Override A Smart Economic Investment In Our Future

A Letter to the Editor from Reading resident Brad Grimm:

My wife and I moved to Reading with our young daughter 13 years ago and added another daughter
along the way. I can honestly say that I love this town and there is no place in Massachusetts that I’d
rather live. Although I am a fiscal conservative, I will be voting “Yes” on April 3rd because I believe our
town, like in the early 2000’s, is in desperate need of an override to support our police department, fire
department and schools.

As recent events in Florida and our neighboring communities have shown, we need, more than ever,
fully staffed police and fire departments. I hope that we never experience an event that makes us
realize that our police and fire departments are understaffed.

I am also in favor of strengthening our schools, not just maintaining the status quo. Reading must
continue to be a town of choice for new families, whose tax base supports our services and maintains
the value of our property. For most of us, our homes are the greatest asset we will ever have. While
prospective home buyers will consider a town’s safety and its proximity to public transportation, they
will generally choose a town based on the following: schools, schools, and, finally, schools.

While the tax increase will be felt by all of us, I believe that passage of this override is not only necessary
for our great town, but a smart economic investment in our futures.

Brad Grimm, Prospect Street