Bellingham Finance Committee Backs $35.8 Million School Budget With 37 Positions Cut

BELLINGHAM — March 23, 2026 — Bellingham Finance Committee unanimously recommended six FY27 budget lines totaling more than $57.4 million at its March 23 public hearing. The largest item, a $35,842,585 school department budget, was presented by Superintendent Peter Marano and E. Monteiro and reflects a no-override scenario in which the district would cut 37 full-time positions — dropping from 348 to 311 FTEs — eliminate the dedicated athletics budget, and increase elementary class sizes to 24 to 26 students and secondary sizes to 27 to 30. Marano cited out-of-district special education tuition costs ranging from $100,000 to $500,000 per student annually and a 14 percent increase in those costs over three years as central drivers. Town Administrator J. Laydon clarified that a separate Annual Town Meeting article would carry any override-contingent supplemental funding if the ballot question passes. The committee also voted 5-0 on group health insurance ($11,696,396), retirement ($4,838,566), debt service ($4,103,690), property insurance ($964,000), and Medicare ($650,000), with Laydon noting the health insurance trust fund is expected to be essentially zeroed out by fiscal year-end after a high-claims year.