THESE ARE contentious times for Newton, an affluent city dealing with higher day-to-day costs and the prospects of major work on school buildings and firehouses. Many residents are understandably concerned about rising property tax bills, but the city needs the $12 million that would be added to the budget if a Proposition 2 1/2 override prevails next Tuesday. A "yes' vote will keep city services at a high level.
Opponents say the city could dip into reserves instead. That may be true for a short time, but Mayor David Cohen and the Board of Aldermen would still need to cut library hours, police and school staffing, and services for the elderly to ease the transition to tighter budgets. Whatever happens Tuesday, the city faces rising health insurance, fuel, and pension costs and a 1-percent increase in school enrollment each year.
And then there's the new Newton North High School, with a cost approaching $200 million, highest ever for a school in the state. The price has soared from the $39 million renovation of the original building proposed by Cohen in 2001. In January 2007, when the mayor estimated the cost at $154 million, voters in a referendum endorsed the design and site plan that the mayor finally selected. Scrapping that plan now, and gaining consensus on a new one, would generate delays that could easily push the final bill above $200 million.
No one has convincingly rebutted the mayor's contention that the original renovation plan just can't be done. To modernize the innards of the existing building - heating, plumbing, and electricity - would require the removal of all 1,911 students for two years. There's no empty building available in the area to put them all. The city can't rebuild in place, and that means a new school or an addition so large it might as well be a replacement.
As the cost of Newton North has risen, support for Cohen has eroded. He was wise to announce he will not seek reelection next year. By encouraging the transfer of the city pension fund to state control, he has started on lasting improvements needed to cope with the budget gap. Yesterday he appointed an advisory committee to suggest other efficiencies. This will ensure that the city tax dollars are put to the best possible use.
The override will cost $433 a year for a taxpayer in an $802,000 home - the average value in the city. Few people will enjoy paying the money, but Newton has routinely earned AAA bond ratings while providing high levels of services and exemplary public education because it has lived within its means. Staying on this sensible course requires a "yes" vote on Tuesday.
