ContributorI am a first-generation resident of Belmont who moved into town 10 years ago. During this time, I have been impressed by the caliber of our schools and educators, and the quality of our town services. In speaking with many Belmont residents, I have come to realize that many of us share the same goals: schools that prepare our children for college and careers in the 21st century, a police force and fire department that keep our town safe, town services that are reliable, and taxes that are low.
Balancing spending and taxes involves making trade-offs and my view on the override is shaped by this perspective. When deciding whether I support the override, my first response is not an immediate yes or no. Instead, I arrived at a decision by considering the current state of our town’s budget. When taxes and spending are too high, we need to use resources more wisely and efficiently. When taxes and spending are too low, we need to do more to support our schools and ensure basic public services. Fortunately, for Belmont voters, the facts are clear:
- Belmont spends less per resident than most of our peer communities.
- Belmont spends $16.5k per pupil, substantially lower than the state average.
- Belmont’s property tax rates are lower than our peer communities and our property tax bills are comparable to our peer communities.
These factors lead me to support the override and underscore the risks we face with cuts to our public safety, emergency response time, library, senior programs, teacher positions, closure of the Leonard St. Fire Station, and Burbank Elementary School.
Our shared community goals and values are supported through our tax dollars. Please join me in voting yes for the override on April 2nd.
Jim Smith, Bay State Road
