Council approves FY27 appropriation that funds $17.1M for school transportation after debate

The Fall River City Council approved a revised fiscal year 2027 appropriation on July 27 that includes funding the school department’s $17,100,000 transportation request.

Councilors debated whether the full transportation request should be funded now or reduced on the basis of projected savings from redistricting, vacancy assumptions and the deployment of electric buses. Councilor (Speaker 2) argued for funding the full amount to avoid forcing deeper cuts in other departments later: “If we have to have a balanced budget, we know what their request is,” the councilor said, urging colleagues to approve the $17.1 million figure now.

Budget staff and school representatives said some savings are possible but not guaranteed. Agency official (Speaker 4) said the district has begun redistricting and will continue to work with the city’s finance team to refine transportation needs. Deputy Superintendent Liz Logot provided enrollment context during the discussion, stating the district’s current registers and past SIMS certification that feed state aid calculations.

Councilor Kadeem moved that the administration use reserve funds to cover a $450,000 shortfall in the transportation line; Vice President Deon seconded the motion. The clerk read the revised appropriation order, and the council approved the package by roll call, 8–1. The council’s action sets the FY27 appropriation at $483,583,582, with $471,038,883 to be raised from ordinary revenue and municipal receipts. The action allows the city to proceed with the budget while staff monitor actual transportation costs and return to adjust appropriations if necessary.

The council’s decision does not finalize internal transfers or how negotiated contract costs will be handled; staff said those follow-on steps will be addressed as contracts and final enrollment figures are certified.