Citing a $5.4 million projected budget shortfall for the next fiscal year, the City of Somerville announced on Friday it has cut 29 positions, comprising 13 existing staffers and 16 vacant openings. Laid-off employees will be placed on administrative leave through the end of June, according to the statement.
City spokesperson Grace Munns confirmed that two of the 13 layoffs affected union employees. She would not specify which departments lost positions but said the new cabinet-level arts council leadership position promised by Mayor Jake Wilson in February would not be affected. There are, however, no open arts council positions listed on the City’s jobs portal as of this writing.
More details about staff changes, transfers and layoffs will be shared when the City submits its FY27 budget book, Munns said, which is expected on June 4.
The Wilson administration had noted the looming budget deficit in an April meeting, saying it would cause “limited disruption,” according to the Somerville Times. On Friday, the statement said the city first attempted to fix the budget shortfall by increasing revenues and lowering non-personnel expenses, but that they “were still left with needing to further reduce spending.”
Somerville’s budget deficit isn’t unique. Across the state, other municipalities are facing similar shortfalls as rising costs outpace revenue. Some are focused on increasing revenue through property tax hikes, including Arlington, which approved a $14.8 million budget override in April.
The layoffs come at a time when the Somerville Workers United (SWU) wants the city to recognize its efforts to unionize approximately 220 positions with American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) 93, as reported by Working Mass. The SWU first attempted to organize with the existing Somerville Municipal Employees Union (SMEU), but Working Mass said those efforts stalled.
SWU members were not immediately able to respond to requests for comment, but did release a GoFundMe page to support laid-off staffers. The description for the GoFundMe shares that laid off staff “include people working to advance racial justice, support Somerville youth, and finance professionals who ensure we spend taxpayer dollars responsibly.”
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