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Wakefield school committee backs level‑service FY27 budget, urges residents to defend funding at town meeting
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Summary
After the finance committee recommended $300,000 in reductions, the Wakefield School Committee unanimously defended its level‑service FY27 budget, warned cuts would mean layoffs and directed subcommittees to prepare for town meeting on May 4.
The Wakefield School Committee on April 29 said it will present its unanimously approved level‑service fiscal 2027 budget to town meeting after the town finance committee recommended $300,000 in reductions.
Committee members, administrators and the superintendent described the budget as a carefully built, level‑service plan with settled collective‑bargaining costs and known full‑time equivalent positions. Dr. Lyons, the superintendent, and Tom Markham, chair of the finance and facilities subcommittee, told the committee the recommended reduction came late in the process and that revenue projections remain unclear.
"It is incredibly late in the game to suddenly ask for a cut to our budget," the committee was told when a statement from Chairman Fontanella was read aloud urging the panel to let town meeting decide. Committee member Pete warned that a $300,000 reduction would "result in layoffs and direct services being cut," and urged residents to attend town meeting in person to support the schools.
Administrators highlighted steps the district has already taken to reduce the local tax ask, including raising user fees, increasing program tuition where appropriate and drawing on revolving accounts. Director Christine Bufagna said the district uses revolving funds for things such as facilities rentals, athletics and after‑school programming and cited roughly $150,000 in avoided town capital requests and "well over $1,000,000 of costs" that these accounts help cover.
Committee members said the proper response is to continue transparency and ask questions about revenue forecasts rather than make abrupt cuts. Several members called a Friday finance subcommittee meeting to develop strategy ahead of town meeting; town meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 4, at 7:00 p.m. at the Galvin.
The committee did not change its budget at the meeting; instead members agreed to present the existing level‑service budget and let town meeting decide whether to accept it or a reduced appropriation. The finance subcommittee will meet Friday morning to prepare presentations and remarks for the town meeting.
