On Tuesday night, the Finance Committee voted unanimously to support the School Committee’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget request in the amount of $46.4M. This recommendation covers our fixed cost increases and critical strategic needs like full-day kindergarten.

Getting to “yes” wasn’t automatic. Over the last few months, the Finance Committee has done exactly what the town charter empowers them to do: they challenged our assumptions, scrutinized our revenue offsets, and dug into the long-term sustainability of our numbers.

A Moment of Recognition

Just before the vote, the conversation shifted from spreadsheets to the reality of what this budget represents.

One Finance Committee member made an observation that I think is important for the wider community to hear. He noted that the budget numbers before them were virtually unchanged from the very first draft the administration presented. This validates that we have been transparent about the cost of services from day one.

He acknowledged there is simply no wiggle room left.

Most poignantly, the discussion turned to full-day kindergarten. There was a recognition that while cutting the program would save roughly $450K, doing so ignores the human reality. As was stated during the deliberation, the families who rely on that program are often voiceless at town meetings, and it is the responsibility of town officials to confront the need head-on.

To have the Finance Committee validate that this is a “real needs” budget—and not a wish list—is a significant endorsement of the work done by our administration.

Next Steps: The Explanation Phase

With the Finance Committee’s vetting complete, the responsibility shifts back to the School Committee to make the case to you, the voters.

Tomorrow, Friday, January 16, the School Committee will hold a meeting at 11:15 AM. The primary agenda item is finalizing the communication plan for our upcoming advocacy sessions. We are treating this with the seriousness a permanent tax override demands.

We need you to be part of this conversation. We have scheduled two Budget Forums, designed to be two-way dialogs. We want to explain the “why” behind the 4.83% increase and answer your questions directly.

Save the Dates:

• Session 1: Tuesday, January 20 at 7:00 PM (Duxbury Free Library)
• Session 2: Monday, February 23 at 7:00 PM (Duxbury Free Library)

I am grateful for the Finance Committee’s partnership and their rigorous review. Now, I look forward to speaking with you.

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Note: The views and opinions expressed here are my own and do not reflect the official policies, positions, or endorsements of the Duxbury School Committee. For official information about Duxbury Public Schools and the Duxbury School Committee, please visit duxbury.k12.ma.us.