UPDATED: Proposed Grafton Prop. 2 1/2 override would raise $6.5 million over 5 years

This post has been updated to add the Town Administrator’s Municipal Budget presentation and a copy of the fact sheets for upcoming projects.

This is the ballot question Grafton residents may be facing sometime this spring: “Shall the Town of Grafton be allowed to assess an additional $6,500,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of funding the town and school operating budgets ($5,500,000) and the municipal capital stabilization fund ($1,000,000) for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2020?”

While the override discussion was precipitated by a fiscal crisis in the schools that may eliminate 40 positions over the next five years, Town Administrator Tim McInerney unveiled a State of the Town report that outlined needed operational expenses as well as capital needs.

“Communities do overrides generally because the levy doesn’t grow enough for costs in some years,” McInerney said Tuesday at a joint meeting of the Select Board, School Committee and Finance Committee. “The only thing to do about it is an override. There’s no two ways about it.”

That’s not to say that Grafton won’t have a boost in tax revenue. McInerney is projecting $360,000 in marijuana host community fees and taxes, specifically mentioning Resinate’s efforts to remodel its proposed site on Westboro Road. That’s not a guarantee, however; the town and state have not finalized which businesses will receive the town’s two marijuana retail licenses.

The town may also see a bump in revenue from a transit village project at the former Grafton State Hospital, a proposed UPS facility, the sale of land at Wyman-Gordon, and continued development of properties owned by the Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine.

But there are upcoming issues that will affect the town’s bottom line. The town’s trash contract with E.L. Harvey expires in 2021, at a time when China’s recycling market is dropping.

“Are we going to (incinerate) more or are we going to pay extra for recycling?” McInerney asked.

On the town side of the override, McInerney is proposing the addition of 18 new positions over the next five years:

• FY2021 — Full-time recreation coordinator, police detective, 1.5 dispatcher, full-time Select Board admin, IT network specialist, staff planner, part-time economic development coordinator, grants administrator.
• FY 2022 — 1.5 dispatcher, full-time fire captain, part-time municipal custodian, facilities director.
• FY2023 — Police officer, town engineer.
• FY2024 — Two part-time senior center van drivers, finance director.
• FY2025 — Human resource director.

In the operating budget, expenses cut during the FY21 budget process would be restored:

• FY 2021 — Police cruiser, fire equipment, overlay reserve, snow and ice removal.
• FY 2022 — Municipal Center renovations, including repointing of bricks, locker removal and carpets.

When will the override head to the voters? While there is a presidential primary in March, the joint boards agreed more public discussion will be needed for a vote. The May town election, however, may be too late, because the school department will need to give layoff notices to at least five staffers if the funds will be available. The boards agreed to discuss the possibility of the special election.

In any scenario, an override requires the approval of both a town-wide vote and Town Meeting.

In the School Committee meeting after the joint meeting, Cummings said the current preliminary school department budget is based on an increase of 5.9 percent. However, the School Committee will need to vote on a budget based on a 3.5 percent increase based on the town budget without an override. The difference between the two:$877,974, representing seven positions (three high school teachers, two elementary school teachers, two administrators and two now unfilled coordinator positions.

By staggering the override over the next five years, the town will limit the impact on the taxpayer, McInerney said. The additional cost to the average Grafton taxpayer is approximately $151 for each $1 million additional raised through taxation.

The average Grafton home is worth $419,388 and figures from the Department of Revenue show a total income of residents at just below $1 billion. McInerney acknowledged there are residents who would be hard hit, such as senior citizens on fixed incomes, and said efforts will be made to reduce the impact.

“In our first read of filed income tax data, they can afford it,” McInerney said, referring to the bulk of the town’s taxpayers.