Gloucester City Council Unanimously Accepts $147.4 Million FY26 Budget

GLOUCESTER — May 6, 2025 — Gloucester City Council unanimously accepts $147.4 million FY26 budget, launching 45-day review. All nine councilors voted 9-0 Tuesday to accept Mayor Greg Verga's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget and refer it to the Budget and Finance Committee, chaired by Ward 1 Councilor Scott Memard. The budget projects 5.8 percent general fund revenue growth driven by nearly $1 million in new taxable development, and includes a 5.32 percent increase in city funding for Gloucester Public Schools — described by Verga as "the second largest in our city's history" — as well as a proposed $750,000 appropriation to the Special Education Stabilization Fund. Department-by-department reviews begin May 14, a public hearing is set for June 10, and the final council vote is June 17. Hard copies of the budget are available at the City Clerk's Office and the Gloucester Public Library.