Belmont Warrant Committee Re-Elects Richter, Eyes $7 Million to $9 Million Override by 2028

BELMONT — September 17, 2025 — Belmont Warrant Committee re-elects Paul Richter as chair and hears new five-year budget model projecting a $7 million to $9 million override by spring 2028. Richter was elected unanimously for a second year, with Connor McEachern returning as vice chair and Bill Anderson continuing as secretary, both by unanimous roll-call votes of all 13 members present in person and online. Tom Caputo, presenting for the Multi-Year Budget Advisory Committee, said Belmont's revenues are growing at roughly 3 percent annually while expenses rise at 4 to 4.5 percent, a structural gap the model projects can be bridged through fiscal years 2027 and 2028 using the Override Mitigation Fund before a new override is needed. The committee also launched a compressed four-week independent review of the Belmont Center Overlay's fiscal assumptions ahead of October Town Meeting, with members volunteering to assess school-age-children enrollment projections, education costs, and hotel development feasibility — the latter drawing skepticism after members noted that only three 350-room hotels have been built in Massachusetts in the last 15 years, all near interstate highways.