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