HISTORIC NIGHT: Mayor asks Malden City Council to consider a Proposition 2 1/2 tax override

First time ever in city history; request is for $5.4 million, an average of $300, one-time annual increase for average homeowner

By Steve Freker

It may have been whispered about in the past, either publicly or privately, but there was nothing quiet about the matter on Tuesday night. Malden Mayor Gary Christenson made municipal history in the City Council Chamber when he formally requested the Councillors consider a Proposition 2 1/2 property tax override. The Mayor outlined a specific sum of revenue he said was sought to supplement other cost-saving measures already taken by the city’s administrative team or underway. Chief among them is a switch from city-managed health care for municipal employees to a state-run program, which the Mayor said would save some $3 million.

The proposed override would be for $5.4 million. Broken down per capita by Malden property taxpayers, the average residential homeowner would be asked to pay an additional $300 in 2026 to fund the requested sum. With the average Malden homeowner paying $7,360 annually in property taxes, the proposed override sum of $300 per homeowner would be around four percent for the one-time increase. With a total of $8.4 million between the major measures combined, Mayor Christenson said, a structural deficit could be avoided in the upcoming Fiscal 2027 budget, which must be in place by July 1, 2026.

On Tuesday night, the City Council took up the request, moving it to first on the agenda. They did so before a “packed house” City Council Chamber, which included a contingent of sign-holding attendees touting a “No Tax Override” slogan, as well as over 25 Malden Police in uniform and about the same number of Malden Fire Department personnel. Malden Fire Chief Steve Froio and Malden Police Chief Glenn Cronin were also in attendance. Also on hand were nearly every City of Malden department head, as well as other members of the public.

Under Mass. General Laws, cities and towns may only increase taxes 2.5% per year, and anything beyond that requires approval by the voters in a Special Election. With the appearance of the paper before the Malden City Council, that process began Tuesday. The significance of the evening was evident in the appearance of the Mayor himself at the meeting, which is rare, as most matters emanating from the Mayor’s Office to the City Council are through correspondence or a representative.

A Public Comment session was held along with the Mayor’s statement, which included a detailed explanation of the request, along with a proposed timeline. Those who either spoke at the podium in person or had emails read were split about 50-50 for those who expressed support or opposition to the nascent request.

City Councillors also spoke on the request, none of them taking a position pro or con Tuesday. Included were Ward 7 Councillor Chris Simonelli, Councillors-at-Large Craig Spadafora, Carey McDonald (Chairman of the Finance Committee), Karen Colón Hayes, Ward 6 Councillor Stephen Winslow and Ward 4 Councillor Ryan O’Malley. All of the Councillors spoke a common theme, reiterating the massive disparity in Chapter 70 state funding for schools, which has been cited time and time again — over the past decade — for Malden financial city budget woes.

Councillor Simonelli and several other Councillors spoke their displeasure with the lack of movement from the state legislature on “fixing” or changing the Chapter 70 formula. “Maybe I should run against them, maybe we all should run against them to get this fixed. We need help and we are not getting it.”

Spadafora cited what he said was “$30 million between what we receive and what we probably should receive annually in Chapter 70 funds” when compared to other similar cities like Everett, Revere and Somerville. “It’s just bulls–t. Malden deserves to be treated fairly and equitably and we are not. Our citizens deserve better.”

McDonald was blunt as well: “It s–ks, it really does, that we are in this situation. But I know myself and my colleagues are going to continue to attack this problem and try and reach a solution,” McDonald said. “We have no other choice.”

For an override to be put before the voters — with the request seeking a February Special Election — both the Mayor and the majority of the City Council must support the override.

The Malden City Council on Tuesday night voted unanimously to refer the paper to the Finance Committee, and McDonald, who chairs the Finance Committee, said a series of meetings on the proposal will be held before an additional vote is taken on whether or not the override proposal will be out before the voters.