To the editor:
On April 8, Lynnfield voters will go to the polls to elect two School Committee members, and later in the month we will assemble for our Annual Town Meeting. At the latter we’ll be asked to approve the Town’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget, and based on recent reports we’re going to be asked to approve a budget override because costs are increasing, with the majority allocated to support the needs of our school district. Our school district is the pride of our town and reflects the dedication to one of the town’s value propositions, a highly desirable and competitive district, but without meeting the financial needs of the district, that could change. With less than two months before town meeting, I’m writing to call attention to problems with the school budget process and to share facts that are preventing you and me from having the best possible information going into that critical vote.
As a member of the Finance Committee, it’s crucial to have a process in place that ensures the entire community is consistently informed. It’s my hope that moving forward, we can refine this process to better serve everyone involved now and, in the future, especially as we approach the significant override request the Town of Lynnfield is facing. We need a transparent, informed approach to navigate such an important decision.
Here are some facts and issues with the process to date:
- School Committee elections have a significant impact on our school district, student success, and our annual property taxes. School Committee members are not required to have experience in education, law, or finance and are elected by popular vote, not necessarily qualifications. Many School Committee elections are uncontested, with the number of candidates equal to the number of seats. Your vote matters and impacts your taxes!
- During the last few years, our school district has made difficult decisions to reduce resources due to budget cuts.
- Proposition 2 ½ is not allowing our town and school district to keep pace with the rising costs in resources, materials, technology etc. As a reminder, proposition 2 ½ limits the maximum property tax rate increase per year to 2.5%. This 2.5% increase in tax per household is not keeping pace with the average inflation rate of 5% over the last 3 years.
- The Town of Lynnfield has not required a proposition 2 ½ override since June 2011.
- The School Committee hires the Superintendent and collectively oversees 51% of the town’s tax dollars—more than $30 million annually—with little to no required transparency on spending.
- The School Committee hired a Superintendent without conducting a formal search which is a critical process for securing and confirming that our district will have strong leadership.
- Our current Superintendent has previously served as the school district’s finance director and has owned the budget planning process for over a decade which is now in need of a tax override.
- The School Committee appoints some of its members to a Budget Subcommittee, which is tasked with leading our district on financial needs and negotiating contracts that can drive a need for an override. I believe we would be best served by having at least one of its most experienced members serve on the subcommittee. Jim Dillon who has served on the School Committee for more than 15 years with a background as an educator and Jamie Hayman who has served on the School Committee for more than 10 years, seem better suited for this subcommittee than two of the newest School Committee members, Kristen Elworthy and Jenny Sheehan, who have yet to complete their first year.
- On December 9, 2024, I attended the School Committee Budget Subcommittee public meeting. I was the only public attendee. Budget documents were shared with the subcommittee but not made available to the public. I requested and obtained copies. These meeting minutes and documents have yet to be shared with the community.
- The Budget Subcommittee has met multiple times from December 2024 through January 2025, yet minutes from these meetings remain unpublished, despite numerous requests and citing Open Meeting Law.
- The Finance Committee did not receive a draft FY26 budget until January 9, 2025, which was identical to the December 9, 2024 version I requested. Class size and resource request documents were also withheld.
- On January 28, 2025, the Superintendent presented FY26 budget update, showing a 7.8% increase vs. an inflation rate of 2.9% for 2024.
- On February 27, 2025, the Town Administrator revealed that there is a FY26 projected tax cost override of $5 million, with an education cost of $3.3 million (an 11% increase) to maintain level services, which will result in a vote for a tax increase override. This projected tax cost override translates to an average household tax increase of at least $700 per household.
- The term ‘level services’ means maintaining the same level of services as the previous year without adding or cutting programs, staff, or resources. It accounts for inflationary increases in costs (such as salaries, benefits, utilities, and contractual obligations) but does not introduce new initiatives. It refers to maintaining what the school district has in place without adding additional resources that the district needs.
- The 11% increase does not include a $650,000 capital request for technology improvements—an additional 2% increase, bringing the total financial need to 13%.
- Over the last three years, the town has allocated $625,000 for technology improvements in our schools. In fact, the town has historically provided $250,000 annually for the last 5+ years.
- Public meetings on budget matters are scheduled when most community members cannot attend—early morning or mid-morning on weekdays, and are not broadcasted or recorded for public access. There is a lack of timely publication of meeting minutes (December minutes are still unavailable). For example, on December 16, 2024, the Superintendent held a budget workshop with school leadership where principals presented their budget needs. This presentation has not been shared with the community, limiting public access. It’s critical for these meetings to be held in the evening hours, similar to regularly scheduled School Committee meetings.
The Superintendent should be the person leading the budget needs discussion, ensuring everyone understands the financial needs of our schools, advocating for teachers and students, and explaining the necessity of an override. This includes presentations from our school principals on their resource needs for FY26. The Superintendent must take a proactive role in guiding this conversation, ensuring transparency and clarity, while fostering support for the critical financial needs of our schools.
While I appreciate the time and effort of our elected officials, accountability and transparency are essential for our community to have a clear understanding of the financial needs of our school district. The School Committee and Superintendent are responsible for educating the community on where the district stands financially, where it has been, and where it is heading. This process should be clear, proactive, and accessible, with supporting data detailing the specifics. However, this is not happening. Instead, our school leadership’s failure to provide timely and substantive updates, has led to confusion, frustration and an uninformed community leading up to important elections and a critical vote on the need for a tax override.
Sincerley
Brian Moreira
