Winthrop Town Council Unanimously Adopts $80 Million-Plus Fiscal 2026 Budget

WINTHROP -- June 10, 2025, Winthrop Town Council adopted a comprehensive fiscal year 2026 budget package exceeding $80 million at a special June 10 meeting at the Robert DeLeo Senior Center. The council voted unanimously on all ten motions, approving a general fund operating budget of $66,405,382, a capital plan of $3,716,273, and enterprise fund budgets covering water and sewer ($11,482,087), solid waste ($1,846,820), recreation ($435,375), the Larson Rink ($355,126), and the harbormaster ($297,279). The solid waste budget drew the most debate: the general fund trash subsidy dropped from $600,000 to $400,000, but Town Manager Tony Marino said the residential trash fee will likely rise from $160 to between $185 and $190, an increase of roughly 15 to 16 percent. The council also placed the Harbormaster Waterways Enterprise Fund under the authority of the police chief and appropriated $1,450,000 to the Education Stabilization Fund, fulfilling a requirement tied to the town's recently passed Proposition 2½ override.