By a 6-3 vote, the Fall River City Council has rejected Mayor Paul Coogan’s FY 2026 municipal budget. The $500 million spending plan is 7% higher than FY 2025 with major increases in trash disposal, education, payment for the new Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School, and health insurance.
During the discussion before the vote, City Councilor Cliff Ponte questioned the administration’s use of savings to fund operating expenses, saying larger deficits will result.
Councilor Michelle Dionne said the city could save money by eliminating roughly $200,000 in raises to non-union administrative employees.
Councilor Shawn Cadime said along with funding the budget with savings, other staffing and equipment needs are not being addressed.
The mayor’s office hopes to submit a new budget for the council to consider before the fiscal year begins on July 1.
Video courtesy Fall River Government Television
