Bridgewater Officials Present $8 Million Override Proposal to Address Budget Shortfall
Town and school leaders explain how funds would be used for education, public safety, and infrastructure if June 21 vote passes
BRIDGEWATER - June 2 - Bridgewater town and school officials are making their case for an $8 million Proposition 2-½ override that would fund education, public safety, and infrastructure improvements. At a recent information session, Interim Town Manager Blythe Robinson and Superintendent Ryan Powers presented details about the proposal that will go before voters on June 21.
"The costs that we have are simply higher than the revenue that we have to pay for them," Robinson said during the presentation. "We're not able to balance our budget within the amount that we can raise through taxes or other means."
If approved, approximately $6 million would go to the Bridgewater-Raynham Regional School District, with the remaining $2 million funding town services including road repairs, public safety positions, and library staffing.
The override represents a significant moment for Bridgewater, which has only approved one override in the 45 years since Proposition 2-1/2 became law in 1980. The Massachusetts law limits property tax increases to 2-½ percent annually unless voters approve an override.
For the average Bridgewater home valued at $593,000, the override would add $1.56 to the tax rate, increasing the annual tax bill by approximately $925.
School officials say the district faces a 22.91 percent budget increase driven by rising special education costs, health insurance increases, and growing enrollment. Powers noted that unlike many Massachusetts districts experiencing declining enrollment, Bridgewater-Raynham is adding nearly 100 students annually.
"Our enrollment is going up by almost 100 students every year," Powers said. "Over the last five years, we're over 400 plus students."
Health insurance costs have jumped 15 percent for the coming year, significantly higher than the typical 8-10 percent annual increases the district usually plans for. Special education costs have also risen dramatically, with the percentage of students requiring services increasing from 16 to 20 percent over five years.
The district currently has 47 students in out-of-district placements, up 16 from last year. These placements can cost between $65,000 and $500,000 per student annually, including transportation expenses.
If the override passes, school officials plan to add teaching positions to reduce class sizes, which currently average 28 students in Bridgewater's K-8 schools and 26 in Raynham. The funds would also support special education staffing and maintain extracurricular programs and advanced placement courses.
Without the override, school officials warn they may need to cut 30-45 staff positions beyond the 24 positions already eliminated. Class sizes could increase to 30-36 students in middle school and over 40 in some high school courses. The district might also need to reduce or eliminate extracurricular activities or significantly increase fees.
"Without an override, we're looking at potentially charging around $900 to $1,000 per student per sport," Powers said, compared to the current one-time fee that covers multiple sports seasons.
On the town side, the override would restore positions cut from the budget, including a police officer cadet, financial analyst, deputy building inspector, and DPW equipment operator. It would also fund four additional firefighter paramedics, two police officers, a mental health clinician, and a library position.
Half a million dollars would be dedicated to road repairs, starting with Main Street from Central Square to High Street. Robinson acknowledged this is "just a start" toward addressing the town's 107 miles of roadways.
The library funding is particularly important as the facility currently operates 3.5 hours below state requirements, putting at risk approximately $65,000 in annual state aid that supports materials and programming.
School Committee Chair Rachel King addressed questions about cost-containment efforts, noting the district has been working to control expenses through early retirement incentives, contract negotiations, and exploring health insurance collaboratives.
"We've been looking at what is the impact going to be, how do we keep our costs and our increases down," King said. "But we can't really increase our revenue as much as we can."
If Bridgewater approves the override but Raynham does not, Robinson explained the funds would likely be placed in a school stabilization fund until both towns reach agreement on school funding.
Some residents questioned whether the override funds would be used as described, since the Town Council must still vote to appropriate the money if the override passes. Robinson acknowledged this technical point but expressed confidence that officials would honor their commitments.
Watch the complete recording courtesy of BTV.
This article was generated through artificial intelligence. If you have any concerns regarding accuracy please let us know.