[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",5980661,"mediaKeyId","5772235-e47d1d9109c9657dbe87b0bf89381212","parentId",5772235,"title","Peabody faces budget pressure from rising insurance costs; candidates discuss revenue options","audioSeconds",243,"startMs",948000,"endMs",1191000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5772235-e47d1d9109c9657dbe87b0bf89381212&start=948&end=1191","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5772235-e47d1d9109c9657dbe87b0bf89381212/thumbnail_948000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5980661/Peabody-City/Essex-County/Massachusetts/Peabody-faces-budget-pressure-from-rising-insurance-costs-candidates-discuss-revenue-options","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5980661-499607dfd1c67af78eb51affe6721ca3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171997&Signature=gaDJ5A3RfZe9dXelb12JIz6Ru6Z8gnWK1dxfbl8835LJfPP6TaPJF85-434Jjzo-IFtULa2652D0tD9HyP1H3U0FWr76hpXRCDCbQPLd65P5daRLM0Vab3nsVE-fUWomw0p-xIh7~rcUg-vtoWP8qKIwYXId1iFd5AD430gnhtVPQWU53530gn0lwdDOCCLH85YQUiMi6teu~UAAX~32~THIYhZzjKHNaCDisnEuj6ADuiEy4p1TBNOg-nnwiCwDonq7ffzIFpTDXuK-5coOXaN5lZN1Uxo7HwlspOANjik-aoQzCB~hVB0OWitu70lxyaD56k8ah6qE~XzlNw-EWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Peabody TV","date","2025-09-17T12:26:19Z","article","Peabody’s proposed FY2026 spending plan — cited at the forum as about $208,000,000 — is facing upward pressure from rising insurance and personnel costs and the exhaustion of pandemic relief funds, panelists and candidates said. The budget picture prompted audience questions about how the city would maintain services without large tax increases.

\"We have a $208,000,000 budget, and this year, in particular, was a very difficult year, for health insurance,\" Mayor Ted Bettencourt said at the forum, adding that health insurance increases were a major driver behind this year’s tax change.

Why it matters: operating budget drivers such as insurance and staffing affect the property tax levy and decisions about revenue generation, service levels and capital priorities.

A member of the audience summarized the budget concern: with a $208 million proposed budget, rising insurance and staffing costs and depleted ARPA funds, residents could face a roughly $450 to $500 increase in property tax bills, the questioner said at the forum. Candidates were asked to describe alternatives to raising taxes.

Responses discussed a range of revenue options, many tied to redevelopment of large vacant industrial properties. Mayor Bettencourt and several council candidates said zoning decisions and redevelopment at sites including the former Analogic property, the Russo site and Centennial Park would be critical to the city’s revenue outlook.

Bettencourt noted other possibilities, such as landfill opportunities, air rights work with the state Department of Environmental Protection, and selling or acquiring water rights related to the Russo property. He said some of the cost pressures result from health insurance increases — \"our health insurance went up nearly 15% this year\" — and that until larger health‑care cost drivers are addressed, the city will continue to face pressure.

Candidate Rochelle Agneta emphasized investment in revenue‑generating amenities such as a performing arts center or a museum and said the city should consider starting services (she mentioned investigating an ambulance service) that might create revenue or reduce costs over time. \"We need to have a good 10, 20, 30 year plan out,\" she said.

Clarifying details given at the forum included a mayoral statement that closing of the Russo facility reduced water and sewer billing revenue by \"hundreds of thousands of dollars per year\" (figure not precisely specified) but did not reduce property tax receipts while a new owner would likely increase real‑estate tax revenue.

No formal fiscal decisions were made at the forum. Candidates framed options that would require later study, zoning changes and negotiations with private developers and state agencies.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Peabody Candidates Forum - September 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Peabody’s proposed FY2026 budget, described at the candidates forum as about $208 million, is under pressure from rising health insurance costs and depleted ARPA funds, prompting discussion of revenue alternatives.","taxTitle","Peabody City, Essex County, Massachusetts","taxId",5128,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5980645,"Candidates split on how to add housing: municipal trust, controlled redevelopment or limits on density",786,3514000,4300000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5772235-e47d1d9109c9657dbe87b0bf89381212&start=3514&end=4300","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5772235-e47d1d9109c9657dbe87b0bf89381212/thumbnail_3514000.jpg","/articles/5980645/Peabody-City/Essex-County/Massachusetts/Candidates-split-on-how-to-add-housing-municipal-trust-controlled-redevelopment-or-limits-on-density","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5980645-eb3959f5bdc84b19aee01e1a0b612bc4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171997&Signature=ZFfn9FjqKhNjRWBVcRMLi-KRv9IRfI3773Pv6Ap8Cv8SwHUdUkE8HzkNMm53~Z0aCQD8yKACiekBLuHCGwiBGnwleA4dbgTg1nT4A~PT-0cuLizb~ncGJ~1WHay0~6DTRbkwr4T5FNUwZ6zhpDCvrNMv3AlsOCvPbR3rWg3VEOjy0JQXueiw1tIQrTzV0wI0yv2KmQGB6hph8ZWyHrwXyULD0tmp97Majuatfd-7PQZyXv5lbc7-BB6LmZ5n9QZfLv92wQi-U~JV1-O2r2g2gSA5gX2x2Z5Zp0Z7fl5rsrs41hgCuh0PeDNYNHcnh6GF-xxAMP3cBDQ4CNkd47zsXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Peabody candidates at the forum offered competing visions for adding moderately priced housing without disrupting neighborhoods, with proposals including a municipal housing trust, targeted downtown and Centennial Park housing, and stronger controls on density and infrastructure impacts.

Why it matters: decisions about where and what type of housing to add determine school and municipal service demand, traffic, environmental impacts and the city’s tax base.

Tristan Brown proposed creating a municipal housing trust and a locally controlled development district — modeled on historical Peabody trusts elsewhere — to acquire and rehabilitate properties for working and middle‑income households while protecting neighborhood character. \"Municipal housing trust combined with something like a George Peabody development district would allow the city to identify parcels...where the city or, rather the trust, ... can rehab properties that need the help,\" Brown said.

Jared Hochman and other candidates emphasized smaller units and downtown micro‑units for empty nesters and workers, and suggested encouraging private developers to build smaller single‑level units. \"There are quite a few folks who are, empty nesters now... what they're looking for are small unit, single level, 600, 700 square foot type apartments,\" Hochman said.

Other candidates, including Tom Rosignall and Jacqueline Corriveau, said Peabody has already added substantial apartment development in recent years and raised infrastructure and school capacity concerns. Corriveau noted the city is “at its 10% threshold for affordable housing” and that the city uses inclusionary zoning (she referenced local inclusionary rules requiring an affordable share for projects over eight units).

John Turco and others said housing near existing commercial corridors and the Centennial Office Park (Centennial Park) should be considered first because those areas have direct road access and reduce neighborhood traffic impacts. The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) was also cited: council support recently directed $600,000 in CPC funds toward an affordable housing project on Endicott Street.

Candidates disagreed on the pace and location of increased housing. No development approvals were taken at the forum; candidates discussed policy options and signaled that zoning changes, infrastructure assessments and targeted incentives would be needed before large new projects could move forward.","Peabody candidates offered differing blueprints for increasing moderately priced housing while preserving neighborhood character, including a municipal housing trust, downtown micro‑units and directing development to Centennial Park.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5980651,"Candidates say permitting delays and an opaque website are harming Peabody small businesses; a business liaison and website overhaul proposed",1176,510000,1686000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5772235-e47d1d9109c9657dbe87b0bf89381212&start=510&end=1686","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5772235-e47d1d9109c9657dbe87b0bf89381212/thumbnail_510000.jpg","/articles/5980651/Peabody-City/Essex-County/Massachusetts/Candidates-say-permitting-delays-and-an-opaque-website-are-harming-Peabody-small-businesses-a-business-liaison-and-website-overhaul-proposed","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5980651-f606602f2197d9498b2731d5ea55a797/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171997&Signature=ZkVhIuYNVHuPOTSJOPD9Gu6xPgQojpi4PRl86T90y5QrqU-I-8mEeAoqZ6uljxIZR0MSp7BqRBMwh7YmjLd~6mna4JfFhunexYS9dwPN4rqQoN6S32bClz6uwfz0wygRTFYytglYeKNHUbWwIl~z4zoJoE9DnoCmRmEd17nW6w0LlG5jWgFF8NezvurvjWo~Svl3TUB0mJoGgK5aKHMT-xZHfqGhcObrtNWeDF-u95dGQx50P4WURXN6hN4ysbrRfpduQhakKv4RxVnuZ7eUZlgsGO9OGxpvmmQ5NJKlbzpHX1n2LNeK4xB09nnui6Wl6lpsFsPM1VYLru0oBY5PUw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several candidates at the Peabody forum criticized the city's permitting and online information systems as barriers for small businesses and proposed a business liaison role and a redesigned website to improve access and response times.

Why it matters: small business permitting and customer service affect local economic development, job creation and tax revenue; repeated complaints from current and prospective owners risk deterring new investment.

Rochelle Agneta, a mayoral candidate and long‑time Peabody business owner, said the city’s portal and front‑desk service are inadequate and recounted a personal delay getting a business certificate. \"It took me 6 months to get a business certificate... I have had a business in Peabody for 30 years. I have never ever ever had 6 months wait for a business certificate,\" she said, adding that the portal can put users into an endless loop.

Agenta proposed a business liaison to guide new and existing businesses through permitting and licensing processes. Several other candidates and the mayor noted successful ribbon cuttings in recent months — including Full Circle Diner and 98 Main Street Bakery — where owners reported positive interactions with city staff, but candidates said those experiences are inconsistent and that a central point of contact would reduce friction.

Candidate Tristan Brown and others pointed to existing external programs (for example, MassDevelopment leasing programs for pop‑up retail) and urged the city to partner with regional economic development groups to attract businesses and pilots.

No formal hiring decisions were made at the forum. Candidates advocated for operational changes — a dedicated business liaison, clearer online permitting and faster response protocols — that would require administrative action and possible reallocation of staff or budget.","Forum candidates and business owners described long wait times and confusing online permitting systems that they say deter new businesses and complicate operations. Proposals included creating a business liaison position, a user‑friendly website and more proactive outreach to entrepreneurs.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5980657,"Mayoral candidate and mayor describe new school supports and a city task force to address bullying and student mental health",100,1395000,1495000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5772235-e47d1d9109c9657dbe87b0bf89381212&start=1395&end=1495","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5772235-e47d1d9109c9657dbe87b0bf89381212/thumbnail_1395000.jpg","/articles/5980657/Peabody-City/Essex-County/Massachusetts/Mayoral-candidate-and-mayor-describe-new-school-supports-and-a-city-task-force-to-address-bullying-and-student-mental-health","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5980657-cec7d4d3d23d52a49b0f9e3ac04d1b7b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171997&Signature=D-pkZvqL9pM-SbkjjFKYr3Esnyr~a6ldXM3X9eqUaMemtfQRF~z9zC52Uk-Y8o-nIFZQpHTD3PG-CnWFcsI4Xu2T8XOxAE-NpvsDx24SG~rqOMJpXTuug3yFjhIROIsjDEPtF~KI0z5runI3lo~TgNqaHcV1p1V-SeeOfqfJkjX-5mgPJMiwSnAiGBiACyuH52p6lxUa6IsLIYCGHY91i1otkATTemghb9fQN3wcYc6fUhYIVvri5dJ254QI5hUXFaHT~s8Wg1Kz3JDwA3k6azMR-bNdWtvK6o9VCEzaurP~6rnosuL6i2oiKkAsZr4GA5g3Q3FYxd3LHKtwbBLSiA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor Ted Bettencourt said Peabody is launching multiple steps to respond to bullying and student mental health concerns, including a new support center at Higgins Middle School and an expanded set of multidisciplinary teams and city task forces.

Why it matters: schools and student mental health policies shape discipline, counseling availability and safety in classrooms; candidate comments signaled an emphasis on local resources plus outreach to state policymakers.

Bettencourt described a “four‑point plan” he and partners have been developing and said the city is preparing to open a Higgins Middle School student resource and support center. \"We're opening up the new Higgins Middle School student resource and support center. That is gonna provide 3 full time counselors at all times at the middle school for drop ins, for regular appointments,\" he said.

He also outlined a planned behavioral assessment team to meet weekly and review bullying cases; he described the group as \"2 teachers, 2 administrators, a guidance counselor, a nurse, and a police officer\" who will meet weekly to review cases and develop action plans. He said the city has formed a separate city task force and is pressing for state‑level changes to allow schools and districts greater options for discipline and prevention.

Bettencourt argued that current state rules limit how schools can treat bullying incidents and that the city should advocate for broader remedies: \"Right now, bullying is not a recognized way to suspend or expel a student... I think bullying has to be looked at because that can cause just as much damage as drug dealing, as physical assault.\"

Rochelle Agneta, the challenger at the forum, said she supported greater parent involvement and clearer protocols for reporting and responding to bullying. She told the audience the city needs clearer information flows for parents: \"I believe there should be a protocol list that parents know about when you report it, where it goes to, how it's reported, and where it goes from there.\"

The forum did not produce new local regulations; officials described operational additions (the support center and the behavioral assessment team) and advocacy plans for state policy changes. The mayor gave a tentative opening date for the Higgins center as the city plans a ribbon cutting.","At the forum Mayor Ted Bettencourt described a four‑part effort the city is advancing to address bullying and student mental health that includes a new Higgins Middle School resource center with three full‑time counselors, a behavioral assessment team and state‑level advocacy.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5980665,"Mayor outlines first‑term priorities: public safety building, new high school planning and Central Street project",157,330000,487000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5772235-e47d1d9109c9657dbe87b0bf89381212&start=330&end=487","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5772235-e47d1d9109c9657dbe87b0bf89381212/thumbnail_330000.jpg","/articles/5980665/Peabody-City/Essex-County/Massachusetts/Mayor-outlines-firstterm-priorities-public-safety-building-new-high-school-planning-and-Central-Street-project","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5980665-8c233c010e3ec26669417e90687306f6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771171997&Signature=Kk2cOKQz597OlACGQ9msJDksnu~RrV21FhRQdJpuAVTLX17AfYVDyBms6Mo6F6C4XsM-iD4c~nHLXcUVUjz48TEXs4mYVDhhfGvURODybJ7gFO-sJEuBCbZJJz95yIrZgGaQPrbbpCvqD50bJTqdIS4ejoAARgK6RPkUjzad3x6x8IEr3o7kDg6V-GFaKn9LaUcA-F0q33RiwybYNAR8aP29JmcxlJIrwy9bJiQmqQxCUhOEOp9GwnbVL~239yM9ZJpPiHKmKWejq6z8BFL4iKq9n3pBtFy3gCt8JA-fz7XuTQnFkVekrQjkULAV8YQB9d8CGZp~fWmCeOadQHdjtg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mayor Ted Bettencourt said his first six months in a new term would be spent managing a slate of long‑running capital projects and near‑term zoning decisions that he and other officials see as crucial to Peabody’s future. The mayor described work on a new public safety building, the next steps in planning a replacement Peabody Veterans Memorial High School and the multi‑year Central Street reconstruction as top priorities.

The mayor said the city is meeting weekly on the public safety project and remains on schedule and “on budget.” He described the plan as an upgrade in facilities, training and technology for police, fire and emergency management so they can “combat 21st‑century crime” and provide better emergency services.

Why it matters: the public safety building and the high school are multi‑year capital commitments that shape operating budgets, staffing and construction activity; Central Street reconstruction is a core downtown project that officials say will be transformational for safety and the business district.

Bettencourt said the high school project has completed the feasibility stage and that the city expects to choose an owner’s project manager and architect in early 2026 to begin design work. \"We're still about 3, 4, maybe even 5 years away, but we've completed the feasibility stage of that process,\" he said.

On Central Street, the mayor urged patience from residents and businesses, calling the work “a monster” and “very difficult” but saying it will “make it safer, make it more aesthetically pleasing, and it's gonna make a difference for our businesses and residents in that area.”

Bettencourt also flagged zoning as a near‑term item tied to redevelopment potential at former industrial sites, saying the city needs to decide allowable uses for the Analogic (Analogic) property, the Russo site and parts of Centennial Park to shape future revenue and traffic outcomes.

Rochelle Agneta, the other mayoral candidate at the forum, said she planned to spend the first six months getting to know department heads and to improve outward transparency, including a new, user‑friendly city website showing how tax dollars are spent. \"I would like to build a new website, a user friendly website, that would show where all of our tax dollars are being spent,\" she said.

The two candidates’ responses underscored a shared emphasis on infrastructure and downtown revitalization, while differing in immediate administrative priorities — management of capital projects on the mayor’s list and public information and permitting process improvements among challengers. The city’s next steps for the large projects are largely managerial and design decisions rather than votes, and each project carries standard construction and permitting risks and multi‑year timelines.","Mayor Ted Bettencourt told a Peabody candidates forum he would spend his first six months focused on managing major capital projects — a new public safety facility, planning for a replacement high school and the long-running Central Street reconstruction — and on zoning discussions tied to several large development sites.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Peabody faces budget pressure from rising insurance costs; candidates discuss revenue options

Candidates split on how to add housing: municipal trust, controlled redevelopment or limits on density

Candidates say permitting delays and an opaque website are harming Peabody small businesses; a business liaison and website overhaul proposed

Mayoral candidate and mayor describe new school supports and a city task force to address bullying and student mental health

Mayor outlines first‑term priorities: public safety building, new high school planning and Central Street project