E FLOOR. SURE. >> UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, NOW I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS DOCKET NUMBER 073 FOR THE BUDGET. UM, MADAM PRESIDENT, UH, TODAY
I'M RECOMMENDING APPROVAL OF THE BUDGET DOCKET NUMBER 0734 IN THE AMOUNT OF $1.73 BILLION, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF 2.7%.
SO ABOUT $8,388 MILLION AS UH I THINK UH I THINK WE'RE ALL AWARE THE COMMITTEE HELD SEVERAL HEARINGS AND WORKING SESSIONS ON DPS INCLUDING PRE-BUDGET HEARINGS AND THREE
UH, THREE ACTUAL BUDGET HEARINGS ON THE BUDGET UH THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE ON MARCH 25TH. LIKE THE FY 27 OPERATING BUDGET ,THE SCHOOL OPERATING BUDGET
UH, REQUIRES UH, US TO MAKE SOME VERY TOUGH DECISIONS. UM, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, UNLIKE UH THE OPERATING BUDGET, THE CUTS
UH, WILL ACTUALLY IMPACT PERSONNEL UH UH, FOR SOME OF OUR LOWEST PAID DPS EMPLOYEES SUCH AS PARAPROFESSIONALS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS AND OTHER IN
SCHOOL SUPPORT STAFF UH, MUCH OF THIS BEING THE RESULT EVEN THOUGH THE BUDGET IS GOING UP BY $88 MILLION BECAUSE OF THE SHARP RISING COSTS IN HEALTH CARE PLUS UH, DECLINING
ENROLLMENT AND THE RISING COSTS OF OTHER SERVICES. UH, WELL, I DON'T WANT TO SEE THE LOSS OF JOBS. AND AS THE, UH, PARENT OF TWO STUDENTS AND THE SON OF A NEW
YORK CITY SPECIAL ED TEACHER, I DO NOT WANT TO SEE ANY TEACHERS OR PERSONS THAT ARE JOBS. WE HAVE HEARD THAT THIS IS THE RESULT OF THE LOSS OF 3000 STUDENTS IN OUR SYSTEM, AND
MOST OF THOSE POSITIONS BEING ELIMINATED ARE DUE TO THE CLOSURE OF SCHOOLS. UM, WE ARE STILL HEAVILY INVESTING IN OUR KIDS WITH $1.73 BILLION.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT $35,000 PER STUDENT. UH, YOU KNOW, AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE. UH UH BUT DUE TO CHANGE IN
CIRCUMSTANCES LOSS OF SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS IN LARGE PART BECAUSE OF THE UH, TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICIES. UM, WE HAVE TO MAKE TOUGH CHOICES.
UH, AND SO THEN ALSO AS WE DISCUSSED IN THE UH, DISCUSSION WE HAD ABOUT REJECTING THE BUDGET THE PROPOSAL BY THE BTU TO REJECT THIS AND HAVE THE
MAYOR PULL FROM RESERVE FUNDS AGAIN, IT'S NOT GOING TO ADD STUDENTS TO OUR SCHOOLS. UH, IT'S NOT GOING TO ADD, YOU KNOW, FUNDING IN THE LONG TERM . RATHER WE HAVE TO CLOSE ADDITIONAL SCHOOLS.
I THINK WE HEARD IT'S 3 TO 4 MORE SCHOOLS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS. UH, SO, UM, YOU KNOW, MY HEART GOES OUT TO OUR HARDWORKING, UH ,DPS STAFF.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I BUT I STILL RECOMMEND PASSAGE OF OF THIS DOCKET UH, GIVEN THAT WILL PROVIDE STABILITY FOR THE DISTRICT WHICH NEEDS AN OPERATING BUDGET BY JULY 1ST IN ORDER TO FULFILL COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AGREEMENTS WE PASSED AND WOULD ALLOW THE DISTRICT TO ENTER INTO OTHER AGREEMENTS, UH ,TO PROVIDE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES INCLUDING BEING ABLE TO UH GO FORWARD WITH UH
SOME SOME SOME SUMMER PROGRAMING WOULD BE JEOPARDIZED IF WE DON'T HAVE A BUDGET BY THE END OF THIS MONTH. UH, I KNOW WE ALL SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF AND OUR STUDENTS AND RECOGNIZE HOW
PAINFUL SOME OF THESE CUTS ARE. UH, I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO ENSURE THAT THE DISTRICT IS ABLE TO DELIVER FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES FOR THE CURRENT AND UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR IN A WAY THAT IS FISCALLY
RESPONSIBLE. UM, THAT'S WHY I'M RECOMMENDING PASSAGE OF THE STOCK. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COMES FROM A HERE COUNSELOR. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND AS A GRADUATE AND A MOM AND A AGITATOR I RISE HERE TODAY. UM, ON BEHALF OF THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE.
AND SO I'M GOING TO READ INTO THE RECORD, UM, THE LETTER FROM THE BTU DATED JUNE 2ND TO THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL ON BEHALF OF THE MORE THAN 10,000 ACTIVE
AND RETIRED EDUCATORS OF THE BOSTON TEACHERS UNION. WE STRONGLY URGE. YOU TO VOTE TO OPPOSE THE PROPOSED BUDGET. THIS REQUEST IS NOT COME
LIGHTLY, BUT WE CANNOT ENDORSE A BUDGET WHICH WILL ELIMINATE MORE THAN 400 STUDENT FACING POSITIONS FROM AN ALREADY UNDER-RESOURCED SCHOOL SYSTEM.
EACH EDUCATOR ELIMINATED FROM OUR SCHOOLS HAS AN IMPACT ON STUDENT ACADEMIC CAREER. EACH POSITION REPRESENTS A CLASS OF STUDENTS. UM CANNOT TAKE ADDITIONAL
SUPPORTS THAT A STRUGGLING LEARNING LEARNER CANNOT ACCESS OR A NEEDED COUNSELING SESSION THAT IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE AND ELIMINATING 700 POSITIONS.
THE PROPOSED BUDGET SETS A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT IN DIFFICULT THIS FISCAL TIMES IT IS OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS WHO WILL CARRY THE WEIGHT
OF OUR STRUGGLES AND WE WILL NEED TO STAND WITH THEM. WE ARE CALLING ON THE CITY TO ENACT A PREVENTED SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET TO ADD ADDITIONAL RESOURCES TO THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THIS CANNOT BE DONE BY LEVERAGING INCREASING STATE AID, MODESTLY TAPPING INTO OUR GROWING RESERVES. UM THIS CAN BE DONE BY LEVERAGING OUR INCREASING STATE
AID, MODESTLY TAPPING INTO OUR GROWING RESERVE FUNDS AND OR TRANSFERRING MONEY FROM HISTORICALLY OVER BUDGET DEPARTMENTS. AS OF NOW, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS THE ONLY CITY
DEPARTMENT TO SEE JOB CUTS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS BUDGET WAS NOT AN EASY ONE BUT THE FURTHER OF BUT THE FUTURE OF BOSTON CHILDREN CANNOT BE UM
WHERE WE GIVE UP THE BTU STRONGLY URGES YOU TO OPPOSE THE PROPOSED BUDGET AT YOUR JUNE 3RD MEETING WHICH IS TODAY . THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION. AND I JUST WANT TO NOTE FOR THE
RECORD IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF WHAT WE CAN'T DO HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND I BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A CAN DO ATTITUDE AND THERE'S A LOT OF FEAR MONGERING GOING ON ABOUT WHAT POTENTIAL
THINGS COULD HAPPEN TO US. BUT IF YOU ALL REMEMBER THEN COUNCILOR UM, WHEN SHE WAS THE UH, CITY COUNCILOR TALKED ABOUT THESE FEAR TACTICS AND I JUST WANT US TO BE MINDFUL THAT WHEN
IT COMES TO THIS BUDGET THE THE THE CONVERSATION HAS SHIFTED SIGNIFICANTLY. SO I JUST WANT TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT I AM AS EDUCATION CHAIR UH, REJECTING UH THIS VOTE THANK YOU.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCILOR FLYNN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT VOTE THAT WE WILL TAKE OVER THE LAST TWO
YEARS. WHETHER OR NOT WE STAND UP FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, WE JUST RECOGNIZE THE
PARAPROFESSIONALS HERE JUST A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO. WE THANK THEM. WE ALL PERSONALLY THANK THEM FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT THEY ARE DOING EVERY DAY HELPING HELPING ALL.
STUDENTS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES MOST OF THEM ARE STUDENT STUDENTS OF COLOR. WE THANK THEM TODAY AND CUT
THEIR JOB TOMORROW. WE HAVE TO DECIDE IF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR TEACHERS PARAPROFESSIONALS ARE
THEY IMPORTANT? ARE THEY A PRIORITY? DO THEY DESERVE A LITTLE BIT OF RESPECT AND DIGNITY OR YES,
THESE ARE DIFFICULT TIMES OR SHOULD WE BALANCE THE BUDGET ON THEIR BACKS? THAT'S THE CHOICE WE HAVE TO MAKE IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES. DO WE STAND WITH THE STUDENTS
AND STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND THEIR TEACHERS AND THE PARAPROFESSIONALS AND SAY WE THINK WE THINK YOU DESERVE A LITTLE BIT OF RESPECT. WE THINK YOU DESERVE THESE
INCREDIBLE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT THESE TEACHERS ARE PROVIDING. I THINK THEY'RE WORTH IT. I THINK THEY SHOULD BE A PRIORITY.
I DON'T THINK THEY I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD OVERLOOK THEM. THEY ARE NOT INSIGNIFICANT. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AND THE PARENTS I THINK THAT
PARENTS ARE REALLY UNSUNG HEROES IN THIS CITY. I SEE THEM TAKING THEIR KIDS EVERY DAY TO AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS, GETTING THEM READY
FOR SCHOOL, TAKING THEM TO SPORTS PROGRAMS ON THE WEEKENDS ,TRYING TO GET THE BEST. SERVICES THEY POSSIBLY CAN FOR THEIR CHILD. I SEE GRANDMOTHERS DOING THAT
SAME SUPPORT. ALSO 70 YEAR OLD GRANDMOTHER OR GRANDFATHER DOING THE BEST THEY CAN PROVIDING THE BEST SERVICES THAT THEY CAN FOR THEM FOR
THEIR GRANDCHILD, GETTING THEM THE SUPPORT THEY NEED NOW THEY COME TO US. HEY ED DO YOU THINK WE COULD ENSURE THAT OUR CHILD THAT HAS
DISABILITIES TOO THAT WE WE CAN GET A LITTLE BIT OF JUSTICE HERE FROM THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL? THAT'S THE DECISION WHEN MAKING AND IF THE ANSWER IS NOTHING THEN FINE THAT'S THE ANSWER.
THE ANSWER IS NO. THERE'S NO JUSTICE HERE. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I CAME HERE FOR. I DIDN'T COME HERE TO SATISFY
THE POWERS TO BE. I CAME TO FIGHT FOR MY CONSTITUENTS, MANY OF MY CONSTITUENTS MORE THAN ANY DISTRICT CITY COUNCIL I HERE LIVE IN PUBLIC HOUSING.
MOST OF THEM GO TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS. DO THEY DESERVE TO BE TREATED FAIRLY? DO THEY DESERVE TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT OR SHOULD THEY BE
OVERLOOKED? THAT'S THE DECISION WE'RE GOING TO MAKE TODAY. BOSTON HAS A TRIPLE A BOND RATING DUE TO THE FINANCIAL
MANAGEMENT OF OF MANY MEASURES OVER THE OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS AND LET ME JUST HIGHLIGHT THEM MALE WHITE MAY HAVE FLED MAYOR MENINO MAYOR WALSH MAYOR JANEY
MAYOR WILL. BUT CAN WE FIND ANY MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES? CAN WE FIND ANY MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR PARAPROFESSIONALS?
CAN WE FIND ANY MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR TEACHERS OR ARE WE JUST GOING TO THROW UP OUR HANDS AND SAY NO, THERE'S NOTHING HERE FOR YOU MAYBE NEXT YEAR? WELL THAT'S NOT THAT'S NOT WHAT
I'M HERE FOR. I'M HERE TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS TO SAY TO OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, TO SAY TO THE TEACHERS, THE
PARAPROFESSIONALS TO THEIR PARENTS OR THEIR GUARDIAN THAT THEY ARE PART OF THIS CITY TO. THEY MAY NOT COME FROM
PRIVILEGED BACKGROUNDS OR HAVE A LOT OF MONEY OR LIVE IN EXCLUSIVE NEIGHBORHOODS. OR GO TO THE CAPE ON THE WEEKENDS.
OR NEW HAMPSHIRE SKIING. BUT I SEE THEM AND WE VALUE THEM. WE SEE THEM AT OUR YOUTH SPORTS PROGRAMS ALL OF THE TIME. WE SEE THEM AT AFTERSCHOOL
PROGRAMS AND THE DECISION WE HAVE TO MAKE TODAY IS ARE THEY PART OF THE CITY OF BOSTON? SHOULD WE OVERLOOK THEM? IS THERE MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR THEM?
THERE'S MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR A LOT OF THINGS, BUT IS THERE MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR STUDENTS. >> WITH DISABILITIES? IS THE MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR PARAPROFESSIONALS? IS THERE MONEY IN THE BUDGET
FOR TEACHERS THAT TEACH THESE SPECIAL SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN HOW TO READ, HOW TO INTERACT
WITH EACH OTHER? I SEE THESE PARAPROFESSIONALS. TAKING AND AND TEACHERS TAKING THESE STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITIES TO THE BATHROOM. HELPING THEM EXERCISE, CLEANING THEM AFTER THEY GO TO THE BATHROOM.
DOES THAT TEACHER. DESERVE A LITTLE BIT OF RESPECT? OR ARE WE JUST A WHITE PRIVILEGED WEALTHY CITY THAT
CAN JUST SIMPLY OVERLOOK PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY POLITICAL ADVOCACY? THEY DON'T HAVE ANY LOBBYIST?
FOR ME THE DECISION IS EASY. IT MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST POLITICAL DECISION BUT IT'S THE RIGHT MORAL DECISION AND THAT'S THE ONLY DECISION I WANT TO
MAKE IS WHAT'S IN BEST WHAT'S BEST FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY ESPECIALLY THOSE PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE A VOICE IN GOVERNMENT. I THINK THAT'S OUR JOB.
WEALTHY PEOPLE HAVE PEOPLE THAT CAN SPEAK FOR THEM. WE SEE THEM EVERY DAY. THEY CONTRIBUTE TO OUR CAMPAIGNS TO BUT THE FAMILIES
OF SPECIAL EDUCATION. THOSE FAMILIES THEY NEED CITY COUNCILORS TO STAND WITH THEM, TO FIGHT FOR THEM.
TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE TREATED WITH RESPECT. THOSE ARE THE VALUES I LEARNED IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN SOUTH BOSTON.
THAT'S WHAT I HOPE I CONTRIBUTE AS A CITY COUNCILOR. THAT'S WHY I FIGHT FIERCELY FOR MY CONSTITUENTS WHETHER THEY'RE IN THE SOUTH END, WHETHER THEY'RE IN CHINATOWN, WHAT
THEY'RE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD OF SOUTH BOSTON. BUT I ESPECIALLY ADVOCATE FOR MY CONSTITUENTS IF THEY LIVE IN PUBLIC HOUSING. MOST MANY OF THE STUDENTS IN
PUBLIC EDUCATION HERE IN BOSTON A PUBLIC HOUSING LIVE IN PUBLIC HOUSING. WHAT ARE THE AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR THEM? MANY A SINGLE PARENTS.
I JUST DON'T THINK THIS PROGRESSIVE BODY. CAN OVERLOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CITY IF WE VOTE TO
ELIMINATE PARAPROFESSIONALS. THEY'RE ONE OF THE LOWEST PAID CITY EMPLOYEES AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO? WE'RE GOING TO CUT THEM BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO CUT HIGH
SALARIES EMPLOYEES. THE WHY WHY SHOULD WE WHY SHOULD WE BALANCE THE BUDGET ON PARAPROFESSIONALS? THEY'RE ONLY TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
THEY DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY. THEY DON'T HAVE MONEY FOR RENT. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY FOR THEIR. KIDS CLOTHING. THEY DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO TAKE THE MBTA SOMETIMES THEY
DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO EAT. WHY ARE WE TRYING TO BALANCE THE BUDGET ON THEIR BACKS? IS THAT FAIR? I COME HERE AND I KNOW I USED
UP MY TIME, BUT I DO THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR ME TO SPEAK OUT BECAUSE WHEN I SEE INJUSTICE I DON'T TURN AROUND AND WALK THE OTHER WAY. THAT MIGHT BE THE POLITICAL
THING TO DO IS TO GO ALONG WITH EVERYBODY. BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR. I CAME HERE FOR THIS JOB FOR ONE REASON ONE REASON ONLY TO
ADVOCATE AS HARD AS I POSSIBLY CAN FOR MY CONSTITUENTS. I DON'T THINK THEY'RE BEING TREATED WITH RESPECT. I THINK THERE'S MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR THEM.
WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS MONEY FOR THEM. THEY'RE NOT INSIGNIFICANT. THEY ARE IMPORTANT. THEY ARE PART OF THE CITY. THEY DESERVE A LITTLE BIT OF RESPECT FROM THE CITY COUNCIL AND I HOPE WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE. >> IT.
TO THEM THIS AFTERNOON. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR FLYNN CHAIR RECOGNIZES AS MY COLLEAGUE HERE COUNCILOR CULPEPER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND THEN YOU'LL BE FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR COLOR AS A PARTNER. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR
THREE. WHEN I RAN FOR THIS DISTRICT SEVEN SEAT. ONE OF THE PROMISES THAT I MADE FOR NOT JUST.
THE BEEPS IN DISTRICT SEVEN AND THE TEACHERS AND THE PARAPROFESSIONALS I MADE IT TO EVERYONE I CAME IN CONTACT WITH THAT I WAS GOING TO FIGHT FOR THEM.
THERE WAS ONE PROMISE THAT I KNEW I COULD KEEP IS THAT I WAS GOING TO FIGHT FOR THEM. AND SO I STAND HERE TODAY THINKING ABOUT THAT SCRIPTURE
THAT SAYS DO JUSTICE. DO JUSTICE. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT BEING EXTRAVAGANT OR ANYTHING THAT UNEARNED.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING JUSTICE TO MAKE SURE THAT PARAPROFESSIONALS AND TEACHERS SUPPORT WORKERS AND AIDES ARE
ABLE TO PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES. TODAY WE STAND WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF TAKING FOOD OFF
THE TABLE FOR THESE CHILDREN. TAKEN AWAY RENT MONEY, GAS FOR THE CARS, SHOES WEAR THOSE
SHOES HAVE HOLES IN THEM. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I'M STANDING HERE FIGHTING WITH A 1.73 BILLION BUDGET.
NO I'M SERIOUS. DID Y'ALL HEAR THAT? DID YOU HEAR ME? WHAT DID I SAY? NO NO NO WHAT DID I SAY? SAYING I CAN'T BELIEVE WORD FOR
. $7 BILLION BUDGET CUTS FOLKS OUT OF WORK. WE HAVE SOME RULES AND I'M LIKE OKAY, FINE BY THEM. YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WE HAVE LOTS OF VERY SUPPORTIVE PEOPLE
IN THE IN THE AUDIENCE BUT UM, YOU KNOW THE FLOOR IS YOURS AND YOURS ALONE RIGHT NOW. I'M SENDING ONE AND I'M USED TO THAT. I KNOW YOU ARE. GO AHEAD.
GO AHEAD. THIS IS SAD DAY ESPECIALLY WHEN WE STARTED THESE HEARINGS. ALL OF US HEARD THEM SAY NO ONE WAS GOING TO LOSE THEIR JOBS.
ALL OF US HEARD THEM SAY THAT. AND WHEN DAVID SAT HERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I ASKED HIM ABOUT THERE. HE SAID YES. HE COULDN'T EVEN TELL US HOW MANY. I ASKED HIM HOW MANY FOLKS ARE
GOING TO LOSE THEIR JOBS. HE COULDN'T EVEN TELL US. BUT I COME BACK TO DO JUSTICE. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT WE'RE EVEN
CONSIDERING TALKING ABOUT APPROVING THIS BUDGET. I DON'T KNOW WHEN THE LAST TIME THE CITY COUNCIL STOOD UP TO SEND A BUDGET BACK TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE, BUT IT'S TIME
FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO STAND UP AND SEND THIS BUDGET BACK TO THE CITY TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND SAY BASED ON YOUR $1.73 BILLION BUDGET YOU NEED
TO FIND SOME MONEY TO KEEP FOLKS WORKING IN SEPTEMBER. IT'S A SAD DAY IF WE SEND THIS BUDGET AND APPROVE IT AND WE
HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO REJECT IT, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH AUTHORITY BUT WHAT LITTLE AUTHORITY WE HAVE WE OUGHT TO USE IT. I MEAN, I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M
STANDING HERE WITH A $1.73 BILLION BUDGET AND WHAT FOLKS ARE CALLING THE MOST PROGRESSIVE CITY IN THE COUNTRY. WELL, IF WE'RE PROGRESSIVE THAT WE OUGHT TO PROGRESS AND SEND
THIS BUDGET BACK. WE CANNOT WE CANNOT AND I KNOW MY CHAIR SAID MY HEART GOES OUT BUT I DON'T WANT YOUR HEART TO GO OUT. I WANT YOU NO VOTE TO GO OUT
BECAUSE THAT WILL TELL WHERE YOUR HEART IS. THEY LED US TO BELIEVE THAT THERE WOULD BE NO TEACHER CUTS
AND I'M STANDING HERE TODAY. ARGUING FOR. THIS 1.73 MIND BOGGLING BUDGET.
TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE THAT GOT UP TO GO TO WORK THIS MORNING WILL BE ABLE TO GET UP IN SEPTEMBER AND GO TO WORK. THAT'S ALL WE'RE ASKING FOR.
WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR RAISES. WE'RE NOT EVEN ASKING FOR OVERTIME AND WE'RE SO USED TO OVERTIME WE'RE JUST SAYING TO GIVE THEM WHAT IS DUE.
AND WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT SCRIPTURE SAID DO JUSTICE AND THEN IT SAYS TO LOVE MERCY. THIS IS TIME FOR US TO HAVE MERCY. IF ANYBODY WANT TO SHOUT HAVE
MERCY, THIS IS THE TIME TO SAY HAVE MERCY ON THESE TEACHERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE LAID OFF. HAVE MERCY CITY COUNCIL ON THESE PRAYER PROFESSIONALS HAVE MERCY. THIS IS THE TIME. THIS IS WHAT MERCY IS ALL
ABOUT. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT MERCY IS, MERCY IS SAYING SEND THIS BUDGET BACK. MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS HIRED AND THEN SEND IT BACK TO US.
THAT'S WHAT MERCY IS. AND SO WHEN I STAND HERE TODAY . NOT ANTICIPATING.
THAT WE WOULD HAVE A BUDGET THAT IS AND YOU KNOW IT'S FUNNY HOW EASY WE SAID LAY OFF WE'RE FIRING FOLKS. WE'RE FIRING FOLKS.
WE GO TO WORK EVERY DAY RIGHT. IN A COUPLE OF YEARS SOME OF US WILL BE UP FOR REELECTION RIGHT? SOME OF US MAY GET FIRED.
BUT FOR TODAY FOR TODAY I SAY TO THIS COUNCIL LET'S HAVE THE COURAGE TO DO JUSTICE BECAUSE THESE ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE
OF ALL OF US AND SOMEBODY HAS GOT TO STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE. IF THIS COUNCIL DOESN'T STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR THE MOST
VULNERABLE, WHO WILL WHO WILL IF WE DON'T STAND UP AND FIGHT FOR FOLKS THAT CANNOT FIGHT FOR THEMSELVES, THEN WHO WILL?
AND THAT'S NOT THE CITY I LIVE IN. THAT'S NOT THE CITY I WANT TO SEE TREAT THE MOST VULNERABLE.
WITHOUT LOOKING AGAIN AT THIS BUDGET ONE I KEEP SAYING THAT I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO CORRECT ME. UH I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S 1.7 SOMETHING.
CORRECT ME, AM I MR CHAIR? HOW MUCH IS THIS BUDGET FOR? TO THE PRESIDENT? IS IT REALLY 1.73 MILLION? THE BUDGET IS INCREASING BY 88
MILLION FOR 1.73 BILLION LAYOFFS WERE ANNOUNCED AND WHEN THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE APPROVED THE BUDGET IN MARCH. IF YOU LOOK AT THE STORIES, ALL THE LAYOFFS I'VE. >> BEEN WATCHING THE STORY. I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
ALL THE TESTIMONY BEFORE THIS BODY IS THAT THERE WILL BE THESE I GOT. NO CROSSTALK PLEASE JUST ONE ONE AT A TIME HERE. DID YOU SAY IT'S INCREASING BY 88 MILLION?
WHAT ARE WE DOING? SERIOUSLY? >> WE ARE EMPLOYERS. WE ARE EMPLOYERS. SO I BEG MY COUNSELORS AS
EMPLOYERS LET'S NOT FIRE ANYBODY TODAY. LET'S SEND THIS BUDGET BACK. WITH THE DIRECTIVE TO HIRE AND
MAKE SURE AND 1.73 BILLION PLUS AND INCREASED BUDGET BY $88 MILLION. TO FIND. ROOM FOR THOSE THAT OTHERWISE.
COME SEPTEMBER. WOULD NOT KNOW HOW THEY'RE GOING TO. >> PAY THEIR RENT OR. MORTGAGE, WOULD NOT KNOW HOW THEY'RE GOING TO BUY NEW CLOTHES FOR THEIR KIDS.
EVERYBODY IN SEPTEMBER BUYS THE KIDS NEW SNEAKERS. NEW JEANS AND NEW SHIRTS. WE ALL DO. I'M DOING. NOW FOR MY GRANDKIDS. BUT WE ALL DO. WE CANNOT. TAKE THE.
>> FOOL OUT OF THESE YOUNG CHILDREN'S MOUTHS. WE CANNOT PUT FAMILIES. >> ON THE STREET. THAT'S NOT US. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE DO.
AND I HOPE THAT WE LOOK AT THE LAST PART OF THAT SCRIPTURE THAT SAYS WALK HUMBLY THAT WE WALK HUMBLY.
AND MAKE SURE THAT THOSE THAT GOT UP TO GO TO WORK THIS MORNING JUST LIKE WE ALL DID THAT WILL BE ABLE TO IN. SEPTEMBER GET UP AND GO TO WORK
TO KEEP A ROOF OVER THEIR HEAD . I WOULD HATE TO THINK THAT THIS CITY COUNCILOR. THIS PROGRESSIVE CITY.
COUNCIL WOULD VOTE WITH A 1.73. >> BILLION BUDGET INCREASE BY 88 MILLION. HAS THE COURAGE. TO SEND ANYONE. HOME. >> TAKE AWAY. >> THE MEANS. >> OF MAKING A LIVING AND THEN
HAVE THE. AUDACITY TO COME BACK TO WORK TOMORROW. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FOR THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONTRA COLOR AS A POWDER. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MADAM PRESIDENT.
>> UM, THIS BUDGET DOES ARRIVE DURING A CHALLENGING MOMENT FOR, UH, PUBLIC EDUCATION ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH. UM, AS WE KNOW AND IT'S BEEN WIDELY REPORTED. UH. >> SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS AND ACROSS. >> THE COUNTRY ARE FACING RISING COSTS, ENROLLMENT SHIFTS
AND INCREASING DEMAND ON STUDENT SERVICES AND IS NO EXCEPTION. WE ARE MANAGING SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN HEALTH INSURANCE. TRANSPORTATION AND. >> SPECIAL EDUCATION AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING COSTS WHILE ALSO PLANNING FOR
APPROXIMATELY 3000 FEWER STUDENTS THAN JUST. >> TWO YEARS AGO. IN MY DISTRICT, WE HAVE SEEN A RISING INCREASE IN DECLINING ENROLLMENT DUE TO GENTRIFICATION. QUITE FRANKLY AND UH. THE FEAR TACTICS TAKING HOLD
WITH AN IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES UM, FOLKS ARE LEAVING BOSTON, THEY'RE LEAVING THE COUNTRY. AND SO ESPECIALLY IN MY DISTRICT AT CHARLESTOWN HIGH SCHOOL AND IN OTHER PLACES WHERE WE SEE MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, WE HAVE SEEN THIS
DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT AND THAT REALITY HAS UM HAS CONSEQUENCES HAS REAL CONSEQUENCES AND WE ARE FACED WITH THESE DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND THEY ARE HARD AND DIFFICULT DECISIONS. BUT DESPITE THESE FISCAL
PRESSURES THE CITY IS CONTINUING TO UM INVEST AND WE SAID AT $1.73 BILLION UH A 74 MILLION INCREASE OVER THE LAST YEAR AND THIS INVESTMENT ALLOWS
FOR THE DISTRICT TO CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD ON PRIORITIES THAT MANY OF US HAVE ADVOCATED FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION, MULTILINGUAL LEARNER SUPPORTS, EQUITABLE LITERACY, HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, EARLY COLLEGE
PATHWAYS. AND I WANT TO SHOUT OUT TOMMY WALSH IN MY DISTRICT WHICH ON AN INCREDIBLE JOB UM, BUILDING THESE EARLY UH COLLEGE PATHWAYS WE HAVE UM A HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UH CENTER
FOR COMMUNITY UH COLLABORATIVE EDUCATION EXCUSE ME CCE AND OSCAR SANTOS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DOCTOR CONTENT PROCESS UM, TO HELP THESE KIDS HAVE BETTER PATHWAYS FROM KINDERGARTEN THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL OR MIDDLE
SCHOOL AND THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL. UM AND THIS INCLUDES EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS WITH DIVERSE LEARNING NEEDS. AS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF DISTRICT ONE, I AM PARTICULARLY ENCOURAGED BY CONTINUING INVESTMENTS IN BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND
MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS. EAST BOSTON IS ONE OF THE MOST LINGUAL UM LINGUISTICALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITIES IN THE CITY AND OUR STUDENTS DRIVE WHEN THEY HAVE ACCESS TO STRONG LANGUAGE SUPPORTS DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAMING AS SEEN AT DUMONT.
UH SHOUT OUT TO THE MINOR YOU ALL DO AN INCREDIBLE JOB AND CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS. I'M ALSO ENCOURAGED BY THE DISTRICT'S CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO INCLUSIVE EDUCATION AND ENSURING THAT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES HAVE ACCESS TO
RESOURCES AND SERVICES THEY NEED TO SUCCEED ALONGSIDE THEIR PEERS. AND I'M IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION WITH MY SCHOOL LEADERS AND SCHOOL PRINCIPALS. THEY HAVE NOT FLAGGED ANY SORT OF, UH, DIVESTMENTS THAT WILL
IMPACT THEIR ABILITY TO PROVIDE INCLUSIVE EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT EVERY CONCERN HAS BEEN RESOLVED THROUGHOUT THE HEARING PROCESS. MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL HEARD CONCERNS FROM FAMILIES ABOUT
ENROLLMENT CHANGES, CLASSROOM IMPACTS, TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE. NEW SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA. THOSE CONCERNS ARE REAL AND I EXPECT THE DISTRICT TO CONTINUE ENGAGING FAMILIES TRANSPARENTLY
AS THESE CHANGES MOVE FORWARD AND AS A COUNCIL WE HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY NOT ONLY TO REVIEW THE BUDGET. BUT ALSO TO CONTINUE EXERCISING OVERSIGHT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
I JUST WANT TO. TO UH GET TO THE REJECTION UM, CALL HERE UH, AS IT WAS STATED BY THE CHAIR, REJECTION DOESN'T CHANGE THE VERY REAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE HAVE LOST THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS.
IT DOESN'T SOLVE FOR THE LONG TERM BUDGET ISSUES, THE STRUCTURAL SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT WE ARE FEELING NOT JUST IN BOSTON BUT STATEWIDE. IT WAS SAID THAT THERE WAS DISCUSSION THAT THIS IS ON THE
BACKS OF TEACHERS AND PARENTS AND OF COURSE WE WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE THIS. UM I THINK IT SHOULD ALSO BE SAID THAT THERE HAS BEEN A HUGE REDUCTION I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT PERCENTAGE. MAYBE THE CHAIR CAN CORRECT ME, BUT THERE'S AT LEAST BEEN A 70%
REDUCTION. >> IN. CENTRAL OFFICE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE ALL BEEN CALLING FOR UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE POSITIONS THAT HAVE GONE UM, UH THAT WERE CREATED THAT WE WERE
ALL CALLING INTO QUESTION UH, WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS POSITIVELY IMPACTING OUR STUDENTS AND POSITIVELY IMPACTING UH CLASSROOM OUTCOMES AT THE END OF THE DAY. AND SO OUR TEACHERS AND PARENTS DESERVE RESPECT.
THEY ALSO DESERVE STABILITY AND LONG TERM SOLUTIONS. AND I THINK WE ALL UH I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK FOR ANYBODY, BUT I REMAIN COMMITTED TO FINDING THAT AND TRYING TO PULL FROM UM THE DISCRETIONARY FUNDS IS A
VERY IS A SHORT TERM SOLUTION. SO I DO REMAIN COMMITTED TO MONITORING HOW THESE INVESTMENTS ARE IMPLEMENTED, ENSURING RESOURCES REACH STUDENTS WHO NEED THEM THE MOST AND ADVOCATING FOR EQUITABLE OUTCOMES ACROSS EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN BOSTON.
AND SO FOR THOSE REASONS I'M GOING TO BE VOTING YES ON THE BUDGET THIS YEAR. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR ZAPATA. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONSERVE FOR THE NEXT MURPHY YOUR NEXT
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. MADAM PRESIDENT. UM. SO AS A FORMER TEACHER FOR OVER TWO DECADES, I KNOW FIRSTHAND
HOW IMPORTANT OUR POWERS ARE. COLLEEN HART, WHO WAS HERE EARLIER, WORKED WITH ME IN OUR CLASSROOM. SHE WAS THE PARAPROFESSIONAL AT THE MURPHY WITH ME IN OUR
CLASSROOM IN KINDERGARTEN AND ALL OF MY YEARS 20 PLUS YEARS THE STUDENTS OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS DO NOT AND WILL NOT GET THE EDUCATION THEY
DESERVE IF THE PARENTS WHO SHOW UP FOR THEM EVERY DAY DOING WHAT THEY NEED TO ACCESS THE CURRICULUM TO FEEL INCLUDED, THEY'RE ALSO PAID SO LOW THAT
MANY OF OUR POWERS ARE ALSO OUR BUS MONITORS BECAUSE THEY NEED TO MAKE ENDS MEET. SO IT'S DISCOURAGING THAT YES,
REVEREND CULPEPER FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS THE BUDGETS COUNCIL ME HERE AND I HAVE VOTED NO. AND THE FACT THAT WE'RE INCREASING EACH YEAR AND WE'RE AT 1.74 BILLION AND. >> WE CAN'T MAKE.
SURE THAT OUR LOWEST PAID AND WE'RE STILL WAITING CHAIR ON LOOM TO GIVE US THE ANSWER BECAUSE CENTRAL OFFICE PAYMENT
FUNDING DOESN'T JUST INCLUDE THOSE WHO ARE THE HIGHEST PAID WORKING WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT, ALL OF OUR ITINERANT NURSES, OUR CUSTODIANS, OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS, SOCIAL
WORKERS ARE ALL PAID THROUGH CENTRAL OFFICE SO THAT 17% WE NEVER GOT A CLEAR ANSWER. HOW MANY WERE ACTUAL OFFICE WORKERS MANAGERS WHO ARE NOT FORWARD FACING WITH OUR
STUDENTS AND MOST OF THOSE POSITIONS IT WOULD TAKE 4 TO 5 HOURS SALARY TO EQUAL ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE VOTE NOT JUST TO MAKE SURE
EVEN THOUGH IT'S INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE AREN'T LOSING THEIR JOB BUT THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS THAT WE KNOW FROM THE DATA. I STAND UP HERE EVERY TIME AND
SAY IT. WHEN 84% OF OUR STUDENTS AREN'T READING ON GRADE LEVEL AND THAT PERCENTAGE. IS EVEN HIGHER WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR ESL STUDENTS AND
WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS ALL WHO HAVE PARAPROFESSIONALS NOW THEY DO NEXT YEAR MANY WON'T BE IN FRONT OF THEM HELPING THEM MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE EDUCATION THEY DESERVE.
SO I REALLY DO HOPE. MY COLLEAGUES REJECT IT. IT ALSO IS TRUE THAT IT'S THE BEGINNING OF JUNE IF WE JUST
RUBBER STAMP THE BUDGET TODAY, THEN THEY'RE JUST GOING TO COME BACK NEXT. YEAR AND. >> MAYBE NOT GIVE US FULL ANSWERS AGAIN. BUT IF WE REJECT IT TODAY THERE IS TIME TO WORK THROUGH CHANGES WE. >> WANT TO SEE.
THERE'S PLENTY OF TIME TO HAVE MORE MEETINGS. >> AND VOTE ON THIS BEFORE THE END OF JUNE AND NOT FORCE IT INTO A 112 BUDGET. SO DON'T. BE FOOLED THAT THIS IS THE ONLY. DAY WE GET. TO TAKE A VOTE IN A STAND FOR
OUR STUDENTS AND OUR TEACHERS. SO I WANT. >> TO THANK OUR POWERS. KNOW THAT I. KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW IMPORTANT YOUR WORK IS. >> AND I. >> HOPE THAT MY COLLEAGUES JOIN ME. >> IN VOTING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES
COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. UM, AND I WANT TO THANK THE CHAIR FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD . I WANT TO THANK, UH, BP. FOR ALL, UH, THEIR WORK.
UH, I'M A BOSS OF A SCHOOL. >> THROUGH. AND THROUGH K THROUGH AND THROUGH. IT'S ALL. >> I KNOW. IT'S ALL MY SISTERS KNOW. UM, MY DAD, WHEN HE GOT HERE, PEOPLE ENCOURAGED HIM TO GO TO US AND, UH, PUT ME AND MY SISTERS IN CATHOLIC SCHOOL
COULDN'T AFFORD IT. AND SO, UM, WHEN WE LOOK AT WHO'S IN OUR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, IT'S OFTEN OUR KIDS WHO UM, THERE WERE NO OTHER THERE OFTEN WEREN'T ANY OTHER OPTIONS.
AND SO WHEN I LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE DOING IN DPS AND ARE WE GETTING IT RIGHT BY OUR KIDS. IT IS. >> A COMPLICATED QUESTION BECAUSE I WANT OUR SCHOOLS ALWAYS TO EXIST IN A PLACE OF ABUNDANCE. OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE TOO
OFTEN. TREATED AS THOUGH THEY ARE THE LAST OPTION OR THE ONLY OPTION IN OUR AND AND AND THAT'S NOT ENOUGH FOR OUR KIDS. OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS I'VE BEEN THE.
BIGGEST ADVOCATE. FOR OUR CLASSROOMS. THOSE ARE OUR CLASSROOMS WITH STUDENTS. WITH LIMITED OR FORMAL OR INTERRUPTED FORMAL EDUCATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD PARAPROFESSIONALS TO MAKE SURE
THAT THEY HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS AND EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED SO THAT THE STUDENTS IN THOSE LIFE CLASSROOMS CAN THRIVE. UH, EVERY BUDGET HEARING EVERY HEARING THAT'S WHAT I TALKED ABOUT AS WE SAW THE NUMBERS IN
OUR SCHOOLS. INCREASE AS WE WERE EXPERIENCING THE MONEY THAT WE DID HAVE WHICH WAS IN UH, SORT OF ABUNDANCE THAT I DON'T THINK ANY OF US REALIZED WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE ESSER FUNDS.
AND SO NOW WE DON'T HAVE THOSE FUNDS AND EVEN MORE THAN THAT WE HAVE AN ANTAGONISTIC FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. UM, AND WE SEE DECLINING ENROLLMENT OF. 3000 STUDENTS YEAR. >> OVER YEAR AND THAT IS THERE
NEEDS TO BE A RESPONSE TO THAT . I WANT TO SEE EVERYONE ALWAYS CHOOSING BOSTON PUBLIC. SCHOOLS. >> WHICH IS WHY AGAIN, I THINK FOCUSING ON FACILITIES, MAKING SURE THAT ALL OF OUR SCHOOL
BUILDINGS ARE ONES THAT HAVE A GYM AND ART CLASSROOM, UH, AND THERE ARE EQUIPPED WITH A LIBRARY WITH A LIBRARIAN IS ESSENTIAL FOR EVERY CLASSROOM UH IS A SETTING FOR EVERY SCHOOL WHICH IS WHY WHEN WE'RE
HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS AND I HEARD THAT THERE WAS A SCHOOL WHERE ALL OF THEIR LIBRARIANS WERE BEING CUT, I WENT TO THE SOURCE AND I THINK ANOTHER COUNSELOR THAT COMES TO MY PEN TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WAS HAPPENING BECAUSE AGAIN, EVERY
LIKE EVERY EVERY SCHOOL DESERVES A LIBRARY WITH A LIBRARIAN. SO I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE CALLS I THINK ANOTHER COLLEAGUE HAS MENTIONED THAT CENTRAL OFFICE HAS BEEN CUT. UM, IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE SEE
HAPPENING UH, BECAUSE OF LAYOFFS, BECAUSE OF DECLINING ENROLLMENT IN OUR SCHOOLS UM, AND ALSO BECAUSE OF UH THE DISCONTINUATION OF THOSE FEDERAL DOLLARS.
UM, BUT WE HAVE THE INCLUSION MODEL THAT WE ARE THAT WE NEED TO GET RIGHT IN ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS AND IN ALL OF OUR CLASSROOMS. I KNOW AS AN AT LARGE CITY. COUNCILOR. >> UH, I TRY TO VISIT AS MANY. SCHOOLS AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M. TALKING TO SCHOOL. LEADERS AND STUDENTS.
TO TALK ABOUT THE NEEDS OF THEIR SCHOOLS. AND HONESTLY, THE NUMBER ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES THAT I HEAR IS ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE THE SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE ELEVATORS AND THE STUDENTS WHO THINKS IT'S TOO MUCH FOR THEM
TO ASK FOR AN ELEVATOR, TEACHERS THAT ARE LIVING WITH BATHROOMS THAT I KNOW NONE OF US WANT THAT WANT TO USE. SO THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO THE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR SCHOOLS BECAUSE INFRASTRUCTURE IS POLICY.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE WORKING ON THE BOSTON SCHOOL BUILDING AUTHORITY TO GIVE OURSELVES DEDICATED REVENUE STREAMS. RIGHT. REVENUE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS CONVERSATION SO THAT WE CAN DO THE WORK OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS. TOO OFTEN WHEN WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT OUR SCHOOLS AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FUNDING THEM, IT'S ALWAYS YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ALWAYS ASKING ABOUT WELL ,YOU KNOW, SHOW US THAT THEY'RE WORTHY OF THE MONEY. AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR
US TO KNOW THAT OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS. UH, OUR SCHOOLS ARE OFTEN. DEALING WITH THE STUDENTS WHO HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF DISABILITY WHO ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS WHEN YOU COMPARE THEM TO OTHER SORTS OF SCHOOLS.
AND SO THEY ARE SCHOOLS THAT NEED TO BE RESOURCED DIFFERENTLY AND ABUNDANTLY. I WANT TO WORK WITH ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE ARE GETTING MORE MONEY MORE MONEY FOR OUR CITY, MORE MONEY
FOR OUR SCHOOLS. THAT HAS TO HAPPEN BY WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE TO GET MORE MONEY FROM THE SCHOOL BUILDING AUTHORITY TO GET MORE MONEY FROM THE STATE WHEN IT COMES TO CHARTER SCHOOL REIMBURSEMENTS, THERE'S SO MUCH WORK THAT WE HAVE TO DO AND
THAT WE CAN DO COLLECTIVELY AS A BODY TO GET MORE MONEY INTO OUR SCHOOLS. TO CREATE. SCHOOL BUILDINGS THAT ARE WORTHY OF OUR STUDENTS SO THAT ATTRACT STUDENTS BACK TO OUR. PUBLIC SCHOOLS. AND SO, YOU KNOW, I SUPPORT
THIS BUDGET. I KNOW THAT THERE WERE SOME HARD CHOICES AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING ALONGSIDE EVERYONE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MAKING. THE BEST. DECISIONS POSSIBLE FOR OUR KIDS. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME
SCHOOLS THAT HAD, YOU KNOW, RESOURCES THAT WERE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, PULL OUT. THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL OUT STUDENTS ON A ON A MORE FREQUENT BASIS BECAUSE OF THE DEDICATED WISHES THAT THEY HAD . UM AND IT'S GOING TO BE IT'S
GOING TO BE A CHANGE TO NOT HAVE AS MANY STAFFERS UM BUT I THINK THAT UH THAT THESE ISSUES ARE BEING THOUGHT ABOUT. THOUGHTFULLY AND I WANT TO ASK ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES THAT WANT TO DO THE WORK OF FIGURING OUT
HOW WE GET MORE WHETHER IT BE FEDERAL OR STATE DOLLARS INTO OUR SCHOOLS OR HOW WE CAN THINK ABOUT HAVING DEDICATED REVENUE STREAMS. I THINK THERE ARE A LOT OF REALLY GREAT IDEAS ABOUT HOW WE HAVE DEDICATED REVENUE STREAMS FOR OUR SCHOOLS THAT
I'D LOVE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH MY COLLEAGUES. SO I THINK UM I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYONE TO THE SUPERINTENDENT, TO HER TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO. UM, THE WORK OF SHOWING UP FOR
OUR STUDENTS IS AND THE WORK OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IS INCREDIBLY HARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT BECOMES UM YOU KNOW, WHEN POLITICS ARE INVOLVED, WHEN, UH, ALL LEVELS ARE INVOLVED. BUT I DO AT THE END OF THE DAY,
EVERY DAY THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE KIDS IN OUR SCHOOLS. AND ARE WE GETTING IT RIGHT? AND I DO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE ON THAT WE ARE NOT PERFECT FAR FROM IT. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE ARE
INCHING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING SURE THAT OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS ARE CARED FOR IN OUR SCHOOLS AND THAT WE ARE ABLE TO ATTRACT STUDENTS BACK INTO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR UH,
DURKAN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR BREADON. UM, SO I WANT TO RESPOND. I WILL BE VOTING IN SUPPORT OF THE BUDGET. UM, I DO WANT TO RESPOND TO
SOME OF THE, UM, THEMES THAT HAVE BEEN OFFERED TODAY. UM, I THINK IN A CITY WHERE WE HAVE DECLINING ENROLLMENT 3000
STUDENTS LESS THAN YET LAST YEAR HEALTH CARE COSTS ARE UP $34 MILLION. TRANSPORTATION IS UP $11 MILLION. UM SPECIAL EDUCATION UM $12
MILLION. STAFF SALARIES ARE UP $29 MILLION WHICH WE VOTED ON THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING THAT WE APPROVED. UM, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
UM, WE'RE SPENDING $175 MILLION UP FROM $456 MILLION. UM, THIS YEAR WE HAD A $53 MILLION BUDGET SHORTFALL. UM, AND NOW WE ARE IN A HIRING
FREEZE. UM, THE COST FOR A STUDENT IS $36,000. UM, AND THAT'S HOW MUCH TIME IS BEING SPENT PER STUDENT. UM, COSTS ARE RISING FASTER THAN REVENUE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER IS DOING A GREAT JOB. UM, WE ARE WORKING HARD TO, UM TO TO GET A LOT OF THINGS DONE. I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE CONVERSATION THAT I HAVE WITH
SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER. UM WE DID WE HEARD TESTIMONY, UM, IN OUR BP'S, UH, HEARING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE SUPERVISORS OF ATTENDANCE AND HOW IMPORTANT THEY WERE.
UM, AND I GOT THE CHANCE TO MEET WITH SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER. UH, THREE OF THOSE POSITIONS WERE RESTORED, WHICH I THINK WAS, UH, CITY COUNCIL ADVOCACY. SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO WEIGHED IN.
I SPECIFICALLY WANT TO THANK UH ,UH, SUPERVISOR OF ATTENDANCE THAT UM THAT WEIGHED IN AT THE CITY COUNCIL. UM, WHILE WE DON'T HAVE A TON OF POWER, WE DO.
I DO WANT TO THANK THE CHAIR. UM, CHAIR WEBER, UH, FOR OUTLINING SOME OF OUR CONCERNS . I THINK A BIG PART OF THIS IS, UM, $197 MILLION IS BEING SPENT
OVER, UM, $197 MILLION ON BUSSING. WE WERE ABLE AND A WORKING SESSION TO GET SUPERINTENDENT SKIPPER TO GO TO DIAL DOWN INTO LIKE THOSE NUMBERS. UM, THERE ARE A NUMBER
OF THINGS THAT THEY FEEL LIKE FIXED COST AND UNLESS THE SCHOOL UH, DISTRICT DEALS WITH SORT OF THESE OVERARCHING ISSUES WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO FACE. UH, THESE HEADWINDS AND SO, UM,
I THINK THE PROBLEMS ARE MOUNTING, THEY ARE MOUNTING AND UM AND I THINK WE BUDGETARY OUR UM REALLY, REALLY CONFINED IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET.
UM BUT I WANT TO SHARE THAT I BELIEVE THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT IS DOING A GREAT JOB. I BELIEVE THAT, UM, THERE ARE MORE FAMILIES THAT ARE CHOOSING DPS. I'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS
WITH FOLKS IN MY DISTRICT ABOUT CHOOSING DPS, CHOOSING SCHOOLS THAT ARE NEARBY. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF DISTRICT EIGHT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. UM, WE ARE MOVING TOWARDS A
SYSTEM OF WE WE DO NEED TO SHRINK IN ORDER TO THRIVE. UM, THE COST OF SIMPLY MANAGING UM THESE SOME OF THESE SCHOOLS THAT NEED A LOT OF INVESTMENTS
. UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE THOSE COSTS ARE MOUNTING. AND SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFICULT DECISIONS BEING MADE IN TERMS OF UH, CLOSURES IN TERMS OF MERGERS. I APPLAUD THOSE REALLY
DIFFICULT DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE BECAUSE I THINK THEY'RE SETTING US UP FOR A MORE RESILIENT SCHOOL DISTRICT . UM, BUT UM, I HESITATE TO TALK ON DPS ISSUES BECAUSE I DON'T
HAVE A CHILD. UM, AND I DIDN'T GROW UP IN BOSTON AND I DIDN'T ATTEND TO DPS BUT THIS IS SUCH A BIG PART OF OUR BUDGET. I THINK WE ALL NEED TO DO OUR
PART AND WEIGH IN. UM, SO I SUPPORT THIS BUDGET. UM, I DO THINK THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT THE CHAIR OF WAYS AND MEANS OUTLINED IN THE CITY COUNCIL'S LETTER THAT FOR FUTURE YEARS SHOULD
ABSOLUTELY BE DEALT WITH AND SHOULD BE RESPONDED TO. UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE AN UH, APPOINTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND THAT OUR POWERS, UM, ARE LESS THAN THAT.
BUT I DON'T THINK OUR POWERS IN TERMS OF ADVOCACY ARE BECAUSE I'VE SEEN THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS AND THROUGH PAST BUDGET PROCESS HOW THE CITY COUNCIL HAS SHAPED AND I THINK
WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO THAT. UM AND I WANT TO THANK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES I KNOW WHETHER YOU'RE VOTING FOR THIS BUDGET OR AGAINST THIS BUDGET. UH, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO REALLY CARE ABOUT BPD STUDENTS AND I THINK SOME OF OUR POINTS
OF ADVOCACY ON THE COUNCIL I THINK CAN BE REALLY, REALLY USEFUL, UH, TOWARDS MAKING A BETTER SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO I WANT TO THANK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES FOR ALL THAT THEY DO ,UH, TO WEIGH IN ON BOTH THE
UM THE SCHOOLS IN THEIR DISTRICT AND ALSO JUST ACROSS THE CITY. SO UM SO THANK YOU, CHAIR AND I'M GRATEFUL UM, TO THE CHAIR FOR ALL OF HIS WORK ON THIS UH,
ON THIS BUDGET AND UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO SEE UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, UH, I WANT TO THANK THE SUPERINTENDENT AND CONTINUE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY, UH, TO
MAKE THE BEST EDUCATION FOR ALL STUDENTS AND ALSO TO MAKE MORE FAMILIES CHOOSE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILMEMBER HERE FOR YOUR SECOND.
UM, TIME. THANK YOU. BECAUSE I DON'T USE ALL MY TIME. SO I'M RECLAIMING THE REST THAT I HAVE LEFT. I WANT TO JUST KNOW A FEW THINGS. AS WE CONTINUE TO HAVE.
THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT I THINK FOR THOSE WHO ARE PAYING ATTENTION AND TUNING IN A NO VOTE WHAT IT DOES IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO ORGANIZE AND TO REALLY DEMONSTRATE THAT THE
CITY COUNCILORS ARE WILLING TO DO THE HARD. WORK OF STANDING UP TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE SUPERINTENDENT AND THE APPOINTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND LETTING THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE PAYING ATTENTION AND DOING OUR
JOB BY BEING THE CHECKS AND BALANCES. SO BY NO MEANS A NO VOTE TODAY IS REALLY GOING TO HAVE THE DISTRICT UM IN A DISARRAY.
WHAT IT DOES IT DEMONSTRATES THAT WE ARE DOING OUR JOB. SO DON'T GET IT TWISTED A NO VOTE TODAY JUST GIVES US MORE TIME TO ORGANIZE. UM, JUST FOR THE RECORD. SECONDLY, UM, WE DO HAVE AN
APPOINTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE. MY OFFICE WORKED ALONGSIDE ADVOCATES A FEW YEARS AGO SO THAT WE CAN HAVE AN ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE. AND THE MAYOR REJECTED THAT WHOLE RULE PETITION WHEN HE GOT
TO HER DESK. SO IF WE'RE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT DEMOCRACY AND WE'RE WE'RE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT GIVING PEOPLE A VOICE AND A VOTE AND HOW THESE THINGS GET DONE, THEN WE WOULD HAVE BE HAD IN A
DIFFERENT CONVERSATION HAD WE HAD UH, AN ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE BECAUSE THEREFORE PEOPLE WOULD FEEL A SENSE OF ACCOUNTABILITY RIGHT NOW
99.2% OF ALL OF THE VOTES THAT THE APPOINTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE HAS TAKEN HAS BEEN IN FAVOR OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE SUPERINTENDENT. SO IF WE'RE REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT BEING UH, INDEPENDENT,
THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THE FACT THAT THAT APPOINTED SCHOOL UH COMMITTEE. STRUCTURE HAS NO REAL POWER. EITHER. >> JUST LIKE THE CITY COUNCIL. LASTLY, THERE'S BEEN A
SIGNIFICANT DISREGARD FOR STUDENTS, STAFF, RESIDENTS. I THINK ABOUT THIS, UH, THE CPC SPREAD PACK AND WE EVEN HAD A MULTILINGUAL. I WAS ON THE AIR TASK FORCE AND
THAT EVIL TASK FORCE DISMANTLED AND FORMED. THEIR OWN BECAUSE THEY HAD NO NO REAL VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THEREFORE WE CONTINUE TO FEED A
SYSTEM THAT CONTINUES TO DISREGARD THE VERY SAME PEOPLE THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE, UH, ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF. SO I THINK THAT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING THAT IS AT PLAY.
WHILE PEOPLE MAY WANT TO SUPPORT DPS AND I DO APPRECIATE THE PROGRESS THAT IT HAS MADE, BUT WE CAN'T CONTINUE TO FEED A SYSTEM THAT IS LIKE GIVING US A
RETURN ON THOSE INVESTMENTS AND AT SOME POINT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE LIABILITY THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO ENGAGE IN WHEN WE ALWAYS GIVE A PASS.
SO I SAID IT AS A. PARENT WHEN I WAS ORGANIZING ON THE OUTSIDE AND I REJECTED THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR. UM, SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE INSIDE AND I THINK THIS IS A
MOMENT AND WHILE I UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE CAN'T JUST KEEP USING WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL AS AN EXCUSE TO NOT DO OUR JOB HERE LOCALLY BECAUSE AT
THE END OF THE DAY THE DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE LOCALLY ALSO SET A STAGE FOR WHAT HAPPENS GLOBALLY. SO. THERE YOU GO. THANK YOU.
>> THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WU, COUNCILOR WARREN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND I DO WANT TO APPLAUD UH, FOR UH, THE PROGRESS THAT THEY HAVE MADE THROUGHOUT THE YEARS
. BUT I DO WANT TO BE CLEAR WE ARE CONTINUING, UH, TO FAIL LOT OF BLACK STUDENTS, UH, MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS AND TOO MANY FAMILIES WHO ARE COUNTING ON US TO DELIVER.
I APPRECIATE THAT SOME OF THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS ARE RUNNING A BIT SMOOTHER AND THAT MATTERS. UH, BUT LAST YEAR I STOOD HERE AND SAID WE NEEDED TO STOP ONLY TALKING ABOUT OPERATIONS AND
STOP FOCUSING ON ACADEMICS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY BUSSES RUNNING ON TIME IS IMPORTANT. BUT IF OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT READING, IF THEY'RE NOT BEING SERVED IN THE RIGHT CLASSROOM SETTINGS, IF THEY ARE NOT
GETTING THE SUPPORT THEY NEED TO SUCCEED UH THEN WE ARE NOT DOING OUR JOB. SO LET'S LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE TODAY. UH, WE STILL HAVE MORE THAN 3000 STUDENTS IN SUBSTANTIALLY
SEPARATE CLASSROOM SETTINGS EVEN THOUGH FEDERAL GUIDANCE POINTS TO US TOWARD THE LEAST RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT WHENEVER POSSIBLE. AND UM, THOSE STUDENTS IN THOSE
SUB SEPARATE CLASSROOMS 40% 43% ARE BLACK EVEN THOUGH BLACK STUDENTS MAKE UP ONLY 29% OF THE OVERALL SCHOOL POPULATION. THAT SHOULD STOP US ALL IN OUR
TRACKS AND WHEN WE LOOK AT ACADEMIC OUTCOMES THE PICTURE IS JUST AS ALARMING. LAST YEAR FEWER THAN TEN BLACK STUDENTS IN THIRD FOURTH FIFTH GRADE SCORED EXTREMELY
PROFICIENT ON THE READING TEST ON CAMPUS. THAT'S FEWER THAN TEN AND A $1.7 BILLION SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND WHEN 95% OF MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS IN THE FIFTH GRADE ARE ABOVE OR NOT MEETING STATE ACADEMIC STANDARDS, WE CANNOT PRETEND THAT THIS IS A SYSTEM
THAT JUST NEEDS A FEW TWEAKS AROUND THE EDGES. THIS IS A SYSTEM THAT NEEDS SERIOUS IMPROVEMENT, SERIOUS ATTENTION, URGENCY AND SERIOUS INVESTMENT. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THERE BY
ELIMINATING HUNDREDS OF TEACHERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS FROM OUR CLASSROOMS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THERE BY TELLING SCHOOLS TO PLAN FOR INCLUSION BUT THEN ONLY FUNDING THE BARE MINIMUM. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET THERE BY
DISMANTLE DISMANTLING EXCLUSION MODELS THAT HAVE WORKED FOR YEARS IN SOME OF OUR STRONGER SCHOOLS. THAT'S NOT REFORM. IT FEELS LIKE RETREAT. AND MY FEAR IS THAT THIS BUDGET
BUT ON A PATHWAY TOWARDS CUT CUTS THIS YEAR, MORE CUTS NEXT YEAR AND THEN MORE CUTS THE YEAR AFTER THAT AND EVERY YEAR THE STUDENTS WHO NEED THE MOST SUPPORT WILL BE ASKED TO CARRY
THE HEAVIEST BURDEN AND THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN'T SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS NEED FROM MORE FROM US. OUR FAMILIES NEED MORE FROM US EDUCATORS. THE PEOPLE DOING THE WORK EVERY
SINGLE DAY NEED TO KNOW THAT THIS BODY IS NOT GOING TO BALANCE THE BUDGET ON THE BACKS OF CLASSROOMS. WE NEED MORE INVESTMENTS IN OUR SCHOOLS NOT LESS. AND FOR THOSE REASONS I'M A NO ON THE BUDGET.
THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO ASK MY COLLEAGUE AND THE DEAN OF THE BODY, UM CONTRA CULPEPER TO TAKE THE CHAIR FOR A FEW MOMENTS.
MADAM PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> UM, I. >> STAND HERE. WHEN YOU. >> RETURN. AND IT'S ALL I KNOW. VERY GOOD.
THE MIC IS ON. THE MIC IS ON. THANK YOU. UM, I HAVE TWO SPEECHES. IT'S LIKE JUSTICE WEIGHING THE SCALES HERE. UM. >> I HAVE VERY.
THIS IS THE HARDEST VOTE I'M MAKING TODAY. I HAVE A YES VOTE AND I HAVE A I HAVE A NO SPEECH SPEECH AND A YES SPEECH. I'D LIKE TO BEGIN BY
ACKNOWLEDGING THE HARD WORK OF OUR TEACHERS, PARAPROFESSIONALS, SCHOOL STAFF, SUPERINTENDENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS THE MOST BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE WORK WE DO WITH
OUR CHILDREN IS THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE DO IN THE CITY. IT'S AN INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE AND IT DEMANDS OUR SERIOUS ATTENTION.
I THINK REGARDLESS OF HOW I END UP VOTING UM UH, MY VOTE WILL REFLECT THE CONCERNS THAT I HAVE RAISED CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT MY SIX YEARS ON THE CITY COUNCIL.
DURING THAT TIME I'VE REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR GREATER TRANSPARENCY, STRONGER FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY, CLEARER REPORTING AND BETTER LONG TERM PLANNING WITHIN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
I RECOGNIZE THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THE SUPERINTENDENT HAVE MADE PROGRESS, AND I APPRECIATE THAT THE WORK OF THE WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE. HOWEVER, WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.
BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AS SOMEONE HAS ALREADY MENTIONED, RECEIVES APPROXIMATELY $1.7 BILLION THIS YEAR AND REPRESENTS ONE OF THE LARGEST INVESTMENTS WE MAKE IN THE CITY .
ONE THIRD OF THE CITY BUDGET GOES TOWARDS BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. YET WE CONTINUE TO FACE SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGES WITH AGING SCHOOL BUILDINGS, DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, LONG TERM
CAPITAL PLANNING PUBLIC ON THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MAJOR DECISIONS ARE MADE IS WANTING AND YET OUR FAMILIES AND FAMILIES DESERVE THE
DESERVED CONFIDENCE THE RESOURCES ARE BEING UH ARE NOT BEING UH OF WHERE THE OUR RESOURCES ARE BEING INVESTED. THE ISSUES THAT ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO
ME ARE THE FACT THAT SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS ARE NOT READING AT GRADE LEVEL. UM, WE HAVE UH AN INCLUSION UH, POLICY. UH, AND YET I HEAR FROM
FAMILIES THAT THERE ARE CHILDREN FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS THAT NEED SUPPORT. THEY NEED BEHAVIORAL, UM, UH, FUNCTIONAL BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENTS. THEY NEED, UH, SUPPORT. THEY NEED PARAPROFESSIONALS TO
SUPPORT THEM IN THE CLASSROOM SO THAT THEY'RE NOT SO THEY CAN LEARN AND THAT THEY'RE NOT DISRUPTIVE TO OTHER STUDENTS. BUSSES ARE A NIGHTMARE FOR SOME OF OUR FAMILIES. I WANT PARTICULAR SCHOOL IN OUR
DISTRICT WHERE, UH IT'S LAST YEAR THERE WAS ONE FIVE ON FIVE INSTANCES OF THE BUS HAS BEEN LET ALL YEAR AND THIS YEAR IT'S MORE LIKE FIVE INSTANCE A WEEK. IT'S REALLY STRESSFUL FOR
FAMILIES AND UH, AT THIS MOMENT FAMILIES ARE EVALUATING THEIR OPTIONS AND FIGURING OUT SHOULD THEY STAY OR SHOULD THEY LEAVE THE CITY. AND LEAVE? THIS IS NOT WHAT WE WANT. I WAS EDUCATED IN A PUBLIC
SCHOOL SYSTEM BACK IN NORTHERN IRELAND AND I LOVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I LOVE GOING TO OUR CLASSROOMS. UH, AND I WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO DESPITE THE EFFORTS OF OUR, UH
,SCHOOL DEPARTMENT. WE ARE NOT THERE YET AND WE AS INDIVIDUALS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO HOLD OUR SCHOOL DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABLE AND KEEP THE
PRESSURE ON. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INVESTMENT WE MAKE AS A CITY AND IT IS THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY.
IT'S OUR FUTURE LEADERS AND FUTURE PARENTS OF FUTURE WORKERS AND THE ISSUES THAT I REALLY CARE ABOUT ARE JUST
HOLDING OUR SCHOOL DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABLE LIKE WE HOLD EVERY OTHER UH, OTHER DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABLE AND ALSO. WE DESPITE GIVEN THAT WE SPEND
WE INVEST SO MUCH IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WE GET VALUE FOR OUR MONEY AND THAT WE SEE THE RESULTS AND THAT WE HAVE UH, GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS THAT WE
CAN SEE YEAR ON YEAR THAT WE'RE MEETING THOSE GOALS. I FEEL THAT WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO AND UH. I'M HOPEFUL I'M HOPEFUL I SEE
PROGRESS BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH. I'M HOPEFUL THAT WITH ALL OF OUR EFFORTS AND ALL OF OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR SCHOOLS AND HOLDING OUR SCHOOL DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABLE THAT WE CAN MOVE THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD.
SO I URGE YOU, UM, DESPITE MY VERY GRAVE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW WE'RE PROGRESSING. I'M GOING TO VOTE YES ON THE BUDGET BUT BUT UM.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US NEEDS TO HOLD THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT ACCOUNTABLE AND NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET STARTS. >> TO. START THIS YEAR IN JULY. WE NEED TO START TALKING ABOUT THE BUDGET AND WHAT WE WANT TO
SEE AND WHAT THE MEASURABLES ARE THIS JULY JULY 2026 BECAUSE WE CAN'T BELIEVE IT TO NEXT FEBRUARY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. >> I JUST THINKING. THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON
WAYS AND MEANS SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET 0734. I BEG YOUR PARDON, COUNSELOR. I DIDN'T WRITE THAT. I RECOGNIZE THE CHAIR OF WAYS AND MEANS.
UM, COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YEAH, I'M JUST, UH, COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PART OF IS IN THE BUILDING. I'D LIKE TO GIVE HER A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN ON THIS. UM.
>> IT'S. A. >> THANK YOU. >> UM, I SEE COUNCILOR UM, HERE YOU HAVE, UM.
YOUR LIGHT IS ON. I WAS JUST JOKING. YOU'RE JOKING? OKAY. VERY GOOD, I LIKE THAT. UM, WE WOULD TAKE A CONTRASTING CALL. WELL, I I.
KNOW YOU'VE ALREADY HAD YOUR TIME, BUT AS A COURTESY I'M CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT YOU WANT TO BE. I JUST WANT TO BE RESPECTFUL TO MY COLLEAGUES. UM, DO WE WANT TO, UM, TAKE A BRIEF RECESS AND GIVE
COUNCILOR CARDOZA AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN? UM, I WANT TO TAKE A TEN MINUTE. I THINK WE'LL. TAKE IT. >> SHE'S COMING. SHE'S COMING. HOLD ON. I'M JUST TRYING TO BE RESPECTFUL TO MY COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU. >> I APPRECIATE YOUR CONCERN.
UH. UH, SORRY TO INTERRUPT YOUR, UH ,TIME WITH YOUR LITTLE GUY. HEY. WELCOME BACK. UM, WHERE WERE WE?
THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS SEEKS ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF DOCKET 0734. UH, MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET
0734. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES. COUNCILOR BREADON? YES. COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS COUNCILOR COLLETTE ZAPATA. YES. COUNCILOR CULPEPER. YOU KNOW COUNCILOR CULPEPER? NO.
COUNCILOR DURKAN. COUNCILOR DURKAN. YES. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR. DISTILL. YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN. NO. COUNCIL SAID NO. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE. YES, COUNCILOR. MEJIA. COUNCILOR. MEJIA. NO.
COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. NO. COUNCILOR. PEN. YES. COUNCILOR. PEN. YES. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR. WEBER. COUNCILOR. WEAPON. YES. AND COUNCILOR WORRELL.
NO. COUNCILOR. DULL. NO. EIGHT VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND FIVE VOTES IN THE NEGATIVE. THANK YOU, MR CHUCK.
THE COMMITTEE REPORT. UH, HAS BEEN ACCEPTED AND DOCKET 0734 HAS BEEN PASSED. NOW MOVED TO RECOGNIZE THE
CHAIR OF WAYS MEANS COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, WE'RE NOW GOING TO DISCUSS THE OPERATING BUDGET DOCKET NUMBERS 0733 BEING PASSED
AROUND IS, UH, THE COMMITTEE REPORTS THE TAX ORDER AND, UH, JUST A TABLE THAT WE PRINTED UP TO HELP PEOPLE. UH, AND I WOULD ASK FOR, UH, AT
LEAST A 15 MINUTE RECESS FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO REVIEW THIS AND COME BACK AND HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IT. A CONSISTENT.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. UM, I'M RECEIVING THIS THIS INFORMATION FOR THE FIRST TIME THE THE COMMITTEE REPORT WHICH IS VERY SIGNIFICANT.
I'M ALSO RECEIVING OTHER OTHER INFORMATION THAT HAVE BEEN ATTACHED AS WELL. I DO THINK IN THE INTEREST OF US DOING OUR JOB AND PUTTING
OUR DUE DILIGENCE INTO THIS. UM, I'M NOT I'M NOT PREPARED. I WON'T BE PREPARED IN 15 MINUTES TO THOROUGHLY REVIEW ALL OF THESE DOCUMENTS. THERE MIGHT BE 20 OR 30 PAGES I
DON'T KNOW BUT I WOULD NEED I WOULD NEED TIME TO DO MY DUE DILIGENCE TO LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE LINE ITEM IN THIS. SO I'M PROVIDING MY CONSTITUENTS THE BEST
LEADERSHIP I CAN AND TO THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON. BUT TO GIVE ME TEN MINUTES TO LOOK AT THIS AND TO RUBBER STAMP IT. UM, THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M GOING
TO DO. I'M ASKING FOR SIGNIFICANTLY MORE TIME THAN 10 OR 15 MINUTES. I THINK I'M PROBABLY SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF ALL OF MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES THAT ALSO
WANT TO LOOK AT THESE DOCUMENTS AND NOT JUST RUBBER STAMP IT. THEY WANT TO READ THIS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IS IN HERE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE SEEING THIS AND I SAY THIS
MADAM CHAIR, AS SOMEONE THAT HASN'T MISSED A CITY COUNCIL BUDGET VOTE AT ALL THIS YEAR, I TAKE THIS JOB SERIOUSLY. I'M GOING TO READ EVERY EVERY WORD IN THESE DOCUMENTS BUT I'M
NOT GOING TO JUST RUBBER STAMP SOMETHING THAT'S PUT IN FRONT OF ME AND AND SAY TO ME YOU NEED TO VOTE ON THIS AND IN A FEW MINUTES THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M GOING TO DO. I WANT US TO HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY. I THINK I SPEAK FOR ALL CITY COUNCILORS WHEN I SAY WE NEED SEVERAL HOURS. I KNOW THE AUDIENCE MIGHT MIGHT NOT LIKE THAT BUT WE NEED
SEVERAL HOURS IF NOT MORE TIME TO ACTUALLY REVIEW THESE DOCUMENTS. AND MADAM CHAIR, WE'RE DOING CONSTITUENTS OF BOSTON A
DISSERVICE IF YOU NOT YOU IF IF WE TAKE A LOOK AT THESE DOCUMENTS AND VOTE IMMEDIATELY . WE'RE NOT DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE. WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT BEING AN
EFFECTIVE ADVOCATE FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS CONSTITUENTS AND WE'RE NOT REALLY REPRESENTING THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON. IF WE'RE NOT WILLING TO DO THE HARD WORK OF READING THE
DOCUMENTS, STUDYING IT, ASKING QUESTIONS, MAYBE EVEN HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO CALL A CITY DEPARTMENT AND ASK WHAT IMPACT DOES THIS HAVE? THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE
SEEING THIS AND I WANT TO DO MY DUE DILIGENCE SO I'M FULLY PREPARED. THAT'S WHAT MY CONSTITUENTS EXPECT FROM ME. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES FROM HERE COUNCILOR MEJIA YOU HAVE THE
FLOOR. THANK YOU. MADAM PRESIDENT. UM, AND I. JUST WANT FOR THE RECORD FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE TUNING IN. UH, TO BE REALLY CLEAR ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED UP UNTIL THIS
POINT BECAUSE THERE'S LOTS OF NARRATIVES AND I LIKE TO JUST KEEP IT STRAIGHT. UM, SO FIRST OF ALL, THERE HAVE BEEN 31 PUBLIC HEARINGS. ABSOLUTELY.
MOST OF THOSE HEARINGS USUALLY WE DON'T GET ANY ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE ASKED THE ADMINISTRATION. SO OFTENTIMES WE UTILIZE OUR POLITICAL CAPITAL AND NEVER GET
ANY ANSWERS ANYWAY. SO THAT'S NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO RIGHT. WE HAD FOUR DAYS AFTER MAY 26TH
ACTUALLY WE HAD A BIG UH PUBLIC TESTIMONY SESSION AT WHICH POINT WE HAD ALREADY BEEN ASKED TO SUBMIT AMENDMENTS BEFORE WE EVEN HAD THE WHOLE SITUATION FINALIZED.
BUT THAT'S. ANOTHER CONVERSATION. BUT WE WERE ASKED. TO, UH, PROVIDE AMENDMENTS WITHOUT SAYING WHERE WE WERE GOING TO PULL FROM.
THEN WE WERE ASKED, UM, THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE FOUR DAYS TO HAVE WORKING SESSIONS USUALLY WORKING SESSIONS YOU GET LIKE EIGHT HOURS FULL OF YOU KNOW, MAYBE TEN OF THESE WORKING SESSIONS AND DURING THIS TIME
YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DELIBERATE TO ACTUALLY BUILD CONSENSUS, TO READ AND TO LEARN AND TO HEAR YOUR COLLEAGUES SPEAK. BUT THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET WAS DESIGNED WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION AND THE CHAIR WAYS AND MEANS NOT THE BOSS, THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE CHAIR WAYS AND MEANS BECAUSE SEVEN HOURS AND 38 MINUTES WERE
DEDICATED TO AN AMENDMENT PROCESS AND NOW WE GET A I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PAGES THIS IS BUT WE GOT A WHOLE BOOKLET
OF CHANGES THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DIGEST AND THEN VOTE ON. AND WHEN YOU'RE ASKING ME TO DO MY JOB RIGHT SHOWED UP READY TO
DO MY JOB YESTERDAY AND WE GOT ADJOURNED BECAUSE FITZGERALD PRESENTED AN ALTERNATE BUDGET FOR CONSIDERATION. BUT WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE AUDACITY OR THE COURTESY TO
ALLOW US TO REVIEW. THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS. BUT YET STEAMROLLING AGAIN.
SO JUST PRESENT US WITH THE VERSION THAT THE CHAIR WANTS US TO CONSIDER. SO THEREFORE PRESIDENT BREADON ,THIS BODY REALLY NEEDS TO
RECOGNIZE WHO IT IS THAT THEY WORK FOR AND THEY WORK FOR THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON AND I'M NOT DONE YET. HOLD UP. HOLD UP. >>. SO I KNOW CLARK. WE'VE ALREADY. TALKED ABOUT. WHAT OUR. >> THERE'S GOING TO BE A LONG
DAY THIS IS GOING TO BE A LONG DAY BECAUSE I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR AND JUST FOR YOU ALL TO THINK ESPECIALLY BECAUSE NOBODY REALLY TALKED TO ME ABOUT THIS I KNOW IGER MADE THEIR ROUNDS
BUT NOBODY CAME KNOCKING ON MY DOOR BECAUSE THEY KNOW I DON'T DO BEHIND THE SCENES NEGOTIATIONS RIGHT SO EVERYTHING HAS TO BE DONE IN PUBLIC. SO THEREFORE BECAUSE THINGS ARE
GOING TO GET DONE IN PUBLIC I'M GOING TO ASK THAT WE HAVE MORE TIME TO REVIEW THIS AND THAT WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO UNPACK THIS PACKAGE BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE'RE
JUST GOING TO GO ALONG TO GET ALONG. AND I THINK THESE MOMENTS OF CALLING US TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE HAVE POLITICAL WILL AND COURAGE TO FIGHT BACK AND
REALLY TAKE A DEEP DIVE TO SEE IF THIS BUDGET THAT THIS EVEN THIS HAS CHANGED SINCE YESTERDAY. I THINK YOU FOUGHT FOR MAYBE $9 MILLION. WE NEED A 20 MILLION FOR TO RESTORE THE BUDGET.
LIKE DID THIS CHANGE SINCE YOU GAVELED US OUT YESTERDAY LIKE WHAT ARE WE WALKING INTO AND WHAT HAS BEEN DIFFERENT AND WHO DID YOU NEGOTIATE WITH TO GET TO THIS POINT? I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHO WERE YOU
NEGOTIATING WITH BECAUSE IT WASN'T ME. WAS IT THE SEVEN VOTES THAT YOU ALREADY HAVE LINED UP? WAS IT THE ADMINISTRATION? I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHO YOU GOT THIS BUDGET FROM. SO THE CHAIR. THANK YOU COMES FROM MEJIA.
UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY. UM, I WOULD REALLY IN THE INTEREST OF GIVING EVERYONE TIME TO PERUSE THE DOCUMENTS THAT WE'VE JUST GOTTEN, I'D LIKE TO, UH, MOVE TO ADJOURN
AND NOT ADJOURN TO RECESS VERY SOON. BUT COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. YESTERDAY I SAID IT EARLIER BUT STILL NOT SURE EXACTLY WHY.
MAYBE BECAUSE CONFRONTATION WASN'T WANTED BUT OR CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE NEEDED TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT. BUT THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED BY THE CHAIR WITH NO EXPLANATION AND WE WERE LEFT
THERE READY I WAS READY HAD MY WHOLE NIGHT LINED UP KNOWING I WOULDN'T BE HOME ANYTIME EARLY BECAUSE WE WERE GOING TO DISCUSS IT. SO I'D LIKE TWO QUESTIONS ONE HOW MUCH TIME ARE WE GOING TO
HAVE? AND I DO ALSO WANT TO SAY FOR YOU THE CHAIR BEFORE IT WAS 5:00 AND I WAS DRIVING HOME EARLIER THAN I THOUGHT I CALLED YOU AND I SAID. AS THE PRESIDENT OF THIS BODY,
ARE YOU GOING UP TO THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO SCHEDULE SO WE COULD HAVE A 48 HOUR NOTICE, A MEETING, A COUNCIL MEETING FOR THIS FRIDAY IN ANTICIPATION THAT WE WOULD NOT GET TO A VOTE
TODAY AND WE DO NEED 48 HOUR NOTICE AND THAT WAS NOT SCHEDULED. SO I DO WANT TO SAY THAT WE CAN PROACTIVELY BE PREPARED TO NOT BE READY TODAY AND NOT FEEL
LIKE WE HAVE TO WAIT TILL NEXT WEDNESDAY AND I DID ASK. YOU TO DO THAT. AND THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN. WE COULD DO IT NOW WE COULD COME IN ON FRIDAY AND HAVE THIS VOTE IF NEEDED AT 330 ON FRIDAY
THAT IS 48 HOURS OUT SO I DO JUST WANT TO CONTINUE WHICH I HAVE DONE IN THE PAST TO REMIND THOSE WHO ARE AT HOME WATCHING WEDNESDAYS AND THERE'S ONLY 32 MEETINGS WE COME HERE ON A
WEDNESDAY IS NOT THE ONLY TIME IMPORTANT VOTES CAN HAPPEN. SO MAYBE WITH THE CLERK HERE WE CAN SCHEDULE A MEETING FOR FRIDAY BECAUSE I'M ASSUMING IF ANY OF OUR COLLEAGUES COME BACK
WITH MORE CONCERNS OR QUESTIONS AND WE NEED DEPARTMENTS TO COME DOWN OR TIME TO WORK THROUGH A LOT OF AMENDMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE FILED ON TOP OF WHAT THIS PACKET SAYS THAT WE'RE GOING TO NEED THAT TIME.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THAT ANSWER HOW MUCH TIME ARE YOU GIVING US NOW AND ARE YOU WILLING TO SCHEDULE A MEETING FOR FRIDAY IN CASE THAT WE DON'T GET TO A VOTE TODAY? THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. UH, THE TIME RIGHT NOW IS THREE
UH, 3:30 P.M.. UM, I WILL, UH, RECESS THIS MEETING UNTIL, UH, 430. UM, WHEN? RECESS.
AND PLEASE BE, UH, YOU GIVE YOU ADEQUATE TIME TO REVIEW THE PAPERS WE HAVE NOT THEY'RE NOT UNFAMILIAR TO YOU. AND WE WILL BE BACK HERE TO, UH ,TO DISCUSS FURTHER AT 430. THANK YOU. WHEN?
RECESS.
THANK YOU EVERYONE. ALL RIGHT. THE MEETING IS BACK IN SESSION . I HOPE FOLKS HAD TIME TO REVIEW THE, UM THE DOCKET.
UM. I THINK WE'VE GOT A QUORUM. SEVEN. OKAY, WE'RE READY TO GO. UH, COUNCILOR SANTANA, WOULD
YOU MIND TAKING YOUR SEAT? UM. THANK YOU EVERYONE.
WE'RE BACK IN SESSION. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES THE, UM THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR UH, WEBER, THE CHAIR OF WAYS AND MEANS. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UM, I BELIEVE COUNCILOR MURPHY
. OH, IT WAS BEFORE YOU. OKAY. COUNCILOR MURPHY UM, JUST SWITCHING ON YOUR MIC. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH, SO, MADAM PRESIDENT CLARK
DOES THE CHAIR OF WAYS AND MEANS NEED TO READ THE OPERATING BUDGET DOCKET INTO THE RECORD OR NO, WE'RE FINE. OKAY. SO I STAND UM, THANK YOU, MADAM
PRESIDENT. I MOVE THAT WE POSTPONE THE CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER WHICH IS DOCKET 0733 ORDERS FOR THE OPERATING BUDGET UNTIL A
DAY CERTAIN WHICH WOULD BE THE MEETING OF THE COUNCIL ON JUNE 10TH, 2026. AS THE DISCUSSION IN OUR WORKING SESSIONS IS VERY INCOMPLETE. I WILL ALSO ADVOCATE THAT WE
HOST A COUNCIL MEETING ON JUNE 17TH SO THAT WE HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULE TO RECEIVE THE MAYOR'S RESPONSE TO OUR VOTE. ADDITIONALLY, BETWEEN TODAY AND JUNE 10TH WE MUST HOLD ADDITIONAL WORKING SESSIONS TO
DO OUR WORK. THERE IS STILL TIME TO VOTE ON THIS MATTER AT THE JUNE 10TH, 2026 MEETING AS THE BOSTON CITY CHARTER STATES IN SECTION 48
THAT NO LATER THAN THE SECOND WEDNESDAY IN JUNE, THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL TAKE THE DEFINITE ACTION ON THE ANNUAL BUDGET BY ADOPTING, AMENDING OR REJECTING IT.
JUNE 10TH IS THE SECOND WEDNESDAY IN JUNE. DOES ANYBODY SECOND IT? SECOND. SO DEBATE ON THE MOTION TO POSTPONE AND THE TIME IT HAS BEEN MOVED TO BE POSTPONED.
UM CAN OCCUR SO I'M HOPING THAT WE NOW CAN TAKE A VOTE AND SEE IF YOU AGREE. UM, THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR ANY ANY COMMENTS AND I. >> MOTION TO GO FORWARD.
HOLD ON A SECOND. >> I. YES. GO FOR. OKAY. >> HOLD ON. WE HAVE ONE MOTION. ONE MOTION AT A TIME. WE HAVE A SECOND. COUNCILOR MURPHY.
COUNCILOR MURPHY HAS A MOTION TO POSTPONE TO A DAY CERTAIN WHICH IS WEDNESDAY THE 6TH OF JUNE 2026 AT 12 NOON IN THE IN THE CHAMBER? YES. >> LANSING.
THANK YOU. >> UH, AND IT'S BEEN PROPERLY SECONDED. SO, UM, UH, MR. CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? NOPE. >> I ACTUALLY WROTE AUTHORIZES
TAKE AWAY MORE POINTS TO TAKE A VOTE FOR YOUR ORDER. I LIKE TO ASK SOMEBODY TO CONFIRM VOTE.
SO ALL OF. OKAY. COUNCILOR. UM, CONCILOR MEJIA HERE, UH, WANTS TO MOVE THE QUESTION AND
,UH, MOVE TO A VOTE. UH, THIS REQUIRES A MAJORITY. TWO THIRDS MAJORITY TO MOVE TO A VOTE. MR. CLERK, UH, COULD WE PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL?
VOTE ON COUNCILMEMBER? HE IS A MOTION TO MOVE TO A VOTE. WITHOUT DEBATE. UNTIL BREAK.
I MIKE SOFTBANK YOUR BIG COUNCILOR BREADON. LET ME TELL YOU WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON HERE. UH. IT'S NOT LIKE. WE WANT YET TO CUT. WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON TO MOVE
THE QUESTION. YEAH. UM. >> NO. >> I'M SORRY.
MAKE IT PART OF. SO COUNTRYMAN HERE HAS A MOTION TO MOVE THE VOTE.
SO TO GO TO A TO GO TO A VOTE. SO, UH, IF YOU WANT TO MOVE TO A VOTE, PLEASE SAY YES AND IF YOU WANT DO NOT WANT TO GO TO A VOTE, SAY NO. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE. AND WHO'S SECOND?
OH, AND DID YOU HAVE A SECOND COUNCIL? COUNCIL SENT. COUNCILOR BREEN? YES. >> COUNCILOR BREEN. YES. COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS A PARTNER. WHAT CAN I SAY? >> NO COUNCIL COLLETTE AS A
PERSON? NO COUNCIL CULPEPER. THIS IS YES. COUNCILOR CULPEPER. YES, COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR DURKAN. YES. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR. MICHELLE.
YES. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE. COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCILOR. MEJIA. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. COUNCILOR MURPHY. YES, COUNCILOR. MURPHY. >> YES. COUNCILOR. PIPPIN. COUNCIL. PIPPIN. YES, COUNCILOR.
SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. YES. COUNCILOR. WEBER. COUNCIL MEMBER. YES. AND COUNCIL. EARL. YES. COUNCILOR ROWE. YES. MOTION TO UM HAS PASSED BY TWO
THIRDS. SO THE, UH, MOTION TO MOVE TO A VOTE HAS BEEN APPROVED. UH, MR. CLERK. DO YOU HAVE TO REPEAT THE MOTION? MR. >> UH, MURPHY, COULD YOU PLEASE
REPEAT THE MOTION? SO MY MOTION IS TO POSTPONE DOCKET ZERO 733 FOR FOR A RELIEF. HOLD ON. >> WE'RE JUST GETTING HER MY ON. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
PARDON? COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU'VE GOT THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. MY MOTION IS TO POSTPONE DOCKET 0733 ORDERS FOR THE OPERATING
BUDGET TO MOVE THIS MATTER TO THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETING ON JUNE 10TH, 2026. AS THE DISCUSSION IN OUR WORKING SESSIONS IS VERY INCOMPLETE. I WILL ALSO ADVOCATE THAT WHEN
WE VOTE TODAY THAT WE'RE ALSO VOTING, THAT WE HOST A COUNCIL MEETING ON JUNE 17TH SO THAT WE HAVE A MEETING SCHEDULED TO RECEIVE THE MAYOR'S RESPONSE TO OUR VOTE ON THE 10TH. ADDITIONALLY, BETWEEN TODAY AND
JUNE 10TH WE MUST HOLD ADDITIONAL WORKING SESSIONS TO DO THE WORK. NOW THE PEOPLE HAVE ELECTED US TO DO. THERE IS STILL TIME TO VOTE ON THIS MATTER AT THE JUNE 10TH MEETING AS THE BOSTON CITY
CHARTER STATES THAT IN SECTION 48 NO LATER THAN THE SECOND WEDNESDAY IN JUNE, THE CITY COUNCIL SHALL TAKE A VOTE ON THE ANNUAL BUDGET BY ADOPTING, AMENDING OR REJECTING IT. SO JUNE 10TH IS THE SECOND
WEDNESDAY IN JUNE. SO THAT IS WHAT WE'RE VOTING ON NOW THAT IT'S PROPERLY BEFORE. THE BODY. >> COUNCILOR UM, COUNCIL CHAIR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YEAH. UM. >> IN TERMS. OF, UH, WORKING SESSIONS, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S UP TO
THE CHAIR. I DON'T KNOW. IF THERE'S VOTING ON SCHEDULING WORKING SESSIONS, UH, YOU KNOW ,WHICH I'M FINE TO DO, BUT, UH, THAT'S UP TO THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIR. THE MOTION.
I JUST THINK IT'S AN IMPROPER SUBJECT FOR A MOTION. I'M JUST GOING TO MOVE TO A VOTE. UM, MR CHAIR, CAN YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON THE MOTION TO POSTPONE
. UM, AND TO HAVE SOME. UH. >> YES. >> UH, WEDNESDAY NOON JUNE 10TH.
DOCKET NUMBER. 07330733 TO MOVE IT TO NEXT WEEK'S COUNCIL MEETING. >> COUNCIL. VOTED WE HAD THAT WE.
COULDN'T RAISE ISSUES FOR AGAINST WITH REGARD TO THIS NO WE JUST MOVED TO VOTE. I UNDERSTAND THAT AND SO WE'RE NOW VOTING. I THOUGHT EVERY VOTE WE COULD THEN SPEAK ON THAT MOTION.
NO NOT IN THIS CASE. NO. >> WHY DID YOU DO THAT? >> BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT. ALL RIGHT. OKAY FOLKS, THAT. IS OKAY. MR. CLERK.
COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL, VOTE ON THE MOTION TO POSTPONE TO A DAY CERTAIN THE VOTE ON DOCKET NUMBER 0730733
TO NEXT WEDNESDAY AT NOON IN THE IRON CHAMBER. SIX 1026. COUNCILOR BREADON. >> YES. >> COUNCILOR BREADON. >> YES. COUNCIL. COLLETTA. ZAPATA. COUNCIL. CARLOS. UH, NO.
COUNCILOR CULPEPPER. YES. COUNCILOR. CULPEPPER. YES. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. NO. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR. VISCERAL. YES. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. YES. NO SUCH THING. YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. COUNCIL.
LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCIL. MEJIA. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. YES. COUNCIL. PIPPIN. YES. COUNCILOR. PEN. YES. COUNCILOR. SANTANA. COUNCILOR. SANTANA.
YES. COUNCILOR WEBER. NO. COUNCILOR WEBER. >> NO. QUIET, PLEASE. >> AND COUNCILOR MOUNT. YES. >> COUNCIL. >> YES. COUNCILOR MURPHY NO. VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THREE IN THE NEGATIVE.
PASSES. SO FAR AT THE MOMENT THAT WE ALSO ANNOUNCE IT. YES. >> SO WE HAVE PART OF THIS VOTE. YEP. AND?
THANK YOU. >> SO THE MOTION TO POSTPONE TODAY CERTAINLY HAS BEEN. >> PASSED BUT INFORMATION. AND THE SECOND PART WAS THAT WE WOULD COME BACK ON THE 24TH WAS THAT THE SECOND PART OF THE MOTION?
THE 17TH. YEAH. >> THANK YOU EVERYONE. EXCUSE ME. >> COUNCILOR MEJIA, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. I BEG YOUR PARDON IS NOT DIM
LIGHTS. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. >> UH, PRESIDENT. SO I UNDERSTAND THAT DISCUSSIONS. REGARDING WHAT. >> CHAIRMANSHIPS ARE. ALLOWED TO DO. OR NOT. BUT I WANT TO STATE.
FOR THE RECORD. PUBLICLY THAT I DO BELIEVE THAT SEVEN HOURS AND 38 MINUTES TO. DELIBERATE ON A BUDGET. IS NOT ENOUGH TIME AND. THEREFORE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER. >> OR NOT THE CHAIR IS AT
THEIR. DISCRETION. >> I AM. >> GOING TO. >> ADVOCATE AND ASK YOU AS THE PRESIDENT OF THIS BODY. TO ENSURE. THAT WE HAVE MORE TIME. TO DELIBERATE. AS A. 13 MEMBER.
BODY ABOUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO FOR THE. PEOPLE'S BUDGET. I FIND IT. ON REASONABLE AND. DISRESPECTFUL THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO. HAVE A DEFINITE COMMITMENT. TO CONTINUE. >> TO HAVE.
WORKING SESSIONS SO THAT WE CAN . DO THE JOB. THAT WE'VE BEEN HIRED TO DO. SO I NEED TO HEAR THAT. FROM YOU. AS THE. >> PRESIDENT OF THIS BODY THAT WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CONTINUE TO HAVE WORKING
SESSIONS PUBLICLY SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THIS. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILMEMBER UH COUNCILMEMBER HERE. UM, WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO MOTIONS, ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS .
I'M NOT GOING TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION RIGHT NOW. THANK YOU. WE ARE NOW ON TO MOTIONS, ORDERS AND RESOLUTIONS A REMINDER THAT UNDER RULE 39
REMARKS TO NEW MATT ON NEW MATTERS NOT UP FOR A VOTE TODAY SHOULD BE LIMITED TO THREE MINUTES FOR THE LEAD SPONSOR AND TWO MINUTES FOR THE CO-SPONSORS. MR. CLERK, CAN YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET.
EXCUSE ME. >> MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 1099? NO, I CAN NUMBER 01099 COUNCILOR WORRELL OFF FOR THE
PHONE ORDINANCE TO REQUIRE QUARTERLY REVENUE REPORTS TO BE PROVIDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CURRENT. EFFORT O CONTRIBUTOR L BEG YOUR PARDON. COUNCILOR. WELL, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UH, ASKING TO UH, ADD UH, COUNCILOR CO PEPPER AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. COUNCILOR CULPEPER SO ADDED. UM AND SUSPEND THE RULES IN THAT COUNCILMAN HE HAS A UH
THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. HEARING AND SEEING NO OBJECTIONS COUNCILMEMBER HE'S ADDED AS A THIRD. UH THERE'S AN ORDINANCE THAT CODIFIES A PRACTICE UH, MY HAT AS CHAIR OF THE WAYS AND MEANS
COMMITTEE, WHICH WAS TO RECEIVE QUARTERLY REVENUE REPORTS. UM. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE RECEIVE, UH, THESE REPORTS UH, AS A BODY UH, LAST YEAR WE HAD
Q3 REVENUE THROUGH MARCH 31ST UM, AVAILABLE. UM, BUT IT'S MORE IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS PRACTICE IS CODIFIED, UH INTO LAW RIGHT NOW. UH, WHAT'S CODIFIED INTO LAW IS
THAT WE RECEIVE QUARTERLY EXPENDITURE. REPORT. >> UH, BUT REVENUE IS CURRENTLY LEFT OUT INSIDE OF THAT LANGUAGE INSIDE OF THE CHARTER. IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS AND UM ADVOCATE
UM UH FOR THE BUDGET, I THINK THIS IS BEST PRACTICE THAT EXPENDITURES AND REVENUE, UM, IS PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND THE DATA AROUND BOTH EXPENDITURES AND AND AND EXPENDITURES AND REVENUE
REVENUE IS PRESENTING FROM THE ADMINISTRATION ON A TIMELY MATTER. UM SOME MIGHT POINT UH TO UNDER
INVESTMENTS OR UNDER FORECASTED INCOME FROM INVESTMENTS UM FOR REASONS WHY WE ARE UH IN A FINANCIAL REVENUE CONSTRAINT UM BUT WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY UNDER
FORECASTED REVENUE UM, THROUGHOUT THE MANY YEARS. UH, SO THIS ORDINANCE GETS IT ON THE BOOKS. IT MAKES SURE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING UH ON THE IN OUR LAW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE RECEIVING ALL THE INFORMATION
THE DATA REQUIRED TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR BUDGET POWERS AND OUR PROCESS, UM, IS INFORMED BY DATA. THANK YOU. UM, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COMES TO CULPEPER COUNCILOR YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU COUNCIL.
FOR WELL OR WELL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE OF ADVOCATING FOR MORE
TRANSPARENCY AROUND REVENUE. THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPER. WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE CARE
OF THE SUNLIGHT. UM PLEASE CONTINUE. THANK YOU, COUNCIL FOR A WELL WE'RE WELL FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE OF ADVOCATING FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY AROUND
REVENUE REPORTING AND FOR ADDING ME AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. THIS IS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND ENSURING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS
INFORMATION IT NEEDS TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ON BEHALF OF THE PEOPLE OF BOSTON. THIS ORDINANCE IS STRAIGHTFORWARD. THE COUNCIL ALREADY RECEIVES QUARTERLY EXPENDITURE REPORTS
AND WITH THIS ORDINANCE THE CITY WOULD ALSO HAVE TO PROVIDE QUARTERLY REVENUE REPORTS SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A COMPLETE PICTURE OF THE CITY'S FINANCES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR RATHER THAN
ONLY SEEING ONE SIDE OF THE LEDGER AT THE SAME TIME, WE ARE REGULARLY ASKED TO MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS BASED ON REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS, APPROVE SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS AND
ELEVATE PROPOSED SPENDING REDUCTIONS IF THE COUNCIL IS EXPECTED TO EXERCISE MEANINGFUL OVERSIGHT OVER THE CITY'S FINANCES, WE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS
TO TIMELY INFORMATION ABOUT BOTH EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES. THIS IS NOT A RADICAL PROPOSAL AT THE STATE LEVEL. REVENUE COLLECTIONS ARE REPORTED PUBLICLY EVERY MONTH.
LEGISLATORS, STAKEHOLDERS AND THE PUBLIC CAN TRACK TRENDS IN REAL TIME AND MAKE MORE INFORMED DECISIONS AS A RESULT . THIS ORDINANCE SIMPLY BRINGS A
SIMILAR LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY TO CITY HALL BY REQUIRING QUARTERLY REVENUE REPORTING NO LATER THAN 30 DAYS AFTER THE END OF EACH FISCAL QUARTER.
GOOD GOVERNMENT DEPENDS ON TRANSPARENCY. BETTER INFORMATION LEADS TO BETTER POLICYMAKING, BETTER BUDGETING AND GREATER PUBLIC TRUST. FOR THOSE REASONS, MADAM
PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL, WELL, I AM PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS ORDINANCE AND URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO DO THE SAME. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES FROM HERE COUNCILOR YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU. MADAM PRESIDENT. I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR RURAL FOR HIS FIERCE ADVOCACY. UM, AS THE PREVIOUS CHAIR WAYS AND MEANS. UH, HE WAS REALLY ALL ABOUT
MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE WELL INFORMED AND HAD DATA AND INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DO OUR JOB. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. UM, AND NOW THIS ORDINANCE HERE
UH, IS IS A CONTINUATION OF THAT AMAZING WORK. SO AS THE FORMER CHAIR OF GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY TRANSPARENCY AND ACCESSIBILITY WHICH IS A COMMITTEE THAT I UH, ESTABLISHED HERE IN THE CITY
OF BOSTON. UNDER UH. THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR ALLOWING ME TO. CREATE IT. MY OFFICE HAS REGULARLY HELD QUARTERLY HEARINGS REVIEWING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PREVIOUSLY APPROVED BUDGETS
. THOSE CONVERSATIONS HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED FOR A STRONGER MECHANISM TO MONITOR THE CITY'S FINANCES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, NOT JUST DURING THE ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS. BUT COUNCIL IS.
OFTEN ASKED TO MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT SPENDING SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS THE FUTURE BUDGETS WITH LIMITED VISIBILITY INTO HOW REVENUES ARE TRACKED IN REAL TIME REGULAR REVENUE
REPORTING WILL PROVIDE GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND HELP INFORM THOSE DISCUSSIONS. THIS IS A STRAIGHTFORWARD PROPOSAL THAT STRENGTHENS ACCOUNTABILITY AND GIVES BOTH THE COUNCILORS AND RESIDENTS.
A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE CITY'S FISCAL POSITION LOOKS LIKE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SO I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR BURRELL FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. AND I ALSO, UH, WOULD BE REMISS
IF I DID NOT ALSO INCLUDE THE IMPORTANCE OF OVERSIGHT AND THE FACT THAT OUR OFFICE WORKED ON ESTABLISHING THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL AND IT GOT WATERED DOWN. AND UNTIL THIS DAY WE'RE STILL
TRYING TO FIGHT. UH, NOW IN THE STATE HOUSE. BUT WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE CITY COUNCILORS HAVE ACCESS TO INFORMATION IN REAL TIME.
SO I'M HOPING THROUGH THIS ORDINANCE WE CAN AT LEAST GET A STEP CLOSER TO THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. UM, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR FLYNN?
UM, JUST TWO CO-SPONSORS WILL SPEAK ON THIS, BUT IF YOU WISH TO ADD YOUR NAME. OKAY. UM, UH, ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE MURPHY.
UM. >> PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR. THANK YOU. DOCKET 011099 WOULD BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 1100.
DUCK AND NUMBER 1100 COUNCILOR, WE'RE AT A LOSS OF THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION TO RECEIVE QUARTERLY REVENUE REPORTS FROM THE FINANCE CABINET. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WIRRAL COUNCIL YOU
HAVE THE FLOOR. UH THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I LIKE TO ADD COUNCILOR CULPEPER AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. UM COUNCIL CULPEPER SO ADDED. AND I LIKE TO, UM, SUSPEND THE
RULES AND ADD COUNCILOR MEJIA AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS CONCILOR MEJIA SO AND. UH AND THIS JUST GOES OFF OF THE ORDINANCE I JUST FILED
UM IN IN UM A RESOLUTION THAT JUST SUPPORTS US RECEIVING QUARTERLY REVENUE UH, UH, REPORTS FROM THE ADMINISTRATION. THANK YOU. UH, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILOR CULPEPER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. WELL, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE AND FOR ADVOCATING FOR MORE TRANSPARENCY AND INSTEAD OF READING THE ENTIRE REMARKS AGAIN, LET ME JUST
CLOSE WITH THIS PARAGRAPH. GOOD GOVERNMENT DEPENDS ON TRANSPARENCY. BETTER INFORMATION LEADS TO BETTER POLICYMAKING, BETTER BUDGETING AND GREATER PUBLIC TRUST.
FOR THOSE REASONS I AM PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION AND URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO DO THE SAME. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILMEMBER HERE. COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
BUT SINCE WE HAD A LONG DAY I THINK I'VE SAID ENOUGH. THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR. UH. COUNCILOR FLYNN. AND COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.
UM. AND COUNCILOR MURPHY AND PLEASE OUT THE CHAIR. COUNCILORS WERE RAIL CULPEPER AND MAYOR CHIC SUSPENSION OF THE RULES. ADOPTION OF DOCKET 1100.
ALL IN FAVOR SAY I. HAVE. >> UH, MR. AND WE GOT A CALL 125. SO YEAH. UM, MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE AND, UH, DOCKET 1100.
COUNCILOR BREADON. YES. COUNCILOR BREADON YES. COUNCIL COLOR IS ABOUT IT. COUNCILOR CULPEPER. YES. COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. YES. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCIL. FITZGERALD. YES, COUNCILOR. FLYNN. YES, SIR.
FLYNN. YES, COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE. COUNCILOR. MEJIA. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. YES. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNSELOR. MURPHY. YES, COUNSELOR. FLIPPIN COUNCILOR. SANTANA. COUNSELOR. WEBER.
COUNCILOR. EARLE. YES, COUNCILOR. ORAL. YES. SEVEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE . THANK YOU. >> UH, COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE A QUESTION? YEAH. >> WHERE DID EVERYONE GO? I KNOW WE HAVE A QUORUM, BUT
SIX OF OUR COLLEAGUES ON HERE. IS THERE SOMETHING HAPPENING THAT I'M NOT AWARE OF? UM, I HAVE NO IDEA. LET'S CONTINUE. UM, MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE
READ DOCKET 1101? DOCKET NUMBER 1101 COUNCIL IS FLYNN AND MURPHY OH FOR THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS BOSTON MAIN STREETS
PROGRAMS AND THE RECENTLY RELEASED WOLFF AND COMPANY AUDIT. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. BOSTON MAIN STREET PROGRAMS
WERE CREATED TO SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY THROUGH REVITALIZATION SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESSES WITH TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE,
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND WITH MILLIONS IN CITY AND FEDERAL MONEY FUNDING DISTRIBUTED ANNUALLY IN 2025, THE BOSTON FINANCE COMMISSION UNCOVERED ALLEGED FINANCIAL
IRREGULARITIES. REGULARITIES GOT THREE SQUARE MAIN STREETS IN JAMAICA PLAIN INCLUDING FORGED BANK STATEMENT TRANSACTIONS IN A POTENTIAL MISUSE OF FEDERAL GRANTS.
THERE'S DISCREPANCIES WERE FLAGGED BY A DEDICATED CITY EMPLOYEE WHO DEMONSTRATED ACCOUNTABILITY, CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND RESPONSE. THE CITY OF BOSTON CONTRACTED
THE WOLFORD COMPANY THAT'S A NATIONAL CPA FIRM TO CONDUCT A WIDE RANGING AUDIT OF UP TO 20 MAIN STREET ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE CITY. THE WOLFE AND COMPANY AUDIT
REPORT PUBLISHED IN DECEMBER 2025. I ACTUALLY JUST GOT A COPY OF IT. UM AND I PUT IT IN THE COMMUNICATIONS THAT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.
ALSO FOUND THAT INTERNAL CONTROLS DID NOT MEET REASONABLE STANDARDS TO MANAGE RISK. THE REPORT REPORT ALSO CONFIRMED FRAUD IN MISSING
FUNDS FOR WHEN ALTERED BANK STATEMENT FOUND THAT TWO MAIN STREET PROGRAMS DID NOT ACCURATELY REPORT THE ANNUAL FY 20 2024 SUBMISSIONS.
THE FINDINGS IN REPORT RAISED SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT, INTERNAL CONTROLS, TRANSPARENCY OF CITY SUPPORTED NONPROFIT PROGRAMS.
DOZENS OF OTHER MAIN STREET ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS BOSTON CONTINUE TO OPERATE WITH INTEGRITY, PROVIDING VALUABLE SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO SMALL
BUSINESSES AND COMMERCIAL UM COLORADO'S 12TH BOSTON I BELIEVE IT IS THE DUTY OF THE CITY COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT ALL PUBLIC FUNDS ARE USED FOR THEIR INTENDED PURPOSES AND THAT THE
COMMUNITY TRUST AND CITY SUPPORTED NONPROFIT PARTNERSHIPS IS UPHELD THROUGH PROPER STEWARDSHIP AND ACCOUNTABILITY. MADAM CHAIR, NOT MUCH OF A PORTION OF THIS MONEY WAS
FEDERAL FUNDS. WE DID HAVE A HEARING ON THIS PREVIOUSLY, BUT THAT WAS BEFORE I ACTUALLY GOT THE REPORT FROM THE WOLFRAM COMPANY. IT TOOK ME A WHILE FOR ME TO
ACTUALLY RECEIVE IT. ALTHOUGH IT WAS PUBLISHED IN DECEMBER 2025 I JUST RECEIVED IT. UM NOT FROM THE CITY. I JUST RECEIVED IT A COUPLE
WEEKS AGO. BUT I DO THINK AS CITY COUNCIL IS WE HAVE A FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND OVERSIGHT TO ENSURE THAT ANY MONEY WE
RECEIVE WHETHER IT'S CITY MONEY, WHETHER IT'S STATE MONEY OR FEDERAL MONEY THAT WE SPEND IT APPROPRIATELY AND I'M ASKING FOR US AS A CITY COUNCIL AS A
BODY, UM, TO HAVE A HEARING TO DISCUSS MAIN STREETS, THE FINANCIAL PRACTICES AND WANT TO SAY FOR US THAT THE MAJORITY OF MAIN STREET PROGRAMS ARE DOING VERY GOOD WORK.
HOWEVER, WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE ALL OPERATING EFFECTIVELY, EFFICIENTLY AND TAXPAYER MONEY TAXPAYER MONEY IS SPENT APPROPRIATELY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN.
UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YES. >> JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS HEARING NOW THAT WE HAVE A COPY OF THE REPORT AND JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT COUNCILOR FLYNN SAID
,UM, MOST OF OUR MAIN STREETS ,UM, CLOSE TO ALL OF THEM ARE DOING WONDERFUL WORK FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITIES. BUT WHEN WE SEE SOMETHING LIKE THIS IT IS OUR JOB TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.
SO WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SUPPORTS ARE THERE FOR ALL OF THE OTHER MAIN STREET DIRECTORS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED AND THAT THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN BECAUSE ANY FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT ARE MISSPENT COULD
GO TO IMPORTANT SERVICES THAT ARE NEEDED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR CULPEPER. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD ANSWER WELL.
COUNCILORS FLYNN AND MURPHY SIX SUSPENSION OF THE RULES. OH, NO. SORRY. I BEG YOUR PARDON. WRONG THING TO DO. UH. THANK YOU. DOCKET 011101101 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
POST AUDIT. UH, MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 1102. TALKING NUMBER 1102 COUNCIL ON THE HEELS OF THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING REGARDING
THE CITY COUNCIL'S AUTHORITY TO ADOPT, AMEND OR REJECT THE ANNUAL BUDGET UNDER THE BOSTON CITY CHARTER. UM CHAIR RECOGNIZES FROM HERE COUNCILOR YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UH, BOTH COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND AD COUNCILOR AS ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD IS ADDED AND HEARING AND SEEING NO
OBJECTION. COUNCILOR MORALES ADDED AS A THIRD. OKAY. >> UM SO TODAY AS WE WE PREPARED TO VOTE FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET, I'M FOLLOWING THIS HEARING ORDER BECAUSE I
BELIEVE THERE'S VALUE IN CREATING A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CITY COUNCIL'S ROLE AND AUTHORITY LOOKS LIKE IN THE BUDGET IN THE BOSTON BUDGETING PROCESS. THROUGHOUT THIS BUDGET SEASON,
THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC DISCUSSION ABOUT THE POWERS AVAILABLE TO THE CITY COUNCIL WHEN REVIEWING THE MAYOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET. QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COUNCIL'S AUTHORITY TO AMEND
THE BUDGET AND ITS AUTHORITY TO REJECT IT. OTHERS HAVE EXPRESSED THE CREATION OF INTERPRETATIONS OF WHAT VOTERS INTENDED WHEN THEY APPROVED THE 2021 CHARTER
AMENDMENT ESTABLISHING SHARED BUDGET POWERS BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL. THESE CONVERSATIONS HAVE HIGHLIGHTED THAT THERE IS NOT ALWAYS A COMMON UNDERSTANDING OF THE COUNCIL'S ROLE IN THIS PROCESS.
GIVEN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ANNUAL BUDGET, I BELIEVE IT'S APPROPRIATE. FOR THE COUNCIL. >> TO HOST A HEARING THAT BRINGS TOGETHER LEGAL EXPERTS, MUNICIPAL GOVERNANCE SCHOLARS, FORMER ELECTED OFFICIALS, PUBLIC FINANCE PROFESSIONALS
AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO DISCUSS THE SCOPE AND THE PURPOSE OF THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET AUTHORITY. THE PROCESS. >> IS FLAWED. THE 2021 CHARTER AMENDMENT CHANGED BOSTON'S BUDGET PROCESS
BY ESTABLISHING SHARED BUDGET AUTHORITY BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL AND GRANTING THE CITY COUNCIL THE POWER TO ADOPT, AMEND OR REJECT THE BUDGET. BUT AS WE CONTINUE IMPLEMENTING
THOSE REFORMS, I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT TO EXAMINE THEIR INTENT AND HOW THEY FUNCTION IN ACTUAL PRACTICE. THIS HEARING IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ROLE
THAT THAT ADOPTION AMENDMENT AND REJECTION EACH PLAY WITHIN THE SHARED BUDGET PROCESS AND TO PROVIDE RESIDENTS WITH GREATER FLAHERTY ABOUT HOW BUDGET DECISIONS ARE MADE AND WHETHER OR NOT THE WAY WE'RE
GOING ABOUT IT MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU. UH THANK YOU. UH, COUNCILOR. WELL, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. I THINK UH, COUNCILOR UH, FITZGERALD. I BEG YOUR PARDON, COUNCILOR. I'M GETTING YOU GUYS OUT OF ORDER, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD
. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UH, I THINK ONE THING WE'VE LEARNED THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND HAVING THESE POWERS THAT WE'VE GONE THROUGH THE YEARS IS THE PROCESS IS FLAWED. IT IS A GOOD TIME AFTER FIVE
YEARS OF LOOKING THIS LIKE ANY BUSINESS WOULD DO YOU SORT OF DO A REVIEW OF PAST PRACTICES AND SEE WHERE YOU CAN LOOK TO IMPROVE THEM? UM, I DON'T THINK WE'RE GETTING THE RESULT WE WANT OUT OF THIS UH, ESSENTIALLY.
SO I THINK IT'S A GOOD TIME TO REVIEW IT, HAVE THAT DISCUSSION AND SEE HOW IT COULD BE IMPROVED. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WHILE COUNCILOR YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL ME HERE AND COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.
I KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN LEADING ON EXAMINING, UH, THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT PROCESS UH, FOR A WHILE NOW, SO I THINK THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO DO IT. I THINK IT'S ALSO VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE COUNCIL HAS
THEIR OWN INDEPENDENT LEGAL ANALYSIS ON ALL THE OPTIONS THAT CAN PLAY OUT SO THAT WE HAVE OUR OWN EXPERT, UH, BUYING FOR US. UH, SO I'M JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS HEARING.
ALSO LOOKING FORWARD TOWARDS ANY RECOMMENDATIONS AUTOMATED PROCESS BETTER BECAUSE THE ORIGINAL INTENT BEHIND THIS CHARTER AMENDMENT WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAD MORE POWER.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT CONVERSATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LIVING UP TO THE ORIGINAL WHAT TIME OF THE CHARTER AMENDMENT? THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR CULPEPER. UH, COUNCILOR FLYNN HUNTER
MURPHY. THANK YOU. UH, DOCKET UH 1102 WOULD BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON, UH, WAYS AND MEANS.
UH, MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 1103? I CAN NUMBER 1103 COUNCILOR WORRELL OFF OF THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING TO EXAMINE ELIMINATING MINIMUM
LOT SIZE REQUIREMENTS IN DISTRICT FOUR. THANK YOU. >> CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WORRELL COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT . THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF VACANT LOTS ACROSS THE CITY MEANING
EMPTY LOTS THAT COULD BE USED TO HOUSE RESIDENTS. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING OWNS 915 VACANT LOTS, INCLUDING 187 IN DISTRICT FOUR. THESE VACANT LOTS BECOME
EYESORES. THEY ATTRACT RODENTS AND OFTENTIMES SEEN AS DUMPING GROUNDS WHILE THEY'RE NOT BEING TAKEN CARE OF. AND US DISTRICT COUNCILS PROBABLY GET HUNDREDS OF PHONE CALLS AROUND THESE VACANT LOTS .
AND ONE OF THE REASONS, UM, THESE SMALLER LOTS REMAIN VACANT IS BECAUSE THE ZONING CODE FOR THAT DISTRICT. FORBIDS BUILDING RESIDENTIAL HOUSING ON ANYTHING LESS THAN
3000 OR 4000FT2. WE HAVE MADE PROGRESS ON THIS. THANKS TO WELCOME HOME BOSTON, WHICH HAS TURNED DOZENS OF VACANT LOTS INTO AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP UNITS BUILT BY CONTRACTORS. IT'S AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM THAT
HAS DONE GREAT WORK BUT HAS ALSO ONLY SCRATCHED THE SURFACE AND IS LIMITED TO PUBLICLY OWNED LOTS. OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS MY OFFICE HAS HAD REGULAR MEETINGS WITH DEVELOPERS. I JUST WANT TO JUST SAY THANK
YOU TO ALL THE DEVELOPERS THAT HAVE UH, GIVEN US THEIR TIME AND THEIR KNOWLEDGE UM, ABOUT SMALL AND LARGE PROJECTS IN DISTRICT FOUR. TO HEAR FEEDBACK FROM FROM THEM ON IDEAS THAT CAN HELP MAKE
DEVELOPMENT MORE AFFORDABLE, UNLOCK RESOURCES AND THEREBY SPUR THE PRODUCTION OF MORE HOUSING AND HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES IN THE CITY. ONE OF THE MOST COMMON THEMES WE HEARD WAS THAT THE MINIMUM
LOT SIZE REQUIREMENT OFTEN POSES A PROBLEM. FOR EXAMPLE, THE CURRENT ZONING LAW REQUIRES A MINIMUM LOT SIZE RANGING FROM 3 TO 7000FT2 ACROSS DISTRICT FOUR FOR A
SINGLE FAMILY TO THREE FAMILY UNITS IN DISTRICT FOR MORE THAN 60 VACANT CITY OWNED LOTS UNDER THE 3000FT2 MINIMUM LOT REQUIREMENT AND DOZENS MORE ARE SMALLER THAN THE 7000FT2
MINIMUM LOT REQUIREMENT. SO IF SOMEONE WANTS TO BUILD A. THREE STORY PROJECT ON ANY OF THESE LOTS THAT ADD 3000FT2 OR LESS TO ADD UH THREE NEW
UNITS TO THE AREA, THEY WOULD BE FORBIDDEN FROM DOING SO FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THE ZONING CODE ARBITRARY MINIMUM LOT SIZE RESTRICTION. THIS CONVERSATION COMES AT A PERTINENT TIME WHEN PEOPLE NEED
HOUSING AND THE CITY HAS VACANT SPACE JUST SITTING THERE WAITING TO BE USED. COUNCILORS AND RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ASKING OVER AND OVER FOR REAL SOLUTIONS TO CREATE HOUSING AND TO MAKE DEVELOPMENT MORE AFFORDABLE.
THIS IS A METHOD THAT TARGETS A SPECIFIC PART OF THE CITY'S OUTDATED ZONING CODE IN A WAY THAT THE CHIEF OF PLANNING TESTIFIED LAST MONTH THAT HE PREFERS IT TO BE DONE WHICH IS NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD
AND NOT BLANKETED REFORM CITYWIDE. THE NEEDS OF EACH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND RESIDENTS VARY SO MUCH AND I ZONING CODE TO REFLECT THAT. THIS IS A WAY TO TANGIBLY MAKE
IT EASIER FOR DEVELOPERS TO BUILD MORE HOUSING BY REMOVING UNNECESSARY REQUIREMENTS TO FREE UP ALL OF THIS CURRENTLY UNUSED SPACE. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO DIVING IN AND FIGURING THIS OUT TOGETHER SO WE CAN BRING MORE
HOUSING AND MORE REVENUE TO THE CITY. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BROWN. WOULD ANYONE, UM, LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR. FLYNN.
COUNCILOR. MEJIA. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. AND PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR. DOCKET 1103 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSPORTATION .
MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 1104. DOCKET NUMBER 110 FOR COUNCILOR CULPEPER FOR THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING TO EXAMINE THE ELIMINATION
OF THE BOSTON HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION IN THE FISCAL YEAR 27 OPERATING BUDGET. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CULPEPER. COUNCILOR. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. MADAM PRESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO
ADD COUNCILOR FLYNN AS THE SECOND ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR AND REQUEST SUSPENSION OF THE RULES . THE COUNCIL WERE AWARE OF AS A THIRD ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. COUNCILOR FLYNN IS ADDED AS A
SECOND AND SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS CONSTABLE WORRELL IS ADDED AS A THIRD. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THE MAYOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET ELIMINATES HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION BY INCLUDING NO
APPROPRIATION FOR IT, WITH ITS FUNCTIONS TO BE ABSORBED BY THE EQUITY CABINET AND SUPPLEMENTED BY EXISTING STATE RESOURCES. ACCORDING TO THE NARRATIVE, IN
THE FISCAL YEAR 2730. BUT SIGNIFICANT QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT WHETHER THOSE DEPARTMENTS HAVE THE STAFFING, THE EXPERTISE AND THE CAPACITY
FULFILL TO FULLY ABSORB THE COMMISSION'S RESPONSIBILITIES AND WHETHER STATE AGENCIES CAN DELIVER SERVICES THAT ARE LOCAL ,TIMELY, ACCESSIBLE AND
RESPONSIVE TO BOSTON RESIDENTS SPECIFIC NEEDS ABOVE THE STRUCTURAL CONCERNS. MADAM PRESIDENT, ELIMINATING THAT DEPARTMENT DEDICATED TO MAKING BOSTON MORE EQUITABLE,
INCLUSIVE AND SAFE FOR ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS IS DEEPLY TROUBLING. THE FACT THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS ALLOWED THE COMMISSION TO REMAIN INACTIVE FOR TWO YEARS IS NOT A
JUSTIFICATION FOR ELIMINATING IT. IT IS A VERY QUESTION THAT WE SHOULD BE ASKING TODAY WHY WAS IT ALLOWED TO DETERIORATE? WHAT MESSAGE DOES THAT SEND TO
OUR CONSTITUENTS? WE NEED TO REBUILD THE COMMISSION AS A STRONGER INSTITUTION THAN IT WAS BEFORE. THIS IS THE MOMENT TO INVEST IN THESE PROTECTIONS, NOT ALLOW
THEM TO FADE. HOW CAN WE SIT IN THESE SEATS, SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT IS ACTIVELY COMING FOR OUR BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS AND THEN TURN AROUND AND
ELIMINATE THE VERY DEPARTMENT DESIGNED TO PROTECT THESE RIGHTS TO OUR CONSTITUENTS. THAT'S A CONTRADICTION WE CANNOT AFFORD AND ONE OUR RESIDENTS CANNOT AFFORD EITHER .
IN BOSTON WE LIKE TO BRAG ABOUT BEING THE MOST PROGRESSIVE CITY IN THE COUNTRY. WELL, MADAM PRESIDENT AND MY COLLEAGUES, LET'S ACT LIKE IT. EVERY BOSTON RESIDENT DESERVES
COMPREHENSIVE, ACCESSIBLE CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION. AND THIS COUNCIL HAS A FUNDAMENTAL OBLIGATION TO ENSURE THAT STRUCTURAL CHANGES
DO NOT COME AT THE EXPENSE OF PEOPLE WE SERVE. THIS IS AT ITS CORE. LET ME JUST SAY THAT AGAIN THIS IS AT ITS CORE A CIVIL RIGHTS
ISSUE JUST ELIMINATING THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. THIS IS THE TIME TO INVEST BOLDLY STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITIES AND ENSURE THAT EVERY COMMUNITY IN BOSTON HAS
THE MOST ROBUST PROTECTIONS THEY DESERVE. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU COUNCILOR. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR AND
THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR COLE PEPPER FOR ADDING ME. THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR CULPEPER FOR YOUR IMPORTANT WORDS. >> BUT YOUR YOUR. ACTIONS ARE FOR MANY YEARS IN
THIS IN THIS FIELD AS A AS A HOUSING LAWYER FIGHTING FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND EQUAL JUSTICE. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE CONSUL LOUIJEUNE WHO WAS
WORKING ON THIS ISSUE AS WELL. SO I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE CONSUL LOUIJEUNE IN HER COMMITMENT TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH ,FORMER SENATOR WILKERSON FOR
HER COMMITMENT TO CIVIL RIGHTS AS WELL. UM, THERE'S A LOT OF LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE DOING DOING THIS WORK AND I WANT TO BE I WANT TO
BE PART OF IT. I KNOW OTHERS ARE LEADING ON IT BUT I DO WANT TO DO MY PART. THIS THIS COMMISSION WAS
ESTABLISHED IN 8384 AND UNDER MAY HAVE FLYNN IN THE FIRST DIRECTOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR I SHOULD SAY OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION WAS A FRIEND OF MINE AND SANDERS I DON'T KNOW IF
MANY OF YOU KNOW IAN SANDERS DIANE KNOWS AND SANDERS. SHE WAS MY NEIGHBOR IN SOUTH BOSTON JUST RECENTLY AND SHE SHE MOVED OUT. BUT AT ONE TIME BOSTON HAD A
LOT OF HATE CRIMES. WE STILL HAVE HATE CRIMES IN MASSACHUSETTS IN BOSTON BUT WE HAD A LOT OF HATE CRIMES AGAINST GAY AND LESBIAN PEOPLE AT THAT TIME.
NOW THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY AND THAT WAS REALLY WHAT THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION WAS ALL WAS ABOUT BUT ALSO SUPPORTING CIVIL RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS, ENSURING
PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE TREATED WITH RESPECT. BUT IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY AN AVENUE FOR PEOPLE TO BE HEARD AND TO BE RESPECTED. I AGREE WITH COUNCILOR CULPEPER.
I AGREE WITH COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO ADDRESS CIVIL RIGHTS, TO ADDRESS HUMAN RIGHTS AND WE NEED TO ENSURE
THAT THERE'S MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR THIS IMPORTANT DEPARTMENT. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONTROVERSIAL COUNCILOR. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH, THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. UH, AND THANK YOU TO
COUNCILOR CO-PARENT CASA FLYNN FATEMI ON THIS. I JUST WANT TO THANK, UH, COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE, UH, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND WORK ON THIS MATTER AS WELL. UM, I KNOW BOTH OF YOU, UH, HAVE A DEEP HISTORY WITH THIS
COMMISSION AND SAW ITS POWER DURING THE 1980S AND 1990S. UH, MY OFFICE HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH ONE OF THE FORMER EXECUTIVE. DIRECTORS AS COUNCILOR FLYNN JUST MENTIONED. AND SANDERS AND I HAVE ALREADY,
UH, A LETTER, UH, THAT SHE WANTED SHARED WITH ME TO READ AND TO RECORD AS A FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE BOSTON HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION IN THE EARLY 1990S, DARREN MAYOR FLYNN'S RAY FLYNN'S
ADMINISTRATION. I'M WRITING IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMISSION AND URGENTLY REQUEST THAT FUNDING BE RESTORED FOR THIS CRITICAL CITY DEPARTMENT. A LITTLE HISTORY. THE COMMISSION WAS ESTABLISHED
BY CITY ORDINANCE IN 1984 BY THEN CITY COUNCIL DAVID ITS CONGRESS AND SIGNED INTO LAW BY MAYOR FLYNN. IT WAS DEDICATED TO PROMOTING EQUALITY, PREVENTING DISCRIMINATION AND ADVANCING
HUMAN RIGHTS FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS AND WAS THE FIRST SUCH COMMISSION IN THE COMMISSION IN THE COUNTRY TO INCLUDE LGBTQ PROTECTIONS. IT BECAME INACTIVE IN 1996 AND
WAS FINALLY REACTIVATED IN 2019, AND THE MAYOR MARTIN WAS BROUGHT LARGELY DUE TO GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS OF IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES. THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMISSION
BOTH THEN AND NOW CANNOT BE UNDERSTATED. IT WAS A PLACE WHERE IMMIGRANTS WHO LIVED IN THE CITY FOR YEARS AS WELL AS NEWCOMERS TO BOSTON COULD COME AND FEEL SAFE. MANY HAD COME FROM COUNTRIES
WHERE THE POLICE OR OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES WHERE THEY WOULD GO FOR PROTECTION OFTEN WHAT THEY WOULD THEY WOULD WEAR THEIR OPPRESSORS. IT WAS A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE COULD FEEL SAFE AND UNDERSTOOD
BECAUSE OFTEN AN INVESTIGATOR FOR THE COMMISSION SPOKE THEIR LANGUAGE. IT WAS A PLACE WHERE AN LGBTQ PERSON COULD COME AND RECEIVE A WARM RECEPTION. IT WAS A PLACE WHERE A PERSON WHO HAD BEEN TREATED
DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE OF HIS OR HER FAITH COULD COME. MANY MAY THINK TODAY THAT THOSE POPULATION AND MANY OTHERS NO LONGER NEED PROTECTION, BUT SADLY THEY ARE WRONG TO THINK
THAT DISCRIMINATION NO LONGER EXISTS IN BOSTON OR THAT THERE IS NO LONGER NEED FOR A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION IS MISGUIDED AND SHORTSIGHTED. PEOPLE COMING TO THE COMMISSION FEEL THEY HAVE BEEN TREATED
DIFFERENTLY IN A VARIETY OF SETTINGS SUCH AS EMPLOYMENT ,PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS, TRANSPORTATION BECAUSE OF WHO THEY ARE. DURING MY TENURE WE INSTITUTED THE PRACTICE AND MEDIATION AS A
FORM OF ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION, WHICH WAS A VERY EFFECTIVE IN DEALING WITH MANY COMPLAINTS IN ADDITION TO SPEAK IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. ALL OUR BEST TO ALL OUR INVESTIGATORS BECAME CERTIFIED
MEDIATORS. THE CITY OF BOSTON IS KNOWN WORLDWIDE AS A CITY THAT IS WELCOMING. PART OF THAT IS DUE. TO EVERY PERSON BEING ABLE TO FEEL SAFE WORKING, VISITING OR
GOING TO SCHOOL HERE AND THEY KNOW IF THEY NEED HELP THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS THAT IN A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT. THE CITY OF BOSTON HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES BOSTON A GREAT CITY
AND A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE IS BECAUSE IT CARES ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND WORK HERE. SIGNED AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WORRELL. WOULD ANYONE LIKE, UM, HOLD A
SECOND ON HERE? WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL MEMBER HERE. COUNCILOR MURPHY, COUNCILOR PEPEN. AND PLEASE. >> ADD THE CHAIR. DOCKET 1104 DEFER TO THE
COMMITTEE ON CIVIL RIGHTS, RACIAL EQUITY AND IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT. MR TURNER, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 1105. DOC NUMBER 1105 COUNCILOR WORRELL OFF OF THE
FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING TO EXPLORE THE CREATION AND MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC BATHROOM FACILITIES IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR WORRELL COUNCIL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
I LIKE TO ADD COUNCIL ME HERE AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. FOR MEJIA SO ADDED. UH THANK YOU. UH, THERE ARE AREAS OF THE CITY INCLUDING IN MY DISTRICT THAT DO NOT HAVE A PUBLIC RESTROOM. THERE MIGHT BE A BATHROOM
INSIDE A PRIVATELY OWNED FACILITY, BUT THE OWNER OF THAT FACILITY IS NOT REQUIRED TO OPEN UP THEIR RESTROOMS TO THE PUBLIC. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE AND IS AN ACCESS ISSUE. IT'S AN EQUITY ISSUE AND IT'S
RELEVANT TO THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF EVERY RESIDENT'S LIFE. YES, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACCESS A LIBRARY COMMUNITY CENTER, BUT THAT'S OBVIOUSLY A VERY LIMITED WINDOW TO USE AND IT'S OFTEN NOT AVAILABLE WHEN
OUR PARKS ARE BEING USED. MODELS EXIST IN OTHER CITIES SUCH AS CAMBRIDGE HAVE PILOTED THEM. OFTEN TIMES I GO TO LEFT FIELD AT ROBERTS PLAYGROUND AND THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT PORTA
POTTIES ALL WITH LOCKS ON THEM BECAUSE ONE OF THE YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS ORDERS AND MAINTAINS THEM AND THEN HALF THE TIME THE PORTA HAS FALLEN OVER THE HILL OR HAS NOT BEEN WELL-MAINTAINED. IT'S JUST NOT BEFITTING OF A
WORLD CLASS CITY. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THIS CONVERSATION TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PUBLIC PARKS AND PUBLIC RESTROOMS ARE BETTER MAINTAINED AND MORE ACCESSIBLE. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU COUNCILOR. AND THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES FROM MEJIA YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
UH THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR WORRELL FOR FILING THIS HEARING ORDER AND ADDING ME AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. AND I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE AWESOME BRIGHTON DSA, UH, CREW BECAUSE THEY HAVE
BEEN ONE OF THE LOUDEST VOICES HERE IN THIS CHAMBER ADVOCATING ON UH, THIS VERY SPECIFIC ISSUE HERE. SO ACCESS TO UH, PUBLIC RESTROOMS MAY SEEM LIKE A SMALL ISSUE AND SO YOU NEED TO USE
ONE YOURSELF AND CAN'T FIND ONE FOR MANY RESIDENTS INCLUDING SENIORS, FAMILIES WITH UH YOUNG CHILDREN, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND AND THOSE MANAGING HEALTH CONDITIONS ACCESS TO CLEAN AND SAFE
RESTROOMS CAN DETERMINE WHETHER THEY ARE ABLE TO DO SO COMFORTABLY WHILE NAVIGATING AND ENJOYING PUBLIC SPACES. OTHER CITIES HAVE FOUND CREATIVE WAYS TO PROVIDE AND MAINTAIN PUBLIC RESTROOM
FACILITIES, AND THIS HEARING GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN FROM THOSE MODELS AND EXPLORE WHAT WE CAN BE DOING HERE IN BOSTON. CONSIDERING THAT BOSTON WANTS TO PRIDE ITSELF AS BEING A PROGRESSIVE CITY. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
ARE LIVING UP TO THAT NAME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MEJIA THE CHAIR. UM SO AND WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME COUNCILOR CULPEPER COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD COUNCILOR. FLYNN, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR.
HAPPEN. AND PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR. THANK YOU. DOCKET 1105 WILL BE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON CITY SERVICES. MR DRUG, COULD YOU PLEASE READ
DOCKET 1106.. NUMBER 1106 COUNCILOR SPLENDID. WHERE I'LL, UH, FOR THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE 2025 BOSTON FIREARM. TRAFFICKING REPORT.
COUNCILOR, UM CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. MADAM CHAIR, MAY I SUSPEND RULE 12? ANNETTE. COUNCILOR CULPEPER. UM, HEARING AND SEEING NO OBJECTIONS. COUNCILOR CULPEPER.
SO ADAM. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. GUN VIOLENCE IS A LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH AND INJURIES IN THIS COUNTRY CAUSING HARM TO NOT ONLY THE INDIVIDUAL BUT ALSO TO
COMMUNITIES THAT EXPERIENCED GUN VIOLENCE. IN OCTOBER 2022, THE CITY COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED A RESOLUTION DECLARING GUN VIOLENCE AS A PUBLIC HEALTH
EMERGENCY. IN NOVEMBER 2023, THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING REQUIRING THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT TO STUDY THE TRAFFICKING OF ILLEGAL FIREARMS
AND TO PUBLISH A REPORT EVERY YEAR ON THEIR FINDINGS. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR WORRELL FOR HIS CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE.
ACCORDING TO THE POLICE STATS FROM JANUARY 2025 TO DECEMBER 2025 THERE WERE 122 SHOOTING VICTIMS. GUN TRAFFICKING IN ILLEGAL FLOW
OF FIREARMS IS A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR TO GUN VIOLENCE. BOSTON POLICE RECOVERED 819 TOTAL ILLEGAL FIREARMS IN 2025 .
THERE WERE 470 ARRESTS FOR FIREARM RELATED CHARGES IN 2025 ,73 OF THEM OF THE ARRESTS WERE JUVENILES, AN INCREASE OF 13% COMPARED TO 2020 FOR
WITH GROWING CONCERNS REGARDING TO GHOST GUNS, THAT'S BASICALLY AN ILLEGAL FIREARM THAT YOU CAN PRACTICALLY BUILD YOUR OWN HOUSE AND HAVE PARTS SENT TO
YOU UH, FROM FROM A 3D PRINTER . IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE BOSTON POLICE CONTINUE TO COLLECT DATA AND HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
POLICYMAKERS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS AND REALLY ACROSS NEW ENGLAND IN THE COUNTRY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ILLEGAL THE IMPACT OF ILLEGAL GUN TRAFFICKING.
ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, 54 GUN CRIME GUNS RECOVERED WERE PRIVATELY MANUFACTURED AS GHOST GUNS. AS I AS I MENTIONED UM I WAS GOING TO HIGHLIGHT SEVERAL
RECENT INCIDENTS BUT I'M NOT GOING I'M NOT GOING TO DO THAT. BUT I DO THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO PROVIDE A CRITICAL PROVIDE THE CRITICAL LEADERSHIP
ON GUN VIOLENCE IN OUR CITY. BUT WHAT HAPPENS IN OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAS A HUGE IMPACT RIGHT HERE IN BOSTON. WHAT HAPPENS UP IN MAINE OR
WHAT HAPPENS IN FLORIDA HAS AN IMPACT HERE IN BOSTON. IT'S ABOUT US WORKING TOGETHER ,STUDYING THE ISSUE, PROVIDING THE LEADERSHIP TO ENSURE THAT GUNS DON'T COME INTO THIS CITY
BUT ALSO REALLY TO ANY CITY. UM, AND IN AMERICA BECAUSE WE HAVE AN EPIDEMIC OF GUN VIOLENCE THROUGHOUT THROUGHOUT
THE MAJOR MANY MAJOR CITIES ACROSS AMERICA. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONSTABLE WELL, COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> UH, MADAM PRESIDENT, THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR HAVING
ME ON THIS AND YOUR WORK AROUND, UH, THIS ISSUE. I THINK THIS DATA IS INCREDIBLY USEFUL AND IS ONLY AVAILABLE THANKS TO OUR COLLABORATION IN 2023 TO IDENTIFY THE FLOW OF GUNS INTO THE CITY.
BUT THESE STATS INFORM NOT ONLY WHERE OUR POLICE SHOULD BE LOCATED AND THEY ALSO HELP US AS A CITY TO SEE WHERE OUR OTHER RESOURCES SHOULD BE DIRECTED SUCH AS HOUSING, FOOD ACCESS AND EMPLOYMENT
ASSISTANCE BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IF YOU HAVE A GOOD JOB GOOD ENOUGH UH PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE AND STEADY PLACE TO REST YOUR HEAD AT NIGHT, THEN WE'RE ADDRESSING THE ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENCE. SO THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR FLYNN AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS
HEARING. THANK YOU. >> CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CULPEPER. COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR YOUR ADVOCACY ON THIS ISSUE AND FOR ADDING ME AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR.
AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL AS WELL FOR YOUR ADVOCACY. COLLECTING DATA IS NOT ONLY IMPACTFUL IF WE ANALYZE IT AND USE IT TO MAKE PURPOSEFUL
CHANGE. AS A COUNCIL WE HAVE A PROFOUND OBLIGATION TO THE VICTIMS OF FIREARM VIOLENCE, TO THEIR LOVED ONES, TO OUR OCCURRING RESIDENTS, TO THE FUTURE
OF THIS CITY TO ALWAYS STRIVE FOR A SAFER STREETS. THAT OBLIGATION IS NOT PASSIVE IT DEMANDS ACTION. THE 2025 FIREARM REPORT REVEALS
A SIGNIFICANT CONCENTRATION OF FIREARM RECOVERIES AND VIOLENCE IN DISTRICTS B2 AND B3 AT THE VERY HEART OF BOSTON. THIS IS NOT JUST CONCERNING
DATA IT IS A CALL TO ACTION. REPORTS LIKE THIS ONE EXISTS TO SHOW US WHERE THE NEED IS GREATEST AND IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY, MADAM PRESIDENT, TO RESPOND.
WE CANNOT ALLOW THESE FINDINGS TO JUST SIT ON A SHELF. THAT IS WHY THIS HEARING ALONG WITH THE ONE I FOUND ON FIREARM TRAFFICKING, GUN VIOLENCE AND
FIREARM VIOLATIONS AND POLICE DISTRICT B2 AND B3 WE MUST BRING TOGETHER THE RIGHT BODIES AND STAKEHOLDERS TO ANALYZE THIS DATA, UNDERSTAND THE ROOT
CAUSES AND DEVELOP INTENTIONAL TARGETED POLICY SOLUTIONS THAT MEET THIS VERY MOMENT. THE RESIDENTS OF B2, B3 AND EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN BOSTON
DESERVE A CITY COUNCIL THAT TURNS DATA INTO ACTION AND ACTION INTO RESULTS. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME?
COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR MURPHY UM, PLEASE OF THE CHAIR. UM. THANK YOU. DOCKET 1106 WOULD BE REFERRED
TO THE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 1107? NUMBER 1107 COUNCIL FLYNN OFF OF THE FOLLOWING ORDER FOR A
HEARING TO DISCUSS THE FINDINGS OF THE 2025 ANNUAL REPORT BY THE BOSTON DISABILITY COMMISSION. THANK YOU. >> MR. CORRECT. CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONSTRUCTION. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THE BOSTON DISABILITY COMMISSION SERVES AS THE CITY'S PRIMARY ADVOCATE FOR ADVANCING ACCESSIBLE ACCESSIBILITY, INCLUSION AND CIVIL RIGHTS FOR RESIDENTS WITH DISABILITIES.
I HAVE GREAT FAITH IN THIS COMMISSION. I HAVE GREAT FAITH IN THE COMMISSION AND COMMISSIONER MCCOSH. THE COMMISSION'S 2025 ANNUAL REPORT PROVIDES VALUABLE DATA,
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING ARCHITECTURAL AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS, ADA COMPLIANCE TRAINING, TRANSPORTATION, EMPLOYMENT, PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS, OVERALL
QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN BOSTON. ACCORDING TO THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION ,MORE THAN 1 IN 4 ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES LIVE LIVES
WITH THE DISABILITY MAKING DISABILITY INCLUSION A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF EFFECTIVE ALL EFFECTIVE MUNICIPAL GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY.
BOSTON HAS COMMITTED ITSELF TO ADVANCING ACCESSIBILITY AND ENSURING THAT ALL RESIDENTS, REGARDLESS OF ABILITY, CAN FULLY PARTICIPATE IN CIVIC, ECONOMIC, EDUCATION AND THE
CULTURAL LIFE. THE FINDINGS CONTAINED IN THE 2025 REPORT PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US ON THE CITY COUNCIL, CITY DEPARTMENTS, ADVOCATES AND RESIDENTS TO
EVALUATE PROGRESS, IDENTIFY BARRIERS, DISCUSS STRATEGIES TO. IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON DISABILITY RIGHTS CIVIL RIGHTS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. UM, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? I'M SURE CULPEPER COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR UM HAPPENED COUNCILOR BARELLAN
PLEASE OUT THE CHAIR. DOCKET 1107 REFER TO THE COMMITTEE ON CIVIL RIGHTS RACIAL EQUITY AND IMMIGRANT ADVANCEMENT. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 110?
IT TALKS NUMBER 1108 COUNCIL FLYNN FOR THE FOLLOWING ORDER REQUESTING CERTAIN INFORMATION UNDER SECTION 17 OF REGARDING A NUMBER OF PARKING METERS AND ANNUAL
REVENUE GENERATED IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU. >> CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR COUNCIL COUNCILOR FLYNN YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I FAILED THE 17 F TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ANNUAL REVENUE.
BOSTON RECEIVED SOME PARKING METERS OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS AND HOW MANY WE HAVE HAD IN SERVICE EVERY YEAR, HOW MANY PARKING METERS WE HAD EVERY YEAR, HOW MANY WERE REMOVED
EACH YEAR AND WHAT STREETS THEY WERE REMOVED FROM. I THINK THIS IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO HAVE BECAUSE WE'RE $100 MILLION UM IN THE RED RIGHT NOW AND THOSE 50
MILLION AND OUR SCHOOLS IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO LEARN AS MUCH AS WE CAN, UM, ABOUT REVENUE SOURCES AND UM, THIS IS A SIMPLE 17 F THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU.
CONSTITUENT SIX SUSPENSION THE RULES AND, UH, PASSAGE OF DOCKET 1108. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. UH, MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON DOCKET 1108.
COUNCILOR BREADON. YES. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES, COUNSELOR. COLOR AS OPPOSED COUNSELOR CULPEPER. COUNSELOR. CULPEPER. YES, COUNSELOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. COUNSELOR. JOE. YES. COUNSELOR. FLYNN.
YES. COUNSELOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR. ILLUSION. COUNSELOR. MEJIA. COUNSELOR. MIGHTY. YES. COUNSELOR. MURPHY. YES. COUNSELOR. MURPHY AS COUNCILOR. BUT THEN COUNCILOR GRIFFIN. YES, COUNSELOR. SANTANA.
COUNSELOR. WEBER. COUNSELOR. WORLD. DOCKETS. YES. COUNSELOR. WORLD. YES. TALKING OF A1108 HAS RECEIVED
EIGHT VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU, MR TURK. MAY I ASK MY COLLEAGUE COUNSELOR CULPEPER TO TAKE THE CHAIR FOR A FEW MOMENTS WHILE
I, UM. MADAM PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE.
HISTORY THIS. READY TO GO? TALK NUMBER 1109 COUNCIL IS BREADON FLYNN. OFFER THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZING ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER MONTH. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. MADAM PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I'M HONORED TO BE HERE TO SUPPORT THE RECOGNITION OF ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC
ISLANDERS MONTH IN BOSTON THIS PAST MAY BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A COUNCIL MEETING LAST WEEK. WE MISSED ACTUALLY HAVING THIS AS A RESOLUTION IN MAY, BUT WE DID NOT WANT TO LET THIS IMPORTANT RECOGNITION GO
UNNOTICED. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR BEING A CO-SPONSOR AND FOR ALWAYS BEING A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR OUR AAPI COMMUNITY IN BOSTON. YOU CAN FIND A VIBRANT AND
DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE TOWARD BOSTON AND THEY PROVIDE LEADERSHIP AND BUSINESS GROWTH AS WELL AS CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND
CULTURE IN BOSTON AS THEY CONTINUE TO THRIVE WITHIN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THERE ARE MANY CONTRIBUTIONS THAT ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS HAVE MADE TO HELP THE CITY OF BOSTON
CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD, WHETHER IT IS THROUGH EDUCATION OR HEALTH CARE SERVICES, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERSHIP, ARTISTIC ABILITY OR ADVOCACY FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD. AS A DISTRICT COUNCILOR FOR
ALLSTON BRIGHTON, I'M PROUD TO REPRESENT A VIBRANT AND GROWING AAPI COMMUNITY. THIS RECOGNITION REMINDS US THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO SUPPORT ALL RESIDENTS TO FEEL
SAFE, RESPECTED AND REPRESENTED ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE RECENT RISE IN DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PEOPLE OF ASIAN. DESCENT AND THE INCREASE IN THE OCCURRENCE OF ANTI-ASIAN HATE RELATED INCIDENTS.
I HOPE THIS RESOLUTION WILL SHOW THAT WE AS A COUNCIL REAFFIRM OUR COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND ADVANCING OPPORTUNITY THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSITY WHICH MAKES US STRONG.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL BRATTON FOR INCLUDING ME.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL CITY COUNCILORS FOR THEIR IMPORTANT WERE UP. THEY HAVE DONE AS WELL IN SUPPORTING ASIAN AMERICANS UM HERE IN BOSTON BUT ACROSS
ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE UM MAYOR WO AND HER TEAM AS WELL FOR THE INCREDIBLE WORK THEY HAVE DONE ON THIS ISSUE. MR CHAIR, WHEN I WHEN I SERVED
OVERSEAS AND IN THE IN THE MILITARY I SERVED WITH ASIAN AMERICANS AND SAW THEIR INCREDIBLE DEVOTION TO OUR
COUNTRY UM AND SERVICE AND I ALSO SAW THEIR WILLINGNESS TO, YOU KNOW, LEAD AND TO TAKE CHARGE TO PROVIDE INCREDIBLE LEADERSHIP NOT JUST IN THE
MILITARY BUT ALSO THROUGHOUT SO MANY SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY. AND I THINK OF THAT BECAUSE I ALSO KNOW THAT AT THE SAME TIME THEIR LOVED ONE IS SERVING
OVERSEAS IN HARM'S WAY BACK HERE IN THE UNITED STATES WE SEE A RISE IN ANTI-ASIAN RACISM AND HATE CRIMES AS WELL. SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TO ADDRESS IT. BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE INCREDIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS ASIANS AND ASIAN AMERICANS HAVE MADE TO OUR CITY
AND TO OUR COUNTRY AND WE HAVEN'T TREATED THEM WITH THE RESPECT THAT THEY'VE EARNED AS WELL, INCLUDING A HISTORY OF RACISM AGAINST THE ASIAN
COMMUNITY INCLUDING THE CHINESE EXCLUSION CHINESE EXCLUSION ACT ,WHICH IS THE FIRST TIME THE UNITED STATES EVER EXCLUDED A RACE OF PEOPLE UH, BASED ON
BASED ON THEIR RACE. AND THIS IS THE SAME COMMUNITY THE CHINESE COMMUNITY THAT WORKED WITH THE IRISH AND AND OTHERS AS LABORERS AND HELPED
BUILD THE CONTINENTAL RAILROAD CONNECTING THE EAST COAST TO THE WEST COAST AGAIN BEING EXCLUDED. THE THE CHINESE COMMUNITY. THERE WAS A FAMOUS PHOTO OUT IN
SALT LAKE CITY WHEN THE WHEN THE RAILROAD WAS CONNECTED EVEN THOUGH IT WAS BUILT BY THE CHINESE LABORERS, NOT ONE CHINESE PERSON WAS PICTURED AND SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE IN THAT PHOTO.
BUT THAT'S JUST ONE SMALL EXAMPLE. IT'S ACTUALLY A EXAMPLE OF THE ENTIRE RACISM THAT CONTINUES TO TAKE PLACE ACROSS THE COUNTRY. WE NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT AND WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER.
MR. MR CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME AN EXTRA FEW SECONDS. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR FLYNN, WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR MURPHY?
YES YOU MAY. I JUST WANT TO. >> TRY STARTING WITH. OKAY. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPER I JUST WANTED TO RISE TO THANK COUNCILOR FLYNN AND
COUNCILOR BRATTON FOR FILING THIS. IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO MAKE SURE WE RECOGNIZE OUR ASIAN COMMUNITY. UM, NEXT TO COUNCILOR FLYNN, I SPENT A LOT OF TIME IN CHINATOWN AND IN ALL THE
COMMUNITIES AROUND THE CITY AND IN MY OWN HOME NEIGHBORHOOD A LOT OF VIETNAMESE FAMILIES, NEIGHBORS. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE ALWAYS UPLIFTING THE ASIAN COMMUNITY I DO I KNOW
BOTH OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ALREADY EXPRESSED THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO MANY OF OUR CITY EMPLOYEES, BUT I DID WANT TO GIVE A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO SUPERINTENDENT CHIN AND THE
INTENT THAT I KNOW THE CAPTAIN AND ONE THAT COVERS CHINATOWN HAS REALLY INTENTIONALLY MADE SURE THAT OUR POLICE THAT WE'RE REALLY PUTTING A LOT OF ASIAN POLICE OFFICERS IN CHINATOWN AND I KNOW THAT WHEN I GO TO
THE CHINATOWN SAFETY MEETINGS AND THE BUSINESS MEETINGS THEY TALK A LOT ABOUT UM, THANKFUL FOR THE LANGUAGE ACCESS AND KNOWING THAT THEY JUST FEEL SAFE AND SEEN IN SO MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ACROSS
THE CITY. SO JUST THANK YOU FOR THIS AND KNOW THAT IF ANYONE EVER WANTS TO GO TO CHINATOWN WITH ME, I'M ALWAYS UP FOR A GOOD VISIT. THEY HAVE GREAT FOOD, GREAT NEIGHBORS AND IT'S A VIBRANT
COMMUNITY THAT REALLY DOES NEED OUR SUPPORT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR MURPHY WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME TO THIS DOCKET
COUNCILOR MURPHY? COUNCILOR FITZGERALD HAS SOMEONE HERE COUNCILOR PEPPER, COUNCILOR WEBER AND COUNCILOR WORRELL.
COUNCILORS BREADON FLYNN SIX SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET 1109. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. OPPOSED? SAY NO.
THE AYES HAVE IT. MR. CLERK. DOCKET NUMBER 1110 COUNCILOR BREADON OFF THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION AFFIRMING
THE CITY OF BOSTON'S COMMITMENT TO GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE. COUNCILOR. >> MADAM PRESIDENT. IT'S A TIME.
THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I WOULD LIKE TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND I'D CONSIDER WORRELL AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. THERE BEING NO OBJECTIONS, COUNCILOR BOYLE.
WELL, IS THAT IT? I RISE TODAY TO ASK FOR SUSPENSION ADOPTION AND ADOPTION OF THIS RESOLUTION REAFFIRMING THE COUNCIL'S SUPPORT FOR GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON.
WITH BOSTON STILL FEELING THE EFFECTS, CONTINUING TO FEEL THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, INVESTING IN GREENER, GREENER INFRASTRUCTURE HAS BECOME A REQUIREMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT
AND NECESSARY FOR THE HEALTH OF THE CITIZENS LIVING IN BOSTON. UH, RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WE HAVE THREE WATERSHEDS. WE HAVE THE CHARLES RIVER, WE HAVE THE MYSTIC RIVER AND WE
ALSO HAVE THE NIPPON RIVER UH, THAT OF UH A PART. >> OF THE. LANDSCAPE IN OUR GEOGRAPHY GREEN AND INFRASTRUCTURE HELPS TO STRENGTHEN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS BY ENHANCING STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS, PROVIDING
USABLE. GREEN SPACE AND IMPROVING PUBLIC HEALTH FOR ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITIES IN ALLSTON, BRIGHTON AND THROUGHOUT BOSTON OUR CITIZENS HAVE VOICED MANY TIMES.
MANY HAVE VOICED MANY TIMES THEIR CONCERNS REGARDING THEIR NEED FOR CLEAN AIR, RESILIENT INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLANNING THAT SUPPORTS A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.
THE CITY'S 2030 CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IDENTIFIES GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AS A CORE STRATEGY FOR ADDRESSING STORMWATER AND INLAND FLOODING, AND IT CALLS FOR CLEAR STANDARDS AND COORDINATED
IMPLEMENTATION WITH THE RECENT ELIMINATION OF THE OFFICE OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, MANY RESIDENTS AND ADVOCATES HAVE RAISED UNDERSTANDABLE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THIS WORK WILL CONTINUE, HOW ONGOING PROJECTS
WILL BE MANAGED AND HOW THE CITY WILL MEET ITS STATED CLIMATE GOALS. THIS RESOLUTION URGES THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE STREETS CABINET TO RESTORE STAFFING CAPACITY, PROVIDE TRANSPORT
TRANSPARENT TIMELINES AND ENSURE CLEAR REPORTING ON ALL GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND STORMWATER PROJECTS. OUR COMMUNITIES DESERVE FLAHERTY, ACCOUNTABILITY AND SUSTAINED INVESTMENT IN THIS
CRITICAL CLIMATE RESILIENT WORK AND I RESPECTFULLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT. JUST OUT OF A FEW INCIDENTS, UH, WE HAD A STORM A FEW YEARS AGO WHERE TWO INCHES OF RAIN FELL IN TWO HOURS.
IT RESULTED IN CLOSURE OF THE GREEN LINE BECAUSE WATER WAS A STORM, WATER WAS ACCUMULATING, THE LINE HAD TO CLOSE AND A NEWLY CONSTRUCTED UH BELOW GRADE UH BASEMENT APARTMENT WAS FLOODED WITH FOUR FEET
OF WATER. UH, THIS IS REAL AND IT'S UH VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE UH ,CONTINUE TO SUPPORT UM, AN ACTIVE AND DYNAMIC GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, UH,
INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, IN OUR DEPARTMENT IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR? >> WHERE ELSE? COUNCILOR WORRELL, YOU HAVE THE
FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> THE PROCESS CORRECT. THAT WAS BLINKEN.
OKAY, SO, UH. YEAH. >> THERE YOU GO. FIGURED IT OUT. UH, THEY THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT, FOR ADDING ME AND BRINGING THIS, UH ,HEARING ORDER FORWARD.
AS COUNCIL PRESIDENT BIDEN STATED, BOSTON IS FACING MULTIPLE CLIMATE THREATS, MANY OF THEM DIRECTLY RELATED TO SERIOUS ISSUES WITH INFRASTRUCTURE AROUND THE CITY. WE NEED ALL EXPERTS AS HANDS ON DECK TO ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES
AHEAD. A LOT OF THIS OFFICE'S WORK THE CLIMATE UH OFFICE UH, SLATED FOR MATTAPAN TO ADDRESS INLAND FLOODING ISSUES AND UH, AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE TOOLS. THE ELIMINATION OF THE OFFICE
OF GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE CITY'S RELEASE OF THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UH, CONCERNS ME, BUT I THINK I SPEAK FOR ALL IN THIS COUNCIL THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE.
BUT WHAT WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT IS HOW THESE PLANS AND THESE GOALS WILL BE, UH, BROUGHT FORWARD. UH, ONE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO REINSTATE THIS OFFICE TO MAKE
SURE THAT WE WILL BE FOLLOWING THROUGH THE CITY'S CLIMATE ACTION PLANS PROMISES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCIL WOULD ANYONE. LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME TO THIS
DOCKET? DOCKET 1110 COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD, COUNCILOR FLYNN,
COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE CONCILOR MEJIA HERE COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCIL. PEPPER CAMPBELL WEAPON. THANK YOU. YOU ARE. COUNCILOR BRATTON SIX
SUSPENSION OF. AND COUNCILOR COPELAND FOR THANK YOU CHAIR COUNCILOR COUNCIL PRESIDENT BRANE SIX SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET
1110. ALL IN FAVOR SAY I. UH THOSE IN FAVOR SAY NAY. THE AYES HAVE IT. OH. >> MR CLERK, PLEASE COUNT THE VOTE.
COUNSELOR BRAIN. YES, COUNCIL BRITTANY HAS COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS OPPOSED COUNCILOR CULPEPPER. YES. >> CULPEPER. >> YES. COUNCILOR DURKAN. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YES. THAT'S FOR SHOW. YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR. FUNYUNS.
COUNCIL ILLUSION. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. YES, COUNCILOR. MEJIA. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. YES. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. >> COUNCILOR. MURPHY. >> COUNCIL. PIPPIN. THAT'S THE PEN. YES, COUNCILOR. SANTANA. COUNCILOR. WEBER. YES. COUNCILOR. WEBER.
YES AND COUNCILOR WORRELL. YES. COUNCIL AROUND? YES. SO I CAN NUMBER 1110 AS WE SEE TEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. WELCOME.
>> YOU. CAN I GIVE THIS? THANK YOU. UM, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER FOR TAKING THE CHAIR. UH, SEE WHERE WE ARE.
SEE. 1111111. >> MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET NUMBER 1111. COUNCILOR WORRELL FOR THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING JUNETEENTH IN THE
CITY OF BOSTON. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. I LIKE TO ADD COUNCILOR CULPEPER AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. COUNCILOR CULPEPER. SO ADD IT.
AND I DID SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD CONCILOR MEJIA HERE AS A ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS. COUNCILMEMBER HE IS SELECTED. UM PROUD TO STAND TODAY IN SUPPORT OF THIS RESOLUTION
RECOGNIZING JUNETEENTH AND CALLING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ANNUAL JUNETEENTH BANNER PROGRAM HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. AS A BLACK MAN, AS A FATHER AND SOMEONE WHO REPRESENTS A DISTRICT ROOTED IN BLACK
HISTORY, CULTURE AND RESILIENCE THIS IS DEEPLY PERSONAL. TO ME. >> JUNETEENTH IS A REMINDER THAT FREEDOM FOR BLACK AMERICANS DID NOT COME ALL AT ONCE EVEN EVEN AFTER THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION WAS
SIGNED AND SAY BLACK PEOPLE IN TEXAS REMAINED IN FOR MORE THAN TWO YEARS BEFORE FINALLY LEARNING THEY WERE FREE ON JUNE 19TH, 1865. THAT HISTORY MATTERS BECAUSE IT
REMINDS US THAT PROGRESS IS NOT ALWAYS IMMEDIATE. JUSTICE IS NOT ALWAYS GUARANTEED AND INFORMATION ITSELF CAN BE POWER. AND HERE IN BOSTON, A CITY
BUILT IN PART BY BLACK LABOR, BLACK ADVOCACY AND BLACK RESISTANCE, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY NOT JUST TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HISTORY BUT TO MAKE IT VISIBLE. THAT'S WHY I'M EXCITED ABOUT
THE IDEA OF A JUNETEENTH BANNER PROGRAM ACROSS OUR CITY I THINK ABOUT YOUNG BLACK KIDS WALKING DOWN BALLOU LIVE THROUGH DORCHESTER DOWNTOWN BACK BAY
AND SEEING BANNERS HONORING BLACK LEADERS, FREEDOM FIGHTERS ,ARTISTS, ORGANIZERS AND COMMUNITY BUILDERS SEEING REMINDERS THAT THEY COME FROM STRENGTH.
BRILLIANT AND SURVIVAL MATTER. AND THIS IS ALSO ABOUT INVESTMENT SUPPORTING BLACK ARTISTS, BLACK DESIGNERS AND BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES AND CREATING THESE BANNERS I MEAN
TURNING CELEBRATION INTO OPPORTUNITY AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT AS WE APPROACH JUNETEENTH, I HOPE WE CONTINUE TELLING THE FULL STORY OF THIS COUNTRY NOT JUST THE
COMFORTABLE PART BUT THE HONEST PART BECAUSE UNDERSTANDING THAT HISTORY IS HOW WE CONTINUE MOVING CLOSER TO THE FREEDOM AND EQUITY OUR ANCESTORS FOUGHT FOR.
I LIKE TO REQUEST EXPANSION AND PASSAGE OF THIS RESOLUTION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL CULPEPER COUNCILOR YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU.
COUNCIL WILL WELL FOR ADDING ME AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR JUNE. >> 19TH. 1865 THE DAY ENSLAVED BLACK AMERICANS IN GALVESTON, TEXAS
WERE FINALLY TOLD THEY WERE FREE MAKING THE TRUE END OF SLAVERY IN THIS UNITED STATES. THIS CAME ROUGHLY TWO AND A
HALF YEARS AFTER THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION HAD ALREADY DECLARED ITSELF. THAT DELAY IS PART OF THE LESSON FREEDOM DECLARED IS NOT
FREEDOM DELIVERED. JUSTICE PROMISE IS NOT JUSTICE DONE. JUNETEENTH IS OUR ANNUAL RECKONING WITH THAT GAP AND OUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO CLOSING IT.
IN BOSTON WE KNOW THIS HISTORY WELL. BLACK BOSTONIANS DIDN'T JUST WAIT FOR CHANGE THEY FORCED IT. THEY ORGANIZED. THEY MARCHED. THEY SACRIFICED RIGHT HERE ON
THESE STREETS IN BOSTON TO RECOGNIZE JUNETEENTH OFFICIALLY IS TO TELL THE FULL TRUTH OF WHO WE ARE, HOW WE GOT HERE AND HOW MUCH FURTHER WE HAVE TO GO.
THE BANNER PROGRAM THIS RESOLUTION CALLS FOR IS HOW WE CONTINUE TO CLOSE THAT GAP. EACH JUNE FLAGS ON OUR LAMPPOSTS, STREET POLES IN OUR
PARKS WILL PULL HISTORY INTO THE LIGHT MAKING VISIBLE THE LEGACY, THE SACRIFICE AND THE LIVING CONTRIBUTIONS OF BLACK BOSTONIANS AND AMERICANS.
WE ARE FILLING THIS GAP WITH REAL ECONOMIC PURPOSE BY ROOTING THIS PROGRAM IN BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES, TRUSTING THEM TO DESIGN AND CREATE THESE BANNERS. WE GO BEYOND SYMBOLS.
WE PUT RESOURCES WHERE THEY ARE OWED SUPPORT PRESENT DAY COMMUNITY LEADERS AND TURN COMMEMORATION INTO DIRECT INVESTMENT. JUNETEENTH REMINDS US THAT THE ARC OF JUSTICE DID NOT BEND ON
ITS OWN. IT BENDS BECAUSE PEOPLE PUSH IT. THE VOTE IS ONE PUSH BUT OUR BLACK COMMUNITIES ARE STILL FIGHTING FOR EQUITABLE SCHOOLS,
EQUITABLE SAFETY, HOUSING AND HEALTH. LET THIS RESOLUTION, MADAM PRESIDENT AND MY COLLEAGUES BE A FOUNDATION BUT AS A PROMISE A PROMISE AT BOSTON WE'LL KEEP
WORKING UNTIL EQUALITY IS NO LONGER THE EXCEPTION BUT THE EXPECTATION. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. THANK YOU. >> CHAIR RECOGNIZES COMES FROM HERE. COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND I WANT TO THANK
COUNCIL WORRELL FOR ADDING ME AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR TO THIS RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING JUNETEENTH IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. JUNETEENTH HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART. IN 2020, AT THE HEIGHT OF THE RACIAL AND CIVIL UNREST.
UH, THEN ALONGSIDE COUNCILOR UH KIM JANEY AND COUNCILOR ANDREA CAMPBELL, I WAS PROUD TO HELP LEAD THE EFFORT TO HAVE JUNETEENTH BE RECOGNIZED OFFICIALLY BY THE CITY OF BOSTON.
I'M A LEADER BY THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS AS A HOLIDAY WAS STARTED AS AS A RESOLUTION BEFORE THIS BODY BECAME A STATEWIDE HOLIDAY ENSURING THAT THIS HISTORY WOULD BE ACKNOWLEDGED AND
REMEMBERED FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. FOR ME, JUNETEENTH IS NOT ONLY A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM AS A REMINDER THAT FREEDOM DELAYED IS FREEDOM DENIED AND THAT THE FIGHT FOR JUSTICE, EQUITY AND
LIBERATION DID NOT END IN 1865 . IT STILL CONTINUES TODAY AS AN AFRO-LATINA, AS AN IMMIGRANT AND AS SOMEONE WHO BELIEVES DEEPLY IN SOLIDARITY ACROSS COMMUNITIES. I UNDERSTAND THAT OUR STRUGGLES
ARE INTERCONNECTED. JUNETEENTH CALLS ON ALL OF US TO HONOR BLACK HISTORY, CELEBRATE BLACK JOY AND REMAIN COMMITTED TO DISMANTLING SYSTEMS THAT CONTINUE TO CREATE
INEQUITIES AND EXCLUSION. AND I ALSO THINK AND I SAY THIS EVERYWHERE THAT I GO IS THAT WHEN THEY ABDUCTED OUR ANCESTORS, THE ONLY DIFFERENCE WAS THE PORT THAT THEY DROPPED US OFF AT.
UM SO I LOVE TO STAND IN SOLIDARITY AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL OVERALL FOR ADDING ME. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MEJIA. THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES CONSTABLE LOUIJEUNE THEN WE'LL GO TO CONSTRUCTION. THANK YOU. >> I JUST WANT TO STAND IN RECOGNITION OF JUNETEENTH AND
THE FOLKS IN GALVESTON, TEXAS WHO FOUND OUT. ON JUNE 19TH, 1865. LEARNED OF. THEIR FREEDOM. UM, AND I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, SO MANY AS A BLACK WOMAN
HERE IN THIS CITY I WHOSE PARENTS CAME FROM HAITI, I RECOGNIZE THAT WE STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF SO MANY WHO WERE BROUGHT HERE VIA CHATTEL SLAVERY, UM, AND ENDURED AND HELPED REALLY BUILD THIS COUNTRY AND BUILT THE
GROUNDWORK FOR A CAPITALISM IN THIS COUNTRY. SO I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, SAY HAPPY JUNETEENTH. I, UH, ENJOY UPLIFTING AND CELEBRATING ALONGSIDE, UH, OUR
AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY HERE. I ALSO WANT TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO OPENLY WHO WAS THE ARCHITECT OF JOB OF ONE AND REALLY PUSHING TO MAKE JUNETEENTH A FEDERAL HOLIDAY.
UM, AND SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US WHO DID THE WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD PAUSE AND REMEMBER JUNETEENTH, WHICH WAS REALLY A DAY OF JUBILEE THAT STARTED OUT IN
THE BACKYARDS OF CHURCHES AND IN PEOPLE'S HOMES CELEBRATING, UM, IN TEXAS WHAT FREEDOM REALLY MEANT. AND SO UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL THE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS THAT WILL HAPPEN ACROSS THE CITY AND TO THE PEOPLE WHO WILL
PUT THEM ON INTO THE CONTINUED WORK OF JUSTICE AND FREEDOM. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCIL YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNCIL.
WE'RE ALL COUNCIL CULPEPER AND COUNCIL ME HERE FOR BRINGING THIS IMPORTANT RESOLUTION FORWARD. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE MAYOR JANEY AS WELL FOR HER
WORK, THE IMPORTANT WORK SHE HAS DONE AND PROVIDED IN THIS CITY FOR MANY YEARS. I I WAS WITH HER THE OTHER NIGHT AT A AT AN EVENT AND JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE HER HER LEADERSHIP.
I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE THE SACRIFICE AND SERVICE OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN VETERANS. I KNOW I HAVE SAID IT BEFORE, BUT I THINK IT'S WORTH
REPEATING THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN VETERANS HAVE GIVEN SO MUCH TO OUR NATION AND TO OUR FREEDOM AND AT THE SAME TIME THEY CAME
BACK TO CITIES ACROSS AMERICA AND NOT TREATED NOT TREATED WITH THE RESPECT AND DIGNITY THAT THEY'VE EARNED INCLUDING INCLUDING AT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION HOSPITAL, MYSELF
AND UM COUNCIL CULPEPER. WE WERE AT AN EVENT A COUPLE WEEKS AGO CELEBRATING BLACK VETERANS IN ROXBURY. I ALSO KNOW THAT THERE'S A I BELIEVE IT MIGHT BE
CONGRESSWOMAN PRESSLEY THAT SPONSORING A BILL IN CONGRESS THAT RECOGNIZES THE FAMILIES OF BLACK VETERANS THAT REALLY DIDN'T RECEIVE THEIR VA
BENEFITS. WORLD WAR TWO OR KOREA THAT THESE VETERANS BLACK FACTIONS DIDN'T RECEIVE THEIR BENEFITS THAT THEY'VE EARNED. BUT THIS LEGISLATION WOULD
PROVIDE THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WITH THE BENEFITS THAT THEIR LOVED ONE THAT THAT WERE DENIED ACCESS TO THESE BENEFITS WHETHER IT WAS EDUCATION,
WHETHER IT WAS HOUSING OR SOME OTHER TYPE OF BENEFITS. I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE CONGRESSWOMAN PRESSLEY AS WELL AND MAYOR JANEY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. BUT ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME?
COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. ALREADY ON THERE. UH, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR MURPHY, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR UH PEPPER AND
COUNCILOR WEBER. UM AND PLEASE ADD THE CHAIR. COUNCILORS WILL WHEREVER CULPEPER AND MAYOR SEEK SUSPENSION OF THE RULES AND ADOPTION OF DOCKET 1111. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OPPOSED? >> MR TURNER, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON DOCKET 1111. COUNCILOR BREADON. YES. YES. COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS OPPOSED. COUNCILOR CULPEPER. COUNCILOR CULPEPPER. YES.
COUNCILOR DURKAN. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. YES. THAT'S FOR SURE. YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN. SO, FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCIL. MEJIA. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. YES. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. YES.
COUNCIL. PIPPIN. COUNCILOR PENNY HAS COUNCILOR SANTANA. COUNCILOR WEBER COUNCIL WILL BE. YES. AND COUNCILOR EARL. YES. COUNCIL WILL? YES. TALKING ABOUT 1111 HAS RECEIVED
TEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU, MR. CLERK. DOCKET 1111 HAS BEEN ADOPTED. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET 1112. TALKING NUMBER 1112
COUNCIL WILL OFFER THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. CHAIR RECOGNIZES CUSTOM ORAL CUSTOM. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> MADAM PRESIDENT.
I'D LIKE TO ADD COUNCILOR CULPEPER AS A ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR. COUNCILOR CULPEPER SO AND I'D AND. >> TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND ADD COUNCILOR MEJIA AS A THIRD ORIGINAL. CO-SPONSOR AND SEEING AND HEARING NO OBJECTIONS COMES
FROM A HE IS ADDED AS A THIRD. UH THANK YOU. AS THE SON OF A BELGIAN AND JAMAICAN IMMIGRANT PARENT, I'M HAPPY TO CELEBRATE CARIBBEAN HERITAGE MONTH. UM FROM THE FOOD TO THE MUSIC
TO THE ACCENTS TO THE SPORTS TO THE JOY CARIBBEAN PEOPLE BRING FLAVOR, RESILIENCE AND YES, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS WEATHER WE BRING THE HEAT. BOSTON'S CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY
HAS SHAPED EVERY CORNER OF THIS CITY AND HEALTH CARE AND SMALL BUSINESSES AND PUBLIC SERVICE AND THE ARTS AND EDUCATION AND IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND IN DISTRICT FOR ESPECIALLY CARIBBEAN FAMILIES ARE PART
OF THE HEARTBEAT OF OUR COMMUNITY. I ALSO WANT TO SHOUT OUT UH, A FEW NOT ALL UH SOME OF THE ORGANIZATIONS UH THAT ORGANIZE AROUND CARIBBEAN HERITAGE MONTH
AND ADVOCATE THE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY YEAR ROUND. THE AUTHENTIC CARIBBEAN FOUNDATION UNITED BARBADIANS AND MASSACHUSETTS AND LEADERS LIKE SHIRLEY SAILING FORWARD
WHO HAS SPENT DECADES MAKING SURE CARIBBEAN CULTURE CONTINUES TO THRIVE HERE IN BOSTON. ALSO WE HAVE B SOCA AND BCR AMONGST A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS MONTH SHOULDN'T JUST BE ABOUT CELEBRATION BUT ALSO RECOGNITION AND INVESTMENT. MY OFFICE HAS FILED A HERE IN ORDER TO EXPLORE CULTURAL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON BECAUSE OUR IMMIGRANT
COMMUNITIES DESERVE SPACES WHERE CULTURE, BUSINESS AND COMMUNITY CAN GROW TOGETHER. SO TO EVERY CARIBBEAN FAMILY ACROSS BOSTON WHETHER YOU ARE JAMAICAN, HAITIAN, DOMINICAN,
TRINIDADIAN, BARBADIAN, GRENADIAN WE ALL KNOW WHO HAVE THE BEST PATTIES FOR. THIS BUT TODAY IS TODAY AND THIS IS THE MONTH THAT WE ALL GET TO CELEBRATE. THANK YOU. AND I'M SEEKING SUSPENSION AND
PASSAGE OF THIS RESOLUTION. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU SHOULD HAVE A CARIBBEAN BAKE OFF OR SOMETHING. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CULPEPER. COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FOR WELL,
FOR HELP FOR HAVING ME AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR TO DO TWO DECADES JUNE HAS MARKED NATIONAL CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH. BOSTON IS INCREDIBLY PROUD TO
HONOR THE VIBRANT COMMUNITY THAT SHAPED THE FABRIC OF OUR CITY EVERY SINGLE DAY. AS A CITY COUNCILOR FOR DISTRICT SEVEN AND DEEPLY PROUD
TO REPRESENT A DISTRICT HOME TO SUCH A STRONG, THRIVING AND BEAUTIFULLY DIVERSE CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY. SINCE 1980, BOSTON'S CARIBBEAN
POPULATION IS MORE THAN TRIPLE NOW MAKING AT 18% OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. YOU SEE THIS PROFOUND IMPACT EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK IN THE DEDICATED HEALTHCARE WORKERS
AND CAREGIVERS GIVING AND KEEPING OUR FAMILIES SAFE AND HEALTHY. THE VISIONARY SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS DRIVING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND THE GRASSROOTS
CULTURAL LEADERS WHO SPENT DECADES BUILDING DEEP ROOTS OF CONNECTION, ADVOCACY AND OPPORTUNITY. THIS MONTH ISN'T JUST ABOUT RECOGNITION.
IT IS A CELEBRATION OF CULTURAL PRIDE AND A SHARED SPIRIT OF RESILIENCE THAT CONTINUES TO SHAPE, INSPIRE AND UPLIFT DISTRICT SEVEN AND THE ENTIRE
CITY OF BOSTON. AND I MIGHT ADD THAT RYAN COUNCIL WILL BROTHER HAS CHALLENGED ME TO JAMAICAN OXTAILS VERSUS SOUTHERN.
OXTAILS AND I PLAN FOR DISTRICT SEVEN TO MAKE THE BEST OXTAILS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU MADAM PRESIDENT. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE A PLAN. I HOPE YOU INVITE ME WHEN YOU DO THAT. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES, UH,
COUNCILOR WHO WE HAVE CONTRA HERE. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. AND BY THE TIME WE GET DONE WITH THE SPEECH, I THINK WE'RE ALL GOING TO GET 10 POUNDS FATTER, RIGHT? BECAUSE. >> OH, WE GOT LOTS OF GOOD STUFF HERE. UM, SO I WANT TO THANK
COUNCIL BURRELL FOR FILING THIS RESOLUTION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN AS A CO-SPONSOR. AS SOMEONE WHO IS OF CARIBBEAN DESCENT, A CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH IS DEEPLY PERSONAL AT A TIME ESPECIALLY,
UM, IT'S A TIME TO CELEBRATE THE COUNTLESS CONTRIBUTIONS CARIBBEAN COMMUNITIES HAVE MADE IN BOSTON FROM OUR. CULTURE. >> SMALL BUSINESSES TO OUR ADVOCACY, LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY BUILDING WE BRING ALL THE SPICES AND EVERYTHING NICE .
I OFTEN SAY THAT THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN US IS THE PORT THAT THEY DROPPED US OFF AT. UM AND OUR COMMUNITY SHARE SO MUCH HISTORY, RESILIENCY AND STRUGGLE AND WE ARE STRONGER WHEN WE RECOGNIZE THOSE CONNECTIONS.
CARIBBEAN AMERICANS HAVE HELPED SHAPE THE CITY IN PROFOUND WAYS AND THIS MONTH GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HONOR THAT LEGACY WHILE ALSO CELEBRATING THE RICHNESS AND DIVERSITY OF OUR CULTURES.
I AM PROUD TO SUPPORT THIS RESOLUTION AND STAND ALONGSIDE MANY OF MY CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY UM FRIENDS AND FAMILY AS WE CONTINUE TO MAKE BOSTON A MORE WELCOMING AND BEAUTIFUL CITY FOR ALL.
AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY THAT I HAVE TO SAY EVEN THOUGH I'M DOMINICAN WE DO MAKE SOME GOOD OXTAILS BUT IF I HAD TO CHOOSE I WOULD HAVE TO SAY JAMAICAN OXTAILS WILL WIN.
SORRY. CULPEPER OKAY. UM BECAUSE OF MY MOM IS PROBABLY TEN. MY MOM IS NOT HAPPY THAT I'M SAYING THAT BUT JAMAICANS ARE HOLDING IT DOWN WHEN IT COMES TO THE OXTAILS AND ALSO THEIR PATTIES.
YEAH. SO YEAH, I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW. I THINK I THANK GOD WITH THE JAMAICANS. THANK YOU. >> I THINK YOU'VE GOT A POTENTIAL, UM, BAKE OFF OR SOMETHING GOING ON HERE. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES
COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR FILING THIS, UH, AND RECOGNIZING CARIBBEAN AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH FOR WHAT? IT IS A CELEBRATION OF A DIASPORA HERE IN BOSTON THAT IS
REALLY EXPANSIVE, INCLUSIVE OF ALL OF OUR ISLANDS IN THE CARIBBEAN AS A PROUD DAUGHTER OF ASIAN AMERICANS, UM, I, YOU KNOW, GREW UP REALLY CELEBRATING GOING A CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL, CELEBRATING WITH OUR
CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY THAT UH, BRINGS UH THEIR FULL SELVES, UH, AND THEIR FULL ISLAND HERITAGE HERE. SO IT'S ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE THE FLAG RAISINGS HERE HAPPENING AT CITY HALL. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL
OF THE DIFFERENT GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT EVERYDAY ARE PUTTING ON FOR OUR CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY. I PERSONALLY AM WAITING FOR DOUBLES FROM DARCY FROM THE GREAT LAND OF UH SWEET TEA AND TEA. UM I'M A BIG DOUBLES FAN AND I
JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, UH, SAY UH, THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR CARIBBEAN LEADERS HERE IN THE CITY FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO. I KNOW THAT, UH, PEOPLE COME HERE AND WHEN THEY MIGRATE HERE, UH, HOME IS ALWAYS IN THEIR HEART UM, AND FOR SO MANY
PEOPLE, UH, WHILE THEY'RE HERE, THEY SEND REMITTANCES BACK HOME TO THE ISLANDS AND, UH, DO WHAT THEY CAN EVEN WHILE THEY HERE TO BETTER THEIR COUNTRIES. UM AND SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY HAPPY CARIBBEAN AMERICAN
HERITAGE MONTH TO EVERYONE HERE IN THE CITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILORS. UH, LAUREL. OH, I BEG YOUR PARDON. WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME TO THIS WONDERFUL RESOLUTION?
COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, COUNCILOR FLYNN, COUNCILMAN DIVISION COUNCILOR. MURPHY, COUNCILOR PEPEN, COUNCILOR WEBER AND PLEASE OF THE CHAIR COUNCILORS WERE AARON CULPEPER AND MARIA SIX
SUSPENSION OF THE RULES ON ADOPTION OF DOCKET 1112. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE AYE. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON DOCKET 1112. COUNCILOR BREADON.
YES. COUNCIL. BRIAN. YES. COUNCILOR COLOR AS OPPOSED. COUNCILOR CULPEPER. YES. >> COUNCILOR. >> CULPEPER. YES. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD. COUNCIL. MICHELLE. YES. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. COUNCIL. FLYNN. YES. COUNCIL. LOUIJEUNE.
YES. >> COUNCIL. LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCILOR. MEJIA. YES. COUNCILOR MEJA. YES. COUNCILOR MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY. YES. COUNCIL. PIPPIN. COUNCILOR. PIN. YES. COUNCIL. SANTANA. COUNCILOR WEBER THAT'S OBVIOUS
IN COUNCILOR WORRELL COUNCIL. >> WELL, YES. TALKING ABOUT 1112 WAS RECEIVED TEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. DOCKET 1112 HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ DOCKET. 11131113 COUNCILOR FLYNN OFF OF THE PHONE RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION INTO BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY
ELEVATOR FAILURES. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR. FRIEND. COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. FOR YEARS, RESIDENTS IN BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY DEVELOPMENTS
HAVE ENDURED REPEATED ELEVATOR FAILURES THAT HAVE LEFT THEM TRAPPED IN THEIR APARTMENTS, FORCED TO MISS MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, UNABLE TO ACCESS GROCERIES AND MEDICINE CUT OFF
FROM THEIR FAMILIES DAILY LIFE. ON NOVEMBER 22ND 2024 OCTOBER 16TH, 2025, THE CITY COUNCIL HELD HEARINGS TO DISCUSS THE STATUS OF ELEVATORS
AT RUTH BARCLAY APARTMENTS AND THE SULTAN RESIDENT SHARED HEARTBREAKING STORIES OF BROKEN ELEVATORS THAT HAVE CAUSED THEM TO MISS CRITICAL SERVICES
DIFFICULTY MAKING IT TO THE BATHROOM IN TIME AND ONCE ONE INSTANCE ONE RESIDENT SAID TO ME THEY COULDN'T ATTEND THEIR
CHILD'S FUNERAL. LAST YEAR ON THE TUESDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING, THERE WAS A TWO DAY ELEVATOR FAILURE AT RUTH BARCLAY RIGHT UP UNTIL THE
THURSDAY MORNING OF THANKSGIVING. MANY RESIDENTS WERE FORCED TO ALTER AND CANCEL PLANS WITH THEIR FAMILIES. FOLLOWING MY CITY COUNCIL HEARING LAST FALL IN
DECEMBER OF 2025, I CALLED FOR AND FILED A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE ELEVATOR SAFETY COMMISSION WHICH WE WHICH WOULD BE COMPOSED OF VHA TASK FORCE
MEMBERS, VHA LEADERSHIP, THE BOSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT INSPECTIONAL SERVICES, THE DISABILITY COMMISSION, A CITY COUNCIL MEMBER, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE
ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE INDUSTRY. RECENTLY ON MAY 11TH, THE BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY WAS FINED $363,000 AS A RESULT OF AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE
RUTH BARCLAY APARTMENT ELEVATOR FAILURE BY THE MASSACHUSETTS ARCHITECTURAL ACCESS BOARD. THE FINE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED FROM THE $363,000
FIGURE ON MAY 12TH I WROTE TO MAY WELL AN ADMINISTRATIVE BLOCK TO REQUEST A FULL INVESTIGATION INTO ANY AND ALL PROPERTIES WITH AN ELEVATOR. I HAVE ALSO OFFERED TO CHAIR THE COMMISSION THAT I
HIGHLIGHTED EARLIER. LAST WEEK A RESIDENT AND RUTH BATH BARCLAY APARTMENTS, A DOUBLE AMPUTEE A DISABLED
VETERAN WAS NOT ABLE TO GET INTO HIS APARTMENT TO GET HIS MEDICATION AS A RESULT OF A 22 HOUR ELEVATOR FAILURE. HE WAS ON THE FIFTH FLOOR.
HE COULDN'T GET BACK INTO HIS ELEVATOR. HE WAS FORCED TO SLEEP OUTSIDE OF SALT STATION OVERNIGHT BECAUSE HE DID NOT PROVIDE HIM
WITH THE HOTEL VOUCHER TO STAY WELL, HE COULD NOT ACCESS HIS APARTMENT. VHA STAFF INSISTED THAT HE CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO CARRY
HIM UPSTAIRS, AN OPTION THAT LEFT HIM FEELING HE WAS NOT TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT. THIS IS UNDER STATE INVESTIGATION RIGHT NOW.
I HAVE CALLED OR AM CALLING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT TO INVESTIGATE THIS. I BELIEVE IT IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL HOUSING QUALITY STANDARDS AND FAILING TO
MAINTAIN SAFE ACCESS. IT'S PROBABLY A VIOLATION OF THE ADA LAW AS WELL. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITY AT THIS TIME THE BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO
A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION BY HUD DUE TO THE ONGOING ELEVATOR FAILURES THAT HAVE LEFT OUR SENIORS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES WITHOUT RELIABLE ACCESS TO THEIR HOMES.
IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS, I AM FULLY AWARE HOW SERIOUS IT IS TO CALL FOR FEDERAL INVESTIGATION. MY COLLEAGUES IN THE CITY IN THE CITY KNOW I DO NOT TAKE
THESE ISSUES LIGHTLY BUT AS YOU CAN SEE OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS WE HAVE FAILED OUR NEIGHBORS IN PUBLIC HOUSING. WE HAVE VIOLATED THE AMERICANS
WITH DISABILITIES ACT. WE CONTINUE TO PUT THEIR SAFETY AT RISK. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THERE IS A FIRE AT RUTH BARCLAY APARTMENTS AND WE CAN'T GET THE PERSONS
WITH DISABILITIES DOWN? THEY CAN'T THEY CAN'T GET DOWN TO THE BASEMENT. THEY CAN'T GET DOWN TO THE GROUND FLOOR IN AN EMERGENCY. I'M SURE CITY COUNCILORS WOULD
PREFER THAT I STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS. IT MAKES LIFE EASIER FOR EVERYBODY BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR RESIDENTS OF PUBLIC HOUSING. HOWEVER, WHAT I WILL DO IS
INSTEAD OF ASKING FOR THIS RESOLUTION TO GO FORWARD, I AM GOING TO RELUCTANTLY I'M GOING TO PUT THIS I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT IT BE PUT INTO.
A COMMITTEE AND HAVE A HEARING ON IT ONCE AGAIN, ALTHOUGH I DON'T WANT TO CALL FOR A FEDERAL INVESTIGATION BECAUSE MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES ASK ME THAT THEY WANT TO BE PART
OF THIS DISCUSSION AND HAVE A HEARING. I AGREED. I HAVE I HAVE CHALLENGES ABOUT THAT. I'M NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT BUT I WILL DO THAT OUT OF RESPECT FOR MY CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO
TO TO ASK THIS BE PUT INTO A COMMITTEE BUT THIS IS NOT ME BACKING AWAY FROM MY MY CONSTITUENTS AND PUBLIC HOUSING . I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT
FOR THEM AND ADVOCATE FOR THEM TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY. AND IF PEOPLE THAT THINK I'M GOING TO STOP ADVOCATING FOR MY CONSTITUENTS, THEY DON'T KNOW
HOW I ADVOCATE AND I'LL CONTINUE TO FIGHT AND I'LL FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL ANYONE THAT TRIES TO ADVOCATE AGAINST SAFETY CONDITIONS IN PUBLIC HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS. THIS IS A THIS IS A MATTER
OF LIFE AND DEATH. IF ELEVATORS DON'T WORK MADAM CHAIR AND ELDERLY PEOPLE CAN'T GET DOWN FOR VARIOUS REASONS ONE ONE. PERSON CAN'T GET DOWN BECAUSE
OF A FUNERAL. ONE LADY SOILED HER PANTS BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T GET UP TO HER BATHROOM. IF THIS IF THIS DOESN'T DISGUST PEOPLE I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL BUT I CAN'T REMAIN SILENT.
I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES TO BE PART OF THIS. YOU HAVE BLOCKED ME PREVIOUSLY ON THIS ISSUE. BUT I'M GOING TO GIVE EVERYBODY ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH ME. THANK YOU MA'AM. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. UH, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR MURPHY.
YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. YOU CAN SPEAK. OKAY. >> UM, SO I JUST WANTED TO RISE AND SAY, UM, THIS WAS BROUGHT UP EARLIER WHEN COUNCILOR FLYNN FILED THIS COMMUNICATION AND I
KNOW IT WAS REFERENCED BY A FEW OF OUR COLLEAGUES AS AN ISSUE. AND I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT TO ME THIS IS A TRAGEDY AND I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. IT IS NEVER HARD TO CONTINUE TO
FIGHT AND ADVOCATE FOR THINGS THAT WE KNOW MANY CITY EMPLOYEES ALL THE WAY UP TO THE MAYOR WOULD LIKE US TO NOT ADDRESS, BUT THIS IS ONE THAT WE CAN'T IGNORE.
WE ALL WEAR THIS SHAME WHEN AN ELDERLY AMPUTEE VETERAN IS LOCKED OUT AND SLEEPING OUTSIDE BECAUSE HE CAN'T GET TO HIS APARTMENT. WE ALL NEED TO DO BETTER.
SO THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR FIGHTING ALWAYS FOR OUR RESIDENTS. BUT THIS INCIDENT SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED FOR US TO BE ALL IN. BUT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO AND I HOPE THAT YOU GET THE
COMMITMENT THAT YOU WERE. TOLD BEFORE YOU PUSHED THIS. TO A HEARING ORDER NOT JUST A RESOLUTION AND THAT WE CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR MURPHY. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME? COUNCILOR CULPEPER.
COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. UM. COUNCILOR MEJIA. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. THANK YOU. UM. THIS DOCKET NUMBER 1113 WILL BE
SENT TO THE HOUSING COMMITTEE. THANK YOU. WE'RE NOW ON TO PERSONNEL ORDERS. MR CLERK. UH. >> CAN YOU READ UH UH, HOW WE'VE GOT FOR PERSONNEL ORDERS .
TWO TWO. WE HAVE TWO PERSONNEL ORDERS. MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THE TWO PERSONNEL ORDERS. NUMBER 111 FOR PERSONNEL. COUNCILOR BREADON FOR COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE AND DUCKY
NUMBER 1115 PERSONNEL ORDER COUNCILOR BREADON FOR COUNCILOR EARLE. THE CHAIR MOVES FOR PASSAGE OF THE PERSONNEL ORDERS. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I. UH THE AYES HAVE IT.
PERSONNEL ORDERS HAVE PASSED. WE'RE NOW, UM. WHAT? I WANT TO CLEAN SHEETS BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO GREEN SHEETS. IS THERE ANYONE HERE WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADD THEIR NAME TO A DOCKET THAT THEY MAY HAVE
MISSED? UH, COUNCILOR, UM, COUNCILOR WEBER, DO YOU HAVE NO. OKAY. UM, COUNCILOR WORRELL. YES. >> I'D LIKE TO, UM, ADD
COUNCILOR MURPHY AS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR TO DOCKET NUMBER 1103111103. WE CAN DO THAT.
ANYONE ELSE? UH, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. UH, COULD YOU PLEASE ADD MY NAME AND SUPPORT FOR 10831084
AND I THINK I DON'T THINK I WAS HERE FOR 1085 EITHER. I THINK THAT WAS IT. CAN YOU REPEAT THOSE AGAIN? UH, THE FIRST THREE COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE MAYOR. UH OKAY. 108310841085. THANK YOU.
CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UH. THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO ADD MY NAME TO, UH,
DOCKET NUMBER 1103 UM, AND 1107 AND 1109I BELIEVE I HAVE ONE OTHER I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT ON THE LAST ONE.
UM, TRYING TO REMEMBER WHAT THAT ONE WAS. OKAY. UM, AND I THINK I MISSED A ROLL CALL VOTE. CAN YOU. >> REPEAT THOSE AGAIN? OKAY. >> YEAH, THAT'S 1103 SECOND.
UM, 11071109. AND I BELIEVE THERE WAS A, UH, A ROLL CALL VOTE ON DOCKET NUMBER 1096 THAT TO PUT FORWARD A MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION
OF THAT VOTE. UM. >> THAT SECONDED. YES. >> SECONDED. >> OKAY. AND SO I'D LIKE TO VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. YES. UM AND WE'D LIKE TO HAVE, UH, MOVED TO RECONSIDER HER VOTE.
UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYE. THANK YOU. THE AYES HAVE IT. CANCER LOUIJEUNE. YES. >> AND MR CLERK, I'D LIKE TO VOTE IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AS A YES ON DOCKING NUMBER 1096. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.
WELL, GOOD. UM, WE'RE NOW ON TO GREEN SHEETS. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S A CALL FROM GREEN SHEETS. COUNCILOR. UM, COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU. >> I'VE GOT TWO CALLS FROM GREEN SHEETS.
UH, DOCKET. NUMBERS. >> UH, 0756. SO IF. NOT, YOU HAVE A PAGE NUMBER? YEAH, IT'S THE LAST PAGE OF THE GREEN SHEETS FOR THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE 0756 AND 0757.
YOU'VE GOT IT. THANK YOU. UM, MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE READ, UM THAT THESE TWO DOCKET 0756 AND 050757 INTO THE RECORD PLEASE.
FROM THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS DOCKET NUMBER. 0756 MESSAGE UH. APPROVING IN ORDER OF APPROPRIATING $1,400,000 FROM THE INCOME OF THE GEORGE
FRANCIS PARKMAN FUND. THE FUNDS ARE TO BE EXPENDED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PARKS AND RECREATION FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND IMPROVEMENT OF BOSTON COMMON AND PARKS IN EXISTENCE
AS OF JANUARY 12TH. 1887. >> FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK ON APRIL 6TH, 2026 DORKING NUMBER 0757 MESSAGE NOT APPROVING AN APPROPRIATION
OF $3,600,000 FROM THE 21ST CENTURY FUND ALSO KNOWN AS THE PUBLIC, EDUCATIONAL OR GOVERNMENTAL. EXCESS AND. >> CABLE RELATED FUND PURCHASE PURSUANT TO SECTION 53 OF THREE
QUARTERS OF CHAPTER 44 OF THE GENERAL LAWS, THE FUNDS MAY BE USED TO SUPPORT PEG ACCESS SERVICES TO MONITOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE CABLE FRANCHISE AGREEMENT AND FOR PREPARATION
OF RENEWAL OF FRANCHISE LICENSES FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK APRIL 6TH, 2026. THANK YOU. ABSENT OBJECTION, THE MOTION OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR IS
ACCEPTED AND DOCKETS 0756 AND 05757 UH PROPERLY BEFORE THE BODY COUNSELOR UH, LIBRARY OF THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. DOCKET NUMBER 0756 IS A. $1.4 MILLION.
>> APPROPRIATION FROM THE GEORGE FRANCIS PARKMAN FUND FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND. IMPROVEMENT OF THE BOSTON COMMON AND PARKS IN EXISTENCE SINCE. JANUARY 12TH, 1887. WE DISCUSSED, UH, THIS FUND. DURING OUR MAY. >> 11TH.
HEARING, UH, ON THE PARKS AND RECREATION UH, DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET UM, UH, DOCKET NUMBER. 0757 IS A $3.6 MILLION. APPROPRIATION FROM THE 21ST
CENTURY FUND, ALSO KNOWN AS THE PUBLIC EDUCATION OR GOVERNMENT OR PG. ACCESS AND. >> CABLE RELATED FUND WHICH IS USED TO SUPPORT PUBLIC EDUCATION GOVERNMENTAL ACCESS. TO CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE. >> THE FUNDS MADE UP OF REVENUE.
FROM CABLE FRANCHISE FEES PAID BY SUBSCRIBERS. TO COMCAST, RCN AND VERIZON SUPPORTS BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS UH NEIGHBORHOOD NETWORK THAT ARE KNOWN AS BEING. >> IN MEDIA.
AND TECH GOES HOME, WHICH IS A DIGITAL EQUITY INITIATIVE WHICH PROVIDES LOW INCOME AND UNDERSERVED UH, LOW INCOME, UNDERSERVED SORRY RESIDENTS IN THE CITY. LASTLY, THE FUND SUPPORTS THE
CITY'S DARK FIBER INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER CABLE RELATED ADVOCACY, AUDITING AND REGULATORY SERVICE. THIS FUND WAS UH DISCUSSED DURING OUR APRIL 27TH HEARING ON THE DEPARTMENT UH
OF INNOVATION TECHNOLOGY BETTER AND LET'S DO IT AS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS, I'M SEEKING ACCEPTANCE OF THE COMMITTEE REPORT AND PASSAGE OF THESE TWO DOCKETS TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WEBER. UH, COUNCILOR WEBER MOVES TO PASSAGE OF DOCKET.
WE'LL TAKE HIM SEPARATELY. DOCKET 0756. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I. UM. >> MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL? VOTE ON DOCKET 0756. COUNCILOR. >> AGREED. YES. COUNCIL. BREADON. YES.
COUNCIL COLORS OPPOSED. COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. YES. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCIL OF THIS. GENERAL COUNCILOR SO YES. COUNCILOR FLYNN. YES. >> COUNCILOR. FLYNN. >> YES. >> COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE. YES. COUNCIL ME. >> HERE COUNTS FOR MEJIA.
YES. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNCILOR MURPHY. YES. COUNCIL. PEN. COUNCILOR. PEN. YES. COUNCIL. SANTANA. COUNCILOR. WEBER. COUNCIL. WEBER. YES. AND COUNCIL. EARL. COUNCIL. YES.
DUCKY. NUMBER 0756 HAS RECEIVED TEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. DOCKETS 0756 HAS PASSED.
UM, COUNCILOR WEBER MOVES FOR PASSAGE OF DOCKET 0757. UH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I I MR. CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL?
VOTE ON DOCKET 0757. COUNCILOR GREEN. YES. COUNCILOR GREEN. YES. COUNCILOR COLLETTE AS OPPOSED COUNCILOR CULPEPPER. COUNCILOR CULPEPER. YES. COUNCILOR. DURKAN. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. COUNCIL OFFICIAL. YES.
COUNCILOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR. FLYNN. YES, COUNCILOR. LOUIJEUNE. YES. YES, CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. YES. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. COUNCILOR. MURPHY. YES. COUNCIL. PIPPIN. YES.
COUNCILOR. SANTANA. COUNCILOR. WEBER. YES. COUNCIL. WEBER. YES. AND COUNCIL ZERO. YEAH. COUNCIL. WELL. YES. LUCKY NUMBER 0757 AS WE SEE TEN VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
THANK YOU. DOCKET 0757 HAS PASSED. WE ARE NOW ON TO LATE FILES. MR. CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY LATE FUNDS? 115. >> UM. OH, I BEG YOUR PARDON,
COUNCILOR FLYNN. I DIDN'T APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAD ANOTHER GREEN SHEET. PAUL, DO YOU HAVE A NUMBER? YES, MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR
RECOGNIZE ME 0307 PAGE TEN. UM 0070307307 UM UM. WAS SUPPOSED TO GET NOTIFIED AND. IT WOULD BE VERY AND WE REALLY
NEED TO BE NOTIFIED IN ADVANCE CONSTRUCTION BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO. NOW I UNDERSTAND UM I UNDERSTAND. WHAT COMMITTEES.
JUST BEAR WITH US FOR A SECOND. UH, DOCKET UH, 0307 WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY 4TH, WHICH IS 119 DAYS
AGO. THIS REQUIRES A VOTE OF SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TO BRING IT TO THE FLOOR IF THE UM. IF THE READ IT INTO THE RECORD
FIRST. MR TRUMP, COULD YOU PLEASE READ THIS DOCKET 0307 AND TO INTO THE RECORD. FROM THE COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SO I
CAN HAVE A0307 RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY ELEVATOR SAFETY COMMISSION. UH GO AHEAD.
UM COUNCILOR FLYNN, UM, IN ORDER FOR TO TAKE THIS WE THIS REQUIRES A VOTE OF SEVEN MEMBERS TO BRING IT TO THE FLOOR. MR CHAIR, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE? UM.
UH, TO, UH, ALLOW THIS TO COME BEFORE THE BODY BOARD. UH OH. I'M SORRY. I THOUGHT. I WAS, UH.
EXCUSE ME. HOLD ON A SECOND HERE. UH, BEAR WITH ME CONSTRUCTION. UH, COUNCILOR PEPEN, YOU HAD A POINT OF ORDER. I JUST. >> HAVE A POINT OF ORDER THROUGH YOU. UM, TO THE CHAIR TO.
THE MY COLLEAGUE THAT'S THE CHAIR OF HOUSING. I'M JUST I WASN'T MADE AWARE OF THIS POLL, SO I JUST WANT TO GET CLARIFICATION ON IS THIS IN ORDER TO BRING IT OUT OF. THE GREEN.
SHEETS, YOU NEED SEVEN VOTES IN ORDER FOR US TO TALK ABOUT IT. IT JUST YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET A HEADS UP HERE. WELL, THIS YEAH, THIS IS THE ELEVATOR SAFETY COMMISSION THAT. >> I'VE BEEN THIS IS THIS.
IS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I PROPOSED EARLIER, BUT THIS IS THE ELEVATOR SAFETY. COMMISSION THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO AT LEAST HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT AND TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE DO NEED
A COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE WHEN TO TALK ABOUT UM, ELEVATOR SAFETY COMMISSION. UM, IN THE. CITY THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE. OKAY. >> BUT IT'S DIFFERENT IT'S DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I PROPOSED EARLIER. I'D LIKE TO READ THROUGH 24.
AND WITHIN. >> 60 DAYS AFTER MEMBERS RETURN TO COMMITTEE. A TO. >> SWITCH MYSELF OFF. OKAY THANK YOU EVERYONE TAKE A DEEP BREATH. RULE 24 WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER A MATTER IS REFERRED TO THE
COMMITTEE IT SHALL NOT BE VOTED UPON WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR. COUNCILOR PEPEN 60 DAYS AFTER A MATTER IS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE, IT MAY BE CALLED BY
NINE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL 90 DAYS AFTER THE MATTER IS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE IT MAY BE CALLED BY SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL AND 120 DAYS
THIS IS 119 DAYS AT THE MOMENT 120 DAYS AFTER THE MATTER IS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE IT MAY BE CALLED BY FIVE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL SO IT REQUIRES RIGHT NOW IT REQUIRES SEVEN MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TO VOTE
IN ORDER TO BRING THIS TO THE FLOOR. MR. MR CLERK, COULD YOU PLEASE TAKE A ROLL CALL VOTE OKAY. UM, THE MOTION ON THE PROPOSAL
TO BRING THIS DOCKET 0304 TO THE FLOOR UH, YOU'RE VOTING IN THE AFFIRMATIVE IF YOU WANT TO BRING THIS DOCKET TO THE FLOOR. IF YOU DO NOT WANT THIS DOCKET TO COME TO THE FLOOR AND REMAIN
IN THE HOUSING COMMITTEE, PLEASE VOTE NO. COUNSELOR BRAIN. NO COUNSELOR BRAID NO COUNSELOR COLOR AS OPPOSED COUNSELOR CULPEPER. COUNSELOR. CULPEPER. YES. COUNSELOR.
DURKAN. COUNSELOR. FITZGERALD. YES. COUNCIL FOR SO. YES. COUNSELOR. FLYNN. YES. COUNCILOR. YES. COUNSELOR. LOUIJEUNE. NO. COUNSELOR LOUIJEUNE. NO. COUNSELOR MEJIA. COUNCILOR ME HERE.
YES, COUNSELOR. MURPHY. YES, COUNSELOR. MURPHY. YES, COUNSELOR. PEN. NO. THAT'S BEEN NO. COUNSELOR. SANTANA. COUNSELOR. WEBER. COUNSELOR BUT NO AND COUNSELOR . >> EARL PRESENT. . >> COUNSELOR I'LL PRESENT
PRESENT MY VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND FOR VOTES IN THE NEGATIVE. UM, THE. >> STATE IN. ITS DOCKET 0307 WILL REMAIN IN
COMMITTEE. UM, IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY. I'D LIKE TO TAKE A VERY SHORT RECESS OF NO MORE THAN FIVE MINUTES, SO DON'T GO TOO FAR.
THANK YOU.
FOLKS, WE'RE WE'RE BACK IN SESSION. LET'S KEEP THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD, COUNSELOR. UH, MORALE YOU HAD, UM. YOU WANT A. MOTION TO RECONSIDER?
UH, SECOND. YOU CONSIDER. MY VOTE MY MY LAST VOTE ON YOUR LAST. >> YOU'D LIKE TO RECONSIDER YOUR LAST VOTE ON DOCKET NUMBER
03 0730 0307. YES. >> MR. >> TO RECORD THAT IS AN AFFIRMATIVE. AFFIRMATIVE YES. OH YES. YES YEP. I'M PRESENT TO YES.
UM I'M. SO DOCKET 0307 HAS 123456 VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND FOUR VOTES IN THE NEGATIVE.
SO DOCKET 0307 WILL BE REMAIN IN THE HOUSING COMMITTEE. UH, I UNDERSTAND UH THAT THE THERE WAS A LATE FILE THAT HAS BEEN UH MR CHAIR, THERE'S NO LATE FINE.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UM. OKAY. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA.
I HAVE BEEN I EXCUSE ME FOLKS. THERE ARE NO NO LIT FILES FOR THE CONSENT AGENDA. WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO THE CONSENT AGENDA. I'VE BEEN INFORMED BY THE CLERK THAT THERE ARE NO ADDITIONS TO
THE CONSENT AGENDA. THE QUESTION NOW COMES ON APPROVAL OF THE VARIOUS MATTERS CONTAINED WITHIN THE CONSENT AGENDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY I THANK YOU. THE CONSENT AGENDA HAS BEEN ADOPTED.
WE NOW ON TO ANNOUNCEMENTS. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THESE ARE FOR UPCOMING DATES AND EVENTS. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANNOUNCEMENTS? PLEASE PUT YOUR YOUR LIGHT ON COUNCILWOMAN HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. >> NO SORRY.
YOU'RE GOOD. ANYONE ELSE ANNOUNCEMENTS. ANY BIG PARTIES YOU'D LIKE TO THANK YOU. COUNCIL. COUNCIL DIVISION. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR? YES. >> I JUST WANTED TO SAY A HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY GODDAUGHTER ELLA .
DREW WHO WILL BE TURNING TO, UM THIS SATURDAY. SO JUST WANTED TO WISH HER VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY. THANK YOU. >> UM, CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR CULPEPER. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT.
JUNE 14TH COUNCILOR WU, JUNE 14TH, 2026 AT 3:00 AT THE PLEASANT HILL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
EVERYONE IS INVITED TO CELEBRATE MY 30TH PASTOR ANNIVERSARY JUNE. >> 14TH.
2026 AT 3:00. EVERYONE IS INVITED AND IF YOU COME BRING A RESOLUTION. >> THANK YOU. UH, BRING SOME OXTAIL. THANK YOU.
CONGRATULATIONS. CONCERT REVEREND CULPEPER CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I DO WANT TO. MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT ON TWO
EVENTS THAT I WANTED TO INVITE MIKE CALDWELL, ONE EVENT I WANT TO INVITE MY COLLEAGUES TO. IT'S THIS. SATURDAY IN SOUTH BOSTON. IT'S BASICALLY A FAMILY FUN DAY . UM. >> FROM 11 TO 4.
UM, YEAH. 1800 UM, FOR THAT. BUT IT'S. >> IF ANYONE NEEDS MORE. INFORMATION IT'S ABOUT. COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER, CELEBRATING. UM CELEBRATING.
THE CONTRIBUTIONS UM. OF THIS WONDERFUL NEW PARK WE HAVE IN SOUTH. BOSTON AND THE. GENEROSITY OF THE COMMUNITY COMING TOGETHER. AND WE WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO OUR STATE PARTNERS AS WELL.
BUT IT'S THIS SATURDAY. DON'T I WANT TO INVITE EVERYBODY. I'LL GIVE. >> YOU. MORE INFORMATION IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME. ALSO THIS FRIDAY. I JUST WANTED TO KEEP YOU
POSTED ON AN IMPORTANT EVENT. IT'S A GOLF TOURNAMENT SPONSORED BY THE CITY OF BOSTON VETERANS DEPARTMENT. UM, I'M NOT INVITING ANYONE TO GOLF. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO I'M NOT
GOING TO GOLF. I GET THERE EARLY AND SAY HELLO TO EVERYBODY. BUT IF ANYONE WANTS ANY INFORMATION ABOUT IT. UM, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. I USUALLY. GET THERE AT 7:00. IN THE MORNING BEFORE. >> THE. TOURNAMENT STARTS TO THANK THE
VETERANS. AND THEIR FAMILIES. UM, FOR THEIR SERVICE. >> BUT IF ANYONE WANTS TO JOIN ME, UH, FOR COFFEE. AT, UH, THE. CITY'S GOLF COURSE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. UM. ,I SIGNED. UH, WE ALSO WANT TO WISH YOU A HAPPY BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK TO A LIEN DONOVAN OF COUNCILOR
COLETTA ZAPATA'S OFFICE AND SHE AND PAC OF CENTRAL STAFF. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. UM, ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY MORE FURTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS? WE'RE NOW MOVING ON TO MEMORIALS.
WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO LIFT UP A NAME? COUNCILOR PEPEN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM PRESIDENT. IN MY DISTRICT WE'VE HAD TWO PRETTY SIGNIFICANT DEATHS
UNFORTUNATELY. UM, FIRST I'D LIKE TO BEGIN WITH UM, RITA JOANNE GRAPHY, THE MOTHER OF GEOGRAPHY, THE OWNER OF PICASSO'S AND UM,
SOPHIA'S GROTTO BOTH VERY AMAZING ESTABLISHMENTS IN MY DISTRICT. LOVED, BELOVED BY THE NEIGHBORHOOD. UM, I MOURN WITH A GROUP OF FAMILY. SHE LEFT A REALLY STRONG LEGACY .
UM, THEY ARE VERY INVOLVED IN EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN MY DISTRICT AND I JUST WANTED TO EXTEND MY CONDOLENCES TO THE ENTIRE GROUP FAMILY AND THEN THE SECOND PERSON THAT PASSED
YESTERDAY I ATTEND IN THE WAKE OF TERRI PERROTTA. TERRI WAS THE INFAMOUS DANCE INSTRUCTOR FOR DANCE ACADEMY IN HYDE PARK. UM, SHE TOUCHED GENERATIONS
OF DANCERS ACROSS MY DISTRICT AND SURROUNDING AREAS. UM I. THEY WERE WE WERE AT MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD CHURCH YESTERDAY THE LINE WAS OUT THE DOOR. THERE WAS SUCH AN OVERWHELMING
AMOUNT OF SUPPORT FROM THE RESIDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE CITY AND ACROSS THE STATE. UM, WE WE LOST A REALLY BIG PERSON IN HYDE PARK YESTERDAY AND I KNOW THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE MOURNING IN MY COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I EXTEND MY CONDOLENCES TO THEIR FAMILY AS WELL. THANK YOU. MADAM PRESIDENT. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. UM THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO UPLIFT EILEEN
KENNER WHO IS, UH, SUCH, UH, A RENOWNED FIGURE IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY HERE IN BOSTON. I SAW HER LITERALLY I THINK TWO DAYS PRIOR TO HER PASSING AT,
UM, THE UH, ASIAN UH, PARADE ASIAN AMERICAN UNITY PARADE AND SHE WAS AT THE FLAG RAISING UM, THAT WE HAD ON THAT FRIDAY, UH ,JUST DECKED OUT IN RED, WHITE AND BLUE AMERICAN COLORS BUT
CELEBRATING ALONGSIDE THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY AND HER PASSING WAS A REAL BIG BLOW TO SO MANY PEOPLE IN BOSTON WHO REALLY LOVED AND CARED FOR HER . AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE, UM, ADJOURN TODAY IN
MEMORY OF EILEEN CARTER. I ALSO WANT TO ADJOURN IN MEMORY OF TERRY AS COUNCILMEMBER PEN HAD MENTIONED ,SO MANY IN THE HYDE PARK DANCE COMMUNITY ARE GRIEVING. AND LASTLY, I KNOW ALL OF US
WERE AT THE VERY MOVING UH, WEEK AND FUNERAL FOR UH FIREFIGHTER BOBBY KILDUFF JUNIOR AND SO JUST MY EXTENDED UH CONDOLENCES TO HIM, HIS FAMILIES, COMMUNITY, HIS CHILDREN AND EVERYONE.
THANK YOU. CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I ALSO WANT TO. ACKNOWLEDGE THE PASSING OF FIREFIGHTER KILDUFF.
AND THE. INCREDIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS SACRIFICES REALLY THE FAMILY HAS MADE. TO THE. CITY AND TO OUR NATION. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE
PASSING OF A FRIEND FROM THE SOUTH AND BARRY. HAYES WHO WAS A. VIETNAM VETERAN AND A LONG TIME
RESIDENT OF THE SOUTH AND MANY PEOPLE WILL RECOGNIZE HAYES PARK. IN THE SOUTH. END THAT'S THAT'S IN MEMORY. AND NAMED OF HIS. HIS FAMILY, THE HAYES FAMILY.
BUT BARRY AS. I MENTIONED WAS. >> A. DECORATED VIETNAM VETERAN. >> A COMMUNITY LEADER. I WAS MY WIFE. KRISTEN AND. >> I WERE WITH THEM JUST. A WEEK AGO AT HAYES PARK FOR AN EVENT. AND HE WAS ALWAYS THERE WITH HIS WIFE AND THEY. >> WERE.
ALWAYS CONTRIBUTING TO THE COMMUNITY TO THE PARK. THEY LOVE THAT. PARK AND THEY WERE ALWAYS BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER. >> HE DIDN'T SAY MUCH BUT HE WAS ALWAYS HE. WAS ALWAYS THERE FOR THE COMMUNITY. AND ALWAYS TREATING.
EVERYBODY FAIRLY AND HAD A WONDERFUL WAY ABOUT HIM. SO I WANT TO. ACKNOWLEDGE BARRY HAYES AND THE HAYES FAMILY. >> DURING THIS DIFFICULT TIME AS WELL. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN, COUNCILOR CULPEPER.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I'D LIKE TO JOIN IN WITH COUNCILOR IN THE REGION WITH REGARD. TO EILEEN KENNER, I'M NOT SURE IF I WOULD BE HERE TODAY IF IT WASN'T FOR ALL THE WORK THAT
SHE PUT IN ALL THE TEXT MESSAGES TO MAKE SURE ALL THE EVENTS I SHOULD ATTEND WHILE I WAS RUNNING AND UH, MR. CLERK JUST BROUGHT UP A RESOLUTION
FOR ME TO SIGN THAT, UH, WILL GIVE TO HER FAMILY TOMORROW. AT HER. >> HOMEGOING CEREMONY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ON BEHALF OF COUNCILORS WERE
RAIL AND LOUIJEUNE AND CULPEPER EILEEN KENNER AND BECAUSE ON BEHALF OF COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE AND COUNCILOR PEPEN THERESA
TERRY PERROTTA ON BEHALF OF COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE ANDREA AND UH ANNA MAZARIN AND FRANCES DENIS ON BEHALF OF COUNCILOR
WORRELL THERE'S RIANNA CLARY ON BEHALF OF COUNCILOR FLYNN, SUPERINTENDENT AND CHIEF JOHN GILL AND MASSACHUSETTS CORRECTIONAL OFFICER OFFICER JOHN EDWARDS AND GARY.
HIS ON BEHALF OF COUNCILOR COLLETTA SUPPORTER MARY ROSE SULLIVAN CAROL ON BEHALF OF CONSTRUCT PEPEN GRETA UM
DOROTHY AND ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL BOSTON FIREFIGHTER ROBERT BOBBY KILDUFF JUNIOR.
THE CHAIR MOVES THAT WHEN THE COUNCIL ADJOURNS TODAY IT DOES SO IN MEMORY OF THE AFOREMENTIONED INDIVIDUALS. A MOMENT OF SILENCE PLEASE.
THE COUNCIL IS SCHEDULED TO MEET AGAIN IN THE IRON CHAMBER ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10TH, 2026 AT £0.12. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES, CENTRAL STAFF, THE CLERK, THE
TAX OFFICE AND THE COUNCIL STENOGRAPHER. ALL IN FAVOR OF ADJOURNMENT PLEASE SAY AYE. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. >> THE COUNCIL IS ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU EVERYONE. AND.