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Charter-school expansion sinks like a rock, pot wins
By adamg on Tue, 11/08/2016 - 8:27pm
WBUR reports voters decisively defeated Question 2, which would have expanded charter schools, and voted to allow recreational marijuana .
Voters also called for more room for farn chickens and pigs and defeated that stupid Revere slots thing.
In Suffolk County, say hello to your new Register of Deeds, Steve Murphy.
In Boston, results show Question 5, which would add a 1% surcharge to property-tax payment for affordable housing, parks and history, won.
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Comments
Slot expansion isn't stupid
I don't fancy them as a betting man, but to each their own. There should be more licenses for slot parlors. The answer isn't one cherrypicked license. I voted "no," and I'm kind of surprised with myself for doing that.
I also went no on two. I finally thought to ask myself "how many people want to be teachers but aren't?" Because that's your staffing pool for these hypothetical new schools.
Might have been easier to support Question 1 if
the real operators hadn't been so blatantly dishonest. That was slimy even by the standards of the gaming industry.
That's why I called it stupid
I have no opinion on slots one way or another. I do have an opinion, obviously, that a bunch of lying casino operators from out of state pulling a stunt like they did with a ballot question that, somehow, the Supreme Judicial Court said was legitimate for a statewide vote even though it applies to just a single piece of land in Revere.
I voted yes
Even though I knew it would lose.
My fantasy was that it would pass, Sterling Suffolk would no longer apply for racing dates, and someone would get a new track going (Brockton?) meaning someone, but not this clown, would have a chance to operate a "racino".
You realize
the slots parlor wouldn't have been at Suffolk Downs, right?
It could have been, theoretically
On the assumption that Sterling Suffolk was interested in it, which they weren't.
Still, there would have been some poetic justice with the guy from Thailand being stuck with the trailer park while Carney got his slots in Southeastern Massachusetts.
(And yes, the law did not compel the Gaming Commission to even issue the license, but still, this is my fantasy.)
Question 1 WAS stupid, because
the two communities that it would affect most did not want it. Revere had even said yes to the casino in the past, but didn't want this. Find a community willing to host it, and I'll vote yes all day. But we didn't want it out this way, and I'm glad it failed.
agreed
I didnt think it was fair the whole state was voting on a towns future.
Awww
I was expecting my share of the 88 million (guaranteed!)
Unfortunately, My Water Heater Is Broken Right Now
I was afraid if I voted for any of the names printed on the ballot for President, I'd need to take a very long, very hot shower to ever feel clean again.
Luckily, in Massachusetts, I had the luxury of being able to write in Bernie Sanders with little risk of it affecting the outcome. Somehow, it's made me feel unexpectedly proud!
Bummah, as he's not
Bummah, as he's not registered as a write-in here. I would have done the same but it was a guaranteed waste of a vote. At least a vote towards Green would help them towards federal funding.
For Me, I Don't Feel Like I Wasted My Vote At All
If I'd voted for any of the printed candidates, it wouldn't have made any difference because our state would most certainly be a win for Mrs. Clinton. Since I don't like her, voting for her anyway was pointless — that would really be wasting my vote!
It wouldn't change the outcome of the election, yet I would always feel I had been denied the chance to express in the general election, the candidate who, in the bottom of my heart, I wished so badly would become our next president.
By writing in Bernie Sanders, at least my vote would be noted if not counted. After filling out my ballot, when I went to the checkout table, I held it so the ladies standing watch wouldn't have to crane their necks too much to catch their glance of who I had voted for. I think that's when I started feeling really proud about it, and I left the polling place with my head held high.
For me, in this horrible, horrible election, I feel very happy with how I ultimately spent my vote. I got something out of it that made me feel better — and I'll actually be able to live with myself about it!
Candidates don't need to be registered as a write-ins in MA
Write-in or sticker candidates do *not* have to be registered in the Commonwealth in order for votes for them to be counted - all a voter needs to do is use the space provided on the ballot to place a sticker or legibly write the name (and optimally address) of the candidate.
Billie G. spells it all out in black and white:
http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/elestkr/stkridx.htm
So yes, one could have voted for Bernie if one wanted, and that vote would be tallied.
(observant UHubers will recognize this as a cut&paste from a post of mine a couple weeks ago.)
I figured Murphy would win
I figured Murphy would win just because his name was first on the ballot. I'm guessing most people had no idea who any of the register of deeds candidates were and just checked the first box.
Murphy
He will work in his mind while swimming in Florida.
Rubbing it in ..
Um, when is my ad scheduled to end?
For what it's worth
you got my vote. Respect for trying to inject some change and common sense into politics, even if it was a small change.
Mine too
You ran a good race. And were clearly the most qualified. I agree that I don't think many people did their research.
I Was Also Proud To Vote For You — It Was Convenient Too!
( your name was printed on the ballot, so I didn't have to write it in )
Us too John
Both of us. For what it's worth I've interacted with you and Murphy. Our vote was no accident. As much for you as against him.
You got my vote too
Sorry that it didn't work out for you.
I voted for you, too, John.
In a night of disappointments, Murph's win is a big local one for me.
My vote too.
And I cursed a blue streak when I saw the result. People are morons.
Good I'm gonna need that weed
Good I'm gonna need that weed
Smelling too much weed in public
Looking for a way, maybe a good mask, to avoid breathing this sh*t during my commute.
I hate the idea of showing up stoned at work (and getting fired as a result). All the T's subway lines will be full of second-hand stoners like me.
ummm
If you can smoke cigarettes there, then you can smoke weed there. If there is no smoking, it applies to both. This law doesn't mean people just can just light up wherever they want.
If you're talking about smell, the Orange line smells like weed constantly now anyways, and the other lines aren't too far behind.
You'll survive.
MOAR CHOCOLATES
= Less Weed Smell.
People won't smoke so much if there are discrete alternatives.
That's not how this works..
That's not how this works...You won't be getting a contact buzz on the rush hour train.
"Not so fast"
- soon to be AG Rudy Giuliani
Narrowly?
54-46 isn't a landslide victory but it's not what I'd call "narrow" either.
EDIT: Perhaps in response to this comment, Adam removed the word "narrowly" from his post.
Yep, I did
When I originally wrote the headline, it was close, with not all the votes counted. I updated the story, but forgot about the headline.
No free private education for
No free private education for special interest groups, sounds like this is long overdue.
Yep
Because poor inner-city kids seeking a better education alternative are a powerful interest group.
The students are not the
The students are not the special interest group in this case, but the corporation(s) who would be profiting from running the schools most certainly are.
It's over anyways
but check into the facts - the valid issue is/was that the budget for BPS could be partially diverted to charter schools. Money getting siphoned off to fill investor coffers is not the issue.
NONE of the Boston charter schools are for profit entities. Many Brooke teachers and administrators live in JP/Rosi in reality, probably a higher percentage than BPS.
Boston CFO Dave Sweeney
Had an interesting perspective on this.
The takeaway:
I think his analysis may have convinced a few people.
Sure
Like I said, there are/were budget issues to consider but the money isn't disappearing to Wall St. It'd be used in Boston to educate Boston kids.
Anyways, we need to move on and hear more from all the white AWC/BLS parents who mobilized against charters about how BPS will improve for the minority families that are choosing charter schools. I assume the liberals of Newton, Brookline, Lexington, etc.. stopped caring about these kids as soon as Question 2 was defeated. After all, they've got theirs.
Reality check
Question 2 passed in Lincoln, Weston, Dover, Sherborn, Cohasset, Manchester, the islands... it failed in every single city.
Who was trying to pass question 2 and who was trying to stop it? The richest people in the state were trying to pass it, on behalf of other people's children, and everybody else stopped it.
Question 2 - breakdown by ward or neighborhood within Boston?
Do you know of any map or table that shows how Question 2 did in each part of the city of Boston? I'm curious to see if there is significant variation by neighborhood,
The money
There were a lot of factors to the charter question.
While charters in MA are non-profit, many are supported by orgs like the Walton Foundation that advocate for the privatization of public education. The Walton Foundation also donates generously to several 501c4 foundations which give out money to pro charter causes but are not legally required to disclose their donors.
And if your annual accountability report has statements like how they partnered with Bain Consulting last year and have a Net Operating Income of over $300,000, it reads more like a corporation than a public school.
And while many charter school teachers may live in JP/Rosi, they too will leave the neighborhood just like they leave charters for the next step in their career.
Personally I believe that all Boston parents, whether they are parents to a Hispanic student attending a charter or a parent of an Asian student at BLS, want better public schools for all kids. Is that easy to do? No. But I think that this ballot question will push the conversation forward faster.
Finally, the money. The money to cover charters and public schools has to get paid no matter what. But the charter reimbursement from the state does not always happen on time. Therefore, the city must use money from the city's General Fund to cover the cost of education. So if you work for the city and have not got a raise. Or wonder why the trash cans don't get emptied on time. Or why the grass is too long in your local park its because there is less money for things like gas, mower repair, etc. There are ripple effects within the city due to the lack of reimbursement.
Once again, the schools are
Once again, the schools are not for profit however the Charter Management Organizations (CMO's) are for profit. There are also lots of opportunities for many $$ through real estate, others I'm sure if we could find out. Admins in charters tend to have very high salaries, teachers less than public school teachers. And despite charters using your tax dollars you do not have the right to see their audited finances (forget the CMO's) and their meetings are not open.
charters--a good idea taken over by dark money.
May as well set up a pot shop
May as well set up a pot shop on Boston Common since it already reeks of weed every day. If stoners get to smoke bongs on the Common then the rest of us should be able to enjoy a beer.
You've got two plausible solutions
Talk to your reps, or get it on the ballot!
Pathetically dumbest of the
Pathetically dumbest of the dumb live in this city. Can't wait to move the hell out of this state from hell!
I suspect ...
You're not the only one who can't wait for you to move out of this city. Have a nice trip.
Adorable!
State From Hell?
Who knew that Hell had such an excellent standard of living, high wage rates, high marks for child health, senior health, and adult health, low crime rates, the nation's best schools ...
Don't let the border hit your arse on the way out.