Council rejects four proposed debt-exclusion ballot questions, refers $36M vocational-school item to finance
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Summary
After extensive debate over timing and fiscal impact, Malden City Council voted to send the $36 million Northeast Vocational Technical School debt-exclusion to the finance committee and rejected separate $10M and $25M debt-exclusion proposals for lead‑pipe work, Roosevelt Park, an art center and an East Side fire station.
The council took up five proposed debt-exclusion ballot questions the mayor’s office and some councilors had placed on the docket for a special municipal election on Feb. 10, 2026. The questions sought to authorize the temporary assessment of property taxes to pay for specific capital projects: $36 million for the Northeast Vocational Technical School (VOC); $10 million for lead-pipe and stormwater work; $10 million to remediate and restore Roosevelt Park; $10 million to outfit an art center in the old District Courthouse; and $25 million for an East Side fire station.
Councilors disputed whether a February special election and multiple simultaneous questions were prudent. Opponents warned the proposals risked dividing the community and urged clearer cost estimates and sequencing; supporters said debt exclusions let voters see exactly what money would pay for and could avoid drawing on the operating budget.
On Paper 4‑34‑25 (the $36M VOC debt-exclusion), the council voted to refer the paper to the Finance Committee for detailed analysis, 8–3. Several councilors emphasized the city already contributes more than $1 million a year toward the VOC and that a debt-exclusion would be an obvious match for the project the city is effectively committed to funding.
Councilors then took separate roll-call votes on the other four debt-exclusion papers. The lead‑pipe/water/storm‑drain paper (4‑35‑25) failed 2–9. The Roosevelt Park deleading proposal (4‑36‑25) failed 1–10. The courthouse art center paper (4‑37‑25) failed 1–10. The East Side fire station paper (4‑38‑25) failed 1–10. Several councilors and members of the public urged patience, more detailed cost estimates and further community engagement before putting these items before voters.
Council members also discussed alternatives offered by Councilor Winslow — including modest belt-tightening, municipal-empowerment revenues, use of reserves, and a proposed schedule for trash‑fee increases and landlord surcharges — that, the sponsor said, could reduce the requested override amount.
The Finance Committee will now take up the VOC referral to produce cost estimates, proposed ballot language and an analysis of potential timing and voter turnout implications.