Waltham City Council holds budget hearings

The Waltham City Council kicked off its annual budget hearings last Wednesday, meeting with half of the city’s 30 department heads to review budget requests for the upcoming fiscal year.

The process, which spans two days, allows council members to ask questions and discuss proposed budgets before the council votes on Mayor Jeannette A. McCarthy’s recommended budget. The second half of the hearings will take place Wednesday, June 4, at 9:30 a.m. 

Additionally, the City Council’s Finance Committee will conduct a special meeting to consider trimming the budget on the following Monday, June 9.

McCarthy in May presented a proposed fiscal 2026 budget totaling $392,006,055, a 6.8% increase from the current year’s budget.

The Historic Commission and the Health, Planning, Human Resources, Assessors, Engineering, Water Administration, Public Works, Emergency Management, Fire, Building Inspections, Recreation, Veterans Rink Building Maintenance, , Wires, Treasury, Purchasing and Zoning departments presented last week, according to Anthony LaFaucci, the Finance Committee chair.

The June 4 meeting, scheduled to start at 9:30 a.m. and run through the workday, will have hearings with the Disabilities Services Commission and the Veterans, License, Conservation Commission, Information Technology, Police, Traffic, Auditor’s, and School departments as well as the Public Library, Council on Aging, City Council and the Mayor’s Office.

Once the hearings and the June 9 Finance Committee meeting conclude, the final budget is expected to head back to McCarthy for approval.