To the editor:
With the June 9 override vote approaching, it is important to consider how Marblehead compares to similar communities. For more than 21 years, Marblehead avoided a general override. As a result, our tax burden is now among the lowest of our peers.
Today, Marblehead’s average single-family tax bill is approximately $11,100 per year, ranking 16th out of 17 comparable communities according to data from the state Department of Revenue website.
If Question 3 and the trash override both pass, the average tax bill would rise to about $13,600 — still below the peer community average of roughly $14,600. Importantly, this estimate assumes the full override is added immediately using current home values. In reality, the override phases in over three years while surrounding communities will continue seeing tax increases as well.
Reasonable people can debate spending priorities, but the data makes one thing clear: Marblehead’s financial challenges are not the result of mismanagement. They are the predictable result of trying to provide the services residents expect while collecting substantially less in taxes than comparable communities.
Ross Patterson
Pinecliff Drive
