YES for Walpole Middle School

A group of Walpole residents formed the YES for Walpole Middle School Ballot Question Committee to support the proposed combined middle school building project.  A town-wide vote on a debt exclusion -- which will impact property taxes -- must pass in order to fund the project (cost specifics are below).  This vote is scheduled to take place on November 2nd.

Our mission is simple -- we need to GET OUT THE VOTE on November 2nd.  For a vote as impactful as this one, we cannot rely on word of mouth alone.  It will take planning, organization, time, energy....and money.  The funds raised through this Crowdpac page will be used for things such as:

• Advertising (print, social media)
• Mailers, doorhangers, etc.
• Date labels for existing "Vote" yard signs
• "Get Out the Vote" events

As required by state law, the Ballot Question Committee is registered with the Town Clerk, maintains a business bank account, and will report all donations and expenses to the Town Clerk's office. 

*NOTE: this page is NOT to raise funds to build the school; it is to raise funds to support campaigning and "Get Out the Vote" efforts, which we estimate will require a minimum of $3,000*

The total budget for the building project (yet to be finalized) is an estimated $116 million, with an estimated reimbursement rate from the Massachusetts School Building Authority at 30%-33%.  This would make the projected town share approximately $80 million, to be financed by the debt exclusion.

It is critical to understand that if the debt exclusion does not pass, it will likely be at LEAST another 10 years before Walpole would receive the significant state funding it stands to receive for the proposed project.  In short, both Bird and Johnson will remain as they are, with repairs as needed.  While so many of us see it as a "no brainer" to vote a resounding YES, there are just as many people who disagree and will do all in their power to ensure that the debt exclusion fails.

We cannot let this happen.  Let's work together to get our teachers, our kids, and our town what they deserve -- a combined middle school building that will elevate the incredible learning, programming, and community that already exist into the 21st century.  Please donate whatever you can to support the GET OUT THE VOTE efforts, and invite others to do the same!