Executive Summary
The Somerville Finance Committee held its second annual Community Budget Hearing on February 10, 2026, to solicit public input on fiscal year 2027 budget priorities. Chair Ben Wheeler informed the public that the city anticipates a budget decrease of nearly $5 million due to reduced federal funding and slowing business revenue. Residents provided extensive testimony covering a broad spectrum of needs, with significant emphasis placed on maintaining rental assistance programs, protecting immigrant communities from federal actions, improving pedestrian and cyclist safety, and implementing recommendations to combat antisemitism. No official votes were taken on specific allocations, as the meeting served as a forum for community feedback pursuant to Section 6.2 of the City Charter.
Call to Order and Roll Call
The Finance Committee meeting was called to order at 6:09 PM by Chair Ben Wheeler. The meeting was conducted via remote participation in accordance with Chapter 2 of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Acts of 2025.
Roll Call Attendance:
- Councilor Jon Link: Present
- Councilor Stratton: Present
- Councilor Emily Hardt: Present
- Councilor J.T. Scott: Present
- Chair Ben Wheeler: Present
Quorum was established with all members present. Mayor Jake Wilson was also noted as being in attendance.
FY 2027 Budget Context and Item 1
Item 1: Conveying that, pursuant to Section 6.2 of the City Charter, this City Council will hold a public hearing on the community's fiscal year 2027 budget priorities in the Committee on Finance on February 10, 2026.
Chair Wheeler provided the following financial outlook for the upcoming fiscal year:
- Budget Reduction: The city expects the budget to decrease by nearly $5 million.
- Revenue Factors: Decreased federal funding and a slowdown in local business income.
- Focus: The primary goal for FY 2027 will be maintaining current spending levels rather than funding new projects.
Public Hearing: Community Budget Priorities
The following residents provided testimony regarding their priorities for the FY 2027 budget:
- Crystal Huff (Ward 5): Advocated for accessibility, housing affordability, and immigrant protections. They stated, "Valuing community is what we must hold very dear. Our neighbors must have access to our financial resources here."
- Ellie Botchan (28 J St): Requested funding for a dog park in West Somerville.
- Jen Harrington (66 Highland Ave): Recommended supporting an independent artist collective, preserving art spaces (e.g., Joy Street Studios), and creating a structured paid internship program for the City Council.
- Annette McKee (12 Adams St): Urged reinvestment in Founders Rink for community ice recreation.
- Derek DuPont (12 Crikey St): Prioritized funding for immigrant services and an unarmed alternative emergency response program.
- Susan Hegel (Cambridge and Somerville Legal Services): Urged continued support for the Municipal Voucher Program and homeless prevention funds for rental arrears.
- Madeline Werner (10 Wallace St): Supported street safety, the Cobble Hill affordable housing project, and arts investment.
- Emily Bileal (Tower Court): Requested a small grant for community fridges, noting a previous $7,000 investment yielded 56,000 pounds of food.
- Chris Dwan (26 Ivaloo St): Advocated for frontline union jobs and criticized the use of police overtime for cyclist education, suggesting civilian flaggers for traffic details instead.
- Courtney Pollack (14 Linden St): Requested funds to protect against federal actions, including an accountability commission and support for the Somerville Office of Immigrant Affairs.
- Richard Maidman (18 Starling St): Urged the city to fund recommendations from the Massachusetts Special Commission on Combating Antisemitism and improve crosswalks on North Street.
- Bruce Kaplan (154 Summer St): Focused on roadway safety and Vision Zero, specifically requesting Hawk Beacons at unsignalized crossings near Green Line stations.
- Joshua Gensler Steinberg (8 Conwell St): Supported parking options, DPW snow removal, and pre-K/after-school care; opposed the Israel divestment ballot measure.
- Daniel Engel (39 Crocker St): Supported rodent reduction (smart boxes), police/fire recruitment to reduce overtime, and library funding.
- Emma Lebois (39 Crocker St): Advocated for indoor spaces for children, increased school funding, and better infrastructure planning for water and sewer needs.
- Bonte Gannetti (20 Calvin St): Supported rental assistance and the ballot initiative for divestment from companies complicit in the Gaza conflict.
- Daniel McLaughlin (Arlington): Prioritized the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, youth summer jobs, and a future youth center.
- David Lichter (9 Belmont Pl): Emphasized core services like schools and road repair; strongly opposed the Question 3 ballot resolution, calling it "illegal and discriminatory."
- Susan Gazal Queiroz Miller (31 Walnut St): Urged the city to prioritize $2 million in federal funding for flexible rental assistance and support for the Somerville Office for Immigrant Affairs (SOIA).
- Lori Goldman (35 Oak St): Advocated for the Office of Housing Stability (OHS) and the expansion of warming and cooling centers for unhoused residents.
Adjournment
Chair Wheeler noted that written comments would be accepted at publiccomments@somervillema.gov.
Actions:
- Motion to mark Item 1 work completed: Moved by Councilor Strezo, approved by consensus.
- Motion to Adjourn: Approved by consensus.
The meeting was adjourned at the conclusion of public testimony.