When I was growing up in Stoneham, an override failed, and I was told that "cuts were only threatened, but nothing would actually get cut." That was in stark contrast to my reality at Stoneham High School, where I saw program after program cut. Engineering courses were removed, and shop classes all but ended. I played on the Freshmen Soccer team that only existed due to the generosity of Stoneham Youth Soccer. While I appreciate the charity of those who helped fill the gap, running a town in the hope that individuals and nonprofits will continue to have the funds to supplement a budget deficit isn't sustainable or responsible.
The problem didn't go away; it's only gotten larger as inflation has continued to outpace the artificial 2.5% limit imposed by Prop 2.5 for the majority of the last 20 years (and for 30 out of the 45 years Prop 2.5 has existed). Every time we voted "No" on an override, our elected officials, our neighbors, made hard choices and made cuts. Maybe you didn't feel them because they weren't programs you cared about or utilized, but there have been many cuts over the last two decades, and those cuts have hurt many members of our community. If we don't pass this override, the cuts will be felt by almost every resident in Stoneham.
So as we approach tomorrow's election, remember "No" isn't a plan.
Every time an override comes up, a group of concerned, well-meaning citizens gathers and works to convince people to vote against the override. However, they don't offer a real, specific strategy or practical input on how the town should move forward to balance the budget. The only "plan" offered is vague statements around cuts, commercial revenue, and "inefficiencies." Over the next few days, you will undoubtedly be told you should vote "No and No" on questions 1 and 2. When that happens, I ask that you consider the alternatives and follow up with questions about what the next steps would be after a "No" vote.
What specific programs should we cut? How much will that actually save? Do those cuts even approach the deficit we are facing?
Should we continue to have a fire department that doesn't have enough staff to meet the standard?
Will our schools be better off without a Resource Officer from the Police Department?
How long will road and sidewalk repairs take if we take away more staff from the DPW?
If we continue to lose teachers, how will we staff our public schools if we can't offer competitive compensation to surrounding communities?
What happens if we end up in state receivership?
When you hear "no," make them get specific. If they can't, consider that they don't have a plan beyond this vote; all they have is the word "No." As a Stoneham homeowner, I'm frustrated by this endless loop of commentary with no deeper strategy from those advocating against the override:
I've been told that our elected officials and town employees caused this. If that was true, why are overrides becoming so prevalent across the state? Even similarly sized communities in NH have had their property taxes increase more than 2.5%. For example, Keene, NH, and Bedford, NH have similar populations to Stoneham. Keene's tax rate went up 4.77% last year, and Bedford went up 6.83% (obviously, NH isn't limited to Mass's Prop 2.5).
I've been told that we didn't properly maintain our schools, necessitating the construction of new buildings. When budgets get tight, line items like maintenance get cut because they aren't required by law. I agree we should be properly funding maintenance, but that comes from having money in the budget to add to rainy day savings while also covering the services we expect. You can't save when you are living paycheck to paycheck, which is the exact state of the town.
I've been told that the town doesn't do enough to make money through commercial taxes. Last fiscal year, the total tax revenue from commercial/industrial was $9.125m. Meaning we could double those incomes and still not get to our deficit. For some context, Assembly Row in Somerville brings in $5 million a year. I don't think most people want that size development in Stoneham, but even if we did, it would take two of them to cover the deficit.
I've been told an operational audit is the solution. I have no issue with this idea, but we need to be honest about its potential impact. As someone who did them for years in manufacturing and tech, I can tell you that it's going to cost a substantial amount of money to analyze an organization the size of our town. In the best-case scenario, the resulting savings will be a percentage point or two, and even then, the return on investment term for that kind of activity is years, not months.
I've been told the town made bad financial choices in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 2000s, etc. That might be the case, but why do we punish ourselves for the sins of the past? In the end, the budget is approved by the whole town. There is no "the town"; it is all of us making decisions as a group and dealing with the consequences.
So when someone tells you to vote "no," really push them on what they consider the next steps. Ask them if they commit to being active in the community to help make that happen. If all they can do is give you the word "No," remember that means they don't have a plan. We need people to come together to build a plan to solve our town's problems, not to hope the problem will go away without action.
When you make your decision at the ballot box tomorrow, remember "No" isn't a plan.