Prop. 2 1/2 override season off to fast start
Fiscal 2008 is shaping up as another big year for override and exclusion ballot questions as cities and towns struggle to balance local budgets.
The abundance of questions reflects slowing growth in municipal revenues that is being outpaced by basic cost increases, mainly for health care and other personnel-related budget items.
The MMA is tracking more than 40 cities and towns that have planned or are considering property tax ballot questions to help support local spending plans next year.
Canton voters rejected a $3.95 million general override in January, while Winchester voters in March approved a $1.35 million override for school and municipal services and a debt exclusion to purchase a local farm property.
Most local tax ballot question elections are held in April, May and June.
While it is still early in the season, override votes have already been scheduled in cities and towns including Amherst, Ashland, Dartmouth, East Bridgewater, Kingston, Middleborough, Needham, Randolph, Rockland, Saugus, Shrewsbury, Scituate and Walpole. Override requests so far this year total more than $30 million.
Last year, nearly 100 cities and towns held override and exclusion votes to help balance fiscal 2007 budgets and to fund local capital projects. Seventy cities and towns placed one or more override questions before voters, and in about half of the elections voters approved at least one of the questions. Most questions last year were for general operating purposes or dedicated to schools.
Written by MMA Deputy Legislative Director John Robertson
