(haipo) – The Haifa City Council approved on Tuesday (11/3/26) the decisions of the Finance Committee, which approved a series of updates to the municipal budget for 2026, including an increase in the municipality's regular budget by 10 million shekels. The budget additions are intended to finance cultural events, community projects, increased manpower in municipal departments, services for senior citizens, and activities in the fields of education and welfare. Along with this, changes to the development budget were also approved, including investments in infrastructure, educational institutions, and the public space.
The decisions were made during the 30th meeting of the Finance Committee, chaired by Deputy and Acting Mayor Sophie Nakash. The committee approved a series of budgetary adjustments, designed to address various needs and activities throughout the city.
Where will the budget additions be directed?
The details presented to the committee indicate that one million shekels will be allocated for municipal cultural events. Of this amount, 500 shekels are designated for security and cleaning expenses as part of the "Holiday of Holidays" events, and an additional 500 shekels for event activities in the Carmel Center.
In the community and youth sector, 50 shekels were approved for a preparation project for the IDF, which also includes activities to prevent drug and alcohol use among trainees, as well as 55.7 shekels for the torch relay.
For the benefit of senior citizens, 137 shekels were approved for cultural activities for retirees and 300 shekels for the National Youth Service, for an accessibility survey, activities and projects intended for the elderly population.
The cleaning department will also be strengthened, with an additional 70 shekels for additional positions, including a deputy department manager and a manager of a department responsible for removing garbage, trash containers, and scrap.
In addition, budgetary additions were approved for positions in the areas of policy planning and innovation, safety and hygiene, monitoring and control of municipal projects, and for managing a youth club in the Neot Peres neighborhood.
Budgetary transfers and cuts in welfare items
As part of the adjustments, budgetary transfers between various sections totaling approximately 1.91 million shekels were also approved, along with reductions in other sections of a similar amount. Among other things, approximately 1.86 million shekels were reduced from the Welfare Administration budget, as part of the approved budgetary adjustments.
An additional 10 million shekels for the "Port of Lights" project
Another significant item approved as part of the update is the increase in revenues and expenses by 10 million shekels, through a budget derived from dividends, for the "Port of Lights" project. This is an identical increase on both the revenue and expenditure sides of the municipal budget.
Following the approved updates, the Haifa Municipality's regular budget will stand at 3,476,952,800 shekels, compared to 3,466,952,800 shekels before the update.
This means an addition of 10 million shekels to the regular budget, alongside designated allocations for municipal projects, cultural events, community services, and strengthening the municipality's human resources.
The cleanliness has been improving recently, but a little more posh and the city will look different.
The cleanliness in this city is very lacking. At least in the area where I live in the center of Carmel. Hopefully the additional budget will return us to the clean city we were accustomed to in the days of Abba Khushi.