Editor’s Note: Please check the publishing date of this article. For the most up to date election information, please visit the Town of Salem website.
This article is Part 3 of a six-part Town Hall Times series breaking down the warrant articles on the 2026 Town Meeting ballot. In this installment, we explain the 2026 Operating Budget that voters will review prior to the March 10, 2026, election.
Article 8 asks voters to consider and vote on the Town’s proposed operating budget for fiscal year 2026. The proposed amount reflects anticipated expenses for maintaining current service levels, contractual increases, capital outlays included within the operating budget, and other operational needs. Voters will be asked to approve the total proposed appropriation as presented in the warrant.
Article 08: 2026 Operating Budget
Shall the Town raise and appropriate as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately, the amounts set forth on the budget posted with the warrant or as amended by vote of the first session, for the purposes set forth therein, totaling $71,994,466? Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be $66,126,303, which is the same as last year, with certain adjustments required by previous action of the Town or by law; or the Town Council may hold one (1) special meeting, in accordance with RSA 40:13, X and XVI, to take up the issue of a revised operating budget only.
Recommendations:
- Town Council: With
- Budget Committee: With
What is the Default Budget?
In New Hampshire, the default budget is based on the prior year’s operating budget, with adjustments required by law and prior Town actions. These adjustments typically account for items such as contractual obligations and one-time expenses.
If voters do not approve the proposed operating budget, the Town operates under the default budget instead.
If the proposed operating budget is defeated, the Town Council may also hold one special meeting, as allowed under state law, to consider a revised operating budget only.
What does “Bottom Line Budget” mean?
The operating budget is considered a “bottom line budget” under New Hampshire law. This means voters are asked to approve the overall operating budget amount as a whole, rather than voting on individual department budgets separately.
We encourage residents to take a moment to review Articles 8 in the full Voter’s Guide before heading to the polls. Residents seeking additional election information, including polling locations and hours, are encouraged to visit the Town’s Election Information page.
Part 4 of 6 will break down Warrant Articles 9, 10, and 11, including the 2026 Road Construction & Engineering Program and two collective bargaining agreements appearing on the March 10 ballot.