Proposition 2 1/2 Debate at Town Hall Sparks Heated Clash Over Tax Reform-October 2, 1980

For Francis “Chip” Faulkner, Proposition 212 “is the best answer.” For State Representative Gerald Cohen, it is “a pick and poke program designed for chaos.”

The two figures met in an often-heated debate last night at Norwood Town Hall to spar over the controversial tax limitation ballot initiative. Sponsored by the Democratic Town Committee and open to the public, the forum drew a crowd of about 100 residents.

(Note: Proposition 212 proposed capping property taxes at 2.5 percent of a town’s fair market value, reducing the motor vehicle excise tax to $25 per $1,000, ending school committee fiscal autonomy, and abolishing compulsory binding arbitration for police and fire personnel.)

Proponents Argue Relief is Vital

Faulkner, associate director of Citizens for Limited Taxation—the group backing Proposition 212—opened the debate by attacking the existing property tax structure as “the most regressive and unfair tax we have,” likening it to an annual sales tax paid on a home.

“It is especially unfair to senior citizens living on fixed incomes,” Faulkner argued. “When government is asked to cut back, it wheedles and complains it can’t. But it asks senior citizens and low-income people to cut back another $600 or so.”

Faulkner also blamed high state taxes for driving residents and high-tech industries toward New Hampshire, pointing to waste in welfare spending and hiring. Dismissing critics, he added, “This may not be a perfect bill. We are amateurs. The legislators are professionals. They met, raised your gas tax, gave themselves a raise and went home. That’s professional. Proposition 2 1/2 is the best answer.”

Opponents Warn of Municipal Chaos

Rep. Gerald Cohen—an Andover Democrat and chairman of the House Taxation Committee—strongly countered that the measure was “calculated to create chaos in Norwood.”

“If 20 or 25 percent of the local budget is cut, then the police, fire, and school departments will have to fight it out between themselves to see who gets what. This is no bag full of lollipops,” Cohen warned.

Addressing claims that the state would bail out municipalities with additional local aid, Cohen challenged the premise: “Where do you think that money’s coming from? It’s coming from higher sales taxes and increased fees of every kind, and I will vote against that.” He concluded by calling the measure “the wrong thing at the wrong time” that would hurt vulnerable populations.

Local Questions and Audience Engagement

During the question-and-answer session, Norwood State Representative Gregory Sullivan pressed Faulkner from the audience: “In a town as frugal as Norwood, where would you suggest cuts be made?”

Faulkner replied that he would not presume to dictate cuts, adding, “Every town has its ’empire’ and if you ask people who’ve lived in town 15 or 20 years, they’ll know where it is.”

Another resident, Tom Nutting of 24 Lydon Road, questioned whether Norwood residents—whose property was then assessed at 2.2 percent of full market value—might end up paying higher taxes under the 2.5 percent cap. Faulkner responded that the outcome would depend entirely on where the town chose to implement spending reductions.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger