“In 2016, I brought together representatives of Eversource, ABCD (a local non-profit serving low-income residents in the Boston area), and our city staff to answer a nagging question: how can we assist those who spend too much of their limited income on utilities? The answer was first-of-its kind program that we announced in the fall of 2016 that allows Newton to share the benefits of our solar credits with residents who qualify for utility assistance. “Our solid financial standing has also allowed us to be innovative in supporting those who need it most. These facilities are not only modern upgrades, but also give our schools the space they need to accommodate our growing student population in certain parts of the city as well as provide children of all backgrounds with the education they need for social-emotional growth and as a foundation for their future careers. We have opened two of those buildings, with the third scheduled to open in fall of 2017 for the new school year. “In 2014, Newton embarked on a plan to build five new elementary schools in six years. When I was elected, we had crumbling schools that were not up to the 21 st century education being provided in our classrooms. “Newton’s place as one of the Commonwealth’s highest performing school districts is a commendation that we are very proud of. “All of the work we have done to turn around the city’s financial standing allows us to make the smart, forward-looking, innovative investments that we need to keep Newton a great place to live, work, and visit, or have a business of any size. Every dollar has a purpose, tied to a deliverable that we track with the city’s DataStat program–our performance management system with publicly available data. We were able to do all of this by implementing outcomes-based budgeting to optimize funding to improve service delivery to residents and businesses.
This forward-looking work and our financial management have earned us triple A bond ratings from both Moody’s Investor Service and Standard and Poor’s. We successfully designed and executed a plan to eliminate the city’s unfunded pension liability by 2029 and fully fund the OPEB (Other Post-Employment Benefits) liability by 2042. We have built up a rainy day fund from a level of zero to $19 million for use in emergencies. Since then, my administration has not only reversed this, but we have gone beyond to achieve financial security. “In 2010, when I took office, the city’s financial outlook was bleak, with a large projected deficit. “As the Mayor of Newton, I am proud of the work we have done over the past seven years to ensure that we have a strong financial foundation that allows us to be innovative and invest in our people and infrastructure. Here in Newton, Massachusetts, a city of 88,000 in the Boston suburbs, we have used forward-looking financial planning and disciplined, outcomes-oriented, zero-based budgeting to make investments that improve the quality of life in our city, ensuring that we are meeting the needs of residents, businesses, and visitors today and in the future. “The reductions in budgets that cities and states across the country are seeing are a harsh but useful reminder that leaders need to be creative and data-driven in decision making and policy. The following feature was submitted by Mayor Warren and details some of the city’s current programs and initiatives: Warren, first elected in 2009, is the current mayor of Newton and the first popularly elected African-American mayor in Massachusetts. Known as The Garden City, Newton, with a population of approximately 88,000, has been consistently ranked as one of the best cities to live in the country. It was originally settled in 1630, became a town in 1688, and a city in 1873. Newton is a suburban city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, approximately seven miles west of downtown Boston.
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