West Warwick budget hearing spotlights nearly $6M proposal and $991,000 school request as layoff notices loom

Town Manager Mark opened the April 1 public hearing on the proposed West Warwick fiscal year 2026 budget, saying, “This total budget increase is slightly more than $5,900,000,” and outlining major line items and assumptions for next year.

The proposal includes a little more than $1.7 million in municipal expense increases, roughly $3.1 million in school state-aid pass-through appropriations, and a requested increase in the school department’s local appropriation of about $991,000. The manager said the levy increase was “slightly below 4%” and that the approximate tax-rate increase was “still hovering around 2.38%,” figures that could change as final tangible property returns and appeals are resolved.

The proposal trims department capital requests — about $1.2 million in total capital asks were eliminated in the town manager’s recommended budget — and applies new employer pension rates from the Employee Retirement System of Rhode Island (ERSRI). The manager also told the council that healthcare costs in the proposal reflect a 5.2% increase, property and liability insurance rose about 7.5%, workers’ compensation rose modestly, the tax-collection rate was assumed at 97%, and the plan did not rely on use of fund balance.

Nut graf: The hearing focused on tradeoffs between limiting tax increases and preserving services, with particular attention to the school department’s request and the potential personnel impacts. Residents and council members questioned transparency in benefit reporting and pressed for clarity about school layoffs, grant prospects and the rising cost of sending…