Canton adopts $153.4 million FY2027 operating budget, including $62.2 million for schools

The finance committee moved a series of motions under Article 48 and the town meeting voted to approve the town's FY2027 operating budget.

Motion 1: the committee moved to transfer a total of $5,997,203 from listed available funds into the general fund to partially fund FY2027 operating expenses; the moderator called the motion and it carried.

Motion 2: the committee moved to authorize a transfer of $183,083 from the Galvin Middle School capital stabilization account to pay first-year debt service on a bond anticipation note for the Galvin Middle School construction project; the moderator stated a two-thirds vote was required for transfers out of a stabilization fund and declared the motion carried.

Motion 3: the committee moved to set salaries and compensation for certain elected officials for FY2027; this motion sets pay levels and does not itself appropriate funds; it carried.

The finance committee then read the operating budget line items and the meeting voted on them: a school department appropriation of $62,175,614; municipal operating items totaling $30,958,783; fixed costs of $40,591,510; and enterprise funds for the Rink ($488,168), Sewer ($8,378,001) and Water ($10,772,955). The finance committee then moved and the meeting approved a combined operating budget of $153,365,031 for FY2027.

Finance Committee Chair Emilio emphasized the review and auditing process for allocations and reminded members that changes increasing appropriations require a corresponding reduction elsewhere or an identified lawful funding source. The motions carried with the moderator announcing "motion carries" for each item; the transcript does not record roll-call tallies.

The budget passage concludes the committee's recommendations for FY2027; town departments will proceed with planned spending subject to the appropriations approved by town meeting.