Overrides Have Failed, Schools Still Great, Sky Didn’t Fall
The amount of scare tactics we have heard from some Ashland Town Officials concerning the override is more than the past. “If we don’t pass this override, we will face doom and gloom!”
● Yet in 2007 the override didn’t pass and the schools are still good.
● Again in 2008 the override didn’t pass and everything was ok for Ashland’s schools.
● Most recently, in 2016 the override didn’t pass and our schools are better than ever.
And as soon as the overrides get voted down, the town seems to “find” more money. People forget this same school department between override attempts claimed to have money to support full day kindergarten. I understand that it would be helpful to parents of young children but again they claimed they could add to the budget and now they claim they do not have money? Which is it?
If the override passes, the average homeowner would pay an additional $428 in property taxes starting in 2027, and this increase will continue forever. What could you do for your family with that $428 in your hands? An educational vacation for your children? Do you trust our bloated system to spend your hard-earned $428 better than you can?
The town never asked residents for meaningful feedback on the override or seriously explored other options. Instead, officials have relied on fear-based messaging to pressure voters into backing it.
The reality is that this override is not necessary. Across Massachusetts, many communities are turning to overrides and asking already burdened residents to pay even more. Local leaders often point to inflation or rising insurance costs, but a major factor is the expiration of millions in temporary federal COVID relief funding. Now they expect taxpayers to replace the money that once came from Washington, even though the pandemic has ended.
At Town Meeting, there was no standalone article specifically dedicated to the override. Instead, the funding was folded into the school budget, and direct questions about the override went unanswered. Local residents feel the town has sidelined genuine community input and alternative solutions, instead opting for scare-tactics to railroad through the proposed override.
Meanwhile, many Ashland residents are already struggling with Massachusetts’ high cost of living. Most people collecting Social Security receive less than $2,100 a month, while even the maximum full-retirement benefit is capped at $4,142.
The narrative that this override is unavoidable is not true. A trend is emerging across Massachusetts where numerous communities, facing the sunset of temporary federal COVID relief funds, are increasingly leaning on their taxpayers to fill the void. While inflation and rising insurance costs are frequently cited, the expiration of federal aid is a significant, yet often downplayed, contributor to these financial pressures. Essentially, residents are being asked to compensate for funds that previously came from the federal government, despite the pandemic crisis subsiding.
As life-long Ashland resident, Cliff Wilson said well, “Times get tough. Times get better. It has always been this way. An override only encourages more foolish spending by those who don’t have to pay the price. None of us want to see the kids in town deprived of a good education, but don’t they also have to learn that sometimes parents have to say ‘No’ to their requests?”
This override comes at a time when many Ashland residents are already grappling with the state’s steep cost of living. For instance, the majority of Social Security recipients receive under $2,100 monthly, and even the highest full retirement benefit caps out at $4,142, highlighting the financial strain on many households.
To some, overrides across the state remind them of what Mark Twain said:
“When the rich rob the poor, it’s called business. When the poor fight back, it’s called violence.”
The Town Manager and School Superintendent James Adams make among the highest salaries in town. After bonuses, Town Manager Michael Herbert makes around 290,000 annually! The rich running the Town are demanding residents, even poor residents who are already struggling to afford groceries, medicine, and daily expenses, to shoulder higher property taxes to support school systems with multimillion-dollar budgets and well-paid salaries.