Print
Share page with AddThis

MPSBC Public Learning Session Videos Available Online

The committee will share its final recommendations to the City Council and Melrose community.
Posted on: June 25, 2023 - 6:00pm
MPSBC Public Learning Session Videos Available

The videos of the two Melrose Public Safety Buildings Committee (MPSBC) Public Learning Sessions are available to the public on the committee’s website, Melrosepsb.org, and MMTV’s YouTube channel, MMTV www.youtube.com/@MelroseMATV The Public Learning Sessions were held on April 30 and May 23.

During the session on April 30, the MPSBC discussed the needs facing the community's public safety buildings and informed the public of the committee's recommended solution. During May 30 session, the MPSBC presented the finalized pre-design plans of the multi-year, phased Public Safety Buildings Project and an overview of the debt exclusion mechanism to be used to fund the project and its estimated tax impacts for the Melrose community.

What is a debt exclusion?

A debt exclusion is a temporary increase in property taxes, outside the limits of Proposition 2 ½, to raise the funds necessary to pay debt service costs for a specific capital project. Debt exclusion funds may only be used for that specific project.

What is Proposition 2 ½?

Proposition 2 ½ refers to a Massachusetts law enacted in 1980 that places strict limits on the amount of property tax revenue a community can raise through real and personal property taxes. This revenue is called the Tax Levy, or just Levy. Proposition 2 ½ limits how much the levy can be increased from year-to-year.  The maximum amount a community can levy in any given year is called the Levy Limit. To learn more about Proposition 2 ½, review the Massachusetts Department of Revenue’s Primer on Levy Limits.

Like many communities across the Commonwealth, including many of Melrose’s neighbors, the police and fire facilities in Melrose require upgrades and modernization. The investments needed to update and modernize the Melrose Police and Fire Stations will require additional resources beyond the current municipal budget to complete.

It is standard practice to utilize a debt exclusion to pay for large capital projects such as these. A debt exclusion is a mechanism that allows a community to temporarily increase property taxes to fund large building projects (e.g., school improvements, municipal buildings, etc.).

It is important to remember that capital expenses (one-time projects) are funded differently than operating expenses (the day-to-day costs of running the City).

The Public Safety Building Advisory Committee has been tasked with developing a final recommendation to the City that will include an estimated cost of the project. Mayor Brodeur and his staff will use this information to determine a debt exclusion amount. This will be presented to the public who will then be asked to vote to approve the debt exclusion on their ballot.

Next Steps

On June 13, Mayor Paul Brodeur requested the Melrose Public Safety Building Committee have the opportunity to present to the City Council their final report and provide their analysis for moving forward with the renovation or replacement of the existing public safety buildings, as the committee has concluded their work to review and analyze options for addressing the current state of the Melrose Fire and Police stations. Stay tuned for when the Appropriations and Oversight Committee schedules the meeting where the Melrose Public Safety Buildings Committee will present its findings.

Learn More

The Melrose community is encouraged to visit the official Melrose Public Safety Buildings Committee website, http://www.melrosepsb.org/, to watch the Public Learning Sessions and ensure they have the latest and most accurate information.

The Melrose Public Safety Building Committee looks forward to discussing this important initiative with you. Please contact MPSBcommittee@cityofmelrose.org with questions.