Kent budget plan calls for tax increase; vote set for May 29

KENT —Voters will decide Kent’s proposed municipal and education budgets for fiscal year 2027 at a town hall meeting on May 29. Residents must attend in person to weigh in and cast their votes on the spending plans.

The vote will follow a May 15 public hearing, when the Board of Finance will consider public input before advancing the budgets to the May 29 meeting.

The proposed budgets carry an anticipated mill rate of 17.45, an increase of 0.58, or 3.44%, from the current year. For homeowners, that would mean a modest increase in property taxes if approved. A home assessed at $350,000, for example, would carry an annual tax bill of $6,107, an increase of about $203.

The Board of Selectmen’s municipal operating budget totals $5,277,965, up just over 5% from this year.

Total education spending is projected at $8,090,829, a 3.61% increase, combining the local elementary school budget and the town’s required contribution to the Region One school district.

The Kent Center School budget stands at $5,307,470, a 2.12% increase, after the Board of Finance directed a $30,000 reduction ahead of the public hearing. Rising costs, including employee benefits, continue to drive the local school budget.

Kent’s share of the Region One budget is projected at $2,783,359, an increase of about $170,000, or 6.57%, driven largely by high school tuition and shared services. Regional costs account for a significant portion of the overall increase, outpacing growth on the local school side.

To help balance the budget, the Board of Finance voted April 14 to allocate $250,000 from the town’s unassigned fund balance.

The Region One budget process is handled separately. The proposed $19.5 million regional budget, a 5.67% increase, will go to referendum in all six district towns on May 5.

Budget documents are available for public review on the town’s website.

Town Hall meeting

Friday, May 29, 6 p.m.

Kent Town Hall

41 Kent Green Blvd.