Somerville Votes Yes on New High School

SOMERVILLE, MA – Somerville voted yes on Question 5 Tuesday, approving the debt exclusion to fund its portion of the most expensive high school in state history.

According to the unofficial results posted by the City of Somerville, 66 percent of residents voted "yes," 25 percent voted "no" and 9 percent left the question blank.

The vote approves the city's portion of the $256 million high school. According to the Boston Globe, the school will be the most expensive in state history, coming in well above the $198.5 million price tag of Newton North High School.

The project will be funded by $120 million in state money and $136 million from the city. Tuesday's vote exempts $130.3 million of Somerville's portion from the limits of Prop. 2 1/2, allowing it to be absorbed by increased property tax revenues over a temporary period of time.

Starting in fiscal year 2027, the average single-family home will see a maximum of $294 added to its yearly tax bill; that would slowly fall until reaching zero in 2054. Two-family homes will see an additional maximum of $349 before falling back to zero by 2054, according to projections.

The proposal selected by the Somerville High School Building Committee calls for a 404,110 square foot school on the current site through demolishing about 82,700 square feet of the complex and constructing 321,410 square feet of new infrastructure, according to the Globe. The new school will also accommodate an expected increase in enrollment.