With ATM Success, Essex Voters Must Now Support MERSD on the May 12 Ballot

I am writing to thank the residents of the Town of Essex who voted in support of the school budget and the override at Town Meeting. I hope that on Monday, May 12 we will approve the override at the ballot by voting YES on Question 1, to continue to invest in our schools for the future of our community.
In recent years our public school budgets have been under attack, with officials at every level demanding more cuts, even while they demonstrate an astounding lack of understanding as to how schools are run. Schools are not factories. Children are not widgets. Teachers are not assembly line workers. Schools provide a place a safe and welcoming environment for students to learn and grow, as well as much needed services for children and their families. Failing to invest in education is penny-wise and pound-foolish, and will hurt us all in the long run, because these young people will one day lead us into the future.
I thank the volunteers on the town boards who have put so much time into managing our town. I'm glad that we are able to fund our senior center, and that we have established an affordable housing trust. We have taken some steps in the right direction, but we need to continue the work to ensure that people of every life stage have what they need to stay in town for as long as they wish. I hope that our leadership will investigate state and local programs that allow for tax breaks for seniors, as well as options for differentiated tax structures. I look forward to supporting these efforts in the future. There is a positive, collaborative, proactive path forward here ~ and we can choose it.
But for right now, our schools face devastating cuts if we don't pass the override. It feels like the past investments that we have made in our schools are at risk, which also puts our charming town, our children and our families at risk. Please vote YES on Question 1 to support the override and fund our schools.
Sarah Wolf
Essex