Gloucester City Council Hears Budget Pleas, Will Vote on FY2027 Spending June 16

GLOUCESTER — June 9, 2026 — Gloucester City Council faces budget vote after flood of school funding testimony. More than 40 teachers, students, and parents addressed the council at a June 9 public hearing on the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget, with nearly every speaker urging a level-service or higher school allocation ahead of a scheduled June 16 vote. School Committee Vice Chair Bill Melvin warned the district has lost 38.2 positions since June 2024 and said 64 percent of students come from high-needs homes. Mayor Lundberg defended a proposed school allocation $1.5 million above last year — including a $300,000 mid-review increase — but acknowledged the administration would revisit revenue projections before the vote after Council President Tony Gross pressed for movement. CFO Connor McCorkle said education received the smallest proportional cut from level-service funding of any major department, at 1.85 percent. In separate action, the council voted 9-0 to write off $725,495.53 in uncollectible ambulance billings and authorized a new solid waste contract term of up to nine years, as required under state law.