MOOREcol.01-11-04. . . . . 24

Hed :� 

How to outsmart 
The override trap

By BOB MOORE 

It's the� oldest trick in the book and you're about to be snookered by it 
Wednesday night.

Like this : If you don't vote for the McAuliffe Library in Saxonville 
Wednesday night, you'll find it stuffed into the $86 million capital spending 
override.

Pause. Along with a number of other unprepared building� projects that 
Manager George King is offering� in a 25-year debt exclusion override.

An override that no one seems anxious to touch. 

The catch is this : For several years the Library Board has gone through the 
hoops sprucing up the desire and lining up the costs.

This elected board and its allies are fighting off recent claims that 
Framingham, a town larger than 29 of the 41 Bay State cities, can't afford a new 
branch that offers books, reference material, room to read in and� meeting rooms 
that can accommodate interested parties.

The manager has come out with all guns blazing� against a "yes" vote on the 
library Wednesday night. King has included the very same addition in his 10 or 
12 projects in the override.

The pitch : If the pro-library forces, with figures down to the last nickel, 
are turned down, they'll still fight for redress. They can get it in the 
override.

Let me clue you in. In 1990, Schools lost their case at Town Meeting. In 
1991, somehow funds for schools in three other departments were refused. WHAM!

But just like that, activists for four departments were lined up, and 
surprise - they all got their purses filled through the 1991 override. In numbers 
there is strength.

Maybe it struck you as odd, as it did me, when the 4-1 Board of Selectmen 
went 5-0 against King's strong opposition of the library vote. They looked good 
with a meaningless support of the library and all good things. Another example 
of politics in the 4-1 board that George owns.

Ownership is a matter of having enough votes to support whatever the 
manager wants.� And maybe you've noticed that it has brought into the awkward position that 
the manager has been able to throw out plans that have no solid figures to 
back them.

And the administration has been able to hold off on letting� the public know 
what's coming next or why. How long is it since you've heard a peep from the 
Memorial Building about the next annual budget? Not a word. When did that ever 
happen before?

And when has the Memorial Building ever been a position to skip normal 
procedure in offering projects like the $86 million override? The less we know, the 
chance is that when the Administration asks for a vote, we'll rush into . . . 
. whatever?

Tell me when the ad hoc committee named to examine the $86 million 
proposition is going to meet? Is anyone going to ask questions?

Just remember the control of the 4-1 Board means that it won't question 
anything put before it , Time to change the guard?
___________________________________________
You can reach Bob Moore at edmoore4@aol.com or at 1-508-620-1449. [Let it 
ring; he's slow.]



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