HADLEY — Depending on the outcome of the town’s first-ever Proposition 2½ general tax-cap override, residents will see either a big increase in property taxes to maintain existing staffing levels and programs in town, or will see the low tax rate preserved, but with possible diminished town and school services.
With a special Town Meeting Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Hopkins Academy, the first of a two-part decision on a $2.25 million override that will be followed by a ballot vote Sept. 29, campaign signs urging either yes or no votes are positioned at the edge of many town lawns.
For Angela Matuszko of Middle Street, where an orange sign on the lawn indicates opposition to the override, her concern is increasing what have been the lowest taxes in Hampshire County, but have gone up along with the number of employees and efforts to professionalize the formerly volunteer, on-call fire department and adding a town ambulance, as well.
“Our assessment has gone up substantially, and it feels like there’s already been a huge rise in taxes,” Matuszko said. “I’m concerned for the senior citizens, the farmers, and all of the people in town who are on fixed incomes.”
No matter whether for or against the override, Matuszko said she appreciates that residents are learning how this would impact them and are engaged in the decision.
“It’s a good thing people are paying attention,” Matuszko said.
On the other side of the issue is Mary Norton, of Chmura Road, who had initially thought she would vote no, concerned because she might have to cut back on spending to make ends meet.
“When I first heard that this would be coming up, I heard that means our taxes are going up,” Norton said.
“But if we vote no then the results will be that we will probably have to lay off 30 employees, and we may have to close the Senior Center, or part of it, and some of us need it badly,” Norton said.
The exact consequences of a failed override are uncertain, though at least a dozen municipal positions, possibly more, are at risk, if the money isn’t added to the $22.76 million fiscal year 2026 operating budget approved by voters at annual Town Meeting in May.
The Fire Department is at the center of possible cuts, with a plan to bring the emergency medical services in house and to train staff in jeopardy. There is also a need to pay for rising costs of health insurance, an issue other communities are struggling with.
But some residents contend that the town went on a hiring spree using COVID relief money and made unnecessary purchases, such as the vector truck used to clean catch basins, rather than hiring a private contactor. There is also worry that every fender bender crash, including those on Route 9, now has a response from an ambulance, fire engine and police cruiser.
Special TM to draw crowd
In advance of special Town Meeting, Interim Town Administrator Michael Mason explained to the Select Board and Finance Committee this week that the session will not be the end for the override, even if it is defeated that night.
“Regardless of what happens on the 9th, it still goes to a ballot,” Mason said.
Still, officials are preparing for the meeting, with the gymnasium at Hopkins Academy the main location and overflow space in the school’s cafetorium, where most town meetings have been taking place in recent years.
The ballot vote is also getting underway. Town Clerk Jessica Spanknebel has absentee special override ballots available at her office, while ballots have been mailed to those who have submitted mail-in absentee and mail-in early applications.
Early in-person voting will be from Sept. 22 to 26, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. each day, with the day of vote at the Senior Center.
In recent years, both a new Senior Center and Hadley Public Library, as well as fire substation in North Hadley, have been built, yet Hadley’s $11.63 per $1,000 valuation is lower than 14 surrounding communities. Even if the override passes, the town’s taxes would only be slightly more expensive than Sunderland.
While a town override is unusual, George Koehler, a senior citizen at the Senior Center for a program on fire safety this week, said the town has always found a way to meet its needs.
“Historically, we’ve always paid for services, and failing to pass it could lead to significant reductions in the offerings here. I enjoy the Senior Center and use it regularly,” Koehler said, adding that he also wants to make sure the schools are strong for his great grandson’s education.
“When you think of the effect of not passing this at this particular time, it could be very serious,” Koehler said.
As one who will be voting against the override, Harry Vandoloski of Middle Street said his worry is that each town department wants the “newest, shiniest toy,” and he speculates there may be intentional padding of budgets, because it is not their money.
“My general thought is for years, I’ve had a problem with the way governments operate, whether it’s town, local, state or federal,” Vandoloski said. “They buy all the best things they can and then say, ‘we need to take your money to pay for it.'”
The bottom line, he said, is that taxpayers have no way to get more money to pay their property taxes.
“The average working person in this town, their salary doesn’t jump up to match this increase,” Vandoloski said.
What if override fails?
Should the override fail, there are differing views on what that would mean for Hadley.
With her husband, Peter, on the town’s Finance Committee, Matuszko said she has confidence that town leadership will find a way to have a streamlined government that maintains what people are accustomed to.
“Nobody wants to see people lose their jobs,” Matuszko said. “But I think everything will go on and that the Select Board and Finance Committee will figure out how to navigate this if the override fails.”
Like Matuszko, Vandoloski said he isn’t concerned about the consequences of residents rejecting the override.
“I believe a lot of the potential negatives are embellished,” Vandoloski said.
Supporters of the override, though, say they don’t want to take the chance of losing around-the-clock police and fire protection, or having roads left untreated during winter storms.
“Voters need to think carefully about their vote at this particular time,” Koehler said. “We have a well-equipped and well-trained police and fire, and town administration.”
“I think everybody in town would think the fire and police and snowplowing are important,” Norton said. “Now, if the override fails and you have a problem in the middle of the night, good luck.”