Reading, Don't Look Now but Another Override Could be Coming

If you closed your eyes during Wednesday's night's Financial Forum at the Reading Library, you might have thought you were listening to more protests of our recent presidential election. The words were repeated by many in attendance and with a common theme: we don't like the voting results. Let's try again.

They may get their wish.

After a night that started with bleak financial news and emotional pleas not to hurt the children, more and more speakers focused on something that didn't seem possible when Reading's $7.5 million override vote failed last October: another override vote, and as early as April.

Town Manager Bob LeLacheur and School Superintendent John Doherty began the three-hour forum, along with Finance Committee chairman Mark Dockser. It started with the breaking news that town officials had learned earlier in the day that the state was giving Reading $260,000 less than it had anticipated. LeLacheur called the news, "disappointing."

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It got worse. Their summary of the FY 2018 budget included less police, less firemen, and less teachers. It included cuts to all levels of the school system including middle school English and foreign languages. And if your son or daughter wants to play a high school sport it will cost you $325, an increase of $75. Bordered by two major highways, LeLacheur said it was near impossible to grow Reading's commercial base. And 83 percent of Reading residents don't have a child in the school system, meaning any size override vote was facing a huge challenge.

But slowly, talk of another, smaller, override gained steam.

"We made a mistake asking them (residents) to trust us with $7.5 million dollars," said John Halsey, chairman of the Board of Selectmen. "We can fix this. We can do this together, I'm convinced."

Board member Dan Ensminger, a 39-year Reading resident said, "We're prepared to turn on a dime and do what we need to do."

If Reading is to have another override with the intent of an April vote it would have to be decided by February 28. The five-member Board of Selectmen is the only group that can call for an override.

Halsey asked for patience, saying the School Committee had to finish their budget work. Then it would be up to the selectmen. Talk was of a smaller override, one that specifically laid out what would happen with each penny. Halsey hypothetically suggested the rehiring of one policeman and two teachers, coming up with a figure, and asking voters if they'd be willing to pay $40 extra in taxes for that.

The clock is ticking on turning the hypothetical into reality. And for most in the room, the reality of FY 2018 isn't pretty.

Photo by Bob Holmes