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Council approves municipal and amended school budgets; mayor’s appropriations and grants referred to committees
Summary
The council approved the FY 2027 municipal budget ($269,820,972) and endorsed a mayoral revision to the Waltham Public Schools budget, increasing it by $3,746,048 to a revised $132,847,897; multiple mayoral appropriation requests and grants were referred to the Finance Committee.
The Waltham City Council moved through the municipal and school budgets for FY 2027, approving several major items and referring other mayoral requests to committee.
The council approved the municipal (city) portion of the FY 2027 budget in the amount of $269,820,972 on voice vote. Later the clerk read a mayoral letter (dated 06/17/2026) requesting an increase of $3,746,048 to the mayor’s prior school budget recommendation, bringing the mayor’s revised school department budget to $132,847,897. Council debate included requests for the superintendent to provide the district’s multi-year improvement plan and a consolidated set of performance metrics within five days so the council can track outcomes and measure what the additional dollars are intended to achieve. The council then approved the mayor’s revised school budget by voice vote (roll recorded as 13 in favor).
Separately, the mayor’s communications included requests for appropriations and gifts: $350,000 from the unreserved fund balance to the stabilization fund, a $105,000 Massachusetts Historical Commission grant for the Robert Treat Estate, $18,000 for parking-meter program operating expenses, and an offered gift of 50 stuffed animals from Decipher Pharmaceuticals for first responders. Those items were referred to the Finance Committee or Committee of the Whole per procedure.
