Weymouth FY23 Budget on Track for June 21 Council Vote, Officials Say

WEYMOUTH -- April 7, 2022, Weymouth officials previewed the fiscal year 2023 budget process on a April 7 episode of Town Talk with Ted, with the mayor's submission expected by mid-April and a council vote targeted for June 21. Chief of Staff Ted Langell and Town Council Budget Management Subcommittee Chair and Vice Chair Mike Melise outlined an operating budget that has grown from roughly $150 million to just over $183 million over six years, a $34 million, or 23 percent, increase, with nearly half of that new spending directed to the schools. The tax levy covers about 66 percent of operating costs, state aid just under 22 percent, and local receipts between 12 and 13 percent; meals tax revenue has topped $800,000 annually. Langell warned against using any portion of the town's nearly $30 million federal ARPA allocation for recurring expenses, saying "we know we get in trouble when we start using one-time funds." The department-by-department subcommittee hearings begin the first week of May, with the annual public hearing set for May 16 at 7:30 p.m. in Town Council Chambers.