Worcester
What the city spends to run itself, where the money comes from, and what it plans to build.
Operating budget, FY27Proposed
Salaries, services and running costs for a year (July 2026 to June 2027), as proposed to the council.
- Operating budget
- $1.00B
- Paid for by property tax
- 44%
+$44M (+4.6%) on FY26 Budget
of $1.00B in revenue
Where the money comes from
Where it goes
Change on FY26 Budget.
All 41 lines
| Line | FY27 | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Worcester Public Schools · Education | $557M | +6.0% |
| Police · City Services | $62M | −1.9% |
| Charter, School Choice, & Special Education · Education | $55M | +6.0% |
| Fire · City Services | $54M | +9.9% |
| Debt Service · Fixed Costs | $45M | −0.1% |
| Pensions · Fixed Costs | $40M | +6.3% |
| Health Insurance · Fixed Costs | $38M | +8.0% |
| Financial Integrity Plan Funds · Fixed Costs | $24M | +0.8% |
| Public Works · City Services | $17M | +2.3% |
| Innovation & Technology · City Services | $12M | −0.7% |
| Pension Bond Debt Service · Fixed Costs | $10M | +5.8% |
| Parks · City Services | $9.2M | +2.6% |
| Public Library · City Services | $7.2M | +3.7% |
| Public Facilities · City Services | $6.7M | +42.8% |
| Inspectional Services · City Services | $5.7M | no change |
| Health and Human Services · City Services | $5.6M | +5.8% |
| Snow Removal · Fixed Costs | $5.5M | no change |
| Intergovernmental Charges · Fixed Costs | $5.2M | +3.2% |
| Emergency Communications · City Services | $4.4M | +1.2% |
| Finance · City Services | $3.9M | −2.1% |
| Transportation & Mobility · City Services | $3.8M | −3.7% |
| Law/Insurance/Court · City Services | $3.4M | −20.3% |
| Economic Development · City Services | $3.4M | −5.6% |
| Contingency · City Services | $3.3M | −34.6% |
| Human Resources · City Services | $3.1M | +6.3% |
| City Manager's Office · City Services | $1.9M | +1.7% |
| Streetlights · Fixed Costs | $1.6M | no change |
| Sustainability & Resilience · City Services | $1.5M | +148.2% |
| OPEB Trust Deposit · Fixed Costs | $1.3M | −58.1% |
| Assessing · City Services | $1.2M | +1.0% |
| Elections · City Services | $1.2M | +2.0% |
| City Clerk · City Services | $1.2M | +3.1% |
| Worker's Compensation · Fixed Costs | $1.0M | −16.2% |
| Auditing · City Services | $956K | −7.1% |
| Diversity, Equity & Inclusion · City Services | $951K | −1.6% |
| Injured on Duty · Fixed Costs | $883K | −16.5% |
| Union Station · City Services | $765K | +12.8% |
| City Council · City Services | $629K | −2.7% |
| Unemployment · Fixed Costs | $200K | no change |
| Workforce · City Services | $200K | no change |
| Mayor · City Services | $199K | +4.5% |
From Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Operating Budget (Proposed), read from the printed summary; every group adds up to its printed total.Data status
Capital budget, FY27Proposed
The proposal for FY27; the council votes on it, and the adopted budget replaces it here. Borrowing is paid back over years from the operating budget. Open a project to ask for a discussion on it.
- Borrowing and cash this year
- $162M
- Projects
- 78
- New borrowing approved
- $43M
$116M in FY26 adopted
in 16 departments
FY27 capital budget by department and year
Where it goes this year
Five-year plan, FY27–FY31
As printed in the plan, before state and other credits.
Projects
10 projects · $106M this year
South Division Fire Station Replacement
Funding for the replacement of the South Division Fire Station.
$25M in borrowing and cash, FY27
Sewer construction to include citywide sewer line reconstruction per the integration and control plan, sewer interceptor rehab, and pump station rehab.
$14M in borrowing and cash, FY27
Doherty High School - Funding is anticipated to complete the Doherty High School construction project.
$13M in borrowing and cash, FY27
Work related to the redesign and construction of streets including portions of Massasoit Rd. and Park Ave. and supplemented by federal CDBG funds, as well as annual work related to Council-approved petitions, arterial repaving, and street reconstruction.
$12M in borrowing and cash, FY27
Borrowing for the annual amount due to the Town of Holden, per the court settlement agreement.
$11M in borrowing and cash, FY27
Chandler Street - Water main construction along Chandler Street, in conjunction with road reconfiguration.
$9.9M in borrowing and cash, FY27
Water main construction, transmission mains, and materials.
$7.9M in borrowing and cash, FY27
Various equipment and vehicle related acquisitions, with a focus on replacing aging equipment and on equipment that serves multiple purposes.
$5.9M in borrowing and cash, FY27
Facility Improvements - Upgrades to facility including structural rigging, rehabilitation of the permanent chiller, as well as other general improvements.
$4.0M in borrowing and cash, FY27
School Building Rehabilitation
Various improvements to school facilities throughout the district.
$3.5M in borrowing and cash, FY27
From Fiscal Year 2027 Annual Capital Budget (Proposed) and Fiscal Year 2026 Annual Capital Budget, read from the published PDF; every department’s projects add up to its printed sub-total.Data status