​

• Can I personally financially bear the outcome of meeting a higher tax base to cover the Town's recurring service and personnel costs if the the override vote passes?

• Do I hurt Marshfield's present and long-term future with the way I vote on the override?

• Have I done the math of my personal budget -- Am I prepared to compromise on the outcomes of the ballot question?  Will I have to move out of Marshfield, or can I find a way to stay and support the Town's infrastructure and basic service priorities?

• Have I sought out and understand the clear data on the recurring costs of service and personnel the Town needs to cover as a result of the  $7,000,000 deficit? For many this has come to mean combing through available data and budget adjustments for the exact services at risk and the impact on the median tax bill.

​

So, what do I think about the Proposition 2 1/2% question?  It's a math meets personal values meets long-term impact question. This vote calls forth a scrutiny of affordable cost realities and town management's and officials' leadership.. Voters cannot ignore it and need to vote honestly for or against it without political pressures. The fiscal crisis is a harsh reckoning of personal conviction about what matters most about living in Marshfield and what a household can realistically handle to sustain that quality of life.   

 

While state representatives cannot and ought not to interfere or direct the voters' handling of their own municipal deficit, No  matter the outcome of the voters' decision, as your your representative  I will:

• Fight to modernize the state's local aid Chapter 90 formula because we have too many Commonwealth communities like Marshfield facing increased affordability crises.  Legislators have worked hard across the board to increase the aid formula for schools through Chapter 70 state aid program for funding public education.  In 2027, Massachusetts will be disbursing a total of $7.66 billion dollars in Chapter 70 aid.  Marshfield's allocation of $16,701,173 represents an increase of $2,901,823 from 2026 and should help the Town figure out some compromised approaches to school district programs in light of anticipated student population decreases over time.

• With that said, it is never healthy for the real estate values of a community to allow a school district to fall into decline and keep new families from moving into a Town that prioritizes being family-based.   I would work closely with town officials, state house committees and local advocacy groups to increase municipal relief through progressive Chapter 90 funding and infrastructure grants so that residents are seeing more of their tax dollars go back into municipal infrastructure for keeping up with demands for basic services. 

• I would continue to fight for increases in the funding formula for our Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) discretionary, flexible to help Marshfield address deficits in specific local budget line items.

• As your representative, myself and office staff would stay active and present with municipal coalitions such as the Massachusetts Municipal Association and the Old Colony Planning Council to communicate to the state prioritizing matters of municipal relief and collaborative grant initiatives.

• Standing ready as a representative to be 100% present to the district I represent, I will stay in regular contact with the municipal governing body beyond an election cycle so that critical matters are kept on the front burner of collaborative solutions-building.

​

I join Marshfield voters in their call to stay engaged and cast your informed vote for what you want regarding a Proposition 2 1/2% Override vote and the realistic future of a sustainable Marshfield that can provide its basic infrastructure.  Vote your vision during the Early Voting Period of August 22-August 28, mail-in voting and on the September 1st Election Day.