When does the spending stop in Montague?
For months, I have been raising concerns about the fiscal direction of the town of Montague. Unfortunately, recent events have done little to ease those concerns.
The pattern seems clear: one major project is brought forward, approved, and then another follows. First came the library project. Then discussions surrounding the Franklin County Technical School and regionalization. Now taxpayers are being asked to support nearly $2 million for a study on the future of Hillcrest and Sheffield schools.
Let’s be honest. This is not simply a study. Most residents understand that such a study is likely the first step toward a recommendation for the construction of a new elementary school. If officials argue that a 50-year-old technical school cannot be reasonably rehabilitated, it is difficult to believe a school with sections dating back to the 1940s will ultimately be renovated.
And lurking in the background is another major capital expense: the wastewater treatment plant. While details remain limited, most residents understand that this project will carry a significant price tag as well.
Individually, each of these projects may have merit. The problem is that taxpayers are never presented with the full picture. Instead, we are asked to consider each proposal separately, without a comprehensive understanding of how these projects fit into a broader long-term financial plan.
Town leaders often argue that these investments are necessary to attract younger families and strengthen our community. That may be true. However, there is a limit to what residents can afford. Higher taxes and rising costs can just as easily drive people away as attract them.
What Montague needs is a transparent five- to 10-year capital improvement plan that identifies major projects, estimated costs, funding sources, and projected tax impacts. Every family is expected to budget for the future. Local government should be held to the same standard. This improvement plan may exist in some form but isn’t clearly communicated to the taxpayers.
Taxpayers deserve more than piecemeal proposals. They deserve a clear roadmap that allows them to understand the cumulative cost of all planned projects before being asked to approve the next one.
For that reason, I urge Town Meeting members to vote “no” on the proposed $2 million study. Those funds could be directed toward immediate needs rather than another report whose conclusions may simply lead to additional spending. Residents should also remember that multiple studies on school regionalization have been conducted over the years, yet the community remains largely where it started more than a decade ago.
Montague is a great town. Preserving what makes it special requires responsible planning, fiscal discipline, and honest communication with taxpayers. The well is not bottomless. It is time for our leaders to present a long-term vision, establish priorities, and demonstrate that they are committed to living within the means of a town of 8,500 residents.
If we fail to do that, taxpayers will continue to be asked for more without ever knowing where the road ultimately leads.
Chris Pinardi lives in Montague.