School leaders blast bus cuts

Gov. Deval Patrick's recent decision to slash state funding for regional school transportation by millions of dollars has left district leaders fuming and scrambling for ways to cover the costs.

[Wondering]

"The state cuts are devastating because districts are already halfway through the school year, said Genovese. Since Groton-Dunstable has already started spending on the things they believed they could afford, it must eliminate twice as many positions and services than it would have if it knew about the funding reduction at the beginning of the school year, said Clare Jeannotte, the district's business director."

"Together, we can"

Mihos2010

[Kevin]

Most Disappointing of all!

The Senator's priority has always been Higher Education, UMass funding.
The cuts to that fund was back filled with Fed Stimulus moneys.

His response to Regional School Districts Transportation is shift the burden onto local taxpayers.

Panagiotakos said Thursday that he hasn't signed onto the letter because the state must find ways to make up for a $600 million budget shortfall, and the governor has already taken the action.

"I look at it as a form of local aid," Panagiotakos said, however, agreeing with regional superintendents that the burden is shifted onto local taxpayers.

[Shirley Parent]

Just another example from the Patrick administration that they will do whatever they have to to keep their friends in jobs. They support regionalization and want other towns to regionalize but cut funding for transportation. They have effectively taken away one of the primary financial reasons/benefits for regionalizing. Once again the parent/taxpayer will probably have to make up this shortfall. Together we can take, take, take........

[No Comment]

Why doesn't MR.Cash-In from Greater Lowell Tech have a comment on the article? Oh because all he cares about is how much his take is.

[Red Ted Kennedy]

Err, um, let me be perfectly clear here. Err, um, err, I will offer to drive, err, um, anyone, anyone, who err, um, err, who needs a ride at anytime.