Mayor Dolan Asks Residents to Vote For Property Tax Increase

Melrose Mayor Robert Dolan asked residents to vote for a city-wide property tax increase during his annual budget address on Monday.

If approved by the Board of Alderman, this proposed tax override will appear as a ballot question during November’s municipal elections.

On average, according to the mayor’s statement, taxes would rise $240 per individual landowner, or $20 a month, amounting to $2,250,000 in additional annual revenue for the city.

The extra cash is for hiring a handful of new teachers and improving schools in order to accommodate the city’s increased population of children. The mayor also wants to hire two more police officers.

“The issue before us today, unlike in previous decades, is that we have reached an absolute cap in our ability to invest any further in public education and public safety. That, in turn, will hurt every department in the city as well as our quality of life in the future,” said Dolan.

“Due to considerable withdrawal of state and federal funds, and a change in demographics that is bringing more children into our schools, we are forced to use reserves to maintain what we have, which will result in in a weaker financial outlook.

“We are stable and strong today. We are not in crisis yet, but why wait?”

The mayor’s entire city budget statement can be read here.

Sign up for Melrose Patch newsletters and alerts here.