Preparation of the budget proposal
There are many steps associated with preparing the budget proposal for the next year. The City Board decides on the budget proposal framework in June. After that, the preparation of the budget proposal continues in the city’s administrative divisions. Political negotiations on the budget proposal take place in October, after which a draft budget is announced. In November, the draft budget proceeds to the City Board, and from there on to the City Council for approval.
After the recent nationwide reform of social and health services, the City of Helsinki’s budget proposal preparations have been altered so that the current city operations are now divided in the budget proposal into two entities: the Municipality of Helsinki and the state-funded Social Services, Healthcare and Rescue Division. Funding of the latter division is composed from general funding received from the Finnish State, as well as income from customer fees and other operating income. The Municipality of Helsinki then represents the rest of the City of Helsinki operations – the Education Division, the Urban Environment Division, the Culture and Leisure Division and the City Executive Office – and does not include Social Services, Healthcare and Rescue Division expenditures.
Political groups represented in the Helsinki City Board held negotiations on the 2024 budget in late October. A coordinated calculation of the boards’ budget proposals, investment proposals and tax financing estimates was prepared to facilitate the negotiations.
Budget 2025
Mayor Juhana Vartiainen published the proposal for Helsinki’s 2025 budget at the end of October. The City Council approved the budget 27 November.
Helsinki will continue with its policy of responsible financial management, investing particularly in children and young people, key services and the prevention of segregation. The city will also continue with its ambitious personnel wage development programme. Next year, resources will also be channelled to areas such as arts and culture grants, winter maintenance of streets and measures to make the city centre more pleasant.
Divisions and budget 2025
Preparation of the budget proposal 2025
Negotiations between the groups in the City Board on Helsinki’s budget for 2025 are about to begin. Budget negotiations will take place in October, after which the Mayor’s budget proposal will be published. Read more here.
