Wayland FinCom receives $102 million draft FY24 budget

WAYLAND — January 3, 2023 — Wayland gets first look at a $102.2 million FY24 budget that all but commits the town to an override conversation. The finance director walked the Finance Committee through an 8.37 percent year-over-year increase driven by three roughly equal forces: $1.7 million more in debt service, $1.7 million more in out-of-district special education tuition after the state authorized private schools to raise rates 14 percent, and $1.8 million parked in the salary reserve because the fire contract is entering a fourth unsettled year and all other town contracts expire in June. Projected unused levy capacity falls to about $600,000 in FY24 and turns negative in FY25. "Twenty-four, to me, is the last year we don't have to have an override," the finance director said. Chair Pam Uman, recalling earlier override fights, called them "not fun at all." Minutes from Dec. 7 passed 4-0-1; Dec. 19 passed 5-0-0.