The City of Somerville is entering the new fiscal year with an ambitious slate of funding priorities for the next 12 months and beyond. In late June, the Somerville City Council passed a $293 million Fiscal Year 2023 budget, delivering on Mayor Katjana Ballantyne’s historic investment in Somerville Public Schools and transformative programs supporting youth, affordable housing, climate resilience, and quality of life improvements. The budget also seeks to improve City systems and services that undergird all municipal operations, laying a foundation for a more inclusive, accessible government and stronger, more equitable Somerville.   

“This budget charts a course not just for the year ahead, but for long-term progress to improve the lives of all Somerville residents,” said Mayor Ballantyne. “We are putting our equity goals into practice, as reflected in our funding priorities and in our collaborative approach to budgeting this year and in the future. I’m grateful to my colleagues on the City Council for their partnership on this budget, their thoughtful questions, and their due diligence on behalf of our community. I’m excited to get this work started.”  

The hallmark of this year’s budget is a record-high 10 percent increase in funding for public schools, students, and Somerville youth. The City will invest an additional $8.4 million in the Somerville Public Schools budget to ensure that all students, particularly low-income students, students of color, and students with disabilities, have access to a high-quality and well-rounded education. Funds will go toward urgent mental health and social-emotional wellness resources, special education, and pay equity for paraprofessionals. In addition, the City will invest $850,000 to make critical improvements to school buildings, including the Brown School and Winter Hill School. The FY23 budget also nearly doubles funding for the Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program and creates a new Director of Youth Services position to oversee youth-focused policies and services across all departments.  

Another cornerstone of this budget is affordable housing. Nearly $8.3 million from the Green Line Extension (GLX) Stabilization Fund, no longer needed for GLX, has been reallocated to the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust Fund for affordable housing acquisition. Typically, funds are committed by the Trust after properties have been purchased and development plans are underway, but this investment will enable affordable housing partners to buy land or buildings quickly in the fast-moving Somerville market, then hold them while working to execute new affordable housing development on these sites.  

For the first time in Somerville, a historic $1 million has been dedicated for participatory budgeting. This investment will allow community members to propose and vote on priority projects for funding in future budgets. Residents and community-based organizations will have the opportunity to have their voices heard in a new way as part of the City’s municipal budget process. The bulk will be directly allocated by Somerville residents, with a small amount going toward setting up and administering the program.   

To learn more about the budget and plans for the year ahead, go to somervillema.gov/fy23budget. 

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