Amherst FY22 Budget

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Consultation has concluded. Thank you for your feedback - this page will remain as a resource in our archive. 

Welcome to the Town of Amherst Budget Engagement page

This is a budget of hope and optimism. It lays the foundation for recovery from the pandemic. Amherst will reemerge as a stronger, safer, more resilient community with new initiatives that will invest significantly in our collective future.

Please use this page to discover budget resources and share your feedback with the Town and your Town Council members.

- Amherst Town Manager Paul Bockelman

How can you stay involved?

  • View our Budget Story here, a new digital companion piece
  • Review the proposed budget, budget story, council goals and other important documents in the Budget Links section
  • Take a look at our Budget FAQ to the right
  • Have budget questions? Submit them below and a Town staff member will answer them as soon as possible
  • Have budget feedback or suggestion? Submit your feedback below!

  Update: The FY22 Annual Budget has been approved by the Town Council and can be found here. Thank you for your participation. This page will remain as an archive.

Welcome to the Town of Amherst Budget Engagement page

This is a budget of hope and optimism. It lays the foundation for recovery from the pandemic. Amherst will reemerge as a stronger, safer, more resilient community with new initiatives that will invest significantly in our collective future.

Please use this page to discover budget resources and share your feedback with the Town and your Town Council members.

- Amherst Town Manager Paul Bockelman

How can you stay involved?

  • View our Budget Story here, a new digital companion piece
  • Review the proposed budget, budget story, council goals and other important documents in the Budget Links section
  • Take a look at our Budget FAQ to the right
  • Have budget questions? Submit them below and a Town staff member will answer them as soon as possible
  • Have budget feedback or suggestion? Submit your feedback below!

  Update: The FY22 Annual Budget has been approved by the Town Council and can be found here. Thank you for your participation. This page will remain as an archive.

Consultation has concluded. Thank you for your feedback - this page will remain as a resource in our archive. 

Please review our FAQ section on the right hand side of this page. If you have additional questions, please post them here and a staff member will post a response as soon as possible. Thank you! 

  • Share Dear Town and School Leaders, Now that the Town has learned that it is receiving $12 million through the American Rescue Plan, and the elementary schools have learned they are receiving a further $1,553,427 under ESSER-3 -- in addition to the approximately $2.7 million in other Covid and ESSER funding, can you please work out a way to restore the $35,000 cut to the elementary art teachers for fiscal year 2022? Whether the Town allocates this amount to the elementary schools out of the ARPA funds, or the schools allocate that amount out of the Covid-relief funding, I am sure that many students and families would really appreciate having the art teachers at the schools five days per week in the fall. Many thanks, Toni Cunningham Parent to two art-loving children at Wildwood on Facebook Share Dear Town and School Leaders, Now that the Town has learned that it is receiving $12 million through the American Rescue Plan, and the elementary schools have learned they are receiving a further $1,553,427 under ESSER-3 -- in addition to the approximately $2.7 million in other Covid and ESSER funding, can you please work out a way to restore the $35,000 cut to the elementary art teachers for fiscal year 2022? Whether the Town allocates this amount to the elementary schools out of the ARPA funds, or the schools allocate that amount out of the Covid-relief funding, I am sure that many students and families would really appreciate having the art teachers at the schools five days per week in the fall. Many thanks, Toni Cunningham Parent to two art-loving children at Wildwood on Twitter Share Dear Town and School Leaders, Now that the Town has learned that it is receiving $12 million through the American Rescue Plan, and the elementary schools have learned they are receiving a further $1,553,427 under ESSER-3 -- in addition to the approximately $2.7 million in other Covid and ESSER funding, can you please work out a way to restore the $35,000 cut to the elementary art teachers for fiscal year 2022? Whether the Town allocates this amount to the elementary schools out of the ARPA funds, or the schools allocate that amount out of the Covid-relief funding, I am sure that many students and families would really appreciate having the art teachers at the schools five days per week in the fall. Many thanks, Toni Cunningham Parent to two art-loving children at Wildwood on Linkedin Email Dear Town and School Leaders, Now that the Town has learned that it is receiving $12 million through the American Rescue Plan, and the elementary schools have learned they are receiving a further $1,553,427 under ESSER-3 -- in addition to the approximately $2.7 million in other Covid and ESSER funding, can you please work out a way to restore the $35,000 cut to the elementary art teachers for fiscal year 2022? Whether the Town allocates this amount to the elementary schools out of the ARPA funds, or the schools allocate that amount out of the Covid-relief funding, I am sure that many students and families would really appreciate having the art teachers at the schools five days per week in the fall. Many thanks, Toni Cunningham Parent to two art-loving children at Wildwood link

    Dear Town and School Leaders, Now that the Town has learned that it is receiving $12 million through the American Rescue Plan, and the elementary schools have learned they are receiving a further $1,553,427 under ESSER-3 -- in addition to the approximately $2.7 million in other Covid and ESSER funding, can you please work out a way to restore the $35,000 cut to the elementary art teachers for fiscal year 2022? Whether the Town allocates this amount to the elementary schools out of the ARPA funds, or the schools allocate that amount out of the Covid-relief funding, I am sure that many students and families would really appreciate having the art teachers at the schools five days per week in the fall. Many thanks, Toni Cunningham Parent to two art-loving children at Wildwood

    Toni C asked almost 3 years ago

    Thank you Toni. The Town has begun a process to assess the broader impacts of the pandemic which will include fiscal impacts. This process will help guide the allocation of American Rescue Plan Act funds and will include input from key stakeholders such as those representing the schools. The budget reduction you have mentioned will be considered during this process.

    Thank you!

  • Share When will the Town and Schools receive information on the amount and eligible uses of ESSER 3 funds? How can the community best advocate for the application of ESSER 3 funds to the FY22 Elementary Schools budget? Most importantly, I would like the Town to use these funds to cover the $75,000 in cuts to art and technology specials teachers at Crocker Farm, which has a knock-on effect of cuts to art and tech at both Wildwood and Fort River. on Facebook Share When will the Town and Schools receive information on the amount and eligible uses of ESSER 3 funds? How can the community best advocate for the application of ESSER 3 funds to the FY22 Elementary Schools budget? Most importantly, I would like the Town to use these funds to cover the $75,000 in cuts to art and technology specials teachers at Crocker Farm, which has a knock-on effect of cuts to art and tech at both Wildwood and Fort River. on Twitter Share When will the Town and Schools receive information on the amount and eligible uses of ESSER 3 funds? How can the community best advocate for the application of ESSER 3 funds to the FY22 Elementary Schools budget? Most importantly, I would like the Town to use these funds to cover the $75,000 in cuts to art and technology specials teachers at Crocker Farm, which has a knock-on effect of cuts to art and tech at both Wildwood and Fort River. on Linkedin Email When will the Town and Schools receive information on the amount and eligible uses of ESSER 3 funds? How can the community best advocate for the application of ESSER 3 funds to the FY22 Elementary Schools budget? Most importantly, I would like the Town to use these funds to cover the $75,000 in cuts to art and technology specials teachers at Crocker Farm, which has a knock-on effect of cuts to art and tech at both Wildwood and Fort River. link

    When will the Town and Schools receive information on the amount and eligible uses of ESSER 3 funds? How can the community best advocate for the application of ESSER 3 funds to the FY22 Elementary Schools budget? Most importantly, I would like the Town to use these funds to cover the $75,000 in cuts to art and technology specials teachers at Crocker Farm, which has a knock-on effect of cuts to art and tech at both Wildwood and Fort River.

    Toni C asked almost 3 years ago

    Thank you, we anticipate getting further information, including the exact amounts, on the American Rescue Plan Act and ESSER 3 in the coming weeks but we do not have a definitive date as of yet. One way to advocate is to share your thoughts with Town Council, School Committee, the Town Manager, and the Superintendent.

  • Share The budget calls for a property tax increase of ~4.1 %. I thought the limit for increases was 2.5% per law. Am I wrong in my understanding? on Facebook Share The budget calls for a property tax increase of ~4.1 %. I thought the limit for increases was 2.5% per law. Am I wrong in my understanding? on Twitter Share The budget calls for a property tax increase of ~4.1 %. I thought the limit for increases was 2.5% per law. Am I wrong in my understanding? on Linkedin Email The budget calls for a property tax increase of ~4.1 %. I thought the limit for increases was 2.5% per law. Am I wrong in my understanding? link

    The budget calls for a property tax increase of ~4.1 %. I thought the limit for increases was 2.5% per law. Am I wrong in my understanding?

    Tom asked almost 3 years ago

    You are correct that the law allows the levy limit to increase by 2.5% each year. The actual levy is different than the levy limit and can increase because of the 2.5%, new growth (new construction in town) and excess levy capacity. Excess levy capacity is created when the actual levy is not increased up to the levy limit in a prior year. The link below will bring you to a helpful explanation on this subject.

    https://www.mass.gov/doc/levy-limits-a-primer-on-proposition-2-12-0/download 

    Thank you