Where does Medford's budget come from? Where is it going?
For the past few weeks, Medford city leaders have been sitting down with department heads and administrators to discuss the $191.9 million spending plan for the coming fiscal year. Yes, thats almost $200 million of those portraits of George Washington that we sometimes find forgotten in a pocket, or crumpled at the bottom of a purse or handed without thought to the homeless guy standing at the off ramp of I-93 with an empty coffee cup and a gap-toothed smile. In Medford, property taxes, excise taxes that include motor vehicle, hotel or room occupancy and meal taxes, state and federal aid, licenses, fees. The city earns interest on investments (and pays off debt). According to the mayors budget presentation, $127 million, about 70 percent of the citys revenue, comes from property taxes. Peoples pockets. Thats called the General Fund and it totals about $166.4 million and does not include the Community Preservation Act money, or revenue from the Revolving and Enterprise funds. Medford is also anticipating receiving $27.9 million from the state in various allocations and grants. The city also earns what it calls local receipts, collects water and sewer fees, and sells plots in the cemetery. The Enterprise Fund, created for business purposes, brings $26.5 million into city coffers, but is expected to be self-sustaining, to pay for itself. The Community Preservation Act Fund, a 1.5 percent property tax surcharge that kicked in in 2017, is matched by the state and pays for creating and preserving open space, historic areas, affordable housing, and outdoor recreational facilities. It totals a little over $2 million. For the next two fiscal years, Medford will also receive about $48.5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act that is earmarked for use to offset the financial ravages of COVID-19, from lost revenue. It can also be used to fund infrastructure projects, including water and sewer projects and be used to stabilize households and businesses adversely affected by the pandemic, address public health issues and continue the battle against the killer virus. In Medford, almost 40 percent, $63.7 million, has been slated to pay for the citys schools which will be augmented by the federal government by another $3.7 million. In a presentation before the City Council June 23, school officials hit the high notes: An emphasis on instruction, especially after the pandemic year. A focus of reading specialists and literacy. City officials directed the schools to find ways to attract educators to meet the needs of the communitys increasing diversification and to find ways to recruit employees who identify as of color. We have 485 educators in Medford, 15 of them are of color, Councilor George Scarpelli noted. There are some buildings whether there is no staff of color.  Councilors noted the challenges of recruiting qualified candidates to a district that pays less than other surrounding communities. A good chunk of the money, almost $30 million, is slated to pay for public safety, both police and fire services. Public works, the people who pave the streets, collect the trash, fix the government buildings, gets about $15.5 million. Employee benefits and insurance costs the city $40.5 million, general government or the cost of doing business as the City of Medford costs about $7 million. Paying off loans costs $5.3 million. Culture and Recreation have been budgeted $2.1 million and Health and Human Services, $1.7 million. The Community Development budget tops out at $699,682. Dollars represent a communitys quality of life; richer communities that accrue more dollars can offer residents a more comfortable lifestyle, with municipal services that range from curbside composting to plenty of pickleball courts for the citys senior citizen.