WESTBOROUGH - Town Manager Jim Malloy told the Board of Selectmen that the need for a stronger sense of financial responsibility was needed after presenting the proposed budget for fiscal year 2019 at the Board's meeting on Jan. 9. The budget, if it is passed, would increase the average single family tax bill by almost $600.

The proposed budget comes in at just less than $104.4 million. This is a 5.6 percent increase over 2018's budget of just under $98.9 million. While there are many factors that drive increase, the one with the largest impact is the proposed school budget. The school department seeks to raise the budget from $49 million to $51.2 million. This is an increase of 4.6 percent. Superintendent Amber Bock and the School Committee have defended the increase, saying that the school budget is driven by the growing enrollment in the school system.

These increases will be felt by the taxpayers in town. In 2018, the average family living in a single family home valued at $473,000 paid $8,732 in taxes. In order to account for the town's larger budget, that same family would have to pay $9,313, an increase of $581.

The town is able to increase its budget beyond the constraints of Proposition 2½ because it has built up nearly $12.7 million in excess levy capacity by not taxing at the full levy limit for the last eight years.  The fiscal 2019 budget proposes to use 15 percent of the levy capacity. 

Malloy cautioned that significant increases in the town budget, year after year, could lead the town down a fiscally troublesome path. Malloy suggested that guidelines needed to be put in place to ensure that the town does not go beyond the excess levy capacity set by the state. This is the amount that is allowed to be collected by a town in property taxes to fund municipal operations under Proposition 2½.

“This spending level is not sustainable,” said Malloy.

This belief was shared by the Board. While member Bruce Tretter urged that efforts to reel in spending begin immediately and not be put off until future budgets, others were not optimistic about the possibility when so few people consistently vote at Town Meeting unless there is a headline-dominating issue.

“Until we change our form of government we are never going to have control,” said board chairman Denzil Drewry.

The board also voted to establish permits for a Farmer-Distillery and a Farmer-Winery, as well as a $500 fee for the permits. The fee matches that of the already established permit for a Farmer-Brewery.

The vote came about as a result of a request from Nourse Farm to use part of their land to grow corn and then distill it into spirits that could then be sold.

Malloy also noted that the town does not charge the maximum under state law for liquor licenses. He suggested that the town conduct a survey of surrounding communities and then consider raising the price after a comprehensive review.

“Westborough could be losing thousands,” said Malloy about the low license fees.