Falmouth Budget Would Add More Police Officers, Firefighters

FALMOUTH – A call for an increase in police officers, firefighters, and other positions has been made in Falmouth after a $143 million budget was presented to the town last week.

Additional positions in parks services, the recreation department, the Falmouth Senior Center, and animal control will also be established.

The budget for the upcoming fiscal year is a 3.28-percent increase from fiscal year 2018 at $143,264,274.

“We’re looking at four additional police officers, two additional firefighters, two additional full-time parks employees as well as a maintenance crew, full-time program coordinator for the senior center that will be effective January 1, two additional seasonal positions for the recreational summer camp for assistance, additional seasonal assistance for animal control,” said Finance Director Jennifer Petit.

Health insurance costs in the town are up by five-percent, or $756,443, in the town with retirement assessment up by 6.91-percent, or $546,174. Falmouth school budgets and the Upper Cape budget are increasing as well.  

In reserves, the town has over $1 million in the 2020 stabilization fund, $500,000 for other post-employment benefits, and $140,000 in the workers compensation trust.

“We have four revenue sources that support the operating budget. Seventy-four-percent of the revenue is from property taxes, and there’s really not a lot you can do with property taxes, you can only raise them by two-and-a-half percent every year without a vote or approval,” Petit said.

“We’ve reached our stabilization fund goal, which has been great, so we’re reallocating those funds to our other post-employment benefits trust fund and some of that will go to the worker’s compensation trust fund.”

By TIM DUNN, CapeCod.com News Center 

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