No Shortage of Arrogance in Bedford

The Bedford Town Council’s public hearings on the proposed 2014 town budget, the proposed road bond issue, and the proposed bond to fund the construction of a fire department substation on South River Road all took place at Wednesday night’s Town Council meeting. Did you watch it on BCTV Channel 22?

I was impressed by the level of depth that was given to explaining the need for the bond issues, and the rationale presented for their passage, and to the answers provided for questions about the overall town budget. Residents who asked questions had them answered, and I believe that the very few who expressed criticisms or concerns would agree that they were not dismissed without any response.

Was there some outrage expressed about the big tax increase that we’re going to experience once again due to the school side of our tax bill? Yes, there was. And I was one of the people who lamented that town needs that affect all of us are not being met because of the school tax burden. That burden may once again delay or negate vital town services when voters go to the polls in March. Once again, all of us continue to be held hostage by school expenses. And once again, legitimate town needs are not fully met in the town budget because the Town Council fully recognizes that Bedford taxes are now a real issue. Because our votes will do little to curb school spending even if we vote against the proposed school budget, those upset over taxes may very well vote against town bond issues simply to express their anger by voting against town tax-supported necessities. At some point, all of us reach a saturation point, and for many residents, the saturation point has been hit.

So, did we hear from any representative of those who support any and all school expenditures regardless of their effect on everything else and everybody else? That question is similar to asking if tomorrow is Saturday. Of course we did. Residents were once again treated to the comments of someone who is becoming a familiar face for the self-appointed “no cost is too high for our schools” cheerleading squad . Or should I instead say the “gimme crowd” whose wants are all-important? As usual, those disturbed by school spending were essentially described as the older residents of town. You know, the drooling old people who hate kids and are selfish too. The same folks who one of the “gimme crowd” once wrote should just move out of town. (I’ll need to do some research to learn if she was the one who wrote that insulting letter to the editor.) Apparently the “gimme crowd” is of the belief that only those whose minds are being affected by age are mainly the only people who would question school spending. Others who do are simply not as intelligent as the members of the elite gimme group who can only hope that those inferior people will also move out of town to places where less superior people live.

Anyway, although she said something about her sympathy for old people, she also said that those residents “who no longer work” should have planned better for their retirement. Think that is arrogant? This charming Bedford resident didn’t mention any sympathy for anyone whom she apparently judges as not as smart as she is. Not worthy of her mention, I guess.

The meeting will soon be available to see by video on demand on the BCTV website at www.bedfordtv.com . I encourage you to watch it. The video will have markers, so if you don’t want to watch the whole meeting, you can click on the marker that indicates the portion of the meeting that was the public hearing on the town budget.  See for yourself the arrogance that exists in our town against anyone who has a problem with always escalating school costs. If you are one of those people, you will see how you are summarily dismissed. As is usual in the Bedford bubble.

I’ll say it again. We’ve allowed the creation of a monster. And the monster will continue to gobble up every dollar that it can. How long before the monster will demand a bigger high school stadium, an ice rink for high school hockey, on campus tennis courts, or an indoor swimming pool?. After all, it would be “for the children”. How long before it says that we should pay for IB tests in addition to paying for IB? (That idea was already floated by one of the self-appointed cheerleaders.) How long before the monster discovers something new or something that another school system has somewhere in this world that we must also have in Bedford lest we deprive the children?

You kind of have two choices. Suck it up and resign yourself to feeding the monster. Or, start demonstrating that you’re mad as hell and not going to take it anymore.

Meanwhile, recognize that in Bedford in the year 2014, all of us will once again be deprived of things due to the holding down of the town’s side of your tax bill. The monster that we’ve allowed is smugly smiling.