NASHUA – The Board of Aldermen, during its June 23 meeting, voted 9-4 to pass the city’s $502.3 million budget for fiscal year 2027.

During the meeting, Chief Financial Officer Dawn Enright said the Enterprise Fund was increased from $60.7 million to $61.2 million and that the General Fund had been reduced from $384.2 million to $383.9 million.

However, Ward 3 Alderwoman Patricia Klee said the city’s unaffiliated employees have been “ignored for way too long.” Therefore, she made a motion to add $404,617 to award raises for those employees — raises that were promised last year.

Alderwoman-at-Large Amber Morgan said unaffiliated employees should not be penalized for not being part of a union.

“It is prudent on us to also realize that they’re not just employees,” she said. “Many of these people also live here. So, they’re getting hit double. They’re not getting the raise and they’re being asked to pay more in taxes.”

Morgan said she spoke with an employee who had not received a pay increase in eight years, adding that he was living with his mother and his brother, both of whom have passed away.

“He was ready to either leave the job he loves so much to go work for another city to make a lot more money because he couldn’t afford his house,” she said. “With this raise, he’ll be able to stay in his house, continue adding to our tax base and keep his job in the city that he loves.”

Ward 2 Alderman Richard Dowd also said he would back Klee’s motion.

“I hate to increase the budget, I really do, but if this comes around, I’m going to support it,”

However, Ward 8 Alderman Derek Thibeault said he could not support adding more than $400,000 unless a cut for the same amount was made elsewhere in the budget.

Ward 5 Alderwoman Paula Johnson said the budget has been rife with corrections.

“This budget has been screwed up since day one,” she said. “Let’s start all over again from square one and give us a budget that’s not all messed up.”

Johnson also said she spoke with Corporation Counsel Stephen Bolton, who told her the budget does not need to be passed until Aug. 1.

The board voted 9-4 to pass Klee’s motion, which increased the General Fund to $384 million.

Johnson then made a motion to reduce the administrative services budget by $1 million to offset Klee’s addition of $404,617.

Timothy Cummings, director of administrative services, said one of the biggest drivers of his budget is insurance, which cannot be cut.

“In particular, the Workers Compensation insurance, which we have a statutory obligation to provide,” he said.

Mayor James Donchess said the cut could not be a blanket action and needed to come from specific line items.

“It’s so easy to say, ‘oh, cut a million dollars.’ Well, you’ve got to say what you want to cut,” he said. “I mean, you have to have some concept of what it is that’s in there.”

Johnson’s motion failed by a vote of 2-11.