Melrose Presents Multiple Tax Override Options

MELROSE, MA — The city’s Financial Task Force has revealed the details of a three-tiered override question that is slated to appear on the ballot for voters to select in the election later this year.

The three option amounts are $9.3 million, $11.9 million, and $13.5 million and are being named stabilize, repair, and strengthen respectively. Mayor Jen Grigoraitis emphasized that only the option that receives the most votes will take effect, and the amount will not go above the highest option of $13.5 million.

Earlier this year the City Council approved the city’s operating budget for Fiscal Year 2026. It includes more than $4 million in spending cuts from the previous year that stem primarily from staffing reductions throughout the entire city. According to the task force, the Stabilize option will only fund current positions and restore three school district positions. The Repair option will restore nine district positions as well as three Department of Public Works positions and two police department positions. In addition, it will also be able to fund road work, building maintenance, public works program, and the acquisition of educational materials. The Strengthen option will reportedly be able to fund everything previously mentioned but also restore a total of 17 district positions, five DPW jobs, park and field maintenance, senior and veteran services, and library programs.

If an override is selected, the mayor and city council would work to create a new budget that reflects the chosen option.