Last modified: Tuesday, March 4, 2008 12:33 AM EST Plainville's budget worsens BY LAUREN CARTER FOR THE SUN CHRONICLE PLAINVILLE - The town's already grim financial picture is looking considerably worse than originally projected. Officials had estimated a $1.2 million budget deficit for the coming fiscal year, but that number has now been revised to $2.4 million; the final number will be determined once all departments have submitted their budgets. Town Administrator Joseph Fernandes said that some of the budgets that came in far exceeded the increases he had projected. The town's share of the King Philip Regional school system budget, for example, came in $700,000 higher than expected. "We all realize we've got a real problem," Fernandes said. To put the deficit in perspective, even if all employees in both the fire and police departments were laid off, the budget gap wouldn't be closed. Level-funding the schools and laying off seven positions in town would likewise not solve the problem. Departments are going to have to dramatically scale themselves back, Fernandes said, and the schools are going to have to participate. "This is definitely, by far, the worst it's been since I've been here," said Selectman Rob Rose, who noted that the town has been living beyond its means. State Sen. Scott Brown, R-Wrentham, and state Rep. Richard Ross, R-Wrentham, will be meeting with selectmen to let them know if there is any money coming the town's way from state coffers. Brown recently filed a bill to have lottery money released back to towns and cities, which would give Plainville about $414,000. Town meeting will be held in May this year so that two budgets can be presented to residents: one that makes the cuts necessary to balance the budget, and one that would be funded by a Proposition 2 override. Fernandes plans to hold a meeting with all departments at the end of this month to update them on the financial picture and formulate a plan before town meeting. Town departments have already been asked to submit budgets with only those expenses necessary to maintain current levels of service, keeping in mind the town's dire fiscal situation, but will now be asked to revise them even further. A balanced budget needs to be in place by June 30. "Look up 'bad times' in the dictionary and this is it," Fernandes said. "This is as bad as it gets."