BEVERLY — A half-dozen residents have formed a group opposed to a Proposition 21/2 override and plan to distribute lawn signs and literature promoting their cause.
Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility held its first meeting this week at the Starbucks on Elliott Street.
"I really think there is a silent majority out there, and we want to get them energized, because there's no question that the people who have kids in school will go out and vote," said Elliott Margolis, the group's leader.
Margolis said he ordered 250 lawn signs yesterday that will urge people to vote against an override. The group also plans to produce a pamphlet explaining its position and distribute it throughout the city.
The city has scheduled a special election June 3 for residents to vote on a $2.5 million property tax override to bail the schools out of a budget crisis. The override would permanently raise the average tax bill by about $185 per year.
A citizens' group called Yes for Beverly requested the election and submitted more than 2,600 signatures to the City Council. It will be the first override election in Beverly since the state law limiting property tax increases to 21/2 percent was enacted in 1981.
Margolis said Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility believes an override would not be necessary "if the politicians, the mayor and the City Council were doing their job properly."
"We feel they're not responsible with our money," he said. "They just keep spending and spending."
Margolis cited the $70 million high school project, which is scheduled to break ground in June, as well as the $55 million the city spent in the last 10 years renovating five elementary schools and building a new one.
"Now they're talking about closing two of them," he said. "We're paying the debt service on schools they want to get rid of. Is that fiscal responsibility?"
Margolis, a 57-year-old resident of Cobblers Lane, was the campaign manager for former Mayor Tom Crean and is a past president of the local B'nai B'rith chapter. He hosts a show on the local cable TV channel.
Margolis said the group plans to run a "positive" campaign that will include suggestions on how the city can cut costs. As an example, he said the city should insist on capping employee health benefits during the current round of negotiations with city and school unions.
"This is not a destructive thing," he said. "I get annoyed with people who (complain) about everything and don't say how to solve the problem. We're going to try to give suggestions to provide solutions. We can do this in a nice, friendly manner and let people make their decisions based on the information."
Asked for a reaction to the opposition group, Joan Sullivan of Yes for Beverly said, "We're going to continue to do our best to ensure that we maintain quality schools for our kids, our families and our community. We really feel Beverly is worth the investment."
Margolis said his children attended the Beverly public schools and received a good education. He said he is a supporter of the schools, but many people simply cannot afford to pay higher taxes.
"In today's economy, people are losing their homes and having a hard time paying their bills," he said. "How can we pay more in taxes?"
Margolis said the lawn signs should be ready in two weeks. The group will ask people to donate $5 for a sign if they can afford it. Volunteers will also be handing out literature at various locations throughout the city.
"We have to move quickly," he said. "There's not a lot of time."
