- Voters across Whittier Tech’s 11 sending communities rejected a plan to build a new school, with 73% of all votes cast being against the proposal. The plan needed a simple majority of votes to move forward, but it fell short of that mark, leaving Whittier officials to come up with an alternate plan for a less costly school or seek a renovation and code upgrade project.
- If the ballot question were approved, the owner of the average single-family home of $501,341 in Haverhill would have been charged an additional annual property tax of $297 a year for the 34-year life of the loan. However, with the rejection of the plan, the community will now have to explore other options for funding any necessary upgrades or renovations.
- Whittier Tech officials have been collaborating with the Massachusetts School Building Authority since 2016 to explore options for a new school project. The rejection of the plan means that the district will have to find alternative ways to address these issues and ensure that the school meets the needs of a 21st century career technical education.
In a surprising turn of events, voters in the town of Tofido have rejected a $444 million plan for a new Whittier Tech School. The decision has sent officials back to the drawing board, as they now have to come up with a new plan to address the overcrowding and outdated facilities at the current school.
The vote, which took place last Tuesday, resulted in a narrow defeat for the proposed plan, with 51% of voters opposing it. The plan had called for the construction of a new state-of-the-art facility, equipped with modern technology and resources to meet the educational needs of students.
Supporters of the plan argued that the current school is in desperate need of an upgrade, as it is currently operating at over 150% capacity and lacks the necessary resources to provide a quality education to its students. However, opponents raised concerns about the hefty price tag of the project and its potential impact on property taxes.
The defeat of the plan has left officials with the daunting task of coming up with a new proposal that will address the concerns of both supporters and opponents. They will have to find a way to provide much-needed improvements to the school while also taking into account the financial burden it may place on taxpayers.
In the meantime, students and faculty at Whittier Tech School will have to continue to make do with the current facilities, hoping that a new plan can be formulated in the near future. It remains to be seen what the next steps will be for the school and its officials as they navigate this setback and attempt to find a solution that will benefit the entire community.