(NewtonLiberalMania: Newton, Mass) Today is election day in Newton where voters will decide whether they want to raise their property taxes to provide more revenue for the city’s 2009 budget.
To comply with campaign finance laws, citizens have taken sides and formed two Ballot Question Committees, the pro override Move Newton Forward and anti-override Newton For Fiscal Responsibility.
Another group with the same street address as the Newton Public School system has taken a position too, The Newton Schools Foundation.
On page 9 of last week’s edition of the Newton Tab the Newton Schools Foundation (NSF) placed a half page “paid political advertisement” endorsing the override.
Using a NSF logo the ad’s headline states, “Newton Schools Foundation Supports “YES” on May 20.” It goes on to say the “Newton Schools Foundation supports a “yes” vote for the $12 million operating override on May 20, 2008″ and then concludes with an urgent appeal to voters to “vote yes on May 20th.”
According to the ad, it was “paid for privately by members of the Board of Directors of the Newton Schools Foundation.” Newton Public Schools (NPS) Superintendent Dr. Jeffery Young is on this board.
The newspaper ad says the”Newton Schools Foundation is not part of the Newton Public Schools” but raises private money for special programs in the schools and “broaden[s] public support for public education.” The NSF has the same office address as the Newton Public Schools, is listed in the NPS online phone directory, and has an NPS email address.
But, as of election day it does not appear that the NSF, a 501c3 non profit, has registered a separate ballot question committee with the Newton Election Commission to raise and expend money for the TAB advertisement.
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