Tax override eyed to address rising health care, education costs

Dec 16, 2019

A tax override could be on the horizon, as town employee healthcare and pay, uncertain and increasing costs in education, and other fiscal woes could come to a head in the next fiscal year. 

At a special joint meeting of the Select Board, School Committee, and Finance Committee on December 16, officials outlined the case for a Proposition 2 ½ override, and decided to form a subcommittee to begin researching the idea. 

A Proposition 2 ½ override would allow the town to raise property taxes above the state-set maximum of 2 ½ percent in a year.

The discussion was held in a packed Select Board meeting room, as dozens of town employees and teachers protested the cost of employee health care with signs and a show of numbers. 

Town employees and teachers have been working without contracts since the fall. The ratio of what the town and its employees pay for health care is one of the top contentious issues in negotiating new contracts. 

In Dartmouth, town employees pay 49 percent of their plan costs, while the town picks up 51 percent – a burden many town employees say is unfair. Some of the town’s lowest paid employees — including teachers’ assistants — are left with $100 per week in take-home pay. 

What teachers do see in cost of living increases is increasingly being offset by rising healthcare costs, noted Dartmouth Educators Association President Renee Vieira. Vieira said many teachers will not see a step or cost of living increase in their pay due to the fact that they are working without contracts, but will take a $500 increase in health care. 

During the joint meeting, School Committee member Shannon Jenkins was the first to bring up the question of an override, stating she would fully support an override. 

“We have been balancing the budget on the backs of our town employees, and also on the backs of parents,” Jenkins said, noting that she personally had written $500 in checks to pay for athletics and school programs for her own children. 

“We don’t have enough money to do what the town needs to do,” Jenkins said. “It’s not fair to ask our teachers, to ask of our police officers, to ask of the people who keep us safe and educate our kids to keep doing this.” 

“We can’t kick the can down the street anymore,” said Select Board Chair Stanley Mickelson. “It’s the way it is. I don’t have the answer, but if you really need that kind of money to put the teachers and employees in the right frame financially, there’s nothing left but an override.” 

A recent overhaul in the state’s education budget is unlikely to provide a boost to Dartmouth’s school budget. In November, Gov. Charlie Baker signed the Student Opportunity Act into law. It is set to increase the state aid available to school districts by $300 million in the next fiscal year. 

However, School Business Administrator Jim Kiely said while Dartmouth could see a small boost in funding, the district is not one which will benefit the most from the funding increase. Instead, poorer communities – particularly urban communities will likely see the most benefit. 

“We’re looking at minimum aid — the amount per pupil they’d give to every community in the state,” Kiely said. “It’s minimum aid because it’s minimal—its like $20 per kid. It doesn’t add up to a whole lot. They’re adding a lot of funding, but it’s not going to come to us.” 

Heath care is not the only issue facing the Town of Dartmouth in the coming year. The town’s share of Bristol County Agricultural High School funding is also set to go up by $120,000, due to a major renovation project the county-run school is undergoing.

None of the boards took an official vote on whether or not to pursue a Proposition 2 ½ override. However, a subcommittee is being formed among the town boards to further research the idea. If proposed officially, it would need the approval of both Town Meeting and voters at a town election. 

Officials noted leadership and a clear path forward will be needed should the town decide to pursue an override.

“We need political leadership, and joint committee conversations, Jenkins said. “It’s got to be a collective effort.” 

Union officials left the meeting encouraged by the dialog. Jane Kirby, representing the Dartmouth Town Employees Association, said she was encouraged and hopes the conversation will continue.

Vieira said she especially appreciated the words of Jenkins and Oliver on the School Committee, and noted that an override could help, but more work will need to be done.