Accountability posts

LEXINGTON TOWN MEETING — March 30, 2026: Nothing Was Passed. Here's What's at Stake for April 6.

Lexington's annual Town Meeting ended Monday night with the moderator stating plainly: 'We accomplished nothing, nothing tonight.' After hours of budget presentations, emotional public testimony, and inter-board conflict, the meeting adjourned without passing a single substantive item. Everything — including the FY27 operating budget — continues Monday, April 6 at 7:30pm.

Here's what's actually on the line: The Lexington Public Schools FY27 budget totals $151.7 million, a 3.9% increase that still requires eliminating 72 FTE staff positions. Because of contractual requirements, 160 pink slip notices have already been sent. Superintendent Julie Hackett described it as 'a budget of sacrifice' with safety nets drawn down and multiple budget lines deliberately underfunded. A Lexington High School student testified against the budget at the meeting, saying: 'We're not just talking about numbers. We're talking about real people who directly shape the adults walking among us.' No board member responded directly to her testimony.

The evening's central conflict was a proposed amendment by Don McKenna to add $1.25 million from unallocated free cash to school personnel services — enough to reduce some of those cuts. The School Committee supported it. The Select Board and Appropriation Committee firmly opposed it, warning that using one-time cash for ongoing salaries is 'structural budget imbalance' that threatens Lexington's bond rating. That three-board split was serious enough that Town Meeting voted 97-71 to table the entire budget debate rather than force a vote. Town Meeting members then voted 90-79 to also postpone the $10.7 million consent agenda — delaying capital appropriations for sidewalks and fire hydrants — over the objections of the Select Board and Capital Expenditures Committee, who argued the delay was unnecessary.

One Town Meeting member stated publicly that his future support for Lexington budgets depends on the Select Board committing to place a future operating override on the ballot — a signal that some members believe the current revenue structure cannot sustain the town's obligations. No board made any commitment in response. If you have children in Lexington schools, pay property taxes, or rely on town infrastructure, Monday April 6 at 7:30pm is the meeting you need to follow. The unresolved budget, the 72 FTE cuts, and the $1.25M amendment will all be taken up from where they left off. https://meetingwatch.org/ma/lexington/town-meeting/2026-03-30/ #MeetingWatch #LexingtonMA