Shirley: a microcosm of the state

Shirley is a small town, and in a small town, the struggles that face larger communities appear out-sized. But it’s a microcosm of what’s beginning to happen to our state.
Today’s Sentinel and Enterprise describes how the town’s staff works four days a week to save on air conditioning and heating. Four of the town’s seven firefighters have been laid off and nine police officers ensure public safety seven days a week.
Students were already opting out of the elementary and middle schools in Shirley before the town laid off 15 staff members, increasing class sizes by 30 percent.
For years now as Massachusetts cities and towns have been struggling to balance their budgets, the mantra of anti-tax activists has been "find more savings." This call reflects a misinformed belief that deep, structural budget deficits can be closed by eliminating inefficiencies is like thinking one can pay rent by pulling pocket change from between couch cushions.
The “find more savings” mantra circumvents an important conversation that needs to happen in our communities about what services we want our government to provide and how we expect to pay for them.
Some towns have had that conversation and passed Proposition 2 ½ overrides to raise more revenues. Others, like Shirley, have simply cut.
Massachusetts residents need to ask themselves what services they want and what’s the best way to pay for them.