Town leaders unveil $80.2 million budget plan

Select Board · Meeting of March 2, 2026

Swampscott's Select Board, School Committee and Finance Committee jointly reviewed an $80.2 million preliminary FY27 budget that would raise the average tax bill by $849. Town Administrator Nicholas Connors presented the plan, which assumes a 14.5 percent health insurance increase and a 15 percent "holding" figure for a new solid waste contract up for bid this spring. Select Board member Mary Ellen Fletcher argued against adding $227,000 to the overtime budget, saying police and fire are "significantly understaffed" no longer and deserve a data-driven staffing review instead.

Finance Committee members pressed Connors to lower the solid waste estimate closer to 8 percent to strengthen the town's negotiating position. Officials warned that without structural changes, Swampscott could face a formal override within one to two years.

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Source: the Select Board meeting of March 2, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.