EV RETEVT V E ER T Vol. 35, No.20 -FREET Have a Safe Memorial Day Weekend! ADDOCCO TEAT www.advocatenews.net Free Every Friday Community members place fl ags at veterans’ graves ahead of Memorial Day Annual tradition honors the service and sacrifi ce of veterans 617-387-2200 Friday, May 22, 2026 Mayor Proposes $312.3M Budget Focused on Costs, Oversight Van Campen cites rising insurance, school and public safety expenses in 4.1% spending increase while pledging greater transparency and fi scal accountability By Neil Zolot M Volunteers, veterans, students, city offi cials, including Mayor Robert Van Campen, center, and community members gather at Woodlawn Cemetery during the annual Memorial Day fl ag placement. Special to Th e Advocate V olunteers, veterans, students, city leaders and community members gathered at Glenwood Cemetery on May 12 and at Woodlawn Cemetery on May 14 to place American fl ags at the graves of veterans ahead of Memorial Day. The annual tradition was coordinated by the City of Everett’s Veterans Aff airs Department under the direction of Veterans Aff airs Director Erika Corbelli. Participants included Mayor Robert J. Van Campen, Ward 4 Councillor Holly Garcia, Fire Chief Joseph Hickey, Everett Public Schools Superintendent William D. Hart, school principals and staff, Everett High School Key Club students, veterans, fi refi ghters and community volunteers. The flag placements honor the men and women who served in the United States Armed ForcMEMORIAL DAY | SEE PAGE 8 F. J. LaRovere Insurance Agency, Inc. 492 Broadway Everett, MA 02149 617-387-9700 phone 617-387-9702 fax INSURANCE FOR AUTO, HOME, AND BUSINESS We offer very competitive rates, and by representing many different companies we can shop for the best price for our customers. Call us today! Open Monday – Friday 9am-5pm and Saturdays 9am-12pm Messinger Insurance Agency 475 Broadway Everett, MA 02149 617-387-2700 phone 617-387-7753 fax ayor Robert Van Campen’s current budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2027 is $312.3 million, an increase of 4.1% over the $299.7 million for Fiscal Year 2026. He said the increase is attributable to the rising cost of essential services, specifi cally contractual obligations, employee health insurance, school related costs and utilities and is not a broad expansion of spending. “Operating growth is comparatively modest,” he said. The Mayor’s PowerPoint slide deck presented at a joint meeting of the City Council and School Committee at City Hall on Thursday, May 14 was headlined by the words responsibility, transparency and accountability. It also outlined a commitment to “take a hard look at fi nances” by reviewing spending, cost drivers, assumptions about revenue and fi nance practices. The mayor said past versions of the budget include revenue based on personal property taxes on furniture and other items at Encore Boston Harbor casino the City was unable to collect. “We were trying to assess personal property there without a verifi able way of doing it,” he said. He added that he wants to restore trust in government by strengthening oversight, internal controls, accountability and transparency in how public dollars are spent to focus resources and functions that benefi t Everett residents directly. “Managing tax dollars is one of the most important functions of government and Robert J. Van Campen Mayor my administration is going to treat that with the importance it deserves,” he said. Plans to build for the future include strengthening partnerships with regional and state entities that can support the City’s fi nances and interests; advance economic development opportunities that are right-sized for the City and serve its fi scal priorities, infrastructure and neighborhoods and improve the City’s capacity to manage development, growth, infrastructure and mobility (i.e., traffi c and pedestrian accessibility). Approximately 87% of the operating budget is spent on fixed costs, the schools and public safety, leaving what he described as “relatively small share for every other municipal service, program and investment.” The school budget of $145.4 million represents 47% of the budget. It is rising $3.2 million, or 2.3%, over Fiscal Year 2026. At School Committee meetBUDGET | SEE PAGE 22
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