Ragucci warns against override
Published on February 28th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - Heeding the advice of the town's chief executive, the Selectmen declined last week to place a proposition 2 1/2 override on the April election ballot.
During a tri-board meeting between the Selectmen, Finance Board, and School Committee last Tuesday night, Town Administrator David Ragucci warned local officials that an override would do little to address Stoneham's recurring fiscal woes.
According to the rookie Town Administrator, while a tax increase would plug next year's estimated $3.7 million deficit, he would be neglecting his duties if he didn't point-out that structural budget issues would force another gaping hole within a few years.
"Looking at the community, I don't think it would be a wise decision to even seek an override," Ragucci cautioned. "It will push the inevitable out for two or three years, but unless there are serious changes, the town will be in the same situation."
"Let's get the house in order and then seek an override, if that's needed. But to do an override in FY'08 wouldn't be doing justice to the town," the Town Administrator advised.
According to Town Clerk John Hanright, this Monday was the deadline for placing any questions on next spring's election ballot. If the Selectmen were to pursue an override at this point, a special election would have to be called.
That procedure, the same process which took place in June of 2004 when voters rejected a $2.7 million override question, would cost taxpayers approximately $10,000.
And although no Selectman has formally endorsed convening a special election for an override, board members didn't exactly dismiss the idea last Tuesday night.
In fact, when the town officials were pressed to back such an initiative by School Committee Chairwoman Kristen Russo, Selectman Tony Kennedy specifically argued that a special election could still be called in June.
Russo, who listed off the district's proposed $1.8 million worth of budget reductions, had contended that the school system couldn't afford to lose any more programs or teachers. According to the School Committee Chairwoman, if some of those proposed cuts became reality, such as the elimination of high school sports or the redistricting of sixth graders to elementary schools, it would be twice as difficult to restore them in the years ahead.
In addition, Russo insisted that it was unfair to delay an override ballot question until after April, as teachers would be issued pink slips that month without knowing if the town had at least some way of avoiding those layoffs.
"We feel there is a very great need to explore this and go forward with an override," Russo said. "[For] any one of these cuts to be put back into the budget two-years down the road, [the money] just won't be there."
According to Schools' Supt. Dr. Joseph Connelly, while he respected Ragucci's position on placing an override question on the ballot, he firmly believed that Stoneham had hit a crossroads.
Specifically, the Superintendent insisted that if some other source of revenue wasn't tapped to offset the forecasted FY'08 deficit, the town would essentially be putting itself in a place where it couldn't recover.
"If we don't go for an override, we have to come up with some other revenue source. If we cut another $3-to-$4 million in staff and positions this year, we're out of business," said Connelly.
During the greater portion of last week's meeting, all three boards mulled over a plethora of ideas to either generate new revenue sources or reduce operating expenses. The options included upping the health insurance percentages employees paid, rezoning portions of land for billboards, consolidating departments and positions, and renting or leasing town properties, among other considerations. However, town officials readily admitted that a number of those proposals could not possibly be realized in time for next July, when the next fiscal year begins.
Possible solutions to the budget crisis, including the possibility of placing an override on the ballot, will be discussed on March 6, when the tri-board convenes to consider several plans being prepared by Ragucci and the Finance Board.
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