Fall River City Council rejects FY2027 appropriation lines, moves to 112th continuing appropriation

The Fall River City Council on June 30 rejected the proposed fiscal year 2027 appropriation order line by line and voted 6–3 to adopt a 112th continuing appropriation, sending a letter to the mayor asking that he submit the continuing appropriation order.

Councilors said the vote came after repeated failures by the administration to provide line‑level backup and clear explanations for large budget items — most prominently the city’s school transportation numbers. Resident speakers and council members pressed for documentation after the school department and city administration presented differing totals, and councillors said the council received key pages only hours before the meeting.

Mayor Paul Kugan, who called the special meeting, urged the council not to stall the budget. "Please do not let petty politics disrupt these deliberations any further and the people of Fall River deserve better," he said, while defending the administration’s cooperation and the compromises it offered during negotiations.

Councilors repeatedly asked where transportation figures originated. The school committee’s CFO had projected roughly $17 million in transportation spending, which several councilors said differed from the city’s figures by about $900,000. Councilors also debated whether McKinney‑Vento surpluses and specific one‑time funds could be used to close any gap; the administration said some items were estimates pending the new school CFO’s review and that certain funds were restricted for special‑education transportation use.

After a procedural motion to consider the appropriation order line by line, the council conducted an extended series of roll‑call votes rejecting many general‑fund line items (including mayoral, council, clerk, elections, community maintenance and major school appropriation sections) by the recorded 6–3 margins reported in the chamber. The council then passed motions to reduce the appropriation to zero dollars and to adopt a continuing appropriation (a "112th" budget) so city operations can continue while the parties resolve outstanding items. Council Vice President Dion moved the continuing‑appropriation motion; Councilor Pekkham seconded it.

Votes at a glance
• Motion to take appropriation line by line: made and seconded; council proceeded with line‑by‑line roll calls.
• Multiple line items rejected across Sections A–I by roll‑call tallies repeatedly recorded as 6 yes / 3 no.
• Motion to reduce the appropriation to $0 and adopt a 112th continuing appropriation: carried 6 yes / 3 no.
• Motion to send a letter requesting the mayor submit the continuing appropriation order: carried unanimously in favor of sending the letter.

The council’s action does not immediately halt municipal services; members and the clerk noted a continuing appropriation allows departments to operate, but it also shifts administrative burdens onto department heads and extends the process to resolve outstanding disagreements. The council asked the mayor to submit the continuing appropriation wording and voted to send a formal request letter.

The meeting closed after members discussed next procedural steps and agreed to continue negotiations on outstanding memoranda of agreement and transportation accounting.