Save Lowell High

Please take a minute and read and share the op-ed from Chair Michael Gallagher, published in today's Lowell Sun:

There was a time when the editorial page of The Sun was a place of fair-minded and reasoned commentary on the issues of the day. No more. In recent months, it has been replaced by the editor's often snide and sarcastic cheerleading for his position in the Lowell High School siting debate.

Exhibit "A" is the editorial on Friday, Nov. 3, wherein he seeks to defend the pro-Cawley group's recent "No Higher Taxes -- Vote No on 1," front-page newspaper ad. That ad is irrefutably, undeniably false and deceptive. All downtown and all Cawley supporters know full well -- based on the studies which show the pressing need for a substantial high school upgrade and the many votes and deliberations by elected and appointed bodies over the past year -- that there are only two options for a new high school in front of the citizens of Lowell. One is to rebuild and renovate the high school downtown. The other is to relocate to the Cawley Stadium site. There is no option on the table to do nothing, and all of us -- downtown advocates, Cawley backers, elected officials, the media, all of us -- know that. Therefore, the only options in front of us -- as they involve the construction of a new high school -- will cost money and will have implications for us as taxpayers.

The recent "No higher taxes - Vote No on 1" advertisements by some Cawley supporters, then, are, among other things, an obvious and desperate attempt to mislead the public into thinking that voting "Yes" means higher taxes, and that a "No" vote won't mean higher taxes. In truth, a "Yes" vote is the less expensive option for Lowell taxpayers.

The most recent estimates from City Hall are clear: moving the high school to Cawley will cost taxpayers much more than keeping it downtown -- more than $56 million dollars over the next 10 years. Thus, voting "No" will in fact increase taxes by leading to the relocation of the high school to Cawley, the more expensive option.

These false advertisements are more than misleading, though; they reflect a cynicism about the electorate. Their authors apparently believe that some Lowell voters won't recognize this deception, and will be misled. We believe otherwise. We trust in the wisdom and common sense of Lowell voters and know that they will see through this ruse.

Despite these facts, the editorial writer proceeds to call the ad a "clever idea" while again disparaging the ballot initiative which has been before Lowellians for some four months now and which was signed by over 7,000 registered voters.

Defending this kind of cynical advertising is unbecoming to a great paper.

Misleading is not leading. To paraphrase Shakespeare, "A ruse by any other name is still a ruse."

Michael Gallagher
Chair
Save Lowell High School

One intrepid supporter realized that on Halloween, you don't need to knock on doors, because the voters come to you! This wasn't an official campaign effort, but we appreciate the grassroots support for Yes on 1! Don't be tricked by Cawley, and don't forget to vote on November 7th!

The facts in this article support keeping the high school downtown- downtown costs Lowell taxpayers less to build and to operate, and it addresses a big concern folks have- disruption to students from construction:

“Downtown option three, the only downtown plan that has been given real consideration so far, would not require any modular classrooms or a temporary gymnasium, according to the most recent report from project manager Skanska and architect Perkins Eastman, which was given to the City Council on June 6.”

After months of Lowell High debate, a primer on the options LOWELL -- On Tuesday, voters will be asked to select a new City Council, new School Committee, and offer their opinion on a nonbinding referendum about where the new high school should be built.

LHS alum Marty Meehan also stopped by this morning to talk about why he wants to keep LHS downtown!