by Lisa Hinton-Valdrighi
WHITE STONE—White Stone Town Council on Thursday, April 3, took a first look at its proposed $258,525 fiscal year 2025-26 budget. The total is $7,120 more than the current year’s budget with primary increases expected for insurance and salaries.
“We were very conservative with this [budget] so we don’t dig ourselves into a big hole,” said finance committee chairman Ran Reeves during his presentation. He added the budget is “very much in line” with the $251,405 total for 2024-25.
The committee estimated a $9,000 decrease in revenue from the local cigarette sales tax, but a $4,100 increase in the prepared food tax, he said. The revenue budget also reflects a $7,600 increase in local sales tax and a $5,975 increase in the general fund balance.
Reeves said the bulk of the proposed expenditure increase is in rising insurance….
