Where is Belmont headed?

Why Belmont? This is a question many people ask when I tell them I moved from Burlington, Massachusetts to Belmont this past August.
My answer has been something like, “because we were attracted to the location and it has a reputable school system.”
Moving to Belmont was a long term personal goal of mine and my husband’s which we were finally able to achieve after a long, two year, on and off search with a very patient realtor. It was our mid-life move.
It’s only about 20 minutes from where we used to live; a couple of towns over, but many of our friends and neighbors said they were sorry to see us go. “We really liked you,” one said.
I’ve kept in touch with many of them via e-mail, phone and visits during school vacations. Maintaining friendships takes effort from both sides and unfortunately, I have lost touch with some people.
Luckily, I’ve started to make some new friends in my new town, but I never realized how difficult it would be for me to start over. The kids have adjusted much better than mommy.
There are a lot of things I miss about Burlington. Parking was never an issue any where. Market Basket was in two convenient locations (Billerica and Burlington).
There was a drive-up Dunkin Donuts on almost every corner.
The roads were nice and smooth and you didn’t run into any unexpected detours.
The cost of living was also much lower in Burlington. There was no recreation membership fee. Bussing for all students was free. There were no user fees for athletics or fine arts.
Garbage day was also cleaner in Burlington with an automated trash system requiring all residents to use only one barrel provided by the town; and there were recycling bins next to every trash barrel in all the outdoor parks and fields and in every classroom.
The two “B” towns are indeed very different.
What I like about Belmont is its proximity to Boston, Cambridge and Arlington; the very quaint town center; the architecture; multi-cultural community; the many options for outdoor parks; and the ice cream trucks outside the schools.
But, most of all, I’m very impressed by the quality of instruction in the Belmont Public Schools.
However, I am very concerned about the budget issues in Belmont, particularly in the schools. We moved here for better schools and I’m sure many other families moved here for the same reason.
I can live with the bumpy roads, limited parking and user fees. .
But, the question keeps popping into my head, “Why Belmont?” and I can’t help wondering where is Belmont headed?