my husband).
And, the government should not be in charge of private insurance companies. We see right now what is happening when the government gets involved in private businesses – GM and Chrysler. Government is supposed to make laws, not run businesses.
Another get day on the MBTA – 2 jurors for the Rockefeller trial stuck on the Green Line for 40 minutes due to “traffic issues.”
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Did Christine decide to run for office? Or was she asked to run by the SC Ward 5 member? Also, it was a disgusting to see this guy using Memorial Day to collect signatures for his nomination papers. That is disgraceful because my father is a Vietnam Vet and I take pride in the holiday for him, unlike some PDSers.
By the way, why do the PDSers have a website and the only way you can find out info is to email Marty Martinez?
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Barry, I printed out the 220 page proposed Senate budget dated May 21, 2009. I will go through it line by line. I have already seen three things that can be removed.
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Good morning everyone.
Barry – Tufts Daily doesn’t link to you, but you have them listed. I’m just sayin’
Tricky, not exactly a news site? Please.
The only place in our newspaper that gives our opinion is where it should be – in the commentary section. Never, not once, has a news story been slanted by our opinion in any direction, period. Prove me wrong, if you can. That’s offensive when you insinuate that.
Also, for the record, someone who pulls papers isn’t a candidate for office – until they pass their signatures in and they are certified – then they are a candidate. The person in Ward 4 pulled papers two years ago and never put them back in. Not a good track record there of commitment.
I told Carl face to face over a week ago – and I will tell anyone who cares to ask instead of listening to rumors – we barely know the person who is possibly a candidate (notice how I used “possibly”) against Rebekah – and we certainly didn’t put him in the race.
We got all bent out of shape with Carl for getting involved in a race that he shouldn’t have, if you recall – so it wouldn’t make any sense for me personally or professionally to get involved with someone elses race now would it?
You can think a lot of things about me, my father or our newspaper, but you are off base when you claim our newspaper is news-biased in any way.
JN
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Who cares how Rafal decided to run for office? She’s pulled papers. The Journal chose to report that, the News doesn’t, and then chooses to hide behind their gossip column.
Also – I’ve lived here since 1992. Neidergang is not the first Somerville pol I’ve seen carrying nomination papers in a parade.
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Aside from that; Janine – can you imagine how you could use your life story to help Somerville youth in your situation?
Not right now, with your toddler and another on the way, but when things settle down (somewhat) in a few years? I would Save Our Somerville might be able to point you in a good direction.
If someone told me when the Trickettes were wee things that right now I’d be starting my fifth year as a soccer coach, I would have said they were insane. And I’m realizing as my charges get older, that coaching is about checking in with players (and past players) about their lives off the field as much as it is overseeing their development as soccer players. You get involved, and you feel some sort of obligation to follow up as your team gets older and moves on, often in different directions.
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Tricky –
I refuse to get into a pissing match with you. I don’t hide behind anything. I always use my name and I am not afraid of anything, because I have nothing, absolutely nothing, to hide.
JN
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Unfortunately Tricky, we will be leaving Somerville once my son is in kindergarten (unless he continues at St. Catherine of Genoa – where he will start in 2010). I am one of the people who will move up the road to Arlington and go to better public schools or possibly to the UK where my husband is originally from. I believe these people were mentioned at the School Committee meetings. We are the people that Somerville needs to convince that it is a decent city to raise kids in and I have not seen it. I have stated numerous times that my school committee member for my ward is less than helpful. I have spoken with parents of kids pulled out of public school to go to private school because of their frustration with the school system.
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JN – point taken. Your news articles are well reported and researched, and I learn an awful lot from reading your newspaper. As far as bias, I do not wish to go back over years of new articles with a fine toothed comb to find a miniscule example of bias upon which I may (or may not be) proven technically correct.
I think your commentary section is where most of your readers turn to first, to read, to get fired up, to comment; I certainly do. It’s easier online for you to section off the opinion from the news; thank you for doing this.
Politics in this town has never failed to amaze me; I think a healthy opposition is fantastic, but I would think a healthy, informed opposition would be, well, better. I’m not sure some of the commentary in the SN (in specific, Newstalk) and the attendant discussion it generates is a good thing. Your mileage may vary.
Anyhow, I look forward to meeting you (someday)…
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JN – without anonymity, I think you know damned well Newstalk and most of the comments on the SN website would wither away in about five minutes; “Imux” would most certainly cease to exist as a viable voice.
If I want to call Bob Trane a big blowhard, or wonder why no one’s home at the DPW yard on Election Day, or say such-and-such principal is the biggest mouthpiece for an administration since Ari Fleischer without having the Trickettes spend the rest of the school year in a broom closet, I can.
There’s a long tradition of anonymity in American politics, and I would hope I’m bringing more than the average something to the table.
Chew on that.
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Tricky –
Okay, I said I wasn’t going to get into a pissing match; however, I think you misunderstood my previous comment.
From what I can tell, I think you took it as a shot across your bow regarding anonymity – I was referring to the comment about us hiding behind Newstalk and meant to be clear and say if I have anything to say, I put my name on it and don’t hide – that’s all.
I would rather have people comment without using their own names, it allows for a freer dialogue. I should have been clearer, and that one was my fault. No harm, no foul.
JN
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JN – well put.
Janine – I would certainly hope you stick around in Somerville, but sometimes it’s not an easy thing to do. Mrs. Tricky and I have stuck around in hopes that the schools will improve to some extent due to the fact parents are more educated (it seems as though they have), and as such will demand more from their children coming up through the school system.
Unfortunately, we’ve had less optimistic friends with children move out to Arlington, Watertown, Concord.
If you’re in Union Square, you’re in a great location – your kids will can learn tons just by walking through every store in the square (except Mid-Nite), and your property will only increase in value with the Green Line coming through. What’s not to like?
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Tricky, I have been waiting 4 years for the Green Line to get started. I will be waiting another 10 for it. At least I will be able to seel it for a great price or rent it.
I have friends who are teachers in Arlington and I see how their kids love the schools they are in.
About taking my son into places in Union Square, if I wasn’t in fear every time I try to cross the street with a buggy in that construction mess maybe I would. I have lived in my condo for 4 years and Union Square has been in a constant state of construction during the 4 years (another waste of $ in Somerville).
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Tricky,
I agree with you and JN that anonymity is important to allow people to express their true thoughts freely (and hopefully respectfully).
Janine,
How can you claim to be against the seatbelt law because of “big brother”, but yet you support the DHS surveillance cameras? I do have a problem with the cameras because I believe they (a) have not been shown to solve or deter crime, (b) they violate the Fourth Amendment protecting the public from unreasonable searches, (c) have a chilling effect on First Amendment rights, (d) contribute to a creeping (and creepy) surveillenace state, and (e) have the potential for abuse and misuse. Just because we have public spaces does not mean we should be videotaping them. [Link to some legal opinions on this matter]
GM and Chrysler failed as private corporations, not as government-run businesses.
I believe it is honorable for candidates to collect signatures at public events, such as parades. Running for office is an act of Democracy and we should applaud its activities.
Why do you have a poor impression of the public schools in Somerville? Are you really just upset about your SC member? If so, that doesn’t seem like enough of a reason to move out of the city.
Similar to what you said, I agree that an informed public leads to a better society. That’s why I’m excited about SV’s efforts to start its own network of reporters writing on topics valued by the community.
JN,
The Tufts Daily is not “Somerville’s Most Widely Read Newspaper!” like the Somerville News claims to be. So, naturally, we want to make sure to get some visibility on the SN, and linking to it from SV is our bargaining chip.
Sometimes media bias is not apparent from just one article, but rather from the types of article that are published. For example, how often has the SN run stories that were critical of Ald. Gewirtz in comparison with SN stories questioning the decisions of the mayor or Ald. Connolly?
If the SN barely knows the potential challengers, then shouldn’t the Somerville News make some news about them by investigating their backgrounds?
Why does the SN have a website and a blog?
My problem with the SN is the awful comments that you allow there full of personal insults and general rudeness.
You are a School Committee member and a realtor in this city. What would you tell Janine and other parents of young children to convince them that Somerville schools are worth staying for?
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JN – Do not overlook the fact a subtle form of bias can assume the form of “sins of omission”. I haven’t seen anything in the SN regarding the City Solictor ruling against Roche’s inquiry regarding keeping aldermanic business private, for example.
Barry – I can see your point regarding personal insults at the SN site, but when you come across individual posters who can be charitably described as f$*&ing morons, then some virtual cuffing around the chops is called for.
At the best of times, there’s a certain current of healthy mayhem (and a fair dose of surreal anarchism, huzzah, but whither Dr. Mrs. McCarthy?) flowing through the comments, but when certain lines are crossed (cf. a lot of the comments posted during the Trane-Sciortino primary), I am more than happy to jump into a virtual bar brawl over there and attempt to set things straight using the vernacular.
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Your link states that it is the minority opinion that the 4th Amendment is violated and it is also the 9th Circuit.
The police should not be stopping me to make sure my seatbelt is fastened. If I am driving lawfully, it is my opinion that I should not be stopped. The only reason Pat is backing this is being done is because there is federal money being “offered.” The Federal Government should be offering money to states to alter laws.
GM and Chrysler are in bankruptcy now. The government is a major shareholder, forced them into bankruptcy and now does not want to deal with the day to day management of the operations. Decisions have to be made and now the federal government wants to stand back and if it fails they can say “it’s not our fault.”
My issues regarding schools in Somerville do not rest solely on the Ward 3 School Committee member. I will state that I have tried reaching out to other members and have go nowhere. The only person to try and get me answers has been Jamie. Even if he says “I don’t know”, he tries to get me the answer. I have had numerous conversations with people who lived in Somerville and left because they were not satisfied with the schools. I received ZERO help from Adam and it is truly unfortunate. My husband and I were more than happy to buy in Somerville and stay near Boston since we work in Boston and Cambridge. But from what I have heard and what little help I have received, I have done research on my own and will be sending my kids to private school or moving to a new town or country (my husband is British).
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Tricky,
Whereas the SN often turns into a free-for-all, SV is designed to be a forum for respectful dialog where no one should feel personally attacked for their opinions. We believe that a virtual bar brawl turns off the majority of readers, including yours truly.
Janine,
Yes, the linked document states that my view is in the minority, according to related court decisions on related matters. There is some support for my view, especially in the section “B. Possible Restrictions on Public Video Surveillance”. I chose this document not because it completely agrees with my position, but because it clearly describes the legal questions.
As I understand the seatbelt law, police would not stop to check IF you are wearing your seatbelt, but only if they saw you were NOT. I’d guess that Sen. Jehlen primarily supported this law because of the potential to prevent unnecessary death and injury. I’d also guess you meant to say that “the fed gov’t should NOT be offering money to states to alter laws”.
The fed gov’t went out of its way to prevent GM and Chrysler from going into bankruptcy (remember those bailouts?). But they had to go into bankruptcy because they had no other choice due to the failure of their business models and the impact of economic crisis precipitated by sour risks taken on by the big private banks, i.e. securitized subprime loans that proliferated while the fed gov’t looked the other way.
If you don’t mind my asking, what concerns were you unable to resolve through the school committee? Have you tried contacting all the SC members? What specific concerns have you heard about the Somerville schools?
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Yes, the federal government should NOT be offering money in order for states to change laws.
I attempted to ask Adam that I have a child who is going to be starting school soon and who do I contact to which I got no response. I was asked to give my email and he would add it to a list. I tried contacting the Chairwoman and left countless phone messages at her home to which I received no callback. I am not going to call everyone on the list since it seems if the head of the School Committee or my local School Committee member cannot give me answers who is to say others will be able to? I voiced my frustration to Jamie in an email and he helped direct me to people I should call.
People I have spoken with are frustrated with the schools once the kids are in 5th grade and moving into middle school. Also, the people I have spoken with are teachers (in private schools and other area public schools). Prior to attending law school, I was a teacher. The frustration is that there are some good school and some bad schools. The funding that the schools received (prior to the latest budget fiasco) was my major concern. The closest elementary school to where I live is on School Street. I was given the names of 2 very good schools (one in Ward 6 and one in Ward 5). I called to get info about pre-K and again no response. The ONLY school I got info from was St. Catherine’s and had a lengthy conversation with the principal there.
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Barry – I see no reason to engage in personal attacks here (or anywhere); upon further review of my late night ramblings, I realized I failed to entirely make my point – I’ll meet rudeness with rudeness at the SN site, if necessary.
Let me know if I get out of line here. I think I’ve been fair in calling for more specificity from Janine where she made some generalities, and I thank her for her responses – as such, I’d certainly be more interested in hearing from Sen. Jehlen on the Quinn Bill, for example, as I disagree with her vote in support there. Perhaps there are some nuances to her vote that aren’t apparent on the surface.
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Tricky, I will state that the one and only conversation I had with Jehlen’s aide was about the Quinn Bill. The aide stated that she was against it and in fact the day before Somerville Police were in the office (I assume pushing her to vote for the Bill) and she allegedly told them that she could not support it since there are other things that the money should be spent on. If there was extra money, then yes she could support it. Last time I looked, the state government does not have extra money and yet they voted to continue this.
My job requires me to have a law degree. I could not be a lawyer without it. Last time I looked, cops do not need a law degree or masters degree. I went to law school with plenty of police officers who were looking to build up their pensions (they actually told me this). I asked why would you waste 3 to 4 years on top of taking a painful test to build up your pension and was given a smile in response.
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Janine – there may be the possibility that the nature of the bill changed over the couple of days between your phone call and the final vote. I’m not going to go back and double check right now, but I’m remembering something along the lines of the vote morphed into something like further study and putting things off for a year.
Which is a weasely sort of move, but maybe a first (small, baby) step towards reform? The police in this state are the beneficiaries of an awful lot of salary enhancements, and I don’t think you can just yank out the whole lot of the Quinn Bill, police details (may I live long enough to see this get thrown into the trash bin of history) and whatever additional perkage the cow is getting milked for.
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Tricky, the phone called happened the day after the vote (when I saw it in a Boston Globe article and saw the role call). The details are awful. The construction on the corner of McGrath and Highland/Medford is laughable. Every officer I see is talking with construction workers instead of paying attention to drivers who should be ticketed for running red lights or making u-turns.
Also, the construction on Highland and Vinal is again laughable. I had the pleasure watching the police detail work because I took a day off to be with my son and was at the park. Again, cops of cellphones, talking with construction workers instead of helping people cross the street because they were blocking a lane of traffic where people could not cross safely.
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For info on Somerville Public Schools, visit the Parent Information Center.
http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us/education/dept/dept.php?sectionid=56
There are Open Houses at the schools in January.
I never thought I’d want to send my kids to Somerville schools when my husband and I first bought our house here. Six years later we started hearing some things at the private pre-school our son was attending that didn’t sound so bad. My husband and I had attended private schools growing up and weren’t actually happy there, so we started looking into the Somerville Public Schools. Our neighborhood school had a good reputation and a good vibe so we tried it. Our son is now at Somerville High in 10th grade. He’s happy and successful and we expect our daughter–now in 7th grade–will continue to be so as well. Somerville now has free pre-school at the Capuano School as well. It’s worth a shot, eh?
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Thanks Linda. I called the number associated with this website two months ago and left a message. Guess what? No call back. I think Somerville is trying to tell me something. We are also parents who went to parochial school. I left in 6th grade and went to public school. I think St. Catherine’s is going to be the pre-k for our son. I have an issue with free pre- k. I am one of a few people who feel that this should be charged. If it was, I doubt the school district would be in the situation it is in. They could more some money upwards to middle school and high school by having parents pay something towards pre-k.
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I’m pretty sure they ARE considering charging for pre-school as part of current budget issues. I would hope they can use a sliding scale because I think it’s a really difficult expense for some families.
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Tricky,
I appreciate your support for the concept of conversation without ad-hominem animosity. However, I still believe it is better to let one’s opponents sink into the mud than to dive in with them.
Janine,
My interactions with Ward 3 SC member Adam Sweeting have all been positive and he has always shown great concern and care for the schools and families.
What is the frustration with the middle school transition? What do you mean by labeling schools as “good” and “bad”? I’m sure each school has its strengths and weaknesses as well as better and worse teachers. What is your concern about the level of school funding?
I think free pre-K is great and I don’t believe it should be used to raise money for the district. Charging for pre-K would not solve the city’s budget crisis which resulted from massive cuts in state aid (the city’s budget is another discussion). Public education benefits all of society, so its costs should be spread as widely and fairly as possible, not primarily on the straining backs of parents. Tomorrow’s school committee budget public hearing will likely shed some light on the district’s plans.
Getting back to the main topic for a moment, from your comments, you seem to value accountability, transparency, and responsiveness in government – all of which are progressive values. Your problems with PDS seem to be more about some unfortunate experiences with certain PDS-endorsed officials than about values or political philosophy. Is my description accurate?
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Hi Janine,
I sincerely apologize if I did not provide the information you were seeking when you called. That is certainly never my intention when speaking with folks hoping to learn more about our schools. With lots to learn and lots to share occasional miscommunication is perhaps inevitable, especially during challenging times such as these. But miscommunication can quickly become communication. So, please feel free to call or email at any time, particularly since we are entering into the the most complicated aspects of our budget discussions. Voices need to be heard.
On a related note, I invite you and anyone else to contact me at any time. I am quite visible at school and community events and have held several meetings focusing on our schools. Anyone who wishes to join my email list concerning Somerville schools can contact me at adam.sweeting@gmail.com. I have no staff to assist me, so it’s not always the most professional production. Nor do I do have a regular publication schedule, but I generally send a message about once every 3-4 months. Like all School Committee members and Aldermen, my full contact information is available on the city website: http://www.somervillema.gov/index.cfm
Finally, I hope that many people will be able to attend the School Department’s public Budget Hearing on Wednesday, June 3, at 7:00 pm in the Somerville High School Library. At this point nothing in the budget is finalized except for the fact that we face difficult decisions. You can find documents related to the Budget Hearing in the link at the top of the School Department website:
http://www.somerville.k12.ma.us
Thanks to all who are working to help us through an enormously trying time. If you have specific ideas about either the short-term or long-term aspects of the budget process or the schools in general please join us at the Budget Hearing or call me at any time.
Best,
Adam
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Barry, I am going to the meeting tomorrow. Regarding the values, I beg to differ. It is not a select few PDSers that I have had issues with. It seems to be all of them. PDS may have values but it is my opinion that they are out there to be stated but not followed. I see it as a very close group and if you are not one of them then you are out (and this is apparent in some of the responses I have received to my comments). I do not support many of the things PDS does. I am for the casinos, cameras, getting rid of the Quinn Bill, etc. I have always wondered why the school committee never has its minutes or agenda online regardless of the show being taped. All the other government committees have their stuff on the city site.
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$30 million dollars could have been saved if the House voted to eliminate Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day. Provost voted No.
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Hi Janine,
I’ve got to say, some of the “middle of the road” opinions you express sound like they were cribbed directly from a Rush Limbaugh transcript. However, at least you are taking an interest. Here’s my two-cents, as if anyone cared:
“This website is suppose to be the Somerville Voices. I highly doubt that a town with such a political history as Somerville can only post thoughts of one way of political thinking.” No one has been stopped from posting. Are you under the impression that other people are responsible for expressing your opinions?
“Your fellow PDSer Carl Sciortino wants to fix the MBTA. We have seen time and time again that throwing money at the massive agency does nothing except cause more debt and slower service.” And your solution is what, do away with public transit? Or perhaps, like Californians, we should just eliminate funding for public transit assume that it will magically continue anyway?
“I am not for handouts for everyone, or taxing people through the nose to have programs continue.” Please let me know where the handouts for everyone are happening, I’ve been missing out. And which programs do you want to do away with? The police? Your drinking water? The schools?
“It was a disgusting to see this guy using Memorial Day to collect signatures for his nomination papers.” Before we get any more pious about this, for what, exactly, do you suppose American soldiers have died? If your answer is “American Democracy” then I can’t see why you’d find it disrespectful for someone to collect nomination signatures on Memorial Day. The parade isn’t exactly a church service.
“And, the government should not be in charge of private insurance companies.” Private health insurance companies are the principal reason that our health insurance costs twice as much as it does in other countries. Their bloated bureaucracy and absurd overhead makes the government look like a model of efficiency.
“I am for the casinos” Like we don’t have enough corruption in Massachusetts. Casinos will destroy restaurants, pubs, and resorts across the Commonwealth. They will suck enormous amounts of capital out of the local economy and into the hands of billionaire gambling moguls.
One final thing: I have to say I’m tired of the gratuitous sneering at PDS. All I see is some people who take an active interest in city and state government and sacrifice a lot of their time trying to make it better. Other individuals who seem to be asserting ownership rights to the city government get all red in the face about this intrusion, from which I can only assume that PDS is often on the right track.
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Jonathan:
I take issue with many things directed towards my opinions on this website.
1. To say that my opinions, even though not in line with PDS way of thought, are “from a Rush Limbaugh transcript” is insulting. I believe the website states that it is “an independent, open forum for reports and opinions about life in our city”, correct? Well, God forbid if I differ on those opinions from the PDSers. In fact, when posting my opinions, they are usually followed up by a barrage of comments that are snide in nature from people like yourself and others. I would think that if the Somerville Voices did not post my comments they were clearly only looking for the PDS point of view.
2. The MBTA at this point needs to be either semi-privatized or completely privatized. The more money that is given to this agency does nothing. The fees go up and the service gets worse. Does anyone on Beacon Hill want to deal with that?
3. I printed out the proposed Senate Budget which is roughly 222 pages in length. There are 3 things within the first 10 pages that could be cut-funding for golf courses? Really? Isn’t that what green fees are for when you play? Maybe you should print it out too. If reform was done first and then work from that number, I would have no problem. But since Beacon Hill wants nothing to do with reform until another members gets indicted at my place of work then so be it. You can clearly see they are only interested in reform now since there is ZERO public trust in anything any elected official does anymore.
4. I assume all School Committee members are or may be seeking re-election, correct? If so, why was only one person collecting signatures? Why are they out in the evening collecting them (like my Alderman was last week)? And, on this topic, if this particular School Committee member did not want to take part in the Pledge of Allegiance, why did he get on stage and then walk off as soon as it started? Why didn’t he stand off stage? That’s my issue with that.
5. My comment was regarding car insurance, not health insurance.
6. Is CT suffering from “destroyed restaurants, pubs, and resorts?” Is CT having enormous amounts of capital out of the local economy sucked from them? In fact, the two biggest corporations in CT are the casinos and they pay the most taxes to the state of CT.
7. Regarding your final comment, again I will reiterate that the website states it is an independent, open forum for reports and opinions about life in our city. Are you aware there are others in the City, who pay taxes, own houses and spend money in the City who do not follow the PDS way of thinking? It is my opinion that a portion of what the PDS believes is not what I follow as a Democrat.
Is that OK with you?
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Hi Janine:
Ha! Okay, I withdraw the Rush Limbaugh comparison. However, I don’t see anything in your writing to substantiate your claim to being “middle of the road.” And maybe you can get over the idea that anyone who disagrees with you must be “PDSer” and therefore arrogant.
I don’t see any connection between collecting nomination signatures and saying or not saying the Pledge of Allegiance. And my point about Memorial Day holds regardless of who else was or wasn’t collecting signatures.
And yes, Connecticut IS having large amounts of capital sucked out of it by the casino industry.
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Jonathan:
First of all, these are my opinions.
1. What members of the Somerville House and Senate are really looking for reform?
2. My issues, AGAIN, on the Memorial Day signature collection is AGAIN my opinion. I have a problem with it. You don’t. It is a difference of opinion. Are we clear with that? And, regarding walking off stage while everyone else is saying the Pledge is what I find disrespectful. If you disagree with the Pedge being said, stay off stage and once it is over go onstage. AGAIN, it is my opinion.
3. Regarding the casinos, what are these problems? Please read this: http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2007/12/12/panelists_urge_3d_conn_casino_to_counteract_mass_plans/
After watching the School Committee budget meeting last night, I am sure the school district would be more than happy to have any extra money, regardless of where it came from, they could so they would not have to lay people off or cut the budget for next year’s school supplies or other needed services at the end of the year.
I am sure you can provide me with stories that support your opinion too.
Wopuld you like me to provide everyone with a list of things that prove I am a conservative democrat instead of a liberal democrat? I did not know I had to keep these things handy, like my driver’s license.
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Who’d you vote for in November, Janine?
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For what election, Tricky? For President, I voted for Obama.
Prior to that, I voted for Deval and am becoming increasingly dismayed with him, too. I think he had made some poor choices regarding a variety of things – trying to appoint Senator Walsh to a position that was empty for about 10 years, interferring with the Ameriquest stuff, how his office handled the Cognos contract (he had to know that DiMasi was behind it).
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Get ready to pay more money for your MBTA service in the fall-regardless of the tax increase. http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/06/transportation_5.html
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Janine D, Horahhh! I have never agreed with anyone on this site more than I agree your viewpoints.
I agree with you on so many items:
Security Cameras? Agreed. If people aren’t doing anything wrong what’s the big deal and if it helps prevent crime then great.
Wasteful Spending? Agreed. Yes… instead of cutting spending and reducing costs the city/state looks for more “revenue opportunites” (read: taxes / fees on residents and businesses). It’s BS and ultimately will lead to tax revolts or a massixe exodus of wage earners.
Gov’t running Businesses? Agreed. It will ruin America. It’s already started. I basically am just getting the popcorn warmed up and intend on enjoying this show.
Now…why and how have the PDSers been allowed to run amuck here and ruin the city? Because there are no middle of the road democrats that vote or care any more in Somerville. I’ll give the PDSers credit for being extremely organized (see this website as an example) and noisy (whiney?) and for realizing that that combination gets results from the greedy, single-issue (see: Carl), short-sighted politicians that currently represent us. I give them no credit for their reliance on spending other people’s money for their misguided social experiments and for their exclusionary methods.
On… and keep your kids out of Somerville schools. And this is coming from a graduate of those schools and whose parents graduated. I wouldn’t let my mastiff attend those schools now. Unless you want them hooked on H or percs.
Jonathan, you never served have you and no member of your family ever served. I agree with Janine… bad taste to use an event honoring veterans (I am one) for personal gain.
JN, The Somerville News comment section use to rock. That guy, Imux, is a legend who kicked and took names. Too bad that new format is not conducive to commenting.
Tricky, LOL…. still living in a bubble I see.
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Thank you Xumi! I appreciate your support.
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Xumi, I’m having trouble finding substance in your rhetoric, including your unfounded characterization of the SHS as a drug-haven and your uninformed assumptions about the veteran status of Jonathan and his family.
Can you please elaborate on what you mean about “PDSers (having) been allowed to run amuck here and ruin the city”. Which PDSers? Who “allowed” this? What signs of “ruin” do you see?
Who are examples of “middle of the road Democrat” politicians?
Which “misguided social experiments” and “exclusionary methods” are you talking about?
When a candidate collects signatures to run for public office and serve the community, I fail to see how that is viewed as a selfish act.
About the Somerville News, I’m puzzled why they run two blogs with the same content in different formats. Is this just an experiment? TheSomervilleNews dot com is better organized with sections while the typepad blog has an easier comment form. JN, any thoughts?
Janine, why have you chosen “middle of the road” to label yourself? Perhaps you consider PDS to be on the left side of the road, so who would be on the other side? I’m still unclear about your political philosophy, are you a free-market libertarian?
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Barry:
I feel that most of the PDSers are left of left. I do not support more than 50% of what they are trying to push through the city or Beacon Hill. It is almost like the PDSers are a little clique and they stick amongst themselves. And God forbid if you disagree with them.
I feel that collecting signatures while on Memorial Day, a day for celebrating people who served and continue to this country, is inconsiderate. You obviously do not along with others on this site who seem to feel it is OK. My father served in Vietnam. I think that the Ward 5 School Committee member could have used the day in a better way instead of collecting signatures. He could have collected them any other day and not during the parade.
I am not a free market libertarian. But the platform that some of the lected PDSers are trying to push make me want to vote for someone with a “R” sometimes.
It is MY opinion that Bill Clinton was a perfect example of a middle of the road democrat.
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It doesn’t take a village of rocket scientists, guys: Xumi = Imux.
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Janine,
Why do you think most PDSers are “left of left”?
What makes you think the members are a “little clique”? Certainly there is room for disagreement and discussion.
What part of the PDS platform do you disagree with?
So how exactly is collecting signatures disrespectful to Memorial Day? If he was collecting signatures for a resolution to honor the veterans, would that be disrespectful? Was it the act of collecting signatures or was it the purpose (running for office) that you have a problem with?
As a self-proclaimed Democrat, what values do you feel you share with Republicans that would make you want to vote for one? Which Republicans would you vote for?
What made Bill Clinton “middle of the road”?
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Barry:
Any group that has to use emails to Marty Martinez to find out for information to me is a clique.
I am working right now and do not have the time or energy to outline the many things I disagree with the PDS platform – whether it is Provost, Jehlen, Sciorinto, or various school board members and alderpersons. I will address this in a later post. But I will state that not everyone who votes wants to participate in anything further. I believe the platform for the PDS website states “Democracy Demands Participation.”
It is abundantly clear you and I disagree with what Memorial Day is supposed to be. To me, collecting signatures and walking off stage while the National Anthem is played are wrong. It is the act of collecting the signatures, and not the running for office, that I take issue with. I am done with this issue now.
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But apparently it’s OK for the Shriners to drive their little tractors past everyone for twenty minutes in memory of our soldiers. (Janine – I also like how whatever happened before the saying of the Pledge of Allegiance has now ballooned into “walked off stage while the National Anthem is playing”: Fox News is on line one, dear)
Barry, funny you should ask which Republicans one would vote for. Word on the street is that at least two members of Democratic Ward Committees changed their registration to vote for John McCain in the Republican presidential primary. Which would theoretically make them ineligible for election as Democrats, no?
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Why is that when one person disagrees with the majority of posters on this site does it get to this level of nastiness? Does anyone read the line on the website that it is a forum for ALL voices of Somerville? Is it only those who disagree that get battered into supporting their positions? How about other PDSers? What are their issues with the way government is being run?
Thanks but no thanks Tricky, I would ever watch or listen to anything that comes from Fox News.
AGAIN, people have every right to disagree with what Memorial Day statnds for.
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It’s contemptible and ridiculous to imagine that anyone would serve on the School Committee for “personal gain.” I think Xuni owes an apology to every member of the Committee. As to my own background, he is correct that I have no military experience. The Vietnam War ended several months before I registered for the draft. I’ll ask my brother, who was in the Air Force in the sixties, if he agrees with me. My father, a veteran of World War II and of the Japanese occupation after the war, is no longer living. However, he always considered civic activism to be a responsibility, so I have no doubt whatsoever of his response. I am saddened that a more recent veteran would fail to honor that tradition of civic responsibility.
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Jonathan, unfortunately there are elected officials who only ran for office and got elected purely for their own personal gain.
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