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The earth does not orbit the sun in precisely 365 days so thoughtful folks adopted a calendar allowing for periodic“correction” by adding an extra day every 4 years.
Similarly, the upcoming Prop 2½ override is an infrequent measure needed to bring our local budget into sync. The time for this measure arrives when town revenues and projected costs skew so far out of sync that services can no longer meet needs.
We love this town and have watched many years of it becoming more attractive and more wonderful to live in – but we are now sliding backwards. It has been over 15 years since Reading citizens re-matched revenue with needs. Now, without an override “leap”, we will only see more back-sliding.
Overrides are intended and expected consequences of the 1982 Prop 2½ limits. These corrective measures induce and allow taxpayers to play a more active role in approving town budgets. As conscientious voters, we value this process and the transparency it brings to town finances – right down to specific line items.
After a hard look at the currently proposed budget, we feel confident that our town leadership has requested responsible incremental revenue that will put a stop to the backsliding and again move our town and schools forward.
Our vote is Yes for Reading — to help us all leap forward together. Please join in the process!
Meredith & Ben Yoder
Curtis Street
