Acushnet Finance Committee warns FY27 deficit possible before budgets are even filed

ACUSHNET — January 29, 2026 — Acushnet's Finance Committee heard an early FY27 budget warning that projected costs could outstrip revenue growth before department heads file a single request. Town Administrator Jamie Geese told the committee Wednesday that a 2.75 percent across-the-board payroll increase would add roughly $500,000 to town-side costs, while health insurance is projected to rise between 15 and 20 percent — far above the 6-to-10 percent historical average — with final numbers not expected from insurers until March 1. Stacked against a net local aid gain of approximately $100,000 after state assessments, Geese said the town is "close to even" even at the lower insurance estimate, and in deficit at the higher one. Additional "budget busters" flagged include an expiring five-year trash-hauling contract, an Old Colony regional assessment, and unresolved school department payroll costs that ran more than $100,000 above town-side figures last year. Chair Michael R. Boucher noted that police overtime — historically a chronic overrun — is tracking at 52 percent at the half-year mark, a figure he called unprecedented.