Voices of Franklin: Mark Minnichelli advocates for Yes on the Override

To my Franklin neighbors:

After recently having discussions with other Franklin residents regarding Franklin’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget deficit and upcoming Proposition 2 ½ override vote, I’ve learned there may still be a lack of clarity regarding the details of Franklin’s budget deficit, and which services will be affected should the upcoming budget override vote fail.

There is a wealth of important information regarding the FY2026 budget and override, which can easily be found on the main page of the Official Franklin website (franklinma.gov).  This should be considered the primary source of legitimate information regarding Franklin’s budgets and override information. 

I suggest that all Franklin voters review this information, which is the result of countless hours of work by Franklin’s administration, town council, school committee, finance committee, school administration, various other departments, and probably many others. This work has been compiled in one location online, in order to be easily accessed, for the purpose of informing Franklin residents regarding the June 3rd override vote.

I would like to share a few budget-related and override-related facts taken from the information available online:

• The current FY2026 “Level Service” budget represents a structural deficit of $3,862,672. This is the amount of the override, in order to balance the proposed budget; it represents additional funds required beyond the standard 2.5% year-over-year tax increase, in order to maintain the level of services that we have today. That includes funding for schools, police, fire, EMS, DPW, library, senior center and additional resources. (2 exceptions to level funding include an assistant added to the Board of Assessors and 8 restored public school positions which were cut last year.) Please note, the $3.863 million amount requested is considerably less than the $6.8 million override amount requested last year.

• Franklin Public School administration, staff, and the Franklin School Committee have worked for months to reorganize the entire school system for next year, consolidating schools and reducing 29 teachers, staff, administrators and supplies, resulting in an estimated $3,152,805 of savings for Franklin taxpayers!

• The additional real estate tax generated by the Proposition 2 ½ Override vote on the average value home is estimated to add $312 per household annually – adding less than 86 cents per day to the average household tax bill.

• Should the override not pass, there will be numerous layoffs and supply reductions across various Franklin departments. The impact of more layoffs and reduced expenses will surely be felt by most, if not all Franklin residents, through reductions in services.

• These are the proposed budget cuts by department, should the override vote fail:  

o Schools: $2,085,843 reduction – represents 54% of the deficit, and would result in multiple reductions in staff and expenses, on top of the cuts from last year

o DPW: $400,000 reduction – represents reductions in road construction/ maintenance, sidewalk maintenance, plowing, school maintenance, and various other items

o Police: $250,000 reduction – represents elimination of 2 positions plus expenses

o Fire: $250,000 reduction – represents elimination of 2 positions plus expenses, and likely eliminates the recently-added 3rd ambulance 

 

o Facilities: $409,208 reduction – Implement savings from redistricting 

o Town Staff: $250,000 reduction – Reduce several municipal staff 

 

o MECC (Regional Dispatch) : $400,000 reduction – Use of one-time town stabilization funds to help fill the budget gap (rainy day funds)

 

o Benefits: $350,000 reduction – Reduce OPEB (retiree benefits) liability payment for 2nd consecutive year 

 

o Library: $50,000 reduction – Reduce hours, expenses and staff 

 

o Board of Assessors: $60,231 reduction – Eliminate new staff position

Last year most of Franklin’s departments were forced to make painful cuts in personnel and/or expenses in order to close the budget gap. The current FY2026 proposed budget maintains the current level of municipal services that we have come to depend on: police, fire, EMS and DPW personnel who bravely keep us safe and healthy, teachers and librarians who make and keep us well-educated, and our wonderful senior center and recreation department, which provide meals, spaces, physical and emotional support to residents of all ages, incomes and abilities!

These are the valuable services that make living in Franklin something we can, and should continue to enjoy and be proud of! Let’s not take them for granted!

Please join me in voting YES on or before June 3rd!

Sincerely and respectfully,

Mark Minnichelli

Concerned Franklin citizen

31 Longfellow Drive, Franklin

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https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

Voices of Franklin: Mark Minnichelli advocates for Yes on the Override