A Thoughtful Budget for Plymouth's Future
Last week, the council passed a preliminary tax levy reflecting careful planning from both the council and city staff: a 3.9% increase, the second-lowest increase among peer cities in the county.
We also spent time discussing whether to increase Plymouth's Housing and Redevelopment Authority levy, to direct more funding toward our affordable housing goals. Ultimately, the council left that levy unchanged for now, but I recommended that the HRA come back to the council with concrete recommendations on what they could accomplish with additional funding, so that if we do consider an increase in the future, we're making that decision with real, specific plans in front of us, not just a number. This is the same approach I want to bring across all of our boards and commissions: giving our volunteers more opportunity to shape real outcomes, not just react to decisions after they're made.
This budget reflects a genuinely thoughtful approach to managing Plymouth's finances, one that incorporates our ten-year Capital Improvement Plan and helps prevent the kind of unexpected surprises that can catch residents and the city off guard. That kind of steady, long-range planning is something I value deeply, and it's part of what keeps Plymouth's finances strong and our bond ratings among the best in the state.
You can see it reflected in the city's "Financial Extra" newsletter that recently was sent to every household across Plymouth. I encourage residents to take a look at where we stand in comparison to peer cities, and how your tax dollars are carefully spent on core services for our community.
