This week the Selectmen and the Advisory Board voted to support a $1.36 million override, which would mean an additional tax increase of about $190 to the average Bridgewater taxpayer. We say additional because the tax bill for next year is already slated to go up more than 2 1/2 percent due to debt overrides that have already been approved. It might not seem like much to many of us; however, to those living on a fixed income, facing the current mortgage crisis, or suffering from the current economic downturn, it could mean their home.
Among many other important issues, the annual budget and override (or contingency budget) will be brought up at the Annual Town Meeting on Monday, May 5th at the B-R Regional High School. I highly encourage all taxpayers in Bridgewater to attend and have their voices heard. If the citizens vote for an override at the Annual Town Meeting, then it will go to an election. It seems silly that we keep holding override votes when we keep getting the same answer from the citizens: No! It goes from silly to frustrating when you realize that each override ballot costs the taxpayers about $10,000.
The Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility opposes this override attempt as it will hurt those who are already most at need, and it will enable the Town of Bridgewater to continue with business as usual. The citizens have already said NO to three overrides from 2004 until now. With each vote, they were demanding that our Town change the way it’s been doing things. The demand was for reforms, better planning and reasonable contracts. However, nothing was ever done by our elected officials. The raises included in the current contracts are still more than the Town can afford, and the employee contributions to their health insurance are still far less than the average.
The voices for the override are saying the same thing as has been said before. We always hear how we need to save our Town or our schools. Last year, they said “people will die” if the override doesn’t pass. Once again, we trust that the taxpayers will see through the rhetoric. The real way to solve our Town’s fiscal problems is through contract, health care and pension reforms. It’s not the taxpayers’ fault that there’s been little to no action on these issues, and the taxpayers’ should continue to say “NO” until there is.