submitted by Bob Fleming
The Board of Selectmen voted to have the override ballot following our Annual Town Meeting to provide an opportunity for voters to be informed on the ballot question. Due to the complexity of the issue it can be confusing for some voters. Hopefully this will answer questions brought forth.
In voting the ballot question on Monday it’s important for voters to see the schools as part of government services and not as a separate entity. It is a service that is provided to 1226 students, (citizens that make up over 15% of our total population), who like all of us are entitled to the best services possible. We are all one government, not Upton versus the School District.
The vote in Upton is, and should be, independent of Mendon. If Upton says yes to the override we will be able to maintain our present level of services and capital upgrades, as well as to meet any re-certified budget the district brings forward.
Because of the no vote in Mendon, as required by law, the School Committee must re-certify a new budget to the towns. This re-certified amount cannot be amended by the voters of the towns. It is simply a yes or no vote.
For example purposes, example only, I know this can be confusing.
If Upton passes the override for $1,400,000 and the School Committee re-certifies their budget at $900,000, (this is an amount used as an example only to demonstrate the process). The town of Upton would be able to meet the District assessment and all town obligations with an unspent balance of $500,000. The Board of Selectmen has already committed to bringing the $500,000 number to the voters for an under-ride. The under-ride is an action that would reduce the original increase on taxation to the $900,000, (the true increase to taxpayers, not the $1,400,000 number.) Only the amount the School District certifies will be applied to the tax rate.
If the voters say no to the over-ride and the district re-certifies at the $900,000 amount, the town will be forced to find the $900,000 from within the operational budget, thus decreases in services and personnel. The $900,000 has no revenue offset to cover the new district assessment therefore; the $900,000 has to be found from within our present budget.
Polls are open on Monday from 7am to 8pm for the ballot override question. The Annual Town Meeting will re-convene on June 4th to vote the balance of the town’s operational budget and articles, dependent on the override outcome.
Hope this helps.
UPTON DAILY 