Holden finance committee chair urges town to approve $1.2 million override to cover Wachusett assessment

Paul Challenger, chairman of the Holden finance committee, urged the Wachusett Regional School District Committee during public comment to support Holden's override vote on May 11 to preserve both municipal and school services. "To preserve our schools and town services, I urge everyone to vote Yes on the override on May 11," he said, identifying the override amount for Holden as $1,200,000 and saying those dollars are intended to fund Holden's share of the Wachusett regional assessment.

Challenger told the committee that Proposition 2' 2.5 limits the property tax levy but does not limit inflation, and that the town has been drawing down savings to balance budgets. He listed specific cuts the town's draft budget would make without override revenue, saying it would reduce hours at the senior center and library, cut almost 20% of police costs, eliminate three firefighter positions, reduce three DPW staff and defer more than $2 million in capital purchases.

Challenger also noted timing constraints: he said the override amount was set by the board of selectmen on April 7 and cannot be altered before ballots are mailed, although if the district changes its assessment the actual tax assessed may be less than the printed override amount. He encouraged residents to vote rather than only express support verbally.

The committee took no formal action on the comment; the public-comment period concluded and the meeting moved on to the scheduled agenda.