What is the cost of the override? Isn’t this too expensive for our senior citizens on a fixed income?

On a pre-tax basis, the proposed override will cost the average taxpayer $254 per Senior citizens struggling to pay their current tax bill should contact the Senior
year, about 70 cents per day, based on the average assessment of $368,000 in Center to learn more about the many assistance programs currently available,
Franklin. Passage of the ballot question would add 69 cents to the tax rate, or $.69 including a number of programs for which the Town recently expanded the
per $1,000 of the assessed value of your home. eligibility requirements. One such program is the Senior "Circuit Breaker" Tax
Credit. This tax credit provides up to $960 to help seniors afford their property
Why 3 million? What’s in and what’s out? taxes. Individuals over age 65 with a
The $3 million amount was set by the Item Override Fails Override Passes maximum income of $51,000 (or
Town Council to close the financial gap Personnel Loss of: Staffing remains at $77,000 for taxpayers filing jointly)
for FY11 and maintain services at the 7 elementary teachers FY10 levels may apply for the credit if the
FY10 level. If approved, approximately 8 middle school teachers assessed value of their primary
$300,000 will be used to maintain residence is $788,000 or less.
Fees Club and activity fees at middle and high school will No fee increases
municipal services, $1.8 million will be double to $50. Athletic fees will increase and move to
used to maintain educational services, Won’t Town officials “find” money?
a tiered system, resulting in fees ranging from $175 to
and $900,000 will be used towards $450 (up from current $125 fee) In the past, Franklin was fortunate to
road repairs. $3 million also happens be able to protect core services by
Class sizes Increases in class sizes in grades K-8, up to 30 students No changes
to be approximately the amount of annually tapping into additional
in a classroom, and a shortened school day at
state aid Franklin has lost over the elementary schools sources of revenue that are now no
past two years. It is extremely Transportation Elimination of 3 buses No change in service longer at its disposal in order to avoid
important that we replace this the need for property tax overrides.
revenue going forward if we want to Police Loss of three police dispatchers; potential No change in service These included legal settlement
implementation of recorded service for emergency proceeds (which have been spent),
have any hope of maintaining level
call system; less coverage of parking meters and
services in the future. incremental property tax revenue
parking enforcement downtown.
associated with rapid population
Fire Loss of one firefighter; uncertainty on availability of No change in service
Why can’t Franklin cut spending nd
2 ambulance; revenue loss from ambulance fees growth (which has dried up almost
instead of asking for an override? completely), federal stimulus funds
DPW Needed roadway repairs delayed indefinitely; 3 less Road repairs begin
Since 2005, we have eliminated 100 (which are set to expire after this year)
employees; slower response times
teachers and 7 school administrative and raiding our stabilization fund
Library Loss of one half-time employee; reduction in book No changes (which has been reduced to a
positions. In the last decade, Franklin
budget of over $60,000.
has eliminated 50 municipal positions. minimally prudent level to meet
For the current fiscal 2010, Franklin froze its budget with all municipal and school sudden, unexpected expenses). Our reduced reserves and “heavy reliance on
employees either deferring or foregoing wage increases. Franklin spends less than declining State aid” were recently cited by Moody’s Investors Service when it
its peer average across most municipal and school spending categories. Franklin lowered our credit rating in October, 2009.
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rates 19 out of 27 peer communities in per capita spending, meaning we spend
less than comparable towns on fire, police and public works. In education, Franklin How can I verify the statements made here?
spends less than the state average on all 11 categories measured by the Data can be found on the Department of Revenue and Department of Elementary
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. and Secondary Education websites. For a complete analysis, please refer to the
Long Range Financial Planning Committee Report on the Town of Franklin website.
 Interesting facts about Franklin
• Tax burden: Your property taxes fund less than half the Town budget –
the rest comes from state aid and other sources. Our tax burden, defined
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as average property tax bill divided by median family income, ranks 26
out of 30 comparable towns. This means that in only four of those 30
peer towns do the residents contribute less of their income in the form of
property taxes to support their town than do the residents of Franklin.
• High performing school district: Franklin has always been a community
with high expectations for its schools – in academics, in athletics, in the
arts and in community service. Our focus on the classroom delivers a
consistently high-performing school district. Students and parents here
have enjoyed a high return with minimal investment. Our children face an
increasingly competitive and demanding world. We must continue to
invest in their future.
• Public amenities: Compared to other communities, Franklin has high
quality public buildings and recreational space. Smart planning and
cautious borrowing has enabled the town to fund these projects while
maintaining a relatively low debt burden.
• Quality of life: We have all benefited – through our property values, our
schools and our businesses – from the high quality of life Franklin has built
over the years. Franklin is a great community and is worth the investment.
A successful override is the first step toward establishing a fiscally viable
foundation upon which our community can thrive.
Vote Yes on June 8
Polls open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Franklin High School Field House
Production paid for by Invest in Franklin
VOTE YES ON JUNE 8
The Town of Franklin will vote on an override on June 8, 2010 at the Franklin High
School field house. The question will ask the voters to approve an additional
$3,000,000 in real estate and personal property taxes to be used towards the
town’s operating budget in FY11.
If approved, approximately $300,000 will be used to restore municipal services,
$1.8 million will be used to restore educational services, and $900,000 will be used
to maintain roads throughout the town. We need this money to stop the
continued erosion of school and municipal services in this town.
This brochure contains answers to common questions and a chart of what services
will be affected by the outcome of the override vote. It also provides you with
some information and facts about the town.
In addition to this information, there are a number of forums and meetings taking
place throughout the community. On May 24, 2010, there will be a town-wide
forum at the Mercer Auditorium at Horace Mann Middle School beginning at 7
p.m. Town officials will be there making presentations and answering budget
questions. You will find information and dates for other forums and meetings on
the online calendar at: http://tinyurl.com/2udduf9.
For more detailed information, please check the following online sources:
• The Franklin School Committee Override Page:
http://franklinschoolcommittee.wordpress.com/override-page/
• Town Administrator’s Budget Page: http://tinyurl.com/3ad3te8
• Franklin Matters Blog: http://franklinmatters.blogspot.com/
• Invest in Franklin on Facebook: http://bit.ly/yesforfranklin
• Articles and clippings on overrides throughout Massachusetts:
http://www.evernote.com/pub/jroy/override
• Long range financial planning committee report: http://tinyurl.com/38cq2dg