Voting 'Yes' On The Override Is A Smart Financial Move: Mortimer

The following was submitted by Alderman Peter Mortimer:

Lynnfield voted for Diehl over Warren and Trump over Clinton.

Generally, they are conservative, smart, hardworking, and tight fisted with money. But they have passed three overrides in the last 18 years.

Why did they, too, think this is a smart financial move?

Let’s assume a tax increase of $600 per year and that a person will be in their home for 20 more years. That’s $12,000 dollars. Then the house will sell for 40 or 50 thousand more in twenty years, than it would have without an override – a very good investment in your own home and your own community. Not penny wise, dollar wise. Think present hundreds to gain future thousands. $600 per year is $11 and 53 cents a week – one dollar and sixty-five cents a day. A conservative principle is that we take care of our own home and our own investments.

And in the meantime, we will live in a better city with less crime and better municipal services. 90% of arrests are on people under age 23 or due to drug addiction. Good schools help to prevent this and lower this because new graduates take pride in their school and their community. Kids want to move back here and raise their kids here, let’s keep it that way.

Both sides of this issue accuse the other of scare tactics, but less money certainly means a lower quality of life from a municipal services standpoint. How much lower, who knows? Look around and read the news. Once crime sets in and the quality of life diminishes, it’s nearly impossible to bring it back. Better not to let it fall in the first place. You don’t get what you don’t pay for, and it’s only a dollar, sixty-five cents a day.

Let’s follow the examples of Lynnfield, Winchester, Reading, and other high-quality communities and keep the Melrose community high quality, as well.

A final point: No senior will be driven from their home. I would not support this if it were so. If you are over 65, you can defer (not pay) your taxes every year at 4% simple interest. So, if you ring up a 50-thousand-dollar lien, your kids will get a more valuable house in a better community for 50 thousand dollars. And again, in the meantime, you live in a better safer community.