AMHERST — Officials in the four towns that make up the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools are cautioning school leaders that a level services fiscal year 2027 budget is unrealistic if it means assessments for each community going up by at least 9.5%.
At a four towns meeting Saturday morning at the middle school library, bringing together about 40 representatives from Amherst, Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury, there appeared to be significant hesitation in bringing forward a $40.6 million budget that would maintain all current services at the secondary schools.
With Leverett’s average tax bills going up by around $500 this year, Finance Committee Chairman Phil Carter said the town wouldn’t be able to afford a $219,349 increase, or 11.77% jump, in its assessment, to $2.08 million.
“I don’t think it’s reasonable to ask the Town Meeting to approve an 11 or 12% assessment this year,” Carter said. “I just think that’s out of the question.”
It was a similar message from Pelham Finance Committee Chairman John Trickey, who said a 2.5% increase across all town departments in Pelham would total $135,000, yet the regional schools alone are asking for $213,497 more, a 16.3% increase, to a $1.52 million assessment.
“That’s nothing for the town left to spend,” Trickey said, adding that taxpayers are already reeling and can’t have a $1,000 increase. “We’ll be looking for a major override to carry us forward.”
Shutesbury Select Board member Rita Farrell said her town is in a similar situation to the other small towns. “We, too, have experienced a significant jump in the average tax bill this year,” Farrell said. People on fixed incomes say this is not sustainable. “A level funded budget is just not workable for us,” Farrell said.
Amherst Town Council President Mandi Jo Hanneke said Amherst has set a 3.5% increase as budget guidelines for the regional schools, elementary schools and town and library operations. A level services budget for the regional schools would use up almost all of the the $2.6 million in revenues for the entire town, Hanneke said.
She wondered if there are ways to deal with structural issues long term that could help the budget. “What can we be doing bigger picture?” Hanneke said.
One idea that has been floated is potentially consolidating the regional buildings, and another would be expanding the regional district to encompass K-12 education.
William Sherr, who serves as a Pelham representative, said there may also need to be discussions about regionalizing with other communities.
The initial $40.6 million budget is up $3.53 million, or 9.5%, from this year’s $37.08 million. Combined the four towns would be responsible for $27.48 million, with increases ranging 9.54% for Shutesbury to 15.68% for Peham.
Finance Director Shannon Bernacchia said the budget applies $850,000 in school choice revenue to salary lines, where there is a 6.87% increase through cost of living and step adjustments. The budget also assumes an 18% increase in health insurance.
Even with $2.06 million in reductions to bring in line with Amherst’s budget advisory, Supeirndnet E. Xiomara Herman said it is too earty to discuss impacts on programming.
Each community broke out from the meeting to do a deeper dive into the budget.
“The numbers are startling,” said Cathy Schoen, a District 1 Councilor in Amherst.
“Last year the numbers were smaller than this and they were heartwrenching,” said Bridget Hynes, an Amherst schools representative.
Amherst School Committee Chairwoman Deb Leonard lamented that the state’s millionaires tax is having no impact on Amherst and other rural districts.
With State Rep. Mindy Domb, D-Amherst, in attendance, there were appeals for help from the state.
“We’ve been put in an absolutely no-win situation and we need to get state buy-in,” said Nancy Grossman, a member of the Leverett Finance Committee.
Domb encouraged advocacy by participating in budget hearings and writing letters. But the state budget could depend on whether the federal government helps out with health insurance costs. Domb said Gov. Maura Healey will likely need to divert some state revenues if Congress isn’t able to provide the necessary subsidies for the Affordable Care Act.
The meeting began when Susie Mosher, a member of the Shutesbury Finance Committee, provided an overview of a postcard campaign telling the state Legislature money is needed for rural aid. The postcards asked that the state fully fund rural aid at $60 million for fiscal year 2027 and restore $4 million cut from fiscal year 2026, and update chapter 70 formulas to account for student density.
Parents weigh in
Several parents came out for the meeting, which started at 8 a.m. so that Shutesbury officials could get to the ribbon cutting for the town’s new library two hours later.
Cathleen Mitchell, whose children are in the regional schools, said families are asking for budget transparency and worries that Amherst councilors are operating with outdated information and are making shortsighted decisions.
“There’s very little clarity in the budget. I want to see what else is being cut,” Mitchell said.
Families feel that other town services are not facing the stress of schools and have seen the percentage of the town budget going to schools decline, impacting the quality of education.
“I’m very concerned because it’s already not a great situation,” Mitchell said.
Casey Maloney said she worries the education for her children, who are just starting at Crocker Farm School, will be diminished. Maloney said that the schools are living off a past reputation of being top tier and are now at risk of losing more families to choice or charter schools.
“If we keep slashing then you will have more families leaving,” Maloney said.