Elections can have unintended consequences
On March 10, the voters of Pittsfield will have a difficult decision to make. The department heads, the members of the select board, the town administrator and all the various stakeholders have worked many hours to create a 2026 budget that could be called a bare bones operating budget. It is very important to mention that in the last three years, the municipal budget has risen by a total of only $74,000 over that three-year period. The cost-cutting initiatives during that time were difficult but deemed necessary, such as road pavings and police and fire department funding.
If the 2026 budget fails to pass on voting day, then drastic cuts in services to the town must follow. These cuts are the last option the board has. These cuts would most likely be on-call police coverage from midnight until 6:00 a.m., possibly needing to revert to on-call ambulance service during the same midnight to 6:00 a.m. schedule as the police coverage.
These are not threats or scare tactics, but rather the only way forward without the voters 2026 budget approval. We believe that this message to the voters and residents of Pittsfield is necessary to make our citizens aware of the consequences of a “no” vote on the upcoming budget.
As a nine-year member of the previous select board, I ask for your support on this all-important proposed 2026 operating budget. Vote “yes” to approve this well-crafted and responsible budget.