Opinion: Why I'm Voting Yes In Braintree Special Election

On Saturday, June 15th for the first time Braintree voters will have a say in our Town’s budget and our community’s future. I am voting YES, and I respectfully ask you to join me.

Our property taxes make up 70% of our Town’s budget and provide the services and facilities we count on and deserve. Every dollar we invest in the override will stay in Braintree. This money is exclusively for us and our community. A YES vote supports our teachers, our first responders, our roads and sidewalks, our parks and playgrounds, and, by extension, all of us!

$8 million from a YES vote will provide:

• $4 million for the Schools
• $1.5 million for the Police Department
• $1 million for the DPW
• $1.5 million for a Stabilization Fund, which will provide a financial cushion to cover future unexpected expenses.

Voting YES now means a faster path to financial stability. Without the $8 million provided by a YES vote the budget cuts will amount to $18 million, a magnitude of service losses that I believe is far too severe for residents to bear.

There are no quick fixes or perfect solutions, but a YES vote is the best chance we have to begin to build back our town’s economy and sustain our quality of life. A YES vote believes in the future of Braintree!

PLEASE JOIN ME: VOTE YES ON SATURDAY, JUNE 15!

Meredith Boericke is Braintree’s District 5 Town Councilor. The views expressed above are her own.