Town Meeting Approves $308 Million Operating Budget, Rejects Series of ‘1% Cuts’
Key Points
- Total approved General Fund budget reaches $308,738,502.
- All proposed "1% cuts" to departments were defeated by the assembly.
- School department received its requested $133.5 million maintenance budget.
- Town officials warned of a "fiscal cliff" as new growth revenue is projected to slow.
Annual Town Meeting approved a total FY27 General Fund operating budget of $308,738,502 after a marathon session of subcommittee votes and failed amendments. The final budget follows a stark fiscal cliff
warning from Select Board Chair David Golden, who noted that the era of revenue growth from major developments like Pine Hills and Redbrook is ending.
A series of amendments proposed by Wrestling Brewster aimed to implement 1% cuts
across nearly every department, including a $1.5 million reduction to the school department. School Committee Chair Luis Pizano warned that such a cut would lead to significant staff reductions, urging the body not to put the town's financial challenges on the backs of Plymouth students.
All of Brewster's amendments failed, as did a separate motion by Lori Downs to cut $213,000 from the IT personnel budget. Ultimately, the town authorized $17.3 million for general government, $94.9 million for IT and administration, $42 million for public safety, $14.5 million for public works, and $133.5 million for the school district.
Motion: To appropriate the FY27 Operating Budget across Subcommittees A-F.
Vote: Passed (Various tallies per subcommittee)