The East Longmeadow Town Council continued budget discussions during its March 25 meeting.
Photo credit: ELCAT01028
EAST LONGMEADOW — East Longmeadow is on track to present a balanced fiscal year 2026 budget for review by the April 1 home rule charter deadline. At the March 25 Town Council meeting, Town Manager Tom Christensen said each of the town’s departments have been directed to adhere to a level service budget to keep the town from having to use a portion of its excess levy capacity, which functions as a financial cushion.
“The more we cut into that excess levy, the less we can do moving forward,” Christensen said. Because the department heads kept increases to their expenses under 2.5%, he said the town’s overall budget increase “sort of pales” in comparison to other towns in the area.
The School Department particularly struggled to meet Christensen’s limit of a 2.5% increase. A level service budget would have meant an increase of $3 million, or 8.57% over FY25. “We knew that number was too high, and we needed to reduce that. It wasn’t something the town was going to be able to afford,” School Department Assistant Superintendent for Business Pamela Blair had said at the School Committee meeting on March 24.
By cutting six positions and reducing several line items, the School Department reduced its ask to 5% over the previous year, however, Christensen said the town could not support that figure and make the other town departments whole. As a result, the School Committee voted to reduce its request by an additional $894,810 to bring it down to a 2.5% increase and determine what cuts will need to be made at a future meeting.
“That will require some decisions on how to get to that,” Superintendent Gordon Smith said.
School Committee Chair Gregory Thompson said, “You mean more positions and other things. Not great news, but we do what we have to do.”
At the same School Committee meeting, Blair shared that the federal Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Marketing Service canceled a contract with the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to provide local produce to school districts because the program “no longer effectuates federal agency priorities.”
After the town budget draft is submitted to the council, the Finance Oversight Committee will begin its review at its first meeting on April 2. The council will conduct a public hearing on the budget beginning May 13 and continue it to its next meeting on May 27, allowing ample time for comment.
HERO Act
The 2024 HERO Act, a law meant to expand veterans’ services and access to benefits, includes a provision which would allow municipalities to increase veterans’ property tax abatements. Under previous state law, veterans are eligible for property tax abatements, ranging from $400 to a full abatement. A portion of this is reimbursed to the municipality by the state. The HERO Act allows cities and towns to increase veteran abatements, however, the extra abatement would be borne by the municipality rather than the state. Other adoptable provisions include extending property tax abatements to surviving spouses and Gold Star parents who lost a child in the line of duty.
Director of Assessing Diane Bishop said the Board of Assessors had recommended the town adopt the extra abatement up to 100%, dependent on available funding, for veterans over age 70. This would potentially double the amount the veterans save on their tax bills. Bishop also said that as the town was addressing veteran abatements, it was a “opportune time” to review senior tax abatement rate.
Christensen explained that the council would not be able to adopt the “up to 100%” language and would instead have to set a percentage.
“It’s a fantastic idea,” Council President Connor O’Shea said of the abatement increase. However, he said it was difficult to approve in a year when the town is cutting multiple positions, particularly in the School Department. Councilor Kathleen Hill agreed with O’Shea and suggested waiting to see final numbers from the state. Councilor Ralph Page suggested revisiting the matter shortly before voting on the final FY26 budget.
Lena Velturo, a resident and veteran service agent in Longmeadow, objected to this, saying that she would not have time to “appeal” the decision. Page asked what appeal process she would pursue as the matter was up to the council. Velturo did not clarify her remarks but instead referenced Bishop’s suggestion to review the senior tax abatement and said “comparing” seniors to veterans is “disrespectful.”
The matter was tabled until the council’s April 22 meeting.
