Quincy Council adopts FY26 tax-rate recap, uses $2M free cash and other one-time funds to reduce median bill

The Quincy City Council on Dec. 8 approved a series of year-end adjustments tied to the FY2026 tax-rate recap, adopting a residential rate of $11.78 and a commercial rate of $23.53 while authorizing transfers and appropriations designed to reduce the median homeowner increase.

The measures — approved largely on voice and roll-call votes after a public hearing — included use of $2,000,000 in certified free cash for tax relief, a $16.4 million budget reduction funded in part by bond premium and grant proceeds, a $3,000,000 special‑revenue transfer from the sale of the IHOP parcel, a $9.1 million pension stabilization appropriation and a $6,000,000 allocation for union contract settlements. Director of Municipal Finance told the council the city’s tax levy for FY26 will be $334,912,440 and that the median homeowner tax increase will be $551.95, a 7.6% rise.

Why it matters: Residents and councilors said the package is meant to blunt a more painful rise in property tax bills, but speakers at the public hearing said the measures —…