To have enough time, be sure to get your mail in ballot application in by May 31, 2024. Then there is no way to miss your voice being heard!!
Although homes in Franklin have experienced massive increase in their values, our tax levy remains limited to increase only 2.5% annually. Supply is not keeping pace with demands
Though Franklin is a broad range or income levels, our median income has increased steadily, and remains a major contributing factor effecting the state funding equation for our public schools.
There is no room to spare in the Fire Department's budget. We need to ensure that Franklin Fire Department has a stable budget. Most recently or town approved funds to ensure our third ambulance in Franklin is properly staffed. This priority of the town prevents many 'call-outs' to surrounding towns to respond to our residents during emergencies. These call-outs are costly because Franklin loses the ability to collect revenue from insurance payments for services. This poses a risk to Franklin residents as well because Franklin Fire emergency responders are paramedics, this can not be said when calling other towns to respond. This added investment will also ensure our ladder truck, which is vital in certain instances, is always available during emergencies.
Franklin Public Schools will use funds to keep up with the increased costs associated to properly staff and provide services to all students across all levels; to hire and retain staff across the district, prioritizing our human capital to decrease turnover and reverse the increase in class sizes which currently exceeds School Committee recommendations. Funding will also sustain increased support staff to address the massive uptick in mental health concerns among students. This would stabilize our school district, preventing cuts and increased fees to most extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, music, art, etc...) This override vote will also work to partially restore previously cut programs such as clubs for middle schoolers and late busses for children needing that as a resource.
Franklin Police Department has been fortunate to have essential equipment needs met by utilizing our town's Capital Funds. These are the 'leftovers' so to speak, when we are efficient as a town, and luck falls on our side by saving on things like snowstorms
Practically, this is a risky practice, and our committee supports safety equipment being moved to the operational budget. Passing this override will empower our town to ensure our force is kept safe. The police have stepped up over the last few years, operating on a very tight and extremely efficient budget. At times moving funds to our public schools to help keep heads above water. This override will ease this tension, our police are finally fully staffed, and it's taken two decades to get here. We don't want to have to take steps backwards, things like mandatory overtime are no longer a practice, that helps retain long term employees. This is important to public safety!
Our Police Department also received a grant that will expire in two years that funds clinicians who are able to assist with calls related to mental health emergencies. This override will help ensure these positions continue to be funded as they are essential to support our officers and our community.
Franklin DPW has no room to spare in their budget. Expenses have risen enormously. DPW will increase road and sidewalk maintenance, including proactively addressing wear and tear resulting in savings for future restoration. The backlog of approved projects for our infrastructure in town keeps growing as investments are the first thing to be set aside when all departments are stressed to just fund level services.
JUNE 11, 2024 - don't wait, order your mail in ballot today!
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Franklin Massachusetts
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