Tax hikes on Nov. 4 ballot in Brockton, Walpole, Needham

A $3.59 million Proposition 2 ˝ override tax increase request on the Nov. 4 ballot may be one increase too many for Brockton residents.

“They’ll manage without it. They have before,” said Nancy Raymond as she loaded groceries into her car outside the Price Rite supermarket in the Points West Shopping mall.

Like many other Brockton residents, Raymond, 56, said everything has gone up--food, gas, home heating oil, electricity. “Now they want more.. I’m not going to vote for it,” Raymond said.

Brockton is not alone in its attempt to increase taxes next month.

East Bridgewater, for the second time in a year is looking for a $1.25 million tax increase to create a capital projects fund, and Mattapoisett and Walpole are looking for 20-year hikes to pay costs for construction projects. Needham also faces a vote on money for a school project.

Officials have said that the Nov. 4 election will afford them a solid test of the electorate on an override question because voter turnout is expected to be about 80 percent.

In Brockton, the override is the first to be put on the ballot in 17 years, will fail in part because of tough economic times and also the lack of a grassroots push supporting the measure.

David Farrell, a Brockton resident and the director of the parking department, said he has tried to contact school and church groups to rally around the tax hike, but many are busy with other endeavors.

“The usual activists are involved with the state representative race and the presidential election. Nobody’s paying attention to the override,” Farrell said.

Farrell said he will continue to cultivate activists to support the tax increase and hopes during the next month word will spread and support will grow.

“It’s really short money,” Farrell said.