The City Council on May 1 voted 5-3 against adopting state legislation that under certain circumstances would have permitted the council to increase the total amount appropriated for the schools over that requested by the mayor.

Voting to approve the measure were Quaverly Rothenberg of Ward 3, Jeremy Dubs of Ward 4 and Rachel Maiore of Ward 7. I joined at-large councilor Garrick Perry, Deborah Klemer of Ward 2, Alex Jarrett of Ward 5, and Marianne LaBarge of Ward 6 in opposing it. At-large councilor Marissa Elkins was absent.

The City Council on May 16, 2024, voted 6-3 against adopting the same legislation (Chapter 329 of the Acts of 1987), with Councilor Elkins joining the majority.

Under the city charter, the City Council may only delete or decrease amounts, except expenditures required by law, in the budget proposed by the mayor. The charter states that “except on the recommendation of the mayor, the City Council shall not increase any item in or the total of the proposed operating budget.”

I objected to adopting the state legislation because it would allow the City Council to override the mayor by adding money only to the school budget, rather than all departments. I also expressed concern about having to cut budgets of other municipal departments to pay for the higher school funding.

Meanwhile, Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra on April 28 announced that she will include a $43,894,984 appropriation for the Northampton Public Schools In the municipal budget for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 1. That is $2,439,644, or 5.88 percent, more than this year’s local appropriation for the schools.

The School Committee on April 10 voted 8-2 to recommend a $46,610,090 budget for the next fiscal year, which would be a 12.43 percent increase.

The mayor’s statement about the school budget is available here:

https://www.northamptonma.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1885

Also last week, Superintendent Portia Bonner said after meeting with school principals and other administrators that the mayor’s proposed appropriation would not result in any layoffs for the next fiscal year, though it is $655,722 less than the level-services budget she had presented to the School Committee. That reduction would be accomplished by not replacing some retiring staff and cuts to supplies and programs across the district’s six schools.

The mayor’s complete municipal budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 will be released on Friday, May 16.

The City Council’s Finance Committee, of which I am vice chair, has scheduled public hearings on the budget at 6 p.m., Tuesday, May 27, and Wednesday, June 4, in the City Council chambers, 212 Main St.

Here is the Zoom link for remote participation (passcode 571452):

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83316764456

Energy efficiency

The city’s Climate Action and Project Administration (CAPA) will host a community forum at 1 p.m., Tuesday, May 6, at the Northampton Senior Center, 67 Conz St., about energy efficiency programs and locations for electric vehicle charging stations.

Northampton, Easthampton and Westhampton have received a Community First Partnership Grant from the state to fund a shared energy advocate who will provide residents and businesses with resources to increase energy efficiency.

CAPA also is seeking recommendations about potential sites for on-street electric vehicle chargers.

The Zoom link for remote participation is https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82110925588.

Stan