Hanover election to decide on $6 million override. How much taxes will go up if it passes

HANOVER – With an overflow crowd filling out the auditorium and gym of the high school, town meeting voters resoundingly supported the proposed budget that accounts for a $6 million permanent tax override.

The decision Monday night was the first necessary step in getting the override passed. Voters will have their say during the annual town election May 18.

Town officials said a permanent tax increase – which would mean a Hanover resident who owns a home with an assessed value of $750,000 would pay about $1,088 more in annual property taxes – would prevent cuts to programs and keep 41 school personnel in their jobs.

Homeowners can determine approximately how much of an increase the override would cost with a calculator located on the town’s website.

More: Braintree will have an override election

More: Hanover budget needs $6 million more. How it plans to make it work

The last time Hanover passed an override was in 1997 for $1.2 million.

Much of the discussion about this warrant article focused on the impact to schools, which faced a $2.7 million budget cut, the highest among the town’s departments.

“The moment the override passes on the 18th, we will be able to give back an immeasurable value to the town,” said Steve Henderson, president of the Hanover Teachers Association. “This is not a gift. This is not a donation. This is an investment in your public schools, in your next generation. I remind you that you get what you pay for.”

While the town’s select board did not take an official stance on the issue, Chair Vanessa O’Connor said she supported the override as a private resident.

“Hanover is at a crossroads. The reality really is that we want the status and services of towns like Hingham with the tax bill of towns like Whitman and that just isn’t realistic and it’s not sustainable,” she said.

O’Connor noted that debt exclusions that residents currently pay for will be wrapping up in a few years and the town will have a reduced retirement obligation. She hoped the select board would also look at the commercial and residential tax split to be in better favor towards homeowners.

Voters twice attempted to change the proposal as presented, including decreasing the override budget to $3 million instead of $6 million and approving each department's budget with 14 individual votes. Both amendments overwhelmingly failed.

More: Is your town going to have an override vote? What that means

Since Proposition 2½ was introduced in the 1980s, towns have been limited in how much revenue they can raise to pay for the budget each year. Only voters can say whether their respective municipality can increase the budget beyond the allowed 2.5% annual increase. An override increases a town's tax revenue limit, which is a figure that is used in future budget calculations.

Hanover town officials promised to keep the budget within the Proposition 2½ limits for at least the next five years without needing another override vote.

Polls for the May 18 town election at Hanover High School will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Hannah Morse covers growth and development for The Patriot Ledger. Contact her at hmorse@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Hanover MA tax override vote on May 18, 2024 at the high school