Abington Town Meeting Approves $71.8M Budget, Rejects Trash Enterprise Fund
Residents vote down proposal to shift trash collection costs to user fees after heated debate
ABINGTON - April 7 - Abington's Annual Town Meeting approves a $71.8 million operating budget for fiscal year 2026 but rejects a proposal to establish a solid waste hauling enterprise fund. The meeting, held on April 7, 2025, featured robust debate on several key issues facing the town.
Town Manager Scott Lambiase presents a level service budget, explaining that the town faces significant financial challenges.
"This year's proposed budget is a level service budget and that means that we're funding programs and services we currently have in place, meeting our contractual obligations, but we are not expanding our services or adding positions," Lambiase says.
The most contentious issue of the evening was Article 6, which proposed creating a solid waste hauling enterprise fund. The article would transition trash collection costs from the general operating budget to a fee-based system over five years.
Lambiase explains the proposal would use free cash to cover 100% of costs in the first year, with the town's contribution decreasing by 25% each subsequent year until residents pay the full amount in year five.
"With these costs rising fast, it's becoming harder to sustain this without affecting other critical services," Lambiase says. "Since FY18, the waste hauling costs have increased 56% from $937,000 to nearly $1.4 million."
The proposal estimates the final user fee at approximately $400 per household, with residents over 70 paying half that amount.
Several residents express concerns about the plan. Martha Craft questions the age threshold for senior discounts, suggesting it should be lower than 70.
"I think people who retire earlier than 70 may be on a lower income and that's a lot of money," Craft says.
Beth Owings criticizes the gradual implementation approach.
"At the end of the day, it's still the big increase," Owings says. "So you're not showing people like the real picture of like what it actually is."
John Nickley, in a statement read by his daughter Julie Nelson, argues that previous tax overrides specifically designated for trash collection should continue funding the service.
"The taxpayers of Abington have generously supplied more than enough money to pay for the trash collection to be included in a regular budget in perpetuity," Nelson reads.
Finance Committee member Barbara Ray defends the proposal, noting that the town cannot keep up with rapidly rising trash costs.
"Over the last five years, there's been a 56% increase in the cost for us to get rid of the trash," Ray says. "We can't keep up with it."
After extensive debate, Article 6 fails by a vote of 141-124.
The town meeting approves the $71.8 million operating budget, which includes $1.2 million from free cash to fund trash collection for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget maintains current service levels without expanding programs or adding positions.
Lambiase notes that the town is using free cash and one-time funds to balance the budget, which is "obviously not a sustainable or viable long-term solution for us."
The meeting also approves a capital plan totaling $2.3 million, funded through various sources including free cash, stabilization funds, and enterprise fund retained earnings.
Other significant items approved at the meeting include:
- A $1 million Community Preservation budget funding various projects, including $350,000 for Arnold Park revitalization with street hockey courts and playground improvements
- Acceptance of a 20-acre land gift from the Trufant family to expand Strawberry Valley Golf Course
- $125,000 for demolition of a building at 22 Bedford Street
- Improvements to the Hancock Street/Chestnut Street intersection, including construction of a roundabout
- Amendments to the town's zoning bylaws regarding accessory dwelling units
The meeting rejects a proposal to reduce the town meeting quorum requirement from 150 to 75 registered voters. Several residents argue that maintaining the higher quorum ensures better representation.
"I believe we need to have representation from the town and dropping it from 150 is... I strongly am against this article," says Terry Mays. "We need to have people show up and represent."
Town officials express concern about the town's financial future, with Lambiase noting that state aid increased only 1.6%, which "really doesn't come close to keeping up with inflation or the actual cost we're seeing at the local level."
The meeting concludes with approval of $200,000 from free cash to cover snow and ice removal costs for the current fiscal year.