Blog

The short version: health insurance costs for South Hadley rose nearly 40% in a single year. Even with corrective action, future increases of 15–20% annually are expected—making this one of the biggest drivers of the town’s structural deficit. One of the most significant cost pressures identified by the South Hadley Budget Task Force is health […]

The short version: when state aid stays flat while costs rise rapidly, it acts like a cut. That gap is a major reason South Hadley’s budget is now under pressure. Each year, Massachusetts provides funding to cities and towns through what is commonly known as the “Cherry Sheet.” This includes major revenue sources like Chapter […]

South Hadley Budget How Did We Get Here? South Hadley’s budget shortfall did not appear overnight. The Budget Task Force found that it is the result of a long-building structural problem: costs have risen much faster than the town’s main source of revenue. This is not a one-year problem. It is a long-term mismatch between […]

When people ask why South Hadley does not just “cut more,” they are overlooking what has already happened. The town and schools have already reduced staff, eliminated programs, consolidated responsibilities, and shifted services in-house. The question now is not whether South Hadley has cut. It has. The question is how much more can be cut […]

If you want to understand what’s happening to the South Hadley school budget, you have to start with one key fact: Special education costs are rising rapidly — and they’re not optional. This isn’t unique to South Hadley. It’s happening across Massachusetts and the country. But the local impact is real, and it’s one of […]

A Resident’s Questions — and Answers — on the Override We’ve heard from many residents who are carefully weighing this decision. Below is one thoughtful exchange, with responses provided by Mark Gosselin, Co-Chair of Save South Hadley, reflecting the kinds of questions many people are asking as they decide how to vote. On Proposition 2½ […]

by Mark Gosselin, Co-Chair, Save South Hadley The recent letter claiming that South Hadley is on a “spending spree” leaves out the most important context: our town is not overspending—it is confronting the consequences of more than a decade of cuts, declining state aid, rising costs, and the exhaustion of one‑time funds. The Budget Task […]

Volunteer Update Hi Awesome Volunteers! Thank you to everyone who helped table at the high school during the MESMS musical last weekend! It was a great success for disseminating information and directing people to our website. The next few weeks will be all-hands-on-deck, starting with needs as early as tonight (Thursday)! *TONIGHT* Candidates’ Night, South […]

by Library Trustee Lanette Sweeney I’m writing as a trustee of the South Hadley Public Library to let everyone know that if our library is decertified, which is the danger if a proposed override doesn’t pass on April 14th, we may lose a big chunk of state library funding and all our interlibrary-loan privileges. This […]

by Jim Bosman, Member of South Hadley Council on Aging As a member of the South Hadley Council on Aging, I’ve seen the enormous impacts that our Senior Center has had in our community. Visit the Senior Center any weekday and you’ll see the results of South Hadley’s historical investments in supporting its 23%–and growing—population […]