To the editor: 

After reflecting on the the lack of action taken by the current COA, I am totally disgusted. 

There was a vote to reduce the budget $250,000 that failed, and I feel as a taxpayer I have been lied to for the past two years.

Mr. Staples, the COA chair, stated last year their goal was to hold the tax increase to 2 percent. It was close, 2.28 percent, but over with no request for the town or school department to reduce their spending increases to get to that 2 percent goal. No goal was stated this year, but clearly the COA was OK with a 3.36 percent increase (3-1 vote, Steve Primiano the only nay vote). 

I am also frustrated with the school committee and the school administration. 

Recently, (superintendent) Mr. Messore stated that if a school program did not help all students it would not be implemented. Even the school committee experts at the forum stated (the start time changes) will only benefit about 19 percent of the children. So why is this School Committee pushing for this? Do they not listen to our teachers and administration? 

Another hypocritical move by our school committee involves pushing for extra buses two years ago because our children were spending way too much time on the bus. So the town listened to them and purchased more buses and got the run times down to around 30 minutes or less. 

Now our school committee is pushing for later start times along with a CPT day every week giving an even later start time of 9:30 on that day and a 2-tier bus schedule to the sum of $246,000-plus. This new bus schedule has K-5 children on the bus for approximately 40-50 minutes. According to the School Committee that is fine. 

What happened to the big push for 30 minutes? So when the bus schedule and run times do not work, you will be back for more money next year for more buses. 

The school committee is going to place a big burden on the taxpayer, but not as much as the parents and teachers with children in our schools who now need to find additional childcare.

I believe it is time to take our town back from the rising taxes and hold the schools accountable. Please come out and support the reduction in monies for the schools and please support Lisa Daft and John Alessandro for the COA spots at the end of the financial town meeting.

Thomas Rimoshytus

Barrington