WESTFORD — As Westford residents grapple with whether to support a $6.8 million override, Westford Academy students voice their support for the proposal.
With looming budget cuts if an override fails, some students fear they could lose opportunities in their education. This holds true among music ensembles, journalism and the WA Ghostwriter, ceramics, and Mandarin – which could face cuts next year.
Students support override
Senior Noah Brown, editor at Westford Academy’s student newspaper the Ghostwriter and a student in Mandarin, says getting rid of classes will “get rid of a Westford high school experience.”
“Underclassmen […] won’t get the same experience or opportunities that I will. It’s unfair to everybody, if [the cuts] go through,” Brown said.
Brown and others believe underclassmen deserve the same level of education they were able to receive during their high school career.
“Students need and are entitled to exploring areas that interest them,” senior Estella Cui said. “[They] should not be hindered by the monetary value that the community places on each of these opportunities.”
“Westford prides itself on our school system, so it should not be the future generations’ education that we dissolve,” she added.
One department facing many cuts is the Visual and Performing Arts program. Senior Jake Bluestein, equipment manager for the vocal music department and choir representative on the Performing Arts Council, says cuts to the program will have dire consequences.
“Within the department, the prognosis is grim. Even after plenty of discussion it’s difficult to see a way the department can move forward without losing staff, and providing the same quality of arts education will be impossible,” Bluestein said.
A temporary solution
However, students and alumni recognize the override is a temporary solution problem in education funding.
“Budgets are moral documents; we fund what we value,” WA alum and Cornell University freshman Eric Plankey said. “Whenever budget cuts are imminent, our schools are the first ones on the chopping block. […] My time on the Massachusetts State Board of Education showed me that our school funding needs a lot of work.”
“We cannot let this cycle repeat itself,” he added.
For students like Bluestein, he says WA has been a place where students had the opportunity to grow and pursue their interests. Without an override, Bluestein believes this would not be possible.
“We have visited town meetings and spoken in front of town officials. We met with the superintendent and had a lengthy discussion about these cuts. This override is a pivotal point in deciding the town’s future. If the school system is left short on money here, it will damage the town for years to come,” Bluestein said.
“I understand that this override comes with a heavy price tag,” he added. “Still, I believe that it is an investment worth making.”
Override impact to seniors
Despite student support for an override, some, like Finance Committee member Dennis Galvin, cited concerns that an override “could hurt a certain percentage of the population of this town,” such as seniors.
“A lot of them will be seniors and elders,” Galvin said during a Feb. 28 Finance Committee meeting.
According to a study by the National Institute on Retirement Security, approximately 40% of seniors aged 60 and older live on Social Security alone, with the average monthly check valued at approximately $1,760 per month.
The $6.8 million override proposed could see residential tax rates rise by 9.9% – approximately $760 for a median single-family home assessed at $756,500 in FY25.
A Proposition 2 1/2 override is a permanent increase to the tax levy, which would allow the town to assess additional property taxes to fund town services.
A budget with a Proposition 2 1/2 override could still result in several reductions of approximately full-time equivalent 25 positions, including to several positions within Westford Public Schools.
A budget that remains within the Proposition 2 1/2 constraints could result in reductions to services and cuts to approximately 144 full-time equivalent positions through FY28, including those in Public Safety and Westford Public Schools, according to a Feb. 13 budget memo.
Two budgets will be presented to voters during Annual Town Meeting at Westford Academy. Annual Town Meeting will be held at 9 a.m. on March 23. The override will also be presented to voters on the May 7 ballot.
