My Ideas on Improving Framingham Town Government

Every tax is a pay cut. Every tax cut is a pay raise.
Citizens for Limited Taxation

Ideas for Improving Framingham Government

Town employees should be town residents

Every town department head should be a resident of Framingham and the town should give strong employment preference to town residents over non-residents. If it's leaders are it's residents, it would ensure a government of the people, by the people, and for the people of Framingham. This would also ensure that any decisions made would be in the best interests of Framingham. If a qualified candidate cannot be found, we simply settle for the next best Framingham resident unless none are available. This would still be better than employing someone from some other town.
Giving strong employment preference to Framingham residents would also get rid of the usage of town cars for those who commute from several towns away.

The First Law of Holes

The First Law of Holes states:
If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
This applies to real estate taxes in Framingham. If your senior citizens are telling you that they cannot afford to pay your taxes, stop raising the taxes. It is insulting to be asked to "contribute" taxes on behalf of others.
I would like to see who "contributes" extra taxes (and how much) to the town. This list should be made public. The biggest contributors should be town employees setting an example for all of us.
Good thing we don't get all the government we pay for.
Will Rogers

Setting a Debt Limit (and saying "No More!")

I would set a debt limit such that the town would never be caught paying more than eight percent (8%) of it's property tax income on debt service. This should be strictly enforced with penalties (lowering their pay) on any town official trying to circumvent it. It's everybody's money and not the government's money. Our government should show responsibility towards our joint money supply. We do not care to be knee-deep in debt.
Using state aid funds for required debt service would be suicidal.

Public Works Department has Priority

The Public Works department takes care of roads, snow removal, trash pickup, water and sewage for all the citizens. This exemplifies the most needed services for all taxpayers.
Schools are next in priority, hopefully to provide better educated citizens of the future.
All other departments trail in priority.

All Town Selectmen Meetings will be public

I am bothered by private meetings of governmental committees that dig into our pockets thru secret meetings where the voters do not know who voted for what. Any decision (vote) made that affects our money supply must be public.

Town government pay plans must be simplified.

Currently, each annual report contains over 40 pages concerning the pay scales of various assorted departments in the town not including schools. For an organization that employs approximately 2000+ people, it strikes me to be excessive. We cannot and should not afford that level of bureaucracy. There should be not more than 6-8 pay scales at most.

Let's hold the schools responsible

The salaries of the superintendent of schools and the principals/vice-principals salaries should be tied to MCAS results. After all, the students futures are. All school teachers, principals, vice-principals and the school superintendent should be required to take the MCAS as a measurement of their current skills. They should do better than the students.

Town employees need to be held responsible

The town government is based on our joint money supply. Any town employee must be held responsible for improper acts thru penalties. Paid administrative leave should not be an option. This is like giving them a paid vacation for doing something wrong.

Ideas for Improving Framingham Government
Town employees should be town residents
Every town department head should be a resident of Framingham and the town should give strong employment preference to town residents over non-residents. If it's leaders are it's residents, it would ensure a government of the people, by the people, and for the people of Framingham. This would also ensure that any decisions made would be in the best interests of Framingham. If a qualified candidate cannot be found, we simply settle for the next best Framingham resident unless none are available. This would still be better than employing someone from some other town. Giving strong employment preference to Framingham residents would also get rid of the usage of town cars for those who commute from several towns away.
The First Law of Holes
The First Law of Holes states: If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging. This applies to real estate taxes in Framingham. If your senior citizens are telling you that they cannot afford to pay your taxes, stop raising the taxes. It is insulting to be asked to "contribute" taxes on behalf of others. I would like to see who "contributes" extra taxes (and how much) to the town. This list should be made public. The biggest contributors should be town employees setting an example for all of us. Good thing we don't get all the government we pay for. Will Rogers
Setting a Debt Limit (and saying "No More!")
I would set a debt limit such that the town would never be caught paying more than eight percent (8%) of it's property tax income on debt service. This should be strictly enforced with penalties (lowering their pay) on any town official trying to circumvent it. It's everybody's money and not the government's money. Our government should show responsibility towards our joint money supply. We do not care to be knee-deep in debt. Using state aid funds for required debt service would be suicidal.
Public Works Department has Priority
The Public Works department takes care of roads, snow removal, trash pickup, water and sewage for all the citizens. This exemplifies the most needed services for all taxpayers. Schools are next in priority, hopefully to provide better educated citizens of the future. All other departments trail in priority.
All Town Selectmen Meetings will be public
I am bothered by private meetings of governmental committees that dig into our pockets thru secret meetings where the voters do not know who voted for what. Any decision (vote) made that affects our money supply must be public.
Town government pay plans must be simplified.
Currently, each annual report contains over 40 pages concerning the pay scales of various assorted departments in the town not including schools. For an organization that employs approximately 2000+ people, it strikes me to be excessive. We cannot and should not afford that level of bureaucracy. There should be not more than 6-8 pay scales at most.
Let's hold the schools responsible
The salaries of the superintendent of schools and the principals/vice-principals salaries should be tied to MCAS results. After all, the students futures are. All school teachers, principals, vice-principals and the school superintendent should be required to take the MCAS as a measurement of their current skills. They should do better than the students.
Town employees need to be held responsible
The town government is based on our joint money supply. Any town employee must be held responsible for improper acts thru penalties. Paid administrative leave should not be an option. This is like giving them a paid vacation for doing something wrong.

Send comments to: hjw2001@gmail.com