Breaking Down the Budget: Questions to Consider, City of Worcester & Worcester Public Schools FY2019

EACH YEAR on July 1, Massachusetts cities and towns must implement a new budget. The City of Worcester’s Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19) budget took effect on July 1, 2018. Municipal budgets must balance—expenditures cannot exceed revenues. The budget process forces municipalities to confront the challenge of fixed costs like debt service and pensions while deciding among priorities like education, public safety, economic development, and public services.