‘Yes’ on Pollard: Needham Voters Pass Tax Override

November 3, 2026
• Needham residents approved raising taxes in order to fund construction of a new middle school.

The sizable tax burden didn’t seem to deter voters Tuesday, when residents resoundingly supported funding the Pollard Middle School reconstruction.

Question 10 asked Needham voters whether they support exempting the $325.4 million project from Proposition 2 1/2, which restricts how high municipalities can raise taxes annually.

Question 10 passed 10,353 to 5,143, according to unofficial results from the town clerk’s office. “Yes” votes garnered nearly 67% of the vote, and with just over 25,000 registered voters in Needham, overall turnout is close to 62%, based on those unofficial results.

The cost of the project will be passed onto taxpayers, who will pay an average annual increase at $1,167 over 35 years. The average bill, currently, is $16,690. Those estimates, provided by the town, are based on the average single-family home. After a state reimbursement, the total cost would be $244.8 million.

With the townwide vote complete, the Pollard project is able to move forward. Construction is projected to begin in mid-2028 and be completed in early 2032. Tuesday’s vote follows one at October’s Special Town Meeting, which passed the project’s construction cost.

Out at the polls, voters continually flowed in and out through the late morning into the afternoon. With Needham Public Schools students off for the day, many accompanied voting family members into the polls.

Thirty-nine-year resident Albert Shapiro said he has always voted for Needham schools at the ballot box. On Tuesday morning, he said he placed his trust in the town and was hopeful the measure would pass.

“I think we elect town officials to do their job, and they have spent years on this project. And despite some of the negative comments that I’ve heard about, I have no way of trusting that information, whereas I trust the town,” Shapiro said. “I think that people that vote against it vote against their own interests in the property values going up because of the town’s schools, which is why people come to live here.”

Meaghan Hamilton exited Town Hall with her two children in tow. Her younger child will attend the new Pollard once it’s built, she said, while her oldest is currently at High Rock School. In making her decision, Hamilton said she saw a need for upgraded facilities.

“I took into account the increased taxes. I think it’s a big burden for the people of Needham, but I think we do need a new school,” Hamilton said.

For Albert Pisani, the tax impact swayed his decision to vote “no” on Question 10. In an ideal world, he said he would have voted in favor, but his household is currently “on the edge as far as just being able to keep up” financially.

“I would love to see it renovated, if we can afford a little more, so it’s kinda betwixt and between,” Pisani said. “I wanted to vote yes, but I’m not so sure, just the uncertainty principle as far as the taxes go.”

Outside Hillside Elementary School, voter Ken Broadley also shared his reservations with Question 10. Broadley works in construction, he said, and remains skeptical that there isn’t a cheaper Pollard plan.

“It’s Prop 2 1/2. It’s a lot of taxes in Needham, and if they can’t stay within 2.5%, they need to get rid of something that doesn’t need it,” Broadley said. “They have a set budget. They should know what they’re working with.”

Needham Local also spoke with two teachers, who both said they voted “yes.”

“I definitely think that the middle school deserves a rehab. I think it’s been forever, and those students deserve a more efficient place to learn,” Needham resident and Newton teacher Kate Shoolman said at Town Hall. “I am a teacher, so I think a lot about classroom environments and what will be the most beneficial for students and educators alike.”

“I’m a teacher, so I’m always one for doing what’s good for the schools,” Kae Pierron said at Hillside. Pierron added her child will be entering Needham Public Schools soon.

A few other residents said they also voted “no,” but they did not wish to be quoted. Of the nearly 20 people who spoke on the record, the vast majority said they supported Question 10.

All 10 of Needham’s precincts voted in favor of the measure. The tightest margin is in Precinct A, though more than 60% of voters there still voted “yes,” according to unofficial results.

Needham last voted on an override in April 2014, when residents approved $1.55 million for the school department. Prior to that, the town supported a debt exclusion for Newman Elementary School, at a cost of $27.4 million, in December 2009.

Across Massachusetts, voters re-elected Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov Kim Driscoll, who visited Needham this summer. State Sen. Becca Rausch and Rep. Josh Tarsky, D-Needham, both secured reelection without challengers, and U.S. Rep. Jake Auchincloss is forecasted to win a fourth term against Republican candidate Thomas Stalcup, as of 10 p.m. Tuesday.

This story will be updated as more results become available.