Read Medford's Proposed 2021 Budget

MEDFORD, MA — Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn submitted the proposed municipal budget for Fiscal Year 2021 to the City Council Thursday. With state aid allocations still uncertain for the upcoming fiscal year, the proposed budget totals about $184,479,028 and contains a net reduction in operational and personnel expenses for city operations, level-funding for the Medford Public Schools and an increase in fixed costs.

Despite the challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic, Lungo-Koehn said her administration has accomplished several key goals in the second half of Fiscal Year 2020. These include creating an online permitting system; expanding the mission of the Office of Human Diversity to strengthen the city's hiring processes by actively recruiting candidates for staff positions and boards and commissions that represent diversity in culture, ethnicity, gender, age, religion and race; and developing a Capital Improvement Plan to gain greater understanding of capital needs.

The budget proposal assumes a 10 percent reduction in state aid to the city; however, with the legislature still considering the statewide budget and aid to cities and towns, Lungo-Koehn noted that the city's financial team will be prepared to review and amend proposals as necessary to provide essential services.

"This budget was prepared and is proposed with the knowledge and understanding that further conversations and possible adjustments - either additional appropriations or additional reductions - should be expected in the coming weeks and months," Lungo-Koehn said. "The city is prepared to move forward with these additional adjustments if necessary to keep the budget in balance after the release of state aid figures in mid-to-late-July, including personnel salary adjustments, furloughs, and additional layoffs across operations."

Among the administration's goals for Fiscal Year 2021 are:

• Continued conversations on race, policing, diversity, and equity.
• Revamping financial management and budgeting systems, increasing efficiencies and integrated systems.
• Establish a Welcoming Committee in order to support and welcome new residents and businesses to the Medford community.
• Begin a Comprehensive Planning process.
• Redesign the SeeClickFix constituent reporting system, website, and robo-call system to better serve residents.
• Initiate a Charter review process to ensure that the Charter still reflects the Medford that is, and not the Medford that was.

The Medford City Council has set a public hearing schedule to review the proposed FY21 budget. Hearings are scheduled for Saturday, June 20, beginning at 9 a.m., and Monday and Tuesday evenings, June 22 and 23, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Meetings will be held via Zoom. For the full schedule, visit www.medfordma.org/city-council-2.

See the full budget proposal below: