Elaine Kersten: Shave school budget, increase funding for DPW

As a citizen of Northampton, I feel strongly that we need to treat the Department of Public Works better in our budgeting. We urgently need to pare back the absurdly over-bloated school budget. We spend half of our coffers on schools. We need more funding for DPW.

We could use some serious budget streamlining here in Northampton, and I believe the school budget has ample budget reduction opportunities. School budget reductions can be made while still meeting our community’s essential, core educational mission. Now is the time.

I have solid state budget experience and if the city needs help with reductions, I am happy to help. Raising taxes on citizens already burdened is not the way to go. We need fiscal efficiency and streamlining now.

I implore city leadership to show courage in reducing city costs in the schools, and redistribute savings to the much-needed DPW.

Elaine Kersten

Florence