A group of town residents have organized a “Yes” campaign to encourage voters to approve the proposed $8.4 million override on April 2.
The campaign, Invest in Belmont, has sent a town-wide mailing warning of steep cuts that could affect every municipal department. Group members have participated in interviews on Belmont Media Center television, handed out yard signs, and started a door-to-door campaign, where they are distributing more literature.
Proposed cuts would hit the town’s most vulnerable populations the hardest, said Adam Dash, Yes campaign spokesperson. Also involved in Invest in Belmont leadership are Campaign Manager Erin Rowland, Chair David Lind, and Treasurer David Zipkin.
“I think the ‘Yes’ campaign has been very blunt,” Dash said. “There’s no fat in the budget; there are no coins in the seat cushions.”
‘Real Reductions’
In fiscal year 2026, Town Administrator Patrice Garvin said approximately $1.3 million in cuts would be needed without the override. In addition to cutting nine full-time equivalent positions — eight of which would be in the fire department — residents could see themselves picking up the tab for trash pickup, and the library could lose its Minuteman Library Network accreditation, meaning the town wouldn’t have access to millions of books in the network.
“These are real, real reductions,” Garvin said. “We’ve reduced, we’ve restructured, we’ve done everything we can do to meet revenue. I am cutting bones, and when you do that, there’s no other place to do that but services.”
The schools have also outlined potential cuts over the next two fiscal years, such as eliminating 50 staff positions, after-school sports, the theater program, and clubs. Bussing would also be severely curtailed.
“Keep Our Town’
Dash emphasized, “This isn’t a joke.”
“We want to keep our town,” said Dash. “We want to keep the services we provide to people. That is impossible if the override fails.”
Dash said an override isn’t a flaw but a feature of Proposition 2½.
“Getting an override is what Proposition 2 ½ is,” he said. “It gives people a say-so. This was always intended that people would have to go to the voters, and that’s where we are.”
He says he trusts town officials to create programs to provide relief to help lower-income residents who are worried they will be priced out of Belmont.
“Rich people can buy their way out of all this (If the override fails),” he said. “It’s not them I’m concerned about; it is the vulnerable people who … depend on these services and aren’t going to be able to buy their way out.”
He said wealthier residents can hire tutors, pay for sports outside of high school, take a cab instead of relying on Council on Aging transportation services, and afford to pay for private trash and recycling collection services, all of which are possible reductions if the override fails.
But he said cutting several firefighters will affect public safety for everyone.
“Everybody is going to be hurt from delayed response times,” he said.
Override Provides A Financial Path
Dash said it’s unfortunate the town has “suffered from decades of underinvestment and deferred maintenance.” This override, he said, would help put Belmont on a better path financially.
According to Dash, the town will invest in long-term, money-saving programs such as new special education services that would reduce the number of students sent out of the district.
He said Belmont could also fully staff the facilities department to make sure roads, sidewalks, and other infrastructure are maintained.
Rowland said the campaign plans to hold a public Zoom meeting on March 13 from 8 to 9 p.m. Links to both can be found online at investinbelmont.com. Representatives from town boards are expected to attend.