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Fiscal Year 2027 City Budget

At a glance

  • What: The City's Fiscal Year 2027 operating and enterprise budgets (fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026), adopted at the Council's June 25, 2026 meeting (an older meeting).
  • Where it stands: The amended General Fund budget passed 9-2, with Councilor Scott and Councilor Strezo opposed. The Sewer, Water, Kennedy School Pool and Dilboy Fields enterprise budgets passed 11-0.
  • Next: Council resolutions asking the administration to restore some cut items (below) were approved; whether the administration acts on them is not in the record read.

The numbers (June 25, 2026)

  • General Fund: item 26-0950 ($376,778,493) was severed on Councilor Wheeler's motion by unanimous consent and placed on file because a corrected version, 26-1151, had been filed. Budget Director Mike Mastrobuoni said the correction fixed funding allocations, not operations; the amended proposal totals $394,172,946, of which municipal appropriations are $376,778,493, unchanged at the bottom line.
  • Enterprise funds (all 11-0): Sewer $39,633,688; Water $24,672,499; Kennedy School Pool $794,782; Dilboy Fields $237,500, plus retained-earnings subsidies of $86,200 (Dilboy) and $238,791 (Kennedy School Pool).
  • Stabilization and reserve moves (all approved 11-0 unless noted): $16,000,000 Sewer retained earnings to the Sewer Capital Stabilization Fund; $2,000,000 Water to the Water Capital Stabilization Fund; $7,150,000 free cash to the Street Reconstruction and Renovation Stabilization Fund; $1,000,000 free cash and $1,676,728 of salary contingency to the Salary & Wage Stabilization Fund; $1,200,000 free cash to the OPEB Trust Fund; $200,000 free cash to the Compensated Absence Liability Fund; $549,399 free cash to the Traffic Safety Stabilization Fund; $1,000,000 from the Community Benefits Stabilization Fund to the Housing Assistance Stabilization Fund (10-0, Councilor McLaughlin absent).
  • Councilor Wheeler moved that all financial items be reconsidered "in the hopes that reconsideration fails"; the vote was 0 in favor, 11 opposed.

Debate on the General Fund vote

  • Councilor Scott said the Council did its financial oversight job but disagreed with staff cuts, the denial of an extra special education sports and interventionist funding, and no raises for the police department.
  • Councilor Strezo had concerns about the School Department budget (the School Committee approved its budget on June 8, 2026); President Davis stepped out of the chair for that part and Councilor Mbah presided. She cited a letter from a resident and said she would vote no.
  • Councilor Hardt looked ahead to Fiscal Year 2028 for school needs. Councilor Scott noted the Council's only option to meet school needs this year was to reject the budget and send it back to the Mayor.
  • Councilor Scott also had the City Attorney advise on the Mayor's compliance with Charter Section 6-4 on submitting the school budget as adopted by the School Committee (26-1025); the City Attorney's update (26-1119) was placed on file and the order marked work completed.

Resolutions passed with the budget (all 11-0)

  • Councilor Strezo: restore the cut Home Visitor position in the SomerBaby Program (including postpartum care); allocate $20,000 for out-of-school-time programming for teens on early-release Wednesdays (see Out of School Time Programs); raise Licensing Commissioners' pay (see Licensing Commissioner Salaries).
  • Councilor Link: a 10 percent raise for crossing guards; a $400,000 Youth Development Services grant add for Teen Empowerment was withdrawn (see Teen Empowerment Youth Grants).
  • Councilor Mbah: restore cut positions in the Racial and Social Justice Department (see Social Justice Department Funding); use the Small Business Stabilization Fund in FY 2027 and teach businesses how to access it.
  • The Clerk's request to eliminate the Assistant City Clerk-Vital Records & Licensing position for budget reasons was approved.

Earlier context

  • At the Finance Committee's May 26, 2026 meeting the budget-related requests were reviewed, and a public hearing on the FY 2027 budget was set by Councilor Wheeler for Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 6:00 PM online (see 2026-05-28 - City Council).
  • The May 28 meeting also dealt with announced layoffs; see Somerville Workers United Recognition.
  • Year-end items approved the same night include Fiscal Year 2026 Snow Removal Deficit and a $250,000 free-cash appropriation to cover an unemployment compensation deficit.

Sources

Log

2026-06-25 - City Council

Final votes: General Fund (amended) 9-2, enterprise funds 11-0, stabilization transfers, six budget resolutions approved 11-0, Teen Empowerment add withdrawn.

2026-05-28 - City Council

Finance Committee report (May 26) approved; budget public hearing announced for June 10; Councilor Mbah resolution asking for a list of positions cut from the FY 2027 budget approved.