Approved budget moves Somerville forward in a difficult fiscal year, with investments in students, housing, traffic and public safety, neighborhood services, climate resilience, and long-term financial stability 

On Thursday, June 25, the Somerville City Council approved the city’s Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) budget, a $394 million spending plan designed to deliver results, strengthen core services, and uphold the city’s values through action. The companion school budget fully funds the district’s budget and marks the largest investment in Somerville Public Schools history, while adding new special ed teachers, interventionists, academic coaches, and an infusion of funds for substitute teaching staff. 

“I’m so grateful to everyone who helped shape this budget, from the community to the City Council to all the folks on the Schools and City teams who spent months and months on this work,” said Mayor Wilson. “Despite the enormous fiscal challenges facing Massachusetts cities and towns this year, we still were able to make meaningful and sustainable new investments in our future, including the largest dollar increase in Somerville Public Schools history. Now I’m looking forward to moving on from talking about how to fund the work to doing that work.” 

What Somerville’s FY27 Budget Moves Forward 

• For residents who rely on core city services, the budget strengthens the work people see and feel every day, from roads, sidewalks, trees, 311, and rodent control to emergency response improvements and enhanced access to City information. 
• For renters, homeowners, and people at risk of displacement, the budget keeps housing affordability and stability at the center of the city’s work, including affordable housing projects, tenant supports, legal protections, and anti-displacement strategies. 
• For students and families, the budget fully funds the district’s proposal and supports new special education teachers, academic intervention, substitute staffing, equity funding to get investments to the schools that need it most, year-round student MBTA passes, and expanded youth programming. 
• For safer streets and more responsive public services, the budget supports continued safe streets investments and the launch of a co-response pilot program, emergency signal technology for Fire and EMS routes, and the groundwork for civilian oversight and accountability. 
• For climate resilience and a healthier future, the budget keeps Somerville moving on climate action through green building work, youth climate leadership, advocacy for fossil fuel-free buildings, and investments in tree planting and care, infrastructure, and public spaces that help make the city cooler, healthier, and more resilient. 
• For better access to City Hall, the budget supports language and communications access, neighborhood-based outreach, permitting reform, and a stronger focus on bringing services directly to residents and small businesses where they are. 

“This was one of the hardest budgets Somerville has faced in years, and the layoffs and reductions will have real impacts,” said Councilor-at-Large Ben Wheeler, Chair of the Finance Committee. “I’m grateful we avoided cuts to our schools and larger cuts to city services. That was possible because of both the financial discipline of previous administrations, City Councils, and Finance Departments, along with the extraordinary work of current city staff and Councilors, who spent long nights reviewing this budget. We tried to be responsible stewards of every public dollar, and we welcome residents’ feedback.” 

Moving from Budget Approval to Doing the Work 

With the FY27 budget now approved, the City will move from planning to implementation across the priorities funded in the budget, including schools, housing justice, core services, safe streets, public safety, climate resilience, permitting, and neighborhood-based outreach. 

Residents are encouraged to stay engaged throughout the year by attending public meetings, following updates from City departments, sharing feedback with elected officials and staff, and tracking progress as new programs, service improvements, and investments move forward. For more information on the FY27 budget, visit somervillema.gov/budget. 

To stay up to date on city events, services, and programs throughout the year, sign up for the City newsletter at somervillema.gov/newsletter, or follow the City of Somerville on Facebook, Instagram or Bluesky.

— City of Somerville