One can pick and choose when it started, there are a number of key points along this budget journey for the Town of Franklin. Go back to the first successful override in 2007. Or to the failed overrides in 2008 and 2010.
To the failed dedicated override for road repairs for $1M that folks chose not to accept in 2014. Yes, even after hearing that the Town needed to confirm that money for the override would be spent for a specific item, the voters chose not to fund needed road repairs.
Whether you call it the “fiscal cliff” or the “structural deficit”, it really comes down to a math problem. More money required to fund existing services than is scheduled to come in due to the 2 ½ override restrictions. You can try to ignore it but inflation is the major driver. Councilor Jones calculated the inflation impact of Prop 2 ½ since 1983 during the override discussions in the run up to the June 2024 failed attempt.
It is so much easier to blame someone else for the problem. That avoids the harsh reality of the situation our community faces. It seems there are a number of relatives of Rodney Dangerfield (“I get no respect”) who live here. They attempt to dominate or divert the conversation from facing reality. It gets a chuckle, laughed off, and the tragedy remains in front of us.
So the Town took on a massive effort with
6 Joint Budget Listening Sessions
3 Finance Committee budget hearings
2 Town Council budget hearings
In the run up to the special election Tuesday, June 3 at Franklin High School gymnasium from 6 AM to 8 PM.
Of the 25,865 registered Franklin voters, 2431 ballots have been cast by early and absentee voters (through 5/30/25 close of business) for this election per Town Clerk Nancy Danello.
The questions that remain?
How many of the remaining voters will turn out on Tuesday?
Will they be Rodney’s relatives? Or will they fund the current services our community needs?
When will we get an answer?
We’ll find out by about 9 PM Tuesday evening.
*** Meeting schedule and agendas as of Town page 5/30/25, 11:00 PM
Planning Board Meeting
Monday, June 2 Time: 7:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06022025-1763
Massachusetts Strategic Health Group
Tuesday, June 3 Time: 1:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06032025-1766
School Committee Superintendent's Evaluation Sub Committee
Tuesday, June 3 Time: 5:30 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06032025-1726
BOARD OF HEALTH MEETINGS
Wednesday, June 4 Time: 5:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042025-1765
Town Council Meeting
Wednesday, June 4 Time: 7:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06042025-1769
Cultural District Committee June Meeting
Thursday, June 5 Time: 7:00 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/5813/CDC-Agenda_Meeting_june_2025docx?bidId=
Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Meeting
Thursday, June 5 Time: 7:30 PM
https://www.franklinma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06052025-1744
*** Looking back at the week that was ***
Election prep resources:
Joint Budget Listening Session “Watch, Listen, or Read” info https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/02/joint-budget-listening-sessions-fy-2026.html
Finance Committee Budget Hearing “Watch, Listen, or Read” info https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/finance-committee-fy-2026-budget.html
Town Council budget hearings “Watch or Listen” info https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/town-council-fy-2026-budget-hearing-1-2.html
The More Perfect Union radio show has resumed with an episode on the Special Election June 3
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/more-perfect-union-wfpr-98-june-3rd.html
The most recent Town Council Quarterbacking session summarizes the Council budget hearings and the all alcohol license transactions they approved in the May 22 meeting
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2025/05/tom-mercer-i-condense-2-budget-hearings.html
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For all the meetings and cultural events, check out the calendars at Franklin.news where each day, that day's events are posted on the top of the page, the TV and radio schedules are on the bottom, and all the other goodness falls in-between.
Town calendar -> https://www.franklinma.gov/Calendar.aspx
Community calendar -> https://bit.ly/FranklinCommunityCalendar
Subscribe for the daily dose of information -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/p/welcome.html
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