BROOKLINE, Mass. — Brookline leaders are weighing a major decision that could impact taxpayers for years to come. A proposed tax override could soon be in voters’ hands as the town says they need $23.25 million to keep things running the way they are now.
The problem Brookline is facing is a familiar one: how to pay for rising costs while staying within the limits of proposition 2 1/2, a Massachusetts law that limits municipal property tax revenue.
A town committee says more money is needed to fund schools and maintain town services, and they are now asking the select board to consider including a tax override question on the May ballot.
Brookline Town administrator Charles Carey explains this proposal comes after a months-long review, laid out in a 160-page report from the town’s Expenditures and Revenues Study Committee.
“This is where the rubber meets the road. These are the services people think of when they think of government. Paving your roads, making sure you’re safe with police and fire, making sure your students are educated. These are the basic building blocks of government and if we don’t fund these, we’re really in trouble.” Carey said. “The schools are really a central part of our community so being able to reassure folks that the level of education that they have come to expect is being upheld is really important.”
Instead of one large tax increase, the committee is recommending a tiered override, raising taxes gradually over three years for a total of $23.25 million.
“Ultimately, that would result in roughly an average of an 18% increase over three years when you factor in how much taxes were going to go up anyway. It won’t happen all at once. It would be phased-in over time,” Carey explained.
It is now up to the select board to decide whether to put the question on the ballot.
For some residents, like Cammy Brothers, the override is about protecting what the town already has, specifically the school system which is what brought her family to Brookline in the first place.
“I’m worried for the impact on my kids because basically what would happen is a lot of essential child facing programs would go, music and languages but also just the classes would get bigger and that has an impact on everything,” Brothers said. “If this doesn’t pass, I think it’s really self-defeating for Brookline because we’re not the only family that moved here for the school system. Essentially every family I know with young children, teenage children moved to Brookline for the schools and if the schools are no longer maintaining their excellence, that will go away, the tax base of middle-class, professional families will go away.”
Though not everyone is on board. Others like Mona Blumstein, who voted yes on the last five overrides, believes things have gone too far, saying taxes are high enough as it is.
“I just in good conscience at this time can’t vote yes. Our taxes are really high and it’s hard if you’re retired and living in the town,” Blumstein said.
Some think the town should find other ways to fund the schools and other services, but the town says they’ve already cut everywhere they can, and this override is their last resort to keep services functioning at the level they are now.
“We are making every sacrifice. We are doing everything we can to keep costs down but the reality of the situation is, the things we can’t control for, like healthcare are really busting the budget and there’s not a lot of help coming from the federal or state government,” Brookline Town Administrator Carey said.
If the select board moves forward, the final decision would go to voters who will ultimately decide whether to raise their own taxes.
The select board has until March 31 to make a decision on whether the override will appear on the May ballot. If approved, voters will make the final decision May 5.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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