Jenny Armini, State Representative
I am immensely proud to represent Marblehead in the Massachusetts Legislature. I take any opportunity to tell people about our town’s natural and historic beauty, the pivotal role Marbleheaders played in securing America’s freedom, and the talented, warm-hearted people who make life here nothing short of extraordinary.
In Marblehead, we have found a way to honor the past while nurturing the future. But the cost of doing so has risen. The hallmarks of a healthy community – excellent schools, public safety staffing, capital improvements, a public library, senior services – require funding levels that are adequate and sustainable, which is why I will be voting for Questions 1, 2, and 3 on June 9th.
In addition to funding the priorities in Questions 1 and 2, Question 3 puts us on a path to fiscal stability. Abraham Lincoln famously said, “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” Yet, however understandable, that’s what we’ve been doing by relying on stop-gap budget measures like free cash and haphazard cuts. Tomorrow has arrived.
This override offers an opportunity to chart a different course. For example, Question 3 creates an annual fund to pay for town maintenance, so small problems don’t become big, expensive ones. Think parks, snow plows, school buses – basics that are central to the Town’s livability. Right now, we’re neglecting them.
Raising taxes is not an easy decision. It’s a hard decision, especially when we consider our older neighbors on fixed incomes. That’s why both the Massachusetts Legislature and the Town of Marblehead created a means-tested ceiling for property taxes: Seniors whose incomes are below an annual threshold can access a state tax credit (which we doubled in 2023) and then a Town tax exemption, so that property taxes and water bills never exceed 10 percent of annual income. These are sensible policies meant to keep those who built our community the chance to live out their lives here.
At its core, a vote for the override is a hopeful expression of Town pride: It recognizes that Marblehead’s noble legacy is inextricably tied to how we manage our resources today in the service of tomorrow. The goal is to have John Glover’s story talked about in the same breath as a future trailblazer raised and educated right here in Marblehead.
That’s why I am voting YES on Questions, 1, 2, and 3 on June 9th. Please join me.
