ORANGE — Residents filed in and out of the Armory Monday evening to cast a ballot on the tax override, mostly staying tight-lipped about how they voted.
In the end, the measure — to pass a $513,971 Proposition 2½ — failed by a “substantial amount,” Finance Committee Chair Keith LaRiviere said.
The vote was 676 opposed and 295 in favor of the override, Selectboard member Tom Smith said.
“I’m disappointed,” LaRiviere said.
Next, the Finance Committee will request a Special Town Meeting to ask voters to approve its alternative budget, which involves using $250,000 from “free cash” and cutting its elementary school allocation. He expects some jobs at the elementary schools will be eliminated.
“It’s just going to put the town in a more difficult financial position for next year,” LaRiviere said.
The tax hike was requested to fill a $513,971 shortfall in fiscal 2020 budget, which totaled $21,353,712, an increase of 6.2 percent from last year. (To compare, the year before the budget rose by 2 percent). The budget was approved at the Annual Town Meeting June 17, though it was contingent on the override passing.
As residents exited the Armory Monday evening after casting their ballots, they appeared to be in two camps. Those who opposed the override said they did not want their taxes to increase while those in favor said they wanted to support the town.
Pam and Dennis Mitchell voted to oppose the override. The couple expressed frustration with town government, saying they were tired of seeing their taxes rise while Orange remains stagnant.
“For the last 10 years, they’ve been upping everything. Electric taxes, water taxes,” Dennis Mitchell said. “There’s nothing to show for it. No job opportunities.”
Dennis Mitchell added that municipal staff and officials should figure out how to fund public services without requesting more money from taxpayers.
“They’ve had a hard time managing what they have now,” Dennis Mitchell said.
Ken Thomas also voted to reject the requested tax override. His reason was more succinct: he opposed a tax increase.
“I don’t want my taxes to go up,” Thomas said.
Asked whether his taxes were already high, he shrugged, pausing for a few moments.
“Yeah, they are,” Thomas said.
Meanwhile, Rejean Labbe voted in favor of the override. The main reason, he said, aside from supporting the town, was to ensure public education is well-funded. Labbe added that his children attend Orange public schools.
“We’re basically going to be in favor of anything that will help children in the town,” Labbe said. “It feels like we don’t have a lot of stuff for the kids right now.”
Labbe added that the town can solve its financial issues in the coming year, but right now, money is needed to fill the shortfall.
Also in favor of the override were Nadine and Dennis Parsons, saying they did so to support the town.
However, Dennis Parsons said he wasn’t optimistic about its passage.
“I get the feeling it’s not going to pass,” Parsons said.
Selectboard Chair Ryan Mailloux supported the override, voting in its favor Monday. He said the override would have helped “push the town forward.”
“What we really need to see in the town is some new growth,” Mailloux said.
Mailloux pointed out that the town’s financial issues are not unique, but in line with a chronic, widespread regional problem.
“I just see the town of Orange as one of the many Western Mass. municipalities struggling financially,” Mailloux said.
Reach Grace Bird at gbird@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 280.