The Burlington, Vermont city council passed a 2027 budget during its meeting Monday night.
Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak outlined the key parts of her $112.6 million budget plan before councilors took up the measure.
“We worked very diligently as an administration to present to the council earlier than normal a balanced budget. We were able to close what was initially a projected $11 million budget gap.”
There are no layoffs in the budget, but some unfilled positions were eliminated. All core city services are maintained in the fiscal plan.
Ward 2 Progressive Gene Bergman said it was a difficult budget process.
“Compromises have been made. I’ve heard calls for more dramatic cuts and I’m happy that this budget rejects that austerity approach.”
Ward 7 Democrat Evan Litwin was the only councilor to vote against the fiscal plan.
“I’m not confident that it’s a future-focused budget and is not a budget that sits with the reality that this inflationary environment is very likely a pre-recession environment.”
The city council passed the budget by a 10 to 1 vote, with one absence. The city’s fiscal year begins on July 1.
