Mayor Sean Reardon: On June 25th, the City Council voted to adopt my proposed FY25 budget with no amendments. My administration worked hard to develop a responsible budget that would provide the excellent services expected by residents while staying within the limits of Proposition 2 ½ and avoiding excessive burdens for tax payers. The budget has increased 4.4% from last year, which equates to roughly $487 for a median home value of $944,000, or roughly a 5% increase for the average taxpayer due to increased home assessments and the challenges of inflation. I do not take this increase lightly and we will continue to look for ways to improve city efficiency to reduce the burden on taxpayers. I believe we have accomplished a lot over the past year, thanks to your support, and I am proud of where Newburyport stands. We are working hard toward our shared goals for the City, including addressing our road, sidewalk and water infrastructure, supporting our youth and families through our schools and proposed recreation center, and completing long-envisioned capital projects such as the Fire Station and Market Landing Park. You can read more about our accomplishments and future plans here.
I continue to offer open office hours the last Thursday of every month from 6-7 pm and every Friday from 8-10 am. I want to hear from you, continue these important conversations and do what I can to work together as we continue to strengthen our great city.
