Hanson Voters Approve Public Safety and Highway Facility, Soundly Reject $33M Library Expansion
HANSON - May 16, 2026 - Hanson voters turned out in force to reshape the town’s operational and capital landscape on Saturday, approving a $630,000 public safety override, a regional vocational school funding mechanism, and a nail-biting $7.5 million highway facility debt exclusion. However, local taxpayers drew a firm line at the ballot box on major capital spending, emphatically striking down a proposed $33 million library renovation and expansion project by a wide margin.
The Full Story
A total of 1,601 ballots were cast at Hanson Middle School as residents weighed in on four critical ballot questions and a slate of municipal leadership positions.
The biggest drama of the night belonged to Question 2, a proposed debt exclusion to fund a new $7.5 million Highway Department facility. Designed to coincide with retiring town debt to minimize taxpayer impact, the measure squeaked by with a razor-thin margin of just 11 votes, finishing with 790 “Yes” votes to 779 “No” votes.
In contrast, Question 1—the $630,000 Proposition 2½ operational override aimed at adding four new firefighters and two new patrol officers—received strong support, cruising to victory with 1,001 votes in favor and 580 opposed. Voters also comfortably approved Question 3, greenlighting the town’s up-to-$27 million apportioned share for the South Shore Vocational Technical High School renovation project by a vote of 960 to 602.
The generosity of Hanson taxpayers stopped short at Question 4. Despite a dangling $12 million state grant aimed at softening the blow of a $33 million total price tag, residents decisively rejected the library expansion project. The debt exclusion was soundly defeated with 955 “No” votes against just 628 “Yes” votes.
On the candidate side, the ballot box delivered a stunner in the Board of Health race. Select Board member David M. George narrowly unseated incumbent Board of Health member Kevin Ryan Perkins by a mere 7 votes, finishing 698 to 691. Meanwhile, incumbent Laura A. Fitzgerald-Kemmett (1,013 votes) won reelection and Franklin T. Milisi (914 votes) won the Select Board seat vacated by George.
Why It Matters
The mixed results mean Hanson residents are willing to pay for essential services and long-overdue infrastructure upgrades, but remain highly sensitive to major debt. The average homeowner (valued at $550,000) will see an estimated property tax increase of approximately $154 annually for public safety personnel, alongside an immediate $180 to $275 increase for the mandatory regional school expansion. However, by rejecting the library project, homeowners successfully dodged what would have been the single largest tax addition on the ballot—an estimated $192 to $350 per year.
Official Minutes & Data
Key Ballot Votes
Question 1 (Public Safety Override): To assess an additional $630,000 in real estate and personal property taxes for additional firefighter-paramedics and police officers.
Outcome: Passed
Vote: 1,001 YES / 580 NO
Question 2 (Highway Facility Debt Exclusion): To exempt $7,500,000 in bonds to design, construct, and equip a new Highway Department Building.
Outcome: Passed
Vote: 790 YES / 779 NO
Question 3 (SSVT Regional School Debt Exclusion): To exempt the amounts required to pay Hanson’s share of bonds for the South Shore Regional Vocational Technical School District high school renovation.
Outcome: Passed
Vote: 960 YES / 602 NO
Question 4 (Library Renovation Debt Exclusion): To exempt $33,041,881 required to pay for the bond to design, construct, furnish, and equip a renovated/expanded Public Library building.
Outcome: Failed
Vote: 628 YES / 955 NO
Key Candidate Election Results
Select Board (Two Elected): Laura A. Fitzgerald-Kemmett* (1,013), Franklin T. Milisi (914)
Town Moderator: Sean Joseph Kealy* (1,256)
Board of Health: David M. George (698), Kevin Ryan Perkins* (691)
Planning Board (5-Year): Robert Huebner (1,085)
Source Data: Unofficial Results, Hanson Town Clerk Document Archive