Medford Mayor Shows Support For Ballot Questions Passing

MEDFORD, MA — Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn expressed her thanks to Medford voters who voted ‘yes’ on local ballot questions 7 and 8 in the Nov. 5 national election.

Question 7 asked if the city should access a $3.5 million override in real estate and property taxes for fiscal year 2025 with the goal of using the funds to cover district costs such as teacher’s salaries and facilities maintenance. In addition, approximately $500,000 of the $3.5 million will be used to finance the creation of a Department of Public Works division specifically for road and sidewalk repair.

“I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your review, research, and support for the two questions that will help us,” Lungo-Koehn said. “The passage of Question 7 will also allow us to retain those currently employed in our schools, will allow for a yearly Chromebook refresh, and allow us to maintain our school buildings.”

Question 8 asked if $4 million in override funds should be collected in FY25 to fund the public schools’ artistic and vocational programs, as well as reinforce the district’s ability to to bargain for competitive teacher and paraprofessional salaries relative to neighboring communities.
“We will be transparent as we proceed with the process, spending, and budgeting,” Lungo-Koehn said.