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Brookline officials outline austere FY27 cuts and three-tier override options to avoid deep multi‑year deficits
Summary
Superintendent Bella Wong presented a FY27 proposed budget trimmed from $12.8M to $7.1M in new costs; with a $1.7M town allocation the gap is ~$5.27M and staff described up to 210 FTE reductions across FY27–FY29 in a failed‑override scenario. Town Administrator Chaz Carey presented three override tiers for the Select Board to consider, including a tiered ask and options that would front‑load funds to build reserves and avoid a FY30 cliff.
The Brookline School Committee spent the bulk of its March 4 meeting on FY27 budget projections and the district’s analysis of a failed‑override scenario. Superintendent Bella Wong summarized staff work to reduce an initial FY27 gap from $12.8 million to $7.1 million by correcting enrollment projections, reorganizing district teams, and trimming lines. With the town’s current allocation of $1.7 million, she said the immediate gap is approximately $5.27 million.
Wong walked the committee through reductions already embedded in the proposed FY27 budget (a net 22.1 FTE reduction) and deeper cuts that would be required if alternate funding is not secured. The district presented modeled consequences across FY27–FY29: an additional 58.2 FTE reduction in FY27 (bringing a potential net FY27 total to ~80.3 FTE) and cumulative reductions that could total 210.3 FTE across the multiyear horizon if no alternate funding is identified. Staff identified…
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