Groveland override bid loses, but three others advance to polls

But Groveland rejects tax hike

Residents advanced a number of proposed property tax increases but turned thumbs down on several others in local voting that began Saturday.

Town meetings in Georgetown, Hamilton, and Wenham sent funding requests on to town elections next week, while voters in Groveland and Marblehead said no to more taxes.

In Georgetown, Town Meeting on Monday approved six articles tied to Proposition 2 1/2 tax increases, including an override and five capital exclusions. The tax increases, totaling $414,000, will now go before town voters Monday.

Proposed tax increases also took a step forward with Town Meeting votes in Wenham Saturday and Hamilton Monday.

The tax hikes - two in each town - now go on the ballot next Thursday.

Meanwhile, at Groveland's annual town election Monday, voters defeated a proposed $172,340 override requested to continue a road improvement project.

And at the opening night of Marblehead's Town Meeting on Monday, voters defeated a citizens' petition that would have authorized the town to spend $1.2 million on a land purchase subject to passage of a debt exclusion.

Proposition 2 1/2, a state law, caps the annual increase in a community's property taxes to 2.5 percent, plus revenue from new growth. An override permanently raises the tax cap by a specified amount. A debt exclusion raises the cap temporarily to repay debt. A capital exclusion raises the cap for one year to pay for capital projects.

The proposed $91,000 override in Georgetown would help fund the cost of hiring a part-time fire chief and to pay firefighters to work on a per-hour basis at the fire station, part of the town's transition from an all-call department to a combination call and career department.

The capital exclusions would provide $45,000 for two school vans; $43,000 for two school copiers; $60,000 for security upgrades at the middle-high school; $50,000 for repairs to the roof for one of the highway garages; and $125,000 to repair or replace the roof at the public safety building.

Last year, a proposed $1.1 million override in Georgetown failed by 17 votes.

"Every year these warrant articles get approved at Town Meeting to put Proposition 2 1/2 questions on the ballot," selectmen chairman Matt Vincent said. "What I'm pleased with this year is that unlike in years past, there was a tremendous amount of constructive dialogue in town that went with deciding to put these on the warrant. I think with that came a far greater degree of support by the various board members and the public. The proof is in the pudding - we'll see what happens on Monday."

Town meetings in Hamilton and Wenham approved appropriations to fund a portion of their respective assessments to the Hamilton Wenham Regional School District, contingent on passage of overrides at next Thursday's elections. The override amount in Hamilton is $1,288,322, and in Wenham, $601,267. Passage of both is needed for the school district's budget to be approved.

"I am thankful that the override articles passed to go to the ballot and that now the entire community can cast their votes. . . . I think its very important that ballot questions go forward to the people," said Marinel McGrath, superintendent for the regional district.

Wenham's Town Meeting also agreed to spend $153,000 - contingent on passage of a capital exclusion at its upcoming election - to pay for equipment purchases, while Hamilton authorized $177,444 to help cover the town's fiscal 2009 operating costs, contingent on passage of an override at its election.

Greg Labrecque, Groveland finance director, said the override outcome in his town was a reflection of the general mood of voters.

"People aren't going to vote for an override for anything," he said.

"The economy's not going to allow it. People are having a tough time, and they expect us to live within our budget, just like everybody else. You have a finite amount of money, and you make your choices."

The proposal in Marblehead called for the town to purchase a 2.2-acre wooded parcel off Long View Drive West.

The property has been permitted for a seven-home subdivision, according to Jeff Stracka, who organized the citizens' petition.

Town Meeting the last two years narrowly rejected similar proposals to buy the land.

Stracka said that as with the previous votes, this year's proposal mustered a majority - by about 30 votes - but fell short of the two-thirds margin needed.

"I'm disappointed," he said. "For the third year in a row, a majority of Town Meeting voted in favor of this article.

"It's very difficult to get two-thirds . . . particularly when the Finance Committee gets up and speaks against it. That's a pretty high bar."

Globe correspondents David Rattigan and David Coggins contributed to this report.