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government

Letter to the editor: your vote is important

March 16, 2015

letter

To the editor:

This is a reminder to Lincoln residents from a candidate, Alvin Schmertzler, running for an uncontested seat on the School Committee.

It is very important that everyone vote on Monday, March 30. Those of us running in uncontested contests need to know that you support what we are doing and how we are doing. That’s why I am asking for your vote on the 30th.

Al Schmertzler
142 Chestnut Circle


Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrel.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Category: government, letters to the editor, schools Leave a Comment

Letter to the editor: vote for Marshall

March 15, 2015

letter

To the editor:

I was thrilled to learn that Nancy Marshall would be running to serve another term on the Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee and am writing a letter of support for her candidacy. The families of Lincoln, Sudbury and Boston are all fortunate that Nancy is willing to continue to bring her thoughtful and collaborative presence to the committee.

Nancy brings two valuable levels of experience to the School Committee position—first as a parent. All four of Nancy’s children were or are students at Lincoln-Sudbury. With over 10 years of parental involvement, Nancy has witnessed how L-S provides a positive and supportive environment for children of varied learning and social styles. She understands, as a parent, the hopes and fears of the families in our high school community and that knowledge helps to inform her decisions.

Nancy also brings a deep level of experience as a member of the school committee. Nancy has already served two terms and has six years of involvement with the committee. With that experience brings valuable knowledge and perspectives of the unique challenges and opportunities at L-S.  She understands the balancing act that often occurs as competing interests and demands are weighed, and she understands the deeper and longer ranging implications of policy decisions.

Nancy brings a thoughtful, deliberate and congenial approach to the committee. She listens well, thinks deeply, does a lot of homework and makes considered decisions based on sound judgment. Her collaborative approach is evident within the discussions of the committee and is also evident in the nature of the conversation with the faculty and administration at the school.

I am grateful that Nancy is eager to continue her role on the L-S School committee and would urge you to vote for her at the election on Monday, March 30th.

Sincerely,

Gina Halsted
1 Oakdale Lane


Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrel.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Category: government, letters to the editor Leave a Comment

Letter to the editor: ACLU is wrong on We the People Act

March 14, 2015

letter

To the editor:

Mr. Coppock in his letter of March 12 suggests that the We The People Act currently in committee at the State House and a topic at the upcoming Town Meeting is an effort to “amend the first amendment.” It is not.

Mr. Coppock also says that the We The People Act is opposed by the ACLU. In fact, there is apparently a “deep rift” at the ACLU over its “official” position on the Citizens United decision, according to a Roll Call report this past fall: “’There is a very, very significant divide within the ACLU on this’, said New York University law professor Burt Neuborne, one of six prominent former ACLU officials who wrote to members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 4 to publicly denounce the national ACLU’s campaign finance position.” See also “The ACLU Gets It Wrong,” an editorial in the Amendment Gazette.

The ACLU opposes any restrictions on free speech. So do I, when it comes to citizens. But the Supreme Court’s decisions in the cases of Citizens United and McCutcheon amplify the voices of corporations and billionaires, drowning out the voices of ordinary citizens, and the ACLU is wrong in supporting them.

What the ACLU, and the Supreme Court, do not seem to recognize is how far these two decisions have gone in replacing a democratic government of, by and for the people with an oligarchy corrupted by the influence of big money in politics. Money is not equal to free speech; it should be “one person, one vote,” not “one dollar. one vote.” Corporations are political constructs whose sole goal is to make money in any way they can; they should not have the rights in the U.S. Constitution reserved specifically for natural persons.

Sincerely,

Jean Palmer
Tower Road


Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrel.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Category: government, letters to the editor 3 Comments

News acorns – 3/13/15

March 13, 2015

Deadline for letters on Town Meeting, election

The Lincoln Squirrel will accept letters to the editor concerning the March 28 Town Meeting and March 30 town election until Tuesday, March 24 at 5 p.m.

Planning Board reschedules meeting on zoning amendments

The Planning Board’s zoning amendment informational meeting on zoning amendments to be voted in at Town Meeting has been switched to Monday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Hall’s Donaldson Room so as not to conflict with the multi-board meeting about the school building project.

Middle school dance on March 27; chaperones needed

The Parks and Recreation Department will hold a dance for Lincoln middle school students on Friday, March 27 from  7:30-10 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Admission is $10 at the door. Parents are asked to chaperone one dance while their child is in middle school. Please contact the Parks & Recreation Department at 781-259-0784 or dpereira@lincnet.org to volunteer.

Gropius House volunteers wanted

Museum shop attendants and greeters are sought for the Gropius House in Lincoln. Duties include welcoming guests, selling merchandise and memberships, and collecting admission fees. For more information, see this Lincoln Squirrel bulletin board listing.

Hazardous waste collection dates set for 2015

The following is a list of the 2015 collection dates for household hazardous waste at the Minuteman Household Hazardous Products Regional Facility (MHHP) at 60 Hartwell Ave. in Lexington from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. All are on Saturdays except where noted.

  • April 18
  • May 16
  • June 21
  • July 18
  • August 15
  • September 13 (Sunday)
  • October 17
  • November 7

All Lincoln residents must preregister by calling Elaine Carroll at 781-259-2613 or by coming to the Board of Health office at 16 Lincoln Road, 2nd floor. Continuing the policy started in 2005, liquid latex paint will not be accepted at this facility; dried paint may be thrown out in the regular trash. See this MHHP page for details on what materials are acceptable and facility.

Category: arts, government, history, news Leave a Comment

Letter to the editor: leaf blower controls aid “the commons”

March 13, 2015

letter

To the editor:

The Leaf Blower Study Committee has worked hard to gain support for regulating the use of leaf blowers in Lincoln. They have earned limited support from the Board of Health for regulation in South Lincoln, but no support for town-wide regulations either from the Board of Health or the Conservation Commission.

[Read more…] about Letter to the editor: leaf blower controls aid “the commons”

Category: government, health and science, leaf blowers*, letters to the editor Leave a Comment

Letter to the editor: support We the People Act

March 12, 2015

letter

To the editor:

On March 28 during Town Meeting, citizens will hear about the We The People Act, a bill filed on Beacon Hill [HD1988] with 83 sponsors and co-sponsors in the Massachusetts legislature. Four states (Vermont, California, Illinois, and New Jersey) have passed legislation calling for an Article V Congressional Convention to amend the U.S. Constitution.

Americans are not happy with elections flooded with money. They would like limits to contributions for candidates who are running for elections. Do we vote for the candidate with the most money or the candidate with the best qualifications? They want to reject the Citizens United ruling made by the U.S. Supreme Court. To restore government of, by and for the people, we need a Constitutional amendment to establish that only natural people are protected by constitutional rights. Money is not the same as free speech guaranteed by the First Amendment.

On Saturday, March 21 from 9-11 a.m. at Bemis Hall, there will be a We the People Act HD1988 workshop when you may ask questions. Sponsors of HD1988 include Senators Jamie Eldridge of Acton and Mike Barrett of Lexington, and Representatives Cory Atkins of Concord and Thomas Stanley of Waltham.

Sincerely,

Jane Cooper


Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrel.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Category: government, letters to the editor Leave a Comment

Letter to the editor: ACLU opposes We the People Act

March 12, 2015

letter

Editor’s note: This letter is in response to a letter posted on March 9 about the upcoming Town Meeting vote on whether to support the We the People Act.

To the editor:

If this effort to amend the First Amendment is such a good idea, why is it opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union, which says, “Unfortunately, legitimate concern over the influence of ‘big money’ in politics has led some to propose a constitutional amendment to reverse the decision [Citizens United]. The ACLU will firmly oppose any constitutional amendment that would limit the free speech clause of the First Amendment.”

The idea of treating corporations as “persons” is neither new nor novel. The definitions sections of both the U.S. Code and the Massachusetts General Laws define “person” to include corporations. Corporations are merely associations of individuals who have banded together to pursue profit (e.g., General Motors) or social goals (e.g., Planned Parenthood).  The First Amendment rights that they exercise are the rights of their stockholders and supporters to advance their goals. That cannot be done without spending money. Limiting the ability of corporations to spend money to publicize their positions on political issues limits the rights of citizens to free association and to speak on political issues.

Sincerely,

Michael Coppock
214 Aspen Circle


Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrel.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Category: government Leave a Comment

Planning Board continues hearing on First Parish

March 12, 2015

firstparish-smThe Planning Board has continued the First Parish Church’s public hearing on the site plan review on the Stearns Room project until April 14 at 8:45 p.m.

­ [Read more…] about Planning Board continues hearing on First Parish

Category: government, Stearns Room* Leave a Comment

Planning Board to hold info session on zoning amendments

March 11, 2015

townmeetingThe Planning Board will host an information session on Monday, March 16 on the zoning amendments that will be voted on at the Town Meeting. The session begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Donaldson Room in Town Hall.

The session will cover the lighting, parking and B-2 district zoning amendments the Planning Board is sponsoring. Details on the amendments can be found on this Town Meeting web page.

The proposals for regulating outdoor lighting are outlined in this letter to the editor from Margaret Olson of the Planning Board. Subsequent letters on the subject can be found here and here.

Category: government Leave a Comment

News acorns – 3/10/15

March 10, 2015

acornTown election ballot online; absentee ballots now available

The Town of Lincoln has published this specimen ballot for the town election March 30 are available now in the Town Clerk’s Office. More information is available on this Town of Lincoln web page.

Dore & Whittier report at several locations in town

The School Building Advisory Committee (SBAC) and Dore & Whittier Architects have completed their study of the Lincoln School. The study focused on developing a wide range of options to address the facility and educational space needs of the Lincoln School. The final report contains a comprehensive accounting of the process and outcomes of their work. Copies of the study are available for public viewing at the following locations:

[Read more…] about News acorns – 3/10/15

Category: government, news, schools Leave a Comment

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