Board Approves $72.9M Budget for 2016 Fiscal Year

The same night the Melrose Board of Aldermen put Mayor Rob Dolan’s property tax override on the November ballot the board also voted for the reason behind that proposition.

»Via Wicked Local

The board unanimously approved the mayor’s fiscal 2016 budget June 25, according to a Wicked Local report.

According to the report, key points of the budget include:

• the fiscal 2016 budget is set at $72.9 million, a 3.5-percent increase from last year’s $70.4 million budget.
• school spending increases from $24.4 million to $25.2 million.
• police spending increases from $3.7 million to $4 million.

Overall, the 2016 budget isn’t much of a change from 2015, the report stated. In fact, Dolan assured board members during last week’s meeting that his budget doesn’t hinge on whether his override, which would increase Melrose property taxes by $2.25 million, is approved by voters later this year, the report added.

»RELATED: Is the Mayor’s Tax Override a Good Idea for Melrose?

“We have a balanced budget regardless of an override,” Dolan said in the report. “The debate is whether you want to sustain the progress of the community for the next decade-plus, advance public safety and education, and whether you want to do it today in a period of safety and strength.”