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Rockland overrides Proposed tax increases if town approves these Proposition 2½ overrides: ROCKLAND - Voters refused to bail the town out of its $1.4 million deficit or bankroll library and school projects, decisively rejecting three Proposition 2½ overrides.
By year’s end, paramedics, police dispatchers, crossing guards, teachers and a highway department worker could be fired as the town struggles to regain its financial footing.
Voters in Rockland’s six precincts unanimously rejected a $1.3 million tax increase to pay down the deficit and two $250,000 temporary tax hikes to replace the library’s leaking dome roof and design a new middle school.
Sixty-five percent of voters, or 4,196, opposed the $1.3 million increase. The one-year tax hikes failed more narrowly - 58 percent voted against paying for a new library roof; 56 percent voted against paying to design a new middle school.
Now, a series of budget-reduction proposals developed by various town departments will go to a special town meeting in the first week of December. Residents at the meeting will have the final say about spending is slashed.
“The only thing left to do is cut,” Selectmen Chairman Keven Pratt said. “How else to do you absorb an $800,000 cut in the school system? It’s going to mean manpower.”
Pratt lamented yesterday’s outcome, saying there are already stark examples of the town using “bailing wire and duct tape” to patch up crumbling roads and aging school and municipal buildings.
“Just look at the way the middle school is falling apart,” he said. “The McKinley School is an absolute disaster area, and the library roof has been leaking for some time.”
The school department, which claims the lion’s share of Rockland’s $46.5 million municipal budget, is bracing for the most substantial loss - more than $800,000 by some estimates. To cope, a kindergarten teacher, a middle school teacher and the district’s curriculum coordinator could be fired, the superintendent has said. To save an additional $500,000, five high school elective classes could be dropped and spending for sick-leave buyback, education supplies, building maintenance and professional development could be reduced.
“This is devastating,” school committee member Thomas Mills said. “It brings us right back to where we were six years ago.”
The police and fire departments stand next in line to take major losses. Four paramedics hired earlier this year have been notified that their jobs may be on the line. Five 9-1-1 emergency dispatchers, the town’s animal control officer and seven crossing guards have been given the same warning.
In all, the budgets of more than two dozen departments could be reduced.
The budget-hacking preparations made by departments were based on a worst-case-scenario deficit of $1.74 million, a figure that would be reached only if voters at town meeting opt to spend $250,000 to design a new middle school despite the plan’s rejection at the polls.
Town meeting voters could further reduce the deficit through use of so-called free cash. No estimate of how much might be available has been provided, though officials have hinted that it will be less than last year’s $679,000.
Selectmen Louis Valanzola said he interpreted the referendums’ failure as a mixture of discontent with the town’s money management and a sign of rough economic times.
“It’s going to be an opportunity for the town to get on the right track,” he said. “Every year we keep going through this and we don’t take the steps to bring our spending in line.”
The failure of the referendums brings Rockland’s tally of rejected Proposition 2½ questions to 23 since 1981. In that time, voters approved 11.
John P. Kelly may be reached at jkelly@ledger.com.
Rockland's schools will lose two teachers, the police department will have to fire all crossing guards and park maintenance will suffer if a proposed tax increase fails to pass - and those are just some of the anticipated cuts. Town officials say some cutbacks are nearly guaranteed even if voters approve the increase. Town department heads last night outlined the effect of $1.55 million in cuts on town services and staffing. But as the police chief, school superintendent and fire chief bemoaned possible layoffs and deep service cuts, the finance committee said even more budget hacking might be needed to bring spending in line with revenue. The latest target is $1.74 million in cutbacks. On Nov. 7, residents will vote on a $1.3 million override of Proposition 2½. Last night, officials for the first time detailed what it would cost residents. To give one example, the owner of a home assessed at $350,000 would pay $228 more a year. Two other override questions each ask for $250,000 - one for a study that would precede construction of a new middle school and the other to repair the library's leaky roof. If Rockland voters approve either of the two $250,000 Proposition 2½ overrides on Nov. 7, the owner of a home assessed at $350,000 will see a one-year property tax increase of $46. If both pass, the increase will be $91, according to town officials. Unsure whether voters will allot the town more money, department heads have spent the last several weeks determining how a cuts proposed by the finance committee would affect their operations. At the special town meeting in December, the committee will recommend where to trim spending, and by how much. Last night, one by one, department heads stated what actions they would take if necessary. The school department would fire a kindergarten teacher, a middle school teacher and the district's curriculum coordinator. Also cut would be: Five high school elective classes. $177,000 for sick-leave buyback. $169,400 for education supplies. $85,000 for building maintenance. $69,000 for professional development. A program to coach students to improve performance on the state's MCAS tests would be scaled back. Superintendent James Kerrigan said the impact on test performance could be "very devastating." The list of potential school department cuts, which tentatively total $789,680, or 4 percent of the school budget, would need to be approved by the school committee, he said. Police Chief John Llewellyn did not submit a written report outlining how his department would cope with $254,000 in cuts. But Llewellyn told the committee he would lay off the town's eight crossing guards, the animal control officer and all civilian emergency dispatchers. The department also would delay spending $28,000 to buy a police cruiser. Citing a pending legal matter dealing with the fire department's union contract, Fire Chief Michael Sammon said he could not discuss what cuts the department would make. Sammon's department stands to lose as much as $352,000. To postpone a $50,000 expense, two recently hired paramedics were not sent to the fire training academy, Sammon said. The highway department would fire one worker and reduce spending on materials and equipment. "It's going to be a huge impact on the town, cutting down to four men," Highway Superintendent Robert Corvi Jr. said. In order to cut $16,200 from its budget, the park department would not repair fences at its fields, buy infield mix for baseball diamonds, fertilize fields or repair lawns. Twenty-six budgets, from the gas inspector's to council on aging's, stand to be reduced. About 85 percent of the deficit could be absorbed by the fire, police and school departments. Also last night, the finance committee grew to 10 members, with three people joining and one resigning. Anne McDonald, Cora Leonard, and Don Del Prete participated in their first meeting, and the resignation of Robert Gasdia was announced. The reason for Gasdia's resignation was not given. John P. Kelly may be reached at jkelly@ledger.com. |
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