LtE: Hometown Pride
To the Editor,
If you appreciate hometown pride, you can’t get much better than a Friday night in the fall at John Hollingsworth Field. From the beautifully orchestrated marching band and energetic cheer and dance routines to the dynamic football players under the lights, our community spirit is palpable. The atmosphere is electrifying, filled with generations of families, students, teachers, alumni, and town leaders.
However, we must face an uncomfortable reality—these Friday night lights will not remain on by themselves. This vibrant culture exists only because of dedicated school and town staff working behind the scenes. Everything that makes Reading feel like home is currently under severe strain.
In football, you cannot score points without an offensive line doing the heavy lifting upfront. Our coaches, teachers, paraprofessionals, and public safety officers are the offensive line of this town. If the upcoming Proposition 2½ override does not pass, athletic and extracurricular coaching positions face cuts, and participation fees for families will rise.
The fallout extends far beyond the field. Our schools face deep personnel cuts, municipal services will be scaled back, and public safety positions will be compromised. Because 81% of our school budget is spent on personnel, we will be forced to cut teachers, paraprofessionals, and staff. Reading is currently in a contract negotiation year with our teachers, making retention a delicate balance. History shows that teachers and staff will move to other districts to avoid this uncertainty. Our students do not deserve to lose great educators.
While it is wise to be cautious with tax dollars, our town responsibly managed the 2018 operational override to last eight years instead of the projected three to five. This override is simply necessary to preserve the current services we have. Even with a "Yes" vote, Reading will maintain a lower residential tax rate percentage than almost all immediate neighbors, including Lynnfield, Stoneham, Wakefield, and North Reading. I encourage everyone to use the official Town of Reading Tax Impact Calculator before voting.
We know tax increases place a burden on our neighbors, particularly seniors. Fortunately, Reading provides safeguards through several tax relief and exemption programs that offer substantial assistance to qualifying seniors. We can protect our vulnerable residents while investing in our community's future.
Many people hesitant about this measure reaped the benefits of raising their own children in schools that were strong and fully funded. It is only fair that we continue that same standard of support for the next generation. Our schools, town safety, library, and all other departments depend on this override.
Without this funding, we face larger class sizes, fewer educators, limited course options (including cuts to AP classes), scaled-back town resources, and hollowed-out student programs. Our children deserve a complete education, and our residents deserve a safe, fully functioning town.
Let us stand up for the team that makes Reading run. I urge my neighbors to look at the big picture and vote "Yes" on the override on November 3.
Sincerely,
Erin Tierney
Hartshorn Street