"A corner has been turned..."

“A corner has been turned” noted Kathy Haire, who led efforts on Randolph’s passage of a $5.48 million override for its school system.

Haire and others, including School Committee Chairman Larry Azer, fought against seemingly entrenched negative attitudes about local government. After four failed efforts, the committee was able to mobilize voters with aspirational messages that spoke to what Randolph residents want for their young people.

It seems voters got the message. Check out this quote from The Patriot Ledger:

Voters interviewed as they left the polls at Randolph High School said they were willing to sacrifice to improve town services and maintain their property values.

Oscar Santos brought his two young children to the polls as voted in favor of all three override questions.

“If we don’t invest in our schools, we can’t invest in anything. It’s about what you value,” he said.

As Oscar Santos points out, the vote for or against an override is about values. Override committees working with ONE Massachusetts are learning to communicate the shared values that inspire people to support their communities.

Chelmsford was one of three communities that suffered a setback in their quest for an override. On the positive side, though, they were able to mobilize more than 4,500 voters in support of their override and build a database of supporters. Override efforts often fall short on the first attempt.

Inevitably override campaigns spark a conversation about what people value in their community. What are the public structures that make a community great and how are the residents willing to support them.