To the Editor,
Last Spring Essex residents voted to fund the MERSD budget by way of using all of its excess capacity ($430,000). While this DID increase their taxes, they did not vote to increase their taxes MORE with an override to fund the district’s “growth.” With waning trust, it seems a “Super Town Meeting” is inevitable.
What would a Super Town Meeting and a larger increase in our taxes mean for the future of Essex?
At 2.5% district growth, Essex could use its own reserves to fund the gap, but this practice would only be sustainable for two years at best. Understanding that using reserves to fund an operating budget is poor financial practice (though the district has been doing this for about ten years), Essex will have to look within. The library, senior center, DPW, and Public Safety budgets could be reduced.
Annual overrides will become a habit; Essex will become more exclusive, and the community will suffer. But none of this matters if you plan on moving when your kids graduate from high school…
How long can Essex continue in this manner before the district realizes it is disproportionately affecting one of its town partners?
If Essex can reduce its expenses and grow at 1%, then a district should be able to as well. After all, THE DISTRICT IS HAVING THE SAME FINANCIAL ISSUES ESSEX IS HAVING: not enough reserves and limited revenue.
The schools, our towns and our needs are different than they were 10 years ago.
Perpetuating a school budget without considering change and partner affordability is as far from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as you can get.
Antonella Muniz
Essex
