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AMA-20260618

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HAMPSHIRE COUNTY WWW.THEREMINDER.COM

JUNE 18, 2026 | FREE

Voters pass override, avoid ‘catastrophic’ cuts IN THIS

EDITION

By Trent Levakis

tlevakis@thereminder.com

NORTHAMPTON

Council passes $152.5 million FY27 budget The City Council passed the FY27 budget just weeks before FY28 override conversations take shape.

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POSTAL CUSTOMER

City prepares for nicotine-free generation policy

The city is currently educating people about the new policy.

in comparison to the drastic cuts that would have occurred with a failed override. For example, with the override now passed, the school district will have to cut about six total positions. The $6.9 million ask for taxpayers has been coined as a “shared sacrifice” by Derby during the process, as the city will be adding $1.5 million from stabilization funds to help meet

the budget deficit in full. He added that while the results show this was a divisive ask for the community, he hopes moving forward with the approved override that he and other city officials can show this was a meaningful investment for the city. “I think on the other side of that, understanding that this is See OVERRIDE on page 3

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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID SPRINGFIELD, MA PERMIT NO. 142

important parts of this, being able to keep the services that are so critical. Between Police and Fire, keeping our response times are so important,” said Derby. The passing of the override still means that there will be some cuts made around municipal departments so that the city can reorganize its financial foundation for the future. Derby, however, said these will be minor

ECRWSS

Reminder Publishing photo by Trent Levakis

POSTAL CUSTOMER

Voters lined up outside of City Hall and the polls at Easthampton High School to express support both ways for the city’s special election override vote, which ended up passing by a 3,312-3,073 tally.

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID SPRINGFIELD, MA PERMIT NO. 142

EASTHAMPTON — Easthampton voters have approved the $6.9 million tax override during the special city election on June 9, securing the bulk of school and city services that would have been drastically cut if the vote had failed. Residents approved the override through a 3,312-3,073 vote, and according to unofficial results, 47.5% of Easthampton voters came out to the polls. Notably, if the override had failed, the city would have been looking at the loss of at least 35 positions across the school district, at least five positions between the Fire and Police departments, two public works positions and cuts across the board for other municipal departments. The $6.9 million increase to property tax revenue will result in an estimated annual increase of about $1,200 to the average Easthampton home, which is valued at $418,000. Following the election, Mayor Salem Derby told Reminder Publishing that he is relieved that the community stepped up during this unfortunate situation. “I’m relieved that we don’t have to make catastrophic cuts. To the schools, it would have been so devastating. We would have lost students, students that come here from out of district would have left. Having no art, music, P.E., sports; it’s such a dismal life being a student [without these extracurriculars]. So, for me, that really is one of the most


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