The Hudson Budget Committee’s first November meeting focused on scheduling its review of the school budget, with members expressing frustration over delays in receiving key information from SAU81.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but last year, didn’t we get the town and school budgets at the same time?” asked Chair Kim Rice. “I remember carrying two very heavy binders out of Town Hall. I find it unacceptable that we don’t have the school budget here, because that’s a big one. It’s going to have the greatest impact on the town, and to be quite honest, we have to get a grip on this, because it’s becoming unsustainable for people in this town with their property taxes.”
The annual property tax rate, typically set in mid-to-late fall, is expected to rise for 2026.
According to the School Board Liaison, the budget will be available for review starting Nov. 14. The School District began the FY 2027 budget season with an appropriation of $76,298,091, later revised to $74,398,555. Rice stressed the need for detailed line-item breakdowns well before Nov. 14.
“I would like to see those budget books so we have time to dig into it. As it stands now, we’re getting them so late,” she said. “That’s a lot to look through, and we need to have those books. Some people may think I’m being unreasonable, but it’s our job to look after the taxpayers in this town, and the increases I’m seeing are very concerning to me.”
Several members echoed concerns that rising property taxes were becoming “unsustainable.”
“Over the course of the last 40 years, the higher the budgets get, the more staff we have, the later we get the budget books,” said Committee member Shawn Jasper. “We used to get them about Oct. 1, was when they used to both be available, and here we are now. We didn’t usually have a lot of meetings in December; we were pretty much wrapped up so we could enjoy the holidays.”
Jasper noted that the committee lacks authority to compel earlier delivery of the budget, despite past attempts to secure the earliest version of the default budget. Committee member Kevin Cole criticized the School Board for not prioritizing timely submission.
“I don’t think anybody out there watching on the school side of things gives a rat’s behind about getting the budget to us,” said Cole. “Whether it works or not, you have to get their attention. I would move that the Hudson School District’s FY 2027 budget, when received, be reduced by $5 million.”
The motion failed with only two votes in favor, but Cole, Rice, and others suggested that a significant cut to the current $74,398,555 figure could still be considered in the coming weeks.
