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Voters will have final say May 15
~ Override goes to special
election ~
By Jay Turner
Citizen Staff
Although
supporters of a $4.5 million Proposition 2 1/2 override may have
scored a victory at town meeting last week with the approval of
next year’s operating budget, the real test will be this
Thursday, May 15, when voters go to the polls to decide the fate
of the override itself.
Initiated by
the School Committee in October as a response to recent budget
cuts, the proposed tax increase would add $1.387 million to the
school budget and $272,000 to the municipal budget in fiscal
year 2009; supplement, to a lesser extent, operating expenses in
2010 and 2011; and also cover the additional contractual and
healthcare costs incurred by the restoration of town employees.
While the
added burden on home and business owners would vary depending on
property value, the override would cost an “average” household —
assuming an assessed home value of $500,000 — an additional $447
over the next three years: $185 in 2009, $119 in 2010 and $143
in 2011.
Thursday’s
special election, which operates under the same rules as a
regular town election, will mark the second time in the past 16
months that the town has had a chance to override the state’s
tax-levying limit, which took effect in 1982 and prevents cities
and towns from raising property taxes by more than 2.5 percent
annually.
Last
January, residents rejected a three-year, $3.95 million override
request by a narrow 332-vote margin, resulting in a town-wide 5
percent budget cut. And despite the sense of optimism
surrounding this year’s effort, a victory next week would be a
first for the town of Canton, which has yet to pass an
operational override in the 26 years that Prop 2 1/2 has been in
effect.
Unlike last
year, however, the latest request has the backing of the Finance
Committee, which voted 8-2 in March to support the override as a
means to “restore critical town services and maintain academic
excellence in our schools.” The Finance Committee had opposed
the previous override by a vote of 7-3.
Another
apparent difference with this year’s effort is the approach
being taken by the School Department, led by popular new
superintendent Dr. John D’Auria, who initiated a months-long
speaking and writing campaign in an effort to separate fact from
fiction regarding the school budget. As opposed to last year’s
focus on the impending budget cuts, D’Auria has instead framed
the override as a choice between quality and mediocrity, while
emphasizing the importance of areas such as extracurriculars and
athletics to a child’s overall growth.
According to
recently named School Committee Chairman Reuki Schutt, D’Auria
has done a “great job” in reaching out to various groups in town
and explaining exactly how and why the added funding will help.
“Our job is
purely to be sure the public is well educated [on the subject of
the override],” she said, while adding that they are beginning
to hear from former opponents who have now decided to change
their vote.
“I don’t
think we can say that the sky is not falling; but scaring people
and threatening people — that’s not what we’re trying to do,”
said Schutt.
As for the
Board of Selectmen, four of its five members are pushing for the
override to pass, with Selectman Avril Elkort as the lone
dissenting voice. The Citizen made several attempts to
contact Elkort for this story, but was unable to reach her.
Selectmen
Chairman Bob Burr, although a strong supporter of the override,
said in a recent interview that he considers it a “long shot” to
pass, even with the approval of the budget at town meeting and
the Finance Committee’s change of heart.
“I think
it’s a long shot because they’re difficult to pass in general,”
explained Burr. “However, I’m more optimistic this year that
people have seen the cuts and believe that the town has done
what it can to operate within the budget.”
He also
tried to dispel the notion, expressed by many opponents, that
the town will simply be back for another override three years
from now.
In fact,
between the selectmen’s efforts to lobby for more state aid, the
plan to continue to negotiate cost-saving measures with the town
unions, and the town’s ability to attract businesses, Burr said
they may not need an operational override for “a good many years
to come.”
Regarding
seniors and other low-income households that would struggle to
afford the higher taxes, Burr said the board is planning to take
steps to help the town’s neediest citizens, including looking
into the possibility of tax abatements for qualifying seniors.
Polls will
be open to all registered Canton voters between 7 a.m. and 8
p.m. There are four polling locations: Canton High School for
precincts one and six; Dean S. Luce School for precinct two;
Blue Hills Regional for precinct three; and John F. Kennedy
School for precincts four and five.
A precinct
map is also available at the town clerk’s website:
www.town.canton.ma.us/Clerks/precincts.htm
May 8, 2008
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