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Officials highlight grant sunsetting and Impact Aid uncertainty as budget risks
Summary
Superintendent and council members warned that the sunsetting of a WDA grant chunk and variability in Impact Aid and other supplemental funds will create revenue uncertainty for next year's budgets.
School and town officials told the joint meeting they face multiple revenue uncertainties heading into the next budget cycle, ranging from sunsetting grants to federal Impact Aid timing.
The superintendent said the district is "sunsetting the 2nd 0.5 of the WDA grant," describing that component as a $500,000 payment staged over five years, and cautioned that changes in how the state classifies certain programs (ag science and magnet formulas) have produced lumpy revenue streams. He added that Impact Aid eligibility and certification (particularly for tribal and military categories) have fluctuated and that payments are typically a year in arrears.
Council members noted the town benefited from about $2.1 million of supplemental funding this year that was largely one-time, leaving the community to fill a funding gap when those amounts fall back to roughly $800,000 in guaranteed support. Officials agreed that a joint lobbying message to state legislators could better reflect combined town and school needs; the moderator urged a coordinated voice to avoid sending mixed signals to lawmakers.
