MELROSE — Voters will decide whether property taxes will rise in order to spend more money on education and other municipal services during a $7.7 million Proposition 2 1/2 override election Tuesday.
Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Middle School gym accessed from Melrose Street.
This operational override, according to supporters, is desperately needed to keep services at a level Melrose residents deserve and expect. Of the $7.7 million that would be added to the tax rolls each year, $4.2 million would be dedicated to city schools and $3.5 million would go to public safety, capital projects and other areas. Collective bargaining agreements could be better funded and layoffs would not be necessary.
Opponents are steadfastly against increasing property taxes, saying the city needs to learn to live within its means. They often point to the fact that school enrollments are not going up as predicted the last time an override was asked for, and received, in 2019. They often cite past examples of mismanaged spending in the argument against the override.
Many more opinions about the special election appear inside this week’s issue.
