Weston Finance Committee Hears FY19 Budget Preview, Flags School Cost Concerns

WESTON — January 25, 2018 — Weston Finance Committee reviews a 4.2 percent FY19 budget increase and questions school spending value. Town administration presented the proposed fiscal year 2019 operating budget Thursday, projecting a 4.2 percent overall increase driven largely by an assumed 8 percent Group Insurance Commission premium hike, a $385,000 jump in the OPEB contribution to $2.1 million, and new staffing requests including two firefighters and a facilities project manager. On capital, the Case House rehabilitation was cited at an estimated $7.3 million to $7.4 million, up from $6.4 million a week earlier, prompting questions about whether new construction would offer better value. A member presenting comparative school data told the committee that Weston spends roughly $26,000 per pupil — as much as $10,000 more than comparable towns like Wayland and Wellesley — while MCAS and other standardized test scores are "no better, no worse than our comparable towns." Members described the cost-value gap as a concern raised repeatedly over at least seven years with little result, and discussed reaching out to peer districts and potentially commissioning outside consulting help.