Westborough opens FY2026 budget hearing; town manager flags insurance, debt and a $969 average tax impact

The Westborough Select Board opened the public hearing on the town's proposed FY2026 budget and heard an extended presentation from Town Manager Christy, who outlined key cost drivers and revenue assumptions and urged a cautious approach to estimates.

"For fiscal 26, we are estimating an increase of just over 4%," Town Manager Christy said during the presentation and noted the town currently projects an average single‑family tax impact of about $969 in the proposed budget. She told the board the town used a level‑service budgeting approach and added an expense ledger this year to help residents follow line‑item changes.

Why it matters: the board and residents pressed staff on several fixed and volatile costs that could affect the final tax rate. Christie flagged health insurance as a significant area of uncertainty: the budget assumed a 10% increase, but the insurer's initial renewal came back at 16.9%. The presentation also highlighted an increase in debt service tied to capital projects and the continuing carrying cost of the community center.

Other notable items in the budget presentation included the town's pay‑as‑you‑throw waste management program, implemented July 1, 2024. The town reported a large reduction in estimated waste tonnage for FY26 (from roughly 4,700 tons to about 1,900) and expects approximately $290,000 in revenue from bag sales and stickers, offsetting program costs.

Public input and board reaction: a resident group presenting under the name "Wolf and Savoy" argued Westborough's costs rank high among peer communities and urged aggressive steps to limit the proposed tax increase. "Keep the taxpayer in mind when you're deliberating on your budget," the presenter said. Board members asked staff to prepare alternative scenarios for Thursday's budget summit, including what a level‑funded or targeted‑reduction budget would mean for services.

Next steps: the Select Board closed the hearing after public comment and directed staff to present refinements at a joint budget summit with the Advisory Finance Committee on Thursday, Jan. 30, in the Great Hall. The board emphasized it could ask staff for a targeted reduction and expected a follow‑up presentation showing departmental impacts.