Holyoke council adopts 1.75 tax classification shift, approves stabilization and sewer transfers to balance budget

The Holyoke City Council on Dec. 17 voted to adopt a 1.75 shift in tax classification for fiscal year 2025 and approved a package of transfers the mayor said would balance the budget and avoid raising the overall levy further.

Councilors approved a transfer of $927,778 from the city’s general stabilization fund to the capital stabilization account and separately approved a subsidy to the sewer budget, with the council setting the tax shift that lowers the residential and commercial rates to the levels presented by the auditor and mayor.

The votes came after a lengthy discussion about timing and proper process for setting the levy and classification. Councilor Jourdain urged the council to demand better timing and data from administration in future years, saying the council had been forced to act late in the year because free-cash certification and other financial steps had not occurred on the usual schedule.…