Plaistow debate over $13.3 million operating budget ends with article placed on ballot as written

Plaistow — After more than two hours of debate at the town’s deliberative session on Feb. 1, town meeting voters voted to place the proposed operating budget — $13,306,304 — on the official ballot as written, rejecting several citizen amendments that would have drawn on the town’s unassigned fund balance or reduced the bottom-line appropriation.

The proposal drew repeated attention from residents who said the town’s municipal tax rate is high compared with neighboring towns and urged sharper cuts. Holly Patterson, a resident who filed an amendment, said “with 2.6, almost $2,700,000 sitting in unassigned funds, I think at this point we need to take a hard look.” Patterson later withdrew one version of her motion and refiled a different amendment intended to apply $1.5 million from the unassigned fund balance toward the budget.

Why it matters: The operating budget sets the town’s bottom-line appropriation and is a major driver of the 2025 municipal tax rate. Voters at the deliberative session can recommend changes, but the final appropriation will be decided at the official ballot vote on March 11.

Most contested points - Use of unassigned fund balance: Town Manager and Finance Director Greg Colby explained the unassigned fund balance is “not…