Mary Byrne
On one side, supporters warn of devastating cuts to personnel and services if the $8.4 million override fails to pass. On the other hand, opponents of the override argue that it is too much to ask of residents and that it is not the solution to what they consider to be an “overspending problem.”
Following months of discussion, the Select Board voted in late January to request an $8.4 million Proposition 2½ override on April 2. Since 1980, Belmont voters have faced nine override votes: four have passed, totaling $12 million. Five, totaling $15 million, have failed.
If the $8.4 million override passes, it will be the largest in Belmont history.
In the event of no override, the town has identified $800,000 in cuts to municipal departments, including 4.6 full-time equivalent positions. Service impacts include $500,000 in cuts that would reduce yard waste pickup and funding for public safety equipment, as well as eliminating a social worker. Further areas for reduction totaling $1.3 million have been proposed in fiscal year 2026 – such as further cuts in the fire department and reducing or eliminating library operations – though nothing has been finalized.
“If the override does not pass, this town will be fundamentally changed for the worse,” Adam Dash, spokesman for the Yes campaign, said at a recent debate.
Dash said town officials have proven to be good stewards of public money, noting that the 2015 override, which was expected to last three years, lasted nine.
No campaign manager, Tim Duncan, said the problem is not revenue; it’s spending.
“When we understood where the money was going, we generously approved the funding for the high school, the library, and the skating rink,” he said. “But at the same time, you can’t go down the path of unsustainable spending growth of one massive task increase after the other. … We don’t have a revenue problem, we don’t have an inflation problem, we have a spending problem.”
Override opponents dispute the list of potential cuts, citing the failed 2021 override. Duncan pointed out that the dire predictions of deep cuts never came to fruition.
In its turn, the Yes campaign argues that cuts were avoided because an infusion of federal money, including the American Rescue Plan Act and the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, bridged the gap.
Duncan, however, argued that only a small portion of ARPA funding has been used toward the operating budget in recent years. The town was awarded roughly $7.8 million to be administered in installments in 2021 and 2022, with funds expected to be spent by December 2024. Additionally, the town received Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds totaling $1.45 million.
According to town officials, the override is expected to result in a net increase of 7% for the median residential tax bill, using an assessed home value of $1,262,000. The No campaign, however, notes this value doesn’t factor in the cost of debt exclusions, which will impact tax bills beginning in fiscal year 2025. The full effect, however, won’t be reflected until the fiscal year 2027 tax bill.
Schools
On the school side, officials are preparing for both budget scenarios, according to Superintendent Jill Geiser.
In the event of an override, the Department of Student Services is looking at how to build out in-district special education programming. In the event of no override, however, administrators are identifying staff that hadn’t yet been identified for reductions or cuts to personnel. About $2.7 million in reductions have been identified for FY25, including 22.3 full-time equivalent positions, from administrative and clerical staff to secondary and upper elementary teachers. Cuts to freshman athletics, the ski team and some after-school activities and clubs have also been identified.
Geiser clarified, however, that staff have not yet been individually notified that their position will be reduced or eliminated.
As with the municipal side, proposed areas of reduction have been made for fiscal year 2026, though nothing has been finalized.
If the April 2 override fails, the first round of cuts in the fiscal 2025 budget will go to Town Meeting this spring, Select Board Vice Chair Elizabeth Dionne said recently.
“At this moment, the key to securing Belmont’s future is passing the override,” she said. “Destroying institutions is easy, but rebuilding them is really hard and even more expensive. We must not be penny wise and pound foolish.”
Duncan, however, urged voters not to buy into the “scare tactics” of the Yes campaign.
“Supporters of this tax increase are using fake threats, scare tactics…because they cannot really explain where all this money will go and how it’s going to be used,” he said.
The election will take place on April 2 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Precinct information can be found on the town website (belmont-ma.gov) via the Town Clerk page.
