We, the undersigned members of the Ralph C. Mahar School Committee, urge the voters of the town of Orange to vote “YES” in the override election which is to occur on Monday, Aug. 3 at our school gymnasium (noon to 7 p.m., or vote by mail). If the “yes” votes prevail, an increase of approximately $100 per year (30 cents per day) in the property tax paid by the average Orange homeowner will enable us to fund the budget we as a School Committee voted on June 9, which already was $428,000 below a level-funded amount. If the “no” votes are in the majority, we will be required to make further budget cuts. Six staff positions were lost in the first set of cuts, and these numbers represent families of taxpaying friends and neighbors.
We are very thankful to the incredible faculty and staff at Mahar, as their efforts and those of countless current and former Mahar students resulted in a record attendance at Orange’s June 15 Town Meeting. At that Town Meeting the vote to schedule an override for our requested budget was successful by almost a 2-1 margin. And we ask for your continued support on Aug. 3. People will come to live in Orange (and start businesses and pay taxes) if they know that we have good schools and that we care about what happens in those schools.
Peter Cross
Orange
Patricia Smith
Orange
Lynn Peredina,
Petersham
Patrick Davis
Orange
Carla Halpern
New Salem
Karon Parker
Orange
Christopher Paul
Orange
Jack Radner
Wendell
Maryanne Reynolds
Petersham