Second Amendment

Planning Board Votes to keep Firearms Zoning Public Hearing Open

Board and Town Counsel To Mull Recommendation Regarding Special Permit

The Westford Planning Board voted unanimously last evening not to close the public hearing on a newly proposed resubmission of a zoning article, that would impose significant restrictions on the sale of firearms in Westford.   Caught between two diametrically opposed positions, seeking either to adopt or reject a special permit provision, giving the Planning Board special permit authority to approve or deny applications to sell firearms in  town, the Board was presented with a third alternative. Dennis Galvin offered a compromise which would make the police chief, not the Planning Board the special permit granting authority.  Galvin said that state law designates the police chief as the license granting authority for all matters pertaining to firearms. This designation would align the bylaw with state law.  He said, not doing this would create a conflict between the Chief’s authority and that of the Planning Board which could create both administrative and legal difficulties for the town, not to mention the legal risks involved in subjecting a constitutional right to an arbitrary approval process.               

The Board discussed Galvin’s recommendation with Chairman Bonenfant and Chief Chambers opposing the idea and members Bob Shaffer, Joan Croteau and Darren Wistz agreeing to submit the recommendation to town counsel for review and input.  Chief Chambers offered that the public would be far more receptive to a local board making decisions about firearms sales, because it would be elected by the people. He said that it would be more sensitive to their concerns, than a career civil servant like himself.  Dennis Galvin responded by saying: “the Chief just made my point”.  The matter under discussion involves a constitutional right.  This right should not be subject to the whims of simple majority rule. Galvin said : “this why we have judges”.   He said that decisions involving constitutional liberties should be made by professionals, who clearly understand the law and the constitutional implications.               

Jeff Morrissette disclosed that under state law special permit granting authority is limited to the Board of Selectmen, Zoning Board of Appeals and the Planning Board.   Galvin interjected that under state law, the Board of Selectmen are designated as the police commissioners for the town.  He added, they should have the right to delegate that authority to the Police Chief.   The Board voted unanimously to continued the public hearing until June 3^rd to await a response from town counsel.

The Issue of Special Permits  – Editors note

The concern over the special permit stems from the right in law to grant special authority to certain boards and committees to establish extra criteria for certain types of uses and activities and also requires a higher vote threshold to approve; such as a 2/3 vote. Special Permits are used  to address high risk activities. 

For those who remember, the Asphalt plant was rejected under special permit authority ( not that it ultimately did any good). 

The issue in the matter of firearms zoning in Westford is that the sale, use and possession of firearms is a constitutionally protected right.  By subjecting such sales to special permit approval the Planning Board seeks to go beyond mere site plan review, which is an objective evaluation of whether an applicant has complied with the basic requirements relating to the use that he/she seeks to engage in.   The special permit will interject subjective criteria; such as, is the use “good for the town”.  Is it consistent with the town’s character.   On top of that it will impose a supermajority requirement to pass.   

Applying this process to a constitutionally protected use is an invitation for a legal challenge in which the town will not prevail.

Town Elections -Preliminary Results

FY25 OVERRIDE AND STABILIZATION FUND GO DOWN IN DEFEAT

Newcomers Fall Short In Both Select board and School Committee Challenges

Preliminary results of today’s town elections show that Question # 1, which proposed a 4.2M tax override for Westford’s Town Government in the FY25 budget was decisively defeated 3128(Yes) to (3944) No.

Question #2 on the same ballot proposed an increase of 2.7M to be parked in a stabilization fund to defray future year overrides. This also went down by an even greater margin: (2680) Yes to (4371) No. 

If confirmed, these results would  terminate any further consideration of the multiyear override proposal offered by Town Manager Chris Las and the Select Board this year.  According to their own posted statement on (Westfordma.gov) the Select Board stated they would not revive Question # 2 if it was defeated.  What remains to be seen is whether the Board will dare to force a reconsideration of Question # 1 given the margin of defeat reported here.  

Two political new comers, who challenged incumbents and the override policy on the Select board and the School Committee were both defeated but with strong showings.  Meghan O’Connell was defeated by incumbent John Cunningham (3545), Oconnell (2698).  Joe Spadano, who challenged the school committee on the override, missed the cut in the school committee race. Incumbent Kathryn Clear (4085) was re-elected, and new comer Laurie Oliver (4520) took the second seat.  Finance Committee member Thomas LaFlamme garnered (3963), with Spadano picking up (3365).     

If these results hold (they are preliminary) it would clearly indicate that there was a strong backlash toward a perceived  attempt to divide the town along economic lines and a failure by the town administration to demonstrate sufficient prudence in the management of existing resources.     

WESTFORD SCHOOL BUS DRIVER ARRESTED ON CHILD RAPE CHARGES

Offenses Do Not Involve Westford Students:

District Attorney Marian Ryan has issued a press release concerning the arrest of man employed by the Dee Bus Service, the company which holds the bus contract for the Westford Schools.  The release is as follows:

MARLBOROUGH – Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan has confirmed that Derek Thistle, 32 of Marlborough, was arraigned today in Middlesex Superior Court on charges of forcible rape of a child, aggravated rape of a child, indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 and open and gross lewdness in connection regarding an allegedly sexual assault of a male child who was known to him.  In July of 2023, the defendant was allegedly communicating with the victim on FaceTime when he exposed himself.  The victim’s aunt, who was also in the home, allegedly also observed the FaceTime.  Following the incident the victim disclosed that the defendant had sexually assaulted him when he was visiting the defendant’s home a few months earlier. At his arraignment today, bail was set at $10,000 with conditions that he stay away from and have no contact with the victim or witnesses and that he have no unsupervised contact with minors. The defendant has reportedly been working as a school bus driver. Conditions were also set that he remain in Massachusetts and report weekly to the Probation Department. His next court date is May 17, 2024. The prosecutor assigned to this case is Marissa Milero, the victim witness advocate is Cassie Aviles.

Dr. Chris Chew, Westford School Superintendent Also Release The Following Statement:

We want to provide some additional information since the announcement on Friday of the arrest of a Dee Bus driver in another community.   After conferring with our local Westford Police Department, we can assure you that no students from Westford were involved in this very alarming situation; that being said, we remain concerned for the children and families who have been impacted elsewhere. 

Prior to the arrest, this individual had been driving one of the afternoon routes for Westford Academy as well as other Dee Bus routes for other school districts in the morning.  Dee Bus has reviewed with us the extensive background checks and processes that all drivers must complete prior to working for them as a company and in order to obtain and maintain their appropriate School Bus Driver certification and licenses with the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) and the Department of Transportation (DOT). That includes going through the Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information or CORI process annually with the RMV in order to renew their license as well as getting an annual physical in order to maintain their DOT Medical Card. We will continue to communicate with Dee Bus our expectation that their hiring and training practices prioritize the safety and well-being of all of our students. 

The Override Vote-New Information

If Vote Margins Are Not Decisive, Additional Elections and Town Meetings May Be Called

The Westford Select Board recently issued a statement (westfodma.gov) in which they threatened to call for both a new election and a special town meeting if voters reject the proposed 4.2M override on Tuesday, and if the vote margin on the stabilization fund attains a majority vote but does not reach the two thirds threshold.  Showing contempt for both a town meeting decision and a general election, the Select Board is reassuring override proponents that even if the majority prevails in Tuesday’s election, they will continue to push the issue until they get the decision they want.

http://westfodma.gov/

The statement says that if Question #1 (the override) does not pass by a majority vote, the select board would “assess the margin of the vote and determine if they would call for another special town election to consider a general override prior to September 15^th 2024.” 

The statement also addresses Question #2 on the ballot, the stabilization fund. State law requires a two-thirds vote to establish any stabilization fund.  The select-board has threatened to reverse a town meeting decision, which rejected this fund a week ago, because it failed to reach the two thirds margin. The Select-board statement says that they would call for a second town meeting to reconsider this matter, if the vote in Tuesday’s election does not achieve the required two-thirds vote.   The statement said that if the stabilization fund fails on the ballot, that would settle the question.

This unprecedented intent to override the will of town meeting and the will of the voters is not the first such demonstration emanating from this board.  Yielding to militant special interests, which they apparently cannot seem to resist, this Select Board set aside a town meeting vote which rejected the removal of Columbus Day from the town calendar, only to prevail after an expensive town wide election, which sustained the removal by a margin of just 7 votes.  This strategy is apparently being applied again. Repeatedly push the question until voters tire and they can get the outcome they want. 

In forty years of observing town government, there has never been a board more contemptuous of the processes of local government than this one.  

It would seem that on the override issue push has now come to shove.  This is a naked attempt to bend the will of the voters.  The question is, will it work and will their be political consequences?

Town Election Spotlight

One Candidate Thinks: State Mandates, Bureaucracy and Politics May be Holding Them Back

Joe Spadano of Westford is running for one of three seats on the Westford School Committee. He represents the fourth generation of Spadanos in Westford, and with four children, it would appear that a fifth generation is now a lock.  It is precisely over concerns for that new generation, that Spadano, age 33, has decided to make his bid.  As the owner of Spadano Enterprises, a welding and metal fabrication company based in neighboring Chelmsford, and as the previously mentioned father of four, Joe knows first hand, the pressures and demands that living presents. He has serious concerns that Westford’s educational system may not be providing students with the skills, habits and attitudes necessary to not just survive, but thrive in life.             

He offers reasons for his concerns saying that an 18 year-old today, graduating from Westford Academy is not as prepared as an 18 year old was ten years ago.  He points to the mushrooming rate of IEPS and SPED enrollments along with school policies that do not allow teachers to grade tests and papers below 50% claiming, “that is not the real world”.  He suspects that overconcern about maintaining positive self- image may be preventing students from being conditioned to handle the challenges the real world will present, after they leave the Westford schools. He believes this overconcern my be manifesting itself in “social promotions” where students, who might otherwise benefit from a repeat of a grade are moved forward when they are not ready.  He disclosed that he himself repeated the first grade in Westford because he was not ready to move on.  He added: “this is how the real world works.”             

He offered some very interesting and concerning school metrics that demonstrate the Westford school population has gone down from 5180 in 2014 to 4451 in 2024. However, enrollment in Special Education programs (SPED) has mushroomed from 597 in 2014 to 740 in 2024.  Students on “Individual Educational Plans” (IEPs) have gone up by almost the same amount.  

Spadano also points to rising costs.  He believes that members of the school committee have a dual responsibility, to provide the best education they can for the town’s students, but also to ensure that the cost of that education doesn’t outstrip the capacity of the town to support it, which is what he believes happened this year.  He notes that while the school population has declined, the school budget is steadily increasing.  The cost of the SPED programs have increased while teacher staffing has remained constant despite the loss of some 700 students over the last ten years. He admits that the bus contract is a major concern.  The Dee bus contract has become oppressive because there are no competitors, who could lower the price.   As to suggestions that the bus contract be brought in-house, Spadano is hesitant.  He believes that an inhouse proposal could be looked at, but cautioned that the amount of investment in fuel and capital outlays would be significant.              

Recent controversies surrounding the MCAS tests were addressed.  Spadano understands the concerns about “teaching to the test”,  but adds, that objective standards are absolutely essential to ensure that students are keeping pace.  As he says:  “ that a third grader in Westford is learning what a third grader is supposed to learn.”               On the social questions impacting the schools, Spadano is not satisfied with the “anti-bullying policy.  He said that it promotes sit-downs with students, who are engaging in conflicts and heavily relies upon verbalizing concerns.  He is not sure that such an approach alone can be effective. He takes issue with a school policy that allows children to use cell phones in class alleging that this does not establish an environment conducive to education. On the controversial issue of transgenderism, Spadano does not support the current school policy of withholding gender information identified at school from parents. He said that this interjects the school into the role of the parents, which is an approach he cannot support.

Spadano is also well aware of the growing failure of state government in its ability to properly support the town’s educational program.  He said that recent comments by state representative Jim Arciero before the Select Board were disappointing. Spandano said Arciero basically told the Select Board there is nothing he can do.  Spadano suggests maybe he should “start fighting for his district.”

Please Note:

TOWN ELECTION TUESDAY MAY 7, 2024  POLLS OPEN ALL DAY:

Your Ballot Is Critical Please Make Sure You Vote

Town Meeting Report

4.3M Override Approved for FY25: Stabilization Fund Fails Blocking Additional Tax Hike

A record crowd of over 2000 town voters assembled on the WA football field Saturday, participating in largest town meeting in Westford’s history.  Under a cloudless, sunny sky, the town meeting approved a 4.3M override for FY25 (1190Y to 694N).

However, a proposed unprecedented override stabilization fund along with an authorization for an additional 2.5M in the tax levy failed (1180Y to 636N). The measure failed because proponents could not overcome a two-third vote threshold mandated by state law required for establishing any municipal stabilization fund. 

The FY25 override will now face town-wide voter scrutiny on May 7^th , when it will appear on the ballot as part of the town elections.

A 128M town budget was also passed to ensure funding for town services, should the override fail. A last minute amendment from the floor directed 378K additional moneys to the schools. The amendment passed (1226Y to 128N). This money will not come from new taxes but from existing revenue forcing the town to reallocate resources.  The non-override budget then passed (1330Y to 41N). 

Town Planner Jeff Morrissette and Select Board member John Cunningham made a convincing presentation in support of rezoning land located between rte 110 and Powers road to support 4500 units of multi-family housing to comply with the state’s MBTA zoning law.  The fact that the town is under no obligation to provide the infrastructure for development, which will inevitably limit the build out, and the fact that several local developers and business owners have expressed interest in improving the area, potentially increasing the town’s commercial tax based, convinced the crowd.  The measure passed (402Y to 88N).

Police Chief Mark Chambers sponsored two articles related to improving the town’s security. The first was a bylaw regulating door to door commercial soliciting. Concerns related to the impact on political and religious solicitation sparked an amendment sponsored by Dennis Galvin, which specifically exempted both activities from the registration requirement. The amendment passed (162Y to 147N). The amended resolution then passed on a unanimous voice vote.  A second article requiring certain vendors; such as, ice cream truck operators to submit to a fingerprint criminal record check to do business in town, passed on by unanimous voice vote.               

A strong bid was made to try to reinstate the commemoration of Christopher Columbus within the parameters of Indigenous Person’s Day.  The bill was sponsored by Tony DiLeo and Cathy Creed.  The article was challenged by members of the town’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) committee, who offered a motion to dismiss the petition. A vigorous debate ensued on the motion.  Proponents argued that Christopher Columbus deserved to be recognized and that the article was unlike any previous because it sought a compromise that would create a joint celebration.    

Joe Dimond of the DEI committee argued that it ran contrary to the intent of a town wide vote taken last year in which the omission of Columbus from Indigenous People’s day was sustained.  (Note: by only 15 votes) .The motion to dismiss the article narrowly passed on (165Y-146N) vote.

Op Editorial

MAKE USE OF YOUR SECOND CHANCE

Vote Down The Override on May 7^th At The Ballot

Please consider voting no on all ballot questions about the override. The election is 5/7 but there is early voting all next week.    As an example if you don’t know the magnitude of the override, the extra for my house could be almost $1000 per year.  This is above and beyond the normal allowed increases.  You can find a calculator online to see your specific property but it only shows the one-year impact of just the override.  It does not include the “regular” increases and it doesn’t show the impact of non-excluded debt (library) or the CPC surcharge. My calculations show that in three years my tax bill will be more than 15% higher than this year’s – and this excludes the CPC surcharge of 3% on top of my regular taxes and excluded debt.

I’ve been on the finance committee for 9 years.  I was a CPA before. I stopped working to be home with our kids. This tax increase is too high. I know the numbers. They don’t need that much.  I’m happy to go into detail or answer any question. Call: 978-692-3691. I will have a child in the schools at least 5 more years and I also have a WA student with 2 more years. I have no interest in harming our schools.

It’s very possible to defeat this.  Ballot votes have much greater turnout than town meetings.  Please consider a no vote and understand that you need to go vote – encourage your friends.  If you don’t agree with me that’s fair too!     Feel free to forward this email to anyone that might support defeating this ridiculously high propsed Tax Hike.  

Thanks

Heather Fitzpatrick

WESTFORD’S ALTERNATIVE CANDIDATE

Meghan O’Connell:  An Alternative To Westford’s Status Quo

Meghan O’Connell has been making herself known in town in recent years both as a candidate for the school committee and as a defender of the second amendment. This year, as a candidate for the select board, she has been catapulted into the spotlight as the leading challenger and critic of the town’s unprecedented 6.8M proposition 2 ½ override proposal. Meghan proudly boasts that she is the only candidate that has clearly and unequivocally stated her opposition to it.  Her reason is very simple, the town has not done enough to save money and the select board went to the override as their first option not their last.

O’Connell puts a lot of stock in history referencing an override attempt in 2005, when the school budget was only 33M. The override that year would have supported 9% of the school budget. The override failed but the school budget still went up by 12.9% the next year. The bottom line; there was funding available, but an incentive was needed to find it. Overrides remove the incentive. O’Connell has estimated that with a declining school population and bringing the school bus operations in house, another 1.3M can be saved in the school budget. 

Other savings can be realized through improving the collection rate with the ambulance enterprise, which she claims is far below that of area towns, and by tapping into the town’s stabilization fund which she estimates is between 8 to 9M, claiming this will not jeopardize our bond rating.  O’Connell has strong reservations about going all in on a tax increase, when so many variables outside the town’s control such as inflation, health insurance costs, energy costs and depleting state aid are driving the increases.  She recommends buying time to see if these factors will improve and start restructuring if they don’t. 

Much of her focus is reigning in school spending.  She recommends “mothballing” the Blanchard Middle School, closing it to save administrative costs, while keeping it in reserve in the event of new surge of school children from potential development.  In that regard, she is hesitant to support the proposed MBTA zoning plan.  While she does not advocate opposing it, she believes the town should support only minimal compliance, capping potential development at the state mandated level of 950 units and no more. She does not support the 4500 units proposed by the town.  Her concern is a surge in traffic and an increase in school students.  She estimates in a worse case scenario an 800K town budget deficit, if development in the proposed zone came on line all at once.

Concern over a shrinking commercial tax base is also one of O’Connell’s concerns. She points to the fact that the tax burden shouldered by Westford’s residential property owners over commercial owners has increased to 90% from 86% a few years ago.  This trend appears to be continuing. She said it is critical to find ways to attract business to Westford in order to reverse this trend.  Comparing and examining Westford’s tax policies with those of other communities is imperative she says, pointing to Billerica and Chelmsford as models to study.   

O’Connell offers a very unique and relevant background for public service.  A graduate of Catholic University in Washington, she is a bio-medical engineer and currently the Director of Quality at Valerio Therapeutics.  She has a very in-depth knowledge and understanding of the Massachusetts bio-tech industry, and says her strength lies in analyzing operations to find efficiencies, while balancing the needs of stakeholders and customers in delivering products.  As a transgender woman she also has a very deep personal understanding of the challenges faced by transgender people. However, she believes that the personal issues related to gender transition rests primarily with children and their parents not with the schools.  On the question of transgender athletes, O’Connell is sensitive to the concerns that this issue presents, noting a preference to consider cases on an individual basis; but offering that the decision to opt for transgender requires sacrifices. One such sacrifice may be the opportunity to compete in athletics.   She also noted that being transgender has given her a strong appreciation for the second amendment stating: “there are people who believe I do not have the right to exist.”   Meghan O’Connell will be on the May 7^th town ballot challenging incumbent John Cunningham for his seat on the Select Board.

Editorial:

JUSTICE FOR COLUMBUS:  Vote ‘Yes’ on Article 22

The history of society for most of human existence, has been nothing more than the story of masters and slaves. Human consciousness seemed incapable of conceiving existence in any other way.  A radical change occurred on April 19^th 1775, when farmers marched to the Concord bridge and offered armed resistance against an oppressive British Crown.  The ensuing American Revolution ended British colonial rule in America and gave birth to a new nation, a new consciousness and a new era in history in which the universal right to freedom for all people was now proclaimed.

However, the evolution of this consciousness had not yet been fully realized in 1775. The spiritual chains that held the old master-slave paradigm together had been loosened but not severed. The final break came 90 years later, with the defeat of the confederacy in the American Civil War and ending chattel slavery in the United States.  The logic supporting all master-slave societies had now been broken. A powerful vision of universal freedom had been vindicated in blood and its energy was now unleashed.   

Christopher Columbus is a critical figure in this saga.  Yet, he has been accused of racism and of being a progenitor of slavery in America. Many want to ban him from historical memory. Slavery, as we know it, was introduced into the colonies by the British Empire, not by Columbus.

His detractors conveniently forget that he was a man of his time. The struggle for dominance to include slavery was the way of his world.  Europeans, Native Americans, Asians and Africans all engaged in it. The world was tribal, acquiring power and wealth were the driving motives of all human societies big or small. Columbus never experienced the fullness of the evolving spirit of freedom, because in his day, that spirit had not yet been born

However, wittingly or unwittingly he made its birth possible.  As an explorer and a man of science in its rudimentary stages, he challenged the prevailing superstitions of his time and risked his life in pursuit of scientific truth.  His discovery of America was a triumph against ignorance of which superstitions like racism are fruits.  Columbus was among the first to peel away the mask of human ignorance.    Centuries later, the science to which he was devoted eradicated ancient assertions of racial superiority.  But equally important, it was Christopher Columbus, who discovered the land upon which the great struggle for human liberation was to play out.  For these reasons, justice demands that he be remembered.    Support Article 22.

THE VOTE ‘NO’ ANTI OVERRIDE PAMPHLET IS ATTACHED

The Pamphlet offers a  comprehensive look at the override and its impacts.  Study it well before Town Meeting this Saturday April 27.2024   WA Football field.   

Call To Order at 9AM sharp.   

Get there early !

Finance Committee Member Explains The Opposition Position

Finance Committee member Dennis Galvin was interviewed last week by Kathy Lynch the host of Second Opinion, the Republican sponsored public affairs program on WCAT. The subject was the ins and the outs of the proposed proposition 2 ½  override facing voters at Westford’s annual town meeting on Saturday April 27^th 2024.  The Finance Committee is established under state law to provide oversight and recommendations to the town with regard to its financing.  Galvin was one of two members, who opposed the override and during this edition of Second Opinion he explains why.

Galvin identified the difference between the town budget and the school budget, a difference which he said was established in state law, and noted on the town side several issues that needed to be addressed, specifically the top heavy management structure of the town’s public safety sector, deficiencies in vendor contract management and fleet vehicle management and a move to transfer town employees, hired with federal emergency funds, over to the town side budget.  In the school budget Galvin charged that the school committee overcommitted the town in contract settlements particularly with reading and math interventionists. Increases were justified utilizing a “market basket” of communities with average per capita incomes of 96K while Westford’s is 72K  He also noted that the school-department is holding some three million dollars in reserve funds, some of which can be applied to offset costs in the school’s operating budget, but no one has taken the time to figure out how much.

There were essentially three factors driving this override, said Galvin.  The first are the inefficiencies noted in town management, discussed above.  The second is related to rising inflation, health insurance and energy costs caused by failed policies in Washington and the third is a pullback by Beacon Hill of its commitment to local aid. He offered his recommendations for improving the town’s fiscal situation: (1) scale down public safety management, improve contract and vehicle management and freeze hiring (2) pressure our state representative and senator to better represent the town on Beacon Hill; if that doesn’t change begin to seriously examine regionalization (3) Change the administration in Washington.

Impacts were discussed. Galvin said that the tax hit for the owner of a 568K home would be about $500.00 plus with a $100.00 increase for each hundred thousand dollars of property valuation.  This does not include additional costs related to the debt exclusion for the library or the annual CPA assessment, both come in at about $200 each.  Galvin warned that the burden for the debt exclusion will not remain stable but will increase. As to service loss if the override fails, Galvin listed a loss of 2 police officers, 2 firefighters and 1 public safety dispatcher.  On the school side he said that 47 school personnel would be laid off, twelve teachers and the rest would impact the reading and math intervention program.

Town meeting is scheduled for 9.00AM on Saturday April 27, 2024at the Westford Academy football field.  Voters will also face a ballot question on this issue in the May 7^th town election.  We recommend you get there early.

Watch Second Opinion

Annual Town Meeting Update

Please Make Note Of This Second Change

Due to a conflicting calendar of events at Westford Academy, the Westford Select Board recently voted to change the date of town meeting from  Saturday May 4^th to Saturday April 27^th, 2024.  The start time will remain at 9AM.  

This time the meeting will be held outdoors on the WA football field.   A large crowd is still expected.  Registration will begin at 8A.  The Town Warrant remains the same.  The massive override measure will lead the warrant.  If you want your opinion and vote registered you must show up early.  

Additionally, at the end of the meeting voters will have the opportunity to decide whether to reinsert Columbus Day onto the October holiday date adding it to the town’s celebration of Indigenous people’s day.

For those looking for “ No Override- Don’t Tax Me Out”  signs, see link below.

Link To Request Vote No Yardsigns

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15aS7XulTYt7x_lw4jmCvwgpEOWsr65MX9ue63gwdE14/viewform?edit_requested=true

Editorial –  Annual Town Meeting

Historical Crowd Overwhelms Building Capacity Forcing TM Shutdown

There was a time when the Westford town moderator, along with the Select Board would express concern over the lack of attendance at town meeting.  Not any more.   Nothing like banning guns or raising taxes to get everyone’s attention. On Saturday, over 1600 town residents assembled at Westford Academy (WA) on a cold, rainy and wintry morning to do political battle at annual town meeting over a proposed massive proposition 2 ½ override.  They were abruptly told that they must “stand-down” and wait until May for the final showdown on the issue.   Despite intermittent boos and grumbles, the crowd took the news in an orderly manner and respectfully filed out of the building, while returning their vote clickers.   This says a lot for Westford.  Imagine if this happened in Brockton.

The size of the crowd overwhelmed the physical capacity of WA to accommodate residents, forcing a cancellation of the spring town meeting.  The historical cancellation was due in part to the fact that the crowd capacity exceeded limits set by state and local fire codes for the building.  There was also a legal issue as to whether the town could face court action, if it denied entrance to a town voter, who wanted to participate in “open” town meeting.   A once theoretical question was answered today.  Yes.

This is now the second instance in succession, where a volatile issue has resulted in an unprecedented turnout of Westford voters wanting to participate in open town meeting. For Westford this is a truly revolutionary development.  Times are obviously changing.  Increasing pressures and concerns related to the economy, education and public safety are driving people out to these meetings. Many attendees were dissatisfied with the postponement, offering comments that open town meeting has seen its day.

Town committees have looked at various options over the years ranging from remote electronic participation to representative town government.  Up until now, there has been resistance to any changes, but there is no doubt that concerns are not going away.  Today’s debacle demonstrated that on the issue of this critical override, in which significant numbers of people wanted to be heard, the status quo governing the legislative function of the town was inadequate.  It resulted in a significant loss of town funds, people’s time, a delayed fiscal decision on a critical issue and a lot of frustration.

Prior to dismissal, Moderator Angela Harkness announced that the town meeting would be postponed until Saturday May 4th 2024 at the Westford Academy football field.  The time was not provided.

Ides of March Edition  –    Editorial

Inflicting Fiscal Pain On Town Taxpayers Not Justified

The Westford town meeting this year will be presented with an unprecedented, multi-year proposition 2 ½ override to support a 5.6% increase in town spending for FY 25, with additional increases up to FY28. Combined, this proposal will result in an 18% increase in taxes over the next three years and this increase will be permanent.             

Inflation and increases in health insurance and energy costs will be blamed as the cause.  That is partly true.  Yet, households and personal budgets of many town residents particularly those on fixed incomes are also impacted by these factors.  This tax increase will compound the financial situations of many causing major economic pain.   This pain is unnecessary.              

These cost drivers are all self-imposed, the result of policy decisions in Washington.  They can be changed.  Is it wise to commit the town to a burdensome taxation plan, passing the costs of failed federal policies onto Westford taxpayers ?  Wouldn’t it be more prudent to scale back on spending, and utilize reserves for a short period to see if these impacts abate ?               

The state has also drawn back from its commitment to support municipalities with state aid.   State assessments and mandates, coupled with local aid allocations that fail to keep up with inflation, have pushed more of the revenue burden onto our property taxes. We cannot maintain the current level of town services solely on property tax revenues, unless we are willing to drive a large segment of our population, many born and raised here, out of town.  The state pullback must be offset by drastic restructuring of local government in which regionalization becomes an imperative.              

The tax plan calls for an “override stabilization fund”, a risky fiscal proposition.  It creates a pile of cash presenting a significant temptation to draw upon.  If control of this fund is lost, our difficult fiscal situation will compound.  The town should stand by year-to-year budgeting.             

3.8M of the town budget increase is driven by the Westford Public Schools.  The School Committee and Superintendent made commitments in contract negotiations with multiple unions that went beyond the fiscal capacity of the town to support. The so-call “market basket” communities, cited to support these increases, have per capita incomes greatly exceeding that of our town. The fiscal impact on the town’s taxpayers was never considered.  The school department also maintains multiple reserve accounts estimated at close to 3M.  A portion of these funds can be applied to offset operational costs but no analysis of how much of this can be utilized has ever been done.             

Streamlining town government can yield additional savings.  Public safety management is top heavy, vendor contracts can be better managed, fuel costs and vehicle replacements within the DPW, the Police Department and the Council on aging can become more efficient.  The transfer of several positions to the town budget, originally funded by ARPA funds can be deferred.               

Costs associated with the override are not the only burden to be foisted on taxpayers.  Debt exclusions to fund a library expansion and repairs to the Blanchard Middle school roof will be added. A water rate increase is in the offing to pay for two new PFAS purification plants and despite what the Governor says, prospects for additional state tax increases are highly likely.                 

The property tax is the most regressive tax for raising revenue.  It impacts people’s most vital and necessary asset aside from food itself, shelter.  Taxation is pain. If it must be inflicted, morality dictates it must be as a last resort.  That cannot be said in this case.   Reject this override.

OVERRIDE OPPOSITION BEGINS TO BUILD

A Call For Volunteers : Spread The Word : Get Out The Vote

An organized effort to oppose the unprecedented override proposed by the Select Board is beginning to mount.  This measure can be killed if enough voters attend Town Meeting on March 23, 2024 and vote NO against it. The meeting will start at 9.00AM, registration will begin at 8.00AM.  DO NOT DELAY IN REGISTERING  GET THERE EARLY.             

Everyone has to attend TOWN MEETING and Vote ‘NO’ or your tax bill is going to rise.  If the measure passes there is still a chance to kill it at the ballot box in May but let’s not let it get that far.