Public meetings this week look at the fiscal year 2024 budget, dining parklets, elder care resources, a cannabis dispensary for Davis Square and more.

Cambridge’s head of finance, assistant city manager David Kale, retires in early July, ending 33 years in public service between City Hall and the school district.

The Cambridge Health Alliance has a huge deficit to fill with staff reductions, executives say, referring to $40 million to $45 million in losses for the fiscal year.

These aren’t radical visions that we need to look to other countries for, Rutgers economist Mark Paul says, but in many instances just an extension of long fights for freedom here in America that were proposed decades ago.

The huge and costly project to replace the dilapidated 175-unit Jefferson Park Federal public housing development and add 103 more low-income units has won its first funding approval, a tiny amount compared with what’s needed.

Public meetings this week look at rat mitigation programs, water and sewer rate increases, changes to West Washington Street, city biosafety and more.

Caritas raises significant philanthropic support to sustain housing and services for very-low-income and formerly homeless people at Central House in Central Square, but more help is needed. We look forward to working with the city on this.

I strongly urge city officials to stop and take a hard look at the fiscal path they are on with bike lanes. It will not have a happy ending for the citizens of Cambridge.

Faced with warnings there could be seven to 10 positions cut from the Cambridge Public Health Department within the next couple of weeks, but with health officials and the city manager unable to offer specifics due to ongoing discussions, city councillors took a rare step in budget hearings.

Maintenance crises at two Cambridge institutions that help prevent homelessness – big and small, old and new – converged in complaints to city officials.