Halifax Finance Committee Approves $30.9M Budget With Deep Cuts to Police, Fire, and Staff

HALIFAX — March 30, 2026 — Halifax Finance Committee approves $30.9 million austerity budget, warning of public safety gaps if override fails. The seven-member committee voted on department-by-department groupings Monday night, endorsing Town Administrator Steve Hayward's proposed $1,494,065 in cuts for fiscal year 2027 and leaving a $1.5 million Proposition 2½ override question to voters at the May 11 town meeting and a May 16 ballot. Police Chief Chauves and Fire Chief Witham both cautioned that the $290,021 combined public safety reduction — eliminating one full-time police officer and cutting on-call firefighter wages — could result in overnight shifts running with only two police officers, violations of the NFPA's two-in/two-out fire suppression standard, and a downgraded ISO rating that would raise homeowner insurance premiums across town. Members Cheryl Burke and Frank Johnston voted no on the police and fire budgets, which passed 5-2. The school balance-of-budget line of $9,687,328, covering Silver Lake Regional and district-wide costs, also passed 5-2 after members criticized the School Committee for voting a level-services budget — described as roughly $8.1 million — while every other department absorbed cuts. Town health insurance costs rose 14.2 percent, from $1,332,752 to $1,522,003, a figure Hayward said he plans to address by soliciting competitive bids for FY28.