NO....Learn from NATICK

the override won’t solve the problems that it’s intended to solve.  But you might dismiss that as mere speculation.  However, there are historical facts that show that the override won’t work.  Consider the record in Natick and in Shrewsbury:   (1)  Natick   In 2008, Natick voters approved a $3.9 million override.     From:  Erica Noonan, "Voters approve Natick override," March 25, 2008, Boston Globe, ( http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/regional_editions/overridecentral/2008... )    “The money [from the override] is intended to cover municipal budget shortfalls for 2009 and 2010 and forestall cuts in public safety services, library hours and teaching jobs.”   Sound familiar?  So, they got their money and their problems were solved, right?  Well, maybe not.   From:  Mike Rourke, "Rourke: Overrides vs. balanced budgets in Natick," April 1, 2014, Metrowest Daily News, ( http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/article/20140401/OPINION/140409335/116... )   Mr. Rourke says --   “The spending plan is outstripping the revenue. This is primarily due to adding many new employees and accompanying benefits at unsustainable rates. At the same time Natick is spending on capital items beyond its means.   “The addition of 55 full-time employees over the last three years at a cost of over $3 million per year going forward, and an additional $500,000 for benefits, has caused Natick to be at this critical position.   “The tax dollar increase for the "average single family homeowner" in Natick has risen by $2,100 since 2003. This has had a huge impact on seniors and people on fixed incomes.”   So Natick has already experienced the failure that Shrewsbury wants to imitate.                                                                                                                                                 (2)  Shrewsbury   Shrewsbury’s record is one of repeated failures to fund the teachers’ annual 4% raises.    Shrewsbury officials have repeatedly tried to reduce the amount of property tax money that’s spent for purposes besides the schools.    •  Trash collection was once free ; now you Pay-As-You-Throw. •  Subsidies for water and sewer service have been cut, resulting in higher water and sewer rates. •  Fees for building permits, fees from the Planning Board, and other fees have risen. •  Services that were once performed by town employees – cleaning public buildings and schools, maintaining the cemetery – are now done by private contractors. •  Full-time town employees have been replaced by part-time employees.  Retiring employees aren’t replaced.  So the work load of the remaining employees has increased. •  To cut health insurance costs for its employees, the town buys insurance with a pool of other local communities.  Employees pay a larger share of their premiums and higher co-pays. •  Bus transportation, after-school activities, and sports were once free for students ; now they pay fees for these services. •  Most recently, retiring teachers haven’t been replaced, resulting in larger class sizes and a greater workload for the remaining teachers.   Residents, students, and town employees have ALL been hurt by the futile efforts to fund the 4% annual raises of school employees.  None of these efforts have solved the problem.  This override won’t solve it either.