Selectmen Urge Winchester Residents to Support Override

On March 29, Winchester residents will head to the polls to vote in the annual

Besides voting in the Board of Selectmen race, residents will also need to make a decision on a The town is facing a $2.8 million deficit in Fiscal Year 2012.

According to selectmen chairman Thomas Howley, there have been certain factors that have driven the budget: health insurance, school enrollment growth and wage adjustments for town employees. Howley said, since the town has to cap the increase in property tax at 2.5 percent, they need to periodically ask residents for additional funds through an override.

“With a 'no' vote we anticipate significant reductions in public safety and DPW services and library personnel over the next three years,” Howley said.
“Reductions could include the West Side Fire Station, school crossing guards and the library would lose the book borrowing program.”

Howley said the Department of Public Works would lose mechanics, while the would absorb 65 percent of any potential cuts.

“Schools will lose teachers, there will be an increase in class size and our technology will lag further behind,” Howley said. “We have a plan to maintain our essential services on the school and municipal side, and we need this override to do that.”

Howley was not alone in his support of the override, Selectman Jim Johnson, expressed concern over how a failed override could negatively impact the town.

“This is a long-term financial plan that will address the needs of the community for the next three years,” Johnson said. “Without an override it will affect the quality of life in the town. We need the money. If we don’t get it, schools and government will be substantially handicapped in the way we can do business.”

Selectman Forrest Fontana said with a failed override, the school department’s budget would decrease by $2 million over the next three years, which represents a six percent decline over its current budget.

Fontana said, while an override is not ideal, ultimately its passing will come down to the voters and what their priorities are.

“The board would prefer not to advocate for a tax increase,” Fontana said. “But we have to think about the impact on our way of life. It comes down to whether you want to pay an additional amount of tax versus negatively impacting your quality of life.”