OPINION: Voting "No" on the Fire Station Override Is a Vote for Fiscal Responsibility and Affordability in Westwood

By Ada Zhong

On June 3rd, Westwood voters are being asked to approve a $38.1 million debt exclusion override to build a new Fire Station 1. While public safety is essential, I believe this particular proposal is excessive in scope and cost, and would place a disproportionate burden on residents—especially seniors, young families, and those on fixed incomes.

The long-term cost of this project, once financed, exceeds $72 million over 30 years. The override would increase property taxes by 2.6%, compounding the impact of multiple recent tax increases. According to the Westwood Climate Action, Resiliency & Sustainability Plan (December 2024), nearly a quarter of Westwood’s population (24.6%) is over the age of 60, and about 5% of residents live in poverty. Many of our neighbors—particularly seniors on fixed incomes—are already struggling to keep up with the cost of living.

Supporters often frame this override as costing “just $1 a day,” but for many families and retirees, every dollar matters. With inflation, rising childcare and education costs, and increased after-school fees, even modest tax hikes can hit hard.

Beyond the financial strain, the scale of the proposed building raises serious questions. The planned 36,000-square-foot facility would include 12 bathrooms, 10 dorms, and 8 offices—for just 7 firefighters per shift and 5 administrative staff. Westwood’s other fire station in Islington, built in 2017 at 11,000 square feet, is currently underutilized, with only 3 firefighters on shift, 5 dorms, and 2 unused offices.

Comparable towns are doing more with less. Bedford, with a similar population, is constructing a single 29,000-square-foot fire station for $32 million. Lexington, with nearly twice Westwood’s population and 60 firefighters, operates out of a 25,828-square-foot headquarters with 8 bathrooms. Westwood’s proposed facility is significantly larger and more costly than both.

A vote against this override is not a vote against public safety. Rather, it’s a call for a more fiscally responsible and right-sized solution—one that ensures our fire department has the resources it needs without imposing unnecessary costs on residents.

We all want a safe and well-served community. But we must also protect Westwood’s affordability and long-term financial health. I believe we can achieve both with a more modest and thoughtful plan.

Thanks to Westwood resident Ada Zhong for contributing this opinion article to Westwood Minute.

Westwood Minute takes no position on the opinion articles that it publishes, but seeks accurate and thoughtful commentary on topics that matter to our community, from a variety of differing viewpoints. Feel free to reply with your reaction below, or submit another perspective to WestwoodInAMinute@gmail.com.

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You may also be interested in reading:

- Westwood Residents to Vote on Whether to Allow Borrowing for New Fire Station to Proceed as a Debt Exclusion

- LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Westwood Needs a Modern, Safe, ADA Compliant Fire Station

- OPINION: Can the Taxpayers Afford All the Bells & Whistles on FS1?

- OPINION: Proposed FS1 is Essential, No Bells and Whistles