By Andreae Downs
Hundreds of Newton public school parents are writing City Council asking for a larger school budget this year.
I would love to vote for a more generous school budget.
But here’s the hard truth: If you, like me, care about the schools, there’s only so much we can do.
- Allow more housing—the municipalities in Massachusetts that aren’t cutting teachers this year have a LOT of “new growth.” These are places (like Watertown and Needham) that have allowed significant housing development. In Newton, our “new growth” is limited: about 100 houses a year are torn down and replaced with bigger ones, or two-four town houses are built, or an apartment/condo building. New growth in Newton also consists of kitchens renovated and mother-in-law apartments created.
- New office and commercial space is not a viable alternative to building more housing. Given high vacancy rates in office and commercial buildings, developers (and the banks they rely on for financing) are simply not investing in such projects. Existing office space is going for a discount in Boston and nearby in part because of work from home.
- If we build more housing in Newton, it will have minimal impact on our school population. Not every home will be filled with NPS-age kids. Most Newton homes, and particularly apartments, are filled most of the time with adults.
- Pass an override.
As a city councilor, I can vote to cut a budget submitted by the mayor—but not to increase one. I cannot reallocate funds from one department to another. Only the mayor can. And if the Council rejects the mayor’s budget (we can), it still goes into effect.
Here’s why: https://www.newtonma.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/128369/638804196791470000
Can we cut another budget? Yes—but most voters in Newton like having roads repaired, having trash and other services delivered, maintaining our public safety. Fact is, there’s no fat on the municipal side.
Can we delay pension contributions?
City Council can ask, but the Retirement Board controls the funding. And delaying pension funding will cost Newton more in the long run—we will be putting in more tax dollars rather than benefiting from investment gains like accrued interest or capital gains.
Can we use “Free Cash”? Yes—but using those funds for an ongoing expense, rather than a one-time item, would give the next mayor an even harder lift.
How’s that?
- “Free cash” is a realized budget variance—in other words, if we budgeted $4 million for plowing, but it didn’t snow, we would have $4 million of “free cash” to spend the next year (but maybe the following year it does snow—so it’s one-time). This mayor spends free cash on one-time expenses (a new roof for a library, one more road paved, even a downpayment on a new school such as Lincoln Elliot), but Newton cannot spend more than it has.
- If we use one-time funding this year for ongoing expenses—and we are talking staff, not pencils—we must find those funds plus growth again next year—or lay off more people. Salaries increase. They should. Inflation eats at our staff’s ability to pay for eggs, too. That’s what people call a “fiscal cliff,” when the one-time funding doesn’t recur and doesn’t grow—so you have to cut, but now even more drastically.
Unfortunately, inflation has outpaced Newton’s budget every year since 2020. Health insurance costs alone have risen twice as much. And without an override, Newton’s revenue (usually 2.5% plus new growth, which brings it to a total of 3 – 3.5% or so) can’t keep up. Newton even has reports on how we got here and how we might fix it.
So, I will vote for home additions and for mother-in-law apartments. I will vote to let shops and restaurants open without meeting outdated parking requirements. I am voting for an amended Northland permit—because those apartments will pay taxes ($1.8m/year), and a dirt lot?—not so much.
And I will be rooting for the next operating override. I hope you will join me.
Andreae Downs is a city councilor-at large elected from Ward 5. She recently announced she will not seek reelection this year.