Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

Budget Season – April 28, 2025 Cambridge City Council meeting

This week brings the FY2026 Budget with the Budget Hearings to commence next week. Here are the items of special interest this week:

The Budget and the Loan Orders

Manager’s Agenda #2. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the FY2026 submitted budget and appropriation orders for the General Fund, Water Fund, and Public Investment Fund. [text of report]
pulled by Nolan; Nolan notes that FY2026 Budget now exceeds $1 billion, asks councillors which departments should be pulled, requests questions to be submitted in advance, objects to a recent department head exit not being included in the Budget, wants more detailed information on Loan Orders – will pass to 2nd Reading and refer to Finance Committee; brief comments by City Manager Yi-An Huang, Asst. City Manager for Fiscal Affairs Claire Spinner, Budget Director Taha Jennings; Councillor Wilson asks about process for seeking greater tax increases; additional McGovern, Simmons comments re: reducing residential exemption, increasing property taxes and public engagement; Yi-An Huang, Claire Spinner, Taha Jennings note that City has kept Council apprised much earlier in the process due to new economic environment, fact that setting of tax rates depend on other factors to be known later, altering residential exemption would only shift money around and not the tax levy which is a 7.8% increase, possible shift from commercial to residential taxpayers; McGovern entertains notion of increasing taxes to fund pet projects; Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Because the City decided this year to decouple employee benefits from the individual department budgets, it’s a bit difficult to do my usual multi-year comparisons of individual department budgets. Some of the key features of the FY26 Budget are:

a) an overall 3.7% increase in the Operating Budget [from $955,584,350 in the FY25 Adopted Budget to $991,181,320 in the FY26 Submitted Budget;

b) a Public Investment Budget of $41,204,770 and Loan Authorizations of $109,936,000 (see below) yielding a Total Capital Budget of $151,140,770;

c) a total property tax levy of $677,732,415 to support the General Fund Operating and Capital Budgets – an increase of 7.85% from the FY25 property tax levy; and

d) 19 new full-time positions.

Manager’s Agenda #3. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $7,500,000 to provide funds for the design and construction of open space at Ahern Field and surrounding amenities. [text of Loan Order]
#3-#11 pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #4. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $16,500,000 to provide funds for the reconstruction of various City streets and sidewalks. [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #5. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $11,100,000 to provide funds for the Municipal Facilities Improvement Plan. Funds will support significant building improvements and deferred maintenance projects. Proposed projects include but are not limited to upgrades of Public Works facilities, municipal offices, youth centers, branch libraries, fire stations, and deferred maintenance. [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #6. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $19,986,000 to provide funds for financing school building upgrades. [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #7. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $27,500,000 to provide funds for the design and construction of surface enhancements and sewer and drainage infrastructure improvements in Central Square. [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #8. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $3,000,000 to provide funds for the sewer Combined Sewer Overflow Program and for planning and design of a floodwater storage tank. [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #9. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $7,500,000 to provide funds for the sewer Capital Repairs Program and projects related to climate change preparedness efforts. (CM25#99) [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #10. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $15,250,000 to provide funds for Ozone Generator replacement; Lead Service Line replacement; and water works construction projects in coordination with DPW street restoration projects, which include repair and or replacement of water infrastructure at Dana Street, Sciarappa Street, Massachusetts Ave 4, Haskell Street and Hillside Avenue. [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #11. Transmitting Communication from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation and authorization to borrow $1,600,000 to provide funds for the design and construction of open space at Wilder Lee Playground and play areas at 359 Broadway. [text of Loan Order]
pulled by Nolan; Passed to 2nd Reading and Referred to Finance Committee 9-0

A Work in Progress

Manager’s Agenda #13. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an update on the Community Safety Department. [text of report]
pulled by Sobrinho-Wheeler; comments by Sobrinho-Wheeler, Yi-An Huang notes that Community Safety Director Liz Speakman will be moving on to the Boston Area Race Crisis Center, to be succeeded by Marie Mathieu (who has been social worker at libraries and more recently as Asst. Director of Clinical Services with the Community Safety Department); comments by Marie Mathieu, Liz Speakman; Sobrinho-Wheeler tries to stoke controversy over existence of a parallel co-response initiative within the Cambridge Police Department (per Harvard Crimson article); McGovern comments; Nolan discusses definitions of co-response vs. “alternative response” and rationale for there being a clinician within Emergency Communications (well-explained by Owen O’Riordan & McGovern); Nolan notes the George Floyd period and how CSD can to exist, very inappropriately asks Liz Speakman if tension of not realizing the full potential of CARE and the stress of perhaps not feeling fully supported part of the reason you are leaving; Simmons notes that this is a very inappropriate question; Liz Speakman makes a personal statement expressing gratitude; Zusy comments about redundant services; Azeem asks about # of phone calls expected (8-10 calls/day); Siddiqui, Wilson, Simmons comments; Yi-An Huang notes great strides of CPD in “progressive policing”, offers explanation of distinction between CPD and CARE responses; Placed on File, Referred to Public Safety Committee 9-0

I really want this new department to be successful, but I am not all clear about what its actual function is.

Unfulfilled Wish Lists and Good Enough For Now

Manager’s Agenda #15. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to Awaiting Report Item Number 25-8, regarding a request to create a plan with a schedule and milestones to move forward with the creation of a Municipal Broadband Network and present it for consideration by the Council at a Finance Committee meeting in the context of capital projects for coming years. [text of report]
Placed on File 9-0

Order #3. That the City Manager is requested to direct the appropriate departments to review the city’s digital equity work to date, assessing whether residents’ digital needs are or could be better provided for and to propose how we can better meet their needs.   Councillor Zusy, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Azeem
pulled by Zusy; comments by Zusy re: delay in municipal broadband, Chromebooks distributed but no one knows how to use them; Nolan comments on past Digital Equity Study; Wilson notes that Manning Apts. residents did receive some training with the Chromebooks; Order Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #18. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager regarding the Transition Wellness Center (TWC). [text of report]
pulled by Sobrinho-Wheeler who wants to fund anything and everything; comments by McGovern who would still like to fund TWC for another year; comments by Wilson who “wants to move some dollars around to make this work”; Zusy notes that there is $48.7 million and $15.5 Million for homelessness and housing stability in FY26 Budget for housing – very generous; Nolan comments; Simmons notes that Yi-An Huang recommends not continuing the TWC and has explained the basis for this recommendation, additional comments that this was never meant as a permanent solution; Placed on File 9-0

Committee Report #3. The Finance Committee held a public hearing on Thurs, Mar 27, 2025 to receive a status update on the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding in Cambridge, as well as to review and discuss the Police Department budget for FY26 before it is submitted to the City Manager, as required under Cambridge Municipal Code Chapter 2.74.040, and to further discuss the Free Cash Appropriation Requests, CM25#40 and CM25#41, referred to the Finance Committee on Mar 17, 2025. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

I suppose it’s fair to say that elected officials (and candidates) are often judged on what they promise to deliver and not necessarily on their ability to deliver on those promises. It’s also easy in our system to play good cop/bad cop with the City Manager and the City Administration by making a show of how hard you tried to establish and fund an initiative that may actually make little sense on financial or practical grounds. One great example is the proposal for municipal broadband – and I take note of a City Council Order this week to focus instead on “assessing whether residents’ digital needs are or could be better provided for and to propose how we can better meet their needs.” A more recent example is the divided vote on whether to reverse course and continue the Covid-era Transition Wellness Center. The Manager is recommending to proceed with its planned closure and to find alternate accommodations for its few remaining residents. It remains to be seen whether the City will find a suitable alternative to the “Rise Up” local welfare program that was created from the ARPA windfall.

The Little Stuff That Counts

Order #2. That the City Manager is requested to establish a Lost and Found program at Cambridge City Hall.   Mayor Simmons, Vice Mayor McGovern
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #5. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Community Development Department to assemble a list of public and private spaces available to the public, indoors and outdoors, noting contact information and any associated requirements, ensuring that there are public meeting places identified in each neighborhood.   Councillor Zusy, Councillor Toner, Mayor Simmons, Councillor Nolan
pulled by Zusy; comments by Zusy noting that CDD used to have a listing of indoor meeting spaces and that this should be restored and to also include outdoor spaces; Order Adopted 9-0

I like these kinds of bread-and-butter initiatives – practical and ordinary stuff. I will suggest that any accounting of available public and private meeting and event spaces should include outreach to the many churches and related buildings that are actually plentiful.

It’s A Job

Order #4. City Council requesting that the Chair of the Government Operations, Rules, and Claims Committee initiate the process of re-appointing the City Auditor.   Mayor Simmons, Councillor Toner
pulled by Sobrinho-Wheeler; Simmons notes that the Order already states that this is to be referred to Gov’t Operations Committee (though the Order actually only refers this to the Chair of the committee); McGovern, Nolan, Toner comments; Order Adopted, Referred to Gov’t Operations Committee 9-0

There will also have to be a process to appoint a new City Clear when our dear Diane LeBlanc retires next month. Paula Crane will serve as Interim City Clerk in the meantime, and I hope she’ll at least consider taking on the City Clerk role for the next three years.

That moment when you celebrate the retirement of someone you knew when he first took the job 33 years ago.

Resolution #7. Congratulations to Officer Victor Martignetti on his retirement from the Cambridge Police Department.   Councillor Toner, Councillor Wilson, Mayor Simmons

You really become aware of the passage of time when you see people who you knew when they started a job now retiring decades later. Victor isn’t the first. There have been quite a few long-term City employees whose long careers began and ended on my watch.

Committee Report #1. The Economic Development and University Relations Committee held a public hearing on Mar 20, 2025. The meeting was a Cannabis Roundtable with cannabis businesses to discuss issues facing the retail cannabis industry in Cambridge and discuss potential changes, including adjustments to the current 1,800-foot buffer zones and introduction of social consumption. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0

I continue to be amazed at the degree to which our City Council caters to this one industry. If only they could be as receptive to the concerns of the rest of us.

Committee Report #2. The Health and Environment Committee held a public hearing on Mar 25, 2025 to review and discuss the update to the Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP) 2.0. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0