The committee, chaired by Selectman Joe Curro (Selectman Dan Dunn was also present), tasked town Management to look at several alternative scenarios, all of which involved increased risk or expense reductions, as well as different revenue assumptions. The chair of the Finance Committee, after pointing out to the group that an override to support a $14.8 million structural deficit would be virtually impossible to achieve, argued strongly for expense reductions, also known as service cuts.
This is a financial bombshell. Why, when we can see the strong possibility of service cuts in order to have a chance of passing an override in 2020, are our elected officials still supporting the CPA tax? On the one hand, the town is considering service cuts in next fiscal year because town leaders fear that an override, as currently forecast, is not winnable. On the other hand, three of our five Selectmen and six of our seven School Committee members are listed as supporters on the vote-yes website.
If the town has to reduce the structural deficit by 40 percent or more to pass an override, this will mean service cuts.
Supporting the CPA tax will only increase the pressure for a smaller or no override, which will translate into salary compression for teachers, police officers and firefighters, and larger classrooms and fewer programs in our schools. The elected Board of Selectmen and the School Committee officials supporting the CPA tax are sadly misguided in their advocacy.
The town is now developing budgets for FY2016. According to the town manager’s most recent forecast, Arlington is facing a huge fiscal deficit in FY2020 or earlier, only four years away. Arlington has critical needs: The Stratton School needs to be renovated ($10 million). Arlington High School needs to be rebuilt ($150 million to $200 million). Minuteman Tech has a redevelopment plan in the works ($70 million to $150 million).
Town and school employees need to be provided a stable environment that encourages them to give their best and rewards them for their efforts. All this is a core part of our community that is gravely threatened by the CPA tax.
Please vote no CPA tax on Ballot Question No. 5.
This viewpoint was published Friday, Oct. 31, 2014.
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