I had to laugh reading the Harvard Press headline from the Oct. 10 edition that “Selectmen approve freezes on hiring and spending.” There is an old saying “the barn door is open and the cows have already left.”
Many of us in Harvard who are not so fortunate to live with the luxury of relying on trust funds, but who actually earn a living, may be surprised that these measures were not already in place after the numerous Prop 2½ overrides we have been forced to pay into.
It’s obvious to me that our present Board of Selectmen and those before them in the last 10 years have “reacted” to budget troubles instead of being “proactive.” A plea for zero-based budgeting not long ago—calling for every department, schools included, to account for every penny yearly—was ignored, labeled extreme and harsh. It makes perfect sense now.
Supporters for presidential candidate John McCain have asked him to name names involving the latest bailout of Wall Street and I intend to do the same here. When I recall previous budget discussions in years past involving the BOS, School Committee, and Finance Committee, it was SC Chairman Stu Sklar who told us that the golden egg was laid in Boston at the State House and that by lobbying there as a town and through our uninterested state rep, Jamie Eldridge, we, together with other small towns, would find a voice for more local aid. Anyone who has watched the news knows of the hole the state budget is in. I put it to Stu: any more ideas?
Scott Kimball
Ayer Road
