EVENING. UM, WE'RE HERE FOR A PUBLIC TESTIMONY LISTENING SESSION. UH, I JUST HAVE A FEW FORMALITIES TO GET THROUGH. THIS SESSION IS BEING RECORDED.
IT'S ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED AT BOSTON.GOV/CITY COUNCIL TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY. CHANNEL EIGHT. RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL 964.
THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS ENCOMPASSES A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT. BEGIN IN APRIL AND. >> RUN THROUGH JUNE. UH WE STRONGLY. ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE A
MOMENT TO ENGAGE IN THIS. PROCESS BY GIVING TESTIMONY FOR THE RECORD. YOU CAN GIVE TESTIMONY. IN SEVERAL WAYS. FIRST. YOU CAN ATTEND ONE OF OUR HEARINGS. WE'RE HAVING.
,UH, AROUND 40 HEARINGS. UH, WE HAD A HEARING THIS. MORNING AND USUALLY. HAVING HEARINGS TWICE A DAY. WITH DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS. UM. >> AND AT EACH OF THESE HEARINGS WE. >> TAKE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. UH, USUALLY AFTER THE FIRST
ROUND OF QUESTIONS FROM MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, UH, AND. UH, YOU CAN SO YOU CAN SHOW UP AND YOU CAN. TESTIFY IN PERSON OR YOU CAN TESTIFY VIRTUALLY AT. ANY OF THESE HEARINGS. THE FULL HEARING SCHEDULE.
WE'RE WE'RE WE STILL HAVE SEVERAL WEEKS OF HEARINGS. SO LOTS OF IMPORTANT DEPARTMENTS. I ENCOURAGE. >> YOU TO LOOK UP THE. SCHEDULE AND YOU CAN. UH YOU CAN SHOW UP HERE AND TESTIFY VIRTUALLY. YOU CAN SEE THE FULL HEARING. SCHEDULE ON OUR WEBSITE AT
BOSTON.GOV/COUNCIL BUDGET. WE ARE ALSO HOLDING UM TWO. PUBLIC LISTENING SESSIONS. THERE'S ONE TONIGHT. UH AND. ANOTHER ONE IN PERSON ON THURSDAY. MAY 26TH AT 6 P.M.. AT THE MAY 26TH.
UH, LISTENING SESSION. >> THE PLAN. IS TO. HAVE UH PROFESSIONAL. INTERPRETERS IN SPANISH, HAITIAN. CREOLE AND CANTONESE. UM SO WE'RE GOING TO BE ENCOURAGING FOLKS UH, WHO SPEAK
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES TO. TO TO TESTIFY AT THOSE AT THAT HEARING IF YOU'RE HERE AND YOU HAVE AN INTERPRETER. UH, YOU KNOW, UH WE WILL CERTAINLY MAKE TIME TO ACCOMMODATE THAT SO YOU CAN GET
YOUR FULL STATEMENT IN. UM, YOU. CAN AGAIN SHOW UP AT OUR HEARINGS. UH, YOU CAN. >> SHOW UP HERE. >> YOU SHOW UP AT OUR HEARINGS AND TESTIFY IN PERSON. OR VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM.
UH, FOR IN-PERSON. TESTIMONY, YOU SHOULD COME TO THE CHAMBER AS. MANY OF YOU HAVE DONE AND YOU CAN. SIGN UP ON OUR, UH, SIGN IN. SHEET WHICH. IS OVER. AT THE ENTRANCE.
UM, UH, IF YOU'RE HERE JUST TO. WATCH, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SIGN IN. UH, BUT IF YOU WANT TO TESTIFY, I WILL BE. READING THE NAMES OFF THAT SHEET. IF YOU WANT TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY VIA. ZOOM, YOU CAN SIGN UP USING OUR
ONLINE FORM AND OUR COUNCIL BUDGET. REVIEW WEBSITE OR. BY EMAILING THE COMMITTEE AT SQUIRM. >> AT BOSTON GOV. OR BY EMAILING OUR. UH CHIEF BUDGET ANALYST CHRIS
MCKELLEN HAD. CHARISMA UH. KHOU AND@BOSTON.GOV. WHEN YOU'RE CALLED TO TESTIFY PLEASE. >> STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND YOUR RESIDENCE .
UH AND WE'RE GOING TO BE SETTING A TWO MINUTE UH. ,TIME FOR UH FOR TESTIMONY. WHEN YOU HEAR THE BEEP PLEASE. UH WRAP UP UH YOUR YOUR STATEMENT.
YOU CAN. ALSO SUBMIT UH TESTIMONY AND THAT SORRY. >> THAT GOES FOR BOTH PEOPLE HERE IN PERSON AND VIRTUALLY. IT'S A YOU'LL BE A CLOCK BEHIND ME. YOU CAN, UH, WATCH TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE ON TIME AND I'LL.
REMIND YOU WHEN YOU CAN WHEN YOU'LL HEAR A BEEP AT THE END OF THAT. UM, YOU. >> CAN ALSO SUBMIT TESTIMONY BY SUBMITTING WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE COMMITTEE BY EMAILING IT TO SQUIRM@BOSTON.GOV.
YOU CAN. ALSO SUBMIT A TWO MINUTE VIDEO. >> OF YOUR TESTIMONY THROUGH. >> THE FORM. ON OUR WEBSITE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CITY. COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW TO TESTIFY. PLEASE VISIT. >> THE COUNCIL'S. BUDGET WEBSITE AT
BOSTON.GOV/COUNCIL-BUDGET SO. IN PERSON TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN. UH HERE. AGAIN YOU'LL HAVE. TWO MINUTES TO TESTIFY. UH AND JUST TO RESTATE. >> IT IF YOU WANT TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY. EMAIL CHRISTMAS SHOW ON A CAR
IS. MARKED FOR YOU H A N AT BOSTON UH FOR. >> THE ZOOM LINK IN YOUR NAME WILL BE. ADDED TO THE LIST. UH, TONIGHT'S. PUBLIC SESSION IS ON DOCKET.
NUMBER 073320740, WHICH IS AN OVERVIEW. OF THE. >> FISCAL YEAR 2027 BUDGET. THIS IS ONE OF TWO PUBLIC TESTIMONY SESSIONS DEDICATED. >> TO THE FY 27 BUDGET. WE'VE ALREADY HELD UH,
LISTENING SESSIONS HERE PRE-BUDGET TO. UH AND WE'VE SENT A LETTER THE COUNCIL UH TO THE. MAYOR STATING, YOU KNOW, THE AREAS WE WANT TO FOCUS ON UM,
YOU KNOW WHICH UH WHICH. YOU CAN REVIEW IF. YOU CAN JUST. CONTACT MY. OFFICE AT BEN WEBER@BOSTON.GOV . UM. THE THESE. DOCKETS WERE SPONSORED BY THE UH THE MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND WE
REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON. APRIL 8TH 2026. UH, WE HAVE HERE WITH US COUNCILOR. FLYNN AND. WE HAVE STAFF. MEMBERS FROM UH MADAM. PRESIDENT BRADEN'S OFFICE. I KNOW THERE ARE ISSUES WITH
TRAFFIC AND THE ORANGE LINE AT LEAST I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE SOME OTHER. LINES OR HAVING DIFFICULTIES, BUT OTHER COUNCILORS MAY BE, UH ,COMING TO THIS HEARING.
UM, SO, UH, I. AM GOING TO. WELL, SINCE. WE HAVE SOMEBODY HERE COUNCILOR. FLYNN, WOULD YOU. LIKE. >> UH, TO MAKE A. LIKE A ONE MINUTE OPENING STATEMENT? THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. UM. >> THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS IMPORTANT LISTENING SESSION. I THE OPPORTUNITY OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO SOME OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE, UM, JUST
BEFORE THE START OF THIS AND I DIDN'T LET SOME OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE KNOW THAT I'M IN A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM AND I'M GOING TO BE LEAVING THIS LISTENING SESSION IN A FEW
MINUTES, BUT I WILL BE WATCHING IT ON, UH, VIDEO TONIGHT OR TOMORROW. BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK THE YOUNG PEOPLE FOR BEING HERE FOR THEIR IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS.
THEY ARE MAKING. BEING ENGAGED IN THE BUDGET PROCESS IS A CRITICAL PART OF DECISION MAKING HERE AT CITY AT THE CITY COUNCIL. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE FOR BEING
HERE, FOR BEING ENGAGED. AND ADVOCATING FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UH. WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING, UH, TONIGHT'S SESSION OFF WITH. A SHORT VIDEO.
UH, OF. STATEMENTS FROM THE, UH, POP UP SENIOR. CENTER IN WEST ROXBURY. THE CITY. UH, THE. STATE FUNDS TWO. DAYS A WEEK. >> FOR SENIORS TO GATHER AT THE ELKS LODGE.
UH, AND IT'S A VERY POPULAR PROGRAM AND, UH, THEY'RE ONE OF THE THE DAYS OF THEIR FUNDING. IS NOT. FUNDED IN THE BUDGET. UM, SO I DON'T KNOW WE'RE GOING TO JUST THIS IS A SHORT.
VIDEO AND THEN. UH, FOR FOLKS I'M JUST GOING TO I'LL READ OFF THE FIRST THREE. HANNAH. >> UH HOOVEN. ALEX TO FRANCISO AND OMAR AND I APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE WHO'S GOING TO TESTIFY. >> I'M GOING. >> TO BUTCHER.
EVERYONE'S NAMES. UM, I APOLOGIZE, BUT IT'S OMAR I WANT TO SAY THIS IS SO. SO SO SO SORRY FOR, UH, PROBABLY MISPRONOUNCE IT, BUT IF YOU'RE.
HERE HANNAH HOOVEN. ALEX DEFRANCO OR OMAR, YOU CAN COME. DOWN AND LINE. UP HERE AT THE MICROPHONE. WE'LL START OFF WITH IN PERSON UH, WITH THE VIDEO AND THEN WE'LL GO TO YOU. >> TO KICK.
THINGS OFF IN PERSON. HI MY NAME IS JANICE HAMILTON AND I'VE BEEN A MEMBER OF THE, UH, PARKWAY UH, SENIOR CENTER HERE AT THE ELKS SINCE ITS
FOUNDING AND NOW SINCE THE CITY GAVE ANOTHER DAY. I WENT IN THREE DAYS A WEEK AND ,UH, CROWD IS BIGGER AND BIGGER THAN THAN IT WAS AT THE BEGINNING. IT HAS GROWN EXPONENTIALLY.
SO I'M VERY HAPPY THAT THIS IS THAT THIS IS HERE. FOR ALL OF US FOR OUR MENTAL HEALTH, OUR EMOTIONAL HEALTH, OUR PHYSICAL HEALTH.
UM AND WHAT AM I MISSING? A SPIRITUAL TWO YEAR SPIRITUAL HEALTH. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. I LIVE IN WEST ROXBURY AND I ATTEND THIS AS MUCH AS I CAN AND I THINK FUNDING FOR THE
WEDNESDAY WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA . UM HI MY NAME IS DONNA. I LIVE WITH THE ROXBURY. I COME HERE FOR THREE DAYS JUST TO MEET EVERYBODY AND TALK.
IN UH, THREE OF THE CLASSES FOR THE CLASSES I LOVE BROADWAY DANCE, TWO OF THE EXERCISE CLASSES AND UH, ONE OF THE OTHER CLASSES AND IT'S JUST FUN TO COME.
THEY HAVE COOL CRAFTS AND THEY HAVE ALL KINDS OF STUFF AND YOU KNOW, ENJOYING MYSELF INSTEAD OF SITTING AT HOME, UH, BY YOURSELF AND WATCHING THE DARN TV. YOU KNOW, YOU COME HERE AND TALK. >> AND.
ENJOY YOURSELF. KNOW THAT MY NAME IS DOUG VALENCIA. UM, I LIVE IN WEST ROXBURY HAVE FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AND AT MY
AGE YOU'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO DO. SO WHEN THIS OPPORTUNITY CAME BECAME AVAILABLE I WAS DELIGHTED AND I HAVE TO SAY MY
DELIGHT HAS BEEN 100 FOLD SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE. THE PEOPLE HERE ARE WONDERFUL. UM, IT GIVES ME A REASON TO TO GET UP IN THE MORNING AND TO SHOWER AND GET DRESSED AND GET
OUT OF THE HOUSE AND BELIEVE ME, AT MY AGE I'M 88 YEARS OLD THAT THAT'S A BIG PLUS. SO I HAVE TO SAY I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MUCH THIS MEANS TO ME AND I KNOW THAT IF YOU TALK
TO OTHER PEOPLE YOU'LL FEEL THE SAME WAY. AND I BECAME. FRIENDS AND. THIS IS A GREAT CENTER TO COME TO. YES, I CAN MOVE MORE FOR MORE.
AND YES IT'S WONDERFUL. I WRITE. DOWN THE NAMES OF TWO PEOPLE. EACH DAY. I NOW KNOW 40 NAMES. I HAVE 40 NEW FRIENDS.
WE LOVE THE. SAME THE CENTER. >> OKAY WELL THANK YOU CORY FOR PUTTING. THAT TOGETHER. UH, IT'S UH AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY'RE DOING CHAIR YOGA. THERE'S A LOT OF YOUNG FOLKS
HERE SOME DAY YOU. MAY ENJOY CHAIR YOGA AS WELL. UH, SO I HOPE TO HAVE THOSE SENIOR PROGRAMS IN PLACE FOR WHEN WE WERE ALL HEADED THERE. UM, SO, UH, WE'RE HERE WITH. >> UH, MADAM PRESIDENT.
UH, LIZ BREADON. UH. COUNSELOR BREADON, DID YOU WANT TO SAY. YOU WANT TO SPEAK FOR 30S, UH. >> A MINUTE AND. SAY HI TO EVERYONE? JUST SAY HI. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
AND, UH, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HEAR YOUR VOICE, UH, WITH REGARD TO OUR BUDGET. SO THANKS. THANKS A LOT FOR BEING HERE. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, SO I SEE YOU SEE. HANNAH, ALEX OMAR.
UH, AND THEN. UH. >> THE NEXT THREE WILL BE JOHN SMITH. SAINTS. UH UH. I'M NOT SURE UH, JOHN. JOHN SMITH UH AND THEN UH AMY.
UH. >> TUCKER NAMI. AFTER THAT. SO IF YOU WANT. TO YOU CAN SPEAK AT EITHER MIKE. UH, WE'LL START HERE IS HANNAH. YOU GET TWO MINUTES. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. HI. >> GOOD EVENING COUNSELORS.
MY NAME IS HANNAH HOOVEN. I'M A TEACHER AT UP ACADEMY HOLLAND IN THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, WHICH IS IN DORCHESTER. AND I'M HERE TO TESTIFY ABOUT THE ACCESS TO COUNCILOR PROGRAM WHICH COUNCILOR WEBER YOU ARE
VERY FAMILIAR WITH. UM, ACCESS TO COUNCILOR, WHICH PROVIDES FREE LEGAL SERVICE FOR FAMILIES FACING EVICTION, IS SLATED TO BE ELIMINATED FROM THIS YEAR'S BUDGET FROM THE
FIRST TWO MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY OF 2026. THE GLOBE REPORTS THAT 94 FAMILIES HAVE RECEIVED FREE LEGAL SERVICES FROM ACCESS TO COUNCILOR, AND MORE THAN A THIRD OF THESE FAMILIES WERE
ABLE TO HAVE THEIR EVICTIONS DELAYED OR PREVENTED OUTRIGHT. 94 FAMILIES SERVED IN JUST TWO MONTHS, WITH OVER 30 FAMILIES ABLE TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES IS A TESTAMENT TO THE NECESSITY
OF THIS PROGRAM IF THIS RATE OF SERVICE CONTINUES THROUGH JUNE, FOR EXAMPLE, NEARLY 100 FAMILIES AND DPS WOULD SEE THEIR EVICTIONS PREVENTED OR DELAYED, MEANING THEIR STUDENTS WOULD EXPERIENCE A STABLE END
TO THEIR SCHOOL YEAR. AS A TEACHER, I KNOW THAT STUDENT HOMELESSNESS LEADS TO CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, LOWERED ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AND HEIGHTENED STRESS AND UNPREDICTABILITY FOR OUR YOUNGEST CHILDREN.
I HAVE STUDENTS WHO AFTER BEING EVICTED FROM THEIR HOMES, HAVE TO BE BUSED IN FROM FAR AWAY SHELTERS STUDENTS WHO HAVE WITH MISSED WEEKS OF SCHOOL AT A TIME DUE TO LACK OF STABLE HOUSING. THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S BUDGET
FUNDED ACCESS TO COUNCIL AT 450,000. WITHIN THE BUDGET AS A WHOLE, THIS IS A RELATIVELY SMALL PORTION OF MONEY THAT CAN BE ALLOCATED TO MAKE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE LIVES OF FAMILIES WHOSE CHILDREN ATTEND OUR SCHOOLS.
CONSIDERING THE OTHER CUTS THAT ARE HAPPENING TO HOUSING PROGRAMS AND THE WORK THAT STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE OUR CITY TRULY AFFORDABLE FUNDING ACCESS TO COUNCIL IS A NECESSARY FIRST STEP THAT WILL
HELP US TO PROTECT OUR MOST VULNERABLE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> OKAY. >> UH, ALEX AND. THEN OMAR FOLLOWED BY JOHN SMITH. SAME I THINK I DON'T KNOW IF
THAT'S AN. L OR C UH. UM UM. AND THEN MISS UH, TALKING TO HER. TALKING TO ME. OKAY. >> WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. OKAY. >> CHAIR WEBER, THANK YOU AND COUNCILOR BREADON, THANK YOU
FOR BEING HERE. UH, I AM ALEX FRANZ. OH, I LIVE IN DISTRICT ONE 138 COURT STREET IN EAST BOSTON AND I WORK AT PIERCE PARK SAILING IN EAST BOSTON. WE'RE A BIG YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, UH, ONE OF THE LARGEST
YOUTH EMPLOYMENT COALITIONS IN THE CITY. WE'LL HAVE ABOUT 205 YOUNG PEOPLE WORKING WITH WYO IN OUR COALITION THIS SUMMER. AND I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR SCHOOL YEAR JOBS IN THIS
BUDGET. UM, TWO YEARS AGO THE EO BUDGET WAS ABOUT $27 MILLION FOR YOUTH JOBS. THIS YEAR WAS ABOUT 24 MILLION AND WITH THE $6 MILLION CUT IT ELIMINATES SCHOOL YEAR JOBS.
IT IS REALLY CHALLENGING FOR US TO GO FROM NO YOUTH JOBS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR TO 205 IN THE SUMMERTIME UH, AS LIKE A REALLY HARSH TRANSITION PERIOD. THE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH
US DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR ARE THE LEADERS IN THE SUMMER PROGRAM. IT'S NECESSARY FOR US TO SPEND THE TIME WITH THEM, TO TRAIN THEM TO BE ABLE TO SUPERVISE AND SUPPORT ALL THEIR PEERS THAT COME TO US IN THE SUMMERTIME ALL THE REALLY
STRONG OUTCOMES THAT WE SEE IN YOUTH EMPLOYMENT, IN COMMUNITY SAFETY, IN EDUCATION AND IN TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD. UH, THEY'RE NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THE SUMMER PROGRAM. IT'S BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAM AS WELL.
IT HAS BEEN A PROGRAM IS SORT OF LIKE A BONUS ON TOP BUT HAS DEFINITELY BECOME MORE PROFESSIONALIZED AND MORE SERIOUS OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND FOR US HAS BEEN A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF HOW WE'RE ABLE TO RUN THE ENTIRE CONTINUUM OF YOUTH JOBS
THROUGHOUT THE FULL YEAR. THIS IS THE LARGEST EMPLOYMENT COALITION IN EAST BOSTON, ONE OF THE BIGGER ONES IN THE CITY. AND THE SCHOOL YEAR JOBS REALLY ALLOW US TO HAVE SUCCESS IN THE SUMMER PROGRAM.
SO THOSE STRONG OUTCOMES THAT WE SEE UH AND EQUITY IN THE PROGRAM LIKE HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAIN YOUNG PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN THE SCHOOL YEAR 14, 15, 16
YEARS OLD TO GET THEM READY TO WORK AS INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF IN THE SUMMERTIME IS MADE POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE SCHOOL YEAR JOBS PROGRAM. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. YEAH. OMAR. >> HELLO.
MY NAME IS OMAR. SARA AND I LIVE AND WORK IN EAST BOSTON. I'M THE EDUCATION DIRECTOR AT PIERCE PARK SAILING CENTER WHERE I LEAD OUR YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS. I'M HERE TODAY TO ADVOCATE FOR
THE RESTORATION OF THE SCHOOL YEAR EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE WE SERVE. THIS PROGRAM IS NOT JUST A JOB IT'S A PATHWAY. IT GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN INCOME OFTEN HELPING
SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES WHILE BUILDING CRITICAL SKILLS LIKE RESUME WRITING, INTERVIEWING AND FINANCIAL LITERACY AT OUR ORGANIZATION. THE SCHOOL YEAR PROGRAM IS WHAT MAKES LONG TERM GROWTH POSSIBLE.
IT ALLOWS A YOUNG PERSON TO GO FROM NEVER HAVING BEEN OUT ON THE WATER TO BECOMING A CONFIDENT SAILOR, A LEADER AND EVEN A SAILING INSTRUCTOR. THAT KIND OF TRANSFORMATION
DOESN'T HAPPEN OVER JUST ONE SUMMER AND WE KNOW THE IMPACT GOES FAR BEYOND JUST OUR ORGANIZATION. YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS LEAD TO HIGHER GRADUATION RATES, INCREASED COLLEGE ENROLLMENT
AND MEASURABLE IMPROVEMENTS IN ATTENDANCE AND GPA. THEY ALSO STRENGTHEN SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS AND REDUCE INVOLVEMENT IN VIOLENCE IN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM.
THESE IMPACTS ARE EVEN GREATER FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO NEED IT MOST LOW INCOME YOUTH, YOUTH OF COLOR AND THOSE ALREADY FACING SYSTEMIC BARRIERS. ELIMINATING THE SCHOOL YEAR
PROGRAM DOESN'T JUST CUT FUNDING IT CUTS OFF OPPORTUNITY ,STABILITY AND PROVEN OUTCOME FOR BOSTON'S YOUTH. I URGE THE COUNCIL TO FULLY RESTORE THE OFFICE OF YOUTH EMPLOYMENT AND OPPORTUNITIES
BUDGET TO THE FY 26 LEVEL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. OKAY. >> UH JOHN SMITH. I APOLOGIZE. >> I'M I THINK. >> THAT'S A SAINT UH. THANKS TO YOU. >> OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU JUST STATE YOUR NAME AND.
WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. YEP. >> SO MY NAME IS JOHN SMITH SAINT CYR. I'M THE FOUNDER OF THE JOE SMITH SUICIDE PREVENTION CENTER FOR YOUNG BLACK BOYS. UM, SO I'VE BEEN A BOSTON
RESIDENT MY ENTIRE LIFE AND ROXBURY, DORCHESTER, MATTAPAN HAS ALWAYS FUNCTIONED AS BOSTON'S EVIDENCE OF STRUCTURAL ABANDONMENT. YOU REPRESENT THE POOREST PARTS OF THE CITY.
WE CARRY THE LOWEST LIFE EXPECTANCY WHILE NEARLY 80% OF OUR CHILDREN ARE NOT READING ON GRADE LEVEL, THESE ARE NOT ISOLATED FAILURES. THEY ARE CUMULATIVE. THEY ARE CUMULATIVE OUTCOMES
PRODUCED BY DECADES OF BUDGETARY CHOICES HOUSING POLICY, SCHOOL INEQUITY, PUBLIC HEALTH NEGLECT AND RATIO DISINVESTMENT. SO BEFORE WE CALL THE FY 27
BUDGET A SPENDING PLAN, WE NEED TO NAME WHAT IT REALLY IS A BUDGET IS A MORAL DOCUMENT. IT IS A PUBLIC HEALTH DOCUMENT . IT IS A RACIAL JUSTICE DOCUMENT . AND IF ANY OF THE SAME
COMMUNITIES REMAIN POOR, SICK, UNSAFE, UNDEREDUCATED AFTER GENERATIONS OF PUBLIC SPENDING ,THEN THE QUESTION IS NOT WHETHER BOSTON HAS INVESTED. THE QUESTION IS WHO BOSTON HAS
CHOSEN TO STABILIZE AND WHO BOSTON HAS CHOSEN TO LEAVE UNSTABLE BECAUSE POVERTY DOES NOT REPRODUCE ITSELF BY ACCIDENT, LOW LIFE EXPECTANCY DOES NOT APPEAR WITHOUT CAUSE.
CHILDREN DO NOT FALL BEHIND IN READING AT THIS SCALE BECAUSE FAMILIES DO NOT CARE AND VIOLENCE DOES NOT CONCENTRATE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOODS GENERATION AFTER GENERATION
AFTER GENERATION BECAUSE OF INDIVIDUAL FAILURE. THESE ARE STRUCTURAL OUTCOMES. THE OTHER RESULT OF DECISIONS MADE LONG BEFORE A CHILD EVER ENTERS A CLASSROOM, LONG BEFORE A YOUNG PERSON EVER ENTERS THE
STREET. HOW LONG BEFORE A FAMILY EVER REACHES CRISIS? SO WHEN THE CITY UNDER FUNDS PREVENTION UNDERFUNDED YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, UNDERFUNDED COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS
AND THEN FULLY FUNDS THE SYSTEMS THAT RESPOND AT THE FARM AT THE HARM HAS ALREADY HAPPENED THAT IS NOT NEUTRALITY . THAT IS A GOVERNING CHOICE AND THE COMMUNITIES PAYING THE
PRICE ARE THE SAME COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN PAYING IT MY ENTIRE LIFE. SO TODAY I COME BEFORE YOU NOT ASKING TO BE FUNDED, NOT TO BEG FOR THE CRUMBS THAT MAY FALL
FROM THE ALMOST $500 MILLION POLICE BUDGETS. PLEASE I COME BEFORE YOU TO PUT IT ON RECORD THAT A NEW DAY IS COMING A DAY WHERE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN STUDIED,
MANAGED, CONTAINED AND UNDERFUNDED WILL NO LONGER ACCEPT SYMBOLIC CONCERN AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR STRUCTURAL INVESTMENT. A DAY WHERE ROXBURY, DORCHESTER AND MATTAPAN WILL NO LONGER BE
TREATED AS EVIDENCE OF FAILURE BUT AS EVIDENCE OF WHAT THIS CITY HAS REFUSED TO REPAIR BECAUSE THE BUDGET IS NOT JUST NUMBERS, THE BUDGET IS MEMORY. IT REMEMBERS WHO WAS PROTECTED
. IT REMEMBERS WHO WAS IGNORED, IT REMEMBERS WHO WAS STABILIZED AND IT REMEMBERS WHO WAS LEFT TO SURVIVE. SO LET THE RECORD REFLECT THIS I AM NOT HERE WITH THE LIST OF DEMANDS.
YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW THIS WORKS. WE ALREADY KNOW THE HEARING, THE TESTIMONY, THE POLITE NODS ,THE LANGUAGE OF EQUITY, THE PUBLIC STATEMENTS AND THE
PRIVATE INDIFFERENCE. WE KNOW HOW BOSTON'S PERFORMS CONCERN EXCUSE ME. WE KNOW HOW BOSTON PERFORMS CONCERN WHILE PRESERVING THE SAME CONDITIONS. SO TODAY IS NOT ABOUT BEGGING THE CITY TO CARE.
TODAY IS ABOUT PUTTING THE CITY UNNOTICED. YOU HAVE TRIED TO BURY COMMUNITIES THAT WERE NEVER DEAD. YOU HAVE TREATED ROXBURY, DORCHESTER AND MATTAPAN LIKE DISPOSABLE GROUND NOT
UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ALREADY LEARNED HOW TO GROW FROM CONCRETE. WE GREW WITHOUT STABLE INVESTMENT. WE GREW WITHOUT PROTECTION. WE GREW WITHOUT BEING PRIORITIZED. WE GREW TO CLOSE SCHOOLS,
BROKEN PROMISES, UNDERFUNDED PROGRAMS, CONCENTRATED POVERTY AND PREVENTABLE DEATH. AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW. BUT LET THE RECORD REFLECT THIS SURVIVAL IS NOT CONSENT.
OUR ABILITY OUR ABILITY TO ENDURE SHOULD NEVER BE MISTAKEN FOR PERMISSION TO KEEP NEGLECTING US. SO IF THIS BUDGET CONTINUES TO PRESERVE THE SAME CONDITIONS, THEN THE NEXT QUESTION WOULD NOT BE WHETHER OUR COMMUNITIES
CAN SURVIVE. THE NEXT QUESTION WILL BE WHETHER THE PEOPLE ELECTED TO REPRESENT US CAN THANK YOU. >> OKAY THANK YOU. OKAY. >> UH SO. NEXT UP IS. >> A GROUP FROM THE BOSTON
PEOPLE'S RESPONSE. CAMPAIGN SO I CAN CALL YOU OUT IN ORDER. >> OR. YOU CAN LINE UP, UH, HOWEVER YOU. WANT, YOU KNOW. >> UH. UM. >> AND YOU'RE GOING TO. EACH YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. UH, JUST. >> GIVE ME ONE SECOND HERE.
UM. YES, I JUST BEFORE BEFORE YOU START, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO SAY LIKE. THE THE. I'M NOT JUST HERE BECAUSE. >> I'M THE CHAIR.
>> OF THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE. >> LIKE WHEN I WAS NOT THE CHAIR. I MADE. >> IT A PRIORITY TO BE HERE. TO LISTEN. >> TO PEOPLE. UM. >> YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, ALL OF YOU DESERVE THE FULL CITY. COUNCIL ON ALL THE COUNCILORS HERE.
I KNOW WE ALL HAVE A HARD JOB. AND THERE'S THERE'S FIVE EVENTS . EVERY NIGHT. >> THAT. YOU HAVE TO BE AT. AND YOU CAN'T YOU HAVE TO KIND OF PICK AND. CHOOSE AND I. KNOW ALL MY COLLEAGUES ARE WORKING REALLY HARD AND IT'S. >> YOU KNOW.
WHETHER THEY'RE AT LARGE AND THEY'RE COVERING THE WHOLE CITY OR THEIR DISTRICT COUNCILOR LIKE ME OR COUNCILOR BREADON. WE HAVE A SMALL NEIGHBORHOOD BUT UH, I JUST I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO EVERYONE WHO'S HERE WHO'S MADE THE TIME TO
COME TO CITY HALL. UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE HAVING ANOTHER. LISTENING SESSION. UH, AND. YOU KNOW. >> I I WILL PERSONALLY ASK ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES TO BE HERE. I THINK THIS. >> IS HOW THE PROCESS WORKS IF
YOU'RE NOT HERE. TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW HOW. YOU MAKE DECISIONS. I'M NOT SMART ENOUGH. >> TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS ON. >> MY OWN. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO I THINK COUNCILOR BREADON AND COUNCILOR FLYNN OBVIOUSLY. >> MADE AN. >> EFFORT. TO BE.
>> HERE AND, UH, I JUST YOU KNOW, I. >> WANT. YOU TO KNOW. >> THAT, YOU. KNOW, I'M TAKING. NOTE OF THE ATTENDANCE. WE ALL. >> YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT. BUT. UM. >> YOU KNOW, I WAS I'M EXPECTING. MORE FROM MY. COLLEAGUES AND, UH.
I WANT TO THANK. MADAM PRESIDENT. >> FOR BEING HERE. SO ANYWAY, UH, I. WOULD THIS IS. >> ALL BEING. RECORDED AND WE'RE ALL GOING TO YOU KNOW, WE. HAVE DISCUSSIONS. WITH ALL MY COLLEAGUES AND I I WILL CERTAINLY. AND CENTRAL STAFF.
EVERYONE WILL KNOW WHAT HAS BEEN SAID HERE. UH, BUT I JUST WANT TO ON MY ON BEHALF OF THE COUNCIL I JUST I WANTED TO GET. THAT ON. >> THE RECORD. SO, UM. UH YEAH. UH.
MY MY NEIGHBOR. UH, WHENEVER. YOU'RE READY, YOU GOT. TWO MINUTES. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT ACKNOWLEDGMENT, COUNCILOR WEBER. AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU TO COUNCIL PRESIDENT. LET'S BE DONE FOR BEING HERE AS WELL.
MY NAME IS AMY TALK AND AMY ARE YOU SHE HER PRONOUNS I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SIX, A SOCIAL WORKER AND A STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER OF THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE CAMPAIGN.
OUR CAMPAIGN IS ADVOCATING FOR A NON-POLICE NON CARCERAL COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO HEAR FROM SEVERAL CAMPAIGN MEMBERS TONIGHT ABOUT WHY THEY AND WHY
ALL OF US ARE URGING YOU TO FULLY FUND THE PILOT OF OUR CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL AT $4 MILLION IN THIS FY 27 BUDGET. OUR CAMPAIGN GREW OUT OF AN
INVESTMENT THAT THE CITY MADE UNDER THE JANEY ADMINISTRATION BACK IN 2021 TO FUND THE DESIGN OF A NON-POLICE, COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE. MANY OF US PARTICIPATED IN THAT
DESIGN PROCESS, WHICH MY COLLEAGUE MAYA WILL SPEAK MORE ABOUT AFTER THE MODEL WAS COLLECTIVELY DESIGNED AND SUBMITTED TO THE CITY IN 2022. OUR CAMPAIGN WAS FORMED TO
ORGANIZE AND ADVOCATE FOR THE PILOT TO BE FULLY FUNDED AND IMPLEMENTED IN THE CITY. SINCE LAUNCHING IN 2023, OUR CAMPAIGN HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE A POWERFUL AND ENGAGED MEMBER
BASE OF BOSTON RESIDENTS MANY OF WHOM YOU WILL HEAR FROM TONIGHT INCLUDING YOUNG PEOPLE ,SOCIAL WORKERS, HEALTHCARE WORKERS, BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR, DISABLED
PEOPLE, AND TRANS PEOPLE, IMMIGRANTS, WORKING CLASS PEOPLE AND MANY OTHERS WHOSE COMMUNITIES ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY OUR CURRENT CASTLE RESPONSES HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON,
WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE OUR DIVERSE AND OVERLAPPING EXPERIENCES THIS EVENING AND TO EXPLAIN WHY WE BELIEVE THIS PILOT IS NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER.
THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE IN THE SHADOW OF THE HORRIFIC POLICE KILLING OF STEVENSON KING JR WHO ACCORDING TO HIS FAMILY'S CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY HAD STRUGGLED FOR YEARS WITH MENTAL
HEALTH CHALLENGES. WE WANT TO HELP ENSURE THAT OUR CITY TAKES PROACTIVE ACTION TO PREVENT TRAGEDIES LIKE THIS FROM HAPPENING IN BOSTON. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME
AND CONSIDERATION. I URGE YOU TO INVEST IN OUR COLLECTIVE HEALTH AND OUR COLLECTIVE SAFETY BY FULLY FUNDING THE PILOT OF A NON-POLICE, NON CARCERAL COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH
CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL FOR $4 MILLION IN FY 27 BUDGET. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH YEAH IT JUST IDENTIFY YOURSELF. >> BY NAME SO. I KNOW UM. WHO TO WHO TO. CROSS OFF. THANKS. HI. >> CITY COUNCIL.
MY NAME IS MIAMI LESTER GUY. I'M A BOSTON RESIDENT AND DISTRICT SIX LICENSED INDEPENDENT CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER AND SOCIAL WORK PROFESSOR. I'VE BEEN INVOLVED AS A STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER SINCE
THE CITY FUNDED DESIGN PROCESS IN 2022 OF THE COMMUNITY LED NON-POLICE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL. I'M HERE TODAY TO UPLIFT THE ASK FOR THE CITY COUNCIL TO INVEST $4 MILLION IN THE 2027 BUDGET TO FULLY FUND THE PILOT
FOR THIS MODEL AND SO I WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DESIGN PROCESS AND THE BACKGROUND OF HOW WE GOT HERE. UM, SO WHEN KIM JANEY WAS ACTING MAYOR, THE CITY INVESTED 875,000 SPECIFICALLY DESIGNATED
FOR A NON-POLICE MENTAL COMMUNITY LED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE PROGRAM TO BE DESIGNED FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. AND THEN IN JANUARY 2022 TWO LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS THE CITY SCHOOL AND BOSTON LIBERATION
HEALTH WERE SELECTED AS THE CO FACILITATORS OF THE DESIGN PROCESS. I'M A STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER OF BOSTON THE REGION HEALTH AND SO BECAME INVOLVED IN THE DESIGN PROCESS IN THIS WAY LIBERATION HEALTH WAS STARTED OVER 20 YEARS AGO AND IS A
GROUP OF PRIMARILY SOCIAL WORKERS BUT ALSO HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS AND SERVICE USERS BROADLY UH, WORKING TO CHANGE AND IMPACT THE LARGER SYSTEMS THAT NEGATIVELY IMPACT MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.
THE CITY THEN TOOK THE TIME TO ADDITIONALLY AND THOUGHTFULLY SELECT 14 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS THE DESIGN TEAM UH. THIS DESIGN TEAM INTENTIONALLY CONSISTED OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH VARYING IDENTITIES AND
BACKGROUNDS FROM NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS BOSTON UH, THE MAJORITY OF WHOM WERE BIPOC FOLKS AND INCLUDED INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNESS, CHALLENGES OF SUBSTANCE USE, CRIMINALIZATION AND MAJOR MENTAL ILLNESS.
AND THERE WERE MEMBERS WHO HAVE LIVED EXPERIENCES NAVIGATING MENTAL HEALTH CRISES THEMSELVES MEMBERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH PEER SUPPORT AND MEMBERS WHO WORK IN THE MENTAL HEALTH CARE FIELD AS THERAPISTS. UH THIS DESIGN GROUP RESEARCHED
AND CONSULTED WITH SIMILAR PROGRAMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS WELL AS GATHERED INPUT FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS BOSTON HEALTH CARE FOR THE HOMELESS AND HEALTH RESOURCES AND ACTION
TO NAME JUST A FEW OF THOSE GROUPS. UH THE DESIGN TEAM HELD SIX LISTENING SESSIONS IN ENGLISH, SPANISH AND ASL ENGAGING OVER 200 COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN THIS PROCESS. AND THEN AFTER THE DESIGN PROCESS, THIS DESIGN GROUP
PRESENTED THE FINDINGS AND THE DESIGN MODEL TO MAYOR WU AND OUR TEAM IN THE SPRING OF 2023 . SO THE CITY HAS ALREADY INVESTED TIME AND RESOURCES INTO DESIGNING A COMMUNITY LED NON-POLICE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
RESPONSE MODEL. UM OUR CAMPAIGN HAS CONFIRMED ONGOING INTEREST FROM THE CITY COUNCIL IN INVESTING IN ALTERNATIVE RESOURCES TO BETTER RESPOND TO AN ADDRESS MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON.
SO PLEASE INVEST THE $4 MILLION IN THE FY 2027 BUDGET FOR THE PILOT FOR THE COMMUNITY LED NON-POLICE COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL. >> THANK YOU FOR. JOINING US TODAY. >> THANK YOU. OKAY. >> UH, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
GOOD AFTERNOON COUNSELORS. MY NAME IS MICHAEL NELMS. I'M A YOUTH WORKER AT THE CITY SCHOOL, UM, A STUDENT AT UMASS BOSTON AS WELL AS A, UM A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT FIVE.
I'M HERE ALONG WITH MY FELLOW, UM, BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE MEMBERS ASKING FOR 4 MILLION TO $4 MILLION TO BE AMENDED INTO THE CITY'S FY 27 BUDGET TO FUND
A PILOT OF THE MENTAL MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE RESPONSE, WHICH WILL BE CONSENT BASED NON-POLICE AND NON CARCERAL. WHAT'S IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AS IT'S
MODEL IS IF SOMEONE DOESN'T FEEL COMFORTABLE REACHING OUT TO OUR CURRENT SYSTEM FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR SUPPORT, THERE'S SO MANY REASONS AS TO UM BEING MET WITH VIOLENCE OR
INADEQUATE AT AN ADEQUATE QUICK AND ADEQUATE CARE BPR IT WOULD BE A GREAT RESOURCE FOR SOMEONE TO HAVE PEACE OF MIND THAT THEY HAVE CONTROL OVER THE CARE THAT
THEY RECEIVE FOR THEM TO HAVE PEACE OF MIND THAT THEIR LIFE IS NOT IN DANGER FOR HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. AS SOMEONE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE OF MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AS WELL AS WITNESSING LOVED ONES WITH UM GOING
THROUGH A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS ,I UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE AGENCY OVER THE CARE THAT YOU WANT TO RECEIVE. WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TRAINED TO SUPPORT AND DE-ESCALATE
CRISIS, I HAVE NO DOUBT THIS PILOT WOULD BE A BENEFICIAL RESOURCE FOR EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITIES WHO RELY ON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND I HOPE YOU TAKE THIS INTO CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HELLO. >> THANK YOU SO FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE MY TESTIMONY. MY NAME IS ARIEL ELLISON AND I LIVE IN THE FED MORE OF A FENWAY KENMORE NEIGHBORHOOD
OF DISTRICT EIGHT. I'M AN INCOMING JUNIOR AT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY AND A MEMBER OF THE BOSTON'S PEOPLE RESPONSE. I'M HERE TO ASK YOUR CITY COUNCILORS TO FULLY FUND THE PILOT FOR THE NON-POLICE NON CARCERAL COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL
HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL AT $4 BILLION. THIS CAMPAIGN IS IMPORTANT TO ME BECAUSE OF MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND FIRSTHAND EXPOSURE TO THE IMPLICATIONS OF MISMANAGED MENTAL ILLNESS. MY STRUGGLES WITH ANXIETY AND
DEPRESSION BEGAN IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WITH WHAT STARTED AS PANIC ATTACKS THAT LANDED ME IN THE E.R. AND IT TOOK OVER TEN YEARS TO REACH AN ASSESSMENT AND DIAGNOSIS. AS THE DAUGHTER OF A HISPANIC IMMIGRANT, THE CULTURAL NORMS
THAT NEGATIVELY STIGMATIZE STIGMATIZE, ASKING FOR HELP AND BEING LABELED AS MENTALLY ILL WERE INSTILLED AT A FORMATIVE AGE. I OFTEN FELT HELPLESS AND DESOLATE, UNABLE TO ACCESS MEDICATION AND THERAPY AS A MINOR DUE TO MY LACK
OF PARENTAL SUPPORT. IN ADDITION TO MY OWN STRUGGLES ,I WATCHED CLOSE FRIENDS AND FAMILY MEMBERS RECEIVE AGGRESSIVE INTERVENTIONS FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT OR REFRAIN FROM SEEKING TREATMENT AND ATTEMPT SUICIDE. MY UNCLE'S UNMEDICATED BIPOLAR
DISORDER SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED OUR FAMILY GROWING UP. I VIVIDLY RECALL WATCHING HIS MANIC OUTBURSTS WHILE WE WERE ILL EQUIPPED TO NAVIGATE THESE EPISODES, WHICH FORCED US TO RELY ON LAW ENFORCEMENT. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS HE WAS
TACKLED AND ARRESTED BY POLICE FOR HIS ERRATIC BEHAVIOR AND VERBAL HOSTILITY. THESE EVENTS REINFORCE THE HARMFUL IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN INSTILLED INTERNALLY ESTABLISHED IN FEAR OF BEING MISTREATED FOR RECEIVING MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT.
THEY ALSO DISCOURAGED MY PARENTS FROM ALLOWING ME TO SEEK OUT THE SUPPORT I NEEDED AND FEAR OF THE REPERCUSSIONS I COULD FACE IF LABELED AS MENTALLY ILL. THESE VIOLENT AND LETHAL INTERVENTIONS HAVE YET TO CHANGE. AS THE WASHINGTON POST DATA
SHOWS THAT 25% OF FATAL POLICE SHOOTINGS ARE RESPONSE TO MENTAL HEALTH CRISES. MOST RECENTLY, JACOB GRAVES WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY POLICE ON APRIL 4TH AT HIS RESIDENCE DURING A CRISIS RESPONSE. AS A NORTHEASTERN STUDENT A
MEMBER OF THIS CAMPAIGN, I AM DEEPLY COMMITTED TO ADVOCATING FOR OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE WE MUST SPEAK OUT TO BREAK THESE STIGMAS. I ASK FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE AND FULLY FUND THE RESPONSE MODEL BY PROMOTING ALTERNATIVE
RESPONSE MEASURES THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENTED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES. THIS CAN PREVENT THE INEVITABLE ESCALATION OF VIOLENCE WHEN RELYING ON POLICE INTERVENTIONS AND CAN REDUCE THE FEAR AND BARRIERS OF SEEKING HELP.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. OKAY. I'LL TRY TO REMEMBER TO START THE CLOCK NEXT TIME BUT UH, WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. HI. >> MY NAME IS STAR NUNEZ. I USE SHE HER PRONOUNS AND I AM
A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SEVEN. I'M HERE TODAY AS A YOUTH WORKER WITH THE CITY SCHOOL AND THE BPR CAMPAIGN. I'VE SEEN WHAT A CRISIS LOOKS LIKE. I'VE SEEN IT IN THE PEOPLE I CARE ABOUT. I'VE SEEN IT IN THE YOUTH THAT I WORK WITH AND I'VE SEEN IT UP
CLOSE. I'VE BEEN IN I'VE BEEN IN A CRISIS. IT'S NOT CLEAN, IT'S NOT QUIET. IT'S NOT CONVENIENT. IT'S SHAKING HANDS, RACING THOUGHTS, NOT KNOWING WHERE TO GO OR WHO TO CALL. AND STILL.
>> A CRISIS IS NOT A CRIME BUT TOO OFTEN IS IT TREATED LIKE ONE. IT'S FEAR BEING MET WITH FEAR. PAIN MET WITH CONTROL. I'VE SEEN MOMENTS THAT NEEDED CARE TURNED INTO SOMETHING COMPLETELY.
DIFFERENT SOMETHING LOUDER, HARSHER AND SOMETHING THAT LEAVES MARKS WAY AFTER PAST A MOMENT. A CRISIS IS NOT A CRIME NOT FOR THE YOUNG PERSON WHO IS OVERWHELMED.
NOT FOR THE YOUNG PERSON WHO NEEDS SOMEONE TO LISTEN. NOT FOR ANYONE AT THEIR LOWEST MOMENT. BUT WHAT PEOPLE NEED MOST IN THOSE MOMENTS IS NOT FORCE. THEY NEED PATIENCE,
UNDERSTANDING AND SOMEONE TRAINED TO MEET THEM WITH CARE AND SOMEONE TRAINED TO MEET THEM HALFWAY. A CRISIS IS NOT A CRIME. IT SHOULD BE A MOMENT WHERE SOMEONE SHOWS UP AND HELPS. THAT'S THE CHOICE IN FRONT
OF YOU TODAY. IT'S NOT DIFFICULT. WHAT WE NEED IS TO WHAT WE NEED TO SEND INTO A MOMENT OF CRISIS. IS IT FEAR? CARE, CONTROL, SUPPORT,
PUNISHMENT OR UNDERSTANDING? A CRISIS SHOULD NOT BE A CRIME . SO WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TODAY IS TO FUND BPR BECAUSE THE WAY WE RESPOND IN SOMEONE'S WORST MOMENT SHOULD MAKE IT BETTER, NOT WORSE.
OKAY. >> THANK YOU. UH. >> HELLO COUNCIL. MY NAME IS DAVID O'SHEA AND I WORK IN DISTRICT THREE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AS WELL AS I HAVE FAMILY ALSO LIVING IN
PLACES SUCH AS MATTAPAN, DORCHESTER AND JAMAICA AND CLEAN. UH, I'M HERE BECAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE IS THE WAY TO GO IN HELPING PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH.
I AM AND UM I AM A MEMBER OF THE BOSTON PEOPLE IN RESPONSE AND I HOPE TODAY TO SWAY YOUR OPINION TO GET BEHIND THE RESPONSE. UH, TO START I'M GOING TO NAME THREE NAMES AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT THEY ALL HAVE IN COMMON.
TERRENCE COLEMAN, A BLACK MAN WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA, UM, WHO WAS FATALLY SHOT BY BOSTON POLICE UM, DURING THE COVID HE, UH DURING A CONFRONTATION. UH, STEPHENSON KING JR A MAN
WITH, UM, A VARIETY OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WHO WAS ALSO SHOT BY POLICE. UM, TERRENCE COLEMAN, A BLACK MAN WHO ALSO HAS SCHIZOPHRENIA WHO WAS FATALLY SHOT BY POLICE AND THE LAWSUIT AGAINST THE
CITY ALLEGING THAT BOSTON POLICE AND EMT TRAINING PROVIDE A POOR UNDERSTANDING OF MENTAL HEALTH. ALL THOSE NAMES OF PEOPLE WHO WERE FATALLY SHOT BY POLICE OBVIOUSLY WHO DID NOT HAVE TRAINING IN HOW TO DE-ESCALATE
SITUATIONS UH, WITH PEOPLE WITH MENTAL HEALTH, MENTAL ILLNESS. UM, CASES LIKE THESE CAUSED THE COMMUNITY COMMUNITY TO BE AFRAID TO CALL THE POLICE, SCARING THEM INTO THINKING IF THEY DO SOMEONE WILL END UP DEAD.
THE BOSTON PEOPLE RESPONSE WILL ACTUALLY HELP PEOPLE AND DE-ESCALATE SITUATIONS WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY TRAINED AND SPECIFICALLY IN HOW TO HELP PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND PROVIDE RESOURCES TO END THINGS
SAFELY. I HOPE THAT TODAY YOU CHOOSE TO GET BEHIND THE RESPONSE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BUT WHENEVER YOU'RE READY.
HELLO, MY NAME IS. ELISE MCCULLOUGH. YOU SEE THEIR PRONOUNS. WORK WITH THE CITY SCHOOL LIVE IN DORCHESTER. AND I WANTED TO TESTIFY FOR THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE. A LITTLE BIT. ABOUT ME IS THAT I WAS RAISED
THAT MY ENTIRE LIFE IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS AND I'M PLANNING TO ATTEND COLLEGE IN FRAMINGHAM NEXT YEAR. I LOVE BOSTON SO MUCH, BUT I WISH I HADN'T SPENT MOST OF MY LIFE FACING HARDSHIP. THESE STRUGGLES HAD ADVANCED
THE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES I WOULD FACE LATER IN LIFE. ONE DAY IN 2024 I FELT HOPELESS AND TERRIBLE. I HAD BEEN HOMELESS FOR THREE MONTHS AND LIVE WITH THE RELATIVE WHO HAD TROUBLE TAKING
CARE OF ME. I STRUGGLED WITH IN EVERY ASPECT POSSIBLE. I COULDN'T EAT. I COULDN'T SLEEP. IN ONE DAY IT FELT LIKE I COULDN'T EVEN BREATHE. MY HEART WAS STRUGGLING TO BEAT AND I WAS PANICKING.
MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS CAME TO THE HOUSE TO HELP ME WHILE I WAS UNKNOWINGLY GOING THROUGH AN EPISODE A PSYCHOTIC EPISODE. I WAS CALM AGAIN BUT EMS AND THE POLICE HAD CAME. I TOLD THEM I WAS FINE BUT THEY
TOOK ME TO THE HOSPITAL ANYWAYS COMPLICATING THINGS EVEN MORE. IT'S LIKELY THAT EMS DID SO BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE I STILL NEEDED HELP. BUT IT DIDN'T CHANGE THAT I WAS FACING HARDSHIP WHERE I WAS AT.
INSTEAD THEY MADE THINGS WORSE. I LOST MY HOUSING AND HAD TO GO THROUGH A GRUESOME PROCESS TO GET A DIAGNOSIS THAT WOULD PROVIDE ME WITH LITTLE ASSISTANCE. THIS STORY. >> IS. A. CORE MEMORY FOR ME ABOUT HOW MY COMMUNITY HELPED ME, BUT THERE
WAS NO EFFECTIVE CITY RESPONSE. SOMETIMES I WISH I WAS PROVIDED RESOURCES IN MY TEMPORARY STAY. INSTEAD I WAS MET WITH PEOPLE TRYING TO TAKE ME TO ANOTHER PLACE TO GET THEIR JOB FINISHED IN THE HOPE AND INSTEAD
OF ENSURING THAT I WAS OKAY. I'VE BEEN TESTIFYING FOR THIS MODEL SINCE 2022 AND I STILL STAND BY IT. IF YOU FUND THIS MODEL IT'S LIKELY THAT MY STORY WON'T REPEAT TRULY. I BELIEVE THIS PILOT WILL MAKE
A CHANGE IN MY COMMUNITY ESPECIALLY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. UM, FOR SHARING THAT. UH, OKAY.
JUST TAKE YOUR TIME, YOU KNOW, TAKE A DEEP BREATH. UH, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW, DON'T YOU JUST USE THE TIME AS A GUIDELINE IF YOU NEED SOME EXTRA. NOT TO. RIGHT. >> BUT I THINK THANK YOU.
SO WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. OKAY. >> UM. HI. MY NAME IS AMANI. I'M 17 YEAR OLD, 17 YEARS. OLD, UH, BOSTON RESIDENT AND. >> A YOUTH WORKER AT THE CITY SCHOOL. I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN. SUPPORT OF FULLY FUNDING THE.
NON-POLICE NON CARCERAL COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE APP MODEL. AT $4 MILLION. UM. >> THROUGHOUT THIS HEARING YOU'LL HEAR PERSONAL STORIES AND. >> LIKE DETAILED EXPLANATIONS OF. THIS CAMPAIGN AND OTHER CAMPAIGNS UM, IN SUPPORT OF.
FUNDING THE YOUTH AND PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY AND. >> THAT MATTERS. BUT THAT'S. NOT WHAT I'M HERE TO DO. I'M HERE X Y LIKE Y AFTER HEARING ALL THAT ACTION IS STILL A QUESTION. I'M GOING TO COLLEGE NEXT YEAR
OR THIS YEAR. SORRY EARLY IN. >> THE FALL. BUT I WANT TO SPEAK UP FOR YOUTH IN. PARTICULAR IN THE CITY. BECAUSE WE ARE THE ONES IN THIS. CASE OR THAT ARE LIVING WITH THE CONSEQUENCES THAT LIKE OF THE DECISIONS YOU MAKE RIGHT NOW.
SO AND WHAT I SEE. IS THIS IN MY COMMUNITY LIKE PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING YOU SEE IT TO PEOPLE ON THE STREETS, PEOPLE DEALING WITH MENTAL HEALTH CRISES AND PEOPLE WHO NEED CARE NOT PUNISHMENT. AND THERE'S.
A CLEAR PATTERN BETWEEN MENTAL HEALTH POVERTY AND THE WAY THE CITY RESPONDS. THE PATTERN IS NOT HIDDEN. WE SEE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO WHEN THIS MODEL IS PRESENTED ONE THAT IS WELL RESEARCHED
COMMUNITY LED SOLUTION AND IT'S STILL TREATED LIKE IT'S OPTIONAL, THEN. IT'S REALLY. HARD TO. >> UNDERSTAND WHERE YOUR PRIORITIES LIE. SO BECAUSE AT THIS POINT IT DOESN'T FEEL LIKE YOU SEE THE PROBLEM, IT FEELS LIKE YOU
DON'T WANT TO SEE THE PROBLEM AND YOU DON'T WANT TO CONNECT THE DOTS YOURSELF. SO BECAUSE DOING THAT WOULD MEAN YOU WOULD HAVE TO ACT DIFFERENTLY AND THAT'S UNCOMFORTABLE. BUT THE PROBLEM IS THIS JOB IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE COMFORTABLE .
THE YOUTH SHOULD NOT HAVE TO KEEP ORGANIZING SPEAKING OUT AND LIKE FIGHTING TO FIX PROBLEMS THAT YOU ALREADY HAD THE PROBLEM SORRY YOU. ALREADY HAVE. >> THE POWER TO ADDRESS THAT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS COUNCILMAN AND AS PEOPLE IN POWER.
SO WHEN ACTION KEEPS GETTING DELAYED OR DEPRIORITIZED IT. >> MAKES. US QUESTION WHY. AND IT MAKES US QUESTION WHAT IS ACTUALLY. DRIVING OUR DECISIONS. SO THE CITY HAS MONEY. WE SEE WHERE FUNDING GOES EVERY YEAR. SO THIS IS NOT A SECRET.
IT'S ABOUT CHOICE. YOU ARE CHOOSING WHAT GETS PRIORITIZED. SO WE. >> ARE. ASKING FOR 4 MILLION. >> THAT IS A SMALL FRACTION OF THE CITY'S BUDGET BUT IT COULD MEAN REAL SAFETY AND REAL CARE. SO PLEASE. DO YOU CARE ABOUT. ADDRESSING THIS THIS CRISIS IN
A MEANINGFUL WAY OR WILL YOU CONTINUE TO SEE IT WITH WHAT'S COMFORTABLE? I URGE YOU TO FULLY FUND THE PILOT FOR THE NON-POLICE NON-CAUSAL COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL AT $4 MILLION. THANK YOU. I'M SORRY.
CAN YOU JUST TELL ME YOUR NAME AGAIN I DIDN'T CATCH. OH, SORRY. >> IT'S A MONEY PIT GUN. >> OKAY, GREAT. >> THANK YOU. OKAY. YEAH. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. OKAY. >> GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME. >> IS NAOMI HALL. I'M A ROXBURY DISTRICT.
SEVEN RESIDENT. >> AND. MSW STUDENT. AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY AND A BOSTON. PUBLIC SCHOOLS PARAPROFESSIONAL . I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH. BPR SINCE THE BEGINNING OF MY INTERNSHIP. >> IN SEPTEMBER OF 2025. LEARNING ABOUT A COMMUNITY.
LED NON-POLICE MENTAL HEALTH. CRISIS RESPONSE MODEL GAVE. >> ME A. REAL SENSE OF HOPE. THAT MEANINGFUL PEOPLE CENTER. CHANGE IS. >> POSSIBLE WHEN COMMUNITIES. ARE TRUSTED. >> AND HEARD. I'M HERE TODAY TO URGE YOU TO FULLY FUND THE $4 MILLION.
PILOT FOR THIS MODEL. WHILE APPROXIMATELY 1.3. >> MILLION HAS BEEN. ALLOCATED, IT STILL FALLS SHORT OF WHAT'S NEEDED. TO IMPLEMENT. >> THE PROGRAM AS IT WAS THOUGHTFULLY DESIGNED AND WE WANT. TO RECEIVE THE FULL. 4 MILLION. >> I ALSO WANT TO SPEAK TO THE CAMPAIGN PROCESS AND MY
EXPERIENCE. UM. AS A. >> DEVELOPER AND. >> CLINICAL SOCIAL. WORKER DO ATTENDING. BPR MEETINGS. >> IT IS CLEAR THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE NOT. ONLY IMPACTED BY MENTAL. HEALTH SYSTEMS. BUT ARE. >> ALSO DEEPLY. CAPABLE OF UNDERSTANDING AND. CONTRIBUTING TO CONVERSATIONS.
>> AROUND. POLICY DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION. THEIR VOICES HAVE. >> BEEN. CRITICAL IN. SHAPING THIS. >> MODEL AND THEY. DESERVE TO SEE IT FULLY IN PLACE. IN MY ROLE AS AN INTERN. I HAD. >> THE. OPPORTUNITY TO. >> BUILD MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS WITH.
YOUTH BY PROVIDING RELATIONAL AND LIBERATION. HEALTH ORIENTED THERAPY ALONGSIDE. >> WITH ACADEMIC SUPPORT. SOCIETY SETS THE. NARRATIVE THAT DIVIDES. PEOPLE INTO THE. DESERVING AND UNDESERVING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO
MENTAL HEALTH. THIS MODEL CHALLENGES THAT NARRATIVE. IT SHIFTS OUR PERSPECTIVE. FROM BLAMING INDIVIDUALS TO UNDERSTANDING. >> THE BROADER CONTEXT OF THEIR EXPERIENCES. MENTAL HEALTH CRISES, INCLUDING. MANIC EPISODES ARE NOT.
SIMPLY INDIVIDUAL FAILINGS. THERE ARE MOMENTS THAT CALL FOR CARE. COMPASSION AND APPROPRIATE SUPPORT. IF WE BEGIN TO SEPARATE THE PERSON FROM. THE PROBLEM THEN WE CAN CREATE SPACE.
FOR EMPATHY. WITH EMPATHY WE CAN REDUCE THE. RELIANCE ON POLICE RESPONSES IN SITUATIONS THAT REQUIRE CARE, NOT CRIMINALIZATION. FULLY FUNDING THIS PILOT. IS NOT JUST A FINANCIAL
DECISION. IS A. >> STATEMENT ABOUT OUR VALUES. AND IS AN INVESTMENT IN DIGNITY AND. COMMUNITY EXPERTISE AND IN SAFER, MORE EFFECTIVE. RESPONSES TO MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR.
TIME AND CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD LUCK IN YOUR MASTER'S PROGRAM. SOUNDS FUN. UH OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON.
MY NAME IS ABDI AND I'M A 70 YEAR OLD YOUTH WORKER AT TCS. I'M HERE TO BRING ATTENTION TO YOUTH JOBS AND HOW MONEY SHOULD BE ALLOCATE INTO YOUTH JOBS. THE YOUTH IN BOSTON ARE TO BUILD INSTRUMENTS FOR OUR FUTURE.
WITH THESE RECENT BUDGET CUTS THE JOBS ARE ALMOST SETTING UP THE NEXT GENERATION FOR FAILURE. YOUTH HAVE KNEES IN EVERY JOB SLOT TAKEN FROM THE YOUTH. AS A YOUTH THE HEADS WORRY ABOUT WHERE TO ACQUIRE MONEY TO SUPPORT THEIR NEEDS.
EVERY JOB SLOT IS A YOUTH WONDERING IF THEY CAN SUPPORT WHERE RENT ON TIME. EVERY JOBS LOAN IS A YOUTH WONDERING HOW THEY CAN PAY FOR THEIR FOOD TO SURVIVE ON EVERY JOB. AS A YOUTH HAS TO WORRY ABOUT
BUYING CLOTHES AND THE LIST GOES ON. THESE YOUTH JOB CUTS WILL INEVITABLY CAUSE OUR YOUTH TO LOOK INTO OTHER WAYS TO GET MONEY SUCH AS STEALING, DRUG DEALING, SCAMMING AND ETC.. WHEN PEOPLE GET PUT UNDER
PRESSURE THEY DO THINGS THEY NORMALLY WOULDN'T. WE NEED TO WORRY ABOUT THE NEXT GENERATION AND START INVESTING INTO OUR YOUTH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, FOR EVERYONE HERE WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY DISTRICT SEVEN COUNCILOR UH MAYNARD CULPEPER.
THANK YOU. UH, YEAH, I I HESITATE TO DO THIS. IF YOU WANT 30S WHICH WHICH IN CULPEPER TIME WOULD BE 10S BUT,
UH, TO JUST ADDRESS UH, EVERYONE HERE IF YOU WANT. THANK YOU. CHAIR. I THANK YOU FOR THE 30 MINUTES. YOU JUST REALLY WANTED TO COMMEND ALL OF YOU FOR SHOWING
UP TONIGHT. UH, FOR ME THIS IS AN EXCITING NIGHT. I SEE ALEXIS OUT THERE AND SHE'S PUTTING HER SHIRT ON. AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, I
WOULDN'T HAVE BECOME THE DISTRICT SEVEN CITY COUNCILOR WITHOUT SOME OF THE WORK THAT ALEXIS DID AND THEN KNOCKING ON DOORS THAT SHE DID WITH ME AND THE PHONE CALLING
THAT SHE DID WITH ME AND PASSING OUT LITERATURE THAT SHE DID WITH ME WHEN I WAS A CANDIDATE. SHE CAME. >> AND SHE WORKED AND SHE WAS COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT I GOT ELECTED.
AND SO I GOT TO GIVE HER A BIG SHOUT STAND UP. LET PEOPLE SEE WHO YOU ARE. I KIND OF GIVE HER A BIG SHOUT OUT RIGHT? BECAUSE TO BE HONEST IF IT WASN'T FOR THE YOUNG.
FOLKS THAT WORKED ON MY. CAMPAIGN I'M TALKING ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL YOUNG FOLKS THAT BELIEVED IN ME ENOUGH TO GET OUT ON THE STREET AND HELP ME AND SO IF SHE BELIEVED IN
ME ENOUGH TO GIVE ME ELECTED COUNCIL I BELIEVE ENOUGH AND HER AND ALL OF Y'ALL TO DO WHATEVER WE CAN TO RESTORE WHATEVER CUTS THEY ARE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU GET WHAT YOU
DESERVE. I MEAN, LOOK, YOU GUYS ARE THE FUTURE AND SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP YOU AND TO OPEN DOORS FOR YOU, UH, MAKE SURE
YOU REMEMBER COUNCIL CULPEPER DISTRICT SEVEN RIGHT IN THERE. JUST COME AND SEE ME AND, UH, YOU'LL BE SEEING HER THIS SUMMER. YOU'LL BE COMING TO SEE HER. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR SHOWING UP.
I KNOW IT'S LATE. MY BACK. I GOT PAIN IN MY BACK BUT I HAD TO JUST COME AND SAY, UH, COMMEND YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT AND STAY INVOLVED.
DON'T LET THIS BE THE ONLY TIME YOU SHOW UP EVERY TIME YOU SHOW UP MAKE SURE YOU SHOW OUT BECAUSE WHEN YOU SHOW OUT YOU GET OUR ATTENTION AND WE WANT TO DO ALL WE CAN FOR YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU.
I WAS GOING TO CUT YOU OFF SO I DON'T HAVE TO. OTHER PEOPLE. UH, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, SO, UH. YEAH. UH, WHOEVER IS NEXT. UH, JUST LET ME KNOW YOUR NAME
. I OKAY. OH. THAT'S APPROPRIATE. YEAH. HERE WE GO. HELLO. >> UM. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS ALEXA SANTANA. UH, I'M A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF DISTRICT SEVEN AND I'M 17
YEARS OLD. UM, I'M HERE TODAY TO SHARE TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF FULLY FUNDING THE PILOT FOR THE NON-POLICE NON CARCERAL COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE.
UH, $4 MILLION. I'M A YOUTH ORGANIZER AT YOUTH JUSTICE EMPOWER UNION WHILE RPU IS A YOUTH ORGANIZATION THAT ALLOWS YOUTH A SPACE TO VOICE THEIR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE ISSUES
IN BOSTON AND HOW THE BUDGET AFFECTS US THROUGH MY ORGANIZING OUR IGPU. I HAVE BECOME INVOLVED WITH BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE AS A MEMBER LEADER HELPING EVOLVE THE PILOT.
THEY HAVE ALSO SUPPORTED ME WITH THE SPACE TO FINISH SCHOOL, WORK TO GET FOOD. AND ALSO TO RECEIVE FREE MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING. THIS PILOT IS LIFE SAVING TO SAY THE LEAST.
IT IS THE DIFFERENCE OF SOMEONE BEING TREATED IN CRISIS WITH RESOURCE AND SOMEBODY BEING TRAUMATIZED DURING CRISIS. THE TRUTH IS POLICE HOLD IMMENSE POWER OVER PEOPLE. THEY HAVE THE GUN AND THEY HAVE
THE POWER. AND THIS IS A POWER IMBALANCE WHEN COMING INTO CONTACT. WITH VULNERABLE PEOPLE. POLICE HAVE PROVEN TO US THAT THEY ARE NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. AND AS A YOUNG PERSON OF COLOR,
MENTAL HEALTH IS AN ISSUE THAT AFFECTS US IMMENSELY. I PERSONALLY STRUGGLED WITH MENTAL HEALTH UM WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO LOSE MY APARTMENT BECAUSE OF HIGH RENT COSTS. AND THIS IS THE STORY OF MANY
YOUNG PEOPLE. AND IF I HAD A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE I KNOW I WOULD FEEL SUPPORTED. AND I KNOW SO MANY OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE WOULD. >> FEEL. SO SUPPORTED. AND I THINK EVERYONE DESERVES A
SUPPORT. AND WE SEE PEOPLE IN CRISIS EVERY DAY IN THE STREETS. UM SUFFERING FROM HOMELESSNESS AND ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF ISSUES. AND YET THEY STILL ARE NOT RECEIVING THE SUPPORT THAT THEY
NEED. WHILE OUR POLICE OFFICERS ARE SWEEPING HOMELESS PEOPLE OFF THE STREET BECAUSE POVERTY IS BEING CRIMINALIZED. THINK ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR CITIZENS AND THINK ABOUT THE
SAFETY OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE AS YOU THINK ABOUT LIKE UM, FUNDING THESE THINGS. UM SO AGAIN, I URGE YOU TO FULLY FUND THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> ALL RIGHT. OKAY. >> AND JUST, UH, BEFORE YOU BEGIN, I IN TERMS OF MY COLLEAGUES I KNOW COUNCILOR LUCY LOUIJEUNE IS, UH ,HEADING DOWN TO DC TONIGHT.
UH, BECAUSE THE THE SUPREME COURT IS HAVING ORAL ARGUMENT TOMORROW ON THE CONTINUATION OF TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS FOR FOR HAITIANS. SO SHE'S GOING DOWN THERE TO,
UH, SUPPORT AND I KNOW COUNCILOR COLLETTA ZAPATA IS DUE TO GIVE BIRTH, UH, ANY MINUTE NOW. SO THIS IS UH IT'S A IS SHE UH SHE WAS HERE EARLIER IN CITY
HALL AND SO IT'S IT'S A LONG DAY BUT UH, ANYWAY. OKAY. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. COOL. >> UM. >> GOOD EVENING, CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS NICK YOUNG. I'M 30 YEARS OLD AND I'M A FULL TIME PSYCHOTHERAPIST AND A
BOSTON RESIDENT. I RESIDE IN DORCHESTER, MASSACHUSETTS IN DISTRICT THREE ON PAWTUCKET LAND. I'M A PROUD COMMUNITY ORGANIZER WITH THIS CAMPAIGN AND A MEMBER OF BOSTON LIBERATION HEALTH AND
RUNNERS FOR JUSTICE IN PALESTINE BOSTON. WE ARE ASKING CITY COUNCILORS TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT FOR $4 MILLION FOR THE 2027 BUDGET FOR
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NON-POLICE NON CARCERAL COMMUNITY LED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. RESPONSE MODEL PILOT. MY CLIENTS SHOULD HAVE THE OPTION TO EXPLORE WARM LINES
AND INTERVENTIONS OUTSIDE OF THE CARCERAL SYSTEM AND HAVE ACCESS TO MULTIPLE OPTIONS AS A PSYCHOTHERAPIST AND CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER WHO ALSO HOLDS THE TITLE OF MANDATED REPORTER.
I FULLY BELIEVE THAT WHAT PEOPLE NEED OUR COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND RE GROUNDING NOT LAW ENFORCEMENT. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THIS MODEL TO BE AN ASSET IN THE COMMUNITY ONCE IMPLEMENTED AS THIS WILL
ALLOW PEOPLE TO ACCESS A SYSTEM OF CARE THAT'S TANGIBLE, RESPONSIVE, LOCAL AND COMMUNITY DRIVEN. IN MY EXPERIENCE BOTH LIVING WITH PEOPLE IN A CRISIS AND
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS, A LOCAL THIRD PARTY INTERVENTION THAT'S IN-PERSON AND NOT A HOTLINE WOULD HAVE MADE A MONUMENTAL DIFFERENCE AND NOT JUST SUPPORTING THE PERSON EXPERIENCING THE CRISIS BUT
ALSO ME AND OTHERS WHO WERE WITNESS AND DIDN'T HAVE THE SUPPORTS AND GROUNDINGS TO KNOW WHAT TO DO AT THE TIME. A THIRD PARTY WITHOUT WEAPONS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE COMMUNITY AND SOMEONE WHO'S TRAINED IN
PEER SUPPORT TO HELP GROUND AND RESPOND WAS NEEDED. IN ADDITION, FOR ME IT'S ABOUT HOLDING PEOPLE WE'VE LOST WHETHER SAEED FAISAL IN CAMBRIDGE, SONIA MASSEY IN
SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS OR OTHER KOREAN AMERICANS JUST LIKE ME FROM KOREATOWN, LA YANGYANG AND VICTORIA LEE FROM FORT LEE, NEW JERSEY. REST IN PEACE TO THE LIVES
SENSELESSLY LOST IN A MOMENT WHERE THEY NEEDED CONNECTION AND SUPPORT. WE NEED ALTERNATIVES NOT MORE POLICE, NOT MORE PRISONS, NOT MORE SYSTEMS THAT DON'T AFFIRM AGENCY AND HUMANITY.
$4 MILLION IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING COMPARED TO MAYOR WU'S RECENT ALLOCATION OF $480 MILLION PLUS FOR POLICE. THE RESEARCH PROVES IT.
OUR LIVED EXPERIENCE PROVES IT THAT WE NEED ALTERNATIVES. BLACK BOSTONIANS, DISABLED BOSTONIANS, LGBTQ PLUS BOSTONIANS, IMMIGRANT BOSTONIANS, UNHOUSED BOSTONIANS
,BOSTONIANS OF COLOR DESERVE THIS AND DESERVE TO HAVE THEIR HUMANITY, SAFETY AND CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR FEARS AND WISHES AFFIRMED AND RESPONDED TO. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. I THINK I HAVE A I HAVE TWO MORE PEOPLE SIGNED UP. UH, FROM THE PEOPLE'S RESPONSE CAMPAIGN. UM, IF THERE'S OTHERS JUST YOU KNOW, YOU CAN JOIN. OKAY.
>> HI. >> MY NAME IS THERESA AND I'M A YOUTH WORKER WITH PATHWAYS TO CHANGE AT THE CITY SCHOOL AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE BPR CAMPAIGN, MENTAL HEALTH INEQUALITY IN LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES IS. >> A SOCIAL. >> ISSUE THAT. >> I.
THAT DEEPLY RESONATES WITH. >> ME. BECAUSE I'VE SEEN HOW STIGMA AND LIMITED ACCESS TO CARE PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING THE. SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED. IN MANY. >> LOW. INCOME NEIGHBORHOODS. PEOPLE STRUGGLE. AND SILENCE AND THIS OFTEN LEADS TO HIGHER RATES OF MENTAL
HEALTH CRISES AND UNTREATED TRAUMA. THROUGHOUT MY WORK WITH YOUNG PEOPLE I'VE SEEN HOW THESE CHALLENGES SHOW UP IN REAL LIFE ESPECIALLY WITH PEOPLE WHO DON'T FEEL UM COMFORTABLE REACHING OUT FOR HELP. BECAUSE THEY DON'T. THINK IT'S.
AVAILABLE TO THEM. WHEN MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS GO UNMET, IT BECOMES HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND MAINTAIN THEIR JOBS AND BUILD STABLE FUTURES. WHEN SUPPORT SYSTEMS ARE IN
PLACE. THE ISSUE. PUTS MORE STRAIN ON FAMILIES, SCHOOLS. AND PUBLIC. HEALTH RESOURCES. THAT'S WHY I THAT'S WHY I BELIEVE COMMUNITY. ENGAGED APPROACHES. ARE SO IMPORTANT WHEN
COMMUNITIES ARE INVOLVED IN SHAPING SOLUTIONS. THOSE SOLUTIONS ARE MORE EFFECTIVE, MORE TRUSTED AND MORE ACCESSIBLE. PEOPLE ARE. MORE LIKELY TO SEEK HELP WHEN THEY. >> FEEL UNDERSTOOD. >> AND SUPPORTED BY SYSTEMS
THAT REFLECT THEIR EXPERIENCES INVESTING IN COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSES OR IS A STEP TOWARDS ADDRESSING THESE INEQUALITIES AT THEIR ROOT, IT HELPS ENSURE THAT CARE IS NOT
ONLY AVAILABLE BUT ALSO APPROACHABLE AND RELEVANT TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST. THIS IS WHY I URGE FOR THE PILOT FOR THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE CAMPAIGN A FREE NON CARCERAL COMMUNITY BASED MENTAL
HEALTH CRISIS RESOURCE TO BE FUNDED IN THE UPCOMING UPCOMING CITY BUDGET OF $4 MILLION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> UH GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCILORS. MY NAME IS HASSAN.
I USE THAT I'M PRONOUNS AND I'M A RESIDENT OF DORCHESTER AND DISTRICT THREE. UH, THANK YOU ALL TO ALL OF THE BPR MEMBERS WHO JUST TESTIFIED . UM, I HAVE BEEN A PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR THE PAST THREE
YEARS AT THE CITY SCHOOL AND ORGANIZATION AND UP ON THIS CORNER THAT CULTIVATES THE LEADERSHIP OF YOUTH ORGANIZERS . I AM ALSO A STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE. AS A YOUTH WORKER I HAVE SEEN
TIME AND TIME AGAIN HOW THE CURRENT FORMS OF MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AVAILABLE TO YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE CITY FAIL THEM. I HAVE SEEN HOW THE FEAR OF POLICE ICE AND FORCED PSYCHIATRIC INSTITUTIONALIZATION HAVE
STOPPED YOUTH FROM REACHING OUT FOR HELP FROM THEIR FAMILIES, SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL COUNSELORS. WHEN THEY DO REACH OUT FOR HELP. I HAVE SEEN HOW CITY AND STATE SERVICES, THE POLICE, THE BEST
TEAM AND DCF RESPOND AND HOW THEIR LACK OF CONSENT, COMMUNITY CONNECTION AND FOLLOW THROUGH CREATED MORE HARM FOR SOME YOUTH THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH WHEN THE POLICE ARE CALLED
IN TO RESPOND TO INSTANCES OF FAMILY VIOLENCE. THEY USE AN ARREST FIRST APPROACH, EVEN ARRESTING THE ADULTS OR YOUTH WHO ARE BEING HARMED WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THE CONTEXT OF THE SITUATION OR
ADEQUATELY ADDRESSING THE ROOT OF WHY VIOLENCE IS HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE. FOR OTHERS, WHEN THE BEST TEAM IS CALLED ON THEM IN SCHOOL OR AT HOME, POLICE OFFICERS OFTEN ACCOMPANY THEM, MAKING YOUTH
FEARFUL THAT THEY COULD BE KILLED FOR BEING SEEN AS A DANGEROUS MENTALLY ILL PERSON AND A RISK TO COPS WHEN ACTUALLY THE PERSON MOST AT RISK IS THEMSELVES. WE ARE COMMITTED TO FIGHTING LONG TERM FOR THIS CAMPAIGN AS
WE HAVE BEEN SINCE 2022. UH THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL OF THE MEMBERS WHO PREPPED SO DEARLY FOR THIS TESTIMONY TODAY. UH, WE WILL BE COMING BACK FOR THE FUTURE BUDGET HEARINGS THAT COUNCIL RUBBER MENTIONED WITH MORE OF OUR MEMBERS AND LOVED
ONES. UH, AND CONTINUE TO FOLLOW UP WITH CITY COUNSELORS. WE URGE YOU TO SUPPORT OUR AMENDMENT. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, JUST BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I WE WE WE HAVE A PRACTICE HERE
WHERE, UH, IF PEOPLE CAN'T MAKE IT, THEY SEND IN LETTERS OF ABSENCE. SO JUST FOR THE RECORD, WE DID GET A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM AT-LARGE COUNCILOR HENRY SANTANA AND AT-LARGE COUNCILOR JULIAN HERE.
UH, SO, UM BUT THANK YOU FOR THAT. UH, SO NEXT UP I HAVE UH, MALCOLM SHERMAN GODFREY AND NICHOLAS. I THINK IT'S LOUIE.
UM I APOLOGIZE. UH UH, BUT IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE FROM THE, UH, MISTER TALKING TO ME, WAS THERE ANYONE ELSE FROM THE PEOPLE'S RESPONSE? OKAY, GREAT. UH, REALLY THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR YOUR ADVOCACY. AND YOU KNOW, I MEAN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AND YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK THAT WE YOU KNOW, I THINK THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCILORS IN
THEORY SUPPORT IN FINDING THE MONEY. YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S A WHOLE THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER THING. BUT UM, WE WORKING ON THAT AND UH AGAIN THANK YOU FOR COMING WITH SUCH A, YOU KNOW, UNIFIED
STRONG VOICE TOGETHER. UH, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU, UH, ABOUT THIS MOVING FORWARD. OKAY. UM, SO. MALCOLM. OKAY. THANK YOU, COUNCILORS, FOR
TAKING THE TIME TO. LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE'S. COMMENTS TODAY. I'M HERE TO TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF SOMETHING I THINK. REALLY AFFECTS EVERY. SINGLE ONE OF US. AND THAT'S THE EXTREME. LACK OF PUBLIC. RESTROOMS WE. >> HAVE HERE IN THE. >> CITY OF BOSTON.
UH, MY NAME IS BY THE WAY IS MALCOLM SHERMAN GODFREY I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH THE BOSTON DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA. AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT PUBLIC RESTROOMS ARE TRULY CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE NECESSARY TO MAKE OUR CITY ACCESSIBLE TO ALL
PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS AND TO ENABLE ALL BOSTON RESIDENTS ,WORKERS AND VISITORS TO EXIST IN OUR CITY WITH DIGNITY. DESPITE THIS FACT, BOSTON HAS A SERIOUS LACK OF PUBLIC RESTROOMS AND MOST OF THOSE THAT THE CITY GOVERNMENT'S
WEBSITE WILL TELL YOU EXIST ARE EITHER CLOSED ALL WINTER. ARE OPEN FOR VERY LIMITED HOURS OR EXIST IN THEORETICALLY PUBLIC BUILDINGS LIKE THIS ONE OR POLICE STATIONS THAT ARE
CLOSED AT NIGHT OR PRESENT SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS TO ACCESS FOR SOME OF OUR MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS. EVEN THOSE FEW BATHROOMS THAT DO EXIST FAIL TO LIVE UP TO THE CITY'S OWN MEAGER STANDARDS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE RECENTLY
VISITED THE FROG POND BATHROOM IN THE CITY COMMON OR IN BOSTON COMMON UH WHICH ACCORDING TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE IS OPEN FROM 10 A.M. TO 9 P.M. EVERY DAY FROM APRIL THROUGH NOVEMBER IT
IS APRIL BUT THE BOSTON UH THE BOSTON COMMON FROG POND BATHROOM DOORS WERE LOCKED. THERE WAS NO SIGN PROVIDED EXPLAINING THE CLOSURE, LEAVING THE MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO PASS THROUGH THAT PARK EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH
ABSOLUTELY NOWHERE TO GO DESPITE THE FACT THAT OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE ALREADY CLEARLY UNABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR CITY'S RESIDENTS, WORKERS AND VISITORS, THE PROPOSED 20 FISCAL YEAR 27 BUDGET ACTUALLY
CUTS FUNDING TO SEVERAL OF THE DEPARTMENTS CHARGED WITH MAINTAINING PUBLIC RESTROOMS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE BUILDING OPERATIONS BUDGET IS FACING A $320,000 CUT AND THE PARK'S OPERATIONS AND EVEN STEEPER
$500,000 CUT. WE'RE REQUESTING THAT YOU AS CITY COUNCILORS NOT ONLY REJECT THESE UNNECESSARY FUNDING CUTS BUT ACTUALLY DEDICATE FUNDING
STREAMS WITHIN THE PUBLIC WORKS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT AND PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENTS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND MAINTENANCE OF OUR EXISTING PUBLIC RESTROOMS, TRANSFORMING THEM
INTO THE YEAR ROUND FREE 24 SEVEN ACT ACCESSIBLE RESTROOMS THAT WE ALL DESERVE. ADDITIONALLY, WE REQUEST THAT YOU INCREASE AND EXPAND THE EXISTING STREET FURNITURE
PROGRAM TO BUILD NEW PUBLIC RESTROOMS FUNDED BY THE CITY'S CAPITAL BUDGET IN THE YEARS IN 2027 AND BEYOND. NOT JUST RELYING ON UNNECESSARY ,UNCERTAIN AND INSUFFICIENT AD
REVENUE TO FUND THOSE PROGRAMS. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I JUST WANT TO KNOW WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY DISTRICT FOUR COUNCILOR BRIAN WORRELL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, AND SO NEXT UP, UH,
NICHOLAS AND THEN I HAVE, UH, IAN UH, THE UH I HAVE MERCY COLETTI UH AND THEN GREGORY PINNELL. HI. >> COUNCIL PERSONS.
MY NAME IS NICHOLAS MOYE. I AM. >> A CAMBRIDGE RESIDENT WORKING IN. BOSTON AND A MEMBER OF. BOSTON DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS. >> OF AMERICA. LIKE MY FELLOW DSA MEMBERS TODAY. >> I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT PUBLIC RESTROOM ACCESS IN BOSTON. THERE IS A MORAL IMPERATIVE TO
PROVIDE ACCESSIBILITY TO A RESTROOM FOR ALL. PEOPLE OF BOSTON, WHETHER THAT'S AN EVERYDAY COMMUTER. WORKERS OR PEOPLE. EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. IT'S BASIC HUMAN DIGNITY THAT SOMEONE HAS A FUNCTIONAL, SAFE
AND CLEAN SPACE TO RELIEVE THEMSELVES AND THE CURRENT MOMENT THE CITY AND MBTA ARE NOT LIVING UP TO A REASONABLE STANDARD OF CARE. I BELIEVE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON TO PRIORITIZE THIS ISSUE IN THE
2026 MUNICIPAL BUDGET. THE CURRENT PROPOSAL BY MAYOR WU FAILS TO DO SO AND IN FACT $500,000 HAVE BEEN CUT FROM THE PARKS OPERATION BUDGET AND 320,000 FROM THE BUILDING
OPERATIONS BUDGET. THESE CUTS SHOULD BE REVERSED AND ADDITIONAL FUNDS SHOULD BE ADDED TOWARDS THESE DEPARTMENTS TO SUPPORT THE QUALITY OF PUBLIC RESTROOMS. THIS MEANS IMPROVING THE
CURRENT BATHROOM INFRASTRUCTURE WHICH LOOKS LIKE INCREASED MAINTENANCE, EXTENDED HOURS, IMPROVED ACCESSIBILITY FOR DISABILITIES, CLEANLINESS AND FREE PUBLIC ACCESS. NO ONE AT ANY PUBLIC STATION
SHOULD BE MET WITH A LOCKED BATHROOM DOOR OR ONE THAT'S BEEN OUT OF ORDER FOR MONTHS. THIS ALSO MEANS OPENING MORE PUBLIC BATHROOMS IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS, PARTICULARLY TO SPOT T STOPS.
A BIG COMPONENT OF ADDRESSING ACCESSIBILITY IS AVAILABILITY. SO PLEASE ACCESS TO A RESTROOM SHOULD NOT BE PAYWALLS BEHIND A PURCHASE AT A COFFEE SHOP. THANK YOU.
OKAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS IAN QUALITY FROM THE BOSTON DSA. I JUST WANTED TO GIVE A BRIEF COMMENT TO FOLLOW UP ON MY
FELLOW BOSTON DSA MEMBERS WORKING ON THE PUBLIC RESTROOMS CAMPAIGN. FOR MY PART, I WANT TO IMPOSE THE PERHAPS IMPLICIT NOTION THAT PUBLIC RESTROOMS ARE SIMPLY NICE TO HAVE.
THEY SERVE A BASIC BIOLOGICAL FUNCTION. THE HUMAN BODY DOES NOT WORK EFFECTIVELY UNDER STRESS AND DISCOMFORT. THAT'S WHY OUR OFFICES HAVE BATHROOMS AND WATER AND HEATING.
BUT OUR SOCIETY DOESN'T JUST EXIST IN THE OFFICE. ANY ANY RESOURCES WE SPEND ON PUBLIC FACILITIES WE WILL MORE THAN MAKE UP FOR IN HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY.
LIKE ALL OF THE ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED TONIGHT, IF WE SERIOUSLY DON'T THINK WE CAN FIND THE MONEY FOR SUCH SIMPLE AND LOGICAL PUBLIC GOODS, I THINK WE HAVE MUCH BIGGER PROBLEMS AS A CITY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH OKAY. I HAVE, UH, GREGORY PARNELL AND THEN UH, EDGAR SANTANA AND DEBORAH.
UH YEAH. HIMS I THINK UH UM I DON'T KNOW BRIAN WHERE I WAS THE CHAIR OF THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE FOR TWO YEARS. I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER MISPRONOUNCED ANYONE'S NAME SO I DON'T KNOW HOW HE DID IT. UM, I APOLOGIZE AGAIN. UM.
>> PERHAPS MY NAME. RIGHT. OKAY. >> BECAUSE I GOT ONE. A BROKEN CLOCK IS RIGHT TWICE A DAY. OKAY. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. HELLO. MY NAME IS, UH, GREGORY FINNELL . I'M WITH THE. INDEPENDENT SOCIALIST GROUP AND I AM. A RESIDENT OF HYDE PARK.
I AM HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE MASSIVE BUDGET CUTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND ALL AROUND MASSACHUSETTS. BOSTON IS EXPECTED. >> TO CLOSE THREE SCHOOLS AND LAYOFF 400 TEACHERS. UH, ONE OF THOSE TEACHERS IS IN
MY NEIGHBORHOOD. IT'S CALLED. >> ANOTHER COURSE. TO COLLEGE. IT SERVES 90% STUDENTS. >> OF COLOR AND. 80% LOW INCOME STUDENTS. AND LAST TIME I WAS HERE THERE WAS A PARAPROFESSIONAL WHO SAID IT BEST. IT'S ALWAYS THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE LEAST WHO ARE EXPECTED.
>> TO GIVE UP THE MOST. WHEN IT'S TIME TO CUT MONEY FOR OUR BUDGET. UM I WHEN I WAS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WE ACTUALLY HAD A SCHOOL CLOSURE AND I SAW FIRSTHAND. UH, CLASS SIZES BALLOONED.
MY OWN TEACHERS GET BURNT OUT. UM, MY ME AND MY PEERS FELL BEHIND ACADEMICALLY AND SOCIALLY. UH, STATE HAS AN. $8.6 BILLION RAINY DAY FUND THAT WE YOU GUYS COULD BE
PRESSURING PUTTING PRESSURE ON. THE FUND ACTUALLY HAS AN INTEREST RATE UP $250 MILLION A YEAR, WHICH WOULD BE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO PAY OFF OUR SCHOOLS. AND BOSTON HAS ITS OWN RAINY
DAY FUND, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER HOW MUCH IT IS. UM, SO THE STATE HAS THE MONEY FOR NOT JUST THIS PROBLEM BUT ALL THE PROBLEMS BEING TALKED ABOUT TONIGHT AND THERE IS NO
EXCUSE FOR. TO CLOSED SCHOOLS. THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR ANY OF THESE CUTS TO OUR SCHOOLS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. NEXT UP EDGAR SANTANA DEBRA AT
HIMS AT JIM'S. UH, MY UH FRENCH.
HELLO. GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCIL. UM, MY NAME IS EDGAR SANTANA CASTRO AND I'M FROM ROXBURY. I'M ALSO A STUDENT IN TECH
BOSTON ACADEMY AND I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF BPR AND PART OF WHY JP. UH, I JUST WANT TO GIVE A BRIEF TESTIMONY TO ADD ON TO MY
FELLOW BPR MEMBERS AND TO JUST CLARIFY AND TO GIVE MORE OF AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHY BPR SO IMPORTANT AND WHY WE SHOULDN'T REALLY FUND THE PILOT. PEOPLE SHOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS
TO CARE FOR EACH OTHER FOR ONE ANOTHER AND PROGRAMS LIKE BPR HELP. MAKE THAT POSSIBLE. BPR IS A SYSTEM THAT GIVES MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT TO PEOPLE WHO NEED IT ACROSS THE CITY AND
INSTEAD OF RELYING ON POLICE TO HANDLE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. IT SENDS TRAINED PROFESSIONALS . WHO KNOW HOW TO. RESPOND WITH CARE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT MAKES HELP MORE EFFECTIVE AND SHOWS HOW
MUCH THE COMMUNITY VALUES BEING THERE FOR ONE ANOTHER. AND I HOPE TODAY DOES THAT. SOME MORE SMALL WORDS FOR THIS TESTAMENT. UM CHANGE PEOPLE'S MINDS IF THEY HAVEN'T ALREADY TO HELP
FUND THE PILOT FOR BPR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, DEBORAH AND THEN UH, MAYA
FRENCH AND THEN UH, JOAQUIN. UH, ATALA. UH, GUTIERREZ WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. OKAY. >> HELLO. MY NAME IS DEBORAH JAMES, RESIDENT OF HYDE PARK.
IT IS A HUGE SETBACK TO. SEE THAT. >> MAYOR WU DELETE THE BUDGET FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR JOBS WHILE THE HAND OF WORKING OUT THE HAND OF WORKING YOUTH IN BOSTON WHILE INCREASING THE BOSTON POLICE BUDGET TREND.
TREMENDOUSLY BECAUSE IT SHOWS THE MAYOR WHO DOESN'T REALLY CARE. >> ABOUT. THE UPCOMING GENERATION AND YOUTH LIVING AND WORKING IN BOSTON. IT IS NECESSARY TO STOP. CUTTING YOUTH JOBS. YOUTH JOBS ARE. ESSENTIAL AND IMPORTANT TO MULTIPLE.
TEENS IN BOSTON. THESE JOBS HELP STABILIZE FAMILY INCOME AND HELP JOBS AND HELP FAMILIES WITH OTHER THINGS SUCH AS FOOD AND BILLS. NEW JOBS ARE ALSO LIKE STEPPING STONES. THAT WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A
BRIDGE BECAUSE THEY. FILL THE GAPS BETWEEN. EDUCATION AND A LONG TERM CAREER. THE BRIDGE THAT WILL LATER. COME IN. THE YEARS. >> IS BUILT OFF THE PRIOR. EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING. FROM THE YOUTH JOBS EARLY ON. CUTTING THESE JOBS.
ARE CUT. CUTTING THESE JOBS FROM. >> YOUTH. ARE LIKE CUTTING YOUTH OFF. FROM THE PATH. >> THAT LEADS TO THEIR SUCCESS. THAT IS WHAT I BELIEVE. >> AND I HOPE YOU DO TOO. OKAY THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> OKAY.
UH. MAYA FRENCH WATCHING, UH, TYLER GUTIERREZ AND THEN UH, I THINK IT'S UH UH, JANICE MCMANUS AND THEN GEORGE LEE.
SO WHENEVER YOU'RE READY. UM, HELLO. >> MY NAME IS. MAYA FRENCH. I LIVE IN DORCHESTER AND. I THINK IT IS. >> JUST REALLY. CRUCIAL TO SPEAK ON HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO. REFRAIN PUTTING MONEY INTO THE POLICE BUDGET.
UM. >> LIKE BPR HAS SAID, UH, THE POLICE. >> HAVE SHOWN. >> THAT THEY. CAN'T BE TRUSTED IN. HANDLING MENTAL HEALTH CRISES BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT PROPERLY TRAINED TO HOLD. UM, TO BE ABLE.
TO DE-ESCALATE THE SITUATION AND WE ARE IN NEED. >> OF REAL SITUATIONS FOR. REAL SOLUTIONS. >> FOR. THESE ISSUES. THEY ALREADY WITHHOLD $484. >> MILLION IN THEIR BUDGET. AND GET FUNDING. TO BUY. EQUIPMENT THEY DO NOT.
USE AND WHEN THEY DO USE IT. >> IT IS TO THREATEN. PEOPLE TO KEEP THEM FEARFUL AND STAY IN LINE. I KNOW. MANY OF THE. >> CITY COUNCILORS. AND THE MAYOR BELIEVE. THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE THERE TO PROTECT AND. HELP OUR. >> STREETS. >> BUT THINK ABOUT THE. PEOPLE WHO ARE SAYING. >> THAT THEY USE THEIR POWER TO
THEIR ADVANTAGE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT PEOPLE. >> WHO SAY THEY ARE NOT BENEFICIAL, THEY MOST LIKELY WOULD LOOK LIKE SOMEONE LIKE ME. JUST BECAUSE THE POLICE MAY HAVE NOT HURT YOU OR ANY OF YOUR FAMILY.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY PROTECT EVERYONE ELSE. LISTEN TO THE CITY. LISTEN TO THE STREETS. LISTEN TO THE YOUNG. LISTEN TO THE OLD. LISTEN TO PEOPLE LIKE YOU. BUT MAKE SURE TO LISTEN TO PEOPLE LIKE ME BECAUSE YOU
CANNOT SPEAK OR MAKE A DECISION FOR. EVERYBODY WHEN YOU YOURSELF HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM. THANK YOU. >> OKAY. >> THANK YOU. OKAY. UH, WE GOT UH.
WELL KIND NICE. UH, I THINK IT'S JANICE MCMANUS AND THEN GEORGE LEE. THANK YOU. UM. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS JOAQUIN AND I'M 17. YEARS OLD AND. >> I LIVE IN HYDE. PARK AND. DORCHESTER AND I WORK.
WITH YOU JUST AS A UNION. AS A YOUNG PALESTINIAN MEXICAN . AMERICAN IN BOSTON. THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT GOES INTO. POLICE AND NOW. WHAT THE. COMMUNITY NEEDS IS DISGUSTING. MANY PEOPLE HAVE. COME TO CITY COUNCIL DEMANDING
THAT MONEY GOES. >> FROM THE POLICE. BUDGET TO HOUSING. BUDGETS, PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING. AND MENTAL HEALTH. THE POLICE BUDGET. GETS 448 FOR.
$484 MILLION. FROM THE. CITY WHILE YOUTH JOBS IS GETTING CUT. AND THERE ARE NO MORE. SCHOOL YEAR FUNDED YOUTH JOBS. YOUTH JOBS. JUST OVER THE SUMMER. >> IS NOT ENOUGH. FOR YOUTH TO BE COMFORTABLE. MAYOR WU PROMISED EVERY YOUNG
PERSON A. JOB OVER THE. SUMMER AND IN THE. SUMMER TO. 2024. >> UM 15,000 YOUTH APPLIED. TO YOUTH. >> JOBS AND ONLY. 4500 YOUNG PEOPLE AND. 4500 PEOPLE DO NOT GET JOBS.
YOUTH JOBS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO THE. COMMUNITY IN. BOSTON AS THEY CREATE SAFE SPACES FOR. YOUTH TO BE IN RATHER THAN GETTING WRAPPED UP. >> WITH THE WRONG. CROWD, WHICH. IS EASY. >> WE'RE LIVING IN SPACES WHERE MONEY IS NEEDED. YOUTH JOBS APPEAR YOUTH FOR THE
FUTURE AS EXPERIENCED WITH JOBS AT A YOUNG AGE, MANY YOUTH ALSO NEED MONEY TO SUPPORT NOT JUST THEMSELVES BUT THEIR. FAMILIES WITH THE MONEY THAT. YOUTH MAKE TO GO HELP WITH RESOURCES. YEAH SORRY. >> I'M A BIT.
THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT AND FOOD DEPARTMENT BOTH GOT CUT WHICH MEANS THE YOUTH. NOW NEED THE MONEY MORE THAN EVER. POLICE HAVE $57.7 MILLION. >> IN OVERTIME MONEY, WHICH IS ALMOST TRIPLE. >> THE AMOUNT THAT YOUTH JOBS IN TOTAL GET.
POLICE DON'T ACTUALLY BRING SAFE TO THE COMMUNITY AND INSTEAD OF PREVENTING CRIME THEY PUT PEOPLE IN CAGES. AS A. CITY WE. >> SHOULD FOCUS MORE. ON A RESTORATIVE PROCESS. TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY SAFER LIKE. >> THE. PEOPLE'S RESPONSE. RATHER THAN HAVING PEOPLE WITH
GUNS SHOWING UP AND PUTTING PEOPLE IN HANDCUFFS. THE POLICE ARE BUILT OFF A RACIST SYSTEM THAT DATE BACK TO SLAVERY AND CATCHING RUNAWAY ENSLAVED PEOPLE. THE RACIST BY THE POLICE. OFFICERS HAVE. TOWARDS DIFFERENT PEOPLE IS
HIGHLIGHTED IN THE WAY THEY TREAT DIFFERENT PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR SKIN COLOR, ECONOMIC STATUS, GENDER ETC.. THE COMMUNITY NEEDS A SAFER SAFER ENVIRONMENT AND NOT. RACIST COPS. WALK AROUND WITH GUNS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. OKAY THANK YOU. OKAY.
UH, I HAD, UH, GEORGE LEE BUT, UH, I HAVE A JANICE MCMANUS. THANK. YOU. YOU DON'T HAVE TO TESTIFY IF YOU DON'T WANT TO, UM. YOU'RE OKAY.
UM. IF YOU'RE GEORGE, YOU CAN. YEAH, YOU CAN GO. AND IF IF IF ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO SPEAK, THEY CAN AFTER YOU. YEAH. >> I WAS JUMPING IN MY NEXT HOUR, BUT.
SO JANICE MCMANUS HAS SIGNED UP BEFORE YOU. BUT IF, UH. WE CAN GO OUT OF ORDER. IS JANICE HERE? >> OKAY. >> SORRY. >> IS JANICE HERE? UH, I DON'T I GUESS NOT UH OR
JANICE. NO, NO APPARENTLY NOT. SO, UH, YOU'RE UP. YOU'RE ALSO THE LAST PERSON SIGNED UP. IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE HERE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN WHO WANTS TO
SPEAK, USE THE LINE UP. UH, HERE. OKAY, GEORGE. UH OH. AND THEN THERE ARE THERE WILL BE ONE PERSON ONLINE SO WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, GEORGE WILL START SECOND. OKAY. >> I'M NOT SURE HOW TO.
SPEAK IN A WAY THAT I MEAN, I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE BUT I. DON'T KNOW HOW TO. >> UNDERLINE JUST. THAT THIS IS THE MOST INHUMANE AND CRUEL BUDGET IN MORE THAN 20 YEARS. JUST THE THE THE.
THE THE THE DEVASTATION OF THESE CUTS IS A COMPLETE OUTRAGE. UM IT'S LIKE A FIVE ALARM BUDGET. UM, COMPLETELY ELIMINATING
SCHOOL YEAR YOUTH JOBS. $6 MILLION. >> AFTER YEARS AND YEARS OF BUILDING THAT UP THE COMMUNITY FIGHTING FOR THE CURRENT MAYOR ACTUALLY PUTTING MONEY INTO IT, THE CITY COUNCIL PUSHING FOR IT.
UM, THE NERVE OF THE MAYOR TO GO TO DC AND SAY SHE'S PROTECTING IMMIGRANTS AND THEN STABBING IMMIGRANTS IN THE BACK BY DEFUNDING ATTORNEYS FOR THE IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE GETTING DEPORTED.
UM, I JUST FOUND OUT LAST NIGHT ABOUT A FRIEND OF MINE WHO'S SLATED FOR DEPORTATION. UM, THERE WERE ALREADY CUTS TO ALL OF THE IMMIGRANT YOUTH JOBS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR. HOUSING VOUCHERS.
ATTORNEYS FOR FOLKS WHO ARE FACING EVICTIONS, EMERGENCY FUNDS FOR PEOPLE TRYING TO PAY THEIR RENT AND UTILITIES JUST ON A. UH. >> SHORTSIGHTED FINANCIAL PERSPECTIVE IT JUST DOESN'T
MAKE SENSE LIKE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND $6000 OR $10,000 ON A VOUCHER AND INSTEAD YOU'RE GOING TO SPEND HOW MUCH MONEY ON THE OTHER END OF THINGS. UM, HUNDREDS OF SCHOOL STAFF
BEING LAID OFF. UM IT'S JUST AWFUL AND UM, YOU KNOW, LIKE JOHN SAID BEFORE, I MEAN THIS IS A PARTICULARLY
CRUEL BUDGET YEAR BUT IT'S NOT AS IF THE BUDGET IN THE PAST HAS BEEN ALL ROSES AND SUNSHINE . I MEAN, IT'S HISTORICALLY BEEN ROOTED IN DIVESTMENT AND CRIMINALIZATION AND DESTROYING
COMMUNITIES AND SETTING COMMUNITIES UP TO FAIL. SO REALLY IT NEEDS TO GO BEYOND REVERSING THE CUTS. THAT'S THE BARE MINIMUM OF WHAT YOU'LL DO IF YOU CAN'T DO THAT I. I'M I'D BE ASHAMED IF YOU CAN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO REVERSE ALL
THESE CUTS. BUT IT'S MORE THAN THAT. IT'S LIKE THE FOLKS AT BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE HAVE SAID TO ACTUALLY INVEST IN THE. SOLUTIONS THAT WILL CARE FOR PEOPLE AND NOT CONTINUING TO MASSIVELY INCREASE THE POLICE
BUDGET. UM, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN CUT FOOD, HOUSING, IMMIGRATION, OLDER SUPPORT, YOUTH JOBS ALL OF THOSE NEED MORE MONEY NOT JUST REVERSING. THE CUTS.
UM AND I THINK IT'S A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY LIKE TWO YEARS IN A ROW. THE MAYOR WRITES IN HER BUDGET DOCUMENT. OH, I'M GOING TO CUT THE AMENDMENTS THE CITY COUNCIL PASSED LAST.
YEAR LIKE DON'T BE A SORE LOSER LIKE IT'S THE PROCESS THE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR WORK TOGETHER . Y'ALL PASSED THINGS SHE AGREED ON THE BUDGET AND THIS YEAR SHE'S CUTTING IT BACK AND THE
THINGS THAT THE. COMMUNITY VOTED FOR IN PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING FOOD, HOUSING AND IMMIGRATION ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE BEING CUT. SO IT'S REALLY ON YOUR TO STAND
SIDE BY SIDE TO PROTECT THE THINGS YOU FOUGHT FOR TOOTH AND NAIL IN THE PAST AND YOU NEED TO FIGHT TOOTH AND NAIL I GUESS THIS YEAR AND THE LAST THING I JUST WANT TO SAY IS THERE'S A LOT OF MYTHS AND MISINFORMATION
THAT THE MAYOR AND THE ADMINISTRATION WILL THROW AROUND AND THAT YOU CAN'T LET IT FOR YOU. UH SHE'S LIKE OH DON'T WORRY WE'LL RAISE PRIVATE MONEY TO TO MAKE UP FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR JOBS.
IT'S AN EMPTY PROMISE. LIKE MAYBE THERE WILL BE SOME PRESS CONFERENCE ANNOUNCING A FEW MILLION DOLLARS, BUT THAT'S $6 MILLION THAT TOOK YEARS TO GET OF PUBLIC MONEY, PUBLIC TAXPAYER DOLLARS AND NEEDS TO
BE PUT BACK IN THE CITY BUDGET TO BE SUSTAINABLE AND LONG TERM. THERE'S A MYTH THAT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY WHEN THE POLICE BUDGET IS GOING UP. THERE'S HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN RESERVES AND WHEN
THE BOSTON PEOPLE'S RESPONSE ONLY NEEDS $4 MILLION AND WE'RE PUMPING $20 MILLION INTO OVERTIME AT MILLENIA CAST AND MASSIVE UM, THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE AS WELL. SO DON'T FALL FOR THE MYTHS AND
WE'RE OUR EYES ON YOU ARE ON YOU. Y'ALL HAVE DONE RIGHT BY US BEFORE SOMETIMES. WITH SOME OF Y'ALL HAVING TO PULL SOME OF YOUR FELLOW COUNCILORS ALONG BUT WE REALLY
NEED YOU TO TO TO HOLD THE LINE THIS YEAR AND WE'RE WATCHING YOU BECAUSE WE NEED THAT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU GEORGE. UM YEAH. NO ONE ELSE. UM. WHO'S HERE?
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UH, COUNCIL ORAL. OH, DO WE HAVE. YEAH. UH, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK? NO. OKAY. UM. OH, YEAH.
UH, THERE WE DO HAVE. ONE PERSON ONLINE. JACK. JACK, IF YOU CAN HEAR US.
UH, YES. HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES. >> YEP. WE CAN HEAR YOU. WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, I'LL START THE TIMER. HI. >> AWESOME. UM. >> HELLO, COUNCIL. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING. MY NAME IS JACK PERCY.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE, UH, BOSTON DSA. ECO SOCIALISM WORKING GROUP AND A RESIDENT OF ALLSTON. AND I WANT TO SPEAK WITH YOU TONIGHT ABOUT PUBLIC RESTROOMS ,A CRITICAL RESOURCE FOR ANY
MAJOR CITY THAT BOSTON NEEDS TO DO A BETTER JOB PROVIDING TO ITS CITIZENS, ESPECIALLY AROUND PUBLIC TRANSIT HUBS. UM, PUBLIC TRANSIT IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN ACCESSIBLE RESOURCE FOR EVERY CITIZEN TO USE.
BOSTON HAS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT WITH REGARDS TO TRANSIT ACCESSIBILITY BECAUSE PUBLIC RESTROOM ACCESS IS QUITE LIMITED WITHIN OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT SYSTEMS. AS A RESULT, WE'VE SPOKEN WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO FEEL THEY CANNOT TRUST PUBLIC TRANSIT AND
ARE FORCED TO USE A CAR INCLUDING MY OWN ROOMMATE WHO SUFFERS FROM GASTROINTESTINAL ISSUES AND HAS FULLY LOST FAITH IN THE BOSTON PUBLIC TRANSIT UH SYSTEM SINCE THE SECURITY OF HAVING A BATHROOM TO USE AT
ANY POINT ALONG THE JOURNEY IS NOT PRESENT. WE'VE SPOKEN. WITH PEDESTRIANS WHO HAVE HAD NO OPTION BUT TO PAY FOR SOMETHING IN A CAFE TO USE THEIR BATHROOM SINCE NO PUBLIC OPTION IS AVAILABLE ON THE STREETS AND EVEN LESS OPTIONS
ARE AVAILABLE BY NIGHT SINCE ALL THE BUSINESSES ARE CLOSED, HAVING PUBLIC RESTROOM ACCESS IN A MAJOR CITY SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE TO BE A BIG HUGE ASK NECESSARILY, SINCE SEVERAL OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE U.S. HAVE ALREADY ADDRESSED THIS
ISSUE. UM, ME AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE DSA HAVE BEEN TO A FEW COUNCIL HEARINGS IN THE PAST TO SPEAK ABOUT PUBLIC RESTROOMS AND THE POSITIVE IMPACT THEY WOULD HAVE FOR ALL CITIZENS OF BOSTON.
BUT UH. >> SINCE THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE, THE PROPOSED CITY BUDGET IS NOW WORKING TO CUT UH, $500,000 FROM THE PARKS OPERATIONS BUDGET AND ANOTHER $320,000 FROM THE BUILDING
OPERATIONS BUDGET, BOTH OF WHICH MAINTAIN EXISTING PUBLIC RESTROOMS. SO NOT ONLY IS THIS PROPOSAL FAILING TO PROVIDE BETTER BATHROOM INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY REMOVING FUNDING FOR
THE DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PUBLIC ACCESS BOSTON DOES CURRENTLY HAVE. SO UH, TONIGHT I AM ASKING FOR THESE CUTS TO BE REVERSED IN ADDITION TO REVERSING THE CUTS, I THINK THAT THE BUDGET SHOULD
MAKE A BETTER EFFORT TO ADDRESS THE LACK OF PUBLIC RESTROOMS ACROSS, UH, PUBLIC TRANSIT THAT MYSELF AND MY FELLOW DSA MEMBERS HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR IN OUR TESTIMONIES AT THIS HEARING AND PREVIOUS HEARINGS. UH, BOSTON RESIDENTS DESERVE
NEW PUBLIC RESTROOMS IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS, PARTICULARLY NEAR T STATIONS AND THE EXISTING PUBLIC RESTROOMS SHOULD BE UPGRADED WITH EXTENDED HOURS, INCREASED MAINTENANCE FREQUENCY ACCESSIBILITY UPGRADES AND
UPDATED PUBLIC FACING INFORMATION TO BRING US AS CLOSE TO POSSIBLE AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO FREE 24 SEVEN CLEAN, UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE PUBLIC RESTROOMS. UH YEAH. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, I. THINK THAT UH THAT DOES IT FOR ,UH, OUR THIS LISTENING SESSION. UH, WE ARE HAVING ANOTHER
LISTENING SESSION HERE AT 6 P.M. ON MAY 26TH, UH, WHERE WE WILL HAVE INTERPRETERS IN UH, SPANISH, HAITIAN CREOLE AND
CANDACE, I BELIEVE WE'LL WE'LL PUBLICIZE THAT, UH, CLOSER TO THAT DATE. BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR BEING HERE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY IN CLOSING COUNCIL ORAL. UH. GO AHEAD.
YEAH. USE IT. OKAY. UM. JUST TO SAY. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME TO COME IN AND, UM, VOICE YOUR CONCERNS AND ELEVATE AND ADVOCATE FOR ALL THE ISSUES THAT YOU CARE SO DEEPLY ABOUT.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR. YEAH I ALSO WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO SHOWED UP UH, TODAY UH, TO YOU KNOW, ADVOCATE. UM, ALSO JUST WANT TO THANK THE
CHAIR FOR HOSTING A PUBLIC LISTENING SESSION. UH, HIS TEAM ALSO ESSENTIAL STAFF FOR BEING HERE AS WELL. UH, THE BUDGET IS A VALUE STATEMENT I THINK IN MIND, UM.
FOR FOR YEARS AND UH, MAYBE 4 OR 5 MONTHS ON THE COUNCIL UH, THIS IS THE ONE THAT I HAVE SEEN THAT HAS HAD THE MOST UH, CUTS IN IT UM, AND REVENUES
GROWING AT A SLOWER RATE. SO I THINK IT YOU KNOW, NOW OUR OPPORTUNITY OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A COUNCIL JUST TO DIVE IN TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN BE DONE ,UM, AND TO GET, YOU KNOW, SEE
IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE COULD FIND WITHIN OUR POWERS, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE FILLING IN THOSE INVESTMENT, UM, THAT HAVE BEEN HIT UH, WITH THESE CUTS. YOU KNOW, UM, AS I SAID, THE
BUDGET IS A VALUE STATEMENT AND OFTENTIMES WHEN THINGS GET TIGHT, YOU KNOW, WE SEE THE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE IN NEED THE MOST PROGRAMS THAT ARE IN NEED THE MOST UH, THOSE ARE THE
FIRST OFTENTIMES THE ONES THAT GET CUT. UH, SO I THINK THAT WE JUST NEED TO DO A DEEP DIVE, UH, GET CREATIVE AND TRY TO FIND WAYS ON HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE
LIVING UP UH, TO UH, THE ADVOCACY OF THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. OKAY. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILOR EARLE. UH, JUST AGAIN, JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE. UH, HOPE YOU ALL, UH, YOU KNOW,
LAST YEAR YOU BE HERE AGAIN, UH, ON THE 26TH. UM, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I'LL I'LL BE HAVING UH I THINK
THERE'S THE NEXT THURSDAY UH, NEXT MONDAY AND THURSDAY IN DISTRICT SIX. I'LL BE HAVING SOME TOWN HALLS SO YOU KEEP A LOOKOUT FOR THAT. UM, IS THAT RIGHT, COREY? TO HAVE THE RIGHT.
UH, YEAH. UM, SO, UH, I THINK I ONE DAY I'LL BE IN JP ONE DAY IN WEST ROXBURY AND UH, FOLKS. WHO LIVE CLOSE BY YOU CAN MAKE IT. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE YOU.
UM, UH, JUST WANT TO THANK CENTRAL STAFF, UH, WHO? YOU KNOW, THEY WORK ALL DAY AND THEY'RE PUTTING PUTTING IN, UH ,OUR BURNING THE MIDNIGHT OIL HERE. UM, AND I WANT TO THANK THEM
FOR MAKING THIS POSSIBLE AND UH ,WITH THAT SAID, UH, THIS LISTENING SESSION IS, UH, NOW
ADJOURNED.