Meet Rachel Anderson Hughes, Candidate for Hanover Select Board

I absolutely love this town and want to see it continue to thrive, just as it has for generations. I grew up a few towns away in East Bridgewater and always aspired to live in a community like Hanover. The town prioritized its schools, parents were actively involved, there was the mall and Starland, it was beautiful to drive through, and there was a real sense of community. I was thrilled to buy my first home here in 2015 and finally have that Hanover address!

As a parent, I’ve always believed in teaching my children the importance of giving back, volunteering, and advocating for what you believe in. That’s why I’ve been involved in our community from the very beginning: starting with advocating for the Center School renovation in 2016, joining the Hanover Cultural Council, and serving on the Hanover Day planning committee for the last five years. Every step I’ve taken has been focused on strengthening the fabric of our community.

As a member of Advisory Committee and most recently the School Committee – I have a deep understanding of the issues and needs of the community. I am eager to step up and help lead our town as a member of the Select Board.

First, increase the split rate and provide relief for all of our residents by shifting some of the tax burden onto businesses. Additionally, we should commit to bringing the small business tax exemption process to Hanover to protect our small business community. Hanover is a bustling and vibrant business community, drawing people from all over the South Shore and beyond to visit our stores. Over the last decade, we’ve welcomed Target, Market Basket, Benchmark, Chick-fil-A, Crumbl Cookies, dozens of amazing restaurants, and multiple outdoor shopping centers—all incredibly convenient to Route 3. While they provide great experiences for our community, they also place extra stress on our public safety resources: utilizing town services at a rapidly increasing rate. We need them to cover more of that burden.

Second, address the Plymouth Country Retirement mandate: This mandate will result in projected increases of 10-12% for this cost alone. Last year, our County retirement cost was $5,361,706, and this year it will be $6,008,527. With an increase of 10-12% each year, the cost will add up quickly. s a member of the Select Board, I will advocate for Hanover by reaching out to the county and our commissioner to express our concerns and the financial hardship this creates.

Our current financial situation is the most pressing issue because it will determine the type of services we can offer our community—and the kind of community we want to be. It’s important to understand how we got here and that this didn’t happen overnight.

The town hasn’t had an operational override in over 28 years. Overrides are not inherently bad; they should be used to keep up with inflation and maintain or expand services when costs rise above 2.5%. Unfortunately, this issue has been delayed for three decades, and now we’re facing a perfect storm of the Plymouth County Retirement Fund mandate, inflation, and other non-discretionary expenses increasing by nearly 14%.

Over the past decade, many department heads have quietly cut positions behind the scenes to stay within their budgets. These positions were often invisible to residents, so their impact was unnoticed. Thanks to our dedicated employees, these roles were absorbed by others, and the work continued. However, we’ve now reached a point where there are no more “behind-the-scenes” positions to cut. The next round of cuts will directly affect community-facing services, which will significantly impact service levels. This strain on our employees is unsustainable.

Hanover is currently facing an operational override that will be decided by voters, not Select Board candidates. I believe passing this year’s override is in the town’s best interest. Over the past six months, department heads, the Select Board, School Committee, Advisory Committee, and Town Manager have worked together to create a balanced override budget that considers affordability, sustainability, and effective service levels. The Advisory Committee recommends a $387 average increase to the levy tax, based on an average home assessed at $774k. Over 63% of residents have homes assessed below this amount, meaning their increase will be less than $387 annually—about $32/month or $7/week.

I have spoken with every department head about the challenges ahead. Even with a successful override, the budget will remain tight through 2032. We need to be looking at the plan to get us from FY26-32 at it’s entirety and not just planning year to year. Strategic planning with aligned priorities and strong rigor around fiscal management will be more critical than ever to get us through the next few years.

As a current member of the School Committee, I have an open-door policy and am willing to speak with residents in person, by phone, or through email. I engage in open dialogue and debate with my fellow board members, and I will bring that same level of transparency to the Select Board. It's important for residents to hear the discussions in public meetings so they can understand what’s at stake and why decisions are made.

I currently manage a personal School Committee page where I post upcoming meetings—not just for the School Committee, but also for the Select Board, Board of Assessors, Ad Com, and Planning Board. I share meeting details, highlight relevant topics, and explain how to get involved. After meetings, I provide notes and context to help residents stay informed.

As an active volunteer and Town Government participant, I know staying informed can be time-consuming. I commit to remaining transparent and engaging with the public as often as possible. However, I encourage residents to take ownership of their understanding and engagement. Town meetings are held the first Monday in May, and all boards follow open meeting laws, with agendas and minutes posted regularly. If residents need help accessing information or understanding details, I’m here to assist and support them.

My experience volunteering for the town for the past nine years has prepared me to serve as a member of the Select Board. The learning curve in municipal finance is steep and having prior board experience is strongly recommended. I also have built strong relationships across town boards and departments.  I understand the priorities for our schools, police, fire, DPW, town hall and library. I understand their budgets and understand fully what 2.5% will support, and more importantly not support, in the coming years. I know all too well what is at stake. 

Professionally, I have been leading teams through change for over a decade. I am in the business of understanding customer insights, motivations and experience. I have hosted focus groups to actively listen and understand different perspectives and priorities. I have led Fortune 500 companies through transformational change and innovation. My ability to connect with people from different backgrounds and experiences, listen to conflicting points of view and lead with compassion, while pursuing a vision will serve me well on the Select Board here in Hanover.