Bristol-Plymouth Debt Exclusion Rejected

Rehoboth voters rejected a debt exclusion to pay for the $305 million Bristol-Plymouth Regional Technical School construction in Tuesday’s election.

The tally was 2017 in favor and 2896 in opposition. 441 ballots were left blank for that question. 5,354 voters, representing 53 percent of the town’s 10,172 voters, cast ballots.

Selectman Michael Deignan said the cost to the town would be $550,000 for the first year. Deignan had noted that if the debt exclusion is not approved, the money would have to be taken from town services.

The building project was approved last March.

Although the project was rejected in Rehoboth, there were enough votes for passage in the member communities which included Berkley, Bridgewater, Dighton, Middleborough, Raynham, and Taunton.

There were 3,353 "yes" votes in favor of a new building, while 3,047 voted "no." The total "yes" votes amounted to 52.4 percent of the vote.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority provided authorization for a Project Funding Agreement for the Bristol-Plymouth project in September 2021. The agreement includes reimbursement of 62.25 percent of eligible project costs up to a maximum reimbursement amount of $125, 569, 759 toward construction of a modern Bristol-Plymouth school facility.