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Westerly finance board presents lean budget, council accepts recommendation amid school funding debate
Summary
The Westerly Finance Board recommended a budget that the board said lowers the mill rate from 7.27 to 7.03 by trimming capital requests and denying a proposed $400,000 use of school fund balance; the Town Council voted to accept the finance board recommendation after questions about school capital and fund balance.
The Westerly Town Council on April 6 accepted the Finance Board’s recommendations for the town’s fiscal 2026–27 budget after a lengthy presentation and council questioning.
Daryl Finesio, chair of the Westerly Finance Board, told the council the board produced a budget that “represents a tax cut of a rate from 7.27 to 7.03,” a result the board said it reached by cutting several town and school capital projects and by rejecting the school department’s proposal to use $400,000 of its fund balance to cover recurring operating costs. Finesio said the board prioritized maintaining operating budgets, debt service, and pension funding while seeking other funding paths — such as bonds or state reimbursement — for larger school capital projects.
The recommendation prompted detailed questions from councilors about priorities and long‑term impacts. Councilors pressed whether reducing capital this year risked higher costs or deferred maintenance later; Finesio and other board members said the board had proposed alternatives, including lengthening the term of capital bonds and using available school fund balance for one‑time capital that is eligible for state reimbursement rather than recurring operating needs.
Councilors also asked whether the board’s conservative revenue assumptions leave the town vulnerable to shocks. The board responded it deliberately chose conservative revenue projections to avoid structural deficits and noted growth in the grand list and investment income could reduce pressure going forward.
After deliberation the council moved to accept the finance board package. The motion was seconded and recorded as approved in the meeting minutes.
What happens next: the council will continue line‑by‑line budget deliberations in a series of public meetings; councilors and the public can restore specific capital items during subsequent votes if they choose. The finance board emphasized its role as an advisory body; final appropriations are made by the council.
