MARBLEHEAD, MA — An overwhelming majority of the nearly 1,400 Marblehead residents who showed up to Monday night's annual town meeting voted to send a proposed tiered Proposition 2 1/2 override to a townwide vote next month.
The town meeting article — which was moved to the first night of town meeting after a motion to take it early in the warrant schedule was strongly supported as well — means voters will go to the polls on June 9 to decide whether to support an override to partially restore, fully restore or invest additional funding in town and school services set to be cut under the "balanced budget" that town meeting members voted on earlier in the night.
Town meeting is required by law to pass a balanced budget each year, with the cuts necessitated because of the town's structural deficit starting at $7.7 million for next year, according to town officials.
"I want to be very clear here," Select Board Chair Dan Fox said before Monday night's vote. "A 'no' vote tonight means that the cuts that we're outlining will go into effect on July 1st. These are real people, real services that many of us depend on in this town.
"Furthermore, a 'no' vote means a $4 million deficit for the schools next year and a growing deficit in town expenses. And a Fiscal '28 budget process that will bring more cuts and reductions to our schools and town."
The town meeting vote to place the override on the ballot passed by a margin of 1,227 to 159.
Voters on June 9 will have the choice to pass a $9 million override, phased in over three years, that would partially restore cuts in the "balanced budget." Town officials billed the $12 million option as one that would fully restore current services, and the $15 million option as one that would invest in the town by restoring programs and positions cut from the town in recent years amid growing budget concerns.
The tiered option of the highest dollar amount to receive at least 50 percent support on June 9 will be the one implemented. If no option receives at least 50 percent, the override will fail, and the "balanced budget" approved on Monday will go into effect on July 1.
Voters will be able to vote "yes" on multiple tiers — meaning that those who support the "tier 3" $15 million solution should, theoretically, also vote "yes" on Tier 1 and Tier 2 to help ensure that those pass even if Tier 3 fails.
Marblehead voters have not supported a general Proposition 2 1/2 override since 2005, with multiple attempts from the school committee to pass an operating budget override in recent years failing by significant margins.
"This vote is about deciding which Marblehead we want," Fox said, "for us, for our children, and for our future."
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