When I see the “Had Enough” signs around Northampton, I also feel that resistance and consternation. I support the override and am confident in our city government. Jeering at elected officials serves no function.
Historically, most of our overrides have been for debt exclusion, to allow for school construction, the fire station, and the police station. Much of this work is required simply to keep pace with the level of protection and service our citizens need. Buildings wear out. These debt exclusion overrides sunset when the debt is paid.
What I have had enough of is the self-induced causes in our country of the rising cost of operations that exceed inflation. In private industry we have not seen a health care cost increase of less than double the rate of inflation in decades. I, too, draw Social Security, and wonder at the 1.6% raise provided for 2020, in a formula that does not account for housing costs, or properly for rising health care, child care and education. The rate is tamped down by artificially low gas prices. I have had enough of that cynical math, designed to extend the life of the system on the backs of retirees, without proper funding.
Overrides are where bad federal policy squirts out into our front yards. The decline in federal funding stems from the highest tax bracket having been lowered from over 90% to 28% in my lifetime, from Eisenhower to Trump. We had a balanced budget with a top 50% marginal bracket under Bill Clinton, and amazingly, growth and prosperity. Now we see unprecedented trillion-dollar annual deficits from alleged fiscal conservatives, drowning our children in debt and funding the ever- more wealthy. We see $3 trillion expended in wars started under Republican presidents, and put on the credit card.
There is much to be cranky about, but the failed policies are not at the local or even state level. All the more reason we must bear up and support the override March 3.
Jonathan A. Wright
Northampton