Marblehead Patch Reader Comments of the Week

School Technology Upgrades May Cost More than $1 Million

MHH101: Once again, lackk of vision and mismanagement (e.g. failure to properly budget for capital improvements and maintenance) will undoubtedly look for one more tax payer bailout. Not only does this reward incompetence, but promotes more of the same down the road. Cutting some of the fluff out of the monies taxpayers already send their way, the needed $1M can be borrowed and paid over time.

Two Juveniles Arrested

Ellie Schnabel Doyle: Saturday 2/16 At 8:40 a.m., an adult tricycle was reported missing at Powder House Court. I'm thinking this is that sweet lady, Claire's big red Tricycle. Who would do such a thing? Mean, mean and some unprintable words.

How Should the Town Pay for the $2.1M Repairs to Abbot Hall?

SJBarnard: I'm fine paying for the repairs, but if it's going to cost more because we have to make it ADA compliant, then tear it down. I'm sick of the town being screwed by ADA.

John Buba: Each year due to Prop 2 1/2 the town automatically takes about $2 MILLION MORE IN TAXES. If the town borrows 2.1 million to fix Abbot Hall over 20 years at 3.5% the yearly payment is just about $140,000 per year; or about 7% of the NEW tax money.

Put another way the selectmen can fix this themselves WITHOUT AN OVERRIDE if they just allocate 7% of the NEW tax money to this most important cause.

However the Selectmen have a policy (that is good for them, but bad for us) where they do not spend regular property tax money on long term expenses. They spend ALL the tax money on yearly expenses and DEMAND overrides to fix big ticket items.

Just call the selectmen at 781-631-0000 and tell them "They let the town's great landmark fall apart, they can use our regular tax money to fix it."

And do not be fooled by their claims that spending this 7% of the new taxes on town hall will cause your house to burn down and your streets to be overrun with criminals and you kids to become dumb. - as they usually do with threats to cut fire, police, and teachers.