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Fitchburg council adopts amended FY2027 budget, approves multiple appropriations to reduce tax rate
Summary
The Fitchburg City Council on June 25 adopted the Mayor’s Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget as amended and approved several appropriations (from overlay surplus, stabilization, available funds and enterprise funds) intended in part to reduce the city’s FY2027 tax rate; recorded votes show Councilor Paul Beauchemin repeatedly in the minority and procedural withdrawals on two orders.
The Fitchburg City Council adopted the Mayor’s Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget as amended during a special meeting on June 25, 2026.
Council president Anthony M. Zarrella opened the meeting and the Council acted on a series of budget-related orders. The transcript records Order 111-26 (the Mayor’s FY2027 Operating Budget) as adopted after amendment by a recorded vote listed in the record as 8 in favor and 2 opposed (Councilors Paul R. Beauchemin and Amy Green).
Councilors then approved several appropriations intended to lower the tax rate. Order 065-26 authorized $700,000 to be charged against the Overlay Surplus and credited to the FY2027 tax levy; the motion carried 9 in favor and 1 opposed (Councilor Beauchemin). Order 066-26 authorized $250,000 from the Stabilization Fund for the same purpose and was adopted by unanimous consent (10-0). Order 070-26 authorized $3,776,232 from Available Funds to be credited to the FY2027 tax levy; it carried 9 in favor and 1 opposed (Councilor Beauchemin).
The Council also approved enterprise fund appropriations separately from the General Fund. Order 072-26 established Water Enterprise Fund appropriations totaling $9,997,019 across personal services, expenses, indirect costs, debt service and capital, and Order 073-26 set Wastewater Enterprise Fund appropriations at $18,316,809 (split between receipts and retained earnings); both were adopted by unanimous consent as recorded in the meeting text. Order 074-26 set Airport Fund appropriations at $1,137,919 and passed 9 in favor and 1 opposed (Councilor Beauchemin).
Other targeted line-item appropriations carried as recorded: Order 067-26 moved $178,566 from Parking Meter/Garage Receipts to parking-related Treasurer accounts (9–1), Order 068-26 moved $15,000 from PEG Access and Cable Related Fund Receipts to Information Technology - PEG expenses (9–1), and Order 069-26 moved $45,000 from sale of lots and graves to Cemetery personal services (adopted unanimously).
Not every measure was finalized in this session: Order 071-26, an appropriation of $410,000 from ARPA available funds to be credited to the FY2027 tax levy, was given leave to withdraw by unanimous consent; the Council did not adopt it during the meeting.
The meeting record shows the Council accepted the oral report of the Council as a Whole by roll call vote (7 in favor, 0 opposed) and adjourned at 6:09 P.M.
Why it matters: The budget and the series of appropriations shape the FY2027 tax rate and the city’s operating and enterprise fund spending priorities. Several votes were recorded with Councilor Paul R. Beauchemin in opposition to multiple orders; two orders were withdrawn from consideration in this session and may return for later action.
