The Board of Finance last week unanimously approved a $185.2 million budget for fiscal year 2027, a 2.3% rise over current spending.
The proposed spending plan includes a Board of Education expense budget of $117.2 million, after public school administrators found $1.6 million in savings to its own proposed budget, including in healthcare claims, and stands to find even more savings as the Town Council works toward a finalized spending plan for next fiscal year, according to finance board Chair Todd Lavieri. [Detailed budget documents, including the full Board of Finance recommendation, can be found here.]
After the Board of Finance proposed a $2 million reduction to the Board of Education’s spending plan for next fiscal year—a directive that galvanized members of the school board and general public (see below)—Superintendent of Schools Dr. Bryan Luizzi identified $800,000 in savings through out-of-district placements, “turnover savings” and food service-related healthcare costs, Lavieri said during a regular meeting Thursday, held at Town Hall and via videoconference. “Now, speaking of better data, as we get into the claims, as they come in, there’s an improvement in the claims and a reduction of another $300,000,” Lavieri said during introductory comments at the meeting. “Again, better data today or this week, or this last couple of weeks than was able to be forecasted back in December. So that’s $800,000 plus $300,000.”
Another $500,000 was found through the “internal services fund” in “money available for healthcare,” he said.
