Last modified: Sunday, August 26, 2007 11:55 PM EDT Tax hike foes unite BY TED NESI/SUN CHRONICLE STAFF NORTON - A campaign is under way to defeat the $1.9 million temporary tax increase proposal in the town's Sept. 18 special election, with opponents of the measure arguing that Norton can and should pay for necessary building repairs out of regular tax revenue. A new group, Voters Against the Debt Exclusion Override, was formed at the end of July and has begun meeting regularly, said John Freeman, a member of the committee. Freeman agreed to describe the general opinion of the group's members, but stressed that no single individual is licensed to speak for the committee. "We're against increased taxes," he said. "We all believe there's another way to do it." Town officials have said the repairs can be paid for out of general tax revenue without an override, and Freeman said the committee prefers that approach. He also said the anti-override committee wants to see the town "make some systemic changes to the way the employees' contracts are handled" in order to save money. Selectwoman Mary Steele, who supports the temporary override of the cap placed on property taxes by the state law known as Proposition 2 1/2, thinks the competing positions offer voters a clear choice. "The reason for the (override) vote," she said, "is for voters to decide if they want the work to be done at the cost of other departments." "And," she added, "if that's what the voters vote for, that's what we'll do." Steele and other town officials have pledged to use the extra tax revenue made available during the override's eight-year duration to repair town facilities. But Freeman said he is concerned that town meeting voters - who get to make the final decision over how to allocate the extra money - will put it elsewhere. "It's whoever shows up, and they're very good at packing those meetings," he said. In addition to those issues, Freeman voiced a more general distrust of the officials who have made the case for the override and the repairs. "We're sick of the people that are employed by the town selling fear - and that isn't only the schools; the police and fire do the same thing," he said. "They try to sell fear to the taxpayers to get more money out of them." Steele strongly disagreed with that characterization. "The town officials are not drumming up fear," she said. "The problems we have in the town buildings now are documented. They are valid problems, and as public officials, we have a responsibility to bring this to the voters and offer them solutions." The co-chairmen of Voters Against the Debt Exclusion Override are Charlie Campbell and David Davignon. Freeman said the committee has about 30 active members, and they plan to campaign for the measure's defeat using signs, flyers, local media, and direct voter outreach, organized by precinct. "It's grunt work, a lot of it," he said. "We've got to educate the people, and make them understand the town doesn't really need this, make them understand this could only be the tip of the iceberg." Still, Freeman declined to predict that the temporary override would be defeated. "I'm never confident, and maybe that's the way I am," he said. "You never know. It ain't over 'til it's over." Freeman also said the new group has experienced tension with members of the now-dissolved Citizens Opposed to Proposition 2½ Override '07 Committee, which worked to defeat the general override proposals that failed last June and in 2006. "There's some people being spiteful, or self-serving," he said. "They didn't want to get involved in the group for personal reasons. They're trying to hinder the new group." But Heather Graf, who was the dissolved group's corresponding secretary, denied that accusation. She and the other officers of the Citizens Opposed to Proposition 2½ Override '07 Committee are not involved with the Voters Against the Debt Exclusion Override group. "It's important to make clear we're not the same committee," she said. "I wanted to make it very clear that this was a separate entity." Freeman said Norton residents are welcome to attend Voters Against the Debt Exclusion Override's next meeting, which will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the American Legion Hall, 85 East Main St. They can also telephone Freeman at 774-259-5886. TED NESI can be reached at tnesi@thesunchronicle.com or 508-236-0434.