Cutting Costs to Prevent Another Override

Every tax is a pay cut. Every tax cut is a pay raise.
Citizens for Limited Taxation

Cost Cutting Measure # 1 (Health Insurance)

Isn't it about time to get the employees to pay a larger share of their health insurance. The town of Framingham's government pays 90% of the employees cost. Most towns and companies pay 60% of their employees health insurance premiums. The town should not get greedy with our money.

Health Insurance Costs (millions)

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

8.350 8.850 9.750 10.500 12.095 12.082 13.537

Cost Cutting Measure # 2 (Employee Pay Raises)

Limit the pay raises of town employees to what Proposition 2 1/2 limits local government growth (2.5%). Relying on state aid for operational costs is not a good idea since state aid fluctuates with state revenues. A general pay increase of more than 2.5% is in effect ignoring the intent of Proposition 2 1/2 and they're just thumbing their nose at the voters. Merit pay raises beyond 2.5% are fine.
This reliance on state aid is what caused the last override and it will cause the next, ad infinitum.... ad nauseum....

Cost Cutting Measure # 2 (Employee Pay Raises)
Limit the pay raises of town employees to what Proposition 2 1/2 limits local government growth (2.5%). Relying on state aid for operational costs is not a good idea since state aid fluctuates with state revenues. A general pay increase of more than 2.5% is in effect ignoring the intent of Proposition 2 1/2 and they're just thumbing their nose at the voters. Merit pay raises beyond 2.5% are fine. This reliance on state aid is what caused the last override and it will cause the next, ad infinitum.... ad nauseum....

Cost Cutting Measure # 3 (Let's not use the police as flagmen)

Why does Framingham utilize police officers as flagmen in street construction? Why pay a police officer $35 an hour to do what a flag man can do for $10 an hour? Why utilize a police officer for such mundane duties when the police tell you they don't want to be bothered by mundane little things so that they can concentrate on the more important issues of crime and corruption. I'll tell you why. Construction work pays $35 an hour and is above and beyond their normal pay. Most police officers would rather do nothing at $35 an hour than do what they were hired to do. Recently I read an article about the Boston police union getting upset that the police officers were going to be sent back out onto the streets to control an uptick in crime. If the police officers were to make their total annual pay public, it would be the highest in the town.
Forty four (44) states use flagmen for construction sites rather than police. It's time to modernize and use common sense and stop allowing this governmental corruption.
Here's an example of a Framingham police officer on construction detail.

Cost Cutting Measure # 3 (Let's not use the police as flagmen)
Why does Framingham utilize police officers as flagmen in street construction? Why pay a police officer $35 an hour to do what a flag man can do for $10 an hour? Why utilize a police officer for such mundane duties when the police tell you they don't want to be bothered by mundane little things so that they can concentrate on the more important issues of crime and corruption. I'll tell you why. Construction work pays $35 an hour and is above and beyond their normal pay. Most police officers would rather do nothing at $35 an hour than do what they were hired to do. Recently I read an article about the Boston police union getting upset that the police officers were going to be sent back out onto the streets to control an uptick in crime. If the police officers were to make their total annual pay public, it would be the highest in the town. Forty four (44) states use flagmen for construction sites rather than police. It's time to modernize and use common sense and stop allowing this governmental corruption. Here's an example of a Framingham police officer on construction detail.

Cost Cutting Measure # 4 (Let's cut back on school busing)

Massachusetts state law stipulates that children in grades K-6 who live more than two miles from their school must be provided with transportation to and from the school by the town if their parents request it.
Any other student provided with transportation to and from their school, is done so at the generosity of the town. The Town of Framingham is quite generous. Maybe, it's time to charge $300 a year for busing. This would be a bargain.

Cost Cutting Measure # 4 (Let's cut back on school busing)
Massachusetts state law stipulates that children in grades K-6 who live more than two miles from their school must be provided with transportation to and from the school by the town if their parents request it. Any other student provided with transportation to and from their school, is done so at the generosity of the town. The Town of Framingham is quite generous. Maybe, it's time to charge $300 a year for busing. This would be a bargain.

Cost Cutting Measure # 5 (The Danforth Museum)

If the Danforth Museum cannot support itself through entrance fees, the town simply should not be supporting it. If there are no customers, then the exhibits are of poor quality. This represents a bad failing business. Why do we lease this building for $1 and pay the maintenance costs? Considering that the burgeoning town government feels cramped in the town hall building, the Danforth would be a nice addition to grow into. See details of my visit to the Danforth.

Cost Cutting Measure # 5 (The Danforth Museum)
If the Danforth Museum cannot support itself through entrance fees, the town simply should not be supporting it. If there are no customers, then the exhibits are of poor quality. This represents a bad failing business. Why do we lease this building for $1 and pay the maintenance costs? Considering that the burgeoning town government feels cramped in the town hall building, the Danforth would be a nice addition to grow into. See details of my visit to the Danforth.

Cost Cutting Measure # 6 (The Loring Arena)

If the Loring Arena cannot support itself and the town has to subsidize it, maybe it's time to sell it and privatize it. How did we get into the ice skating business to begin with? Ice skating doesn't strike me to be a government function. What next? A government barber shop? How about a doughnut shop or coffee shop? Liquor stores anyone? At least they make money.

Cost Cutting Measure # 6 (The Loring Arena)
If the Loring Arena cannot support itself and the town has to subsidize it, maybe it's time to sell it and privatize it. How did we get into the ice skating business to begin with? Ice skating doesn't strike me to be a government function. What next? A government barber shop? How about a doughnut shop or coffee shop? Liquor stores anyone? At least they make money.

Cost Cutting Measure # 7 (Cell phones)

How many cell phones does the town government have? How many should they have given that they work a strict 40 hour week? My cell phone contract cost me about $400 per year plus the cost of the phone ($200). Multiply that by the number of cell phones.

Cost Cutting Measure # 7 (Cell phones)
How many cell phones does the town government have? How many should they have given that they work a strict 40 hour week? My cell phone contract cost me about $400 per year plus the cost of the phone ($200). Multiply that by the number of cell phones.

Cost Cutting Measure # 8 (School sports uniforms)

As you might suspect, the town is generous enough to provide free uniforms to all those students who play after school sports. I have no idea how much money is involved. I assume that more than one thousand uniforms are involved. I am going to guess that the town's generosity also involves bussing for those sports students.

Cost Cutting Measure # 8 (School sports uniforms)
As you might suspect, the town is generous enough to provide free uniforms to all those students who play after school sports. I have no idea how much money is involved. I assume that more than one thousand uniforms are involved. I am going to guess that the town's generosity also involves bussing for those sports students.

Cost Cutting Measure # 9 (Town cars driven home)

How many cars are being driven home by town employees. The last count was 41 and growing.
Any town employee who takes a car home, should be charged 50 cents a mile for its use. The town employee is responsible for logging his mileage accurately. If any inaccuracies are noted on a repeated basis, the employee should be fired.
SUVs should not be allowed. Their rollover instability dramatically increases their liability to the town. Let's use small trucks instead.

Cost Cutting Measure # 9 (Town cars driven home)
How many cars are being driven home by town employees. The last count was 41 and growing. Any town employee who takes a car home, should be charged 50 cents a mile for its use. The town employee is responsible for logging his mileage accurately. If any inaccuracies are noted on a repeated basis, the employee should be fired. SUVs should not be allowed. Their rollover instability dramatically increases their liability to the town. Let's use small trucks instead.

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