The Fall River City Council last night voted down a large majority of Mayor Paul Coogan’s fiscal year 2027 city budget. The council did approve all but one budget item for the city’s public schools.
Following the vote, the council approved a list of proposed cuts, totaling over $684,000, that they’d like the mayor to implement when the budget is resubmitted. The council is also looking to an agreement with the administration on a $40,000 appropriation to allow the council to hire its own legal counsel. The council wants that money within its budget while the mayor is looking to add it to the city’s legal department budget.
The council can only approve, reject, or reduce the budget. During deliberations, Councilor Joe Camara and Council President Cliff Ponte discussed the process of suggesting cuts and the council’s request for $40,000 in legal support.
It is unclear when the administration will submit a new budget to the council. Any budget needs to be approved by July 1.
The school department budget approved by the council differs from the one approved by the school committee. The committee voted to add one percent, totalling $3 million, to the budget, which would need to be paid by the city. Mayor Paul Coogan voted against the increase and submitted the school budget for council approval at the 100 percent mark mandated amount set by the state.
