Cambridge Civic Journal Forum

The Taxman Cometh – September 28, 2026 Cambridge City Council meeting

There’s a lotta money on the table this week – setting the rates for the Fall tax bills, and a scheduled rally by the Teachers Union (a.k.a. Cambridge Education Association) to substantially jack up the School Department budget. There’s also a common-sense proposal to delay or stop the removal of parking on the section of Huron Ave. west of the golf course that challenges the dogma of the Cambridge Bicycle Safety crowd. There are also a couple of City Board appointments, an announcement that my pal Jason Weeks will be moving on after many years at the Cambridge Arts Council, a proposal for some minor adjustments to the Multi-Family Housing Ordinance, and more!

Here are the items that drew my attention:

Tax Rate Hearing (6:30pm): A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the FY27 tax rate. [City Manager’s Letter][Tax Rate Orders]
comments by Nolan, Zusy, McGovern, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Claire Spinner (Finance), Gayle Willett (Assessing), Flaherty, Yi-An Huang (low tax rates, high property values, highest budgets for broader and deeper services), Al-Zubi, Azeem, Nolan, Siddiqui; Order 1a Adopted 8-0-1 (DS-Absent); Nolan explains equity issues re: flat Residential Exemption; Order 1b Adopted 9-0; Placed on File 9-0; Reconsideration Fails 0-9

The bottom line is: The FY27 Adopted Operating Budget is $1.033 billion which is an increase of 4.1% (or $41 million) over the FY26 Adopted Budget. The actual FY27 tax levy required to support the FY27 Budget is $725,384,189 which is an increase of $46,531,718 or 6.85% from FY26, consistent with the estimate presented when the budget was adopted in June 2026.

TO BE EDITED The property tax levy increase of 6.85% is lower than the FY25 increase of 8.0%. The five-year (FY23-FY27) annual average increase is 7.96%, and the ten-year (FY18-FY27) annual average increase is 6.9%. The FY26 residential tax rate will be $6.95 per thousand dollars of value, subject to Department of Revenue approval. This is an increase of $0.28, or approximately 4% from FY26. The commercial tax rate will be $16.99, which is an increase of $2.92, or 21% from FY25 (which follows a 22% rate increase the previous year).

“A major concern going forward is that if residential values increase and commercial values continue to decrease, the City could hit the ceiling for the property tax classification shift. Once the classification ceiling is reached, the residential class will bear all tax levy increases while this condition continues.”

As a result of the market activity in calendar year 2025, which is the basis of the FY27 property assessments, total residential property values increased by 2.3%. Total commercial property values decreased by 12.4%. These negative results reflect the continued softening of the commercial and lab markets.

By property class, an average a single-family home will see a 6.47% tax increase, a two-family will see a 8.24% increase, a three-family will see a 8.38% increase, and a condo will see a 0.71% decrease. Due to the flat residential exemption, condo owners will often see a decrease or only a very small increase in years when other property owners are hit with a significant increase. Here are the median figures including the CPA Surcharge:

FY2027 Taxes – including CPA Surcharge and Residential Exemption

History of changes in residential property taxes

Board Appointments:

Manager’s Agenda #1. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appointments to the Climate Committee. [text of report]
Appointments Confirmed 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #3. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to appointments to the LGBTQ+ Commission. [text of report]
Appointments Confirmed 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #2. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to an Arts Council Leadership Announcement. [text of report]
Placed on File 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #4. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to the appropriation of $2,250,000 from the Water Fund Balance to fund the purchase of supplemental drinking water from the MWRA. [text of report]
Order Adopted 9-0

Manager’s Agenda #6. A communication transmitted from Yi-An Huang, City Manager, relative to AR26-26 regarding harmonization of institutional bus protocols. [text of report]
Placed on File 9-0

Order #1. City Council opposition to H.R. 8870 and Increases in Federal Truck Size and Weight Limits.   Councillor McGovern, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Vice Mayor Azeem, Councillor Al-Zubi
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #4. That the City Council hold a Roundtable/Working Meeting on Mon, Nov 30, 2026, from 4:00-6:00pm, to discuss the future uses of City-owned properties.   Mayor Siddiqui, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Al-Zubi
Order Adopted 9-0

Order #6. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council within thirty days on the status of the negotiations between the Cambridge School Committee and the Cambridge Education Association, in Executive Session if the Law Department advises that a report in open session would disclose collective bargaining strategy Support for Cambridge Public Schools paraprofessionals, substitutes, and clerks.   Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
pulled by Zusy; Siddiqui recuses herself; comments by Al-Zubi (wants to fund everything), Zusy (notes actual salary ranges, this is School Committee’s business and that proposals would add 18% to School Dept. budget, will vote No), Nolan (this is School Committee business and would step into middle of contract negotiations, district has proposed a 60% increase over 2 years of lowest paid paraprofessionals, wants School Committee to work within current budget, notes continuing mediocre MCAS results), Sobrinho-Wheeler (support any union no matter what), Flaherty (this is not just about supporting unions, but passing this would set a bad precedent), McGovern (calls this “a tough one”, but City Council has no line item authority with the School Department and its budget), Azeem (it would be fine if we spent extra, but this belongs with School Committee, Al-Zubi (claims there is no conflict of interest, wants confidential information on negotiations to be provided), Simmons (notes former School Committee members on Council and how the School Committee would resent City Council intervention in this matter – stay in our own lane), Zusy (clarifies pay ranges for paraprofessionals – average salary is more like $52,000, in line with neighboring communities); Motion Fails 2-4-1-2 (AAZ,JSW-Yes; BA,TF,PN,CZ-No; SS-Absent; MM,DS-Present)

Order #8. Postponing the roll out of the Outer Huron Bike Lanes from the Bicycle Safety Ordinance until we solve the parking problem.   Councillor Zusy, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Flaherty
pulled by Zusy; comments by Zusy, Flaherty, Simmons, Nolan, Azeem, Kathy Watkins, Al-Zubi, McGovern (w/substitute Order with Siddiqui), Siddiqui; Charter Right – Zusy

Charter Right #1. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Cambridge Police Department and other relevant departments to develop a coordinated July 4th response plan for the Cherry Street, Harvard Street, and Fletcher Maynard Academy area to ensure that this spot not be utilized for the illegal use of fireworks. [Charter Right – Simmons, Sept 14, 2026]
comments by Simmons (opposes proposed amendments), Al-Zubi (withdraw previous amendment, introduce new amendment); previous amendment withdrawn 9-0; comments by Flaherty, Sobrinho-Wheeler, McGovern (fine w/original Order), Zusy (will vote for original Order, this is about enforcement and not social services), Siddiqui (would delete reference to Community Safety taking the lead), McGovern, Azeem; Amendment by Al-Zubi, Sobrinho-Wheeler Fail 4-3-0-2 (AAZ,PN,JSW,SS-Yes; MM,DS,CZ-No; BA,TF-Present); Original Order Adopted 7-2 (AAZ,JSW-Present); Reconsideration Fails 0-9

Resolution #3. Happy 102nd Birthday to Marvin Gilmore.   Councillor Simmons, Councillor Flaherty
pulled by Flaherty with story and to be added as sponsor; comments by Simmons

Committee Report #1. The Housing Committee and the Neighborhood and Long-Term Planning, Public Facilities, Arts and Celebration Committee held a public hearing on June 25, 2026 to continue discussion of the 2025 Multifamily Zoning Amendments and consider potential modifications. The Committees also reviewed PO26#123, relative to proposed amendments to the Multifamily Zoning Ordinance. The June 25, 2026 Committee meeting recessed and reconvened on Sept 16, 2026. At the Sept 16, 2026 meeting both Committees voted favorably to recommend to the full City Council adoption of the proposed Policy Order, as amended, requesting that the City Manager work with CDD and relevant City Departments to prepare zoning language based on the recommendations discussed at the Sept 16, 2026 joint Committee hearing. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0; comments on proposed Order by McGovern, Nolan, Yi-An Huang, Melissa Peters (CDD), Zusy, Azeem (notes that 20% Inclusionary and other zoning changes are not producing the housing that was projected, especially with high interest rates and tariffs – OK with proposed amendments but make other future changes), Flaherty (suggests having a sunset provision), McGovern, Melissa Peters (will respond within 6-8 weeks); Order Adopted 9-0

Order #11. (proposed in Comm. Report #1) That the City Manager is requested to work with CDD and relevant City departments to prepare zoning language based on the recommendations discussed in the Sept 16, 2026 Joint Housing and Neighborhood and Long-Term Planning Committees for consideration by the full City Council.   Councillor Nolan, Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler
Order Adopted 9-0 (see Committee Report #1)