The Salem News | Salem voters pass debt exclusion override to fund new high school
Posted on: May 6, 2026
By Michael McHugh | Staff Writer
SALEM — City voters approved a debt exclusion tax override Tuesday night in a special election that will allow the city to move ahead with its plans to pay for construction of a new Salem High School.
A total of 4,093 votes, 57.5% of total votes cast Tuesday, were in favor of the debt exclusion that will allow the city to raise the remaining $239 million necessary to fund the the project, which has a total cost of about $447 million. The debt exclusion will legally allow the city to raise property taxes beyond the 2.5% annual limit over the next 30 years, after which point the 2.5% limit will return.
