DECISION: 01890

The Town of Winchester's Select Board has voted unanimously to place an operating override question on the March 26th town election ballot. The override seeks an additional $10M towards the Town's tax levy limit, with $2M earmarked for urgent capital projects (replenishing our Building Stabilization and Capital Stabilization Funds) and $8M to cover FY20 and future year operating expenses.

The outcome of the March 26th vote is consequential:

A YES vote (Needs-Based Budget) will "catch up" with growth in population (including students), deferred maintenance, unfilled positions as well as provide for modest and conservative growth, while a NO vote (Austerity or Cut Budget) will force layoffs, reductions in town and school services, increased fees and further deferment in key capital expenditures.

A yes vote would fund a permanent increase in the town's property tax revenues and requires a town-wide vote to "override" the Proposition 2-1/2 tax levy limit. Importantly, an override does not immediately increase property taxes -- it only raises the authorized levy limit. Town Meeting (192 elected members from all eight precincts) will continue to control how much is appropriated and spent each fiscal year after taking recommendations from Town Management and the Finance Committee. See COSTS page for more information.

what, when & why...

WHAT: An override including approximately $8 million supporting the operating budget and $2 million to replenish the Capital and Building Stabilization Funds. WHEN: March 26th 2019 election and Spring Town Meeting. WHY: The town is seeing sustained growth. After a decade of improved productivity, outsourcing and dipping into Reserve Funds, our costs are once again on the rise. Key facts:

• Winchester is growing AGAIN and our costs are increasing as we try to pace with the growth
• We have contained costs over the past decade by:
  • improving productivity
  • outsourcing services
  • drawing on our free cash reserves
• BUT we have now reached a tipping point: We must increase town revenues to offset rising costs
• If Winchester supports raising revenue, we can maintain current services AND keep pace with foreseeable needs
• If not, we will see steadily increasing cutbacks in services-- in a series of so-called "austerity budgets"

...AND SAYS WHO?

Key findings on the State of the Town come from a working group with representatives from the Select Board, School Committee, Planning Board, Finance Committee and Capital Planning Committee-- with technical advice from the Town Manager, Comptroller, Superintendent of Schools, departmental directors and senior staff. The State of the Town Working Group has been studying and discussing Winchester's needs and budget future since Spring 2018 and reported its findings in summary form at Fall Town Meeting in November.