Nashua Telegraph - Latest Comments in Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

parent — Sun, 17 Feb 2008 15:36:12 -0000

Well, Nashua I guess your years of having quality education are coming to an end. You never seem to have the money for the teachers and they are responsible for your childrens' futures.

Join some of the larger cities south of the border (Lawrence, Lowell and Haverhill) who have sub par staff. I grew up in a place down there who never put the money into the school

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

Homeschooled — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 20:28:30 -0000

Chomp

Bite the hand that feeds you

If the money IS there, why should it ALL go
to one city department?

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

teacher — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:28:04 -0000

ps--why is it every time a teacher on any forum is unhappy about the way things are they're told to leave?? Where's the appreciation for the years of service? Where's the understanding of the community? Why aren't we "allowed" to stay and fight, and instead are told to get out?? Who will be left if we all follow the directive to "just leave"?

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

teacher — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:26:06 -0000

How is that cynical? It's the reality--the money is there, the BOA and the mayor are choosing not to use it. If they were to override the cap, teachers would get retro, the contract could be passed, and the taxpayers would be unaffected as far as retro pay is concerned, since it would be coming out of a city account rather than taxpayer pockets. And it isn't like no one saw this coming! So if it is cynical to believe as I do, so be it, I"m a cynic.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

Skye — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 13:59:21 -0000

Such cynicism

It is time for you to look elsewhere.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

Another City Worker — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 11:55:03 -0000

It already is considered the armpit. That used to be Salem, not anymore.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

TDF — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 10:13:34 -0000

Teacher if that is really true then double shame on Nashua!

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

teacher — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 09:23:27 -0000

I believe that the money IS there...in a fully funded general fund of several million dollars. In fact, I belive the money not used for property tax relief (approximately $3million, ironically) was put into that fund. I also believe that it could be used (after proper voting, etc) without affecting people's taxes in any way whatsoever. But the mayor and the aldermen are choosing not to take that path. Instead, I fear we're headed in a far darker direction.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

anonymous — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 08:25:52 -0000

That would not be a surprise.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

overburdened taxpayer — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 08:16:23 -0000

When will the NTU finally realize that the City of Nashua is like a family. No member of any family should be allowed to grab all the food at the dinner table - leaving nothing for the rest of the family. The teachers union must realize that there are only so many $s in the pot. Those $s come out of the pockets of the taxpayers - many of whom are experiencing cutbacks in their jobs and many who pay a heavy sum for their health insurance. Mayor Lozeau did as any responsible parent would do. Excesses cannot and will not be tolerated. It's quite simple. The $s are simply not there. The City cannot afford this excess. Mayor Lozeau deserves the praise and support of our citizens. She has acted with great courage in the face of an angry group who is thinking only of themselves. Let's rally behind our mayor and give her all the support she needs to keep our community an attractive place to live for everyone. Thanks Mayor Lozeau. You are a woman of courage!

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

love lozeau!!! — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 07:23:39 -0000

this is forMOVING ON.......need help with the resume?

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

George Thomas — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 05:42:05 -0000

Thank You From a NASHUA TAXPAYER,
I really would like to know whthe number from the teachers union and teachers are NASHUA TAXPAYERS
Thank You Mayor,,

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

Moving On — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 03:42:15 -0000

Thank you Mayor! As an educator here in Nashua I have been waiting for an answer and you have now given me that. I can now concentrate on my resume.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

Paul — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:15:18 -0000

To Mayor Lozeau -

I wonder what you would do if teachers started leaving for jobs in other areas of the state. Would you be scratching your head wondering why? You may regret your decision to line item veto the retro raises.

I didn't realize the writers guild came to Nashua to work on the story line of the Nashua Teachers and Mayor Lozeau.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

Jeff — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:38:07 -0000

It is nice to know we can attract citizens to live in Nashua with our nice roundabouts, automated trash, water and a nice senior center with a resource officer. If they have kids they should move to Hollis, Hudson, Milford, Merrimack, Amherst, or Bedford to get a better education, because it is obvious that Nashua will soon be considered the armpit of NH.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

teacher — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:52:36 -0000

I believe the new mayor has no college education.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

Amazed — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:39:57 -0000

I absolutely agree with what you wrote. Nashua has increased the subsidized housing market. The free / reduced lunch rates have increased through out the district. ELL programs have sky rocketed draining education dollars.
The city leaders are perpetuating their level of ignorance. The enrollments coming into the school district should be tracked to determine who is moving here- kids straight out of YDC, Spanish speaking only, parents renewing their welfare benefits, the list goes on.
Nashua is not attracting any model citizens. No, the only industry Nashua has attracted is another shopping center for the South end.
It would be interesting to have each city leader disclose their own levels of education? As Mayor you only need "some" college but are responsible for managing the finances of this city. All on basic high school math?
I hope the teachers have it in them to assure the parents of Nashua some quality bonding time with their school aged children. Have you ever heard a parent state they are so sad Summer vacation is over and it is with great disappointment their kids return to school?
Teachers stay strong & united

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

teacher — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:33:33 -0000

How much money do you really think you would have had to pay out of your pocket? Believe me, it is not as much as Mayor Lozeau is expecting us to pay. The downwind spin that Nashua education has been in has now been set in fastfoward motion. It won't be long to be another Lawrence or Chelsea.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

anonymous — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 21:34:27 -0000

Very sad day for Nashua. Then again, I am not a real Nashaun. Was not born here, was not educated here (thankfully)

Then again, I cannot expect to stay here long, but with that there will go a resident who could afford to pay their taxes and invest in the community.

The message you sent here is give us your poor, your uneducated, and we'll give you kids a nice building to be baby sat in, but for an edcuation, move somewhere else, becuase we even though we can afford it here, we don't care.

Maybe I can sell my house to a native, that will make 1/4 of my salary, but was born here, and then you can give them a tax break, and hear them whine about how expensive things are here.

A great cycle you are perpetuating. Soon we'll be like Springfield, MA, or Gary Indiana, or some or maybe Detroit, MI or Akron, Ohio.

For those that were educated here, or never crossed the city line, those are Amercian Cities, and they are depressed environments. Kind of like the place Nashua is on the track to become.

Now how about spending some more money on the Pennichuck aquisition so you can mismanage that sucessful company, and decrease the salaries to the point that the only ones who will work there are those with no other options, or understanding of what proper wages are.

Can you imaging the contract negotiations after Pennichuck is aquired? Some of those employess are just super rich. They make like 75 to 100K per year? They are gazillionaires, almost as rich are teachers and stuff.....

This place is just absurd.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

Amazed — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 21:27:51 -0000

It is unfortunate as teachers are also taxpayers. But, why is it the teachers are asked to get a 0 % for 18 months as opposed to every other Union contract? That is commendable? Maybe it is time for the Teachers to swim out of these "troubled waters" here in Nashua right ino a community that values what you do!

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

love lozeau!!! — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:23:24 -0000

thank you mayor Lozeau. I knew i voted for the right person. thank you,thank you thank you

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

teacher — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:21:42 -0000

For my two cents, I'm guessing that the union will start from scratch at this point. Because of the way the contract is written, the steps were to be staggered after giving up the 2006 salary schedule. And the way they were staggered indicated that the next (2nd) step would take place in February...in other words, not just a year's worth of retro pay given up, but a year and a half's worth of salary "gains" (gave up fall 2006--vetoed all of 2007, next step to take place this month based on the latest contract proposal). For some teachers, we're being asked to give up literally thousands of dollars for work we already did, and went clearly unappreciated.
I hope Nashua is ready for the repercussions I feel are certain to come.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

overburdened taxpayer — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:39:11 -0000

Congratulations Mayor Lozeau. You truly are the mayor "of the people" and the people of Nashua thank you so very much for taking this action. You are to be commended for your courage to do the right thing. Nashua is so fortunate to have a mayor who does not just "talk the talk" but "walks the walk in troubled waters". I am behind you 100% in this matter and support this action wholeheartedly. Thank you and God Bless.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

Mike M. — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:32:24 -0000

well, the line has been drawn it seems.

Re: Nashuatelegraph.com: Mayor vetoes teacher contract

Rex — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:17:14 -0000

F-I-N-A-L-L-Y