Sharon Home Rule

Voters will decide Nov. 6 if they want to change Sharon’s form of government. Here are some highlights of the proposed changes:

The elected posts of mayor, controller and treasurer will be eliminated.

The city will be governed by a five-member council where a majority of members will be elected every two years. Each council member will have a 12-year term limit.

The city’s daily operations will be overseen by a city manager appointed by the council. The manager, with council’s approval, will hire a fiscal officer to oversee finances.

Council will have the authority to increase the wage tax above the current 0.5 percent. Any increase in wage tax must include a comparable decrease in property tax.

Health and pension benefits now available to elected council members will be eliminated.

A transition team of nine people will oversee the change if voters approve it. The team will include two elected council members, three home-rule study commission members and four residents at large.

Source: Sharon Home Rule Study Commission