Letter: Override a sure loser in Hamilton

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September 8, 2010

The Salem News Wed Sep 08, 2010, 12:18 AM EDT

To the editor:

In Hamilton we are again hearing the "O" word — "override!"

You sometimes have to wonder what our town officials are thinking. How many times do the overburdened taxpayers have to tell them: "Read my lips! No more overrides!"

How many times do we have to point out that we have the highest tax rate on the North Shore because of 10 overrides in the last 12 years? It is not going to happen, folks! You will see a huge protest if you even try!

Please stop and take a look around you. We are in a full-blown recession with no end in sight. People are losing their houses, people are losing their jobs, and people are moving out of Hamilton because of the high property taxes!

This time around, officials are looking to extend a worthy program aimed at helping elders with their property taxes. While the concept is commendable, the solution — another override — is not. We simply cannot look to overrides any longer to meet the costs of this idea or any other.

Proposition 21/2 was designed to meet emergencies, not to fund program expansions! Let's look harder to save money from operations first, and then propose using some of it for a worthy purpose, and the bulk to reduce taxes.

There are a few town officials who do "get it" and are trying to build up the commercial base and bring in more revenue. A tip of the hat to them!

But everyone has to get on board and join the "No More Overrides" bandwagon. We have had it up to here with them and they don't stand a chance in hell of passing.

Warren Gray

Hamilton

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