"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 four years of her administration, she’s increased the school budget by 34 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 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
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 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 end food insecurity in Somerville, Katjana’s administration
Provided nearly 600 monthly food boxes to 8 public housing sites and multi-use grocery cards to more than 1,000 students, and much more...
To make Somerville more inclusive, Mayor Katjana’s administration
Invested in all our residents, from youth to seniors and veterans, from renters to homeowners, from small business owners, to local artists
Celebrate our diversity by supporting immigrant & LGBTQ+ rights, and much more...