Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra

Educators in Northampton, Mass., say a budget proposal from the mayor doesn’t do enough to support local schools. Union workers have now ended voluntary work as the budget’s debated and contract negotiations continue.

Well before a July deadline to submit nomination papers, Northampton, Mass. is already primed for a busy election season. Both the city council and school committee are seeing significant turnover, with at least seven officials not seeking reelection so far. WAMC spoke with daily Hampshire Gazette reporter Alexander MacDougall about how things are shaping up and how one issue in particular is already looming, as candidates collect signatures: funding for Northampton Public Schools.

Hoping to restore jobs lost last year on top of fully-funding the district, school committee members in Northampton, Massachusetts, have approved a so-called “strong budget” – one the mayor says even increasing city revenues couldn’t cover.

Following a term that included a pandemic, damaging floods and heavily-debated budgets, the mayor of Northampton is running for another four years.

A former nursing home in Northampton, Massachusetts, has been an eyesore for locals since it closed over a decade ago. It’ll soon to be home to up to 60 families, with construction now getting under way.

Hundreds of blue and white bikes are back and rolling now that a popular bike share program has relaunched in western Massachusetts.

A $3 million budget override question intended for voters in Northampton, Massachusetts this fall has been rescinded – following a special city council meeting.

Months of budget talks in Northampton, Massachusetts came to a head at the latest city council meeting, only for councilors to come up short of passing a final spending plan. An earlier plan proposed by the mayor will likely take effect in the meantime — with both budgets considered insufficient by a local teachers’ union.

City signs option to purchase former First Baptist Church