Ballot Question Arguments Sought – 2023 Town Election

Published February 14, 2023 | Select Board | Automatically Archived on 2/24/2023

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The Select Board is seeking interested parties to draft Pro and Con arguments for the following March 27, 2023 Annual Town Election Ballot Questions: 

 

Question 1

Shall the Town of Sudbury be allowed to assess an additional $745,460 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of funding the operating budget for the Sudbury Public Schools, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023?

            Yes _____  No ______

 

SUMMARY:  Article 3 of the 2023 Annual Town Meeting proposes a $745,460 Proposition 2 ½ override for the Sudbury Public Schools (PreK-8) in FY2024.  It is estimated by the Town that the impact of the override on the tax rate: $0.12 per $1,000 assessed value. It is estimated further that the tax impact on the 2023 average home valuation of $956,957 is $114. 

 

A “yes” vote on this question, and appropriation at the May 1, 2023, Annual Town Meeting of the full amount requested by the Sudbury Public Schools, will increase the amount of money the Town may raise by taxation by $745,460 and result in a permanent increase in the levy limit. 

A “no” vote on this question means that the levy limit will not be increased at this time and the Town will not be able to raise the additional funds requested by the School for the FY2024 budget at this time.  

 

Question 2

Shall the Town of Sudbury be allowed to assess an additional $1,020,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for the purposes of purchasing and equipping one Fire Engine for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023?

            Yes _____  No ______

 

SUMMARY:  The 2023 Annual Town Meeting will act on an article proposing the purchase and equipping of a Fire Engine/Pumper pertinent to the operations of the Fire Department.  This question proposes a one-year increase for FY2024 (July 1, 2023-June 30, 2024) in the amount to be raised by taxation under the provisions of Proposition 2 ½, with such funds to be used specifically for the purchase.  The estimated impact of increasing the FY24 taxes an additional $1,020,000 is $.12 per $1,000 assessed value.  The tax impact on the 2023 average home value of $956,957 is estimated at $155.

 

A “yes” vote on this question, and an appropriation by the May 1, 2023 Town Meeting, would authorize an increase in the amounts that can be raised by taxation for one year only, FY2024, to pay for the purchase and equipping of a Fire Engine/Pumper. 

A “no” vote on this question will mean the purchase of a fire truck cannot go forward at this time. 

 

Argument Submittal

If you are interested in providing the Pro or Con Argument for one of the above Ballot Questions for the 2023 Annual Town Election Warrant, please provide the following:

  1. Submittal info:
    1. Organization name (if applicable)
    2. Contact name, phone number and email
    3. Ballot question for which position will be provided
    4. Whether the position will be a pro and/or con argument
  2. DRAFT pro/con WORDING, no more than 250 words (if available)

Please provide the above via email to sbadmin@sudbury.ma.us by 10AM on Wednesday, February 15, 2023.

 

Selected Pro/Con authors are required to provide FINAL WORDING of their Pro/Con argument to sbadmin@sudbury.ma.us by 12PM on February 23, 2023.

 

Details regarding Pro/Con argument solicitation can be found in the Select Board Ballot Question Policy. Please contact the Select Board’s Office with any questions at 978-639-3381 or sbadmin@sudbury.ma.us.