Braintree council adopts $175.7 million FY2026 budget; approves multiple fiscal measures

The Braintree Town Council voted unanimously on May 27 to adopt the town’s FY2026 operating budget and a series of related fiscal measures, including the creation of a special-purpose stabilization fund for special education costs, Community Preservation Act appropriations, and new or altered revolving funds.

The council approved a raise-and-appropriate motion of $175,664,045 to fund town and school operations for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025. The budget packet that accompanied the motion and the Ways and Means Committee review show that roughly 60% of the town’s spending is devoted to school-related activities.

Mayor Joyce told the council the FY2026 budget "stops the cycle of cutting" and preserves services, while noting continued fiscal challenges including pension and insurance costs and constrained growth in local aid. "Fiscal stability will be a functional obsession," she said.

Councilors on the Ways and Means Committee and the full council praised the budget for preserving services while warning it is narrowly balanced. Councilor Flaherty said the budget is "honest" about overtime and other costs but cautioned that the town’s solvency remains fragile; she pointed to library funding that remains only slightly above the state certification minimum and warned of growing future budget gaps unless revenues rise or costs are controlled.

Key fiscal actions approved (all motions passed unanimously unless noted): - FY2026 operating budget: $175,664,045 (funding sources listed in the motion; includes $2,762,245 from a debt exclusion). - Golf course operating appropriation: $2,281,570 (funded from golf course receipts). - Water and sewer division appropriation: $23,905,194 (majority from water/sewer receipts). - Stormwater appropriation: $1,624,405 (funded from stormwater receipts). - Cable/public access appropriation: $630,175 (funded from cable franchise fees). - Snow-and-ice liability authorization pursuant to G.L. c.44, §31D (authorizes liabilities in excess of appropriation for snow/ice, standard annual motion). - Transfers from certified free cash and other funds to support specific line items and debt service (motions specifying amounts and purposes were approved).

Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding motions: - $150,000 to the Community Housing Reserve. - $150,000 to the Open Space Reserve. - $150,000 to the Historic Resources Reserve. - $743,884 to the Community Preservation Budget Reserve. - $62,836 for administrative expenses for FY2026.

Revolving funds: the council set FY2026 spending limits for multiple revolving funds, including full-day kindergarten, school bus, library materials, recycling and others. The council also established a new Building Maintenance Revolving Fund (see below).

Supplemental appropriation and special funds: - A $300,000 transfer from FY2024 certified free cash to the Fire Department Details Fund (Fund 8910) to address outstanding invoices and negotiated settlements tied to prior fire-detail billing; the finance director said the transfer reduces the need to withhold certified free cash at year-end. - Creation of a Special Education Special-Purpose Stabilization Fund (pursuant to G.L. c.40, §5B) to set aside resources for unbudgeted, unforeseen special-education costs; any future use of the fund requires separate council approval. - Increase in the senior work-off program cap: annual household cap raised to $2,000 and total program cap to $75,000 for FY2026 (pursuant to G.L. c.59, §5K); Elder Affairs administers the program. - Establishment of a Building Maintenance Revolving Fund under DPW with a proposed FY2026 spending cap of $200,000 to receive licensing and facility-use fees to support routine repairs, utilities and maintenance of town and school facilities.

Councilors emphasized that, although the budget preserves services this year, the town must continue to find recurring revenue sources and manage cost drivers—particularly school-related spending, collective bargaining costs, and insurance expenses—to keep future budgets balanced.

The budget and associated measures were reported out of the Ways and Means Committee with unanimous favorable recommendations and adopted by the full council following public hearings held during the meeting.