To the editor:
As the Marblehead community considers the upcoming Proposition 2 1⁄2 override, it’s important to be clear about what a “no” vote really means; not just for this year, but next year and beyond.
Municipal budgets don’t operate in a vacuum. Costs for education, public safety, infrastructure and basic services continue to rise, often faster than the 2.5% annual levy limit allows. When revenues can’t keep pace, towns are forced to make difficult decisions. Those decisions typically mean cutting staff, reducing programs and deferring maintenance; choices that don’t just disappear after one budget cycle.
In front of us this year is a reduction of services within the Department of Public Works, Police Department, Abbot Library, Council on Aging and more. These agencies and systems are vital to the people of Marblehead and these cuts, if successful, would affect every home and every age group.
Voting “no” this year doesn’t solve the problem. As we’ve learned time and time again after previous failed overrides, it only postpones the inevitable and makes it worse. The gap between what our town needs and what it can fund will still be there next year, only we’ll have less ability to service those who rely on these organizations to live a meaningful and productive life.
A “no” vote means deeper cuts, more disruption to schools and services, and fewer options to respond thoughtfully. Instead of making measured, strategic adjustments now, we risk being forced into more drastic actions later.
You may not attend the Lunch by Doug program at the Council of Aging, but you know someone in Marblehead who does. You may not regularly borrow books from Abbot Library, but you know someone in Marblehead who does. You may not have a child who utilizes special education services in a Marblehead Public School, but you know someone in Marblehead who does. We are so fortunate to live in a small, close-knit town; where connections may be found everywhere and community still matters. The positive financial decisions we make together only strengthen the bonds we commit to one another.
We know an override is never an easy ask. It requires residents to weigh a community need relative to their personal financial impact. And that impact is real. But it also provides a way to stabilize services, plan responsibly, and avoid a cycle of repeated cuts that erode the quality of life in our town. We have lost so much already in previous cycles. Instead, let’s agree to say, “no more” and vote “yes” to maintaining our current programs.
If we value strong schools, reliable public safety and well-maintained infrastructure, we need to think long-term. A “yes” vote this year is not just about maintaining today’s services — it’s about preventing even more significant losses tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Karen Galvez & Aaron Liber
Taft Street
