Framingham Mayor Releases Proposed $307.4 Million 2022 Budget

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Mayor Yvonne Spicer has released her budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, and it shows a rise in spending to make up for city initiatives delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Spicer's is requesting a $307.4 million 2022 operating budget, which is 4 percent higher than the budget proposed for fiscal 2021. To make up for the increase, Spicer is proposing a 2.5 percent tax hike, which would be a $240 annual increase for the owner of a Framingham home of average value.

On Monday, Framingham Public Schools officials were notified that the department would need to absorb a $1.4 million cut to the $148.2 million budget request approved by the School Committee at the end of March.

The last-minute cut surprised school officials, who highlighted that Spicer has proposed five cuts in the School Department over the past year.

"This is now the mayor's sixth education budget reduction during the pandemic," School Committee Chair Adam Freudberg said in a statement. "Over the course of a multi-month budget process [FPS] and [the School Committee] sought multiple ways to avoid this moment in time by inviting collaboration, exchanging ideas and working together on a zero based budget process that previously reduced school requests to propose a fiscally responsible solution to our urgent education needs. However, the reality has resulted in an inability for the Mayor to work together to tackle consistent solutions in partnership with us."

Spicer's proposal for the school district is $146.8 million, which is $3.6 million higher than in 2021.

Meanwhile, Framingham will get about $28 million in federal stimulus money over the next few years. The first $14 million chunk will be delivered in mid-May, but $4.6 million will be used to pay for a water and sewer fund deficit. Some of the money will go toward pandemic-related supplies, coronavirus testing and direct assistance to residents and businesses.

The Framingham City Council will now review Spicer's recommendations over a series of meetings in the coming weeks before a June 30 to approve the fiscal 2022 budget. The budget will officially be presented to Council at the meeting on Tuesday.

The 2022 fiscal year begins on July 1. You can see the mayor's budget presentation here.