“You have to spend within your means”

Operating budget approved by Town Meeting falls $1.4 million short of what Saugus Public Schools requested

By Mark E. Vogler

Teachers, school administrators, parents and even students packed the back rows of both sides of the second floor auditorium at Saugus Town Hall Monday night (May 19) to advocate for the Annual Town Meeting to support full restoration of School Superintendent Michael Hashem’s $36.3 million operating budget request for the 2026 Fiscal Year that begins July 1. After more than an hour of testimony from supporters advocating for Town Meeting to come up with some $1.5 million to narrow the gap in the initial budget requested by the superintendent and Town Manager Scott C. Crabtree’s proposed operating budget for Saugus Public Schools, Meeting members voted overwhelmingly to support the town manager’s budget. Advocates for the schools argued that classes were underfunded and challenged, particularly for addressing the needs of Special Needs students.

Precinct 2 Town Meeting Member Matthew Parlante’s motion to use free cash to fund the School Department’s operating budget failed, 34-8. “Free cash comes from line items that aren’t getting used,” said Parlante in his explanation as to how Town Meeting could close the budget gap.

“There are items in our own budget that can be cut,” he said.

In response to Parlante’s proposal, Crabtree called it a bad idea that “goes against the financial policies that we have.”

“Frankly, this is irresponsible. It’s just reckless,” Crabtree said.

“If this article is supported, it will have an effect on the bond rating,” the town manager said.

“You have to spend within your means,” he said.

Parlante insisted that the town had the money to fund Hashem’s request in full.

“He has no idea what he’s talking about. It’s embarrassing, Crabtree said.

Finance Committee Chair Kenneth DePatto called Parlante’s proposal a “bad business practice.”

DePatto noted that some surrounding communities face fiscal hardships from taking that approach. “I strongly recommend that you don’t use single source funding,” DePatto told Town Meeting members.

Town Meeting members voted 38-3 to approve the FY 2026 operating budget, which totaled $119.5 million – including $34.8 million for the School Department. The total Municipal Department budgets add up to $84.8 million. Precinct 2 Town Meeting Members Parlante and Robert J. Camuso, Sr. and Precinct 5 Town Meeting Member Ron Wallace voted against Article 2.

“We’ll do what we need to do to make things work,” said Hashem when asked by Selectman Anthony Cogliano whether he thought the schools could function on the approved budget.

“It’s not ideal,” he said.

There will be no Town Meeting session next Monday, which is the Memorial Day holiday (May 26). Members will meet again on June 2 for the third and final Special Town Meeting.