How does a town like Grafton get funded?
Think of it like a household budget with a few income streams. The biggest one — by far — is property taxes (about 58%). The rest comes from state aid, local fees (like permits and excise taxes), and a handful of smaller funding sources. Bottom line: property taxes carry most of the load.

What’s Grafton’s budget situation right now?
Every year, the town is required to pass a balanced budget — no exceptions. To make FY2026 work, Grafton already made cuts, which meant fewer services than the year before.

Here’s the problem: costs keep rising faster than revenue. And that gap isn’t going away — it’s projected to continue.

That leaves two choices:

• Cut services again

• Raise more revenue

Neither is great. But those are the options.

Why not just cut more services?
We could — but we already run a lean budget. There isn’t a lot of extra to trim without real impact.

62 percent of towns and cities in Massachusetts spend more per resident on municipal services, and 96 percent of school districts in the Commonwealth spend more per student than Grafton.

If the override fails, more cuts are coming. That means fewer services, plain and simple.

Why can’t state aid fix this?
State aid helps, but it’s not keeping up.

Massachusetts has 351 cities and towns, all trying to fund the same core services. Aid is meant to level the playing field, but the total funding and the formulas behind it haven’t kept pace with rising costs.

A couple key points:

• General state aid is about 35% lower than it was in 2002 (adjusted for inflation)

• School funding has grown, but not fast enough to match inflation in recent years

So while state aid helps, it’s not enough to close the gap.

Why do we need an override? What even is it?
Here’s the short version: towns in Massachusetts can’t just raise revenue whenever they need to.

A law called Proposition 2½ limits how much property tax revenue can grow each year (2.5%). 

An override is how voters allow the town to go beyond that limit.

Without it, the math doesn’t work. Costs rise faster than allowed revenue - creating a built-in (or “structural”) deficit.

Since 1990, cities and towns in Massachusetts have pursued more than 1900 overrides. 

What is Proposition 2½?
It’s a state law that caps how much property tax revenue a town can collect each year — just a 2.5% increase, regardless of how much costs rise.

Want to go above that? It has to be approved directly by voters. That’s where an override comes in.

What are the details of this override?

• Total: $5 million

• Goal: Maintain current services for five years

Didn’t we already do overrides before?
Yes — and they worked as planned.

• FY2015: $3.5M (operations + roads)

• FY2021: $4M (operations, public safety, capital needs)
   

Both were designed to last five years — and stretched to six. Now we’re back at the same point: rising costs, limited revenue, and a gap to close.

What happens if the override passes?
It keeps services where they are today.

That includes:

• Schools

• Police and fire

• DPW (roads, plowing, maintenance)

• Library

• Recreation

What happens if it doesn’t pass?
Cuts. On both the town and school sides.

For the schools: class sizes will rise; programs will be cut; and student outcomes will suffer. On the municipal side: recreation offerings, like Silver Lake, will close; reduced hours at the library; and over time, cuts to public safety and public works positions.

What will it cost me?

The Town of Grafton has created a residential override tax calculator that lets taxpayers see their estimated impact instantly. 

 

When you enter your address, the tool automatically pulls up your assessed value and shows your projected FY27 tax impact based on the first $1.167 million of the proposed $5 million override. 

 

It also provides the average annual cost and your cumulative impact over 5 years.

 

For a home assessed at $600,000, the increase is typically about $130 to $150 per year. After the five years have been fulfilled, the total impact is approximately $600 to $750, depending on your home’s assessed value.

I’m on a fixed or lower income — what help is available?
There are programs that can reduce or delay property taxes if you qualify, including for:

• Seniors

• Veterans

• Low-income households
   

There’s also a local program where seniors can volunteer for the town in exchange for a tax reduction.

If this might apply to you, it’s worth checking with the Assessors’ Office — they’ll walk you through it.

When and how do we vote?
It’s a two-step process:

1. Town Meeting vote on May 11 (majority needed)

2. Election Day vote on May 19 (majority needed)

How do I learn more and stay informed?
Follow along on Facebook
Check the town and school websites for detailed breakdowns
If you’ve got questions, reach out to us at yesgrafton@gmail.com.
 

What is Yes! Grafton? Who runs it? Is it a town committee?

Yes! Grafton is a ballot initiative group run by your neighbors who care deeply about the town of Grafton and are working hard to make sure the town maintains the services it provides today.  It is not an official town committee and it is run by volunteers. 

• Co-Chairs: Terri Schmidt and Megan King

• Treasurer: Christina Popsuj