Medeiros Solano on City & School Budget

I believe that at heart, regardless of anyone’s political differences, most of us want to see our tax dollars spent wisely, efficiently and effectively.

Last month, the City Council voted in a budget with a massive structural deficit built into it on the school side. Our city leaders are betting on having to use at least $2.7 million of next year’s free cash just to balance it out. This number could be as much as $3.5 to $4 million if school offsets are not available for use next year.

By operating this way, we run the risk of not having enough Certified Free Cash next year to fill this deficit in the school budget and being forced to address a serious shortfall mid-year, which could disrupt the education of our students and put jobs at risk.

We may be lucky enough to find ourselves with enough Free Cash next year to satisfactorily address this structural deficit, but then, how will we fund these operating costs the following year? Continuing to use Free Cash, an unguaranteed and fluctuating revenue source, to backfill the school budget to pay for ongoing operating costs, is unsustainable.

Many would say that this is setting the next mayor and the city up for failure with only two options: drastic, painful cuts or another override tax increase.

I do not see this as so starkly black and white. I believe I have the experience and the budget management skills to help us find our way out of this. Here is how I believe we can get the school budget under control with me in the Mayor’s office:

• Conduct a Detailed Spending Analysis – As the next mayor, I am ready to conduct a deep dive into all of our expenditures to understand what we have already purchased and why. I will conduct a detailed analysis, line by line, of what we budgeted and what we actually spent. This is necessary so that our city officials and the public can clearly understand where the override money and increases in spending were actually applied.
• Build a 5-year Strategic Financial Plan – For long-term financial stability, I will begin work immediately on building a 5-year Strategic Financial Plan for the City of Melrose. This would review projected costs versus projected revenues and identify any gaps. We would then work to fix them.
• Provide Active Financial Management – I will build accountability measures into our day to day practices. Monthly budget reviews by the School Committee and regular budget check ins with our school leaders help us proactively identify problem areas of the budget and get back on track before things get out of hand.
• Hire the Right Superintendent – Budget management must be a priority and strength of the new Superintendent. I am the only candidate for mayor who has served on a School Committee and hired a successful superintendent. I know how important it is to find the right person for the job who puts students first and respects our budgetary limitations.
• Focus on the Classroom – I will prioritize spending which directly impacts students in the classroom.
• Review our Special Education Programs – Special Education is a leading driver of costs. I will review our programs to evaluate their effectiveness, our district’s responsiveness to students and parents, and possibly find ways to meet student needs in district.
• Create a Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Education – I will create a new committee of community members – financial, educational, human resources professionals and others – who can use their professional expertise to assist with these goals, and help me make better, more well-rounded decisions along the way.

Melrose is a wonderful place to grow up, and our schools are very good. Student achievement must always be our system’s priority. Staying within our budget is crucial for preventing disruptions and maintaining the quality of our system.

I believe my experience and creative problem-solving skills are what is needed to get our city and our schools back on track financially while focusing our limited resources where they matter most. I ask for your vote for Mayor September 19.

To learn more about my campaign or to get involved, please visit my website at www.VoteMonica.com or follow me on Facebook at "Monica Medeiros Solano for Melrose" and Twitter @VoteMonica.

Monica Medeiros Solano is a candidate for Mayor of Melrose in the September 19, 2023 Preliminary Election. She is also a former Melrose City Councilor and School Committee member, and past President of the Massachusetts Municipal Councillors’ Association.