Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1540905
wbjournal.com | November 3, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 31 City of Worcester Worcester city government expenditures Expenditure Fiscal 2025 budget Change from fiscal 2024 Worcester Public Schools $485,710,712 5.2% Police $60,477,684 9.0% Fire $44,091,481 -1.9% Charter schools $47,250,108 7.3% Debt service $47,214,226 11.5% Pensions $38,764,693 2.8% Health insurance $32,855,439 3.3% Public works and parks $23,749,616 0.7% Financial integrity plan funds $19,931,828 -34.8% Pension bond debt service $10,140,583 -2.2% Innovation & technology $10,000,568 -1.4% Worcester Public Library $6,799,588 2.6% Snow removal $5,500,000 -8.3% Health and human services $5,111,290 -4.6% Inspectional services $4,981,033 0.9% Intergovernmental charges $5,225,191 11.1% Contingency $6,677,731 59.5% Law, insurance, court $4,052,120 -3.8% Transportation & mobility $3,570,585 2.0% Emergency communications $3,389,291 -10.1% Finance $3,708,900 13.8% Public facilities $3,476,069 -1.0% Economic development $3,292,428 24.6% Human resources $2,580,730 17.4% Streetlights $1,495,490 0.0% City Manager's Office $1,796,207 33.7% Worker's compensation $1,336,673 0.1% Injured on duty $1,333,767 0.2% Assessing $1,194,136 2.1% Elections $1,042,037 -15.7% City clerk $1,051,265 -0.6% OPEB Trust Deposit $1,071,795 -83.9% Diversity, equity and inclusion $850,479 14.2% Auditing $834,363 13.3% Union Station $678,305 -15.6% Sustainability & resilience $587,945 11.5% City Council $642,009 27.9% Workforce $200,000 0.0% Mayor $186,734 5.4% Unemployment $119,840 0.0% Total education $532,960,820 5.3% Total city services $195,022,594 4.4% Total fixed costs $165,019,525 -5.4% Expenditure Fiscal 2025 budget Change from fiscal 2024 Source: City of Worcester, courtesy of Worcester Regional Research Bureau Worcester building permits for new construction Year Commercial Educational Residential 2015 14 1 76 2016 13 3 101 2017 12 1 122 2018 14 N/A 144 2019 12 3 110 2020 17 N/A 92 2021 16 N/A 60 2022 13 N/A 50 2023 18 N/A 142 2024 33 N/A 113 2025 15* N/A 72* *Data as of October 17, 2025 Source: City of Worcester, Department of Inspectional Services City of Worcester revenue sources Revenue source Fiscal 2025 budget % of funding Property tax $396,000,000 44.4% State aid (education) $387,000,000 43.4% Local tax receipts $57,000,000 6.3% State aid (general) $53,000,000 5.9% Other available funds $180,000 0.0% Total $893,180,000 Source: City of Worcester, courtesy of Worcester Regional Research Bureau Worcester Public Schools Police Fire Charter schools Debt service Pensions Health insurance Public works and parks Financial integrity plan funds Pension bond debt service Innovation & technology Worcester Public Library Snow removal Health and human services Inspectional services Intergovernmental charges Contingency Law, insurance, court Transportation & mobility Emergency communications Finance Public facilities Economic development Human resources Streetlights City Manager's Office Worker's compensation Injured on duty Assessing Elections City clerk OPEB Trust Deposit Diversity, equity and inclusion Auditing Union Station Sustainability & resilience City Council Workforce Mayor Unemployment