SWAMPSCOTT — Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald has proposed an operating budget of $71.7 million for fiscal year 2022, a 2.05 percent increase from last year’s adopted budget.
In a presentation to the Select Board Wednesday night, Fitzgerald and Assistant Town Administrator Ron Mendes explained that while the budget is a “zero-based” budget, meaning that it is meant to maintain levels of service while not providing unnecessary funding, it will not restrict municipal spending.
“This is not an austerity budget,” Mendes said. “This is a budget that reflects the needs of the departments to maintain municipal services.”
The proposed budget will include a 2 percent increase to the tax levy, below the 2.5 percent maximum allowed by law, the fourth year in a row that the proposed budget has been below that maximum.
According to the state budget proposed by Gov. Charlie Baker, local aid will decrease by an estimated 1.56 percent or $88,542, totaling $6,236,804 (the exact amount will be known later in the year). Swampscott Public Schools will see an increase in Chapter 70 funding of approximately 1.4 percent and a decrease in the charter school reimbursement of 28.7 percent.
The school budget, as recommended by the School Committee, comprises $31.09 million of the allotted funds, an increase of $754,925 or 2.5 percent over last year.
Major changes in the proposed budget include the transfer of Animal Control to the Swampscott Police Department, a transfer of a $100,000 line item for school facilities to the school department budget, and the budgeting of funds for a diversity and inclusion officer to the town’s staff.
Fitzgerald thanked the heads of all the town’s departments for their work in compiling the recommended budget.
“These budgets support their commitment to public service,” Fitzgerald said. “A lot of wonderful things happen during the year as a result of these limited funds.”
The proposed budget, incorporating suggestions from the Select Board, will be reviewed by the Finance Committee before being sent to the May Town Meeting for final approval and adoption.
