Taunton council rejects final budget spending, including firefighter raises, amid dispute over its own lawyer

TAUNTON Taunton's City Council voted 5-4 on Tuesday, Oct. 27, against $717,583 in spending that was meant to finish the city's fiscal 2027 budget, including an arbitration pay increase for the Fire Department. Before the vote, Councilor Edward Correira said he would vote no until the council got $50,000 for an attorney of its own. Later in the meeting the council voted to reconsider the question in two weeks.

Chief Financial Officer Patrick D. Dello Russo Jr. told councilors after the roll call that "the city does not have a final budget" and that "these expenditures at this point are not approved."

How the council voted

Councilors Scott Martin, David Pottier and Phillip Duarte and Council President Barry Sanders voted yes. Councilors John McCaul, Deborah Carr, David Chaves, Edward Correira and Debra Botellio voted no. All nine councilors answered the roll call; Carr took part by Zoom, Mayor Shaunna O'Connell told the public at the start of the meeting.

The motion asked the council to approve the new spending listed on the fourth slide of the finance team's presentation. A second motion the team had planned for that night was not taken up after the first failed.

What the money covers

In a letter on the council's agenda, Dello Russo called the final budget of $336,405,283.70 balanced, saying it "provides services, meets all contractual obligations, and satisfies legal obligations and fixed cost." The finance team told the council the budget has no layoffs or service cuts, fully funds the state's required school spending and needed no Proposition 2 1/2 override.

The $717,583 on the table that night, all from the general fund, breaks down this way on the presentation slide:

• $480,967.99 for the reserve fund, which the finance team said would bring that balance to $1 million.
• $129,573.03 for an arbitration rate increase, spread across eight Fire Department accounts.
• $60,000 for the audit department.
• $36,463.88 in the Building Department for a promotion, a transfer and longevity pay.
• $5,000 more for part-time employees in Veterans Services, $3,578.10 for the retirement system's military service fund and a $2,000 tax possession stipend.

A separate slide listed requests that were not up for a vote that night, including $469,450 in fire overtime, $333,740.95 in retroactive arbitration pay for the Fire Department and $750,000 for police retirements. The finance team said many of them are one-time costs it may bring back to the council later.

The dispute over a council lawyer

"I have to vote no because I'm still looking for the $50,000 for an attorney for the council," Correira said during discussion. "Until I see that, you will get a no vote from me." He said the law department should not decide for the council whether it has an attorney, and he said New Bedford has its own.

McCaul asked why the money was not in the request. Dello Russo said the council attorney was not on the request letter from the clerk of committees and "didn't follow the process," and that the council should work it out with the law department. If it does, he said, the reserve fund would hold $1 million, so "it's not like there's not funding available."

Duarte said that when the council discussed the idea with the city solicitor over several meetings, it "could not even come to a consensus on how that would actually even work." O'Connell, who presides over council meetings, said the administration "would not entertain that at this point because there has been discussion at length with the city solicitor and there has not been any details worked out on how that would even work." She added, "The city solicitor is the attorney for the whole entire city."

After the vote, Dello Russo said the final budget was "supposed to be the simplest vote" for the city. Asked whether the Fire Department's contract obligations would go unfunded, he said, "That's correct." He said councilors were trying to "hold this hostage because they're not getting an attorney," and called that "irresponsible." He asked for a vote to reconsider, saying that without the money "you've got a whole bunch of employees that aren't getting paid."

What happens next

The council then voted to reconsider the budget motion in two weeks, which would be Tuesday, Nov. 10; the motion passed on a roll call. Carr, joining by Zoom, asked whether the slide could carry a different number by then.

The council cannot add the money itself. Under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44, Section 32, a city council "may reduce or reject any amount recommended in the annual budget" but may not increase it or add a new purpose "except on recommendation of the mayor."

Under new business, Botellio moved to have the city solicitor meet with the council in two weeks to discuss an appropriation for the council's own attorney and to set guidelines for one. That passed 7-2, with Duarte and Martin voting no.

The council's next meeting is Monday, Nov. 2, moved from its usual Tuesday because of the Nov. 3 state election; the agendas posted for that day do not list the budget. The Taunton Daily Gazette reported the vote Thursday.

How to weigh in

The council meets in the Chester R. Martin Municipal Council Chambers at City Hall, 15 Summer St. The council's posted agendas open with a public input period: speakers give their name and address and keep comments to three minutes or less, and written comments may also be submitted. The City Council office can be reached at 508-821-1035. Meetings stream and are recorded on the Taunton Municipal Network.

Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.