← Legal & Legislative Committee · 2026-03-23 · Legal & Legislative Committee
PUBLIC COMMENT
Agenda original PDF
Minutes original PDF
y name is Robert Driscoll. I reside at 33 Thurston Road here in Melrose. I'm a retired Melrose firefighter, I'm a retired Air Force colonel with 38 years of military service, and I'm also the chairman of the Melrose Veterans Advisory Board. Thank you for the opportunity to state my support for the Veterans Work Off Program in the City of Melrose. It goes back many years, when I and other members of the Melrose Veterans Community came before the Board of Aldermen to support and stand up for this program. And from what I understand, we fell a bit short on proper language in the local ordinance as adopted that conflicted with state law for the Veterans Write-off program. So we are here again before you tonight to correct this and restart this important initiative. We are all aware that today in the United States, as well as in the Commonwealth, in our own city, many of our neighbors struggle to pay their bills. Affordability is a major challenge. This program, merited off the Senior Citizen Work Off Program, will help veterans of any age who own property in the city to have the opportunity to work off a portion of their real estate taxes. It could mean the difference between paying their taxes or paying for medication or food. I hope you will support this program and help the veterans in our community remain in our community. Thank you. -Good evening, Madam Chairwoman, members of the committee. I am Michael Buggy of 131 Myrtle Street, Melrose. I'm here tonight to speak in support of the Veterans Tax Work Off Program. This program's been working successfully for many years. It's allowed veterans to stay active in the community while receiving meaningful financial relief. It's given the city the benefit of their time, skills, and dedication. It's a true win-win for both sides of this equation. I understand that there are concerns because of conflicts with state laws, and I respect the need to address those. I urge you to find the path forward that preserves this program. Whether it's through adjustments, clarifications, pursuing the legal solution, whatever allows this to continue, I hope this path moves forward. At its core, this program is about honoring service in a practical, meaningful way. It shows that Melrose does think and care about the veterans, and we do support them. I hope that you will keep this program in place for the veterans who rely on it and find continued benefit for the community as well. Thank you for your time. There were no comments via Zoom. Motion to Close public comment made by Chair Jamaleddine at 7:05 PM IV. ORDINANCES
Transcript
▶ 1:14 Maya Jamaleddine: this, these minutes are being approved. Next, is public comment. I will motion by unanimous consent to open the floor up for public comment. Seeing no objection, we are now open for public comment, and this is the portion of the meeting where anyone can speak on any item on the, agenda for tonight.
▶ 1:39 Speaker 2: Please
▶ 1:43 Maya Jamaleddine: say your name and address.
▶ 1:44 Speaker 3: Yes, good evening. Uh, my name is Robert Driscoll. I reside at Thirty-three Thurston Road here in Melrose. Um, I'm a retired Melrose firefighter, I'm a retired Air Force colonel with thirty-eight years of military service, and I'm also the chairman of the Melrose Veterans Advisory Board. Thank you for the opportunity to state my support for the Veterans Work Off Program here in the city of Melrose. A little history on this program. It goes back many years ago when I and other members of the Melrose veterans community came before the Board of Aldermen to support and stand up this program. And from what I understand, we fell a bit short on proper language in the local ordinance as adopted that conflicted with state law for the Veterans Write Off Program. So we are here again before you tonight to correct this and restart this important initiative. We are, we are all aware that today in the United States, as well as in the Commonwealth, in our own city, many of our neighbors struggle to pay their bills. Affordability is a major challenge. This program, merit off the Senior Citizen Work Off Program, will help veterans of any age who own property in the city the opportunity to work off a portion of their real estate taxes. It could mean the difference between paying their taxes or paying for medication or food. I hope you will support this program and help the veterans in our community remain in our community. Thank you.
▶ 3:11 Speaker 1: Thank you.
▶ 3:17 Speaker 1: Good evening. Good evening. Michael Buggy, One Thirty-One Myrtle Street, Melrose, Mass.
▶ 3:24 Speaker 1: Good evening, Madam Chairwoman, members of the committee. Um, I'm here tonight to speak in support of the Veterans, Tax
▶ 3:29 Speaker 3: Work Off Program. Uh, this program has been working successfully for many years.
▶ 3:34 Speaker 1: Uh, it's allowed veterans to stay active in the community while receiving, while receiving meaningful, meaningful financial relief.
▶ 3:45 Speaker 3: Um, it's given the city the benefit of their time, skills, and
▶ 3:48 Speaker 1: dedication. It's a true win-win for both sides of, this equation. I understand that there are concerns, because of conflicts with state laws, and I respect the need, to address those. But I urge, you to find the path forward to-- that preserves this program. Whether that it's, whether it's through adjustments, clarifications, pursuing the legal solution, whatever allows this to continue, I
▶ 4:13 Speaker 1: hope, this path moves forward. Um, at its core, this program is about honoring service in a practical, meaningful way. It shows, that Melrose does
▶ 4:24 Speaker 3: think and care about the veterans, and we do support them. Uh, I hope you-- that you will keep this program in
▶ 4:34 Speaker 1: place for the veterans who rely on it and find continued benefit for the community as well. Thank you for your time. Thank you.
▶ 4:43 Maya Jamaleddine: Anyone else wishing to speak? Do we have anyone online?
▶ 4:51 Speaker 3: There's no one online.
▶ 4:52 Maya Jamaleddine: Okay. Seeing none, if there is no objection, I will motion to close public comment. Seeing no objection, we are now closed for public comment.