Members of the Belchertown, Mass., select board have narrowly agreed to allow an override vote on the state's tax-cap law known as A question will go before residents at the annual town meeting in May.
If the override goes through, additional revenue could address a $2.1 million funding gap in the 2025-2026 school budget.
Before Monday night's vote, a tense back-and-forth took place between members of the Belchertown's finance and school committees.
The town鈥檚 finance committee questioned whether the school board had done enough to trim the budget before asking the town for more funding.
Select board member Nicole Miner was one of two board members who voted against the option of an override vote.
鈥淲hat has kept eating at me throughout this entire budget season is that the school district is expecting us to send more money their way on the backs of taxpayers without good faith efforts to lower the shortfall,鈥� Miner said.
School committee members said they have trimmed as much as they can without causing harm to students.
Save Our Schools
Before the meeting, outside of Belchertown's town hall, a few hundred families and educators turned out to rally in favor of getting the tax question before voters, organized by a group calling themselves Save Our Schools.
Jill Bierly, who has three children in the Belchertown schools, said she is in favor of the override.
Though not a great solution she said, the property tax increase could help avoid elimination of 25 educator positions and the potential closing of an elementary school.
鈥淚 don't know if the override is the best way to to that, because I realize there are people in town that could be a hardship for 鈥� and it could be a hardship for [my family] too,鈥� Bierly said.
Towns and school districts around western Massachusetts are struggling with increasing transportation, energy and health care costs.
"Last year we cut 17.5 positions, which means we cut [physical education for] elementary students down to once a week," said Fran Frederick, a Belchertown school adjustment counselor and president of the Belchertown Education Association.
"If you work with elementary age students," Frederick said, "I can assure you, it is not a good idea,"
Position cuts next year won't all come from academic classes, Frederick said, so, "everything is on the table."
Music, P.E. and "specials"
El Dunham, a fifth grader at the Chestnut Hill Community School, and her mother were also at the rally. Dunham said she is concerned about younger students.
"I hear that the 4th graders, who I told all about band in 5th grade won't get to do it," Dunham said. "That won't effect me, but it will effect my friends. My music teachers are all such valued and important aspects of our community. Our future depends on [being allowed to decide if we can change the tax rate].
With so many hours a day of learning, Dunham said, specials like music and physical education and recess help break that up, "and help us focus our minds for a better, um, for a better path of learning."
Number of students
Belchertown's school population is on the decline, and there are calls by some to regionalize the district, a proposal that would take place over several years.
The language of the tax override ballot question will be determined in the weeks before the May 12, 2025, town meeting.
