Auburn Finance Committee Approves Recommendations on Twelve FY2027 Budget Line Items

AUBURN — February 26, 2026 — Auburn Finance Committee unanimously approved recommendations on twelve FY2027 budget line items totaling more than $91.8 million in projected spending. Town Manager Vayo and CFO Karen Hernoise presented a budget of $91.887 million — roughly $6 million above the current year — built around a 2.18 percent tax levy increase that leaves $9.449 million in unused levy capacity under Proposition 2 1/2. Health insurance costs are up 14 percent at $1.274 million, one provider initially sought a 42 percent increase before negotiations, and retirement expenses climb another $300,000. Vayo cut $1.915 million from raw departmental requests — including four patrol officers, two DPW laborers, and $300,000 in fire department supervisory staffing — to stay within her target. The budget deploys $2.8 million in free cash for capital improvements, leaving an estimated $8.8 million free cash balance. A newly elevated HR division, partially funded through the town's health insurance trust, was among the additions the committee endorsed.