Mayor Walsh Presents 2017 Budget to City Council

Boston, MA - Early education, police and fire departments will see the greatest investment under a proposed 2017 budget presented to Boston City Council by Mayor Marty Walsh and staff Wednesday morning.

The budget adds more than 200 pre-kindergarten seats, provides funding for a police body camera pilot program and invests in services for homelessness and addiction.

It's the third budget for Walsh, who said he looked aggressively for new revenue sources, places to invest and, from every single department, areas that could be cut. He said the city proactively sought programs and positions that should be eliminated, using a data-driven approach.

The majority of city funding comes from property taxes, as opposed to sales or income tax, as the city sees flat state aid and under-reimbursed charter school losses. The 2017 budget overall is up about four percent, or $115 million.

Savings come from personnel cuts, slicing $5 million from the budget by eliminating more than 100 vacant positions. A push to curb police, fire, and public works department overtime is expected to achieve more than $11 million in savings.

Despite having a strong bond rating and stable outlook, Walsh said there is more to be done in terms of income inequality, a top issue for his administration.

"Fiscally, we're sound. Economically, we're sound," he said. "But that number, of income inequality, grows every day."

The City Council will hold a series of hearings on the budget proposal starting April 25. It is expected to vote whether to approve the budget before the end of June.

>> Photo courtesy U.S. Department of the Interior via Flickr / Creative Commons