A 3 percent increase in spending for the coming fiscal 2016 year on top of the current fiscal year’s 4.5 percent increase, as reported in the Harvard Press, is excessive. With the just-reported consumer price index increase at less than 1 percent, declining commodity prices, and declining enrollment in our schools, one would expect the budget request to be closer to level funding. The recent increase and proposed increase would total 7.5 percent over two years. This rate of increase is not sustainable, will force our senior citizens to leave our beautiful town, and turn Harvard into a transient community for residents that come here to use the schools and then leave. It’s time to say No to these automatic 2.5 percent (and greater) increases in the budget every year.
Tony Lancellotti
West Bare Hill Road
