Lunenburg Finance Committee Backs Override Tiers 4-2, Advancing Questions to Town Meeting

LUNENBURG -- April 6, 2026, Lunenburg Finance Committee recommends both Proposition 2 1/2 override tiers 4-2, sending the questions to the May 2 town meeting. Chair Chris and members Tanya, Tom, and Jean voted to recommend a Tier 1 override of $2.4 million and a Tier 2 override of $3.3 million; members Ana and Jay voted no on both. For the median-assessed home of $517,000, the full Tier 2 override would increase the annual tax bill by roughly $863 above the FY26 level, rising to approximately $2,600 for homes assessed near $1.55 million. Ana argued the town had not offered voters a genuine level-services baseline, saying the override structure was designed to "strong-arm residents," and separately voted against the $49.9 million FY27 omnibus budget, citing $225,000 in undisclosed fire department shift-staffing additions and an assistant town manager position she said lacks a job description in violation of town bylaws. The committee voted 6-0 to authorize the chair and Vice Chair Jean to finalize the Finance Committee's 11-page annual report for inclusion in the mailed warrant booklet, with a request relayed to the select board to cross-reference the report within the budget warrant articles themselves.