Saugus selectman seeks tuition help from governor

SAUGUS – Selectman Michael Kelleher is side-stepping the state delegation in his quest to lower the town’s vocational school tuition and is instead reaching out directly to Gov. Deval Patrick.In a letter, Kelleher asked Patrick to join him in taking action to create a change “that Saugus both needs and deserves.”Kelleher said last month he planned to take on what many see as a losing battle to get the town’s tuition to the Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational School in Wakefield lowered.Kelleher explained to Patrick that the town is one of 12 communities that send students to the school and while it sends fewer than some communities it has one of the highest tuition rates.The tuition formula was devised during the Educational Reform movement in 1993 and was designed to give poorer communities a break. At the time Saugus was considered a wealthier community and while economic circumstances have changed over the years the formula has not.”We send fewer students to the school then most communities,” Kelleher wrote. “Less than would like to attend and we pay over $14,000 per student and more the $2,000,000 per year and this cost is escalating at an alarming rate annually.”The town paid more than two-thirds of the communities attending the school to send 145 students until it was bumped up earlier this year roughly $240,000 to allow for 16 additional students to attend.Kelleher argued that some communities pay less the $4,000 per student per year. Chelsea sends over 200 students but pays only just over $4,000 per kid.”Please know that I care deeply for all students at the school and want the best for their educational needs,” Kelleher wrote.”I support vocational school education. I understand and respect the need to provide for all students. At the same time I know that we need change to end the burden our disproportionate share places on our budget both in this challenging economy and during better economic times.”Kelleher continued on writing that the town makes great sacrifices to pay its share, which he believes comes at the expenses of public school students, public safety and town services including the Senior Center and Youth and Recreation.Calling them areas of great need, Kelleher said the departments have had to receive less they he believes they deserve “due to the burden of the outdated vocational school formula.””Our options are very limited as I am told we need an act of the legislature to change the formula and if we don’t pay what Northeast Metro Tech bills the amount will be deducted from our state aid,” he wrote. “I am asking you to join me and the Town of Saugus in obtaining a change in the formula, allow Saugus to leave Northeast Metro Tech if we can join Lynn or Medford at a more advantageous cost or even create out own vocational school at Saugus High School.”Kelleher said he has been told that the road to change is too difficult, that the bureaucracy is too onerous and the challenge too great.”I say the situation is too important to Saugus Public Schools, public safety and town services to not work together to create solutions and do what it takes to change a formula that prevents Saugus from fulfilling our responsibilities to all students and residents,” he wrote.Kelleher noted in his letter that his comments may or may not represent the thoughts of his colleagues.As a vocational School Committee member Selectman Peter Rossetti said it would have been nice if Kelleher had copied the letter to him as well.Rossetti said getting the formula changed wasn’t as simple as going to the governor and in fact Patrick would technically have nothing to do with that, the legislature would.”It might have been nice if he had let me know and we could have explained it to him,” Rossetti said. “It’s a little more complicated than having the governor join with him.”