Southampton officials outline two override options to close rising budget gap

Town Administrator Scott Zebeck told a packed meeting that Southampton faces a structural deficit driven by rising health-insurance, pension and school costs and slowing local receipts, and that the town will ask voters to choose between two Proposition 2½ override options on the upcoming ballot. The first question would raise $1.9 million for FY27; the second would raise $2.5 million. If both pass, the larger amount would govern.

Zebeck said the town projects roughly $22 million in revenue next year, with about 75% coming from the property-tax levy, and added the town expects limited growth in property-tax revenue under the state’s Proposition 2½ cap. He outlined revenue assumptions for FY27 — roughly $370,000 in additional property-tax capacity, a potential $120,000 increase in state aid (subject to finalization), and an anticipated $250,000 drop in local receipts such as permits and investment income — and said those changes, combined with steep cost increases, create the current gap.

Why the question matters: Under the base (no-override) budget presented, officials said the town would need deep cuts across municipal services and schools. Zebeck listed likely impacts if no override passes: reductions in classroom staffing and specialists at Norris Elementary, the elimination of nearly all library paid staff except the director, two eliminated highway machine-operator positions and reduced road maintenance, reductions in council on aging staffing, and a substantial cut to police overtime. He described a roughly $7 million ten-year capital backlog that would receive no dedicated funding in the base budget.

What each override would do: The $1.9 million option would restore several school positions (math interventionist, art teacher, reading interventionist and some paraprofessionals) and preserve one full-time paramedic, while also allocating about $300,000 per year toward capital needs. The $2.5 million option would fund Norris at the requested level, preserve municipal staffing and add about $350,000 per year to capital. Zebeck estimated the household tax impact for a median assessed value (~$490,000) at roughly $763 per year for the $1.9M option and under $1,000 per year for the $2.5M option; exact amounts vary by assessment.

Process and timing: Officials reminded residents that the base budget requires a two-thirds vote at town meeting, and the override questions require a simple majority at the election. Town meeting is scheduled for May 2 at 10 a.m. at Norris Elementary; the election is May 19, polls noon–8 p.m. More detailed budget comparisons, a tax calculator and short explainer videos are posted on the Town of Southampton’s FY27 budget page.

Officials’ caveats: Zebeck said some savings will come from joining the Group Insurance Commission, projecting $300,000–$400,000 in annual savings but with unspecified multi-year runout liabilities from leaving the Hampshire County insurance trust. He also noted that some positions restored under the budgets were previously funded partially with one-time grants; grant funding is not guaranteed into future years and the town cannot assume it will continue.

Next steps: Voters will see the override questions on the May 19 ballot; town meeting must first approve the base budget. If the base budget fails, the overrides are not actionable. The town is providing additional materials online and at upcoming meetings to help residents compare scenarios.