Community Corner

Voters Reject Spending Overrides . . . But Will Their Votes Count?

Though two Proposition 2.5 questions were roundly defeated at Thursday's Oak Bluffs election, the election's legitimacy may be in doubt.

Oak Bluffs voters soundly rejected two Proposition 2.5 spending override questions on Thursday that would have raised property and real-estate taxes in order to restore deep cuts to the town budget.

Five hundred and fifty-nine voters turned out for the special election, called to re-adjust finances after the town was essentially  in April. Even as that budget was passed, town administrator Michael Dutton said the stringent budget was unlikely to be enough, and that more funds would likely be needed.

Voters disagreed.

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On Thursday they rejected by a margin of 376 to 182 a call to assess $230,000 to reinstitute paving and road maintenance. Road repairs have been all but suspended for the past two years, during which time the price of asphalt has nearly doubled. “We've put off repairs for several years and we're way behind. Our roads are in rough shape,” highway superintendent Richard Combra told voters at the annual town meeting. Now, it seems, those repairs will have to wait another year.

The second question on the ballot asked voters to assess $254,361 to fund a variety of department expenses, including $75,000 to pay for a new finance director and $50,000 to pay for two Oak Bluffs School aides. That question was defeated 387 to 170, with two abstentions.

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Speaking after the election results were announced, newly elected Oak Bluffs selectmen Walter Vail said he was not surprised at the outcome. “It’s what we were hearing around town,” said Vail, noting that townspeople seem frustrated with officials and the town’s protracted .

“It’s hard to say whether [the vote] will affect the budget,” said Vail. I think we’re going to have to look at every item and see if we can move things around.” 

Vail said he’d like to find a way to pay for a town accountant, a position that has been vacant since 2009. “Maybe the paving can wait,” said Vail. “I don’t know.”

Though those who turned out to the polls overwhelmingly made their spending opinions known, the questions of whether their votes will be counted remains  to be seen. Town clerk Deborah Ratcliff raised concerns that the election had not been properly posted. If that is found to be the case, the town would have to petition the legislature to recognize the election results.

Notices announcing the special election did appear in public and in newspapers; nonetheless, the election did not capture widespread attention. Part of that problem may be due to timing. Elections typically occur in the days following the annual meeting; this special election was held some six weeks after the fact.


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