You want transparency? You got it!!

Want transparency? You’ve got it.

A common concern I hear—on message boards and from neighbors—is that the city budget isn’t transparent enough. Well, here’s a big step forward: the Melrose Messenger just published an Interactive Budget Tool that breaks down the FY2026 budget line by line. You can even test “what-if” scenarios—adjusting staffing or resources—to see the impact on costs.

A few notes before you dive in:

• Salaries aren’t freely adjustable. The city can decide how many positions to fund, but individual salaries are largely governed by contracts and state rules—this isn’t a “pay less for the same role” exercise.

• Cuts can create hidden costs. For example, reducing law enforcement officers may drive up overtime, which can increase total spending in the long run.

• Future costs will rise. FY2026 is a snapshot; expect roughly ~3% salary growth into FY2027 and higher increases for other costs—many not under local control.

From my perspective, this tool is most valuable not as a blunt cost-cutting device, but as a way to understand the real resources it takes to run a city. It’s tempting to say, “Why does that department need an assistant? The director can do it.” In reality, many duties fall outside formal job descriptions, and those roles are often what keep services running smoothly. Without knowing the full scope of someone’s responsibilities, it’s risky to call a position “expendable.”

Bottom line: let’s use this tool to have better, fact-based conversations—grounded in shared numbers and genuine understanding of the work behind them.