A small audience attended the League of Women Voters program: “What’s Going On in Harvard and Why Are We Paying More for Less?” The presenter from Acton, who played a lead role in that town’s efforts to improve Chapter 70 funding, made many important points—two of which are worth repeating. (You can catch the full program on Channel 12.)
1. Town officials must continually put the pressure on state representatives if they want to accomplish beneficial change and fix the problem
2. Together you succeed, divided you fail (a message to town boards).
Acton has been successful. State education aid to the town more than doubled in three years and there have been no overrides needed during this period. I asked the audience at the end how Harvard can get its citizens involved to effect the same change. I got no answer, but I know the answer: Think hard about who you vote for, for Board of Selectman and School Committee. If the candidate doesn’t have the passion and commitment shown and proven by Acton’s elected officials, or doesn’t have the wherewithal to understand that we can’t solve our structural deficit in our little world of Harvard, then don’t vote for that candidate. We’ll only have more of the same for years to come.
Ellen Sachs Leicher
Warren Avenue
