Arlington Votes Yes on $6.5 Million Override

Voters have passed Arlington's proposed by the Board of Selectmen, town officials confirmed Tuesday.

The proposed override, of $6,490,000, increases property taxes by 7.5 percent and the property tax rate by 94 cents per every $1,000 of assessed value, according to town officials. The median home value in Arlington of $480,000 will see a $450 increase on its property tax bill.

According to the , 13,593 votes were cast at this election—7,226 supporting the override and 6,366 against it. The numbers represent abotu 53 percent voted "yes" and 47 percent voted "no." Official results will be posted by the end of Wednesday, officials said.

At Yes For Arlington, the campaign for the override, folks gathered to hear the results cheered and hugged when they heard the results. The Board of Selectmen gathered and Chair Clarissa Rowe thanked volunteers.

"This is one of the best campaigns that we have ever been a party to," Rowe told the group, thanking each team within the campaign individually.

The Board of Selectmen had said the override allows Arlington to maintain services for at least three years, restore the public schools’ core services and spend money on “much needed” road improvements.

Proponents of the override, Yes For Arlington, said the override is needed to maintain basic levels of service expected in Arlington—such as public safety, schools staffing and libraries.

Those opposed, organized into the group No Override Arlington, questioned the necessity to increase Arlington's property tax bill in a time when   are dealing with a lack of trust coming from a —among other financial woes.