Overrides Trending In Area - Or Are They?
by Bill Gouveia for the Sun Chronicle
In the last 12 months, four different communities in the Sun Chronicle area have passed Proposition 2 1/2 overrides. In this rather fiscally conservative area, that’s something worth noting.
Last August, Seekonk passed a $3 million debt exclusion override to fund new radio equipment. In April, North Attleboro approved a $6.5 million general override to fund their budget and Attleboro voted a huge $260 million debt exclusion to build a new high school. Just this month, Rehoboth voters said yes to a $2 million general override for their regional school system.
Is there something different in the water? (Oops, sorry Norton).
While the passage of overrides is hardly stunning news, in some of these particular communities it was a fairly new experience. Attleboro’s successful override was its first ever, of any type. Rehoboth has a reputation for frugality that is generally unfriendly to overrides. And North Attleboro? I’m pretty sure you could have gotten good odds in Las Vegas if you had wanted to slap a few bucks down on the “no” side of that one.
So now the obvious questions are: Is this a new trend, where communities previously steadfastly opposed to overrides are changing their view? Is it just a coincidence? Did all four just happen to have unique circumstances that led to a new result? And will these votes have any effect on other area towns who might be considering going the override route?
My answer to all of them is — I really have no idea.
However, there are some changes in general over the last year or two that might make overrides more likely to pass. Having said that, every city and town is different. You can’t judge what one might do by the actions of another.
It has been almost 40 years since Prop 2 1/2 came into existence. If a community has never approved a general override during that time and has not seen an absolute explosion of commercial/industrial growth, then they are hurting financially. Their budgets have to be very tight, and their level of services struggling.
That’s not some grand theory or assumption. That’s just math.
Also, the economy has improved. Many believe confidence in the economic future has made people more likely to bite the bullet and pay more in taxes in order to keep important services.
Personally, I have never found an improved economy to be a factor in how people vote on overrides. A falling economy certainly has a negative effect. But I seldom remember anyone saying, “Hey, we are doing better financially — let’s have an override!”
But North Attleboro is hardly a community of spendthrifts. Attleboro is not a wealthy city. You have to have a very real and pressing need to get these good folks to raise their own taxes.
They and others have realized Proposition 2 1/2 is only a guideline. They have faced the fact services and quality of life are important and cost money, both for municipalities and individuals.
Is this a trend spreading through the area? Probably not. But it might be a sign that the long-term effects of the last 40 years are coming to a head.
Bill Gouveia is a local columnist and a longtime local official. He can be emailed at billsinsidelook@gmail.com and followed on Twitter at @Billinsidelook.
No comments:
Post a Comment