Citizens for a Fiscally Responsible Belmont 7/27/26 Citizens for a Fiscally Responsible Belmont 7/27/26

Restore Yard Waste Pickup

Since our founding in 2021, Citizens for a Fiscally Responsible Belmont (CFRB) has advocated for better budgeting and smarter spending. Yet, we oppose the decision to cut yard-waste pickup for reported savings of approximately $100,000. Our concern is not only the loss of service, but also the way the change was made; without adequate transparency, accountability, or fairness – core tenets of the CFRB mission.

Robie White 7/20/26 Robie White 7/20/26

Capping the Incinerator

Having previously received a mandate from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to cap a portion of the 25-acre Belmont incinerator ash landfill site on Concord Avenue, the town Select Board began studying potential next uses for the site in 2012 (14 years ago).

The Select Board received briefings on potential uses of the land post-capping of the site in 2012, 2014, and 2018. Permitted non-commercial uses included passive recreational/open space, baseball and softball fields, public works operations, police station relocation, and a solar photovoltaic panel.

Judith Feinleib, TMM Precinct 6 - Guest Author 7/6/26 Judith Feinleib, TMM Precinct 6 - Guest Author 7/6/26

If I May: Balancing the Seesaw

For some time now, Belmont has been engaged in an unofficial debate about how its government should function and how much power the various branches should have. While there are many aspects that could ― and possibly should ― be discussed, what appears to be an increasingly powerful executive accompanied by a frequently acquiescent legislature is a cause for concern.

Citizens for a Fiscally Responsible Belmont 6/26/26 Citizens for a Fiscally Responsible Belmont 6/26/26

Town Meeting Ambush

Town Meeting members were ambushed in June by last minute articles requesting approval for significant “one-time” funds. While there were other questionable appropriations; for example, $65,000 to acquire a private sewer line from a party which owes the town permitting fees and repair reimbursement, this email focuses on the two largest appropriations. These were:

$1.3 million for temporary and permanent easements for the Community Path. This may include takings of private property by eminent domain.
$500,000 in bonus payments to Education Department staff.

Robie White 4/12/26 Robie White 4/12/26

Belmont’s Financial Reality Requires Discipline

Belmont homeowners don’t need another slogan or reassurance. They need straight talk—because the numbers are flashing red.

According to the Massachusetts Department of Revenue’s FY2026 data, Belmont now ranks eighth highest in the state for average property taxes at $19,579 per household.