B6 CONCORD MONITOR Saturday, October 12, 2002 SCHOOL Continued from Page B-1 2003. But super low interest rates spurred the city to look at bonding the project in December instead of next June. The city will probably save even more money by starting the project early, the school board has said, because construction bids are usually more competitive during the winter. The renovations, school board member Beth Arsenault said at the last council meeting, are about more than just fixing wires and installing new carpet. "It's about parity," she said.
The city spent about $8.4 million renovating the Elm Street and Pleasant Street elementary schools last year. The Woodland Heights project would ensure all of the city's elementary students get the same quality of education. The elementary school renovations are the first steps in repairing WALK Continued from Page B-1 or replacing the city's long neglected schools. A decade of bare bones budgeting left many of the city's buildings in disrepair, including the five schools. The school board plans on renovating the high school and replacing Memorial Middle School over the next few years.
The council isn't expected to vote on the Woodland Heights renovation until November. The public hearing will be held on Tuesday at 7 p.m. before the regular council meeting, which has been rescheduled because Monday is Columbus Day. The council will also discuss forming a Bike Week committee and see the new property tax rates for the first time. (Meg Heckman can be reached at 528-2027, or by e-mail at says Dennehy, is to promote accep- patience," she said.
"She's given tance and awareness. as much to me in five years as I've "Some people do it in places given her." where no one will see the kids," she said. "I wanted to do it right on Main Street." Dennehy has been a volunteer with the Northern New England Down Syndrome Congress since moving from Maryland to New Hampshire. The organization, which provides support and education to parents, teachers and providers, is sponsoring the Buddy Walk in conjunction with the National Down Syndrome Society. Annie Forts, a New Hampshire native with Down Syndrome who works as an advocate and motivational speaker, will lead the pack.
Most people know little about the chromosomal abnormality that affects around 250,000 people in the United States, said Dennehy. Though people with Down Syndrome exhibit a range of talents, abilities and personalities, kids are sometimes seen as perpetually happy or unable to learn, she said. "Liam is happy because he's Liam, not because of Down Syndrome," she said. Sabrina McKenna, a parent from Newmarket, will accompany her 5-year-old daughter Cassidy on the walk. McKenna and her daughter have attended Buddy Walks in New York, including a large-scale annual walk through Central Park.
"It was a great experience," she said. "It felt good to see so many people with Down Syndrome doing so well." Raising Cassidy, a sometimes wild tomboy who loves animals and the outdoors, has been a combination of joys and challenges. "When she reaches a milestone, there's a lot more excitement because a group of people have been working toward that goal," said McKenna. "When she achieves that goal, it's much more exciting because things have been harder for her." McKenna, like Dennehy, has been faced with the task of informing people about Down Syndrome. Some problems haven't been as easy to solve as others.
This year, her town's school system decided not to provide Cassidy with a oneon-one aide in kindergarten despite McKenna's repeated requests. Now the family is moving to another town so Cassidy's educational needs can be met. "Parents shouldn't have to educate teachers, but I find myself doing that," she said. But sometimes, said McKenna, Cassidy is the teacher. "What she's taught me is THEFT Continued from Page B-1 Audits conducted by the Granite Group and later by its insurance company turned up documents indicating that Cardoza had ordered dozens of laptops and other computers that were nowhere to be found.
The Granite Group fired Cardoza and notified the police, who assigned a detective to collect information like FedEx tracking numbers and shipping statements. "It was a paper chase," Mitchell said. "It took time to put it all together. And this isn't a routine type of theft for us. I mean, that's a lot of money for a six-month period." The Concord police arrested Cardoza yesterday morning at his job in Gilford.
The police did not disclose where Cardoza is currently employed. He was released yesterday on $75,000 personal recognizance bail and is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 7 in Concord District Court. Mitchell would not comment on why Cardoza took the computers or what he did with them. "The Granite Group is the victim here," said Mitchell.
"It is my understanding that they made good with payments for the vendors and took responsibility for their employee's actions." (Allison Steele can be reached at 224-5301, ext. 314, or by e-mail at PLANS Continued from Page B-1 next governor and Legislature will begin work almost immediately on a budget for the period starting July 1, 2003. If he is elected, Benson would face high hurdles getting his plan enacted. He would have to ask lawmakers to scrap the current aid law even though it would mean less money for their communities. Local officials directly affected by the reductions also might mount a campaign to leave aid alone.
In return for the cap, Benson promises there will be no broadbased taxes if he is governor. Democrat Fernald, by contrast, wants to dramatically increase state aid to schools. He proposes to do that by enacting a 4 percent income tax earmarked for schools, a plan certain to face fierce legislative opposition even if Fernald wins the election. Even if legislators went along, people wouldn't begin paying the tax until 2004. In the meantime, Fernald would let state aid for next school year rise based on the current aid law and boost aid as his tax plan was implemented.
Benson and Fernald disagree not only on the state's total obligation to schools but on who should pay and how to target aid. The state uses different formulas to calculate its total aid obligation and to distribute the money among schools. Spending by a select group of schools is used to calculate the state's obligation. In distributing aid, the state starts with a perpupil amount and adjusts it for the higher costs of teach- school the than inflation," he says. same.
We all Fernald also would eliminate a know situa- 10 percent reduction built into the tions are differ- aid formula on the assumption ent," Benson that 10 percent of school spending says. is not essential. Fernald Those steps would boost state would use the aid to about 75 percent of the income tax to roughly $1.7 billion in total school increase aid spending each year, Fernald estiand shift some mates. of the cost of Distributing aid. Benson Benson Fernald paying for would distribute anything above schools from $904 million through a new (yet to Benson ing the disabled, poor and high school students.
Benson and Fernald propose adjusting both formulas. Here's how. Total aid. Benson would cap aid at $904 million a year for the next two years. That includes $897 million in general school aid, $2 million i in kindergarten aid and $5 million for tax relief.
Critics say the cap would shift some of the state's burden onto local property taxpayers as school costs rose. In the future, Benson would base total aid on the cost of achieving specific goals, such as teaching students to write essays. The total would never be less than $904 million, though, and no community would get less than it got this year. "The current formula is flawed. It treats every student and every property owners to wage earners.
If the tax had been in effect last school year, state aid to schools would have been $1.3 billion instead of the actual $881 million, he says. "The base amount should be calculated, not capped," he says. "Our constitutional obligation is that we pay for an adequate education. Over time, that's going to go up with inflation and the growth in Growth in aid. Both candidates would limit aid growth by tying it to inflation, but they differ on which inflation measure to use.
Benson would use the Northeast Consumer Price Index. Fernald and other critics say that index doesn't measure labor costs, the biggest school expense. Fernald would use an inflation index based on labor costs. "Wages over time rise faster Hurry! Sale Ends Monday! Starting At: $199-Twin, $259-Full, $399-Queen, $499-King Half Off Sale! KING Perfect Contour KOIL Prestige Choice was $889.99 99 Perfect Copperfield Monthly Payments As Queen 2 piece set Queen 2 piece set $24 Posture Care KING Posture Support Perfect Sleeper SPRING) Ultimate Pillowtop KOIL Serenity Serta Midway AIR Pillow Monthly $17: Pillow Monthly $201 Pillow 099 As Payments Low as $153 Top As Payments Low Top As Payments Low as Top $399 Monthly Twin 2 pc. set.
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Need would be measured by student achievement reflected largely in scores on statewide tests given each year. Benson says that would put the focus where it should be, on "outputs, not inputs." Fernald would add a tax-effort factor to the existing formula to give poor towns extra aid. Neither believes his plan would require a constitutional amendment. However, Benson would like to change the constitution SO wealthy towns would not have to subsidize schools in poor towns, Herman says. Libertarian candidate John Babiarz would limit state help to aid targeted for specific results.
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