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2025-11-10 - City Council Joint Roundtable with the School Committee

Summary

Built from the official minutes (adopted by the City Council on December 8, 2025, nine members in favor). This is an older meeting, from November 2025, before the current term. No video link was in the record we have; the Clerk's notes say 22-CityView recorded it.

  • Monday, November 10, 2025, 5:30 to about 7:28 PM. Joint Roundtable/Working Meeting of the City Council and the School Committee on macro-economic trends and the City's FY27 budget; Mayor Simmons chaired, with Vice Mayor McGovern in the chair from 6:24 to 6:30 PM.
  • Council: eight of nine present; Toner absent; Wilson began remotely and was in person at 6:03 PM. School Committee: quorum established, with members arriving at 5:42, 5:50 and 6:10 PM.
  • Presentation by Claire Spinner, "FY27 Budget Planning Amid Economic Headwinds": a multi-year budget problem, a 2.1 percent departmental budget decrease target, and a slowing decline of excess levy capacity.
  • No votes on policy at a roundtable; the only votes were to adjourn: Council 8-0 (one absent) and School Committee 7-0.
  • Mayor Simmons suggested another roundtable soon to continue the discussion.

FY27 Budget Planning

  • Present for the City: City Manager Huang, Deputy City Manager Watkins, Claire Spinner (finance), Budget Director Taha Jennings, Assessor Andrew Johnson and other finance and human services staff. For the schools: Superintendent David Murphy and Chief Financial Officer Ivy Washington.
  • McGovern asked how programs will be evaluated so cuts can be made well; Spinner said Finance and Budget are working with department heads on efficiencies over several years; Jennings called the 2.1 percent target a cultural change that will differ by department.
  • Siddiqui asked whether every department must hit 2.1 percent and about free cash; the answer was that departments will adjust differently and the City has been reducing expected free cash allocations.
  • Azeem asked whether the scenario on packet page 13 is now the expected one (Johnson: projections depend on trends); Watkins said projects such as the Cycling Safety Ordinance need costs identified, and Azeem stressed telling the public about delays.
  • Sobrinho-Wheeler noted the City is about $173 million below its levy capacity (Huang) and urged protecting essential services, students, teachers and paraprofessionals.
  • Zusy suggested town halls on the budget, asked how long until no excess levy capacity at 7 percent growth (Johnson: depends on the real estate market; 7 percent is sustainable now) and whether free cash would again go to the debt stabilization fund (Spinner: not planned next year).
  • Wilson called for a program audit and careful review of capital projects such as the Kennedy Longfellow School renovation (Watkins: early phase, costs still being understood).
  • School Committee members asked for the school budget number (Spinner: talks usually start in December, hope for a number by year end), for combined City and School budget information, and for protection of vulnerable students. Murphy and Washington said federal grants are a small share and the schools should not be affected until late FY27 or FY28; Spinner explained the $5 million stabilization fund.

Sources