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Rep. LaNatra and House pass budget for FY26

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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.

Fire Station moves forward with $14M price tag

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Justin Evans
Express correspondent
The Town of Plympton is advancing plans for a new fire station, with construction bids coming in at $11.1 million, nearly $2 million under the estimated cost. The total project, including equipment and other expenses, is expected to cost $14,285,000.
Jon Wilhelmsen, chair of the building committee, presented the project details and costs during a recent information session, emphasizing the need to replace the current 50-year-old station.
“Our current station is 50 years old. It’s done a great job, and I think it’s done another great job yet again because it’s done so much more than it was ever designed for,” Wilhelmsen says.
The existing station, originally designed for a call-fire department without EMS services, now struggles to accommodate modern equipment and safety requirements.
“The space and facilities properly cleaned and decontaminated are severely lacking in the building,” Wilhelmsen explains, noting that the current layout fails to separate contaminated gear from administrative and public areas.
The proposed 18-month construction project would begin this summer if approved at the annual town meeting on May 14 and in a subsequent debt exclusion vote on May 17.
For the average Plympton homeowner with a property valued at approximately $8,500 in annual taxes, the project would add about $468 annually, or $117 quarterly, to their tax bill. This amounts to 88 cents per $1,000 of property valuation. This assumes a 30-year bond at 4.5%, however borrowing will be at market rate sometime this summer if the project is approved.
The town plans to offset some costs by supplementing $100,000 annually from capital stabilization funds. Additionally, existing debt that will be paid off in the next two years, the Dennett and Silver Lake debt, will help mitigate the impact on taxpayers.
Dan Pallotta, the owner’s project manager from P3, emphasizes the competitive pricing secured for the project.
“If you look at the cost of fire stations and Google it, all throughout the Commonwealth, you might find a substation, which is subsidiary to a headquarters. You might find one that’s a little less than this, but you’re not going to find a headquarters less than the cost of this project,” Pallotta says.
The building committee received eight bids from pre-qualified contractors, with the lowest responsible bid coming in at $11.145 million. The selected contractor has experience building fire and police stations and has previously worked with the project’s architecture firm.
The new station will be located behind the police station on the town complex. The design includes an apparatus bay large enough for all department vehicles, dedicated decontamination areas, administrative space, living quarters, and a training room that can double as a community space.
“This allows for them to come in from a fire, be able to take their gear off, be able to utilize it with gear washers and dryers, be able to decontaminate in the showers that are in here before they ever get back into the other space,” Wilhelmsen explains about the decontamination area.
The project also includes a new septic system for the entire town complex, estimated to cost about $100,000. A separate project funded by American Rescue Plan Act money will provide a new public water supply for the complex.
Committee members stress that renovation of the existing station was considered but rejected as impractical and potentially more expensive. Renovation would require a temporary station costing $2 to $3 million and would still not address all the space limitations.
“From a cost-efficiency standpoint, renovation is not an option to continue to use this as a fire facility for the next 50 years,” Wilhelmsen says.
The committee suggests the current fire station could potentially be repurposed as a community center or senior center after the new station is completed.
During the information session, one resident, Nancy Butler, emphasized that the project is about more than just a building.
“My concern is the safety of these men back here. I have firefighters in my family, and I know what they go through. And I think we need to seriously consider their safety,”Butler sid. “These are our friends. These are our neighbors. They live on our street. They live in our town. We need to protect them as much as we need a new building.”
The proposed debt exclusion would remain on tax rolls for the 30-year bond period and then drop off, rather than permanently raising the tax levy.
Wilhelmsen urges residents to attend the next information session or reach out to committee members with questions before the May votes.
“If we don’t do it this year, next year it’s going to cost more. It’s the only thing I can promise you,” Wilhelmsen says, noting that construction costs have been increasing at 7 to 8 percent annually, well above the 2.5 percent annual tax increase limit under Proposition 2.5.

Bicycle maintenance program at Kingston Library’s Faunce School Tuesday, May 6

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Jason Murray of the South Shore Bikers will conduct a workshop on bicycle maintenance on Tuesday, May 6 at 5 p.m. outside at the Faunce School, 17 Green St., Kingston.
Murray will explain how to change a tire and perform basic maintenance on your bicycle. The workshop is geared for bicycle enthusiasts of all skill levels as the spring cycling season in New England begins.
The South Shore Bikers was founded in 2016, as a bicycle club dedicated to road biking. Most of the rides are along the coastline of Massachusetts Bay and the South Coast. The objective of the club is to develop new riders into solid, safe riders while building camaraderie in the cycling community.
You can learn more about this organization at
https://southshorebikers.com.
To register for this event, please visit – https://kingstonpubliclibrary.org. For more information, contact Steven Miller, Reference Librarian at (781) 585-0517 x6272 or at [email protected].

 

Firearms range proposed in Kingston

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The Kingston Board of Selectmen met on Tuesday, April 22. Kingston Police Department Detective/Lieutenant Mike Skowyra, who oversees tactical and firearm training, presented before the Selectmen regarding a firearm’s training request. Skowyra explained that there was a need for a range due to the necessity of firearms annual qualification and training as well as less lethal shotgun training and taser training. He said that they have had to utilize range space from other towns/departments which creates scheduling issues as well as other problems. He said that another alternative would be to pay to use private gun ranges in the area. “If we were to build this range in the proposed space… we currently anticipate… really no additional cost,” Skowyra said. He did note that there could be a potential for a $1,000 cost to bring in an excavator. He also noted that if they had to fire lead-free ammo, there would be a slight increase in cost which would equate to about $250-$500 per year.

Regarding site selection, Skowyra said that they had a number of restrictions to contend with, including being prohibited from being 500 ft from a residence and 150 ft from a roadway. The site is also not allowed on conservation property or within wetlands. He said that left them with one viable property – the waster water and transfer station property. Skowyra did note that they planned to do most of the activity on the range while the transfer station is closed.

Skowyra acknowledged that residents would be able to hear the gunshots. Selectman Kimberley Emberg was unable to attend but did pass her concern along to Selectmen Chair Eric Crone to share. Crone said that both he and Emberg felt that there should be a public hearing available to residents within a certain radius that may be affected by the noise. Town Administrator Keith Hickey said that could be setup. Crone said that while he supported the public hearing, it was a “noisy area” regardless including noise from the nearby train station. The public hearing is scheduled for May 6 and maps are available on the town website.

The Selectmen also held a public hearing for a street acceptance for Timber Ridge and Sequoia Dr.

Hickey said, “these two roads are in such good shape and new, the need to have the initial review to determine what improvements need to be made, doesn’t need to happen.” Hickey said that if they received 90 percent of signatures from the homeowners, they might be able to bring it before the town at the fall town meeting. Crone said that it doesn’t cost the town anything in the immediate to accept the streets but noted that it meant in the future they would be responsible for upkeep. Crone asked if any of the affected residents didn’t want the roads accepted and was told “everyone has been positive so far.” The Selectmen voted to approve the request from 34 South St. Homeowner’s Association Trust to move to the next step in the road acceptance policy.

Crone said they had a request to reduce the number of available razor clam licenses which previously had been set at 11 licenses annually. He said that the Board asked the Shellfish Constable to establish a minimum number of shellfish to be harvested by each license holder to maintain their license from the previous year. The Shellfish Constable, however, was not recommending a minimum as there is no waiting list for licenses now. The current Harbormaster and Shellfish Constable is requesting that the licenses be reduced to nine; there are currently nine license holders and no waiting list. The Selectmen voted to approve the renewal of the nine razor clam licenses through June 30, 2026. The license fee was set at $300 and the number of licenses was reduced to nine.

The Board took up whether to allow early voting for the annual town election. Hickey told the Selectmen that the Town Clerk was requesting they not approve early voting for the annual election in May. The Selectmen voted unanimously to support no early voting.
Crone told his fellow Selectmen that they had a request to refinance an affordable living unit. “The owners of the property at 27 Bog View Rd. purchased the property through an affordable living unit lottery through the Office of Housing and Living Communities,” Crone said. The Board approved the request to refinance the property with a few stipulations.

The Board also voted to approve a one-year employment contract with Deputy Fire Chief Adam Hatch.

Before adjourning, Hickey provided some updates including several Fire Department grants. A grant was awarded in the amount of $4k for student awareness of Fire education, $2,200 for senior awareness of Fire Education, and $4,554 for firefighter safety equipment. The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has also awarded Kingston a $44,000 grant to update the town’s Housing Production Plan and Housing Needs Assessment.

Celebrating Cinco De Mayo

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It’s 60 degrees out; the thermometer doesn’t lie.
I can feel the energy changing as the Spring weather ebbs and summer approaches. And, as if that wasn’t enough reason to celebrate, the opportunity to welcome in the month of May is upon which means Cinco De Mayo.
If you are anything like me, good food and good drink go hand in hand, especially Margaritas. The multitude of different ways a Margarita can be crafted could fill a book, never mind this small paper, and that story will have to wait.
Today I want to ask a larger question: what is Cinco De Mayo? The short answer, Cinco De Mayo celebrates the Mexican Army’s victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla in 1862, not Mexican Independence. Though it is not a national holiday in Mexico the event is celebrated with parades, parties and traditional foods like Mole Poblano. How did it come to the United States you ask? We can give thanks to Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR), who though best known for the “New Deal”, was instrumental in bringing the holiday to the United States. America was just beginning to rise back out of the ashes of the Great Depression and FDR was looking to build bridges with our neighbors to the south, Central and South America. Roosevelt wanted to emphasize cooperation and trade rather than military force to maintain stability in the hemisphere, so in his inaugural address on March 4, 1933, Roosevelt stated “In the field of world policy I would dedicate this nation to the policy of the good neighbor – the neighbor who resolutely respects himself and, because he does so, respects the rights of others.” The history of this idea and the desire to continue it in our modern world makes this writer smile, because I am free to be a good neighbor and sit down and enjoy a margarita with any and all of my neighbors; that is a beautiful… and delicious thing.
For the best local margaritas and authentic traditional Mexican food please try Cancun – A Family Mexican Restaurant at 145 Main St., Kingston, or Fiesta Charra, at 66 Main St. in Carver.

 

 

Annual Town elections – what you need to know

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Plympton’s Annual Town Election will be held Saturday, May 17, at the Plympton Town House, 5 Palmer Rd., Rte. 58. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Plympton’s Annual Town Meeting is Wednesday, May 14, at the Dennett Elementary School, 80 Crescent St., at 7 p.m. Special Town Meeting will take place at 8 p.m. within the Annual Town Meeting.
The last day to register to vote for the Annual Town Meeting and the Annual Election is today, Friday, May 2.
The only contested seat is that of Selectman. John Traynor, candidate for re-election, is being challenged by Nathaniel Sides, member of the Finance Committee.
Halifax’s Annual Town Election will be held Saturday, May 17, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Halifax Elementary School, 464 Plymouth St., Rte. 106.
Halifax’s Annual Town Meeting will be held Monday, May 12, at 6:30 p.m. at the Halifax Elementary School, 464 Plymouth St., Rte. 106. For a copy of the Town Warrant, go to https://www.halifax-ma.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif4496/f/uploads/atm_warrant_may_12th_2025.pdf
There are 20 articles on the Halifax Town Warrant. Article number 19 deals with the enforcing of Chapter 138, Litter Control. Enforcing officers shall be the members of the Halifax Police Dept. and the Health Agent for the Town of Halifax. The penalty for littering is $300.
The sample ballot for the Halifax Town Election shows a contest for the position of Constable. Thomas Hammond, candidate for re-election, is joined on the ballot by Jake R. Okerfelt of Holmes St. and Michael J. Schleiff of Paradise Lane. Voters are asked to choose two of the three candidates.
There are three candidates seeking two positions for the three-year term on the Board of Library Trustees: Susan Hill and Erin P. Nagle, candidates for reelection, are being challenged by Rodney D. Hemingway of Ridge Road.
For Board of Selectmen, Gordon C. Andrews of Elm St. and William J. Smith of Orchard Circle are competing for one three-year term.
The last day to register to vote in both the Annual Town Meeting and the Town Election is Friday, May 2. The last day to apply for a Mail-in Ballot is Monday May 12, and Absentee Ballot is Friday, May 16.
For answers to any questions, contact the Town Clerk’s office by calling 781-293-7970 or emailing [email protected].
Kingston’s Annual Election will be held Saturday, May 17,at the Kingston Elementary School cafeteria. All Precincts, 1-4, will vote there.
The last day to register to vote in the Kingston Town Election is May 7. The last day to request a vote by mail application is Monday, May 12. The last day to apply for an in-person Absentee ballot is Friday, May 16, 2025 by noon in the Town Clerk’s Office, 26 Evergreen St.
The Board of Selectmen has two residents seeking the one three-year term: Carl L. Pike and Jesse J. Pyne.
Three candidates are seeking election to the three-year term on the Board of Health. They are Joseph F. Casna, Jr., incumbent, William J. Kavol, also incumbent, and Rosemary Donahoe.

Hazardous Waste Collection May 3

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The Town of Halifax will hold a hazardous waste collection event on Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Halifax Highway Barn, 60 Hemlock Lane. All hazardous waste being discarded must be in their originally labeled and sealed containers. Containers that are not in their originally labeled and sealed containers and containers that are leaking or rusted will not be accepted. No commercial or industrial hazardous waste will be accepted. All Halifax residents are permitted to participate in this year’s hazardous waste collection event at no cost. Proof of Halifax residency must be presented upon arrival.

Plympton reviews Town Meeting warrant

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Justin Evans
Express correspondent
The Plympton Board of Selectmen reviewed the proposed Town Meeting warrant at their April 14 meeting, discussing a spending plan that shows a 7.4% increase over the current year. The board also discussed plans to expand library hours and the town’s compliance with MBTA zoning requirements to maintain grant eligibility.
Town Administrator Liz Dennehy presented the budget section by section, highlighting areas with significant changes.
“Insurance and pension are costs that we just can’t get away from,” Dennehy explains. “The county pension is a fixed number. They tell us what that’s going to be. And as you can see, it went up substantially.”
Group health insurance costs are also increasing significantly, contributing to the overall budget growth.
The Recreation Department’s budget request shows one of the largest percentage increases. Last year, the department operated with a $10,250 annual budget plus an additional $10,000 from a separate article. This year, they requested $48,736, though Dennehy was able to reduce that by $4,000.
“Finance committee does not want to continue with the article, so they asked them to put the cost for field maintenance into the operating budget,” Dennehy says. She added that the Finance Committee was anticipating an amount closer to $20,000
The substantial increase is primarily for field maintenance, with costs estimated at about $9,000 per field for three fields.
“I understand from their point of view, they worked very hard, obviously, to build that committee back up and to do some really meaningful work with all the fields and getting things usable. They don’t want to see that slip back,” Dennehy notes.
Chair John Traynor acknowledged the recreation committee’s accomplishments.
“I think it’s great that we’ve got a very active recreation committee. And they have done a really good job out there. The fact that we have lights on the field still kind of, I’m in awe to go up and see it,” Traynor says.
The Fire Department budget includes a proposal to add four people to the union. The chief wants to have three people on some nights and every weekend.
“For any person that you add to the union, you also have to then allow for holiday pay, for example, so it doesn’t come without a cost, even though they’re still technically on call,” Dennehy explains.
Traynor notes that the department’s operational template is changing.
“Fires are not what drives the fire department anymore. It’s medical emergencies. And we also know that when we do medical emergencies for other towns, mutual aid, we get that revenue,” he says.
The Library Trustees are proposing a significant increase in hours for the library, from the current 26 hours per week to a minimum of 40 hours. This would require an adjustment to the Library Director’s salary to accommodate the additional hours.
“The library director was currently surveying people to figure out what days might make sense, and hours, and things like that,” Dennehy says.
The board also reviewed Article 19 for the annual town meeting, which establishes a residential development overlay district along Route 106 to comply with MBTA zoning requirements.
Dennehy explains that this is “a mandate to zone, not a mandate to build” and would simply give property owners along that stretch another option if they decide to sell or develop their land.
The town recently received a $73,200 community compact grant that includes language requiring MBTA zoning compliance.
“Now they’re starting to put right in these grants that if you’re not in compliance with the MBTA zoning, you forfeit the funds,” Dennehy warns.
Traynor acknowledges the difficult position the state has put the town in.
“I think it’s a terrible position that the state has put us in, because Plympton, quite frankly, with its 3,000 people, not even that, is not where this was being directed to. But I do think it would be foolish of us to walk away from this and lose the grants,” Traynor says.
The town has received more than $2 million in grants over the past two and a half years.
“I know our state representative has said Plympton is the most aggressive town that she works with, in terms of going after grants. And I think we want to continue that,” Traynor added.
Vice Chair Mark Russo agreed with the pragmatic approach.
“The legislation, I think, is abysmally, poorly thought through, an unfunded mandate, seeing the towns all as the same. I hate this approach,” Russo says. “All that being said, we’re a little tiny town. This is a battle I don’t think we should be taking up.”
In addition to the community compact grant, the town recently received two grants for the fire department: a $3,520 senior safe grant for public safety education for older adults, and a $1,875 fire equipment grant.
The Plympton Board of Selectmen has also given the green light to renew Comcast’s cable TV license for another 10 years.
Under the new agreement, Comcast will pay the town 5% of its gross revenues annually to fund public TV. The contract also includes set payments for capital improvements.
Russo, who spearheaded the negotiations, is pleased with the outcome. “We’ve landed on a really solid contract,” he says. “It aligns us with the other two towns in Area 58.”
This deal puts Plympton on par with its neighbors Carver and Halifax, who also receive 5% of Comcast’s gross revenues for public access TV.
Russo emphasizes the importance of the fixed annual payments for capital improvements. “This gives us the certainty we needed to plan effectively,” he explains.
The renewal process has resulted in a more streamlined 59-page agreement, down from the previous 99-page contract.
Reflecting on the process, Russo noted, “It’s interesting to see how similar our situation is a decade later.”
He also praised the regional approach to cable TV services among Plympton, Carver, and Halifax. “Having one combined cable television studio has been fantastic,” Russo said. “It’s working well for us and sets an example for other towns.”
The new license takes effect July 1, 2025.
The annual town meeting is scheduled for May 14, where residents will vote on the budget and other articles. The Finance Committee is expected to finalize their recommendations at their meeting later that evening.

Halifax faces budget challenges

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Justin Evans
Express correspondent
Halifax is grappling with significant budget constraints for fiscal year 2026, with town officials projecting minimal new growth and substantial increases in education costs.
Town Administrator Cody Haddad presented the fiscal year 2026 budget overview during a recent Finance Committee budget forum, highlighting the challenges facing the town.
“What we saw for fiscal 26 was we have little to no growth in Halifax anticipated for the year,” Haddad says. “We’re confident we’re not going to get $100,000 in new growth for fiscal 26.”
The town is projecting only $75,000 in new growth for the upcoming fiscal year, a dramatic decrease from the more than $300,000 seen five years ago. This decline in growth significantly impacts Halifax’s ability to fund services and capital projects.
Education costs represent the largest increases in the town’s operating budget. Halifax Elementary School’s budget is increasing by 11.63%, amounting to $793,675, while Silver Lake’s assessment is rising by 5.6%, or $455,530.
To balance the budget amid these challenges, town officials plan to use $745,000 in free cash to subsidize the operating budget, despite recommendations against this practice from the financial team.
“That was not recommended by myself and our financial team,” Haddad explained. “The town relies on the free cash to fund capital items, and without that, we would not be funding all of our capital items. It also creates a fiscal cliff in fiscal 27.”
The total recommended budget for fiscal year 2026 stands at $31,380,584. Town departments, including public safety, general government, and highway, make up 26.4% of the total operating budget. Insurance and benefits account for 12.6%, while the elementary school represents 24.27% and Silver Lake comprises 27.36%.
In addition to using free cash, the town is implementing various cost-cutting measures. These include removing a new ambulance, a police cruiser, and repairs to the blacksmith shop from the capital plan. Staffing reductions will affect the administration and Selectman’s office, building maintenance, and the library.
Halifax Elementary School has also had to make several reductions from its initially requested budget.
The town’s revenue picture shows the tax levy accounting for 65% of total revenues at $20,401,342. Local receipts, including motor vehicle excise tax, marijuana income, and meals tax, are estimated at $2.731 million, representing 8.7% of revenues. State aid is projected at $4.861 million, or 15.5% of revenues.
Haddad notes that state aid, particularly around education, is not being provided at appropriate levels. “We’re not being reimbursed or given the aid at levels that we should be,” he says.
Fixed costs are also putting pressure on the budget. Plymouth County retirement is increasing by nearly 8%, amounting to $150,000, while group insurance for health coverage is rising by 8%, adding almost $100,000 to expenses.
Public safety departments are maintaining essentially flat budgets from fiscal year 2025 to 2026, with some line-item adjustments. The police department is seeing savings due to senior officers retiring and being replaced by new officers at lower rates.
The town is also facing new expenses, including required PFAS testing for the town-owned landfill. This testing will cost approximately $10,000 annually for the foreseeable future.
“We were notified by DEP in late 2024 that we were going to have to start conducting this PFAS testing,” Haddad explains. “We had not previously been required to do that.”
Another notable increase is in the Veterans Agent salary, which is rising by $11,500 to meet state requirements. The state recently mandated that veterans’ agents must work at least 20 hours per week to maintain accreditation for processing veterans’ claims.
The legal account is increasing by $30,000 due to anticipated litigation regarding MBTA zoning compliance issues and upcoming negotiations with five of the town’s seven unions.
Haddad emphasized that unlike households, municipalities have limited flexibility in reducing costs. “Unlike at home, where if you want your heating bill to be a little bit lower because you need to penny pinch a little bit this month, you can turn down your thermostat and throw on a sweatshirt… We don’t have that flexibility within a municipality.”
The town plans to hold another budget forum on May 5, a week before town meeting, to provide residents with additional information and answer questions about the fiscal year 2026 budget.

Halifax Police support Autism Awareness Patch Fundraiser

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With the April 30 deadline fast approaching, Massachusetts residents still have time to apply for the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) – a critical resource that helps eligible households pay for winter heating costs.
This free statewide program provides grants (that do not need to be repaid) directly to heating providers, helping renters and homeowners keep their homes safe and warm. Households do not need to be on public assistance or have unpaid bills to qualify.
Residents can explore eligibility and apply online at:  https://toapply.org/MassHEAP or connect with their local administering agency for support.

The Halifax Police Department is announcing its third year partnering with the Flutie Foundation, a leading non-profit in the autism community, by selling Halifax Police collectible autism awareness patches throughout the month of April. All proceeds go towards the Flutie Foundation and their efforts to enhance the quality of life for individuals with Autism.
Autism awareness patches will be sold for $10 and can be purchased online using the link below or in-person at the Police Station, 540 Plymouth St. during normal business hours; Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Patches ordered online will mailed to the address provided on the order form.
Over its twenty (20) year history, the Flutie Foundation has distributed over $15 million to schools and organizations that provide clinical therapies, respite services, recreational programs, social skills training, job supports, and more for people affected by autism. The Flutie Foundation also provides education technology tools, adaptive camp scholarships, safety equipment, and direct family support services through its partnerships and special initiatives.