Finance Committee sets April 16 public hearing on FY2027 budget, eyes $9.9M shortfall.
Dracut Finance Committee schedules April 16 public hearing on FY2027 budget confronting $9.9 million shortfall. Town Manager Kate Hodges presented a $133 million general fund budget, up 7.38 percent from fiscal 2025, driven by health insurance costs increasing 14.47 percent to the statutory
Finance Committee · Meeting of March 26, 2026
Dracut Finance Committee schedules April 16 public hearing on FY2027 budget confronting $9.9 million shortfall. Town Manager Kate Hodges presented a $133 million general fund budget, up 7.38 percent from fiscal 2025, driven by health insurance costs increasing 14.47 percent to the statutory maximum. The Dracut Public Schools requested $43.8 million before chargebacks; combined with proposed shared town expenses of $24.5 million, a $6 million increase, the total school-related cost reaches $68.3 million.
Hodges warned that property tax growth under Proposition 2½ ($4 million) falls short of health insurance and benefits increases alone ($4.8 million), defining the gap as a structural deficit that could trigger state receivership within several years if left unaddressed.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 331 words
Source: the Finance Committee meeting of March 26, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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