Newburyport City Council says no override

The Newburyport City Council last night turned down a request from the School Committee that it schedule a special election on May 15 for a vote on a proposed $1.6 million override for the schools.

By a 7-3 vote, with one member absent, the council rejected a proposed transfer of $17,000 from the School Department budget to the City Clerk’s budget to fund the costs of a special election. Then by the same 7-3 margin, councilors defeated a motion to schedule the special election and place the override on the ballot.

The School Committee proposed the override to provide the added revenues it said are needed because of steep spending cuts the last few years and additional cuts looming for next year.

Newburyport has never had an override election, though voters have approved two debt exclusions.

-- John Laidler