The mayor of this South Shore town is asking voters for more money. Here's how much

Braintree Mayor Erin Joyce will ask the town council Tuesday to support the first step in passing a permanent tax increase to address the town’s budget shortfall.

Joyce is proposing that the town raise property taxes in the amount of $8 million, according to the meeting agenda. The majority of the town’s nine council members must support the tax override for the question to be posed to voters.

The town council must also pass the proposed budget and a potential special election date, which could be June 15.

More: Braintree school budget plan: Cut 33 jobs. Will there be a tax override vote?

The town’s next fiscal year begins July 1.

Proposition 2½ limits the amount of property tax revenue that Massachusetts towns and cities can raise to support the budget. Only voters can decide whether their municipality can raise or lower the levy limit, which is the maximum amount of property tax revenue allowed to be raised each year.

Braintree voters have only ever supported a temporary increase in 2020 that helped pay for the new South Middle School; two requests for a permanent tax increase in 1997 and 2003 failed each time.

The Braintree Town Council meeting will take place Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Cahill Auditorium at 1 John F. Kennedy Memorial Drive.

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

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Braintree Mayor Erin Joyce pitches $8 million tax override