Based on how easily Wellesley Special Town Meeting Articles 2 and 3 passed in support of funding the proposed Hardy and Hunnewell Elementary School projects, it’s highly likely that the public will vote in favor of corresponding debt exclusions on Dec. 7.
(Read the election warrant and see a sample ballot embedded below)
The projects have their detractors, who spoke at Town Meeting about considering 1 project or the other for now and trying to avoid sky high pandemic period materials costs, among other issues. But if the public does vote for the debt exclusions and you’re a property owner who intends to stay here, you’re going to want to know how much those debt exclusions are going to add to your annual property tax bills.
We heard during Special Town Meeting that the peak median annual increase would be $753. But now the town has rolled out an online tax impact estimator to give you a better idea of your own situation (we’ll need to sell a few more ads to cover our increase). Though note that calculations are based on Fiscal Year 2021 assessed valuation of properties.
No dollar amounts are mentioned in the ballot questions themselves. Doing so would have involved the town taking some intricate steps involving state statues, as described here.
Register to vote by Nov. 17
The last day to register to vote in the Special Election is Wednesday, Nov. 17.
Residents may register online or at Wellesley Town Hall. The Town Clerk’s office will be open extended hours on Nov. 17, until 8pm.
You must be a Wellesley resident and a U.S. citizen on the date of your registration. Voters must be 18 years old by election day.
Special Legislation also permits Vote by Mail for the December election. Visit Vote by Mail ballots for information.
Thank you for posting. I am in full support of these new schools. I think it is important for folks to remember we have had no tax increases for major elementary school improvements for 20 years. That is 20 years of savings while these buildings crumbled. I know they seem costly but our kids deserve these schools. Please take the time to vote Yes on these projects. Thank you
If we’ve saved money for 20 years, why do we need a tax override?
Also concerning that we have three schools that are beyond disrepair.
The town didn’t save money for 20 years, it did not impose a tax increase on residents so you have not been subject to any increases for these elementary schools. Residents benefited while kids didn’t. At some point we need to address this, if we had a long time ago it would have been much cheaper. We have only ourselves to blame for the costs.
Understand that we need upgrades, but It seems like there were more fiscally responsibly options than asking the average household for 20k over the term of the loans (not including additional tax increases over the next 25 years).
Hardy is on highly marketable land that could have offset expenses and provide tax revenues in perpetuity.
They should have made the pill financially easier to swallow.