Abington prepares to vote Saturday

Either way, the public pays.

Three weeks ago, Town Meeting in Abington closed a $1 million operational budget gap in the coming year’s $45 million package, by taking money $650,000 from the town’s solid waste disposal account and $350,000 from the town’s Stabilization Account.

While that latter won’t be replaced, officials will ask voters to cast their ballots this Saturday on a $650,000 override of the Proposition 2 ½ tax cap to replenish what was taken from the solid waste account. If the proposal is defeated, the Board of Health will have to institute some kind of fee system for trash disposal, in the upcoming year, to get the money back in the account.

The yearly impact of the override amount would be $116 on the tax bill of an average price home of $350,000. The Board of Health has not fully discussed what type of payment it would require from the public if the override fails. Polls will be open on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

-- Christine Legere