Voices of Franklin: Jane Callaway-Tripp "Where do we go from here?"

Franklin residents have spoken—twice. The second attempt at passing an override has failed, leaving our town facing significant financial cuts. The question now is not what happened, but where do we go from here?

Do we take the opportunity to bridge the divide, listening and learning from one another? Or do we succumb to finger-pointing, playing the blame game between YES and NO voters?

Less than 24 hours after the results were announced, frustration spilled onto social media. Comments emerged—“I hope you're happy! You caused over $4 million in cuts!” “You hurt our children. I hope you're proud.” Even at the polls, tensions ran high. One voter walked by and told opponents they should be embarrassed. At last night’s council meeting, department heads outlined the necessary cuts—yet even as that happened, YES voters took to Facebook, claiming that town officials were "reaming NO voters.”

Cuts were inevitable. Franklin’s financial challenges are not new, nor are they the fault of those who voted against the override. Some decisions, however, raise questions. For example, the town has stressed the need for more revenue—yet one of the cuts includes removing the third ambulance, a service that actually generates income. If revenue is the concern, why eliminate a funding source? That decision feels less like fiscal responsibility and more like a statement—one that many, YES and NO voters alike, perceive as a punishment.

Blaming voters—on either side—oversimplifies a complex issue. YES voters argue that NO voters caused harm to services. But had the override passed, struggling families would have faced rising costs, possibly forcing them out of Franklin altogether. Does that mean YES voters would have been responsible for that hardship? The truth is, this was a lose-lose vote, with consequences no matter the outcome.

Franklin’s financial struggles stem from more than inflation alone. Past decisions have played a role, and while some missteps are irreversible, acknowledging them is vital. Respect must remain at the core of this conversation—disagreeing does not mean dishonoring the dedication of town leaders or the sacrifices of residents.

At this moment, we as a town have a choice. We can cling to division—YES vs. NO, red vs. blue, town vs. schools—or we can rise above it. We can reject name-calling and vote-shaming, choosing instead to work together toward solutions.

No single person has all the answers. But one truth is clear: if Franklin continues to fight itself, we will never heal. We will never find lasting solutions. And we will watch our town falter.

Kindness does not belong only to those who share our views. It belongs to everyone. It is the foundation upon which Franklin must rebuild—not in spite of disagreement, but through it.

The future of Franklin depends on it.

Jane Callaway-Tripp 

Franklin Voter

If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

Voices of Franklin: Jane Callaway-Tripp  "Where do we go from here?"

Voices of Franklin: Jane Callaway-Tripp "The Cost of Silence: A Town at a Crossroads"

Franklin is more than streets, buildings, and budget line items. It is history, families, and generations woven into a fabric that once felt unbreakable. It is the town where neighbors looked out for each other, where voices carried weight, where integrity mattered. But something has shifted. The foundation is cracking, and the people who call this town home are standing at a crossroads—one that demands hard truths and honest conversations.

Decisions are being made that do not match the words spoken to justify them. A fiscal cliff, they say. Yet raises far beyond the standard cost-of-living adjustment are handed out—without hesitation, without sustainable planning. How does that add up? Strip away the rhetoric, take away the partisan noise, and one question remains: Is this responsible?

Too often, dissent is met not with discussion but with cruelty. Franklin has shown, time and time again, that politics is not just about governance—it is about power. It is about who gets to speak, whose voice is drowned out, who faces ridicule for daring to stand alone. In an ideal world, people would disagree with respect, with a willingness to listen, with an understanding that opposition is not the enemy—it is balance. But that is not what is happening here.

Mockery replaces debate. Personal attacks replace understanding. State representatives endorse a full panel of candidates in a local nonpartisan election—making it clear that the system is anything but neutral. And as people watch this unfold, they wonder: Where do we go from here? I ask you how Can we remove partisanship when it is prevalently clear it is staring us in the face every day?

The Weight of a Dollar

It is easy to say, “It’s only $300 a year.” But to who? Not everyone lives in comfort. Not everyone has an extra $10 a month. There are people—good, hard-working people—who see their bank accounts already at zero, who know the weight of an unpaid bill sitting in the back of their mind. And yet, they are told to tighten their belts once more, told to make sacrifices for decisions they had no hand in making.

And what happens when someone speaks up, when they say no? They are labeled cheap, claims that a NO voter is nothing more than a “Professional Againsters”, would it then be fair to say a YES voters are nothing more than “Professional Yesman”? Neither is a fair statement and quite insulting to either side. They are dismissed as obstacles in the way of progress. But fiscal responsibility is not selfishness—it is survival. It is about trust, and trust cannot exist where accountability is lacking.

The Numbers Do Not Lie

For years, residents have heard the same argument: We need more people, more development, more revenue. They have watched the approval of apartment projects, the bending of zoning regulations, the granting of variances and waivers that reshaped Franklin’s landscape. But there was an opportunity—a rare moment where the town could have stood up for its people. A 40B project that could have been rejected, with legal justification under safe harbor, but instead? Silence. Indifference. A clear message: Your voices do not matter.

Breaking the Pattern

Franklin’s residents are exhausted—not just by taxes and budget concerns, but division has replaced community. It does not have to be this way. It should not be.

Maybe the solution is not another override. Maybe it is not another fight over partisan alliances or social media insults. Maybe, just maybe, the answer lies in listening. In remembering that the town does not belong to politicians and those who run it—it belongs to the people.

We will not all agree. We are not supposed to. But if Franklin is to stand strong, if its future is to be more than just a history written by those in power, then residents must demand better.

Because the Foundation of Franklin is cracked, we as residents are that foundation remember without the people, there is no Town of Franklin.

Independent voter

Jane Callaway-Tripp 

If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

Voices of Franklin:  Jane Callaway-Tripp "The Cost of Silence: A Town at a Crossroads"

Voices of Franklin: Town Councilor Glenn Jones says "get out to vote June 3" (video)

Voting for the special election on June 3, 2025 is from 6 AM to 8 PM at Franklin High School.

Video link -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDCFQJyEfQU

If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

Voices of Franklin: Town Councilor Glenn Jones says "get out to vote June 3" (video)

Special Election June 3, 2025 - Collection of info on the FY 2026 Override

6 to 3 to 2 to 1, finally

One can pick and choose when it started, there are a number of key points along this budget journey for the Town of Franklin. Go back to the first successful override in 2007. Or to the failed overrides in 2008 and 2010. 

To the failed dedicated override for road repairs for $1M that folks chose not to accept in 2014.  Yes, even after hearing that the Town needed to confirm that money for the override would be spent for a specific item, the voters chose not to fund needed road repairs.  

Whether you call it the “fiscal cliff” or the “structural deficit”, it really comes down to a math problem. More money required to fund existing services than is scheduled to come in due to the 2 ½ override restrictions. You can try to ignore it but inflation is the major driver. Councilor Jones calculated the inflation impact of Prop 2 ½ since 1983 during the override discussions in the run up to the June 2024 failed attempt.

It is so much easier to blame someone else for the problem. That avoids the harsh reality of the situation our community faces. It seems there are a number of relatives of Rodney Dangerfield (“I get no respect”) who live here. They attempt to dominate or divert the conversation from facing reality. It gets a chuckle, laughed off, and the tragedy remains in front of us.

So the Town took on a massive effort with 

• 6 Joint Budget Listening Sessions 

• 3 Finance Committee budget hearings

• 2 Town Council budget hearings

In the run up to the special election Tuesday, June 3 at Franklin High School gymnasium from 6 AM to 8 PM.

Of the 25,865 registered Franklin voters, 2431 ballots have been cast by early and absentee voters (through 5/30/25 close of business) for this election per Town Clerk Nancy Danello. 

The questions that remain?

1. How many of the remaining voters will turn out on Tuesday? 

2. Will they be Rodney’s relatives? Or will they fund the current services our community needs? 

When will we get an answer?

• We’ll find out by about 9 PM Tuesday evening.

** Town of Franklin FY 2026 override page

https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/1089/Fiscal-Year-2026-Override-Information

Special Election June 3, 2025 - Collection of info on the FY 2026 Override

In addition to the trusted source of info (above) we provide the following:

** Election prep resources

• Joint Budget Listening Session “Watch, Listen, or Read” info  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/joint-budget-listening-sessions-fy-2026.html  

• Finance Committee Budget Hearing “Watch, Listen, or Read” info  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/finance-committee-fy-2026-budget.html

• Town Council budget hearings “Watch or Listen” info  https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/town-council-fy-2026-budget-hearing-1-2.html 

The More Perfect Union radio show has resumed with an episode on the Special Election June 3

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/more-perfect-union-wfpr-98-june-3rd.html 

The most recent Town Council Quarterbacking session summarizes the Council budget hearings and the all alcohol license transactions they approved in the May 22 meeting

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/tom-mercer-i-condense-2-budget-hearings.html 

** Campaign Reports

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/campaign-finance-reports-for-special.html

** Voices of Franklin

Voices of Franklin: Jane Callaway-Tripp "The Cost of Silence: A Town at a Crossroads" https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/voices-of-franklin-jane-callaway-tripp.html Voices of Franklin: Town Councilor Glenn Jones says "get out to vote June 3" (video) https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/06/voices-of-franklin-town-councilor-glenn.html

Voices of Franklin: Arielle Shearer - 3 Reasons to Vote Yes https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/voices-of-franklin-arielle-shearer-3.html Voices of Franklin: Aaron Gouveia on keeping Franklin "safe and educated" https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/voices-of-franklin-aaron-gouveia-on.html Voices of Franklin: Councilor Ted Cormier-Leger advocates for voting Yes (video) https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/voices-of-franklin-councilor-ted.html Voices of Franklin: Councilor Melanie Hamblen encouraging civil discourse (video) https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/voices-of-franklin-councilor-melanie.html Voices of Franklin: Mark Minnichelli advocates for Yes on the Override https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/voices-of-franklin-mark-minnichelli.html Voices of Franklin: Rep Jeff Roy on voting Yes for the override (video) https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/voices-of-franklin-rep-jeff-roy-on.html Voices of Franklin: Cobi Frongillo for the FY 2026 Override (video) https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/voices-of-franklin-cobi-frongillo-for.html Voices of Franklin: Councilor Jones advocates for the Override June 3 https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/voices-of-franklin-councilor-jones.html Voices of Franklin: Roberta Trahan voting "Yes" for the June 3 Override https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/voices-of-franklin-roberta-trahan.html Voices of Franklin: KP Sompally urges a “YES” vote by June 3 https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/voices-of-franklin-kp-sompally-urges.html Voices of Franklin: Donna Grady outlines the reasons for voting "Yes" on or before June 3 https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/voices-of-franklin-donna-grady-outlines.html Voices of Franklin: One Franklin "Shared Values Lead to a Common Goal" https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/04/voices-of-franklin-one-franklin-shared.html Voices of Franklin: Watch "Franklin Together" on YouTube https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/04/voices-of-franklin-watch-franklin.html Voices of Franklin: Melanie Hamblen supporting the June 3 Override to save town services https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/04/voices-of-franklin-melanie-hamblen.html Voices of Franklin: Selena Cousin's statement at the Joint Budget Listening Session - Mar 12, 2025 https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/voices-of-franklin-selena-cousins.html Voices of Franklin: O'Sullivan - Why I voted 'No' Wednesday night https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/voices-of-franklin-osullivan-why-i.html Voices of Franklin: Time for Listening Sessions https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/03/voices-of-franklin-time-for-listening.html

Voices of Franklin: Arielle Shearer - 3 Reasons to Vote Yes

There’s been a lot of discussion about the override — and understandably so. People care about this town, its services, its taxes, and its future. But somewhere along the way, a few misconceptions have taken on lives of their own, and discussions meant to be productive have sometimes turned... well, let's just say they've become about as fun as untangling old holiday lights or trying to find that one missing sock. But here we are. It's important that these things get talked about, though. Not just because there’s a vote coming, but because decisions like this shape what kind of town we live in — and what kind of town our kids, neighbors, and future residents will inherit. It deserves clear information, honest reflection, and yes, some tough conversations. So, in that spirit, here are some key considerations for your vote: BENEFITS OF VOTING “YES” 1. Investing now helps stabilize our community’s financial future and can mitigate future increases. A crucial way to stabilize the taxes families pay over time is through responsible growth that contributes more in taxes than it costs the town in services. For example, homes that contribute to our tax base with minimal immediate impact on services can help balance our financial needs. Investing in maintaining and improving our community, including well-funded public schools, can attract growth that strengthens our overall tax base and supports property values. 2. Financial stability provides greater control over future development. When our town is financially stable, we have stronger leverage to ensure that new development aligns with our community's vision and needs. This means we can thoughtfully guide growth, ensuring it contributes positively to our town without disproportionately increasing municipal costs. Strong finances allow us to insist on development that fits our community’s character and long-term sustainability. 3. Delaying necessary investments leads to greater costs and challenges in the long run. Inflation on large items, like essential town equipment, has been significant in recent years. Postponing purchases doesn't save money; it often results in higher costs later due to inflation and increased repair/maintenance needs as equipment ages. For example, delaying a $100,000 purchase could increase its cost by $5,000 to $11,000 within a year, while our standard tax revenue growth may not keep pace. Furthermore, delaying maintenance or replacing aging equipment can lead to more frequent breakdowns, more expensive repairs (as parts become scarce), and even increased safety risks for our public safety and public works personnel. Using outdated or inefficient tools ultimately costs more in terms of labor and productivity. Proactive investment helps maintain efficient operations and ensures our town services can operate effectively. CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOUR VOTE Addressing affordability and fixed incomes:

The concern about affordability and the impact of taxes on those with fixed incomes is a genuine and serious issue that our community must address. It’s important to understand that property taxes can still rise significantly even without an override, primarily due to increasing property valuations. For instance, a homeowner with a $350,000 assessed home could see their annual tax bill climb by nearly $600 over two years simply due to rising assessed values, even without an override. A financially stable town is in a much better position to explore and implement assistance programs for residents facing financial hardship. A town that is struggling to maintain essential services may lack the resources and capacity to adequately develop and offer such crucial support programs. While every dollar matters, a stable town can build the foundation for real, systemic solutions to help our neighbors. Understanding shared community investment:

It’s true that property taxes fund a wide range of services, and individuals may not directly use every single one—whether it’s schools, libraries, senior centers, or public safety.This is a fundamental aspect of living in a community: we collectively contribute to services that benefit the whole, even if our personal use varies. We support schools to prepare the next generation, recognizing their future role in our community. We care for our seniors, building a community that values and supports all its residents. Choosing to live in a community means accepting a shared responsibility for its well-being. This collective investment provides the infrastructure, safety, and quality of life that often attract people to our town in the first place and keep them here. Being part of a community involves contributing beyond what we or our immediate family directly use, fostering a place where everyone can thrive. Impact of leadership concerns on critical services:

It’s important to address concerns about current town leadership, and these should be addressed through appropriate channels, such as elections. However, refusing to fund essential services as a response can cause cumulative harm to the entire town. Based on publicly available audits and our strong bond rating, there is no evidence of financial impropriety that would suggest a reason to fear disastrous spending in the next few months if your goal is to voice a need for change in the November elections. Delaying critical investments due to leadership concerns only increases costs over time, as seen with our large equipment needs. While some may view a "no" vote as sending a message, it’s crucial to consider the practical consequences of underfunding essential services like public safety, education, and public works. These problems will continue to grow, becoming more expensive and challenging to fix, regardless of who is in leadership. It’s important to maintain respectful dialogue and address concerns constructively. Our town needs continued investment to maintain vital services and protect our future. Addressing immediate fiscal needs through this override allows us to then focus on longer-term solutions and improvements for our community MOVING FORWARD Yes, there are problems to fix, and those conversations must continue. But we can’t wait any longer. This override is critical to keep essential services running and protect the future of our town. Delaying only makes everything harder and more expensive. Nobody really wants an override, and nobody wants taxes to go up. It's kind of like needing a plunger. You're never thrilled to pull it out, but you use it when necessary. And once the immediate problem is fixed, you then work to prevent needing it again, whether that means being more careful or fixing the plumbing. Refusing to unclog a toilet because plungers are "gross" or because it "might clog again anyway" only worsens the problem, risking damage, health concerns, and even more costly cleanup down the line. We know some residents worry that approving this override might mean we'll face requests for more overrides in the future. It’s a valid concern, and the fear of a recurring cycle of increased costs would unsettle anyone. The goal with this override is to stabilize our town's finances and ensure we have the foundation to proactively plan and manage our resources. This will help us minimize the need for such measures in the future and work toward long-term financial stability. Only then can we change our focus to how to prevent needing a plug—an override—in the future.

Arielle Shearer

Franklin Resident

If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

Voices of Franklin: Arielle Shearer - "3 Reasons to Vote Yes"

Voices of Franklin: Aaron Gouveia on keeping Franklin "safe and educated"

If you could pay $300 to keep your community safe and educated, would you?

When you strip away all the rhetoric and misinformation and extraneous partisan noise from the override issue, that's the question at the heart of everything.

Either you think it's worth it to pay an extra $300 to maintain the level of public safety and education we currently have in Franklin, or you don't and you're willing to cut both in order to avoid increased taxes.

For the record, I am an unenrolled voter who doesn't belong to either party and I've only been in Franklin eight years. I'm not a townie, I'm not connected, and I'm not lifelong friends with the public officials here.

So when opponents of the override started talking about the town not managing its finances well, I started poking around.

Let's be clear, a system built by humans run by humans and composed of humans will ALWAYS have human error and some stuff that doesn't pass the bs sniff test. Franklin is no exception in this regard.

But override opponents (many of them falling into the "Professional Againsters" category because they say no to everything as a default) want you to believe these isolated incidents are widespread conspiracies, and that if we just cleaned things up we'd have enough to bridge the financial gap created when revenue can't keep up with rising expenses.

This is not the case. And I don't say that as a matter of opinion, I say it as fact.

S&P Global Ratings gave Franklin a AAA bond rating for the third straight year. Think of them as a company that gives a credit score, but for municipalities instead of individuals. This is the highest possible score a city or town can achieve, and denotes sound financial practices and a commitment to long-term financial stability.

Simply put, if Franklin officials were mismanaging funds as badly as the "No" contingent says, we would absolutely not hold the highest possible bond rating.

"But what about the revenue from the apartments???"

I'm glad you asked. The revenue is there, but it's not enough. Why? Because for every dollar of property tax revenue generated by an apartment complex, you create even more money in expenses.

The people who live in those apartments have to be educated, drive on roads, consume water, require public safety calls, rely on social service programs, etc. So the increased property tax revenue that comes in is already spent paying for the people who will reside on that property.

Now, you want to talk about the wisdom of building so many apartments? I'm with you. It seems pretty excessive here in Franklin, especially since we're above our 10% affordable housing threshold. But to me, that's a separate issue from the override and should be dealt with at the ballot box (if you can get apathetic voters to show up for local elections).

Meanwhile, teachers are in unions that have contractually obligated raises and are entitled to cost of living increases, at the very least. Same with police, fire, and other municipal workers. Not to mention the ever-increasing cost of health insurance. So even though you don't add anything new to last year's budget, it's going to cost you even more just to get the same level of services.

This isn't due to mismanagement or ineptitude, it's just the world in which we live.

A world, I might add, that has seen all manner of cuts and death by a thousand papercuts since the last successful Prop 2-1/2 override in 2007.

A world in which middle school bands were conspicuously absent in this year's Memorial Day parade because we cut the band teachers last year. A world in which art and music are dangerously close to the chopping block. A world in which it will now cost parents $1,000 to play certain sports, and hundreds just to ride the bus. A world with fewer AP courses and a degraded public education experience. A world where fewer officers and firefighters (and one fewer ambulance) means less safety for residents.

I don't want to live in that world. While I certainly don't want to pay more in taxes (who does??), I think $300 is a small price to pay to make sure we don't backslide any further.

When all is said and done, a "no" vote on June 3 constitutes intentionally making Franklin a worse place to live. So I hope you'll join me in voting yes because, despite all signs pointing to a continued divide, I like to think we can all agree that quality education and ample public safety resources represent common ground.

Aaron Gouveia 

Franklin resident

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If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

Voices of Franklin: Aaron Gouveia on keeping Franklin "safe and educated"

Voices of Franklin: Councilor Ted Cormier-Leger advocates for voting Yes (video)

Town Councilor Ted Cormier-Leger advocates for voting Yes on the FY 2026 ballot question on or before June 3, 2025.

Video link -> https://youtu.be/gQn957VCHRI

If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

Voices of Franklin: Councilor Ted Cormier-Leger advocates for voting Yes (video)

Voices of Franklin: Councilor Melanie Hamblen encouraging civil discourse (video)

Town Councilor Melanie Hamblen share her plea for Franklin folks to "be better" and for civil discourse.

video link -> https://youtu.be/Vup7_keVGUg

If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

Voices of Franklin: Councilor Melanie Hamblen encouraging civil discourse (video)

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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If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

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

Voices of Franklin: Cobi Frongillo for the FY 2026 Override (video)

Town Councilor and community advocate Cobi Frongillo makes his points on the FY 2026 budget override for the Town of Franklin, MA.

Video link -> https://youtu.be/9i7U5Fk-zdE

For more about the FY 2026 Override ballot question, visit the Town page ->   https://ma-franklin.civicplus.com/1089/Fiscal-Year-2026-Override-Information

If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

Voices of Franklin: Councilor Jones advocates for the Override June 3

Like many municipalities across the Commonwealth, the Town of Franklin is grappling with mounting financial challenges. Rising costs—driven by inflation, aging infrastructure, and increased demand for public services—are placing significant strain on our local budget. At the same time, the constraints of Proposition 2½ severely limit our ability to generate the revenue needed to meet these growing demands. As a result, Franklin is facing an unsustainable gap between the services our community requires and the resources available to provide them.

Without the passage of a Proposition 2½ override, the town will be forced to implement deep and painful cuts to essential services. These reductions could have serious consequences. Public safety would be directly affected, with fewer police officers and firefighters on duty and the potential loss of our third ambulance, an indispensable resource for ensuring timely emergency medical care. Basic services such as road maintenance and snow removal could be curtailed, leading to deteriorating conditions and slower response times during winter storms.

Deferred maintenance on public buildings would likely result in more costly repairs in the future, while our public schools could suffer severe budget cuts, threatening the quality of education that Franklin families count on.

A successful override would allow Franklin to preserve and maintain the vital services that residents rely on every day. It would support adequate staffing levels in our police and fire departments, ensuring swift and reliable emergency response. It would enable the Department of Public Works to continue keeping our roads safe and accessible throughout the year. It would provide for the upkeep of municipal buildings and facilities, and most critically, it would help safeguard the strength of our public schools, allowing students to continue receiving the

high-quality education they deserve.

This override is not about funding new or expanded programs—it is about preserving the core services that form the foundation of Franklin’s safety, livability, and overall quality of life. The long-term financial and societal costs of inaction will far exceed the short-term investment required today.

I encourage all residents to learn more about the override proposal, attend public meetings, and engage in informed discussions. On June 3rd, please join me in voting YES at Franklin High School to support this critical investment in the future of our town and the well-being of our entire community.

Respectfully,

Councilor Glenn Jones 

Clerk of Council 

Franklin Town Council

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If you have something to say, you can find the guidelines here
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2011/03/introducing-voices-of-franklin.html

Voices of Franklin: Councilor Jones advocates for the Override June 3