Support for the construction of a new Franklin High School gained important momentum this week when State Rep. James E. Vallee endorsed a YES vote in the March 27 town-wide election to pass a debt exclusion for the construction of a$104.5 million high school facility that will cost taxpayers only $47 million.

Rep. Vallee also made a $1,000 contribution to the Citizens for a New Franklin High School, the largest donation so far for efforts to rally the community behind the construction of a fully furnished and equipped 21st century high school and auditorium that would open in fall 2014.

Rep. Vallee’s decision to endorse a YES for FHS vote is unprecedented. Although he is a longtime and consistent supporter of public education in Franklin — bringing our community generous sums of Chapter 70 funding that has kept property tax rates low, he has never announced a public position on any previous local vote.  You can view the Milford Daily News front-page article on Rep. Vallee’s endorsement by clicking here.

Rep. Vallee joins more than 550 Franklin citizens who have publicly announced their intention to vote YES for FHS on March 27. A number of community groups have delivered unanimous endorsements, including members of the Franklin Town Council, the Franklin Finance Committee, the Franklin Long Range Financial Planning Committee, the Franklin Recreation Advisory Board and the Franklin Democratic Town Committee. You can view the most current supporters list at www.newfhs.com/supporters.php. It’s updated weekly.

Passage of the debt exclusion is not guaranteed by any means, so your active and ongoing support is vital to making the proposed high school a reality.  There are a number of ways that you can help ensure that we get as many YES votes as possible on March 27:

• Register to vote by 8 p.m. on March 7th in the Town Clerk’s Office.
• Request an Absentee ballot now. It will be mailed to you after March 7^th. You can also vote early! For more information, please visit: http://franklinma.virtualtownhall.net/Pages/FranklinMA_Clerk/HighSchoolOverride.pdf.
• Make a donation to help pay for campaign materials. How much you can give depends on your personal financial circumstances, but experts suggest a contribution of $10 per family member as a benchmark. Go to www.newfhs.com/contact.php for information on how you can make a contribution.
• Put our “Vote Yes for FHS” sign on your front door and car window. You can download and print the sign at http://www.newfhs.com/facts.php. Lawn signs cannot be erected until mid-March.
• Continue to visit www.newfhs.com for current information on the new FHS and why it deserves your YES vote. New FAQs will be uploaded in a week.

Please share this post with your friends and neighbors here in Franklin so that everyone will continue to have updated information.  Please email voteyesforFHS@gmail.com, or visit: http://www.newfhs.com/contact.php for more information.