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There are only 57 days until the election, and while the national contest is riveting all eyes, let’s not forget that an important and potentially damaging referendum is on the ballot in our own state. Question 1, if passed, will repeal the State income tax. This seems ludicrous, given the fiscal crisis underway in many cities and towns, but it’s true. The last time this question was on the ballot was 2002, and it came close to passing with 45% of the vote. Now, times are tough and there is a fear that things might get even worse before we see improvement. People might be inclined to vote for Question 1, and get some short-term relief from higher gas and food prices. Even though the tax burden has declined in Massachusetts (see “Taxachusetts No More”), anit-tax sentiment is still high, and saying “no” to taxes is a knee-jerk reaction for many voters as well as politicians. But, as Governor Patrick said yesterday, “the services people say they want cost something.” This proposal will eliminate 40% (more than $12 billion) of the State’s revenues and will most certainly reduce local aid. Even the Republican leadership is opposing this measure which is once again sponsored by the Libertarian party, with Senator Richard Tisei (Republican, Wakefield) saying, “There are a lot of essential services we would not be able to perform….It’s too extreme.”

“My son has cancer,” I told a complete stranger yesterday; her face widened in shock as my eyes filled and my voice cracked. “Can I tell you my heart is breaking?” I wanted to add, but didn’t, because it was so inappropriate and awkward. The next months of treatment extend a nightmare that started for my family early this summer when I noticed my son’s neck was slightly swollen on one side. My beautiful, kind, intelligent son—not yet 16 years old—now faces four months of chemotherapy to kill the cancer that has invaded his body. Four months is a blip on the screen of his life because his prognosis is very good. It’s a highly curable cancer (Hodgkins Lymphoma) and we caught it very early (Stage 1A). I know he will survive this and live many more wonderful summers, but first we have to get through the treatment and its side effects. A few hours at the Jimmy Fund Clinic was enough to see that cancer chooses its victims indiscriminately, regardless of age or economic status, and that it is a disease that has become horrifyingly prevalent. (Who doesn’t know someone touched by cancer?) This blog will not be focused on our family’s battle with this disease. However, I will devote a page called Battling Cancer that will be updated regularly, so those interested in our progress can check on us.  A few weeks ago, the Globe ran an article about cancer blogs as a way to help folks deal with this disease, so writing as a form of therapy and to keep friends and family updated makes sense. If you are interested in cancer blogs, check here. In the meantime, we’ll take this battle one day at a time, realizing we’re blessed in so many ways. (Think you have problems? Spend an hour in the Jimmy Fund Clinic and your perspective will change.)

As students head off to college, parents should be aware of the need for them to have some degree of financial literacy. As a parent of a college student, I’ve seen the lure of easy credit dangled in front of my teen’s eyes as he routinely gets offered credit cards and tuition loans. A friend tells of freshman orientation at an out-of-state institution last year where the local banks were in the lobby, offering student checking accounts with debit cards – the fine print was certainly buried and they had no idea that automatic overdraft protection was bundled into the account. This specious “service” basically allows students to overdraw their accounts and then hits them with penalties and shockingly high interest rates. The student was home on vacation and carefully checked his balance at the ATM machine before using his debit card, little realizing that he was being charged a few dollars each time he checked, further whittling away at his available funds. Within a few weeks, he got a phone call from the bank about the $120 in fees and penalties owed to them! So, is your college student prepared for financial independence? Is he or she ready to handle a credit card, budget expenses and live within available means? While researching this issue, I discovered that Massachusetts has launched a financial literacy program called HiFi which trains teachers, financial professionals and community members to offer financial literacy classes to teens. The one-day training workshops are free, include lunch and are eligible for Professional Development Points. I’m not sure if any Lowell teachers have taken this on, so in the meantime, here is a good guide for discussing financial habits with your children. As a conversation starter, have them take JumpStart’s Financial Literacy test and then try the Reality Check.

Sometimes when the furor of current events and life anxieties becomes too much, it is helpful to look up at the night sky. (It’s also helpful if you are on boat in the middle of a lake in New Hampshire, say, rather than in Lowell.) Armed with a 99 cent star chart and a member of our party who knew more than the basic two constellations (the Big Dipper and Orion), we explored the summer stars. The Big Dipper was easily spotted, low on the horizon to the northwest. From the outside two stars of the “ladle” we could point straight up to Polaris, the North Star, and thus find the Little Dipper. From the inside two stars of the ladle, we could point to a bright star in the middle of the Milky Way, almost directly overhead. This is Deneb, the lead star of an elongated “cross” that is Cygnus, the Swan. To the Northeast of Cygnus, the “W” of Cassiopeia can be seen, also in the Milky Way. Next to her is the “house shape” of Cepheus, the King on his throne. Apparently, Deneb is one of three bright stars whose constellations form the “summer triangle.” We were happy to discover Cygnus and didn’t get any further on this trip. But the stars are always there, waiting for us to look up and discover some peace in their timeless beauty.