By Molly Teets
On Tuesday, June 9, Marblehead voters will weigh in on a tiered general override (Questions 1, 2 and 3) to address the town’s $7.7 million operating budget deficit. As a member of the Finance Committee during this most challenging budget season, I have been deeply involved in the FY27 budget process and actively advised town leadership in the development of the override.
For several years, the Finance Committee has been predicting the fiscal cliff we now face. The structural deficit our town faces is not the result of fiscal mismanagement. In fact, we should commend town leaders for stretching our last general override to its absolute limit. But after 21 years, in an environment where costs are rising faster than our revenue, providing the services residents are accustomed to is simply not possible without a general override.
We face a critical choice: pass an override or make painful cuts that significantly reduce the services provided to Marblehead residents.
The FY27 budget and override proposal are based on detailed financial analyses and long-term projections developed under the leadership of Alec Goolsby, Finance Committee chair. As a direct result of his time, effort and expertise, the town’s budget is now significantly more accurate, functional and transparent. The budget now reflects the town’s true operating costs, and we are building reserves in our Stabilization Fund. This practice promotes budget transparency and is in line with recommendations of the state Department of Revenue and budgetary best practices.
Before proposing an override, town leadership worked hard to find sustainable solutions to address our structural budget deficit. These included identifying new revenue sources, tapping into revolving funds, increasing user fees, finding efficiencies and cutting costs. Under the steady and thoughtful leadership of our current School Committee, Superintendent John Robidoux and his team have right-sized the district’s cost structure to reflect declining student enrollment. As a Finance Committee member, I will continue to push town leaders and department heads to find operating efficiencies and pursue new revenue sources. But the reality is that our structural deficit cannot be solved using those tools alone.
The balanced budget approved at Town Meeting represents countless hours of work by elected and appointed officials, our department heads and the Finance Committee. Together, leadership made extremely difficult decisions centered around the Select Board’s prioritization of public safety and infrastructure over other town services. These cuts are real, they will happen if an override is not passed, and they will impact residents townwide.
Unlike the divisive and contentious budget seasons of prior years, the FY27 budget and override proposals are the product of an effective and productive collaboration between the Select Board, School Committee, and Finance Committee, driven by a long-term strategic view. This is how well-run towns operate. A challenge as complex as our structural deficit cannot be addressed by boards or commissions working in silos.
Addressing Marblehead’s structural deficit is not an easy, one-year fix, which is why the June 9 ballot offers three options for phased, focused implementation of a general override tax increase. The choice of which to approve is up to Marblehead voters; only one would take effect. All require yearly Town Meeting approval of the town’s next fiscal year budget, keeping residents in control while holding town leaders and departments accountable for their budget expenditures.
As an example, I’ll describe the middle of the three questions on the June 9 ballot. While Question 2’s $12 million figure represents a headline-grabbing number, remember it does not come due all at once.
Instead, it is a targeted, phased implementation over three years: Year 1, $2.8M; Year 2, $6.7M; and Year 3, $2.5M. In this multi-year model, the traditional role of Town Meeting is unchanged. For each of Questions 1, 2 and 3, annual Town Meeting must approve how the tax increase is allocated in the next fiscal year.
This structured, disciplined approach to an incremental tax increase compels town leadership to plan ahead more proactively and with increased transparency. It also reduces the uncertainty that our department heads and valued employees face from back-to-back, one-year overrides. It’s difficult to retain employees in the best of situations, let alone in an environment where their jobs are potentially at risk each year. This multi-year approach also allows residents to plan for increases in property taxes and gives eligible residents time to pursue tax relief options.
While our town’s fiscal transparency and budgeting have markedly improved in the last few years, there are still meaningful changes to be made for our town to operate as efficiently as possible while improving services to residents. Accomplishing this will take time and continued collaboration across elected boards and commissions.
On June 9, I will be voting YES on Questions 1, 2 and 3, and I will be voting for the candidates with a record of and a commitment to collaborative leadership.
Molly Teets is a member of the Finance Committee.
