Boston Mayor Michelle Wu signed the $4.8 billion metropolis finances, opting to just accept all Metropolis Council modifications for the primary time for the reason that physique was given the flexibility to amend the mayor’s spending plan, moderately than train her veto energy.
Wu joined councilors at Metropolis Corridor Monday for a signing ceremony, saying that she was “very happy to approve and sign” an amended model of her proposed finances for fiscal 12 months 2026, after the Council unanimously permitted $9 million in modifications to it final week.
“Through Council’s leadership and thoughtful deliberation, this amended budget continues the investments in housing, economic and quality of life issues, public health and safety, youth summer jobs and many other shared priorities,” Wu wrote in a letter notifying councilors of her resolution to approve their amended finances.
“Importantly, it makes these critical investments in a fiscally responsible way, ensuring departmental budgets are equipped to deliver city services,” she wrote.
The mayor’s fast acceptance of the Council’s amendments stands in stark distinction to what occurred final 12 months, when she selected to veto the bulk of the physique’s modifications. The Council then selected to override almost half the mayor’s vetoes in a chaotic nine-hour finances session full of infighting, tears and expletives.
In contrast to final and the prior years that led to mayoral vetoes, the Council selected to not make any public security cuts to the police and hearth departments this time.
The $9 million in amendments accepted by the mayor this week characterize about .19% of the whole finances and embrace enhanced funding in firefighter most cancers screening. Councilors who championed that individual public safety-related reallocation of funds cited firefighters’ decrease life expectancy upon retirement.
The Council was additionally in a greater place to attain a straight override of a mayoral veto this 12 months, because of their unanimous approval of the amended finances — one thing it was not in a position to do final 12 months when the mayor flipped three votes.
Council Vice President Brian Worrell, who shepherded this 12 months’s finances course of as chair of the Methods and Means Committee, spoke to this 12 months’s dynamic on the day’s signing ceremony.
“True collaboration takes compromise and a collective will to do what’s best for the people of Boston,” Worrell mentioned. “I’m very proud to work with all my colleagues who have delivered an amendment package that reflects the values of our residents. I’m also glad that the mayor has accepted this package, recognizing the collaborative work that went into delivering these investments.”
The mayor additionally opted to not increase the identical issues she did final 12 months, with the Council’s transfer to make a sequence of cuts to the execution of courts fund, which is budgeted at $5 million yearly and used to settle metropolis lawsuits and courtroom instances.
In 2024, Wu’s workplace flagged the Council’s depletion of a part of that fund to make room for different investments as probably unlawful, however seemingly opted to just accept comparable reductions to the execution of courts finances this 12 months. The Council can amend the finances by means of fund transfers, however can’t change the underside line.
“Under a challenging and rapidly shifting federal landscape, this budget prioritizes resources for the most fundamental services delivered at the local level for Boston to be a home for everyone — focusing on basic city services, health and safety, education, and housing affordability,” Wu wrote in her letter to councilors.
“In the face of national economic uncertainty, the City of Boston maintains strong financial health from consistent and responsible budget management, reflected in our consistent AAA bond ratings for the 12th year in a row and annual balanced budgets,” the mayor wrote.
The FY26 finances features a 4.4% spending improve over final 12 months’s spending plan, which grew by a better charge of 8%.
One of many mayor’s high monetary chiefs mentioned on the day’s signing ceremony that the permitted finances was nonetheless topic to alter, as a result of federal authorities’s threats to chop funding to Boston and different sanctuary cities.
“Unlike many major cities, Boston’s budget is stable and resilient to short-term economic volatility,” Ashley Groffenberger, town’s chief monetary officer, mentioned. “But we’re not immune to challenges and will continue to actively monitor, manage and adapt to the changing environment.”
The annual finances contains greater than $300 million in federal funding, Wu has mentioned, and town is already difficult potential cuts in courtroom.
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