~Op Ed~

As a former elected official in Malden I oppose the Proposition 2 ½ override coming up for vote on March 31st.

The experience and knowledge gained from over 40 years of volunteering, coaching MHS Cheering, serving on our School Committee W3 and as a 4-term Councillor-At-Large all factors into my decision to vote against the override.

Budgeting for a municipality is not an easy job. Neither is running a business or managing a family budget.  I, like many of you, have concerns over the manner in which our current administration is choosing to spend funds and the lack of financial safeguards.  It’s difficult to try to please everyone, every group and every need. But proposing this override in October of 2025 without first having meaningful communications with elected officials and the citizens about actual proposed cuts to try and close the budget gap is problematic.  It’s now been pushed to a vote just five months later. The result is less time for the public to educate themselves and engage; leaving unanswered questions.

I commend the City Council on voting to have a review by the Department of Local Services to find inefficiencies; however, Malden should undertake this review with DLS prior to asking the voters to pass an override.

Many are asking the Administration to come up with detailed proposals on cuts to the budget before asking the citizens to pay more. The Mayor certainly promised he would do just that when the override was first suggested.

Let me be clear, I like many fellow citizens, want to preserve as many jobs as we can!  This is why other expenditures need to be considered first.  The Mayor has proposed a change to the employee health insurance plan and that certainly is a great first step.

City leaders have a particularly important duty to safeguard the citizens’ right to factual information and to refrain from advocating for or against the override. I respect their right to voice their opinions as I am, but we must not forget this is up to the voters to decide.  AND It’s difficult to decide if the administration is not providing all the facts and a plan.

It also saddens me that there is such vitriol and divisiveness over this matter. We all want the City to succeed and be a safe, beautiful place to live.  Disagreeing with one another respectfully brings everyone to the table and only helps us build a better community.

The override is a permanent increase to the cost of living and of doing business in Malden.

I respectfully ask the administration to be focused on drastic cost-cutting, restructuring departments and shifting focus away from labor reductions before any vote. Use this time to strategically prioritize and draft a concise plan and then put the questions to the honorable public in NOVEMBER. No one loses and everyone emerges as a community together moving toward a brighter future.

Debbie DeMaria

144 Maple Street