March 28. It’s number-crunching time at Town Hall as key town staff members and elected officials put together the Fiscal Year 2022 budget. It is expected to be unveiled by the town manager in early May and goes into effect July 1.

The FY21 budget, in excess of $24 million, ends June 30.

The new budget will be driven by a recent citizen survey which has laid out priorities like public safety and roads.

MAYOR WASHAM

Both Mayor Woody Washam and Mayor Pro Tem Denis Bilodeau say a tax increase this year is unlikely.

“While I do not expect a property tax increase for the town this year, we will not have, as usual, all the sufficient funding needed to do all the projects we would like,” Washam said.

“I am confident that my fellow Commissioners will agree that due to the pandemic, now is not the time to increase taxes,” Bilodeau said.

Town officials say things are much more predictable with the economy this year compared to last year when the pandemic was unfolding during budget time.

BILODEAU