Since schematic plans for a new Lexington High School (LHS) were agreed on last March, several challenges have arisen to make the project much more challenging and fraught for residents. Given the proposed debt-exclusion override this November to pay for the construction, there is very little time for the School Committee, Selectmen, Town Meeting and townspeople to react and change course to cope with:

•A likely significant increase in building costs from the 50% tariff on imported steel and aluminum, which has driven up domestic prices accordingly;

•Higher interest rates for longer than expected, which makes the several hundred million dollars borrowed that’s needed to pay for the project much more expensive; and

•The federal government attack on higher education, biomedical research, and public and private spending on health and medical research—which will have direct effects on the jobs of Lexington townspeople and certainly depress the value of labs and biomedical facilities. The latter effect will shift property taxes from Lexington’s most significant businesses onto residential property owners and taxpayers (homeowners), right at the time the LHS debt financing costs increase tax bills: A large double whammy.

If Lexington is to proceed with this important, but enormously expensive, project, town leaders need to begin open debate now about how to reduce its costs significantly. Perhaps, by removing the field house component and through rigorous design review, and how to rein in other tax-supported spending across the board—from useful, but not essential capital projects to the Community Preservation Act surcharge (for which the state reimbursement is now negligible).

Otherwise, we are heading toward the worst of all worlds: A crushingly expensive LHS project and increased risks of operating tax overrides in coming years (atop the debt exclusion). All that is before the town takes up other big-ticket items, including replacement of Bowman and Bridge elementary schools, and the East Lexington fire station—potentially another $150 million-plus in capital spending (at current costs) early in the next decade.

We need a full fiscal debate, followed by some sound, tough decisions, soon—that work hasn’t even begun.

Join the Conversation

6 Comments

  1. A new Lowell High School is being built for $320 million. The Lexington High School project is an enlist wish list of green demands and must-haves for their kids. This school will drive taxes to the stratosphere. Fiscally sound towns start with a budget and design to it.

  2. A new Lowell High School is being built for $320 million. The Lexington High School project is an enlist wish list of green demands and must-haves for their kids.

  3. It’s pretty hard to have this “debate” before the updated cost estimates are available. They’re going to be released on July 31 at the Permanent Building Committee Meeting.

    I urge my fellow Lexington residents to attend that public meeting to understand what is really happening, and why. Mr. Rosenberg has opposed this project from the start, and his views don’t represent the actual finances.

    As for the “green demands”: the new high school’s energy system is designed to save money up-front and over its operational life, as a previous Lexington Observer noted. It’s undoubtedly more efficient than the current system, where teachers open the windows mid-winter because the original 1957 thermostats can’t adjust the temperatures in their classrooms. See https://lexobserver.org/2024/10/18/what-sustainability-features-are-in-the-works-for-the-new-high-school-building-and-are-they-worth-the-cost/

  4. Trump isn’t attacking medical companies. He is trying to get them to move production to the US, increasing jobs here. He is also fighting for lower drug prices, keeping more money in our pockets.

    His tariff efforts were the only way to force foreign countries to meet and make trade policies more fair. It is still in process, so we don’t know the final outcomes, but the progress has been substantial while continuing to resolve uncertainty. If only the fed would be so supportive.

    I endorse democracy. Give voters an ala carte slate of override options like whether to include a field house now, or maybe add later, giving the associated costs. A number of Massachusetts towns give voters this power and I hope to see it used more often, even where most voters think nothing is too good for the kids. At least we will get hard numbers on support levels for the various components.

  5. Buying property in Lexington is becoming a financial risk. The potential for a huge tax increase for the new high school is coming on top of substantially high property taxes.

Leave a comment
All commenters must be registered and logged in with a verified email address. To register for an account visit the registration page for our site. If you already have an account, you can login here or by clicking "My Account" on the upper right hand corner of any page on the site, right above the search icon.

Commenters must use their real first and last name and a real email address.
We do not allow profanity, racism, or misinformation.
We expect civility and good-faith engagement.

We cannot always fact check every comment, verify every name, or debate the finer points of what constitutes civility. We reserve the right to remove any comment we deem inappropriate, and we ask for your patience and understanding if something slips through that may violate our terms.

We are open to a wide range of opinions and perspectives. Criticism and debate are fundamental to community – but so is respect and honesty. Thank you.