Reading residents will be faced with financing two large, essential projects in the next couple of years:  renovating or replacing the Killam Elementary School and renovating or replacing our current senior center with a Senior/multi-generational center.  Both projects will require large debt exclusion overrides, likely totaling $150 million or more in new debt.  Even with possible state support and two other projects (the high school and the library) finally getting paid off, Reading residents will still face hundreds of dollars a year in additional taxes from these essential projects.  Now is the time to ensure Town spending is focused on the highest priority items, to ensure that Reading residents can afford to pay for everything and still have money left to cover their own needs.  I believe both of these projects will benefit the entire community, but with so much uncertainty in the economy and persistent inflation, the last thing we want to do is burden residents with higher tax bills, water bills, electric bills, etc.  As a Select Board member, I would strive to ensure that our town controls the pace, scope, and timing of other initiatives and projects to ensure that residents can afford to fund these projects and town needs.