This story has been updated with the names of several others who signed on to the letter.
One of Haverhill’s state senators, both state representatives, Haverhill’s mayor and several city councilors are not only urging voters to support a replacement Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School next week, but also raising concern over “tribalism on social media.”
In a joint statement, Sen. Pavel M. Payano, Reps. Andy X. Vargas and Ryan M. Hamilton, Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett, City Council President Thomas J. Sullivan, City Council Vice President Timothy J. Jordan and City Council Past President John A. Michitson and others decried, what they called, “false accusations and the pitting of our communities against each other.”
“Financing a new school is never easy. There are rarely pleasant options for taxpayers. As adults we must govern in reality and face the hard truths. For our constituents, facing those truths can be most challenging on local issues, particularly in a time when local journalism has been decimated. The problem is intensified by the fomentation of tribalism on social media. As elected officials, we can either exacerbate these problems or ease them. It’s our job to use our platform to do our best to inform and deliver the best options for all our residents, even when it’s politically difficult,” the statement reads.
The officials call out new school opponents who accuse Haverhill of “unfairly getting a sweet deal” by reminding them Haverhill sends the most students to Whittier Tech and has borne 50-70% of the annual costs for the last 50 years despite having only 15% of the Whittier School Committee member seats.
They reminded those in other communities that “We’re in this together,” noting “all 11 communities will feel the tax increase, but perhaps none more than our working-class Gateway City of Haverhill. Talk of ‘equity’ in the region should also include the fact that Haverhill serves some of the region’s most challenging populations with social safety organizations, shelters, public housing and more. We’re also doing the most housing production to address our regional housing crisis.”
Officials also took aim at opponents’ contention that “a no vote will somehow ‘force Whittier back to the table’ to create a ‘more affordable building.’” Instead, they argued, more costly renovations will result.
The full statement appears below.
Much has been said about the impending vote for a new Whittier Vocational High School. Unfortunately, civil discussion has devolved into false accusations and the pitting of our communities against each other.
Financing a new school is never easy. There are rarely pleasant options for taxpayers. As adults we must govern in reality and face the hard truths. For our constituents, facing those truths can be most challenging on local issues, particularly in a time when local journalism has been decimated (despite reporting on this project for years). The problem is intensified by the fomentation of tribalism on social media. As elected officials, we can either exacerbate these problems or ease them. It’s our job to use our platform to do our best to inform and deliver the best options for all our residents, even when it’s politically difficult.
In an effort to do so, consider the following.
Opponents of a new vocational school argue that Haverhill is unfairly getting a sweet deal and there’s been talk of a lack of “equity.” The fact is that Haverhill does send the most students to Whittier Tech, but our city also bears 50-70% of the annual costs of the school for the last 50 years. The regional school agreement has been in place since 1967 and holds two separate formulas for operating and capital costs. Despite having a majority of Whittier students from Haverhill, our city only holds 15% of the Whittier school committee member seats. Furthermore, all 11 communities will feel the tax increase, but perhaps none more than our working-class Gateway City of Haverhill. Talk of “equity” in the region should also include the fact that Haverhill serves some of the region’s most challenging populations with social safety organizations, shelters, public housing and more. We’re also doing the most housing production to address our regional housing crisis. We welcome a regional conversation about equity, but let’s be holistic and avoid the pitfalls of zero-sum games. We’re in this together.
Second, some have suggested that a no vote will somehow “force Whittier back to the table” to create a “more affordable building.” Right now the Mass School Building Authority (MSBA) is authorizing $177 million for the construction of a new school. This leaves our communities with an estimated $267 million to finance, whereas renovating the existing school would cost our communities a peer-reviewed estimate of $350 million without state funding. The cheaper option is clear. For $83 million less, our students and local economy get a new vocational school. That doesn’t make this easy, but it makes the most fiscally responsible option very clear.
To suggest to taxpayers that with supply chain issues, labor shortages in the trades, and inflationary factors that somehow, the future holds a more affordable new school is disingenuous at best. Throw in the fact that historical accounts suggest that turning down MSBA funding means you move to the back of the application line and the picture looks even more dire.
Caught in the balance of all of this are our students. They’re all our students. Across the state and country, communities are desperate for the opportunity for a new vocational school. Our region would benefit tremendously, and our students would be able to compete in a 21st century economy. On Tuesday, we encourage what is not an easy vote, but the most responsible vote – vote yes.
On Wednesday morning, it is our hope that we do not have to quote John Greenleaf Whittier’s 1856 Maud Muller poem, where he writes “Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.’”
Vote yes for Whittier.
Sen. Pavel M. Payano
Rep. Andy X. Vargas
Rep. Ryan M. Hamilton
Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett
City Council President Thomas J. Sullivan,
City Council Vice President Timothy J. Jordan
City Council Past President John A. Michitson
City Councilor Devan M. Ferreira
City Councilor Ralph T. Basiliere
City Councilor Melissa J. Lewandowski
City Councilor Colin F. LePage
School Committee Member Yonnie Collins
School Committee Member Jill Story