Ray Gottwald's Blog

Welcome to Ray's Blog

Last Friday, I attended a meeting in Harwich hosted by Michael Gradone. Supt. of the Nauset School District and outgoing Harwich School Supt. Rosemary Joseph regarding Chapter 70 school funding. The focus of the discussion was how the Cape is still being short changed by the current school funding formula which puts our schools at a big disadvantage with a formula based on property values and not income. Likely to only complicate the matter further is declining school enrollments across the Cape.

State Senator O’Leary, State Representatives Gomes (Lower Cape),  Turner (Mid-Cape) and Gifford (Wareham) who were in attendance talked about several ideas they have to increased funding including; lobbying for a minimum 20% foundation budget for schools on the Cape and a formula that is based 50% on income and 50% on property values. One basic fact remains is the small number of legislators representing the Cape and Islands on Beacon Hill. They face a major challenge convincing urban legislators that in some cases receive 85% or more of their funding from the state to change the formula. Perhaps that is why some of our legislators are looking for areas to increase funding by other means.

The bottom line on all of this is that in order for us to get our fair share for the Cape we have to build strong coalitions with legislators from other regions of the state who also are adversely impacted by the Education Reform Act of 1994.There’s something we all need to do on the Cape whether you’re a legislator or not. Many of us lived in other parts of the state : Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Lowell, Fall River, New Bedford, Brockton, Lynn, etc. before moving to the Cape. You may still have family and friends in your former home town and connections to urban legislators on Beacon Hill.

All of us need to educate and re-educate our friend’s and relatives across the state that the Cape might have comparatively high property values but there are not many jobs that are paying a livable wage. Working two or there service sector jobs often without benefits is the norm. We have a lot of hidden poverty on the Cape which many folks in Boston aren’t aware of. It’s our job to do just that!! In my campaign for State Rep. for the 4^th Barnstable District I have already discussed the issues of high property values and low income and the hidden poverty on the Cape with Boston area legislators.

I also plan on talking to the advocates that were instrumental in lobbying to create a Barnstable County Human Rights Commission to join us in this cause for Education Reform. .And how about our Senior Citizens Advocacy Groups? We need to reach out beyond the selectmen and school committee members and other “usual suspects” and develop a cape-wide grass roots lobbying efforts that touches every corner of the state and includes a broad range of citizens and constituency groups.

Voters may email me at  RayGottwald@aol.com