Wilmington Town Manager Wants Half-Percent Budget Increase

WILMINGTON, MA — Wilmington Town Manager Jeffrey Hull proposed a 0.46 percent budget increase for the next fiscal year, beginning July 1, at a recent meeting of the Board of Selectmen.

Hull said at the Jan. 25 meeting that he and the town budget team sought a minimal increase due to the effects of the pandemic over the last year.

The total budget would rise from $119.3 million to $119.9 million.

Hull proposed a 3.57 percent tax levy increase but projected an offsetting 2.45 percent decrease in local receipts. Hull also proposed that the town spend half as much of its free cash as in the previous two years.

The town manager projected a small decrease in state aid.

The tax levy share of the total revenues would go up slightly, from 75.6 percent in the current fiscal year to 78 percent in Fiscal Year 2022. But Hull did not lay out the projected household tax increase from that 3.57 percent levy increase.

Under Hull's proposal, the school would see a 2.5 percent budget increase, the town a 2.16 percent increase and Shawsheen Tech a 12.8 percent increase — Wilmington's enrollment at Shawsheen Tech is expected to rise significantly. But "shared costs," which includes insurance and debt, would drop 4.6 percent.

Salaries and overtime, insurance and technology investments are likely to be major cost increases, while borrowing costs and capital spending are likely to fall, among other costs, Hull said.

Selectmen praised Hull's proposal, which came ahead of weeks of Finance Committee hearings on the details.

Board Chair Jonathan Eaton thanked Hull for "holding the line" but "maintaining the level of services residents are used to, avoiding layoffs and continuing to invest."

The full budget book is available here. Hull's presentation is here and the full meeting is available here from WCTV.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.