Chelmsford

the $2 million stabilization fund that cut the FY2021 levy, the rollover of excess levy capacity from the prior year, and a shift in property values from commercial to residential. Cohen called this increase “staggering,” but added that the town may be able to offset it with a stabilization fund once the economic situation becomes clearer this calendar year.

Cohen also raised concerns about several other factors squeezing the town’s budget, including increasing town enrollment at Nashoba Valley Technical High School, upcoming municipal employee contract negotiations, increasing numbers of retired town employees relying on Chelmsford for health insurance, and the increasing costs of waste collections and disposal nationwide.

In fiscal year 2021, the average singlefamily tax bill increased less than a percent from the prior year, which fell well under the state levy limit. To offset the next fiscal year’s potential budgetary shortfalls, the Select Board voted unanimously to allow Cohen to finalize the 2022 budget while operating within the full levy limit. Because the levy increase was minimal in fiscal year 2021, the full levy limit is allowed to surpass the 2.5% state-mandated increase limit in fiscal year 2022.

Cohen will submit the proposed fiscal year 2022 operating and capital budgets by Monday, Jan. 25.

Although Cohen is optimistic that the economy will bounce back post-pandemic and that a new administration in Washington will relieve some financial pressure, “the villain here, the culprit of all this is we are sort of bearing the burden by the inadequate level state aid,” Cohen said. “And it’s catching up to us.”