Newton mayor rules out override

NEWTON

Newton Mayor David B. Cohen said last night he can offer the schools an $11.2 million funding increase without putting an override request before voters this year.

Cohen presented a $266 million spending plan at his annual budget address to the city's aldermen last night.

While he ruled out an override for the coming fiscal year, he cautioned that fundamental funding trends could force a vote on one for the city's 2009 budget. The city, he said, faces an ongoing structural budget gap because fixed costs such as health care and energy are rising at a rate of 5 percent per year, while revenues have been rising an average of 3.8 percent per year.

Over the next year, Cohen said he would begin working to merge the city's pension plan with the state retirement system and added that he hoped lawmakers would soon allow cities and towns to participate in the state health care system.

-- Ralph Ranalli

Read more on the Newton mayor's annual budget address at the Globe West Updates blog.