Finance Committee Perspective on FY 2021 Budget and Taxes

Submitted by the Weston Finance Committee

​As follow-up to last week’s article by the Weston Finance Committee, detailing our lack of support for the proposed Fiscal Year 2021 town budget as recommended by the Town Manager, we want to provide some additional perspective on Weston’s taxes and spending.

​We do not oppose the school budget increase of 3.5%, which is 1.7% after adjusting for accounting changes and legally mandated special education expenses. Rather, we are concerned by the remaining proposed municipal budget in this unprecedented environment. We recommend deferring all significant discretionary spending and all proposed budget increases which are not absolutely necessary until after the current crisis has subsided. At that point, we may be able to restore discretionary expenses and investments on which there is already broad agreement and debate other increases as may be prudent at that time.