Weston Financial Summit Flags 40 Percent Tax Spike From School Construction Debt

WESTON -- October 27, 2025, Weston's annual Financial Summit put a potential 40 percent residential tax increase at the center of a joint meeting of the Select Board, School Committee, and Finance Committee on October 27. Finance Committee Chair Bharat Kambhampati presented a long-range model showing median taxes rising from roughly $18,700 today to about $21,800 by 2030, a manageable 16 percent gain, but then surging 40 percent in the five years between 2029 and 2033 as debt service on a middle and high school project kicks in, with that 24 percent increment falling exclusively on school costs. Town Manager Leon Gaumond, filling in for absent Finance Director Susan Kelly, said free cash is expected to be certified near $14 million and new growth is estimated at $1.4 million, but warned that health insurance costs, up 11 percent between fiscal years 2025 and 2026, are likely to rise even faster in fiscal 2027. School Committee Chair Adam Newman confirmed the frequently cited $330 million school figure assumes a new middle school, high school, and pool, and said the committee does not plan to bring a formal proposal to town meeting until fall 2026. All three Select Board members said they oppose raising taxes in advance of any project approval, and resident Rochelle Nemiro asked publicly whether officials had ever worked backward from an affordable tax ceiling rather than costing out a wish list.