Newton Finance Committee Unanimously Backs $1.65 Million Fleet Buy, Cinema Grant

NEWTON — November 10, 2025 — Newton's Finance Committee unanimously approved $1.65 million from free cash for municipal vehicle purchases and nearly $2 million in historic preservation funds for the West Newton Cinema in a busy November 10 session. The $1,650,000 free-cash draw — the first from the city's $22 million certified balance for fiscal year 2026 — covers the bulk of the Department of Public Works vehicle replacement program, with the remaining $850,000 already in the operating budget; a DPW commissioner said early ordering saves the city $50,000 to $75,000 annually. The committee also forwarded a $1,997,000 Community Preservation Act grant to the West Newton Cinema Foundation for stabilization of the 1937 art deco building, representing a 50 percent match on a roughly $3.994 million project; foundation representative Elizabeth said the organization has raised $1.65 million of its $2 million match. The panel passed a flat $25-per-permit fee for the city's residential parking program, closing a loophole that Captain Divine of the Newton Police said allowed 60 to 70 percent of permit seekers to bypass fees entirely; the change takes effect pending a January 31, 2026 appeals deadline. All eight actions passed 7-0.