Vice Mayor E. Denise Simmons argued that Healy’s budget already struck an ideal balance, alleviating the tax burden for residents without depleting unencumbered funds meant for more dire circumstances. “It still moves us forward but keeps us fiscally constrained in a way that says, ‘We don’t overspend.’”

She praised Healy, who will retire in June after a career of more than thirty years leading the city,  for his final budget. “He holds on to a penny so tight he makes Lincoln cry,” she joked.

The budget passed unanimously, 8-0; Councillor Leland Chung was absent traveling through Europe on an Eisenhower Fellowship.

Also in attendance at Monday’s meeting were employees of the Eastern Bus Company, who asked the Council to pass an order supporting their demand that two bus drivers whom they said had been fired for their involvement in organizing their union be rehired. The Council passed the order unanimously, and also noted that Service Employees International Union Local 615, whose members appeared before the Council last week, had successfully negotiated a tentative contract.

In addition to the budget, Councillor Timothy J. Toomey, Jr., added in a late policy order urging the Council to devote more money and attention to the city’s rat problem. Toomey said he had heard numerous reports from his constituents in the past week of rambunctious rodents.

“People are deathly afraid. They’re not even using their backyards,” Toomey said. “They’re coming out in the daytime. When rats are coming out in the daytime and looking at you, you know there’s a serious public health problem.”

The order passed unanimously.

—Staff writer Amanda E. McGowan can be reached at amanda.mcgowan@college.harvard.edu.