Selectboard approves ballot with two budget overrides for April 14 vote

The Selectboard discusses different tax override options to place on the April 14 town election ballot.
Photo credit: SHCTV15

SOUTH HADLEY — The Selectboard officially approved language for its April 14 town election ballot, which will ask residents to consider a Proposition 2 ½ override to save jobs, town buildings and extracurricular activities.

In a 3-2 vote on March 3, the Selectboard approved two override options that residents will vote on come election day: the $9 million option or the $11 million option.

The decision came after the board was presented with four different options on how the override question should be listed on the ballot.

This included deciding whether the Selectboard wanted one option listed, two options listed or three options listed on the ballot.

Throughout the past couple of months, the Budget Task Force and town have come up with a $3 million tax override option, a $6 million tax override option, a $9 million tax override option and an $11 million tax override option.

At the Special Town Meeting on Feb. 25, Town Meeting members voted for their tax override preference: 66% voted for the $11 million override option, 19% voted for $9 million override, 9% voted for $6 million override and 6% voted for $3 million override.

The Town Meeting vote was just to see the town’s preference. The Selectboard ultimately had final say on what appears on the ballot for April 14, as evidenced by the March 3 vote.

For residents voting in April, the ballot will include two separate questions. Voters may vote for or against each question independently. A majority is required for one of the questions to pass. If both questions pass, the $11 million override will prevail.

Each question will read “Shall the Town of South Hadley be allowed to assess an additional $____ in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of operating the Municipal Government and Public Schools for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026?”

The blank will have $9 million as one option and $11 million as the other. The residents will vote either yes or no.

According to the Budget Task Force report that was submitted in February, a $9 million override would be raised over four years and produce “limited cuts” and a $2 million deficit in FY31. An $11 million override over five years would yield “few cuts” and a $1.5 million deficit in FY31. According to the report, an $11 million override would also be the closest thing to maintaining current service levels, barring any major cost impacts.

After the Selectboard approved the ballot during its March 3 meeting, the questions were sent to the town clerk.

Selectboard member Nicole Casolari talked about the future during the meeting, stating, “I do think that our board now has a task of putting forward an action plan for those options for people to really understand what they’re voting for or against.”

The Selectboard will continue its budget public hearing and have a budget vote on Tuesday, March 17. The School Committee will host its budget public hearing on Wednesday, March 11, before voting on Wednesday, March 25.

There is also a community meeting scheduled for Saturday, March 28. Town Administrator Lisa Wong said the meeting will serve as an opportunity for residents to hear more extensive reports on the budget and provide comments.

Wong explained how residents can stay involved going forward.

“People can voice at any time, but there are three different points in which they influence a board,” Wong said.

Residents can either talk at the budget hearings or send emails to board members.

Wong said residents could also reach out to those committee members if they would like to see a certain recommendation.

The Annual Town Meeting, which is set to take place in May, is “when this body will actually appropriate a budget for the following year based on the levy limit that is either going to stay the same or increase if there is an override vote,” Wong explained.

Readers can learn more about the South Hadley budget process this year by visiting previous coverage at thereminder.com.