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2026 Budget and Town Meeting
This page will serve as a hub for information related to the 2026 Budget and Town meeting process. Please check back often for updates on budget presentations, warrant articles, Town Meeting information, and more.
CITIZEN PETITIONS: The various deadlines for 2026 citizen petitions and their review / votes by the Town Council and Budget Committee are listed below. To view the submission guidelines for citizen petitions, please click here. For the petition form, please click here. To view the guideline to filing a citizen petition, please click here.
- January 13, 2026 (Tuesday) – Deadline for citizen petitions (5:00 p.m.)
- January 14, 2026 (Wednesday) – Town Council – Review/Vote on Citizen Petition Warrant Articles
- Salem High School – 44 Geremonty Drive – 6:00 p.m.
- January 14, 2025 (Wednesday) – Budget Committee - review all warrant articles including citizen petitions
- Salem High School - 44 Geremonty Drive – 7:00 p.m.
- January 15, 2025 (Thursday) – Budget Committee – Public Hearing and Vote on warrant articles including citizen petitions
- Knightly Meeting Room – Town Hall – 7:00 p.m.
INITATIVE PETITIONS: The deadline for 2026 Initiative petitions and their review / votes by the Town Council are listed below. To view the guide on filing a initiative petition, please click here.
- December 26, 2025 (Friday) – Deadline for initiative petitions (5:00 p.m.)
- January 14, 2026 (Wednesday) – Town Council – Review/Vote on initiative Petition Warrant Articles
- Salem High School – 44 Geremonty Drive – 6:00 p.m.
Have questions about the budget or process?
You can send budget questions lo budget@salemnh.gov! Questions will be answered prior to the Town Council meetings.
INITIAL PRESENTATION: On October 1, 2025, the Town Manager presented the Town Manager's 2026 Recommended Budget to the Town Council. On October 8, the Town Council further reviewed, refined, and asked questions about the budget.
- Please click here to view the Town Manager's 2026 Recommended Budget.
- Please click here to view the Town Manager's PowerPoint regarding the 2026 Recommended Budget.
October 1, 2025 Initial Budget Presentation to Town Council
October 8, 2025 Town Council Budget Review Meeting
REVISIONS AND ADOPTION: On October 15, 2025, the Town Council made revisions to the budget and adopted the budget. The new Budget, reflective of Town Council's changes, is available below.
October 15, 2025 Town Council Budget Adoption Meeting
INITIAL PRESENTATION: On November 5, 2025, the Town presented the Town Council's 2026 Recommended Budget to the Budget Committee.
- Please click here to view the Town Council's 2026 Recommended Budget.
- Please click here to view the Town Manager's PowerPoint to the Budget Committee regarding the 2026 Budget.
- Please click here to view the 2026 Default Budget.
November 5, 2025 Initial Budget Presentation to Budget Committee
REVISIONS AND ADOPTION: On November 12, 2025, the Budget Committee made revisions to the budget and adopted the budget.
November 12, 2025 Budget Committee Budget Adoption Meeting
- What is the difference between the operating budget and the total amount voters approved for all warrant articles in 2025?
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Q: I was looking at the budget that was presented yesterday and I am having trouble matching things up from last year.
The 2025 ballot asked voters to approve 73,861,954
https://salemnh.gov/documentcenter/view/5376Since that was the operating budget that was voted on I would have expected to see that number on the 2025/2026 Budget Comparison but I don't. What am I missing?
A: Thanks for reaching out with the question. The $73,861,954 represents the appropriation for warrant article 8 the operating budget.
The 2025/2026 budget comparison shows the total budget for Salem in 2025 as $77,512,538. The difference is the separate warrant articles that were approved by the voters.