Council OKs Medford's 2016 Budget Amid Some Objections

The Medford City Council approved the city’s $155 million budget for fiscal 2016 on July 7 but not without objections from two council members, according to a Wicked Local report.

»Via Wicked Local

The budget, which had been tabled last week while administrators addressed council questions, is a $5.5 million increase from last year and factors in $2.4 million in revenue generated from a 2.5-percent tax increase, the report stated. More than $250,000 in additional funding also is allocated for the Medford Public Library, the report added.

Council Vice President Breanna Lungo-Koehn and council member Robert M. Pena, who is running for mayor in November, voted against the budget, the report stated. Pena’s objections stemmed from the fact that it didn’t address all the departmental needs of the city, while Lungo-Koehn felt the review process was flawed, the report added.

Although it was passed July 7, the budget went into effect July 1 the report stated.

YOUR TURN: What do you think of the new budget? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section.