max.bowen@northstarreporter.com
A proposal that senior citizens see no increase to their taxes in the event a debt exclusion for a new high school was passed led to a heated discussion on the potential impact.
Town Councilor Mark Gould has introduced a Special Home Rule Act aimed at shielding qualifying senior residents from potential tax increases associated with the new North Attleborough High School. Should the town approve this act, it will need to go to the state legislature for final approval.
The project to construct a new high school is estimated to cost $290 million, with approximately $100 million in reimbursement expected to come from the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The remainder of the cost for a new school will be borne by taxpayers through a debt exclusion of Proposition 2 ½, which would lead to an increase to property taxes. The debt exclusion vote is scheduled for June 3.
Gould’s Special Home Rule Act came before the Town Council at its meeting on Jan. 27, though no vote was taken. A public hearing is planned, though a date was not decided on that evening.
Town Council President Justin Pare said that even if a debt exclusion was passed, it would be two years before the tax increases took effect, and he was in favor of doing what could be done to mitigate any increase.
“The key will be understanding how this exemption will work,” Pare said of Gould’s proposal. “We need to keep all that stuff in balance. I’m glad we have time between now and the public hearing. This is not a choice to make on the fly.”
Several residents spoke at the meeting, many expressing fear over what a tax increase would do to residents, some of whom may be forced to leave if taxes increase to a certain point.
“These people aren’t going to be able to afford their houses – where are they going to go?” asked one resident of Kelley Boulevard. “The decision here can force people out of their homes. You need to be honest about the total cost of the school. Be honest what it’s going to cost us.”
Another resident spoke in favor of the new school, saying that students deserved the best education that would come through a modernization of the high school.
“I support this building improvement,” said the resident. “It’s more than a building; it’s hope it’s opportunity.”
Keith Lapointe, a member of the School Committee and the School Building Committee, spoke for himself Monday evening. A former member and former president of the Town Council, he said the use of taxpayers’ money was a “sacred relationship.” He urged the council to get the exact details before voting.
“You don’t ramrod stuff through, especially when you’re taking money from one person’s pocket and put in in another,” he said.
The council seemed somewhat divided by the proposal. Council Vice President John Simmons said that the town benefits when improvements are made to its educational system, but putting people into different groups through an act like this can be difficult.
Councilor Dan Donovan said it was “extremely premature” to vote on the special act that night, particularly since there was no guarantee when Beacon Hill would make its decision. He spoke to legislation he had worked on regarding dangerous driving back in 2017 that remained undecided on.
“There is no guarantee if we vote tonight, the legislation will pass this by June,” he said.
Gould wanted action taken that evening, saying that waiting a couple weeks or months could drastically affect the legislature passing the act in time.
Pare said he was “begging you to ask us not to vote on this tonight, I’m begging you.”
