Election tomorrow

Posted on November 14, 2021 | Comments Off on Election tomorrow

Elementary School Debt Exclusion Vote Town of Medfield, Massachusetts The Medfield Board of Selectmen has prepared this information sheet regarding the Debt Exclusion question on the November 15, 2021 Special Town Election ballot. What is a Proposition 2 ½ Debt Exclusion? A Debt exclusion is a temporary increase in property taxes for the period required to pay the principal and interest on an authorized borrowing. The Town’s other debt exclusions include past construction projects for schools, the DPW Garage, the Public Safety Building, as well as some land acquisitions. PROPOSITION 2 ½ BALLOT QUESTION Question #1: Shall the town of Medfield be allowed to exempt from the provisions of proposition two and one half, so called, the amounts required to pay for the bonds issued in order to pay costs of constructing a new elementary school located on the campus of the Wheelock School at 17 Elm Street in Medfield, Massachusetts, to replace the Dale Street School, including the payment of all costs related to designing the new school project, equipping and furnishing the school, site improvements, and all other costs incidental and related thereto? YES ______ NO ______ A YES VOTE will allow the Town to increase property taxes to pay the annual debt service for the bonds issued to construct the proposed new elementary school at 17 Elm Street, outside the limits of Proposition 2 ½ levy limit. This project is eligible for the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) grant for a portion of the construction costs (not to exceed grant of $19,599,995) A NO VOTE will not allow the Town to borrow the funds necessary to construct the proposed new elementary school at the Wheelock Campus. Why are we having two votes on the project? The Special Town Meeting vote and the Special Town Election vote are two separate votes. In order for the school project to move forward, both votes need to be approved. The Special Town Meeting vote is to appropriate the total cost of the project and authorize the Treasurer, with the approval of the Board of Selectmen, to borrow the Town’s share of the project. The Ballot vote is to approve a property tax increase and exclude the annual debt service costs from the limits of Proposition 2 ½. How many votes are needed to approve the Ballot question? The question is approved if a majority of the votes cast in the Special Town Election vote “Yes.” Why are we having the Special Town Election since the article failed at the Special Town Meeting? Once a Special Town Election is called it cannot be canceled. The Board of Selectmen called the Special Town Meeting and the Special Town Election in close succession due to the upcoming holiday season and the required MSBA time limits. The process allows the Board of Selectmen to call for a subsequent town meeting and/or election if there is a failed town meeting vote, ballot vote, or both within a 120 day period. If a second town meeting does not take place within the 120 day window and result in an approval of the project, this debt override approval will expire due to lack of an appropriation of funds. How many people need to attend the next Special Town Meeting (if another one is held)? The quorum of any Special Town Meeting is 250 voters. In order for the article to pass at the Special Town Meeting it would still need 2/3 of the registered voters present at the Special Town Meeting to vote yes on the Warrant Article
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