HAVERHILL — The Haverhill City Council on March 10 voted to send a letter to the city’s legislative delegation and the chairs of the House and Senate Ways and Means Committees—State Representative Aaron Michlewitz (D-Boston) and Senator Michael J. Rodrigues (D-Westport)—requesting additional aid as the city braces for a projected fiscal 2027 budget gap of $5 million to $6 million and the school district faces a structural shortfall that councilors said exceeds $6 million dollars.
Councilor-At-Large Thomas Sullivan, who introduced the item, then read the proposed letter into the record.
“At the March 10, 2026, Haverhill City Council meeting, councilors discussed their collective concerns with anticipated FY2027 state funding,” Sullivan read. “And as such, we are writing to you to urge your strong support for critical municipal priorities as the state legislature continues the FY2027 state budget process.”
Sullivan continued, reading that lawmakers should “prioritize investments that stabilize municipalities and their budgets” in the FY2027 budget.
“While we greatly appreciate the administration’s work with cities and towns, the House 2 budget proposal falls short in several areas in order to maintain essential municipal services in fiscal ’27,” Sullivan read. “In the coming weeks, we urge you to prioritize a meaningful increase to unrestricted general government aid. Unrestricted general government aid is a foundational revenue source that supports police, fire, public works, public health, libraries, and other core services. The increase included in the House 2 proposal does not keep up with rising costs in labor, energy, health insurance, infrastructure, and much more. Our targeted boost to unrestricted general government aid in FY27 would provide critical flexibility while helping us mitigate impacts on staff and essential services for residents.”
The letter warned that, “Without a significant increase in unrestricted general government aid funds, Haverhill will be unable to provide level services for 2027. This will also result in the possibility of staffing cuts as the potential budget gap cannot be resolved by making cuts to expense budgets alone.”
The letter also asked the state to fully fund the Student Opportunity Act and maintain minimum aid at $150 per pupil. Sullivan read that “a true level service budget for the district requires approximately 5% annual growth,” but that the projected Chapter 70 increase is only 2.34%. “As a result, the district is facing a structural gap exceeding $6 million, which will require reductions that directly impact programs, staffing, and student services,” he read.
Sullivan said the letter was based on guidance from the Mass Municipal Association and tailored to Haverhill’s needs. “We do know that we already are facing I believe it’s a $5 to $6 million budget gap. Is it $5 million budget gap that we already need to figure out how to fill?” Sullivan said. “So, if we’re going to try to get help from the state, it’s always good to ask early and to let them know exactly what areas we need to see better funded.”
Council Vice President John Michitson said he generally supported the letter and asked whether the mayor agreed with the priorities it laid out. Mayor Melinda Barrett, who was at the meeting, then approached the dais and said, “I think it is spot on.” Mayor Barrett added that the letter “hit all the notes that we need to hit as far as the hurdles that we face coming up with this potential budget.”
Michitson then suggested adding language asking the delegation for strategic advice on how best to secure aid. “They know what will work and what won’t,” he said. “We’re asking for what we need, right? Let’s try to bring them together and see what happens.”
A central point of debate involved a paragraph in the letter opposing a House 2 proposal that would eliminate the Registry of Motor Vehicles marking process for non-renewal of driver’s licenses used to pressure delinquent taxpayers to pay excise taxes, parking tickets, and abandoned vehicle fees, an issue raised by Councilor Devan Ferreira.
Sullivan’s letter asks state lawmakers to oppose “outside sections that would eliminate the Registry of Motor Vehicle’s marking process.”
“We are particularly concerned about proposed outside sections in House 2 that would change the long-standing practice of using Registry of Motor Vehicles markings to encourage payment of delinquent motor vehicle excise taxes, parking tickets, and abandoned vehicle fees,” the letter states. “This proposal would place a significant restraint on the city’s ability to collect its largest single source of local receipt revenue.”
The letter further states, “The ability to mark with the Registry of Motor Vehicles gives the city leverage to collect on outstanding motor vehicle excise taxes after following an already lengthy process of sending demands and warrants to delinquent taxpayers. If the city loses this leverage, it will need to procure a collection agency to pursue delinquent tax bills, resulting in increased costs and decreased revenue.”
Councilor Ferreira objected to that section and argued that the policy could harm poor and working residents. “The flip side of the RMV marking process is the impact on our low wage workers when marking happens to their driver’s licenses,” Ferreira said. Later adding, “I understand the trickiness of collecting, but I also understand that if people can’t get to work, that has a real impact on our economy here and on our community across the board.”
Ferreira made a motion to strike the paragraph. Explaining her rationale, she said, “For people who are moving often due to expenses of living or couch surfing or whatever they’re doing, these things can pile up very quickly. And for people who are living on or at the poverty level, it’s very hard to then lose your license for potentially the work you’re doing to stay surviving.”
Other councilors pushed back. Councilor Michael McGonagle said, “It’s tough, but we all have to pay our fair share,” and added that he would not support Ferreira’s motion. Councilor Daniel Diodati said he understood Ferreira’s sentiment, but added, “I can’t support it,” saying he believed there is already “plenty of grace” before someone loses the ability to renew a license.
The motion to strike the RMV-marking paragraph failed by a 9-1 vote, with Ferreira casting the lone yes vote and one councilor absent.
The council then turned to Michitson’s proposed addition. As drafted during the meeting, the added sentence sought “guidance on best practices to obtain funding,” with councilors refining the wording to request the delegation’s help identifying “the best strategy to achieve these goals.” The amendment passed 10-0 with one absent.
The amended letter was then approved, 9-1, with Ferreira voting no and one councilor absent.