Brookline voters overwhelmingly approve tax override to avoid school, public safety cuts

"Nearly 60 percent of voters approved Brookline's Question 1, with 8,859 votes for yes and 5,826 voting no, according to official results shared with Boston.com."

"The vote approved the override of the state's Propositional 2 ½, which limits how much property taxes can go up year to year. Without the approved override, property taxes in Brookline were expected to increase about 11 percent over the next three years. With the yes vote, taxes will go up 18 percent over the next three years."

"The override will amount to $23 million more tax revenue, including nearly $18 million for the Public Schools of Brookline and more than $5 million for the Town of Brookline, according to town officials. If the override did not pass, about 240 full-time positions would have been cut from the budget. At PSB, the conservatory and middle-school World Languages programs would have been axed, and class sizes would have increased."

"If the override failed, currently vacant police positions would have been permanently eliminated, the town said, and a fire engine would have been removed from active service, lay"

Brookline voters approved Question 1 with 8,859 yes votes and 5,826 no votes, totaling nearly 60% approval. The turnout was 35%, the highest ever recorded in a local Brookline election. The vote approved an override of the state’s Proposition 2½, which limits annual property tax increases. Without the override, property taxes were expected to rise about 11% over three years; with the override, taxes were expected to rise 18% over three years. The override would generate $23 million in additional revenue, including nearly $18 million for the Public Schools of Brookline and more than $5 million for the town. Without passage, about 240 full-time positions would have been cut, including conservatory and World Languages programs, and class sizes would have increased. Vacant police positions would have been eliminated and a fire engine would have been removed from active service.

Read at Boston.com