Blue picture with a cartoon drawn hand dropping ballots into a ballot box in front of a photo of the Norwell Middle School. Norwell Select Board votes in favor of a $3.7M tax override to close a budget shortfall, pending voter approval.

The Norwell Select Board unanimously supports a $3.7M tax override request to address a structural budget deficit.

Norwell Select Board Approves $3.7M Override Request

The Norwell Select Board supports a $3.7M tax override to close a budget gap, pending voter approval in May 2025.

Published on:

13 Mar 2025, 5:47 pm

NORWELL — Facing a budget shortfall, the Norwell Select Board has unanimously backed a $3.7 million operational override request, a move that, if approved by voters, would increase property taxes by about $856 annually for a home valued at $1.02 million. The override request will be on the ballot in May 2025 and must pass both at Town Meeting and in the town election to take effect.

Town Administrator Darleen Sullivan explained that the town’s financial challenges stem from rising fixed costs that outpace revenue growth by a factor of three. Total expenses for the town are projected at $69.79 million, while revenues stand at $66.18 million, creating a significant financial gap.

If approved, the override would allow the town to maintain its current level of municipal and school services. But board members acknowledged that maintaining those services comes at a cost.

“This is not the only expense that’s coming. So it has to be framed in terms of reality,” Select Board Chair Jason Brown acknowledged. “Not everybody can afford these increases because people are dealing with inflation and all the other realities of their own personal budgets.”

Looking Ahead: Financial Stability and Challenges

During discussions, board members also considered the town’s long-term financial outlook, including possible adjustments to health insurance plans. Representatives from the Massachusetts Interlocal Insurance Association (MIIA) Health Insurance Trust reported a 14.28% increase in health insurance costs for the upcoming year. Those increases have been felt across the South Shore. In Cohasset, for example, that increase will cost the town $1.2 million next year.

Even if the override is approved, Sullivan warned that the town faces a number of financial challenges down the road. She noted that her projections show a $1.3 million deficit for the following fiscal year unless additional financial measures are taken.

Town Meeting vs. Ballot Vote

Board member Bruce Graham predicted strong support at Town Meeting but cautioned that the town-wide election could present a greater challenge.

“I think it’s reasonable to expect a repeat of 2012, in which a town meeting will be packed with a lot of school parents who have not been to town meeting before, and they’ll have a single issue to vote on, and they’ll leave after Article Two,” Graham said. “The election on the ballot is another story.”

Norwell’s last operational override was approximately $2.8 million in 2012-2013.

For more Norwell news, visit the South Shore Times Norwell homepage. The entire meeting can be viewed on Norwell Spotlight TV.