Justin Evans
Express correspondent
Halifax Town Meeting Addresses Rising Costs and Citizen Petitions
Halifax officials are recommending the use of $745,000 in free cash to balance the town’s fiscal year 2026 budget, as rising education costs and minimal increases in state aid create significant financial challenges.
The proposal came during the May 12 Annual Town Meeting, where Town Administrator Cody Haddad presented an overview of the budget situation to residents.
“Due to significant increases in the cost of education, the town was facing a major budget shortfall,” Haddad explains. “In order to present a balanced budget for FY26, the Finance Committee and Board of Selectmen opted to utilize one-time funds, free cash, in the amount of $745,000 to subsidize the town’s operating budget.”
The town’s estimated revenues for FY26 are $30,635,633, representing a 3.26% increase from FY25. However, this growth is “largely stunted by a continued reduction in new growth and minimal increases in state aid,” according to Haddad.
Education costs are increasing by $1.25 million for FY26, with the Halifax Elementary School budget rising by 11.63% and the Silver Lake Assessment increasing by 5.6%. These increases may necessitate a Proposition 2.5 override to fund the FY27 budget.
“This is a buffer year, recognizing that next year, the town will likely need to go for a Proposition 2.5 override,” Haddad says.
Fixed costs that the town has little control over are also rising significantly. The assessment to Plymouth County retirement is increasing by almost 8%, and health insurance costs are up 8%.
In using free cash to balance the budget, several capital items had to be postponed, including a new ambulance, a police cruiser, and repairs to the historic Blacksmith Shop.
The budget includes reductions in staffing in the administration/selectmen’s office, building maintenance department, and library. Expense accounts in the Fire Department, Board of Health, Council on Aging, and library have also been reduced.
Halifax Elementary School has made several reductions to staffing and expense budgets to present a balanced budget this year.
Finance Committee Chair James Walters notes that the committee was unable to maintain its core values this year, including maintaining existing levels of government services and funding operating budgets exclusively from revenue funds.
The meeting also addressed several citizen petitions, and articles related to the MBTA Communities Act, which mandates certain zoning changes near transit stations.
Town Meeting approved Article 21, a proclamation stating the town’s opposition to the MBTA Zoning Law. The proclamation notes that Halifax “strongly opposes the provisions of Chapter 3A of the Acts of 2021, which mandate multi-family zoning as of right near MBTA stations in communities like Halifax.”
The proclamation urges the Massachusetts Legislature to amend or repeal the law “to restore local control over zoning decisions and to provide municipalities the ability to craft development solutions that are appropriate to their unique conditions and priorities.”
Town Counsel Richard Hucksam informed residents that the town recently filed a complaint in Superior Court asking a judge to issue an injunction to prevent the state from enforcing the MBTA zoning requirements.
“The town is technically in violation of the law,” explains Selectman John Bruno. “What we’re trying to do here is to work within the law, to work within the system, to change the law.”
A citizen petition (Article 25) requesting an impact study on the financial effects of the MBTA zoning law was defeated. The article, proposed by resident Van Donnelly, would have directed the Finance Committee to lead a study on how the MBTA zoning would affect town costs.
“Without an impact study sitting there with our town lawyers, I think we’re looking like we want to agree on something just to get rid of it,” Donnelly argues. “Without this impact study, we have no basis to go forward with lawsuits or anything else we want to do.”
Another citizen petition (Article 26) seeking to impose a moratorium on new building permits due to water supply concerns was also defeated. The article, proposed by resident Amy Troup, cited concerns about water bans, water quality issues, and capacity limitations.
Water Commission Chair Richard Clark strongly opposed the article, stating, “I’ve been with the water department for 40 years… I’ve never heard so much crap in my life.”
Clark explains that the department is currently working on a $3 million project to address water quality concerns. The treatment plant is back online, and the filtration plant is expected to be operational within days.
“When that gets back online, the superintendent is going to schedule some flushing in the areas of town that have had some dirty water during this time,” Clark says. “This fall, we’ll do a complete flushing, which will eliminate all of these problems.”
Town Meeting also approved Article 19, creating a new anti-littering bylaw with a $300 fine per violation. The bylaw was suggested by the town’s Beautification Committee.
“Litter is detrimental to the environment,” explains Beautification Committee Chair Shirley Graf. “Cigarette butts, the number one littered item, contain arsenic, lead, and nicotine, which can leach into our water and soil.”
The meeting marked the last for Town Administrator Cody Haddad and Board of Selectmen Chair John Bruno. In response to the applause at mention of his retirement, Bruno quipped, “Are they applauding because they’re glad I’m retiring, or are they congratulating me?”

On Wednesday, April 30, State Rep. Kathy LaNatra joined her colleagues in the Massachusetts House of Representatives to pass its Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget. Funded at $61.47 billion, nearly $500 million below Governor Maura Healey’s budget proposal, the House’s FY26 budget responds to the needs of residents, provides strong support for the Commonwealth’s cities and towns, and among many critical investments, includes significant funding for education, transportation, health care, housing, and workforce development.
“The House FY26 budget is a strong reflection of the Commonwealth’s commitment to delivering a best-in-the-nation education system, high-quality affordable health care for all, a transportation system that people can count on and a Commonwealth that delivers for hard-working middle class families,” said State Rep. Kathy LaNatra (D – Kingston). “I am proud of the record investments the House was able to make into childcare and early education, our public schools, the MBTA, higher education, mental health and so much more, all without raising taxes on families. At a time of so much uncertainty coming out of Washington, this fiscally responsible budget stands as a testament to our commitment to responsible governance. I’m deeply grateful to Speaker Mariano and Chairman Michlewitz for their leadership and their partnership in securing half a million dollars in critical investments in the communities of 12th Plymouth District.”
Representative LaNatra was proud to secure $500,000 in funding for the 12th Plymouth District to make investments into our local education, public safety, health care, tourism, libraries, and local planning needs. Rep. LaNatra worked closely with local municipal leaders and partners in the legislature to identify critical needs and support the following amendments to the budget:
$50,000 for the Fire Chiefs’ Association of Plymouth County, Inc. to maintain and upgrade emergency communication systems, to provide for mass casualty and major operations incident planning and training
$150,000 for Harbor Health Services Inc. for the planned expansion of their Plymouth Community Health Center
$25,000 for the Town of Plympton to purchase and install a new HVAC unit on Dennett Elementary School
$125,000 to address urgent technology upgrades to security, programs and support services for children and adult residents with complex disabilities at Latham Centers
$25,000 for improvements to the Pembroke Public Library’s new children’s library wing
$25,000 for ADA upgrades and other improvements to the historic Training Green in downtown Plymouth
$50,000 to Kingston 300, Inc. to print and design a book to support the town of Kingston’s 300th Anniversary Celebration
$50,000 to the Town of Halifax to update their Master Plan
The FY26 House budget funds Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) at $1.308 billion, and Chapter 70 education funding at $7.121 billion, representing a $257.2 million increase over the FY25 budget. The budget also funds the fifth year of a six-year implementation plan for the Student Opportunity Act (SOA), which was enacted in 2019 to ensure that public schools have the necessary resources to provide high-quality education to students, regardless of zip code or income level.
Utilizing Fair Share amendment funding, the budget provides an additional $120 per pupil in minimum aid supplements, increasing the minimum aid total to $150 per pupil. The budget also includes record investments into the special education circuit breaker, as well as fully funding universal schools meals for all public students in the Commonwealth. It includes a $1.67 billion investment into early education and childcare, $126.3 million over last fiscal year, demonstrating the Commonwealth’s belief that an affordable and reliable childcare system drives economic growth, affordability, and workforce development.
The House budget includes $22.43 billion for MassHealth, including $13.8 million in primary care rates and $5.3 million in behavioral health investments in outpatient and substance use disorder services. The House budget extends the Health Connector’s ConnectorCare Pilot program from two years to three years and expands its eligibility from 300% Federal Poverty Level (FPL) to 500% FPL.
There were 51,237 people enrolled in ConnectorCare Pilot as of June 2024.

The House’s FY26 budget also invests in the human services workforce, which provides services to our most vulnerable residents, by including $207 million for Chapter 257 rates for health and human service workers, and $132 million for rate increases for nursing facilities.
Speaker Mariano and the House Committee on Ways & Means introduced their FY26 budget proposal on April 16, 2025, following a review of the Governor’s proposal and a series of public hearings. The budget passed the House of Representatives 151-6 and now goes to the Senate for consideration.