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Select Board outlines voters' guide and explains $2M/$4M override options ahead of May 18 ballot and town meeting
Summary
The board reviewed and approved printing a citizens' voters' guide and discussed two override ballot questions—$2 million and $4 million in additional levy capacity for fiscal 2027—emphasizing town meeting will determine how much of any approved amount is appropriated and directing staff to publish clearer, homeowner-focused tax-impact charts.
As Templeton approaches its town meeting and the May 18 ballot, the Select Board reviewed a finalized citizens’ guide and urged staff to publish simplified, homeowner-focused illustrations showing how the proposed overrides would affect local tax bills.
The administrator described two separate ballot questions on May 18: Question 1A would allow the town to assess an additional $2 million in real estate and personal property taxes for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026; Question 1B would allow an additional $4 million. “Each question requires a majority vote of those voting on the question to pass. If more than one question passes, the question with the highest dollar amount will prevail,” the administrator said. He stressed the board’s repeated position: town meeting appropriations decide the portion of any approved override that will actually be spent.
Board members asked for clearer communications to voters. One member said the public needs a simple, pocketbook-focused chart that shows the actual tax change based on the amounts the board expects to appropriate at town meeting (for example, the administrator said town meeting would likely appropriate roughly $857,000 of a $2 million override in the current plan). The board requested staff and the assessor’s office produce a median-household example and post it on the town website before residents vote.
The administrator also presented a 74-page citizens’ guide (double-sided) that includes summaries, advisories and the full warrant. The board discussed printing 150–200 copies and having the school’s printer available to produce more copies as needed on the night of the meeting.
The board encouraged residents to attend town meeting and vote at the polls. “No matter which way you feel about the budget… I would just ask you to go out, get to the town meeting, and on Monday, get out and vote,” one member said.
Next steps: staff will finalize the voters’ guide printing and post simplified tax-impact examples (median-household scenarios) to the town website prior to the meeting and ballot date.
