Warren Town Budget Starts to Take Shape

Costs for Warren government and school operations would go up about $600,000, according to a draft budget plan discussed by the town council on Feb. 23.

Nearly all of that increase [about $416,000] would go toward the town's contributon to the Bristol-Warren Regional School District.

According to the draft budget, the total spending plan would reach about $22.5 million, with $10.3 million funding municipal services, and a $12.2 million payment to the regional school department.

School committee members on Feb. 21 approved a $53.7 million proposed budget, about $300,000 less than the current budget, according to East Bay Newspapers — but since Gov. Lincoln Chafee has to Bristol-Warren, the towns will still have higher contributions to make in fiscal 2014.

Warren officials are scheduled to continue their discussion on the town's fiscal 2014 budget on Saturday morning at 9 am at Warren Town Hall. An agenda for the meeting is attached to this article.

Following Saturday's meeting, the town council is expected to review the plan at upcoming meetings before submitting it to voters at the Financial Town Meeting in May.