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Pittsfield leaders start FY26 budget process; mayor warns health-insurance spike could offset school funding gains
Summary
Pittsfield municipal officials opened the fiscal year 2026 budget process at a joint meeting of the City Council and School Committee, with the mayor and finance staff warning that a projected rise in health-insurance costs could offset increases in state education aid.
Pittsfield municipal officials opened the fiscal year 2026 budget process at a joint meeting of the City Council and School Committee, with the mayor and finance staff warning that a projected rise in health-insurance costs could offset increases in state education aid.
City officials said state Chapter 70 education funding in the governor’s budget produced higher aid numbers, but a health-insurance projection range given by the municipal health trust of 9%–19% (a cited average of 14.8%) could add roughly $4.5 million to city costs — roughly equal to the reported Chapter 70 increase the mayor cited. “We win some, we lose some,” the mayor said, asking officials to be prepared for a difficult budget cycle.
Key figures presented: general…
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