Mayor Calls For Debt Exclusion To Pay For New South Middle School

BRAINTREE, MA — Mayor Charles Kokoros said he will ask the Town Council to support a debt exclusion to pay for a new South Middle School, repairs at other schools and a feasibility study regarding the future of Braintree High School. Since taking office, Kokoros said he's visited every school in town from the "boiler room to the rooftop," and based off first hand observations, he believes an exclusion is necessary for the school district's future success and to maintain the town's other budgetary needs.

"Since beginning the transition into office I have been conducting an in depth review of our finances and have concluded that we cannot fund a new South Middle School within the existing operating budget," Kokoros said in a statement. "In keeping with my commitment to transparency, funding through a debt exclusion is necessary to fund not only South Middle School, but also to address other town-wide capital needs. My plan will speak to several issues identified within our school system while also ensuring that other departmental capital needs are met."

In Massachusetts, cities and towns can't raise property taxes more than 2.5 percent without voter approval. A debt exclusion allows a community to raise money above the limit to take on debt for specific purposes. For an exclusion to be allowed, Braintree would have to hold a special election, which Kokoros is requesting the town hold on March 28.

"Through the revenue provided through a debt exclusion, we can fund a new South Middle School, new roofs for our Elementary Schools and Monatiquot Kindergarten, security enhancements throughout the district, including the installation of camera systems and secure entry points, and a feasibility study for the future redevelopment of Braintree High School," Kokoros said in a statement.

School officials estimate the new school will cost $78 million to $83 million. Kokoros said the town has already secured more than $30 million from the Massachusetts School Building Authority to help with that cost. The new school would replace a 60-year-old building and be Braintree's first new school since the high school in 1972.

Previously, school officials explored building an addition on the existing school, so that Grade 5 could be moved from the elementary school to the middle school. But School Committee vice chair Thomas Devin had argued that a new school would be cheaper and could be built faster than renovating and adding on to the current school. The school committee voted in February 2019 to submit the proposal to the school building authority.

Kokoros said he will ask the Town Council to take the first steps toward a debt exclusion at its meeting on Jan. 21.