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Foster council previews preliminary 2026 budget, proposes 2.98% levy increase and boosts capital to $700,000
Summary
At a March 26 public hearing the Foster Town Council reviewed a preliminary budget that would raise the levy by 2.98%, add a 10th police officer, and increase capital funding to $700,000 while using school savings to shore up reserves.
FOSTER — The Foster Town Council on March 26 opened a preliminary budget hearing and outlined priorities for the 2026 fiscal year, including a proposed 2.98% increase in the town levy and a boost to capital spending.
Chair opened the hearing and walked the council through departmental requests and known drivers of higher costs such as pension and health‑care increases and new election staffing for expanded early voting. "We are budgeting an increase in the levy of 2.98%," the chair said during the presentation of revenues and expenses.
The council heard about a full property revaluation estimated at roughly $112,000–$115,000 and a range of higher recurring software costs for police, finance and planning systems. Officials said the state‑mandated planning software (OpenGov) should be reimbursed by the state but timing is uncertain.
Budget changes also reflect internal reallocation of utilities and building‑maintenance expenses from the Department of Public Works into the departments that use the facilities — for example, recreation fields and the new police station — which altered department line items. Public works leaders cited rising overtime, gravel and road‑material costs and a $15,000 increase in the town’s refuse contract.
Public‑safety spending rose substantially in the draft budget after the council proposed adding a 10th full‑time police officer to improve coverage and reduce overtime reliance. Officials said adding a full‑time post will increase payroll, pension and health costs but could reduce expensive overtime shifts.
The council also moved to increase its capital contribution to $700,000 — roughly 4% of operating budget — reversing several years of withdrawals to fund one‑time projects such as the police station. Council members said they used a windfall from a favorable student‑population shift in the Foster‑Glocester Regional School District (about $300,000) to shore up capital and fund a $165,000 request from Payne School while adding roughly $200,000 to a student population‑shift reserve.
On revenues, town officials said some of the levy pressure will be offset by new local sales‑tax revenue from a recently opened retail business; first quarter receipts are expected to clarify that line in April. The chair said the town plans to hold a budget workshop in early April and then move to adoption at the financial town meeting on April 9.
No formal budget adoption took place; the hearing closed and council members said they will meet again for targeted department follow ups before finalizing the appropriation.
