Local Government

Burlington's Budget Season Marches Toward $200 Million Finish Line

Burlington's Ways and Means approved two rounds of FY27 budgets — and issued a stark warning about the town's long-term financial sustainability.

Nicci Kadilak

Mar 27, 2026 — 7 min read

Photo by micheile henderson / Unsplash

Burlington's Ways and Means Committee approved two more rounds of proposed budgets for the 2027 fiscal year at its March 18 and March 25 meetings, marching the town along toward its total operating budget of nearly $200 million for the coming year.

The sessions surfaced concerns about rising healthcare costs, resident expectations, and a broad warning about the long-term sustainability of municipal finances under Proposition 2½, which established a taxation ceiling in the early 1980s that hasn't kept up with inflation.

Chair Doug Davison addressed the mismatch between resident expectations and the town's financial sustainability at the March 18 meeting: "We pay Chevrolet taxes, and we expect Cadillacs in every department."

Still, budgets were widely approved, though some brought about considerable discussion and justification.

The sharpest moment of the March 25 meeting came when committee member Ed Parsons did the math out loud. With wages and salaries accounting for roughly $112 million — 56% of Burlington's budget — and those costs rising at 5% under current union contracts, the remaining 44% of the budget would need to stay nearly flat to hit the committee's target growth rate of 4.25% this year and 3.75% in following years. "That doesn't seem like a sustainable situation in any way," Parsons said.

The conversation turned to hard options: negotiated contracts coming down, attrition-based staffing reductions, and the uncomfortable question of layoffs. Committee members acknowledged that Burlington isn't alone. Assistant Town Administrator Patrick Lawlor noted that municipalities across Massachusetts are wrestling with the same structural squeeze. "Many communities have override votes in the next several weeks," he said, "and each one seems to be a record from the previous one... In the last three years, the number of communities with overrides has been pretty staggering."

Parsons added that the majority of the state's municipalities are already operating between 95 and 99% of their levy capacity — the ceiling set by Proposition 2½.

While Burlington still has more levy capacity than many peers, said Lawlor, using it comes with its own consequences for property taxpayers.

The message was clear: the time to start tightening belts is now. "Everybody's in this situation," said Parsons. "We're not unique. But if we think about how we handle this ahead of time, it will be less painful than just waiting for the crisis." The Ways & Means Committee and town administration will certainly continue this conversation throughout budget season and into the future.

For more FY27 budget context:

Despite the big-picture warnings, the work of budget season is methodical — line by line, department by department. The March 18 session covered town departments that provide direct service and community benefit to residents, while March 25's meeting brought the focus onto the accounts that are used to pay for material needs at Town Hall, plus the two largest individual budget drivers – benefits for former and current employees of the town, and debt service.

Here's what the committee approved:

Recreation — $2,486,331

The committee asked the department how much the town subsidizes its programs; Assistant Recreation Director Kelly Lehman later told the Buzz about 30% of the programs – ones that are seen as a community benefit, such as the summer Park Place program, as well as ones that provide equal recreation opportunity, such as therapeutic recreation programs – are subsidized.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0

Planning — $485,245

There was a slight increase in thie budget, mostly to cover contractual salary and step increases.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0

Board of Health — $901,650

This budget includes an expected $445,000 renewal for the Triton Collaborative grant, which for which Burlington is the lead municipality. This grant allows for the three involved towns (Burlington, Lexington, and Wilmington) to share services to strengthen each individual municipalities public health services.

Also included is a $7,000 Medical Reserve Corps grant; though that grant could be at risk if the federal agency is eliminated, the board committed to finding alternative funding if the federal grant disappears. The town has 222 registered volunteers for this program, though only about 60–70 are active.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0

Mosquito Control — $50,700

This is unchanged from last year; and includeshelicopter larvicide, catch basin treatment, truck spraying, and surveillance.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0

Hazardous Waste Collection — $55,000

This number is up from $50,000; driven by Clean Harbors rate increases and higher Sharps disposal program usage. The committee debated whether propane tanks (≈47 per event, ≈$2,000 annually) constitute true hazardous waste, but the line item was so small comparatively that they didn't request any changes.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0

Town Clerk — $573,353

This is a larger increase than normal, driven by a three-election year and a 9% increase in full-time salaries, reflecting two years of contractual increases.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0

Board of Registrars — $17,150

These salaries are set by state law; there were no changes from last year.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0

Library — $2,095,212

At 5.75%, this budget exceeds the 4.25% town budget guideline, and the committee discussed the numbers at length with Director Michael Wick. The largest driver here was salary increases of 5.36% driven by contractual salary and step increases. The Merrimack Valley Library Consortium also increased their fees, and that number is included in this budget.

Notably, to receive state aid, 12% of the department's budget must go to circulating materials for certification compliance. The committee discussed weekend hour reductions as a cost-cutting alternative.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0

Town Facilities (Library Utilities) — $102,440

This line was separated from library budget in 2012 to help meet the state aid materials percentage requirement.

Ways & Means Vote: 13-0

Central Administration — $175,000

Central Supply came in at $145,000; Central Machine was $30,000. Both are unchanged from last year.

Ways & Means Vote: 10-0 | Select Board Vote: 5-0

Chapter 32B Employee Benefits — $20,180,017

The largest single budget line in this round, employee benefits carried a 9% increase. There has been a 14% rise in employee premiums — described by officials as the highest increase in recent memory. The town's self-funded trust fund currently holds approximately $7 million and covers 786 active employees and 764 retirees. (There was a discrepancy in this number, which will be clarified at a future meeting.)

The committee spent considerable time discussing how to manage the trust fund balance, with Town Administrator John Danizio recommending the town maintain six to twelve months of claims — roughly $10 to $20 million — in reserve rather than using the surplus to offset rate increases. The committee also explored cost-control strategies including HSA enrollment incentives, opt-out programs, wellness initiatives, and plan equity adjustments.

Ways & Means Vote: 9-1 | Select Board Vote: 5-0

OPEB (Other Post-Employment Benefits) — $1,329,816

The 9.3% proposed increase in OPEB funding is part of the town's ongoing effort to address a significant unfunded liability. The trust balance grew from $21 million in 2024 to $24 million, but the unfunded liability remains substantial at $110 million. The town projects it will reach a crossover point — where investment returns begin to outpace new liabilities — around 2040, with full funding targeted for 2048.