Viewfinder: The Swampscott Police Station

On Tuesday residents will vote on a $3.35 million debt exclusion proposal to help pay for a $6.4 million .

The two-story, 13,700-square-foot station would be built on town-owned land at 531 Humphrey Street by the town pumping station.

Here is a breakdown of the to replace the 73-year-old station at 86 Burrill Street:

• A $3.35 million debt exclusion. It would cost the owner of a home valued at $524,000, the average home valuation in town, $65 annually over 20 years.
• $450,000 for project plans was already approved at a previous town meeting vote.
• $600,000 in reserve dollars.
• $185,000 from the previous sale of the Phillips Beach Fire Station.
• The balance would come from a line item in the operating budget to pay off long-term borrowing.

The Board of Selectmen and town administrator support the new station.

Town Administrator Andrew Maylor said the Burrill Street station's shortcomings include inadequate parking, storage and facilities for officers.

A glaring defect is the narrow stairs that officers and prisoners must travel to get to the basement cells, he said.

If the debt exclusion vote fails, selectmen are prepared to raise the money by foregoing capital improvement projects over several years.

These might include items such as road repairs and upgrades to old schools.

The last try for a debt exclusion — $6 million — to pay for a new police station failed by about 225 votes in January 2010.