Mayor Katjana Ballantyne's leadership on environmental issues has made Somerville a recognized leader in climate change mitigation, urban ecosystem restoration, and carbon footprint reduction. She’s implemented many ground-breaking initiatives to address these critical issues. Examples are Mayor Katjana’s first-ever Pollinator Action Plan to protect native pollinators, building on Somerville’s Native Species Ordinance, which she introduced as a City Councilor. These are a first of a kind plans for a dense, urban city like ours, and have already become models for similar cities across the country.

"Veterans have shouldered one of the heaviest burdens demanded of any member of society. As mayor, I am resolved to repay veterans by helping guide them, not only to veterans benefits, but to every city service to which they are entitled." - Mayor Katjana Ballantyne

Mayor Ballantyne has decidedly resisted regional trends of cuts and layoffs. Instead, over the three years of her administration, she’s increased the school budget by 27 percent. In the fiscal year 2025 budget, she added over 35 net full-time equivalent positions to Somerville Public Schools. For our mayor, investing in youth doesn’t stop at the classroom. Her administration has invested heavily in expanded after-school programs and new youth opportunities, and she started a school year expansion of the Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program.

Mayor Katjana's leadership on infrastructure investments is transforming Somerville into a modern, sustainable, and equitable city. By prioritizing key areas such as public safety, transportation, water and sewer infrastructure, schools, and open space, she is laying the foundation for a thriving community for generations to come. And thanks to her strong fiscal management, she has earned Somerville’s first S&P Global, triple A bond rating so Somerville can afford to keep fixing what’s broken.

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne's bold leadership on climate has earned Somerville certification as Climate Leader Community. The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) climate leadership certification recognizes Mayor Katjana's accomplishments, such as her Climate Action Plan, Native Planting Ordinance and Pollinator Action Plan, and her real progress in restoring Somerville's urban eco system. To see more of Mayor Ballantyne's accomplishments on combating climate change, visit: https://katjana.org/en/combating-climate-change

Mayor Katjana is committed to making Somerville a caring, healthy, age-friendly city where our seniors may age well in place while maintaining their health, independence, and dignity.
Has made great progress and understands that there is much more for us to do.
She's suing the Trump administration to preserve funding for Seniors’ benefits
Mayor Ballantyne’s Commitments To Improve Quality Of Life For Seniors

To help Residents to have access to good, local jobs, Mayor Katjana has,
Created pay equity standards for all employees union and non-union employees
Launched a Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot to aid our lowest-income residents – the first of its kind in Somerville.
Committed more than $5 million in pandemic relief to local businesses
Committed $500,000 in grant support for the nonprofit Arts at the Armory
Created development carve outs of up to 550,000 square feet of new arts space to propel our vibrant arts community. We will work with our arts community to seize these opportunities
Created and expanded workforce training, through our schools’ adult learning center, SCALE, and our City Division of SomerPromise
Expand job training for all ages, including launching “Let’s Get Workin’: a partnership between DPW and the High School’s Center for Career and Technical Education to offer paid, hands-on job training in professions like HVAC, plumbing, and carpentry
Launched new efforts to market businesses and skill-building support training.
We hired our first ever Digital Bridge Coordinator to build internet and device access as well as digital literacy for our most vulnerable neighborhoods. Digital literacy helps residents to find good jobs

Join the Team! Knock doors, talk to neighbors, and share what the Mayor has accomplished in her first two terms. Let’s work together for proven leadership and progress on affordability, local jobs, education and youth, safer streets and pay equity.

As the sands shift beneath us at the national level, my administration is making Somerville, our solid ground. I’m focused on maintaining the momentum and progress we’ve made in my first two terms in COVID recovery, affordability, pay equity, fiscal management, and much more.

To restore our urban ecosystem, Mayor Katjana, raised our climate goals from targeting just Net Zero—to be Carbon Negative by 2050, she directed our Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) to implement networked geothermal in Somerville, to decarbonize heating and cooling of our buildings, and much more...

To support the Arts and Artists, Mayor Katjana Ballantyne created development carve outs of up to 550,000 square feet of new arts space to propel our vibrant arts community. She will work with our arts community to seize these opportunities
Granted $500,000 in support for Arts at the Armory, and much more...

To support youth and teachers, Mayor Katjana made historic budget increases in our schools, expanded out of school time programming, and opened our first three teen spaces
Launched a new program to coach Somerville students as they make the transition out of high school and into their next step be that college, training, or a career, and much more...

To make Somerville more equitable and safe, Mayor Katjana’s administration created pay equity standards for all employees union and non-union. They launched a Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot to aid our lowest-income residents – the first of its kind in Somerville, and much, much more...

To make Somerville’s government more efficient and effective, Mayor Katjana’s administration established fiscal controls and reforms that achieved Somerville’s first triple A bond rating from Standard and Poor, which lowers our cost of borrowing. And we’ve maintained that high rating for three years running, and much more...

Mayor Katjana Ballantyne focused on an equitable COVID-19 recovery in Somerville, implementing initiatives like a guaranteed basic income pilot and a First 100-Day Agenda. Her administration prioritized equity, community engagement, and economic recovery, and much more...

To support our Veterans, Mayor Katjana Ballantyne increased staff in our Veterans Office, which brought back the Memorial Day Parade. Katjana relaunched the Veterans Commission on Monuments, and she strengthened programming that serves veterans. Mayor Katjana Ballantyne is suing the Trump administration to preserve funding for Veterans’ benefits!

To support our seniors, Mayor Katjana’s administration Increased the Council on Aging's capacity, programming, and supports for both seniors and caregivers. Mayor Katjana is suing the Trump administration to preserve funding for Seniors’ benefits, and much more...