City of Fall River appears to be headed to a 1/12 budget after City Council special meeting cancelled

It appears that the City of Fall River is headed to a 1/12 budget.

According to a statement Friday from City Council President Cliff Ponte, the special meeting expected to take place on June 30th to have the City Council vote again on the budget, has been cancelled.

“After scheduling the City Council meeting for Tuesday to consider the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, I as well as the City Council office spoke with several members of the City Council regarding both their availability and the status of their review of the proposed budget.

“The City Council Office subsequently polled Council members to determine whether they would be available to attend the meeting. Based upon those responses, it became evident that not all members of the City Council would be able to attend as scheduled. Given that the adoption of the City’s annual budget is the single most important responsibility of the legislative branch, I do not believe it is appropriate to proceed with a vote of this magnitude without providing every elected Council member a reasonable opportunity to participate in the discussion, debate, and final vote.

“Additionally, those conversations revealed that several Council members continue to have significant unanswered questions regarding the proposed budget. Among the issues raised are discrepancies in the transportation budget, where at least three different funding figures have been presented throughout the budget process, creating uncertainty as to the actual amount being requested. Council members have also raised concerns regarding police department buyout costs that appear not to have been budgeted, questions surrounding indirect cost allocations, and several other fiscal matters that require additional explanation before the Council can responsibly act.

“The Fiscal Year 2027 budget represents nearly $500 million in taxpayer resources. It establishes the City’s financial priorities for the coming year and is, without question, one of the most consequential votes the City Council takes. Every Council member was elected by the residents of Fall River to represent their constituents, and every neighborhood deserves to have its elected representative present whenever reasonably possible to participate in this decision.

“The City Council serves as the taxpayers’ fiscal oversight body. Our responsibility is not simply to approve a budget, but to thoroughly examine it, reconcile inconsistencies, question assumptions, and ensure that every appropriation is accurate, justified, and in the best interest of the people of Fall River. That responsibility cannot be fulfilled when material questions remain unanswered or when members of the legislative body are unable to participate in the deliberative process.

“For these reasons, I have made the decision to cancel Tuesday’s scheduled budget meeting.”

According to reporting from Jo Goode of Fall River Reporter, last Tuesday, the City Council voted in a 7-2 vote to reject all items in the budget and to reduce the appropriation to zero.

If the budget isn’t resolved by the end of the fiscal year on June 30th, the city will be forced into a restrictive and disruptive 1/12 budget which would require city departments to budget on a month-by-month basis.