Override questions appearing on ballots this spring

Education and public works are among the top categories for Proposition 2½ ballot questions around the Commonwealth this spring.
 
An MMA compilation of reported ballot questions indicates that 16 communities have already voted on questions to raise revenue for items ranging from building renovations and road repairs to personnel hires and school programming.
 
An estimated 60 property tax ballot questions are expected to appear in 47 cities and towns this year. Of the 60, 21 are requests for voters to approve a permanent override of the tax levy limit set by Proposition 2½.
 
In Paxton, voters will be asked on May 2 to approve a total of $400,000 for road repairs and schools. In Ashland, voters on May 17 will decide whether to approve a permanent increase of $1.9 million for new teachers and supplies.
 
Voters in Norton on May 17 will consider an override for $3.6 million for general operating and school budgets. In June, Easton will vote on two ballot questions requesting a total of $7.4 million, split between a permanent override and a debt exclusion for renovations to the community center.
 
Fourteen override questions have at least some funds earmarked for school budgets. If approved, the funds could be used for hiring new teachers and upgrading and replacing technologies.
 
On May 2 in Dracut, voters will consider two override questions to split $1.1 million between the operating budget and school budget. One of the first projects planned if the overrides pass is to install wireless Internet access in all elementary and middle schools.
 
The communities of Hanson and Whitman, members of the Whitman-Hanson Regional School District, each go to the polls on May 21 to vote on separate school budget overrides. Each town needs to approve its own override amount, and the entire override does not go into effect unless it is approved by both towns.
 
Many ballot questions reflect the need of communities to supplement state funding received through Chapter 70 (education) and Chapter 90 (roads). Ballot questions for education alone account for about 40 percent of all override questions and total nearly $10 million across the Commonwealth.
 
Last month, Edgartown overwhelmingly approved a $350,000 capital expenditure to rebuild and resurface roads.
 
This month, several towns will take up one-time large expenditure ballot questions.
 
Spencer is asking voters to approve a debt exclusion for the Capital Roads Improvement Project, which could cost the town up to $34 million. According to local officials, problems with the school budget over the years have taken precedent over road repairs; as a result, town roads are in critical need of repair. Spencer maintains a pavement management system and has assigned a pavement conditions index that is considered “extremely poor.”
 
In March, 88 percent of voters in Billerica approved a $100.3 million debt exclusion for a new high school. The current 60-year-old building is said to be in poor condition by teachers, parents, and students. If the project runs on schedule, the new building will open in September 2019.
 
Voters in the Mount Greylock Regional School District approved a debt exclusion question for a new high school that will total approximately $65 million. Of the $65 million, the Massachusetts School Building Authority will pay approximately $30 million, with the rest being divided between the member towns, Williamstown and Lanesborough.
 
So far, three communities have rejected ballot questions.
 
Voters in Dartmouth rejected an $8.5 million debt exclusion question to renovate the police station. Hardwick narrowly rejected a $4.8 million debt exclusion question to upgrade the Gilbertville Water Pollution Control facility, and Concord voters defeated a $1.1 million debt exclusion for landfill remediation near Concord-Carlisle High School.
 
May is the busiest month for town elections, and, therefore, Proposition 2½ questions.
 
In 2015, a total of 96 Proposition 2½ questions appeared on ballots statewide, and 69 (nearly 72 percent) were approved by voters.