At the City Council meeting on Monday evening, Mayor Fuller proposed several docket items related to a $9.175 million general override, debt exclusion overrides for Countryside and Franklin Schools ($2.3 million and $3.5 million), and related exemptions (see New Docket, pp. 3-5) during her presentation of the FY2023-2027 Capital Improvement Plan and 5-year Financial Forecast. See the City website’s new override page. The proposals include:
- A $9,175,000 override, a list of exemptions from the general operating override — for the purpose of funding municipal and school operating and capital expenses to support student needs, fund street and sidewalk paving and safety improvements, increase street tree planting and care efforts, improve park, athletic field, court and playground maintenance, address the space needs of the Horace Mann Elementary School, fund sustainability and climate resiliency actions, and increase Senior Services programming and operations;
- A list of exemptions from the debt exclusion override proposed to fund a renovation or replacement of Countryside Elementary School;
- A list of exemptions from the debt exclusion override proposed to fund a renovation or replacement of Franklin Elementary School;
- A request to set the date of the override vote for March 14, 2023;
- A request to appropriate $210,000 to fund the costs of a special election.
In addition, the Mayor is requesting to amend City Ordinance Sec. 27-10 to increase the income limit of the tax deferral program to match the current maximum allowable circuit breaker amount of $93,000 for the local M.G.L c. 59 sec. 5cl. 41A tax deferral program.
There is also a request to seek Home Rule legislation to allow the City to increase the maximum amount of real property tax exemptions and reductions for certain programs authorized under M.G.L. c. 59 beyond what is currently permitted by the State. These include:
- VETERAN – EXEMPTION – G.L. c. 59, sec. 5, cl. 22 – Increasing the maximum allowable exemption from $400 – $800 for the real property taxes of qualifying veterans or spouses of veterans
- VETERAN – EXEMPTION – G.L. c. 59, sec. 5, cl. 22 – Increasing the maximum allowable exemption from $500 to $1000 for the real property taxes of qualifying veterans or spouses of veterans
- DISABLED VETERAN – EXEMPTION – G.L. c. 59, sec. 5, cl. 22E – Increasing the maximu amount from $1000 to $2000 for the real property taxes of qualifying veterans determined to have suffered total disability in the line of duty
- BLIND PERSON – EXEMPTION – G.L. c. 59, sec. 5, cl. 37A – Increasing the maximum amount from $500 to $1000.
- SENIOR CITIZENS -EXEMPTION – G.L. c. 59, sec. 5, cl. 41C – Increasing the maximum allowable amount from $1000 to $2000 for the real property taxes of seniors over the age of 65.
- SENIOR CITIZENS – REDUCTION – G.L. c. 59, sec. SK and VETERANS -REDUCTION – G.L.c. 59, sec. SN – Increasing the maximum amount of volunteer services from 125 service hours to 200 volunteer service hours or from $1500 to $3000 (NOTE: Section 5K and 5N, respectively, authorize a reduction for the real property taxes of seniors over the age of 60 or veterans in exchange for volunteer services to the city)
- ELDERLY SURVIVING SPOUSE, MINOR CHILD -EXEMPTION – G.L. c. 59, sec. 5, cl. 17D – Increasing the maximum allowable amount from $219 to $438 – for the real property taxes of a surviving spouse, a minor child whose parent is deceased, or seniors over the age of 70.
Accordingly, the Mayor is requesting that the following levy limit override and debt exclusion ballot questions be presented to the voters in a special election on March 14, 2023:
- Shall the City of Newton be allowed to assess an additional $9,175,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023 for the purpose of funding municipal and school operating and capital expenses to support student needs, fund street and sidewalk paving and safety improvements, increase street tree planting and care efforts, improve park, athletic field, court and playground maintenance, address the space needs of the Horace Mann Elementary School, fund sustainability and climate resiliency actions, and increase Senior Services programming and operations?
- Shall the City of Newton be allowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition 2 1/2, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued in order to renovate or replace the Countryside Elementary School?
- Shall the City of Newton be allowed to exempt from the provisions of Proposition 2 1/2, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued in order to renovate or replace the Franklin Elementary School?
