Braintree Over Snow Budget Before Latest Storm Hit

Before the storm hit Braintree Tuesday, dropping nine inches of snow overnight, the town had already expended 110 percent of its snow and ice removal budget.

Town officials budgeted $400,000 for winter storm response for the current fiscal year. Braintree had spent $440,000 by Tuesday and is likely to break $500,000 after the latest storm is calculated, Mayor Joseph Sullivan said.

It is difficult to forecast how much the town will need for the season, Sullivan said, but Braintree has been steadily increasing its snow budget by $50,000 for each of the last several years.

Next year, the town could jump $100,000 to $500,000, depending on other municipal costs, the mayor said, adding that Braintree should be in a position to pay off its snow debt at the end of the year rather than rolling it over, as allowed by law.

Snow budgets are unique among municipal finances in that they are an area in which towns are allowed to regularly go beyond planned spending because of the uncertainty of weather.

During winter 2012-2013, Braintree spent $900,000 on a $350,000 budget.

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