| GENERAL GOVERNMENT | FY05 submitted | FY13 submitted | FY14 submitted | 1 yr % change | 9 yr % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayor | $430,035 | $554,040 | $558,785 | 0.9 | 29.9 |
| Executive | $1,353,140 | $2,068,675 | $2,008,150 | -2.9 | 48.4 |
| City Council | $975,570 | $1,642,165 | $1,683,125 | 2.5 | 72.5 |
| City Clerk | $720,925 | $1,067,130 | $1,119,765 | 4.9 | 55.3 |
| Law | $1,780,975 | $2,061,495 | $2,163,240 | 4.9 | 21.5 |
| Finance | $8,837,560 | $12,350,575 | $13,292,350 | 7.6 | 50.4 |
| Employee Benefits | $20,499,920 | $31,796,130 | $32,787,200 | 3.1 | 59.9 |
| General Services | $984,345 | $726,475 | $732,695 | 0.9 | -25.6 |
| Election | $756,540 | $1,004,285 | $1,013,565 | 0.9 | 34.0 |
| Public Celebrations | $671,505 | $799,370 | $891,945 | 11.6 | 32.8 |
| Reserve | $37,500 | $37,500 | $37,500 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| TOTAL | $37,048,015 | $54,107,840 | $56,288,320 | 4.0 | 51.9 |
| PUBLIC SAFETY | FY05 submitted | FY13 submitted | FY14 submitted | 1 yr % change | 9 yr % change |
| Animal Commission | $228,870 | $298,585 | $309,700 | 3.7 | 35.3 |
| Fire | $28,891,840 | $40,111,145 | $43,350,275 | 8.1 | 50.0 |
| Police | $31,515,220 | $45,643,095 | $47,186,015 | 3.4 | 49.7 |
| Traffic, Parking & Transportation | $8,175,095 | $10,551,435 | $10,935,015 | 3.6 | 33.8 |
| Police Review & Advisory Board | $77,210 | $70,730 | $73,440 | 3.8 | -4.9 |
| Inspectional Services | $2,261,215 | $3,115,045 | $3,180,045 | 2.1 | 40.6 |
| License | $726,735 | $986,140 | $1,030,970 | 4.5 | 41.9 |
| Weights & Measures | $98,910 | $134,325 | $138,540 | 3.1 | 40.1 |
| Electrical | $2,239,640 | $2,792,005 | $2,840,910 | 1.8 | 26.8 |
| Emergency Management | $137,820 | $0 | -100.0 | ||
| Emergency Communications | $3,097,485 | $4,242,970 | $4,434,425 | 4.5 | 43.2 |
| TOTAL | $77,450,040 | $107,945,475 | $113,479,335 | 5.1 | 46.5 |
| COMMUNITY MAINT/DEVELOPMENT | FY05 submitted | FY13 submitted | FY14 submitted | 1 yr % change | 9 yr % change |
| Public Works | $23,648,125 | $31,945,265 | $32,859,690 | 2.9 | 39.0 |
| Community Development | $4,472,620 | $5,482,210 | $5,676,340 | 3.5 | 26.9 |
| Historical Commission | $457,580 | $587,025 | $632,940 | 7.8 | 38.3 |
| Conservation Commission | $89,760 | $101,925 | $123,470 | 21.1 | 37.6 |
| Peace Commission | $76,215 | $139,595 | $143,940 | 3.1 | 88.9 |
| Cable T.V. | $999,500 | $1,436,360 | $1,474,795 | 2.7 | 47.6 |
| Debt Service | $23,917,070 | $47,526,975 | $49,716,250 | 4.6 | 107.9 |
| TOTAL | $53,660,870 | $87,219,355 | $90,627,425 | 3.9 | 68.9 |
| HUMAN RESOURCE/DEVELOPMENT | FY05 submitted | FY13 submitted | FY14 submitted | 1 yr % change | 9 yr % change |
| Library | $5,461,430 | $8,710,520 | $8,946,395 | 2.7 | 63.8 |
| Human Services | $14,581,590 | $22,480,760 | $23,155,080 | 3.0 | 58.8 |
| Women’s Commission | $155,860 | $225,425 | $233,115 | 3.4 | 49.6 |
| Human Rights Commission | $158,730 | $220,160 | $249,380 | 13.3 | 57.1 |
| Veterans | $510,885 | $981,165 | $1,005,375 | 2.5 | 96.8 |
| TOTAL | $20,868,495 | $32,618,030 | $33,589,345 | 3.0 | 61.0 |
| CITY TOTAL | $189,027,420 | $281,890,700 | $293,984,425 | 4.3 | 55.5 |
| EDUCATION | FY05 submitted | FY13 submitted | FY14 submitted | 1 yr % change | 9 yr % change |
| Schools Operating (TOTAL) | $122,053,195 | $144,987,705 | $150,989,445 | 4.1 | 23.7 |
| INTERGOVERNMENTAL | FY05 submitted | FY13 submitted | FY14 submitted | 1 yr % change | 9 yr % change |
| MWRA | $16,177,455 | $21,006,055 | $21,346,815 | 1.6 | 32.0 |
| Cherry Sheet Assessments | $11,569,960 | $19,700,025 | $20,126,950 | 2.2 | 74.0 |
| Cambridge Health Alliance | $6,500,000 | $6,500,000 | $6,500,000 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| TOTAL | $34,247,415 | $47,206,080 | $47,973,765 | 1.6 | 40.1 |
| GRAND TOTALS | $345,328,030 | $474,084,485 | $492,947,635 | 4.0 | 42.7 |
| FY05 submitted | FY13 submitted | FY14 submitted | 1 yr % change | 9 yr % change | |
| WATER | $17,098,120 | $14,144,080 | $14,238,700 | 0.7 | -16.7 |
| PUBLIC INVESTMENT | $8,834,255 | $21,277,065 | $92,715,930 | 335.8 | 949.5 |
April 21, 2013
The Bottom Line – City of Cambridge Budget Totals by Department – FY2014
May 2, 2011
May 2, 2011 City Council Agenda – The Budget Cometh
May 2, 2011 City Council Agenda – The Budget Cometh
Top of the Agenda is the Budget Overview by the City Manager, 6 major loan authorizations, and an expenditure related to the consultants addressing planning issues for the Kendall Square/Central Square area. The content of each item speaks for itself. The Budget Hearings start this Wednesday.
Manager’s Agenda #8. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $2,000,000 to provide funds for the second phase of the reconstruction of the Harvard Square Tunnel (Cambridge Street Underpass).
Manager’s Agenda #9. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $300,000 to provide funds to facilitate coordination among the various consultants working on the design and planning projects for Kendall Square and perform interim repairs in the area.
Manager’s Agenda #10. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $1,300,000 to provide funds for improvements to Alberico, David Nunes and Fulmore Parks and the establishment of a community garden at Riverside Press Park.
Manager’s Agenda #11. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $33,754,300 to continue sewer projects in the Harvard Square, Agassiz, Western Avenue and Alewife Watershed areas of the City.
Manager’s Agenda #12. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $3,000,000 to provide funds for the architectural design and construction of an elementary school to be either rebuilt or renovated as part of the multi-year Elementary School Rebuilding Program.
Manager’s Agenda #13. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $2,000,000 to provide funds for improvements to several City facilities including the East Cambridge and Inman Square Fire Stations and the Ryan Garage / Simard Building at Public Works.
Manager’s Agenda #14. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to an order requesting the appropriation and authorization to borrow $2,000,000 to provide funds for the reconstruction of several streets included in the Complete Streets Initiative as shown in the five year street and sidewalk program.
Unfinished Business #12. That the FY2012 City Budget be referred to the Finance Committee, with the exception that the Budget Overview be postponed to a certain date, that being the May 2, 2011 City Council meeting and will be placed on Unfinished Business at which time the City Manager will give an overview of the FY2012 City Budget. [Order Number Twelve of Apr 25, 2011 referred to Unfinished Business.]
Discussion and action on several Orders from April 25 were postponed via charter right. These include:
Charter Right #3. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council with a complete and comprehensive list of all concessions made to the City and broader Cambridge community by developers and the universities in exchange for zoning relief, special permits, or Council approval. [Charter Right exercised by Councillor Reeves on Order Number Eleven of Apr 25, 2011 (Councillor Cheung).]
Councillor Cheung’s Order concerns the "community benefits" and other forms of soft currency associated with the wheeling and dealing for zoning amendments – a questionable practice that elected officials seem to relish. It’s no wonder that discussion of the Order was postponed.
Charter Right #4. That the City Manager is requested to review all PILOT agreements with non-profits and institutions in the city. [Charter Right exercised by Councillor Kelley on Order Number Thirteen of Apr 25, 2011 (Vice Mayor Davis and Councillor Simmons).]
This Order from Councillors Davis and Simmons is motivated by Mayor Menino’s recent initiative in Boston and calls for a review of all existing and potential payment-in-lieu-of-tax agreements with non-profits and institutions in Cambridge. At the last meeting, Vice Mayor Davis expressed some dissatisfaction that Menino had not also gone after religious institutions for taxes. It’s not at all clear what the sponsors of this Order would like to see come out of this review, and it’s worth noting that it was not so long ago that the City of Cambridge executed long-term PILOT agreements with (at least) both Harvard and MIT.
Applications & Petitions #4. A petition has been received from Theresa M. Stone, Executive Vice-President and Treasurer, MIT, together with a transmittal letter from Steven C. Marsh, Managing Director, MIT Investment Management Company to amend the Zoning Ordinances of the City of Cambridge to add a new section 13.80 to the Zoning Ordinances entitled PUD-5 District and to amend the Zoning Map to add a new PUD-5 District in the Kendall Square area; said petition rezones a 26-acre parcel in the Kendall Square area. [Text of petition]
This petition has been anticipated for some time. The full buildout associated with this zoning proposal is very significant, but it’s mostly confined to an area within the existing MIT campus. Neighboring East Cambridge nonetheless has a significant stake in the outcome. This is primarily a good and interesting proposal if anything close to the image presented at public meetings becomes reality. Based on the recent optimistic actions of all the major Kendall Square property owners we’ve seen lately, good things will come – regardless of any role the City or its consultants have yet to play.
Communications #1. A communication was received from Thomas J. LaRosa, Acting General Counsel, Department of Conservation and Recreation, informing the City that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, acting through the DCR, has under consideration the acquisition of approximately 2.2753+ acres of land, or other property interest, in the City of Cambridge. The property is located between a previously protected section of the Watertown Greenway in Watertown and Fresh Pond.
This concerns the railroad right-of-way that runs along Fresh Pond, behind the Shaw’s on Mt. Auburn Street, along the ege of the Mt. Auburn Cemetery and into Watertown. Hopefully, this will soon become a recreational path – a plan that’s been discussed for an eternity but which may finally become a reality.
Resolutions #28-63 by Councillor Reeves are a regurgitation of the Cambridge winners of the Boston Phoenix’s 2011 "Best of Boston" reader contest. That’s 36 totally irrelevant suitably engrossed resolutions costing perhaps $5 or more each plus postage. It’s just great spending other people’s money. This makes you wonder what exactly is the job description of a city councillor.
Order #1. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the Director of Traffic, Parking and Transportation to examine how parking spaces are designated for delivery/loading with a view towards reclaiming some of these spaces for the use of the general public. Councillor Simmons
You know, if the City’s Traffic Board mandated by state law had been appointed, there may have been a vehicle for residents and businesses to actually petition for changes in how these spaces are regulated. Just saying….
Order #7. That the City Council amend Rule 23A which deals with the Order of Business to include a dedicated section for Councillors to make announcements. Councillor Simmons
Does this really require a change in the Rules just to make occasional announcements? Answer – No.
Committee Report #1. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Sam Seidel, Chair of the Ordinance Committee for a public meeting held on Mar 2, 2011 to consider a zoning petition originally filed by Chestnut Hill Realty and re-filed by the City Council to create a new section that would allow for the construction of rental units in the basement levels of existing multifamily buildings in Residence C Districts within 1200 feet of Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge Street or the Red Line through a special permit process.
Communications & Report #1. A communication was received from Councillor Sam Seidel, Chair of the Ordinance Committee, regarding motion to discharge the Ordinance Committee of the Re-filed Chestnut Hill Zoning Amendment Petition.
As I’ve said before, regardless of the merits this is a case where you have to follow the money. The petitioners (Zuker and company of Chestnut Hill Realty) have contributed obscene amounts of money to the political campaigns of several city councillors. They are asking for the right to squeeze nearly 200 additional units of housing into the basements of existing buildings and have comically referred to this cash bonanza as "workforce housing".
Committee Report #3. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Sam Seidel and Councillor Timothy J. Toomey, Co-Chairs of the Government Operations and Rules Committee for a public meeting held on Apr 14, 2011 to discuss moving to a paperless City Council Agenda, connecting City Council goals and City Department staff and City Council Committees to foster efficient and collaborative results and a proposal to amend the Municipal Code to require posting of the City Manager’s contract 96 hours before it is to be voted on by the City Council.
Though I could not attend this meeting, the report seems to suggest that (a) half the councillors would like to keep their printed agendas; and (b) they’re willing to pass either a rules change or an ordinance regarding the posting of a future contract in advance of the vote, but they’re not sure which. Great. Wonderful. But not really all that important. – Robert Winters
April 26, 2010
April 26, 2010 City Council Agenda Highlights – The FY2011 Budget Arrives
April 26, 2010 City Council Agenda Highlights
Tonight’s the night when the voluminous annual Budget Book arrives on the desks of each city councillor. This marks the official start of “Budget Season” at City Hall where councillors often use the opportunity of the Budget Hearings to grill City department heads on operational details of their departments whether or not they are related to their budgets. The bottom line (literally) is that this year’s total recommended FY2011 operating budget is $443,288,905 plus $16,416,120 for the Water Fund plus the capital budget of $9,935,015. The previous FY2010 recommended operating budget was $426,226,960 plus $17,985,890 for the Water Fund plus the capital budget of $29,360,780.
The comparison by general categories from last year to this year is as follows:
| Category | FY2010 Budget | FY2011 Budget | 1 yr % Change | 5 yr % change |
| General Government | $45,627,180 | $47,778,775 | 4.7 | 23.4 |
| Public Safety | $97,169,260 | $101,163,395 | 4.1 | 24.1 |
| Community Maintenance & Development | $79,033,800 | $82,475,075 | 4.4 | 40.3 |
| Human Resource/Development | $28,232,600 | $30,102,300 | 4.6 | 30.2 |
| Education | $133,563,880 | $137,492,275 | 2.9 | 10.8 |
| Intergovernmental | $42,600,240 | $44,277,085 | 3.9 | 15.9 |
| Grand Total | $426,226,960 | $443,288,905 | 4.0 | 22.1 |
| Water Fund | $17,985,890 | $16,416,120 | -8.7 | -4.0 |
| Capital Budget | $29,360,780 | $9,935,015 | -66.2 | 10.2 |
There are some notable differences in specific departments and assessments as well.
| Department | FY2010 Budget | FY2011 Budget | 1 yr % Change | 5 yr % change |
| Executive | $1,841,390 | $1,980,195 | 7.5 | 34.7 |
| City Council | $1,461,370 | $1,518,725 | 3.9 | 49.2 |
| Election | $799,490 | $897,050 | 12.2 | 22.4 |
| License | $830,755 | $902,730 | 8.7 | 22.0 |
| Emergency Management | $156,230 | $0 | -100.0 | -100.0 |
| Peace Commission | $111,745 | $116,580 | 4.3 | 46.7 |
| Library | $7,450,945 | $8,135,070 | 9.2 | 43.7 |
| Human Rights Commission | $210,355 | $190,005 | -9.7 | 14.3 |
| MWRA Assessment | $21,333,055 | $21,617,305 | 1.3 | 35.2 |
| Cherry Sheet Assessments | $15,267,185 | $16,659,780 | 9.1 | 4.4 |
Note, in particular, that the single biggest jump in department budget over a five year span was for the City Council itself. You can download the 5-year summary spreadsheet here: http://rwinters.com/docs/bottomlineFY2011.xls.
Elsewhere on the Agenda, there are these items worthy of comment:
Resolution #28. Congratulations to a special person. Councillor Toomey, Councillor Decker, Vice Mayor Davis, Mayor Maher, Councillor Seidel
Resolution #50. Resolution honoring a great supporter of the Portuguese community. Councillor Toomey
The whole idea of a public meeting seems to suggest that the identity of this “special person” and this “great supporter” should be made known. The City Council is a publicly elected body, not a private social club.
Order #11. That the City Manager is requested to confer with appropriate departments to determine whether the city can submit a proposal for use on the Sullivan Courthouse and to report back to the City Council. Councillor Toomey
It’s a long stretch to imagine the City making use of a building of this size, especially in light of the considerable abatement costs that would likely be associated with any renovation and reuse of the building. It also seems doubtful that Councillor Toomey would be advocating packing another major “affordable housing” development into East Cambridge in light of his recent Order.
Order #14. That the City Manager is requested to restore funding for School Department clerical positions until a proper and negotiated process can be achieved with the Cambridge School Department and Unions representing the employees, and to report back to the City Council on the progress. Councillor Toomey
There was a day when the School Committee concerned itself with matters such as this. Is it really proper for the Cambridge City Council to direct the City Manager to restore funding for positions under the jurisdiction of the Superintendent of Schools who is hired by the duly-elected Cambridge School Committee? Question this matter during the School Department Budget hearing if you must, but doesn’t this just stink of micromanagement – and not even by the proper elected body? — Robert Winters
December 21, 2009
Dec 21, 2009 City Council Agenda Highlights
Dec 21, 2009 City Council Agenda Highlights
This is the last meeting of the 2008-09 City Council term and the last one for Councillor Larry Ward who was not reelected in the November election. As much as I look forward to the arrival of newly-elected Leland Cheung to the City Council, I would have preferred to see someone other than my neighbor and friend Larry Ward vacate the seat to make room for the new guy. Life goes on and Larry will continue to be a bigger-than-life presence in the neighborhood as he has always been. I know that his Council colleagues and the City administration appreciated his time on the City Council.
There are 10 responses by the City Manager to Council requests for information on tonight’s agenda. This leaves only 22 out of 305 such requests from this Council term – not a bad response rate. The remaining requests cover truck traffic, traffic at two major intersections, tenant representation on the Housing Authority Board and stimulus money for CHA projects, the Walden Street cattle pass, hoarding, security cameras, library hours of operation, a Women’s Commission report, smoking in parks and outdoor seating areas, noisy rooftop mechanicals, dark sky zoning amendments, a 311 alert system, middle schools, damaged overhead wires, videos for Mac users, playgroups, Lakeview Avenue construction, rodents, and raising chickens.
One notable item on the City Manager’s Agenda is this:
City Manager’s Agenda #3. Transmitting communication from Robert W. Healy, City Manager, relative to the acceptance of M.G.L. Chapter 32B, Section 20, which will establish an Other Post Employment Liability Trust Fund. This irrevocable trust fund will provide the City a vehicle to make contributions to meet the unfunded liability; and the transfer of $2.0 million from the City’s Health Insurance Claims Trust Fund, which has a balance of $17.7 million to the Other Post Employment Liability Trust Fund. This initial allocation will begin the process of providing future allocations from this and/or other funding sources to the OPEB Trust Fund based on an annual review.
This initiative is part of a long-term change in the way states and cities handle the accounting of these obligations. As reported by the Manager, these recommendations have been in the works since 2007 and “the City has positioned itself to address the OPEB liability in an orderly and planned manner in the future, which has been recognized by the rating agencies as part of its positive credit rating.”
There’s also this procedural Order regarding the forwarding of items not yet acted on to the 2010-2011 City Council.
Order #1. That all items pending before the City Council and not acted upon by the end of the 2009 Legislative Session be placed in the files of the City Clerk without prejudice provided that those proposed ordinances which have been passed to a second reading, advertised and listed under “Unfinished Business” during the 2008-2009 City Council term shall be forwarded to the next City Council and further provided that any items pending in committee may, at the discretion of the committee, be forwarded to the next City Council. Mayor Simmons
Not that it matters all that much to anyone, but I really wish the City Council would dispose of the following item one way or another:
Unfinished Business #5. A communication was received from D. Margaret Drury, City Clerk, transmitting a report from Councillor Timothy J. Toomey, Jr., Co-Chair of the Ordinance Committee, for a meeting held on Nov 18, 2004 for the purpose of considering proposed amendments to Chapter 2.74 of the Cambridge Municipal Code, the Police Review and Advisory Board (PRAB) Ordinance. The question comes on passing to be ordained on or after Feb 14, 2005. [Four sections of the proposed amendment were passed to be ordained as amended. Ordinance #1284. The remaining proposed amendments to chapter 2.74 remain on Unfinished Business.]
It’s embarrassing to have items over five years old lingering on the agenda week after week and year after year. There is an ongoing review of police and PRAB matters. If the Council cannot resolve this now, they should refer it to the ongoing review and start fresh in the new Council term. Even proposed amendments to ordinances have a shelf life.
Meanwhile, the speculation continues as to who will be chosen as Chair of the City Council and School Committee in two weeks, i.e. the new mayor. It matters little to most residents, but these two higher salary years can make a big difference in the pension of a city councillor. The selection is something of a strategic contradiction – councillors who do well in the November election are often disadvantaged by the fact that their colleagues don’t want to strengthen their hand by giving them the increased visibility of being mayor. Some people get all worked up about this short period of conflict among councillors, but this usually (and hopefully) passes quickly. It is, after all, not really that big a deal. – RW
September 21, 2009
Sept 21, 2009 City Council Agenda Highlights
Sept 21, 2009 City Council Agenda Highlights
Tonight’s Big Item is the series of votes necessary to seek the Massachusetts Department of Revenue approval for the tax rate for FY2010. As Bob Healy reminds the councillors every year, the City Council does not set the tax rate. They adopt a budget in the spring and then take the required votes on tax classification, allocations from Free Cash and reserves, and on a variety of statutory exemptions. The Mass. Department of Revenue then determines and approves the tax rates based on what was sent by the City, but the end result in usually entirely predicable to the penny. There is a 6:30pm hearing during the meeting to discuss the property tax rate classification.
Every Cambridge resident should read the message submitted by the City Manager for this meeting. There are many lessons contained within. There are other agenda items of note, but everything else pales in comparison. — Robert Winters