Milton school leaders are weighing a $40 increase to the annual school bus fee as they work to bridge a $75,000 revenue gap in the upcoming fiscal year 2027 budget. During a Wednesday morning subcommittee meeting, members debated various fee modifications, ultimately gravitating toward a plan that protects student club fees by shifting the financial burden to transportation and facility rentals.

Business Administrator Katie Pinkham initially recommended a $25 increase for riders, which was projected to generate approximately $40,000. However, Member Mark Loring proposed a higher $40 increase for transportation to avoid a separate hike for high school student activity fees, which are currently $25 per club. What if we meet in the middle? Loring suggested. A $40 increase for transportation, no increase for student fees, and the 10% increase for building use. He argued this approach would cover the $75,000 goal while providing a buffer for rising fuel costs, noting that transportation contracts are climbing 8% annually.

The proposed 10% increase for building use would affect rentals of cafeterias, auditoriums, and other school facilities. Member Nathan David Hutto expressed support for regular, incremental changes to avoid sudden financial shocks to residents. I'm comfortable with regular, small increases to avoid economic shocks to families at the lower end of the income scale, Hutto said. Chair Amanda Serio agreed, emphasizing the need to use building fees to support long-term maintenance rather than relying solely on town capital funds. I am in a similar camp, especially with building use, Serio noted. We need to think about carryover needs for capital improvements. If there are ways to generate offsets for maintenance, that is beneficial.

The subcommittee also formalized fee adjustments for another department. Motion Made by M. Loring to approve the FY27 fee increases as presented last week for Milton Community Schools. Motion Passed (2-0).

Beyond specific fees, the group reviewed the strategy for an upcoming presentation to the Warrant Committee regarding the broader $75.6 million school budget. Loring pointed out that while the district is requesting a 3.76% allocation, the budget is essentially a cut budget because maintaining current service levels would require a 5.2% increase. I want to show that this is actually a 'cut' budget because level service would require 5.2%, Loring said, adding that the presentation should clarify how salary steps and lanes drive costs higher even with modest cost-of-living adjustments.

Hutto urged the committee to clearly explain why school expenses often outpace standard inflation to help the public understand the financial pressures. People ask why school increases are above inflation, Hutto said. We don't buy eggs and cars; we buy expensive services and specialized transportation. He suggested framing the budget around what it enables the district to do for students rather than focusing strictly on the abstraction of line items.

Pinkham explained that while some programs like Community Schools are intended to be self-sustaining, others only offset a fraction of their total expenses. The revenue is exceeding our original projection, but the total expense for student activities is $300,000 a year, Pinkham noted regarding high school clubs. The fees are only a fraction of that. The subcommittee plans to finalize the revolving accounts policy and continue Town Meeting preparations throughout April.