RUTLAND – Fol­low­ing a failed Pro­pos­i­tion 21⁄2 tax cap over­ride vote this month, the town’s pub­lic safety response will suf­fer “hor­rendously,” said Rut­land police and fire union lead­ers.

The town’s Fourth of July fest­iv­it­ies also face uncer­tainty, accord­ing to union lead­ers, who said their depart­ments may not be able to staff events as a res­ult of the over­ride.

The vote, which would have over­rode Pro­pos­i­tion 21⁄2 to help cover a pro­jec­ted $3.1 mil­lion defi­cit for the next fiscal year, fell short at the town elec­tion May 11, after res­id­ents were given three options to cover the defi­cit.

Four full-time and three part-time police officers are expec­ted to be cut from the Police Depart­ment, while the Fire Depart­ment could trim about a third of its force.

“This has been det­ri­mental to the mor­ale and no one is happy about this,” said Brent A. Car­penter, of the Rut­land’s police union. “We’re going to have huge safety con­cerns. It’s just dis­ap­point­ing.”

Car­penter said that the cuts to the depart­ment would include the loss of the K-9 and acci­dent recon­struc­tion units, as well as night-shift staff­ing.

He said the staff­ing cuts will be reflec­ted in the ser­vices to the pub­lic, which would be “a secur­ity issue at this point.”

“[Officers are] going to be solo and rely­ing on out­side agen­cies,” Car­penter said. “There will be a delay in ser­vice where if you have mul­tiple calls com­ing in at once, we have to take the pri­or­ity calls.

“Obvi­ously the people have spoken. We get it – nobody likes their taxes raised.”

Car­penter said cuts to staff could also bring about issues with recruit­ment.

 RUTLAND – Fol­low­ing a failed Pro­pos­i­tion 21⁄2 tax cap over­ride vote this month, the town’s pub­lic safety response will suf­fer “hor­rendously,” said Rut­land police and fire union lead­ers.

The town’s Fourth of July fest­iv­it­ies also face uncer­tainty, accord­ing to union lead­ers, who said their depart­ments may not be able to staff events as a res­ult of the over­ride.

The vote, which would have over­rode Pro­pos­i­tion 21⁄2 to help cover a pro­jec­ted $3.1 mil­lion defi­cit for the next fiscal year, fell short at the town elec­tion May 11, after res­id­ents were given three options to cover the defi­cit.

Four full-time and three part-time police officers are expec­ted to be cut from the Police Depart­ment, while the Fire Depart­ment could trim about a third of its force.

“This has been det­ri­mental to the mor­ale and no one is happy about this,” said Brent A. Car­penter, of the Rut­land’s police union. “We’re going to have huge safety con­cerns. It’s just dis­ap­point­ing.”

Car­penter said that the cuts to the depart­ment would include the loss of the K-9 and acci­dent recon­struc­tion units, as well as night-shift staff­ing.

He said the staff­ing cuts will be reflec­ted in the ser­vices to the pub­lic, which would be “a secur­ity issue at this point.”

“[Officers are] going to be solo and rely­ing on out­side agen­cies,” Car­penter said. “There will be a delay in ser­vice where if you have mul­tiple calls com­ing in at once, we have to take the pri­or­ity calls.

“Obvi­ously the people have spoken. We get it – nobody likes their taxes raised.”

Car­penter said cuts to staff could also bring about issues with recruit­ment.

 

Templeton Equalized Valuations as of January 2026

LA19 (PROPOSED)

CLASS	Assessed Value	Assessment Ratio	Estimated Full Value
RESIDENTIAL	1,107,203,185	0.95	1,165,477,000
OPEN SPACE	0		0
COMMERCIAL	52,525,350	0.95	55,240,700
INDUSTRIAL	24,719,600	0.95	26,020,600
PERSONAL PROPERTY	15,131,166	1.00	15,131,200
TOTAL REAL/PERSONAL PROPERTY	1,199,579,301	0.95	1,261,869,500
ESTIMATED GROWTH		1.17%	14,763,900
PROPOSED EQUALIZED VALUATION			1,276,633,400

 Alysa Hayden, library advisory specialist at the MBLC, began the session by stating that public libraries have an average 300% return on investment to their communities.

https://www.phillipston-ma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/984 

 The Boston teachers’ contract in April 2025 delivered pay raises for staff, a $181 million increase in school spending, and the end of more than a year of contentious negotiations.

The deal, agreed to shortly before a planned union protest of Mayor Michelle Wu’s State of the City address, averted what could have been a high-profile battle during an election year.

What the deal didn’t do: Guarantee Boston had the money to pay for it.

By the January after Wu’s reelection, city officials proposed cutting up to 400 jobs in the coming year’s school budget.

It’s a scenario that has played out across the state. Teachers unions have flexed their muscles in recent years, picketing and even striking to secure contracts with better pay and working conditions. Local politicians, seeking to avoid school disruptions and union pressure in elections, agree to substantial raises and other benefits.

But a tradeoff has emerged: Many of the same districts, including Boston, Newton, and Marblehead, announced budget cuts and layoffs within a few years of the new deals.

Similar episodes have played out across the country, according to Marguerite Roza, director of Georgetown University’s Edunomics Lab.

“That’s the playbook these days,” Roza said. “Unions are asking for things they know the district can’t afford, and saying, ‘I don’t care, go get the money.’”

Often, school districts have managed to find the money. Brookline, for example, won overwhelming approval from town voters for a record tax override, to help pay for a 2022 teacher contract agreed to after a one-day strike. Of the $23 million brought in by the voter-approved tax hikes, about $18 million will go to the schools.

But that amount is still not enough to stave off all cuts, with some school positions set to be eliminated.

 

Senate to Start FY27 State Budget Debate Next Week   Senators Will Soon Review All Municipal and School Amendments   Please Call Your Senators and Ask for Their Support for Key Amendments   May 13, 2026   Dear Jeffrey,   Next week, the Senate is scheduled to launch a week-long debate on the fiscal 2027 Senate Budget (S. 4). More than 1100 amendments have been filed for consideration including several proposals affecting cities, towns, and school districts.   It is critically important that as soon as possible, you contact your Senators and ask them to co-sponsor and support the amendments below, while opposing amendments that would subvert municipal authority.   The Senate Ways and Means budget is a strong proposal that builds on the education investments included in the House budget with a proposal to boost Unrestricted General Government Aid. When you speak with your Senators, be sure to thank them for the many strong investments included in the Senate Ways and Means budget including: $53 million for UGGA, Chapter 70 minimum aid to $160 per student, full funding the state’s obligation for Special Education Circuit Breaker and Charter School Mitigation Payments, increases in regional school transportation, funding for universal school meals, and more. Additionally, be sure to thank them for not including provisions which would have jeopardized critical local revenue collections.   Please review the below information that includes points to raise with your Senators. Please call them as soon as possible to ask for their action on these amendments and highlight how these proposals would impact your community.   Ask your Senators to support and co-sponsor:   Rural School Aid (Amendments #648 & 731, & 618) – Please ask your Senators to support Amendments, which would target $9 million, $24 million, and $44 million, respectively, for the Rural School Aid program that offers critical support to rural school districts (7061-9813).   Regional School Transportation (Amendments #596, 605, & 619) – These amendments would increase funding for regional school transportation reimbursements by approximately $6.3 million, $12.7 million, and $14.9 million, respectively (7035-0006).