Although city councilors in Northampton failed to pass a budget this week, it's likely that same budget will still go into effect in July.
Budget season in the city has been contentious - mostly around the schools.
Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra submitted a $137 million budget in May that would require significant school cuts and layoffs. Following much debate, Sciarra added more than $1 million in amendments. But many say that's still not enough.
Jeremy Dubs is among three city councilors who voted against the new budget on Thursday - which meant it did not pass.
"The city has a lot of free cash and reserves saved up and we felt like there was money that was already saved up that we could use without having to cut other city services," he said.
Dubs also felt there wasn't enough money for sidewalk accessibility - despite claims that the latest budget was making concessions for public works and other city needs.
However, he said he considers his vote largely symbolic because state law means the original budget will go into effect July 1 and both he and the mayor expect the amendments to pass later that month.
Dubs said going forward, he hopes to start working on next year's budget in the fall, many months ahead of time so the debate does not get so rushed.
Mayor Sciarra said in a statement that she's grateful there was some support of the council for the budget.
"Two-thirds of the City Council expressed support for the fiscal year 2025 budget, and each component of the budget received six votes when voted on separately. However, because of a technicality requiring the recusal of one councilor for the final budget vote, the overall budget received a simple majority of five votes and not the two-thirds needed to formally approve," she said.
She confirmed that under state law her budget proposal made in May will still go into effect on July 1.
"And based on the statements made at the Council meeting, my amendments for additional Northampton Public School funding should be accepted as soon as the Council is able to arrange a special meeting for early July," she said. "The delay is unfortunate and unnecessary, but soon Northampton will have a budget in place that balances the city's needs as best as possible with the limited resources available."
At-large councilor Marissa Elkins, who supported Sciarra's budget, said the delay means laid-off teachers were not immediately rehired.
"This delay will have cost the city and our schools experienced teachers who would have liked to have kept their jobs, but moved on," she said. "I'm quite confident that that has happened because of this delay."
Elkins said Sciarra's budget is responsible, given the city's financial realities. The council also agreed to put a tax override vote on the November ballot, which will ask residents to contribute an additional $3 million to the city.
