PROMOTING A SUSTAINABLE EASTON (PASE)

OPEN HOUSE - WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8, 2025, 6-8 PM

@ QUESET HOUSE - 51 MAIN STREET

Following years of high inflation and nearly two decades of minimal increases to state revenue to support education and government services, Easton faces a difficult budget come fiscal year 2026 (July 1, 2025 thru June 30, 2026) that may cut education and public service levels in our community. Voters at Town Meeting in May 2024, concerned about this possibility, established a committee to review Easton’s options ahead of the coming budget year. 

In this dedicated “Special Edition” of the Town Crier, we’re sharing information about Promoting A Sustainable Easton (PASE), the committee formed by Town Meeting voters, and their upcoming Open House on January 8th.  

Before you start scrolling, here's what you'll find:

• PASE basics - the who, what, when, where, and why of PASE, a committee formed by voters at the May 2024 Annual Town Meeting

• Details about the upcoming PASE Open House on January 8, 2025 including an explanation of PASE’s work to date and about how to get engaged as PASE continues its work to make recommendations to the May 2025 Annual Town Meeting.

If you find this approach helpful or have ideas on how we can do a better job – we’d love to hear from you! Email Sean Dugan at sdugan@easton.ma.us

WHAT IS PROMOTING A SUSTAINABLE EASTON (PASE)?

Easton voters established PASE at the May 2024 Town Meeting in response to concern about service levels and the need to use reserve funds to balance this year's budget. The 19 member committee is made up of a wide range of Town professionals, public safety members, teachers and residents who will review Easton’s operating and financial position and make recommendations back to the community on how and whether to sustain quality education and public services at the upcoming May 2025 Town Meeting.

WHAT HAS PASE BEEN REVIEWING SINCE THEY STARTED MEETING THIS YEAR?

PASE looks to answer important questions residents have about their town and school district:

• How are we spending our tax dollars?
• How does our budget impact the quality of our educational and public services?
• How can my tax bill increase annually and the Town still have budget challenges – are they just spending more than they should?
• How could we fix revenue shortfalls?
• Can expenses be cut without impacting education or public services?

Before they can form recommendations for the community in May 2025, PASE first had to answer these questions. Click here for PASE’s Summary of Easton’s Existing Conditions and Outlook.

All of PASE’s work and the financial data they used to inform it is public and available on this webpage – www.easton.ma.us/pase.

Videos of PASE meetings are available from ECAT online at here.

HOW DO I GET ENGAGED WITH PASE?

Attend the January 8^th Open House at Queset House (read on below).

PASE also holds regular public meetings, and you can sign up for email notices of their meeting notices / agendas here.

You can also learn more in a Q&A format by visiting our FAQ page here.

JANUARY 8 OPEN HOUSE

PASE wants to hear from you - our residents – before forming their draft recommendations for the May 2025 Town Meeting. Join PASE for an open house to learn about their work, findings so far, and share your thoughts and feedback with the committee. 

Wednesday, January 8 from 6–8 PM 

Queset House, 51 Main Street

The open house will include brief a overview presentation as well as conversational Q&A format in various rooms of the Queset House with members of PASE and town / school leaders and employees where you can learn more about PASE and Easton’s budget and services.  

If you have questions, comments or ideas for PASE or cannot make the Open House – we’d love to hear from you at EastonPASE2024@gmail.com. 

If you’d like to browse PASE information in a Q&A format, please click here.