Winthrop Council Urges Yes Votes on Three Saturday Ballot Questions

WINTHROP — April 1, 2025 — Winthrop Town Council backs three override questions ahead of Saturday special election. Council President Max Lucari outlined the full financial case for a $38.5 million debt exclusion for a new fire station — costing the average homeowner about $468 annually at full implementation in 2028 — alongside a $3.5 million school operating override at roughly $670 per year and a $1.45 million school education stabilization fund at about $260 per year. Fire Chief Wiley told the council that firefighters face cancer risks up to 62 percent above civilians and that the department's two stations, built more than a century ago, do not meet current OSHA or NFPA standards. Councilor DeRoss argued the combined $1,400 annual tax increase represents a 30-to-1 return on investment given Winthrop's 4.4 percent home-value appreciation rate. The council also honored the Winthrop High School boys hockey team, Division 4 state champions for the first time in 49 years, in a joint session with the School Committee featuring video tributes from Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, and Brad Marchand, among others.