The Beit Shemesh city council approved the budget for 2024. The budget focuses on the continued growth and development trends in the city, together with providing the security framework required during this time, and continued investment in education, cleaning and sanitation, and strengthening municipal services.

The budget, which stands at NIS 1,007,832,780, crosses the NIS 1 billion threshold for the first time, and includes a substantial investment in education, totaling NIS 383 million, which will be directed towards the planning and building of new schools and kindergartens, and innovative and advanced education programs, with special emphasis on kindergartens and early childhood.

A budget of NIS 160 million has been allocated to enhance the city's appearance, an increase of over NIS 23 million from the previous year. This funding will support various initiatives including waste removal, street cleaning, decorative upkeep, landscaping, road signage and pest control. Furthermore, the allocation for culture, events, and sports stands at NIS 35 million, which is an increase of NIS 6 million compared to last year, with the aim of bolstering cultural activities in the city for all sectors of the population.

The defense budget will include the security and emergency components in the shadow of the Iron Swords war, and will focus on increasing the sense of personal security among the city's residents, city preparedness for extreme scenarios, strengthening community policing to increase the sense of security, maintaining shelters, purchasing protective equipment, and more.

The welfare budget increased this year to NIS 178 million, representing an increase of NIS 39 million over two years, and will continue the transformation of the Welfare Department into an Administration.The allocation of resources and budget will be dedicated to the welfare of the city's residents, with an emphasis on disadvantaged populations and those with special needs.

This is good news for all residents, from all sectors, since the budget is expected to pass by a large majority despite the ongoing war, which is causing great uncertainty regarding the government funds that local authorities rely on. It should be noted that in many cities in Israel there is a trend to make cuts, due to the absence of state funds, that are not being transferred to the authorities.

Mayor Shmuel Greenberg said: "I thank the council members for their vote of confidence and for approving the 2024 budget. The budget was put together responsibly and fairly, with an emphasis on a balanced budgetary policy that maintains Beit Shemesh's strength. We emphasized efficiency and savings, alongside maintaining the quality of life and improving the services we provide to residents, while emphasizing security in light of the complex period in which we find ourselves."

The mayor added, "Beit Shemesh is the fastest growing city in terms of population growth. This huge growth has made Beit Shemesh one of the largest cities in the country (ranked 12th). This trend is expected to continue and even intensify in the coming years. Alongside the growth of the new neighborhoods and the significant increase in the number of residents, we aim to add more sources of independent income for the city. We currently have a deficit of tens of millions of shekels, and this requires responsibility and cautious management from us in order to bring the city to budget balance."

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