Council to study override vote for school budget

Date: 6/26/2012

June 27, 2012

By Debbie Gardner

debbieg@thereminder.com

WESTFIELD — If given the opportunity, would the citizens of Westfield vote to pay a little more to support education in their city?

At Large City Councilor David Flaherty posed that question when he requested the council consider adding a Proposition 2 1/2 override referendum for the schools to the 2013 election ballot.

"This is a tough one. I don't want to raise anybody's taxes, but it would give the taxpayer's a choice, and the School Department is struggling," Flaherty said.

His goal in introducing the override referendum for consideration was to potentially raise $2.5 million to help replace a reduction in Massachusetts Chapter 70 funding to the city, as well as a cut in federal funds.

Flaherty cited figures that showed the School Department's proposed $55.5 million fiscal year 2013 (FY13) budget was nearly half of the city's proposed FY13 $112.3 million operating budget, and that even with a $3 million increase over its FY12 budget, the department would have to rely on money from out-of-town tuitions to cover all of its costs. It also contemplates teacher layoffs to help cut its expenses for the next school year.

"The School Department is draining every pot and putting the burden on every other department," Flaherty said, citing a proposed 57 percent decrease in total spending for all other city departments in FY13. "All I'm asking is to put this on the ballot."

Ward Five City Councilor Richard Onofrey Jr. said he would "vote no" to send the motion to the Legislative and Ordinance Committee (L & O) for evaluation.

"Proposition 2 1/2 is only for projects, not for general use," Onofrey said, adding he would vote no if it the motion came out of committee, and also if it made it to the ballot.

"I would not vote to raise taxes any more than I have to," Onofrey said.

Ward Four City Councilor Mary O'Connell urged the council to be open to at least sending the motion to L & O for further study.

City Council President Christopher Keefe said he has been hearing from "two camps" regarding the School Department budget.

"[There's] one that says, 'Where's the money for the schools; when are we going to have an override?'" Keefe said. "And another camp [that believes] 'We will never get an override for the schools.'"

He added that if the referendum were structured properly by working with Attorney General Martha Coakley, the additional tax money could go directly into the School Department's budget account. Keefe estimated that the 2 1/2 override would cost the average homeowner about $120 a year.

Keefe pointed out that if Flaherty's motion were sent to committee "at least it would bring [the idea] out for public discussion."

The council voted 11-1 to send the motion to L & O for further study. Onofrey was the sole opposing vote.

"We have a real problem with cash flow and this is a way to give the School Department $2.5 million," Flaherty said. "We should let the public decide."