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Council delays final school appropriations, refers net‑school‑spending debate to finance committee
Summary
Councilors debated two mayoral communications proposing appropriations to the School Department and voted not to refer one item to the Committee on Finance; the council invoked charter rules to carry the matter to the next scheduled meeting for final action and scheduled a finance meeting in August to resolve net school spending figures.
Two communications from the mayor proposing appropriations to the School Department (items M3 and M4) generated extended debate about the proper net school spending figure for fiscal 2026.
Councilor Linda Morad asked that the proposed appropriations be referred to the Committee on Finance so the body could reconcile differing figures between the School Department, the chief financial officer and the state delegation. Motion to refer M3 to finance failed on roll call (2–9). Councilor Morad said she would hold a finance meeting in August to settle the numbers before the next full council vote; she asked colleagues to waive Rule 21(a) to allow a remote finance meeting if necessary. The council subsequently invoked charter rule to carry the item forward to the next scheduled meeting (August 21) for final action.
On M4 (an $803,586 appropriation), councilors again debated whether referral to finance was needed. Councilor Morad reiterated the plan to schedule a finance meeting before the August council session so that the council could act at the August meeting on settled numbers. A separate roll call on referral to finance also failed (2–9). The chair announced that the item will appear on the council’s August agenda under charter rule.
Why it matters: Net school spending and appropriation levels determine funding available to the School Department and are tied to state and municipal budgeting formulas. Councilors said reconciling the correct net‑school‑spending figure is necessary before final appropriation.
What happens next: The council’s Committee on Finance will meet in August to reconcile figures and will report back to the full council for a vote at the August meeting.
