The regional school committee on Wednesday night approved a budget for the coming fiscal year that is a 0.66% increase over the current year’s budget. But because of growing enrollments, Southborough’s share of the budget will be 5% higher than it was last year.
Southborough taxpayers will be asked to cover $5.7 million of the $13.4 million budget. Northborough would pay $7.7 million, a decrease of about 3%.
The Metrowest Daily News reports Southborough selectman Bill Boland was reluctant to support a budget that was not at least level-funded.
“If only there was an extra million dollars out there, everybody would be happy,” he said. “The truth is, we don’t have any money, and for the Regional School Committee to ask for an increase is hard for me to support since every other town department is getting hit.”
Voters will get their say at town meeting on April 12.
Bill is right. Our non property tax sources of revenue are expected to be down on the order of $2 million.
The Advisory Committee has met with almost all the Municipal departments and each has proposed spending less money than they spent last year. All the department heads have said words to the effect of “I know this is a very difficult year and we are tightening our belts and may not do all the things that we did in the past but we understand the difficult situation the town and its residents are in”
I have not heard a single municipal department head complain about the salary freeze that is planned, every municipal department is planning on spending 2% to 5% less than they spent last year.
I for one want to thank the Board of Selectmen for their leadership during this difficult period and the Municipal Managers for the diligence they have shown and their willingness to sacrifice along with the rest of us. I am often a pain in their sides but they have stepped up to the difficult challenge we face and I want to publicly acknowledge their contributions.