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Budget committee and Select Board agree to collaborate on FY2026 budget under 4% tax cap
Summary
The budget committee chair and Select Board discussed working together to set department targets and meet the voter-approved 4% tax-cap for fiscal 2026; the board agreed to collaborate and seek clarity on process and legal mechanics for overrides.
The Brentwood Select Board and the Municipal Budget Committee discussed coordinating early to produce a fiscal 2026 operating budget that complies with the 4% tax cap voters approved at the March 2025 town meeting.
The Budget Committee chair sent a letter urging disciplined planning and recommended steps including setting a clear budget target early, reviewing cost drivers, coordinating with the Select Board, limiting one-time revenue for recurring costs, exploring efficiency and shared services, and engaging the community. The Select Board agreed the committee will work collaboratively with department heads and the board to produce department-level targets that, when summed, meet the cap.
Board members and the Budget Committee emphasized that department heads know their spending best and should be given targets so initial requests align with the 4% constraint. One Select Board member described the approach as setting “department level kind of targets… so that when you go through all of these targets the total at the bottom will equal or be less than the 4% cap number.”
Participants discussed the mechanics of overrides and state law. A Select Board member noted current New Hampshire law allows a simple-majority override of the cap but that legislation (HB 200) could change the threshold; attendees said they would check legal guidance as the situation evolves.
The board and budget committee agreed to pursue a collaborative process and to consider a joint workshop to set targets and timelines before department submissions. The Select Board agreed to accept the Budget Committee’s offer to work together on targets and to present a unified approach to department heads ahead of budget season.
