Winthrop Council Vice President Backs Split School Override Ahead of April 5 Vote

WINTHROP — April 12, 2025 — Winthrop Town Council Vice President Hannah Belcher made the case for two April 5 ballot questions in a community television interview. Appearing on the community access program "Winthrop and the World" hosted by Paul Baskin, Belcher explained that the school ballot is split into a $3.9 million operating override and a $1.45 million stabilization fund — together approximating the $4.9 million override voters rejected in November 2024. A roughly $40 million fire station debt exclusion, bonded over 20 to 30 years, is the third question, with the proposed site at the former middle school building on Pauline Street. Belcher said the town had not passed a school override in about 16 years and called that gap a structural problem, noting that "consistent and moderate increases are kind of what keep things going." She added that she voted against holding the election on a Saturday, citing concerns about disrupting voter routine, though she said she did not expect it to sink turnout. On 3A, she confirmed the state gave preliminary approval to the Planning Board's rezoning plan, which she said results in no new units being built by updating underlying zoning to reflect what already exists at Seal Harbor, Fort Heath, Governor's Park, and the central business district.