We the undersigned request that the City of Medford fully fund the technology plan proposed by the Technology Advisory Committee. We feel that the $2 million put forward by Mayor McGlynn is an insufficient amount to adequately furnish our schools with new computers and related technology. We urge the Mayor, the School Committee, and the City Council to approve the $3.8 million expenditure recommended by the Technology Advisory Committee.

Our children need the tools and education necessary to compete in the labor market of the 21st century. The technology in our schools has not been maintained in recent years, and the result is a woefully inadequate technological infrastructure. We support excellence in our schools, and strongly feel this investment will bring our schools up to date, and allow Medford to compete with the surrounding communities.

We also support the addition of a new line item that will adequately fund the maintenance and turnover of computers and related technology on an annual basis so that our schools are not faced with a similar technology crisis in the future.

Having a strong school system reflects well on our community, and benefits everyone who lives here. The Technology Advisory Committee has concluded that $3.8 million is the minimum amount necessary to build an effective and efficient technology system in the Medford schools. We strongly urge Mayor McGlynn, the School Committee, and the City Council to approve the plan and the budget advanced by the Technology Advisory Committee.