##VIDEO ID:dURBx2k-tcg##  FOR A CITY COUNCILOR AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. TODAY'S JANUARY 27, 2025. IT IS 2:12 P.M. AND I AM JOINED BY MY CO-CHAIR OF THIS HEARING COUNSELOR GABRIELA COLETTA ZAPATA, THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON DOT GOV. BACKSLASH CITY.  DASH CAM ALSO DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON EXPANDED CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL 964. WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT GEO AT BOSTON DOT GOV AND W M AT BOSTON DOT GOV AND WILL BE MADE A PART OF THE RECORD AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN. WE'RE GOING TO DO A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AT THE BEGINNING AND ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS HEARING AND ALSO AT THE END AND INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WE WILL HAVE AND WE WILL GIVE EVERYONE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON, PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON MEGHAN KAVANAUGH AT A.G. H AND DAC K A B A AND A H AT BOSTON.COM FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 014 TO PETITION FOR A SPECIAL LAW REGARDING AN ACT AUTHORIZE THE CITY OF BOSTON TO INCREASE ITS RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY CANCER COUNCIL AARON MURPHY AND COUNCILOR ED FLYNN AND COUNCILOR BRIAN WORRALL AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY EIGHT, 2025 DOCKET NUMBER 0236 MESSAGE IN ORDER FOR YOUR APPROVAL A NEW HOME RULE PETITION TO THE GENERAL COURT PETITION FOR A SPECIAL LAW REGARDING THE ACT RELATIVE TO RESIDENTIAL TAX RELIEF IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY A MAN MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 15, 2025 DOCKET NUMBER 0269 ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY VALUES AND THE ASSESSMENT IN THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS AARON J. MURPHY, COUNCILOR JOHN FITZGERALD AND COUNCILOR BENJAMIN J. WEBER AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 15, 2025 DOCKET NUMBER 0270 ORDER TO ADOPT THE GOOD LANDLORD TAX ABATEMENT AS A LOCAL OPTION IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS GABRIELA COLETTA ZAPATA COUNCILOR HENRY SANTANA AND COUNCILOR BRIAN WORRELL AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON JANUARY EIGHT, 2025 AND I'M GOING TO PASS IT OFF TO MY CO-CHAIR TO GO OVER THE AGENDA. CASSERLY HAD THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. WELL, I'M SO PLEASED TO BE CO-CHAIRING THIS VERY IMPORTANT HEARING WITH MY FRIEND CASIMIRO. I'M GOING TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE AGENDA HERE TODAY. SO IN DURING THE FIRST PORTION THIS IS GOING TO BE BROKEN UP INTO TWO PARTS COUNCILOR WORRELL WILL RUN THIS PORTION SAY THAT TWO TIMES FAST AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS HEARING THERE'LL BE JOINT STATEMENTS FROM CHAIRS AND SHORT OPENING REMARKS FROM OUR LEAD SPONSORS. THEN WE'LL MOVE DIRECTLY INTO PUBLIC TESTIMONY.  THE ADMINISTRATION WILL THEN GIVE A PRESENTATION AND AN EXPLANATION OF THE ASSESSING PROCESS WHICH IS DOCKET 0269 THE SPONSORED BY COUNCILOR MURPHY AND FITZGERALD AND COUNSELOR FLYNN AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILORS AND THERE COULD BE MULTIPLE ROUNDS FOR THIS PORTION OF THE HEARING.  THEN IT'LL SWITCH TO MYSELF BEING THE CHAIR.  THIS IS WHEN THE ADMINISTRATION WILL PRESENT THE NEW VERSION OR ITERATION OF THE RESIDENTIAL TAX RELIEF DOCKET AND THEY WILL ALSO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS AND HOW IT MIGHT IMPACT OR RELATE TO THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION AND THE GOOD LANDLORD TAX ABATEMENT WHICH IS ALSO NOTICED WITHIN THIS HEARING. THAT'S WHEN WE'LL GO BACK TO QUESTIONS FROM COUNCILORS. WE'LL GO BACK TO ADDITIONAL PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND ADJOURN AT THAT POINT.  AT THIS POINT I WILL PASS IT OVER TO MY CO-CHAIR TO DESCRIBE WHO HAS JOINED US AND OPENING REMARKS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE WHO WE'VE BEEN JOINED IN THE CHAMBERS MY COLLEAGUES WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCILOR PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR MURPHY COUNCILOR PAPPIN COUNCILOR ME HERE COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND COUNCILOR DURKIN WE HAVE RECEIVED A LETTER OF ABSENCE FROM COUNSELOR BREADON LIKE I MISSED ANYONE. OH, SORRY. AND ALSO COUNSELOR WEBER HAS ALSO JOINED US NOW WE'LL BE HEARING FROM THE LEAD SPONSORS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0269 COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, YOU NOW HAVE THE FLOOR FOR ANY OPENING REMARKS AND FEW ASSESSING YOU COULD SAY THAT THANK YOU CHAIR MUCH APPRECIATED CHAIRS SHOULD I SAY FOR HOLDING THIS SORT OF MULTI FILING HEARING TODAY ON A NUMBER OF THINGS RELATED TO TAX BUT AS SPECIFICALLY AS IT RELATES TO 0269 THE ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY VALUES IN THE ASSESSING PROCESS I LOOK FORWARD TO THE TESTIMONY AND ADMINISTRATION'S PRESENTATION TODAY THE YOUR TAX BILL IS MADE UP OF TWO THINGS IN THE EQUATION IT IS THE TAX RATE AND WHAT YOUR HOME IS ASSESSED AT. AND WHILE MUCH ATTENTION HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE PAST FIVE MONTHS TO THE RATE OF WHICH WE CAN DIVE INTO LATER IN THIS HEARING AS WELL, I FEEL NOT AS MUCH ATTENTION WAS GIVEN TO HOW HOMES ARE ACTUALLY VALUED AND ASSESSED BY THE CITY. OUR OFFICES HAVE GOT A LOT OF CALLS RECENTLY SINCE THE TAX INVOICE CAME OUT ABOUT DISCREPANCIES ALL OVER WHERE NEIGHBORS ARE STARTING TO LOOK AT WHAT THEY ARE PAYING VERSUS LOOKING UP WHEN ANOTHER HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET OF SIMILAR SQUARE FOOTAGE LIKE OUR USES AND SEEING LARGE DISCREPANCIES IN THOSE AND WHEN FOLKS CALLED WITH THEIR ANECDOTAL EXAMPLES TO THE OFFICE I DIDN'T HAVE AN ANSWER RIGHT? I SAID I COULDN'T EXPLAIN TO THEM OH THIS IS WHY WE KNOW THAT A LOT HAS TO DO WITH TRENDS HOME SALES WORK ON THE HOUSE YOU MAY DO ETC. BUT I THINK SOME OF THEM WERE THE DISCREPANCIES WERE WIDE ENOUGH AND VARIOUS ENOUGH THAT WE FELT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR NOT ONLY TO EDUCATE US AS COUNCILORS BUT TO EDUCATE OUR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS TO WHAT EXACTLY THE CRITERIA IS THAT GOES INTO ASSESSING ONE'S HOME AND THE VALUE THAT IT IS BECAUSE OF COURSE THAT IS ANOTHER BIG VARIANT IN THE EQUATION OF HOW TO GET YOUR TAX INVOICE. SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES OF THAT.  SO THANK YOU FOR THAT TIME AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE EDUCATION SO THANK YOU AND I WANT TO GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CO-SPONSORS IF THEY HAVE OPENING REMARKS.  COUNCILOR MURPHY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU TO BOTH CHAIRS FOR THIS IMPORTANT MEETING. THANK YOU TO ALL THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE JOINED US IN THE CHAMBER HERE. IT'S ALWAYS GOOD WHEN WE HAVE OUR SEATS FULL SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YOU KNOW THE CITY OF BOSTON IS AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE WHERE AFFORDABILITY REVENUE GENERATION AND EQUITABLE INVESTMENT INTERSECT WITH THE FUTURE OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTY LANDSCAPES. THIS HEARING ORDER WHICH I FILED A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO, AIMS TO SHED LIGHT ON THE COMPLEXITIES SURROUNDING THE ASSESSING PROCESS AND ITS DIRECT IMPACT ON RESIDENTIAL TAX BILLS. NOT ONLY WAS I CONFUSED WHEN I HEARD THE SCENARIOS I KNOW COUNCILOR FITZGERALD YOU MENTIONED BUT HEARING FROM PEOPLE YOU KNOW, CALLING AND EMAILING I KNOW ALL OUR OFFICES WERE GETTING THOSE CALLS AND CONCERNS SO FROM THIS HEARING THE KEY POINTS THAT I'M HOPING WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED FOR MYSELF AND THOSE WHO ALSO I BELIEVE HAVE SIMILAR QUESTIONS IS THE ASSESSMENT VARIABILITY WHY DO PROPERTY VALUES DIFFERENT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY BETWEEN NEARBY PARCELS? WHAT CAUSES CONSIDERABLE FLUCTUATIONS IN PROPERTY VALUES WITHIN SHORT TIME FRAMES?  WHAT SPECIFIC CRITERIA AND METHODS ARE USED TO ESTABLISH A PROPERTY'S VALUE AND ARE THERE ALTERNATIVE METHODS THAT COULD PROVIDE MORE ACCURATE OR EQUITABLE ASSESSMENTS ON THE TRANSPARENCY AND RELIEF OPTIONS THE CITY OFFERS EXEMPTIONS,  ABATEMENTS AND POTENTIAL REBATES. YET THE CRITERIA APPLICATION PROCESS AVAILABLE RELIEF AND TIMING NEED CLEARER COMMUNICATION IN ENSURING RESIDENTS UNDERSTAND AND CAN ACCESS THESE RESOURCES IS CRUCIAL FOR FAIRNESS AND SUPPORT IN LASTLY, AN IN-DEPTH EXPLORATION OF THE ASSESSING PROCESS I BELIEVE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO PROPERTY VALUATION INCLUDING HOME IMPROVEMENTS, SALE OF NEARBY PROPERTIES AND OTHER MARKET DYNAMICS IN ANALYZING EXISTING VALUATION METHODS TO IDENTIFY THEIR BENEFITS OR LIMITATIONS IN EXPLORING CREATIVE COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE PROCESS.  I BELIEVE AND I HOPE THAT THIS HEARING THAT WE GET FROM THIS HEARING IS A FOSTER A TRANSPARENT DIALOG THAT INCLUDES CITY OFFICIALS,  COMMUNITY ADVOCATES AND THE PUBLIC ENSURING EVERY VOICE IS HEARD AND CONSIDERED IN REFINING THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS. TO BE FAIR, EQUITABLE AND CLEARLY COMMUNICATED. SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE PANELISTS WHO ARE HERE WHO I BELIEVE CAN ANSWER MANY IF NOT ALL OF THE QUESTIONS.  I HAVE BOTH. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN, IF YOU HAVE OPENING REMARKS THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR OUR RESIDENTS WHETHER IT WOULD BE INCREASING RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTIONS LIKE COUNCILOR MURPHY PROPOSED I SUPPORTED INCREASING THE SENIOR EXEMPTION BY COUNCIL WERE ALL PROPOSED AS WELL BUT I ALSO LIKE TO REVISIT SOMETHING I BROUGHT UP SEVERAL YEARS AGO AT A HEARING ON PROPERTY TAXES WITH COUNCIL FLAHERTY LOOKING AT AN ADDITIONAL EXEMPTION FOR A LONG TIME RESIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN OWNED FOR A CONSIDERABLE TIME IN THE CITY THEY MAY HAVE OWNED PROPERTY FOR 20 PLUS YEARS AND BE 50 OR 55 YEARS OLD. MANY BOUGHT THEIR PROPERTY DECADES AGO.  THEY ARE NOT WEALTHY NEIGHBORS BUT THEY CANNOT AFFORD THE ESCALATING PROPERTY TAXES IN PART FROM THE VALUES INCREASING DUE TO THE NEW CONSTRUCTION NEARBY IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.  BUT AS IT RELATES TO THE ISSUE TODAY, INSTEAD OF COMPROMISING WE'RE SPENDING THE LAST YEAR DEBATING A PLAN AND WE DID NOT ENTERTAIN ANY ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS.  ALTHOUGH CITY COUNCIL HAS ASKED FOR ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS I PROPOSED POSSIBLY CUTTING AN 8% BUDGET TAPPING OUR RAINY DAY FUND, REVIEWING OUR 70% DEPENDANCE ON PROPERTY TAXES WITH FALLING COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAXES VALUES OF A 70% DEPENDENT ON PROPERTY TAXES IN OVER 50% OF OUR LAND ABSORBED BY LARGE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AS WE HAVE LONG TERM FISCAL ISSUES TO ADDRESS IN OUR CITY, I CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR A BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION ON BOLD DOWNTOWN OFFICE VACANCIES AND OUR RELIANCE ON PROPERTY TAXES.  IN MY OPINION WE SHOULD NOT BE RAISING EVERYONE'S PROPERTY TAXES ESPECIALLY WHILE WE DID ALMOST NOTHING TO CUT CITY SPENDING AFTER HIRING ALMOST 300 EMPLOYEES. I WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXES. I ALSO THINK A CITY COUNCIL PAY RAISE IN 2025 AND A CITY COUNCIL PAY RAISE IN 2026 ALONG WITH THE MAYOR'S PAY RAISE THAT SHOULD BE SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY.  I'D LIKE TO SEE US COMPROMISE MAY CUTS ON OUR END ALSO TO SHOW A SERIOUS THANK YOU MR CHAIRMAN.  THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO JUST THANK MASS SENIOR ACTIONAID FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND ALSO LABOR LEADERS.  BUT FIRST BEFORE I DIVE INTO PUBLIC TESTIMONY, I JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE THE PANELISTS TESTIFYING ON BEHALF OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND WE HAVE ASHLEY GROFF AND BURGER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON, NICK NICHOLAS ARENDELLE, THE COMMISSIONER OF ASSESSING FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON AND RAYMOND BOYLE DIRECTOR EVALUATOR FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON WILL NOW GO INTO PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME CALLED PLEASE COME UP TO THE MIC.  YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME IN ANY IF AFFILIATION IN THE ABSENCE OF OH SORRY. OKAY. CASTLE WEBER, DO YOU HAVE OPENING REMARKS, SIR? JUST BRIEFLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH CHAIR YOU KNOW, I SEE A LOT OF FAMILIAR FACES HERE TODAY. WE HAVE HAD THIS TAX ISSUE BEFORE US BEFORE AND YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO SHOW THAT WE CARE ABOUT SENIORS AND THEIR TAX BILLS AND THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP THEM. AND I HOPE WELL, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ALMOST UNANIMOUS LAST TIME OVER UNANIMOUS THIS TIME AND CERTAINLY ONE THING I GOT QUESTIONS ABOUT WERE ASSESSMENTS AND PEOPLE WERE CONFUSED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW THEIR PROPERTIES WERE ASSESSED AND WHY THEIR PROPERTY WAS DIFFERENT THAN THEIR NEIGHBORS PROPERTY, HOW THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION PLAYED INTO THAT. SO MY OFFICE HAS QUESTIONS ALONG WITH COUNCILORS MURPHY AND FITZGERALD ABOUT THAT. I HOPE WE CAN ANSWER HOPING WE GET THE ANSWERS SO WE CAN REALLY THEM TO OUR CONSTITUENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CHAIR THANK YOU AND MY APOLOGIES.  WE NOW MOVE ON TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME IS CALLED PLEASE COME TO THE MIC AND YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. LAURIE BEAR AND THEN FOLLOWED BY BEN AND THEN EVELYN COBB.  GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU.  COUNCILORS MURPHY, FITZGERALD AND WEBER FOR BRINGING DOCKET 026 9 TO 2 THE REST OF THE COUNCIL I AM A JAMAICA PLAIN RESIDENT. I LIVE IN A 458 UNIT CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX WHERE I'VE LIVED FOR ABOUT 13 YEARS. MY CONCERN IS NOT THE TAX RATE WHICH COUNCILMAN FITZGERALD MENTIONED THAT'S SORT OF SEPARATE FROM THIS DISCUSSION BUT IS HOW THE PROPERTIES WERE EVALUATED. I ALSO DON'T MIND PAYING TAXES IF IT'S IF THEY ARE LEVIED FAIRLY. OUR UNITS WERE ALL BUILT IN BASICALLY THE SAME TIME PERIOD LATE SEVENTIES, EARLY EIGHTIES AND MOST HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY RENOVATED.  OUR MARKET VALUE HAS INCREASED BUT IS MOSTLY STABLE DUE TO A HIGH FEE.  MOST OF OUR SALE PRICES DON'T FLUCTUATE TOO MUCH.  THE VALUATIONS SEEM TO BE ALL OVER THE MAP WHEN I TALK TO MY NEIGHBORS AND FRANKLY THEY SEEM ARBITRARY.  FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE TWO CLUSTERS BUILDING CLUSTERS WITH UNITS OF ALL ABOUT THE SAME SQUARE FOOTAGE AND ALL BUILT AT EXACTLY THE SAME TIME AND MOST HAVE BEEN RENOVATED AND THE SALE PRICES HAVE ALL BEEN EQUIVALENT OVER THE LAST DECADE PROBABLY. THERE IS A $269,000 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LOWEST TAX VALUATION AND THE HIGHEST TAX VALUATION FOR 22 CONDOMINIUM UNITS WHICH DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE THERE ON THE SAME PLOT OF LAND AND THEY ARE BASICALLY EXACTLY THE SAME. SO I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THAT. FIND OUT WHAT THE FORMULA WAS USE USED TO TO COME UP WITH OUR OUR PROPERTY VALUATIONS AND WHY THIS THIS PROCESS WASN'T TRANSPARENT BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THIS WAS ALL DONE ARBITRARILY AS I SAID. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT THE EXPERTS FROM THE EXPERTS.  THANK YOU. BEST IN EVELYN COBB AND THEN BETTY MAGUIRE.  HEY, THANKS EVERYBODY. I'M BEN STAR 49 BEACON STREET WHICH IS IN BEACON HILL AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT ALL OF YOU DO. RUTHIE WILL ALWAYS BE MY NUMBER ONE, ESPECIALLY WITH SHARON OUT OF THE ROOM.  CAN'T PAY PEOPLE COUNCILOR FOR THE YEAR. SO I'M GLAD. I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HAVING THIS HEARING EVERY COUPLE OF YEARS FOR THE PAST 20. I WALK INTO THE ASSESSING DEPARTMENT AND SPEAK TO SOMEONE AND EXPLAIN TO THEM HOW BAD THEY MISS IN THE WEALTHIER NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND DOWNTOWN WHERE I LIVE.  I'M GOING TO GO UP AND PAY MY TAX BILL AFTER MINE ONLY WENT UP 2%. I'M WAY UNDERTAXED. ONE OF THE FEW CITIES IN THE COUNTRY WITH NO INCOME TAX. I LIVED IN PHILLY D.C. SAN FRANCISCO INCOME TAX LOWEST RATE REALLY AROUND MOST OF THE SUBURBS. BOSTON'S AN UNBELIEVABLE DEAL.  WE NEED MORE HOUSING BUT AN UNBELIEVABLE DEAL.  BUT THE MISSES IN THE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS ARE SO VAST AND I CAN GO CHAPTER AND VERSE.  $5 MILLION ASSESSMENT $11 MILLION SALE $7 MILLION ASSESSMENT $16 MILLION SALE. THESE ARE ENORMOUS NUMBERS THAT DWARF MESSES IN HYDE PARK IN MATTAPAN AND THE REST OF THE CITY. AND I'VE SENT NOTES OVER THE YEARS TO DIFFERENT COUNCILORS TO DIFFERENT FOLKS IN CHARGE OF ASSESSING ON THIS ISSUE. I KNOW IT'S HARD. MY DAY JOB ALLOWS ME TO OCCASIONALLY HAVE TO TESTIFY AT THE LAND COURT STATE LAND COURT UP THE STREET HERE. I KNOW THE PROCESS.  YOU'VE GOT TO GET THE WEALTHY PEOPLE ASSESSED CORRECTLY. WE HAVE A REALLY, REALLY GOOD DEAL IN THIS CITY TOO GOOD A DEAL. MY NEIGHBORS AREN'T GOING TO COME AND SAY THAT BUT I AM.  AND AGAIN, WHETHER IT'S SHARON OR RUTHIE OR OTHERS, THEY'VE HEARD FROM ME ON THIS ISSUE BEFORE YOU BURDEN DOWNTOWN CROSSING OWNERS WHO ARE STRUGGLING AND THEY ARE STRUGGLING. I'M IN THE BUSINESS, GET IT RIGHT, GET THE ASSESSING PROCESS RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.  BEVERLY COBB, BETTY MCGUIRE AND LARRY CALDERONE.  GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS EVELYN COBB AND I'M HERE TO TESTIFY ON BEHALF OF THE BOSTON CHAPTER OF MY SENIOR ACTION COUNCIL. AND AS A BOSTON HOMEOWNER, AS YOU KNOW, 100 OF US AS PARTICIPATED IN MEETINGS ATTENDED AND TESTIFY AT HEARINGS AND SPENT HOURS TALKING TO THE LEGISLATURE BOTH IN THE STATEHOUSE AND HERE AT CITY HALL IN AN EFFORT TO STOP THE LARGE INCREASE IN OUR THIRD QUARTER TAX PROPERTY TAX BILL. UNFORTUNATELY, DESPITE OUR EFFORTS AND THE SUPPORT OF MANY OF YOU, THOSE EFFORTS WERE STOPPED IN THE SENATE. MOST POLITICIANS TOLD US THAT THE INCREASE WAS NOT THAT BAD BUT IN REALITY WHEN WE GOT OUR BILL IT WAS MORE THAN 40%. SOME OF OUR MEMBERS EVEN HAD THEIR TAX BILL MORE THAN DOUBLED.  THIS IS REALLY UNACCEPTABLE. I AM ASKING YOU TO STOP AND THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MINUTE.  LOOK AT ALL OF US HERE AND EXPLAIN TO US HOW YOU FEEL AS OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS JUSTIFY THAT KIND OF INCREASE FOR OUR PEOPLE ON FIXED AND LIMITED INCOME.  WE CONTINUE TO MEET WITH YOU BECAUSE WE KNOW BOSTON CAN DO BETTER. WE ARE HERE AGAIN TODAY TO OFFER OUR SUPPORT FOR THE MAYOR'S NEW HOME RULE PETITION AND MULTIPLE PROPOSAL. FIRST WE CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE TEMPORARY INCREASE THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX RATE BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IT WILL HELP HOLD DOWN THE INCREASE FOR RESIDENTS AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY BECAUSE IT HELP TO MAKE SURE BUSINESSES DO THEIR PART TO INVEST IN OUR CITY. WE ARE ASKING YOU AS SENATE SENIOR HOMEOWNERS WE NEED TO MAKE TAXES FAIR AND STOP SHIFTING THE TAX BURDEN ONTO RESIDENTS. WE ALSO SUPPORT THE PROTECTION FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TO ENSURE THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE UNEXPECTED INCREASE THAT MAY CAUSE HARDSHIP.  BECAUSE WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO GET BY JUST LIKE US.  IN THE EVENT THE INCREASE IS COME IN COMMERCIAL TAX IS NOT APPROVED. WE BELIEVE REBATES WOULD PROVIDE SOME SHORT TERM RELIEF TO THOSE LIKE MANY OF US HERE WHO SAW A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THEIR TAX BILL.  WE ALSO APPRECIATE THE MAYOR'S INCLUSION OF A PROPOSED TO EXPAND THE SENIOR TAX EXEMPTION. THIS PROPOSAL WAS FIRST FILED TWO YEARS AGO AND MOST RECENTLY APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL AS A STANDALONE PETITION. SIGNED BY THE MAYOR LAST NIGHT AND ON ITS WAY TO THE STATE HOUSE. WE HOPE YOU OUR LEGISLATURE WILL ENSURE ITS QUICK PASSAGE. THE PROPOSED EXPANSION IS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT FROM THE CURRENT LOW LEVEL LOW ELIGIBILITY. HOWEVER, WE FEAR IT WILL STILL LEAVE MANY NEEDING RELIEF WITHOUT ACCESS. THE INCOME ELIGIBILITY SHOULD BE RAISED TO SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 60 TO 80% AND I DO CONSIDER THE SENIORS OUR COST OF LIVING INCLUDING HEALTH CARE AND OTHER EXPENSES.  FURTHERMORE, WE STRONGLY WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT OUR RETIREMENT ACCOUNT INCLUDING 401 KATE AND IRA SHOULD NOT BE COUNTED AS ASSETS.  THESE RETIREMENTS ACCOUNT REPLACE WHAT ONCE WERE PENSION FOR SOME OF US. THEY WERE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME THROUGHOUT OUR RETIREMENT AND IT ANY DISBURSEMENT WE TAKE ARE COUNTED AS INCOME AND SHOULD NOT BE COUNTED TWICE AS AN ASSET WHILE A $100,000 MAY LOOK SOUND A LOT WHEN STRETCHED OVER 25 YEARS IT'S ONLY PROVIDE ABOUT 4000 IN SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME. WE URGE THE SENIOR PROPERTY TAX PROGRAM TO RECOGNIZE THIS EXCLUDED FROM OUR ACCOUNTABLE ASSET AND ONLY COUNT IT AS INCOME. I YOU HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE FEARS AND EXPENSES WE SENIORS FACE EACH MONTH. WE HOPE YOU AS OUR CITY REPRESENTATIVE WILL TAKE STEPS TO HELP ENSURE WE CAN AFFORD TO AGE IN THE VERY COMMUNITY WE HOPE TO BUILD.  ON BEHALF OF MY SENIOR ACTION I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND URGE YOU TO SUPPORT ME WITH NEW COMPETITION AND PASS IT QUICKLY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MCGUIRE LARRY CALDERON AND THEN CHRISTOPHER TIGER STOCKBRIDGE.  GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS BETTY MCGUIRE AND I'VE LIVED IN BOSTON ABOUT 61 YEARS. MY HUSBAND I CAME HERE SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A BETTER LIFE.  WE WE DECIDED NOT TO RENT AN APARTMENT. WE WENT TO GET A HOME. NEEDLESS TO SAY, NEITHER ONE OF US KNEW THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE HERE HAVE NINE CHILDREN. 19 GRANDCHILDREN AND SEVEN GREAT GRANDCHILDREN. BUT WE'RE HERE AND WE WANT TO STAY IN OUR HOME UNTIL WE DECIDE TO LEAVE THAT PLACE. I'M A PART AS MESSENGER ACTION AS EVELYN IS AND I WOULD LIKE THE SITUATION TO BE MUCH CHANGED.  IN TWO WEEKS I'LL BE 81 YEARS OLD AND I RESIDE IN MY HOME FOR 60 YEARS. IT'S NOT FAIR FOR ME TO BE ANXIOUS ABOUT THIS KIND OF THING AND I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF MYSELF AS A HOME MAINE HOMEOWNER AND MASSENA ACTION AND WHEN I DID GET MY TAX BILL THIS YEAR IT WAS AN INCREASE.  AS A MATTER OF FACT IN THE SECOND AND THE THIRD IT WAS AN INCREASE.  AND BECAUSE I DO HAVE A MORTGAGE BUT I CAN STILL SEE THAT THERE WILL BE AN INCREASE IN THAT MEANT THAT MY MORTGAGE PAYMENTS WERE GOING TO GO UP. SO NEEDLESS TO SAY WHENEVER MASSENA ACTION IS TALKING ABOUT TAX INCREASE. I'M GOING TO BE HERE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT WE NEED SOME KIND OF A REBATE OR SOMETHING SO THAT WE WON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SELLING OUR HOMES BEING PUSHED OUT OF OUR HOMES. UM I MADE THIS A MATTER OF ASKING THE LORD WHAT SHOULD I DO? SO I'M I'M LIKE A LOT OF SENIORS ANXIOUS ABOUT HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT THESE TAX BILLS AND SEEING THAT MASSENA ACTION IS FIGHTING ON BEHALF OF ALL THE SENIORS.  I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT IN REGARD TO DOCKET 1010142 THAT THE ACT TO INCREASE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION AND DOC 0270 IN ORDER TO ADOPT A GOOD LANDLORD ABATEMENT AND WE TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT AT MASSENA ACTION ARE GOOD ACTION.  WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND ON THE OTHER HAND THE RESIDENTIAL ENDS EXEMPTION THE AG IN AND IT'S OVER $300 AND NOW IT COULD INCREASE MORE WOULD HELP ME OUT A LOT A WHOLE LOT AND IT HELPS ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT EXEMPTION.  IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT EXEMPTION THEN PROBABLY A LOT OF US WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO STAY IN OUR HOME.  BUT HOWEVER THE BECAUSE OF THE BECAUSE OF THE SHIFTS IN THE WHOLE OWNER OCCUPIED RESIDENCE ,THIS MIGHT SHIFT THE BURDEN TO SOMEBODY LIKE MY CHILDREN WHO CAN'T AFFORD THE RITZ. SO THAT MIGHT NOT BE BE ABLE TO WORK AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO BRING MORE BURDEN ON THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO TESTIFY FOR THE GOOD LANDLORD ABATEMENT BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY OF US LIKE IN OUR FAMILIES WHO CANNOT RENT THE MARKET RENT SO I KNOW I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO RENT UNDER ON THE MARKET RATE AND THIS THIS THIS IF THIS KIND OF ABATEMENT WAS PASSED THAT WOULD HELP A LOT TOO. AND I KNOW A LOT OF SENIORS WOULD APPRECIATE THIS MANY SENIORS ON MULTI-FAMILY HOMES I HAVE THREE FAMILIES AND MY CHILDREN LIVE ON ONE FAMILY AND SOME ELDERLY TENNIS LIVE ON THE THIRD FLOOR BUT THEY'RE STILL DOES NOT AND I HAVE MY SOCIAL SECURITY INCOME. IF I DIDN'T GET THE SOCIAL EQUITY INCOME I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO PAY THE MORTGAGE AND MY HEALTH COSTS AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE HAVE NEED UP. BUT AT MASSENA ACTING WE ARE WORKING TO HELP MORE SENIORS WHO HAVE MULTIPLE FAMILIES THAT ARE ALREADY RENTING AT NOT THE MARKET RATE SO THAT THEY YOU KNOW THAT THEY'LL BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS WHENEVER THE TAXES INCREASE. OUR INSURANCE GOES UP I KNOW MINE WENT UP THIS YEAR TO $6,000. I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT IS. THAT'S I HAVEN'T CHECKED IT OUT BUT I'M HOPING THAT ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE ARE WORKING FOR AND TRYING TO GET YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE NEED WILL WORK AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT.  THANK YOU. MISS MCGUIRE, WHY ARE YOU STOPPING ME RIGHT NOW? YEAH. YEAH. ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT. YEAH. I DIDN'T FINISH, BUT THAT'S OKAY. ALL RIGHT. YOU SUBMIT YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY FOR THE RECORD IF YOU WOULD LIKE. OKAY, MAYBE EARLY BIRTHDAY AND LARRY CALDERON AND THEN CHRISTOPHER STOP WHERE YOU GOT TO AND THEN JOHNNY MCINNIS.  OKAY.  OKAY.  GOOD AFTERNOON, CITY COUNCILORS . THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALLOWING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE TODAY AND SPEAK TO EVERYBODY AND MAKE A PRESENTATION ON THE BEHALF OF THE BOSTON POLICE PATROLMEN'S ASSOCIATION.  IT'S NICE TO SEE EVERYONE IN THE CROWD IT FOR THE MOST PART I THINK WE'RE ALL HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR SIMILAR REASONS. I HEARD SOMEBODY TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN ASSESSING CLEARLY IT'S A DIFFICULT JOB ASSESSING HAS TO DIG A LOT MORE A 40% INCREASE I HEARD FROM ONE OF THE LADIES THAT WAS UP HERE A WHILE AND A GENTLEMAN FROM BEACON HILL. I ALSO HEARD TALKING ABOUT SHARE IN TAXES. THAT'S WHERE WE ARE COMING FROM FOR ANYONE THAT DOESN'T KNOW ME, I'M LARRY CALDERONE. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE PATROLMEN'S ASSOCIATION IN BOSTON. AS THE PRESIDENT I'M HERE REPRESENTING 600 OF APPROXIMATELY 2000 SWORN OFFICERS IN THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. RESIDENTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON . THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT IS APPROXIMATELY 2400 EMPLOYEES, TWO THIRDS OF WHICH RESIDE HERE IN THE CITY. MANY OF THEM HAVE FAMILIES, FRIENDS, RELATIVES THAT ALSO PAY TAXES AND VOTE HERE I SAY THAT RESPECTIVELY TO ALL OF YOU IN THE COUNCIL THAT IS BY NO MEANS A THREAT A VOTE. BUT IT'S A GOOD POINT WHEN WE'RE TALKING UP ON BEACON HILL BECAUSE ON THE BEHALF OF MY ASSOCIATION I WAS UP THERE ADVOCATING FOR PASSAGE OF THIS LEGISLATION LAST TIME AROUND BECAUSE IT AFFECTS NOT ONLY MY MEMBERSHIP BUT EVERYBODY STANDING. I'M SITTING IN THIS ROOM TODAY AND THEIR FAMILIES LIKE YOURSELVES. WE RECEIVE SOME OUTRAGEOUS INCREASES IN THE RECENT REAL ESTATE TAX BILL AT A TIME WHEN FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING WITH EIGHT, EIGHT AND 5% INTEREST RATES OVER THE LAST YEARS.  MANY OF THESE FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING BUT SHOPPING WITH BASIC FOR BASIC NECESSITIES BREAD, CEREAL, EGGS, MILK PEANUT BUTTER AT $5 ARE HIGHER EACH.  IT'S ABSOLUTELY OUTRAGEOUS THAT BIG BUSINESSES GETTING A TAX BREAK WHILE HOMEOWNERS ARE STRUGGLING, FAMILIES IN COMMON, LANDLORDS THAT ARE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR ESTABLISHMENTS RECEIVING 1020 AND LIKE I SAID I HEARD 40% INCREASES IN THEIR TAX BILLS.  IN MANY CASES THESE FAMILIES ARE BEING DEVASTATED BY HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS IN INCREASES PER MONTH. MOST ARE ALREADY HAVING A TOUGH TIME PAYING THEIR MONTHLY BILLS . BOSTON FAMILIES ESPECIALLY THE SENIORS AND THE RENTERS THEY'RE BEING SQUEEZED AND OVERBURDENED BY HIGHER TAXES EVERY TIME WE TURN AROUND WHETHER IT'S LOCAL, STATE OR, FEDERAL TAXES NEED TO SLOW DOWN AND THEY NEED TO STOP . I ASK YOU AGAIN RESPECTFULLY WHEN IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN AND HOW CAN YOU HELP AND MORE IMPORTANTLY HOW CAN WE HELP FROM OPPOSITION WITHIN THE PATROLMEN'S UNION TODAY WE HAVE POUNDED WITH THESE REAL ESTATE TAXES AS WE BAIL OUT BIG BUSINESS AND LAST WEEK WE HEAR MORE ABOUT PROPOSED TAXES IN THE FUTURE SUGARY SO EXCUSE ME SUGARY SODA AND DRINKS PLEASE. I ASK YOU AND I BEG YOU TO STOP I IMPLORE YOU TO STOP WITH THE OVERTAXING OF YOUR CITIZENS.  BUSINESSES IN THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE SHOULD SHARE THE BURDEN.  I'M HERE TO SAY THAT MY MEMBERS ASKED ME TO COME HERE AND TESTIFY TO TELL YOU LIKE THE GENTLEMAN FROM BEACON HILL WE UNDERSTAND TAXES BUT WE DON'T WANT TO FOOT THE BILL FOR BIG BUSINESS. THEY SHOULD NOT BE GETTING A DECREASE WHEN FAMILIES ARE STRUGGLING AND SUFFERING AND GETTING AN INCREASE.  THANK YOU. THE OLD STATEMENT OF THE RICH GET RICHER AND THE POOR GET POORER. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IN BOSTON. THEY WERE GETTING A TAX BREAK WHEN OTHERS ARE SEEING TEN AND 20% INCREASES STRUGGLING TO PAY FOR FOOD, HEAT, RENT, CARS, SCHOOL PAYMENTS AND MORE IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. ONE GROUP SHOULD NOT CONTINUE TO GAIN WEALTH WHILE FAMILIES LOSE AND STRUGGLE TO GET BY. IN CLOSING I ASK YOU TO PLEASE PASS THIS IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION PUT FORTH BY MAYOR BILL AND I ASK YOU TO REACH OUT TO YOUR LOCAL REPS AND SENATORS ONCE AGAIN TO PUSH HARD FOR ALL TO BE TREATED FAIRLY AND PLEASE EVERYONE IN THIS COUNCIL KNOWS ME PERSONALLY. YOU KNOW THE MEMBERS WE REPRESENT REACH OUT TO ME AND TELL ME HOW I CAN HELP BECAUSE WHAT'S GOING ON TO THE CITIZENS, THE SENIORS, THE RENTERS, THE CHILDREN IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. WE'LL PAY OUR FAIR SHARE BUT BIG BUSINESS SHOULD HELP AS WELL. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. AND MY SENIORS I LOVE YOU GUYS BUT WE CAN'T CLAP OR MAKE ANY NOISE. BUT I LOVE YOU GUYS.  CHRISTOPHER STACK STOCKBRIDGE FOLLOWED BY JOHNNY AND THEN DARLENE. GOOD MORNING, COUNSELORS. THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING US TO TESTIFY. I KNOW YOU ALL KNOW ME BUT FOR THOSE THAT DON'T, I'M TIGER STOCKBRIDGE AND PRESIDENT OF ACP CLASS OF 93. I REPRESENT OVER 2000 WORKERS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. STILL THERE STILL RESIDE HERE.  WE'RE HERE AGAIN TO EXPRESS OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR MAYOR WU'S EFFORTS TO PASS THE HOME RULE LEGISLATION TO PROTECT BOSTON RESIDENTS FROM DRASTIC PROPERTY INCREASES. AS A UNION REPRESENTING WORKERS WHO ARE BOUND BY RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS AS A CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT, I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WORKERS ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING TO MEET THE HIGH COST OF OWNING AND RENTING HOMES IN THE CITY WHILE INCREASES IN PROPERTY TAX WILL UNDOUBTEDLY IMPACT ON HOMEOWNERS AND PROPERTY TAXES WILL ULTIMATELY IMPACT RENTERS. LANDLORDS JUST PASS THOSE COSTS ON TO OUR MEMBERS WHO ARE REQUIRED TO STAY IN HERE. I'VE SUBMITTED THIS TO A COUNCIL ISSUE IN WRITING THAT YOU CAN SHARE LATER ON BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME EXACT STUFF THAT WE WERE DOING HERE JUST NOT THAT LONG AGO AND THE FACT THAT THE MAYOR WAS ON BOARD THE COUNCILS ARE ON BOARD, THE STATE REPS ARE ON BOARD. WHAT THE HELL'S WRONG WITH THE SENATE THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO HELP THESE PEOPLE OUT. THEY CANNOT GO AND WORK IN OVERTIME SHIFT OR A SECOND JOB BY RETIREES DON'T HAVE THAT BENEFIT. THEY'RE ALL ON FIXED INCOMES AND WE REPRESENT SOME OF THE LOWEST PAID WORKERS IN THE CITY THE LOWEST PAID WE HAVE OUR SIX IS OUT THERE MAKING $35,000 A YEAR IN LESS AND WE CAN'T JUST MAKE IT SO THAT THEY CAN JUST MAKE MORE MONEY BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO TALK ABOUT BALANCED BUDGETS AND BUDGET BREAKERS AND EVERYTHING ELSE. WE'RE WORKING UNDERSTAFFED TO STILL GIVE THE CITY WHAT THEY NEED AND WE DO IT EVERY SINGLE DAY, DAY IN, DAY OUT WHEN WE HAVE TO STAY AND DO OVERTIME. WE STAY.  WE TRY NOT TO COMPLAIN AND WE STILL SHOW UP TO DO THE JOB.  WHEN YOU GUYS ARE GETTING THESE PHONE CALLS AT THE OFFICE WHY ARE MY TAXES JUMPING THROUGH THE ROOF? WHY CAN'T WE GET IT DONE? WHY CAN'T IT BE LOWERED? HIT THE FORWARD BUTTON, SEND IT UP TO THE STATE SENATE. TELL SENATOR COLLINS GET THIS DONE FOR OUR RESIDENTS OF BOSTON. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, DARLING. THEN FOLLOWED BY JAMES SHE SAY ME. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. ALL RIGHT.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. MY NAME IS DARLENE LAMBOS AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER BOSTON LABOR COUNCIL REPRESENTING OVER 100,000 UNION MEMBERS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THE REGION. I ALSO AM READING GREETINGS FROM CHICAGO GREEN FROM THE BOSTON BUILDING TRADES UNION, ALSO REPRESENTING 35,000 MEMBERS HERE IN BOSTON. SORRY HE WASN'T ABLE TO MAKE IT . UM YOU KNOW, HERE'S WHAT I WANT TO SAY I HAVE FRIENDS SOME THINGS DOWN BECAUSE I USUALLY CAN'T TESTIFY UNLESS I READ BUT THIS INCREDIBLE MOMENT WHERE YOU HAVE ORGANIZATIONS LIKE UNIONS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS LIKE MASS INTERACTION THERE IS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE TODAY AND WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND THIS LEGISLATION.  WE ARE TRYING TO SAY THAT THIS IS NOT SOME RANDOM EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT'S COMING DOWN FROM THE TOP BUT WHEW ADMINISTRATION HAS HAD THEIR EXPERTS MAKE A PROPOSAL. THEY HAVE GONE OUT TO THE COMMUNITY AND GOTTEN INPUT FROM US. OUR UNION MEMBERS WENT TO THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS. THIS IS A BOTTOM UP PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT SHOULD BE SUPPORTED BY ALL OF YOU AND ALL OF OUR STATE LEGISLATORS. THERE'S NO REASON NO REASON IN MY OPINION AND IN THE OPINION OF MANY OF OUR MEMBERS THAT THIS SHOULD NOT GO THROUGH. THIS IS AN AMAZING COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION UNIONS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS AND THESE EXPERTS AND THAT IS WHAT WE CALL CO GOVERNANCE.  THAT IS WHAT WE STRIVE FOR AND THAT IS WHAT WE BELIEVE DEMOCRACY IS ALL ABOUT. SO I'M GOING TO SHARE WHAT I WROTE A LITTLE BIT WHEN I DID JUST WANT TO SHARE THE I KNOW I JUST WANT TO BRING DOWN TO THE STORIES I BROUGHT TWO STORIES ONE DAN MORIARTY IS A BOSTON RESIDENT AND 20 YEAR MECHANIC WITH THE JP POLICE. I AM SO OLD I HAVE TO DO THIS.  HE LIVES IN MATTAPAN WITH HIS WIFE, A BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER AND FOUR KIDS EVEN WITH TWO GOOD UNION INCOMES THEY FIND IT DOESN'T STRETCH FAR ENOUGH AND ARE WORRIED ABOUT HOW TIGHT THINGS ARE. THEIR OLDEST TWO KIDS IN THEIR TWENTIES THEY HAVE TWO OLD OLDER KIDS IN THEIR TWENTIES AND THEY STILL HAVE TO LIVE AT HOME BECAUSE THE RENT IS TOO HIGH FOR THEM TO MOVE OUT AND THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES MAKES EVERYTHING TIGHTER FOR THE HARD WORKING FAMILIES AND EVEN HARDER FOR THE MORIARTY ADULT KIDS TO START THEIR LIVES. LILY BRIAN A MEMBER OF MASSENA ACTION I HAVE YOUR GUYS TO STORIES TO BROUGHT THE DOOR IT BOUGHT HER DORCHESTER HOME WITH HER HUSBAND 45 YEARS AGO IN 1979. FOR THEM IT WAS A LITTLE PART OF THE AMERICAN DREAM A PLACE TO RAISE THEIR FAMILY AND GROW OLD.  LITTLE LILY IS NOW A WIDOW AT THE AGE OF 77 AND SHE LIES AWAKE AT NIGHT WORRYING THAT SHE COULD LOSE HER HOME FROM THIS PROPERTY TAX INCREASE. IT WAS A CHALLENGE BEFORE THE SPIKE SPIKE LIVING ON A FIXED INCOME AND INCREASE FOR LILY IT COULD MEAN HAVING TO SELL HER HOME AS A LABOR ORGANIZATION REQUESTING REPRESENTING WORKERS WHO LIVE AND WORK IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THE LABOR COUNCIL STANDS WITH MAYOR WU AS SHE FIGHTS FOR BOSTON. RESIDENTS ARE WORKING PEOPLE CAN AFFORD TO PUT DOWN ROOTS, RAISE THEIR FAMILIES AND PLAN FOR TOMORROW GIVEN THE CURRENT NATIONAL POLITICAL LANDSCAPE WE WILL NEED ALL OF US FIGHTING TOGETHER UNIFIED AGAINST THE WORST OF WHAT MIGHT COME UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION. PASS THIS PETITION TODAY SO BOSTONIANS CAN SEE RELIEF AT LEAST ON SOME LEVEL AS WE GEAR UP FOR THE REAL FIGHTS WE HAVE AHEAD.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. JANEY MCNEIL.  GOOD AFTERNOON. COUNCILORS JANEY MCNEIL AND THE GENERAL AGENT FOR THE HOTEL AND FOOD WORKERS UNION LOCAL 26. IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU ALL THIS AFTERNOON WE REPRESENT ABOUT 12,000 HOSPITALITY WORKERS THROUGHOUT THE REGION.  WE ARE ONE OF THOSE OFFICE OWNERS YOU'VE BEEN HEARING SO MUCH ABOUT. WE JUST BOUGHT A OFFICE BUILDING RIGHT NEXT TO THE PARK PLAZA SO LOCAL 26 HAS A NEW HOME IN THE BAY VILLAGE.  AND WHY DID WE DO THAT? WHY DID WE DO THAT?  WE DID IT BECAUSE THANKS TO THIS GENTLEMAN OVER HERE AND HIS OFFICERS, BOSTON'S ONE OF THE SAFEST CITIES. WE DID IT BECAUSE THANKS TO THIS GENTLEMAN OVER HERE AND HIS MEMBERS, THE STREETS ARE CLEAN, THE PARKS ARE IMMACULATE. BOSTON IS A INCREDIBLE CITY TO BRING YOUR BUSINESS TO. IT IS AN INCREDIBLE PLACE TO HONE YOUR ORGANIZATION THANKS TO THE WORKING MEN AND WOMEN OF THE CITY OF BOSTON. THAT'S WHY WE MOVED HERE TO THE CITY. THAT'S WHY WE LOVE TO CALL BOSTON OUR HOME.  I'D JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT I KNOW I ONLY HAVE 2 MINUTES THAT IT IS AN AWFUL MESSAGE AWFUL MESSAGE TO SEND TO BUSINESSES WHO WE WANT TO COME TO THE CITY, TWO ORGANIZATIONS WHO WE WANT TO HOW IS HERE THAT THEY ARE NOT WORTH WHAT WHAT THEY WHAT THEY THE VALUE THAT THEY PUT IN EVERY DAY IT IS AN AWFUL MESSAGE TO SAY WELL, YOU KNOW, IN MY HOUSE IF I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE SOMETHING WORK I GOT TO PUT A LITTLE MONEY IN IT. YOU GOT TO INVEST IN IT IN MY BUSINESS I GOT TO DO THE SAME THE SAME APPLIES HERE IN THE CITY IF WE WANT THE BEST SERVICES, IF WE WANT THE BEST CITY POSSIBLE, IT'S SOMETHING YOU HAVE TO INVEST IN.  THESE MEN AND WOMEN DESERVE IT AND THAT IS WHY THAT IS WHAT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY SEND THE MESSAGE TO BRING OFFICERS AND RESIDENTS BACK INTO THE CITY IS INVEST IN THE PEOPLE THE PEOPLE ARE THE BUDGET. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.  I JUST WANT AGAIN TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY MASSING YOUR ACTION.  OKAY. SO UH, JOHNNY MY APOLOGIES, COUNSELOR.  GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR WARRIOR AND CO-CHAIR ZAPATA AND MEMBERS OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL. MY NAME IS JOHNNY MCINNES, THE POLITICAL DIRECTOR FOR THE BOSTON TEACHERS UNION AND A FORMER MUSIC TEACHER FOR STUDENTS IN BOSTON AND A RESIDENT OF THIS CITY WHERE I'VE LIVED FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS AND WHERE I RAISED MY DAUGHTER A GRADUATE OF BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I'M HERE TODAY TO SUPPORT THE TAX RECLASSIFICATION HOME RULE PETITION BROUGHT BEFORE THIS BODY TODAY THE BTU REPRESENTS OVER 8000 ACTIVE MEMBERS AND OVER 3000 RETIRED MEMBERS. THE BOSTON TEACHERS UNION SUPPORTS THIS HOME RULE PETITION BECAUSE IT WOULD PREVENT SUDDEN AND DRAMATIC PROPERTY TAX INCREASES FOR HOMEOWNERS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON LIKE ONES WE ARE CURRENTLY SEEING. IT WILL ALLOW RETIREES AND SENIORS TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES WHO ALSO SEE NO REDUCTION IN OTHER COSTS. ALLOW CITY EMPLOYEES TO LIVE IN THE CITY THEY SERVE PREVENT THE LOSS OF MORE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES FROM OUR SCHOOLS AS WELL AS DECREASE THE FINANCIAL BURDENS PLACED ON RENTERS.  PASSING THIS HOME RULE PETITION WOULD PROVIDE SOME MEASURE OF RELEASE OR RELIEF FROM THE RISING COST OF LIVING AND WOULD STRENGTHEN ENROLLMENT IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.  AT THE SAME TIME IT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO STABILITY AMONG SCHOOL STAFF WHO CAN AFFORD TO LIVE IN BOSTON WHILE CONTINUING TO BRING REVENUE INTO THE CITY. WE SUFFER FROM A HUGE AMOUNT OF STAFF CHURNING AFTER I'M SORRY LOST MY PLACE.  OKAY. THIS BILL COULD ALLOW BOSTON TO RETAIN MORE TEACHERS WHICH WILL IMPROVE STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES. WE REPRESENT THOUSANDS OF BEATTY RETIRED EDUCATORS WHO LIVE ON A FIXED INCOME AND WITH A VERY, VERY LIMITED ANNUAL INCREASE TO THEIR COLA.  A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES WOULD CREATE ANOTHER FINANCIAL HARDSHIP ON THEM DECREASING THEIR ABILITY TO AGE IN PLACE.  FAILING TO PROVIDE THE CITY OF BOSTON WITH THE FLEXIBILITY PROVIDED BY THIS TAX RECLASSIFICATION BILL WOULD NOT JUST HARM HOMEOWNER HOMEOWNERS BUT ALSO TENANTS. THE ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX COSTS WILL BE PASSED ON TO RENTERS BY THEIR LANDLORDS.  BOSTON ALREADY IN THE TOP THREE CITIES IN TERMS OF RENTS WILL BECOME EVEN MORE UNAFFORDABLE FOR THE AVERAGE PERSON. HOUSING INSECURITY CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF THE LARGEST CHALLENGES FACING THE FAMILIES OUR MEMBERS SERVE EVERY DAY. WE ARE WE AS REPRESENTATIVES OF 11,000 PLUS ACTIVE AND RETIRED EDUCATORS WHO WHO SERVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YOUNG BOSTONIANS AND FAMILIES EVERY DAY STAND IN SUPPORT OF THIS HOME RULE PETITION PROPOSED BY MAYOR WU AND WE HOPE IT WILL GAIN APPROVAL BY THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. AGAIN, JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO CAME TO TESTIFY, OUR LABOR LEADERS. THANK YOU FOR THE ADVOCACY AND ALSO YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THANK YOU TO MASSIVE ACTION FOR YOUR CONTINUE ADVOCACY. NOW WE'LL GO OVER TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  OKAY, GREAT. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANKS EVERYONE.  I'M ASHLEY GROFF, MURDER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. I THINK WE'RE STARTING WITH DOCKET 0269. IS THAT RIGHT? IS THAT RIGHT? PRESENTATION. OKAY. WE SENT SLIDES OVER.  I THINK THEY'RE DON'T HAVE THEM UP.  YEAH, WE DIDN'T KNOW. OKAY. SLIDES. OKAY. SORRY ABOUT THAT.  WE CAN GET THOSE TOO. BUT WE IN THE INTEREST OF TIME CAN JUST READ OFF OF IT AND SEND THEM TO YOU AFTER SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO NICOLE ANELLO AND RAE BOWIE TO TALK ABOUT THIS BUT JUST WANTED TO START OFF BY SAYING IT'S AN ENORMOUS TASK THAT THIS DEPARTMENT TAKES ON EVERY YEAR TO VALUE APPROPRIATELY 180,000 PARCELS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO JUST WANT TO REALLY GIVE CREDIT TO ALL OF THE PROFESSIONALS THAT WORK IN THE ASSESSING DEPARTMENT FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO. AND I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THESE GENTLEMEN TO EXPLAIN THE PROCESS MORE IN-DEPTH.  THANKS SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILORS, FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS NICK ARNOLD. I'M THE COMMISSIONER FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON AND I BROUGHT WITH ME MY DIRECTOR EVALUATION RAYMOND BULLI. I'LL JUST GIVE A REALLY QUICK OVERVIEW AND THEN I BROUGHT GRAY FOR FOUR QUESTIONS TO THE EXTENT THAT PEOPLE WANT TO KIND OF GET INTO DETAIL. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS THAT WE HAD HERE TODAY THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND THEY BROUGHT A LOT OF RELEVANT QUESTIONS AND SOME THINGS THAT I THINK CAN BE A LITTLE BIT CONFUSING ABOUT ASSESSING BUT FOR THE MOST PART WHEN YOU PULL BACK THE CONCEPTS ARE PRETTY SIMPLE AND THEN THEY GET A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED KIND OF IN EXECUTION AND AT SCALE. SO TO KIND OF GIVE LIKE THE REALLY BASIC ONE ON ONE RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN FISCAL YEAR 25 AND SO THE RESPONSIBILITY OF ASSESSING APARTMENT IT'S RELATED TO TAXES BUT WE DON'T REALLY ESTABLISH TAX BILLS BUT WE ESTABLISHES VALUE AND SO KIND OF THE JOB OF THE DEPARTMENT ALL YEAR IS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO APPROPRIATELY VALUE THE CITY AND THE WAY WE DO THAT IS BY GATHERING AND REVIEWING DATA AND BY BUILDING MODELS. UM, SO RIGHT NOW FISCAL YEAR 25 WE'RE OBLIGATED BY STATE LAW TO VALUE EVERYONE'S PROPERTY AT MARKET VALUE 100% MARKET VALUE AS OF JANUARY 1ST 2024. AND SO THEN THE WAY THAT WE DO THAT IS WE GATHER DATA ABOUT THE PROPERTIES THAT WERE IN EXISTENCE AS OF THAT POINT IN TIME AND WE LOOK AT MARKET TRANSACTION SO LIKE SALES INFORMATION, WE LOOK AT SALES INFORMATION GOING THAT JANUARY 1ST YEAR AND 24 DATE. SO IT'S CALENDAR YEAR 2023 SALES TRANSACTIONS THE WAY THAT OUR SYSTEM IS SET UP IN STATE LAW AND BY THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE THAT REVIEWS AND CERTIFIES OUR VALUES IS THAT THAT'S THE WAY IT WORKS FOR THE FOR THE WHOLE STATE NOT JUST FOR BOSTON IS WE USE SOMETHING CALLED A CAMERA SYSTEM CAMERA SOFTWARE IT'S COMPUTER ASSISTED MASS APPRAISAL AND SO THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT THAT IS IF YOU GO TO BUY OR SELL YOUR HOME, YOU GET AN APPRAISER TO COME TAKE A LOOK AT IT. THEY GO LOOK AT AREA COMPARABLES AND THEY SAY OKAY, HERE'S FIVE OTHER HOUSES THAT I'VE FOUND IN THIS BLOCK THAT ARE SIMILAR TO YOURS AND THEN THEY MAKE ADJUSTMENTS BASED ON SIZE AND CONDITION AND THINGS LIKE THAT AND THAT PROCESS CAN TAKE THREE DAYS IF IT'S BRUSHED CAN TAKE A LITTLE BIT LONGER FOR FOR ONE SINGLE APPRAISAL AND THEN THEY THEY PULL THAT DOWN AND THEY SAY OKAY WE DID AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS I'VE DONE A FULL REVIEW OF YOUR HOME.  I LOOKED AT THESE OTHER PLACES THAT I'M FAMILIAR WITH AND HERE'S WHERE I THINK THE VALUE IS. THE JOB OF THE ASSESSING DEPARTMENT IS TO DO THAT FOR ALL 181,000 REAL ESTATE PARCELS EVERY YEAR WE HAVE 22 VALUATION STAFF THAT THAT WORK ON THAT PROJECT. SO THAT IS NOT SOMETHING WHERE WE CAN GO INTO EVERYONE'S HOMES AND DO A FULL INDIVIDUAL APPRAISAL.  IT'S NOT HOW THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED AND SO THE WAY THAT THE STATE HAS PROVIDED FOR THAT THE INSTRUCTION THAT IS PROVIDED AND THE CERTIFICATION STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE TO FOLLOW. USE THE SYSTEM CALLED COMPUTER ASSISTED MASS APPRAISAL. AND SO THE WAY THAT WORKS IS WE HAVE DATA ON EVERYONE'S PROPERTY IT'S CALLED YOUR PROPERTY RECORD CARD THAT LISTS THE VARIOUS ATTRIBUTES OF YOUR HOME. SO LIKE HOW MANY SQUARE FEET IT IS, HOW MANY BATHROOMS YOU HAVE, HOW NICE YOUR BATHROOMS ARE, HOW NICE YOUR KITCHEN IS. THINGS LIKE THAT EXTERIOR.  SO IF YOUR HOUSE IS BRICK IT'S WOOD. THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE ALL BUILT INTO YOUR PROPERTY RECORD CARD AND THEN WHAT WE DO IS WE GO OUT TO THE MARKET AND WE GET MARKET DATA ON SALES TRANSACTIONS. SO THE SAME WAY THAT YOUR REAL ESTATE BROKER CAN PULL A REAL ESTATE LISTING THAT SHOWS YOU DIFFERENT ATTRIBUTES OF DIFFERENT HOMES, WE PULL THAT SAME DATA FOR SALES INFORMATION.  WE COMPARE IT TO THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE ON THOSE PARTICULAR PROPERTIES.  OKAY. THIS IS A KNOWN THING. WE KNOW THAT THIS PARTICULAR HOUSE ON THIS PARTICULAR STREET IN THIS PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD SOLD FOR $500,000 AND THEN WHAT THE COMPUTER MODEL DOES IS IT TAKES THAT SALES PRICE AND IT BREAKS THAT VALUE DOWN INTO LITTLE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS FOR EACH PART OF THAT HOUSE. SO IT SAYS IT DOES THAT USING A WHOLE BUNCH SELLS FOR ALL OVER THE CITY AND SO IT BREAKS IT DOWN. IT SAYS ALL RIGHT, A BATHROOM IS WORTH $100, A KITCHEN IS WORTH $200 AND THEN IT USES THAT INFORMATION TO REBUILD UP VALUES FOR EVERY CITY AND FOR PROPERTIES THAT DIDN'T SELL. AND SO THAT WAY THE MODELING SOFTWARE TAKES THESE FEW SALES THAT HAPPEN AND THEN USES IT TO PREDICT VALUES FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.  THAT IN A NUTSHELL AT HOME MASS APPRAISAL WORKS.  OUR MODELS ARE MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT SO I THINK AS AS A LOT OF PEOPLE KIND OF REALIZE DEPENDING ON WHAT NEIGHBOR YOU'RE IN YOU'RE IN AN IDENTICAL HOUSE CAN SELL FOR A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF MONEY EVEN ACROSS THE SAME STREET. THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET YOU CAN HAVE TWO IDENTICAL HOMES, ONE SIDE OF THE STREET THAT'S GOING TO SELL FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET DEPENDING ON THINGS THAT YOU'RE FACING. NATURE OF THAT.  AND SO OUR MODEL TAKES INTO ACCOUNT LOCATION.  IT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT JUST A WHOLE WHOLE SLEW OF FACTORS AND THEN WE GO AND WE CREATE ASSESSMENT TO SELL RATIOS. SO THIS IS ANOTHER STATE REQUIREMENT.  SO THERE ARE DEFINITIONS OF WHAT MARKET VALUE MEANS. THERE'S DEFINITIONS ABOUT HOW MUCH OF A SPREAD WE CAN HAVE IN OUR ASSESSMENT TO SALE RATIO MEDIANS. WE HAVE TO CALCULATE THEM FOR QUARTILES IN TIME WE CALCULATE CERTAIN TO SELL RATIOS FOR QUARTILES AND PRICE.  WE CALCULATE THEM FOR ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TREATING EVERY PROPERTY FAIRLY AND APPROPRIATELY AND DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO CAPTURE VALUE AT 100% MARKET VALUE BECAUSE THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE'S KIND OF PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE WHEN THE TAXES DO GET CALCULATED AND APPORTIONED OUT.  THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE ROUGH CUT.  WE HEARD SOME VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE THAT TESTIFIED EARLIER ABOUT PROBLEMS THAT THEY'VE SEEN IN ASSESSMENTS.  THAT IS AN UNFORTUNATE CIRCUMSTANCE AS TO HOW THE PROCESS WORKS BUT THEN THE PROCESS ALSO HAS A SOLUTION FOR THAT PROBLEM AND IT'S BASICALLY FOR PEOPLE TO COME AND TELL US WHEN WE HAVE THAT DATA BECAUSE THE ONLY WAY OUR SYSTEM WORKS IS WHEN THE DATA IS ACCURATE AND WE ONLY REALLY HAVE DATA ON THINGS THAT SELL OR WHETHER PEOPLE COME AND TELL US AND ALLOW US TO GO INSPECT THEIR HOME, WE HAVE NO RIGHT TO GO AND INSPECT PEOPLE'S HOMES. WE CAN ONLY GO IN IF SOMEONE ALLOWS US TO. AND SO WHEN WE GET INFORMATION ABOUT A PROPERTY THEN WE SEND SOMEONE OUT TO DO AN INSPECTION AND WE UPDATE OUR RECORD CARD WHICH THEN MAKES OUR MODELS BETTER, WHICH THEN MAKES OUR VALUES BETTER. AND SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR BIDDING PERIOD AND ACTUALLY ENDS ON MONDAY. THIS IS THE MAIN TIME EVERY YEAR WHEN PEOPLE CAN COME IN AND TELL US THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG AND THEN WE HAVE THREE MONTHS TO GO AND REVIEW THOSE CONCERNS AND ISSUE CORRECTIONS SO THAT WE CAN GET THEM FIXED FOR THIS YEAR ON THEIR BILLS AND IN NEXT YEAR FOR OUR MODELS THIS YEAR BECAUSE WE ARE IN A RECERTIFICATION YEAR WITH THE GST WE HAD ACTUALLY WE HAD AN ADDITIONAL REVIEW PERIOD IN THE END OF OCTOBER EARLY NOVEMBER SO WE COULD GET INFORMATION FROM CONSTITUENTS BEFORE OUR MODELS WERE FINALIZED.  SO THIS YEAR ACTUALLY PROPERTIES GET LOOKED AT EVEN MORE THAN NORMAL.  THAT'S MY REALLY QUICK OVERVIEW . HOPEFULLY IT'S HELPFUL TO SOME EXTENT BUT HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.  THANK YOU. NOW GO TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND ORDER ARRIVAL FOR QUESTIONS STARTING WITH COUNCILOR FLYNN. THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION PANEL FOR TESTIFYING.  COMMISSIONER, CAN YOU GO OVER THE ZIP CODES IN BOSTON AND HOW MUCH THE THE ASSESSMENTS WERE INCREASED TO HAVE IT DONE BY ZIP CODE? IT'S NOT DATA THAT I PRESENT IN FRONT OF ME, SIR. OKAY. HOW ABOUT THE INCREASE IN VALUE OF THE PROPERTY?  NO, I'M NOT QUITE SURE I UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION ARE YOU ASKING BUT JUST THE GENERAL INCREASE IN ASSESSMENTS YEAR OVER YEAR. YEAH. OR THE ASSESSED VALUE OF THE PROPERTY IN PARTICULAR ZIP CODES. SO IT'S DATA THAT I CAN DEFINITELY HAVE MY DEPARTMENT PULL FOR YOUR OFFICE BUT IT'S NOT INFORMATION THAT I BROUGHT WITH ME. OKAY.  WOULD THE RANGE BE FROM LIKE 4% TO 10% TO 4% TO 15% DEPENDING ON WHAT ZIP CODE YOU LIVED IN? IS THAT HOW IT WOULD HAPPEN OR SIR, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU EVER HAVE ANY THOUGHTS. YOU KNOW, WE TYPICALLY ON YOUR SUBJECT THEY'LL FIX IT.  WE TYPICALLY GO BY WARDS OR BY REDS RESIDENTIAL ASSESSING DISTRICTS NOT BY ZIP CODES. SO THE CITY'S BROKEN UP THAT WAY. DO YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION BY WARD? NOT WITH ME. I DON'T KNOW. OKAY.  IS THAT EASILY ACCESSIBLE? IT IS. OKAY.  I WONDER IF IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO GET IT DURING THIS HEARING DURING THE HERE I DON'T THINK WE'D BE ABLE TO GET IT FOR YOU DURING THE HEARINGS. SORRY. OKAY.  DOES THE CITY SPENDING HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES?  IT DOESN'T HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE INCREASE IN VALUES.  IT DOES FACTOR IN TO THE TAX RATE BECAUSE IT FACTORS INTO THE AMOUNT OF THE LEVY BUT IT'S NOT THE LEVY IS NOT UNCONSTRAINED. SO THE LEVY HAS PARTICULAR CAPS ON IT AND THAT FACTORS INTO WHAT THE TAX RATE IS ALONG WITH VALUES.  BUT IT IS NOT SOMETHING WHERE THERE ARE OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE THAT GO INTO THE BUDGET.  DOES FISCAL DISCIPLINE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH PROPERTY TAXES BEING RAISED?  IT DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH PROPERTY VALUES. NO PROPERTY TAXES BEING RAISED SO I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN EASILY ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. I FEEL LIKE WE MIGHT BE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. I'M SORRY. SPENDING. ALL RIGHT. I'LL TRY TO REPHRASE IT. DOES CITY SPENDING HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE PROPERTY TAXES INCREASING IN THE CITY?  PROPERTY TAXES INCREASE BASED ON VALUE CHANGES AND BASED ON THE LEVY AMOUNT.  AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT PROPERTY TAXES AND THE OVERALL PROPERTY TAX LEVY IS A SOURCE IN OUR BUDGET, YES THE BUDGET IMPACTS THIS BUT IT'S NOT AS DIRECTLY LINKED AS ONE MIGHT IMAGINE.  AND I WOULD SAY THE CITY OF BOSTON HAS ALWAYS TAKEN ITS FULL PROPERTY TAX LEVY SINCE THE BEGINNING OF PROP TWO AND A HALF IN THE EIGHTIES. SO THE CITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE PRACTICE OF MAXIMIZING ITS LEVY BECAUSE THE LEVY IS ALREADY CONSTRAINED IN AND OF ITSELF. SO WELL LET ME LET ME TRY TO LET ME TRY TO REPHRASE IT. I WHEN THE VOTE CAME FOR A PAY RAISE FOR CITY COUNCIL IN MAYOR AND FOR 2025 AND 2026 WE'RE GETTING A PAY RAISE. THE MAYOR IS GETTING A PAY RAISE. I VOTED AGAINST IT. CERTAINLY IT'S NOT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY. IT WON'T MAKE OR BREAK THE CITY FINANCES BUT I THINK IT DOES SEND IT AN EXAMPLE THAT WE ARE FISCALLY DISCIPLINED AND RESPONSIBLE BUT IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN DO AS A CITY TO ADDRESS CITY SPENDING? AND IF SO, DOES THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON ON THE TAXES PEOPLE ARE SPENDING? THE ONLY WAY TO HAVE THE BUDGET IMPACT THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING TODAY IS IF THE CITY MADE A CHOICE TO NOT TAKE THE FULL PROPERTY TAX LEVY WHICH IT HAS NEVER DONE.  SO IT IS NOT EXACTLY A 1 TO 1 CORRELATION BETWEEN SPENDING. IT'S WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY MAKES A CHOICE TO MAXIMIZE ITS PROPERTY TAX LEVY. OKAY. I'M JUST TRYING TO FOCUS IN ON THE CITY SPENDING. THAT'S WHAT MY MAIN POINT IS AND I BELIEVE MANY PEOPLE DISAGREE WITH ME AND THAT'S THAT'S THEIR RIGHT. BUT I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO BE MORE DISCIPLINED IN OUR SPENDING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON WHERE WE SPEND EXCESSIVELY.  IN BOSTON IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO BE MORE FISCALLY DISCIPLINE IN RESPONSIBLE SO WE DON'T HAVE TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES? THAT'S MY THAT'S MY POINT. THAT'S MY QUESTION.  AND LIKE I SAID, I THINK IT'S IT'S NOT DIRECT THAT SPENDING IS LINKED TO THE CONVERSATION WE'RE HAVING TODAY.  IT'S ONLY A CHOICE OF WHETHER OR NOT WE CHOOSE TO MAXIMIZE OUR PROPERTY TAX LEVY. AND TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU SPEND LESS AND YOU NEED LESS PROPERTY TAX BUT THIS IS NOT IT'S NOT LIKE IF WE SPENT 1% LESS OF THE BUDGET THAT PROPERTY TAXES WOULD HAVE CHANGED ABSENT THE CHOICE TO TAKE LESS THAN THE FULL PROPERTY TAX LEVY. WELL, I DISAGREE. I THINK.  I THINK CITY SPENDING DOES HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THAT SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES. I ALSO ADVOCATED FOR A BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION ENCOURAGING BUSINESSES TO COME BACK TO DOWNTOWN BOSTON INSTEAD OF WORKING REMOTELY TWO OR THREE DAYS A WEEK. I THINK THEY SHOULD BE HERE AT LEAST FOUR DAYS A WEEK TO SET THE EXAMPLE THAT BOSTON IS OPEN. I ALSO THINK THE CITY OFFICIALS HERE IN CITY HALL INCLUDING CITY COUNCILORS SHOULD BE HERE FIVE DAYS A WEEK. LET'S SET THE EXAMPLE TO OTHERS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT BOSTON IS OPEN AND SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES, SUPPORT THE RESTAURANTS. COME BACK TO DOWNTOWN BOSTON. WE HAVE A HUGE VACANCY RATE HERE IN THE CITY COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AT ABOUT 30%. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS I THINK WE SHOULD IMPLEMENT MY BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION.  I THINK WE SHOULD IMPLEMENT IT TODAY. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. THANK YOU SO MUCH, MR CHAIR AND MADAM CHAIR FOR HOSTING THIS HEARING. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR WORKING TOGETHER ON THEIR MULTIPLE DOCKET SO THAT WE COULD HAVE ONE HEARING TO DISCUSS ALL OF THESE VERY IMPORTANT ISSUES. I WANT TO JUST ECHO THE STATEMENT THAT I THINK IT WAS DARLENE WHO MADE FROM THE GREATER BOSTON LABOR COUNCIL THAT I WAS REALLY HEARTENED BY THE SOLIDARITY AMONG RESIDENTS AND LABOR AND LEADERS HERE IN OUR CITY AND I JUST IN THESE IN THESE DARK TIMES TO SEE THAT LEVEL OF SOLIDARITY TO THAT LEVEL OF WORKING TOGETHER REGULAR PEOPLE IT GIVES ME HOPE THAT WE CAN SOLVE HARD THINGS, HARD PROBLEMS WHEN WE WORK COLLECTIVELY TOGETHER. AND SO I WAS JUST REALLY HEARTENED BY THAT. SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO OFFERED PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I HAVE A QUESTION AND IT WAS WITH RESPECT A FEW QUESTIONS WITH RESPECT TO A QUESTION THAT IN HIS TESTIMONY BEN STARR TALKED ABOUT THE UNDER ASSESSMENT OF CERTAIN PROPERTIES AND COMMISSIONER, IT'S A QUESTION WHEN WE HAD THESE HEARINGS LAST YEAR I ASKED ABOUT WHAT CAN WE DO TO BETTER TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING A BETTER ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTIES WHERE THEY'RE VERY THEY'RE YOU KNOW, WHERE WE'RE TAXING, WHERE IT'S ASKING THEM AT 5 MILLION BUT THEY'RE REALLY WORTH 11 MILLION BECAUSE I THINK THAT COULD ALSO A NUMBER ONE HELP US WITH INCREASE OUR REVENUE HERE IN THE CITY. BUT ALSO YOU KNOW, I THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM TOO GENERALLY IS THAT OUR CONSTITUTION DOESN'T ALLOW FOR MEANS TESTING OF TAX ASSESSMENTS. I THINK IF POSSIBLE THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING TO EXPLORE WHICH IS WHY I THINK THE REBATE CONVERSATION IS AN IMPORTANT ONE ALONG WITH THE INITIAL FILING THAT YOU GUYS SUPPORTED LAST YEAR. BUT IS THERE AND WHAT CAN WE BE DOING BETTER TO GET A BETTER ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTIES THAT ARE UNDERVALUED?  AND THE SAME QUESTION ON THE OTHER END FOR PROPERTIES THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, ASSESSED MORE THAN WHAT THEIR VALUES BUT I THINK BECAUSE BECAUSE I THINK OF THE PROBLEM IS PROBABLY GREATER ON THE SIDE OF THERE ARE PROPERTIES THAT WE'RE NOT PROPERLY ASSESSING INTO AND NOT GETTING THE FULL AMOUNT OF REVENUE THAT WE CAN BE GETTING.  SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE FOR THE QUESTION COUNCILOR AND THE REALLY QUICK ANSWER IS THAT THE BETTER DATA THAT WE HAVE THE BETTER OUR ASSESSMENTS ARE BUT MAYBE THERE'S SOMETHING THAT MY COLLEAGUE RAY CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT A LITTLE MORE TO JUST KIND OF EXPLAIN WHAT WE HAVE TO PROCESS IN GENERAL AND SOMEONE I'LL JUST SAY THAT SOMEONE MENTIONED OUTDATED ZILLOW DATA BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT THAT SOMETIMES IN THERE IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO PEOPLE'S HOMES LIKE THERE ARE ALL THOSE FACTORS.  SO ARE WE USING ARE WE NOT ABLE TO USE THE MOST UP TO DATE SALES DATA? YOU KNOW, WE DO USE ALL THE UP TO THE SALES DATA. ZILLOW USES OUR DATA FOR THE MOST PART BUT WE USE THE MLS ALL THE SALES THE HIGHER END WHERE 92% OF ASSESSMENT OUR SALES RATIO ON ALL PROPERTIES RESIDENTIAL. SO THERE ARE ALWAYS OUTLIERS BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE REALLY THAT LOW ON SOME OF THEM AS FAR AS LIKE TRANSACTIONS WE DO REVIEW THEM AND WHEN PEOPLE BRING THEM TO OUR ATTENTION ASSESSMENT AND TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROPERTY, SEE IF THE DATA IS CORRECT IS PART OF THE ISSUE TOO IS THAT LIKE WHAT IF THERE WAS A SALE FOR THE PROPERTY THAT WAS 20 YEARS AGO? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO RELY ON THE DIFFERENT YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WE DON'T USE SALES MORE THAN TWO YEARS OLD. OKAY, QUICKLY LESS THAN A YEAR TO GO TO THE DATABASE THAT WE USED TO A IS THEN HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU MAKE UP FOR THE DIFFERENCE IN VALUE OVER THAT PERIOD OF TIME IF WE HAD TO GO THAT FAR BACK TO FIND COMPARABLE SALES WE'D USE THE TIME ADJUSTMENT. SEE THE SALES HAVE INCREASED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. WHAT DECREASED SPENDING WITH THE MARKET GOES OKAY SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF ELEVATED THE ISSUE THAT SOMEONE ONE PERSON LIVING ON THE SAME THAT THERE OR ON ONE STREET THERE ARE VERY THERE VARIED FLUCTUATIONS IN WHAT ARE ASSESS WHY IS THAT HAPPENING SO I WANT TO GO BACK FOR A REALLY QUICK MOMENT BECAUSE I THINK THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A SLIGHT MISUNDERSTANDING BUT YOUR QUESTION AND THE RESPONSE WE DON'T VALUE PROPERTIES BASED ON LIKE THAT PROPERTY SALE AND THEN TREND THAT ONE SALE OVER TIME INTO THE FUTURE. SO WE'RE NOT USING A 20 YEAR OLD SALE AND THEN SAYING OKAY WELL YOUR PROPERTY SOLD 20 YEARS AGO FOR $500,000 AND WE'VE WE'RE ADDING A MARKET TREND ON TO THAT EVERY SINGLE YEAR. THAT'S NOT HOW OUR SYSTEM WORKS. SO EVERY YEAR EVERY PROPERTY GETS REASSESSED BASED ON WHAT WE BELIEVE THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF THAT PROPERTY IS GOING TO BE. AND IN ESSENCE WHAT WE BELIEVE THAT PROPERTY WOULD SELL FOR IF IT WERE ON THE MARKET THAT AND SO DURING OUR WAITING PERIOD WHEN PEOPLE COME IN AND TELL US THAT WE GOT SOMETHING WRONG, BASICALLY WHAT THEY'RE TELLING US IS LIKE HEY, IF I WENT AND SOLD MY PROPERTY ON JANUARY 1ST, 2024 I CANNOT GET THIS MUCH MONEY FOR MY PROPERTY. AND SO THAT'S HOW PEOPLE CAN TEST THEIR VALUES. IT'S NOT LIKE GOING BACK AND SAYING HEY YOU GOT MY SELL PRICE WRONG 20 YEARS AGO WE ALSO DON'T USE ZILLOW AS HE WAS MENTIONING LIKE WE DON'T ESTABLISH OUR ASSESSMENT VALUES BY GOING ON TO OTHER SOURCES AND SAYING LIKE THAT NUMBER LOOKS GOOD. WE HAVE TO BUILD THEM THROUGH OUR OWN MODEL. WE'RE NOT LIKE WE'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO THAT.  WE'RE ALSO NOT ALLOWED TO JUST ARBITRARILY GO AND BE LIKE HEY, THAT HOUSE LOOKS REALLY NICE. I'M GOING TO BOOST THAT VALUE AND SO EVERYTHING HAS TO BE VERY DATA DRIVEN AND WE HAVE TO SHOW THAT TO THE STATE THAT IT IS VERY DATA DRIVEN AND SO WE HAVE TO REVIEW ALL THESE SALES. WE HAVE TO CREATE THESE ASSESSMENT TO SALE RATIOS WHEN THERE ARE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THINGS ON A STREET SOMETIMES THE COMPLAINTS ARE ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE OF CHANGE IN TAXES LIKE THEIR TAXES WENT UP X PERCENT, MINE ONLY WENT UP Y OR THEIR TAXES WENT DOWN THEIR VALUE WENT DOWN 1%, MINE WENT UP 10%. THAT'S NOT FAIR LIKE WHAT'S GOING ON THERE AND THE ANSWER TO THAT IS THAT WE NEED TO GO OUT AND WE NEED TO TO LOOK AND SEE LIKE WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THAT SPECIFIC FACT PATTERN. SO IT MIGHT BE THAT THERE WERE RENOVATIONS TO A HOME. IT MIGHT BE THAT WE HAD THEIR VALUE TOO HIGH BECAUSE WE HAD BAD DATA ON THEIR PROPERTY AND SO THAT WAS SOMETHING WE NEEDED TO FIX FROM THE YEAR BEFORE BECAUSE THEY FELT AN ABATEMENT AND THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN CORRECT.  SO THAT CAN DRIVE SOMEONE'S VALUE DOWN SO EVERYTHING TURNS INTO LIKE A VERY, VERY SPECIFIC PROPERTY BY PROPERTY LOOK BASED ON CONCERNS THAT ARE BROUGHT TO US AND WE DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO INVESTIGATE EVERY POSSIBLE CONCERN. THE EASIEST CONCERNS FOR US TO ADDRESS IS WHEN PEOPLE ARE TELLING US ABOUT THEIR PROPERTIES BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY THEN WE GO GREAT, CAN WE COME LOOK AT IT? YOU KNOW SURE. PLEASE COME ON IN SO WE CAN GO IN. WE CAN MAKE SURE ALL OUR DATA IS CORRECT. WE CAN MAKE SURE ALL OUR MEASUREMENTS ARE CORRECT AND THAT THE CARD THAT WE'RE USING TO SELL YOUR PROPERTY EVERYTHING ON THERE ALL THOSE DATA POINTS ARE RIGHT WHEN SOMEONE HAS A CONCERN ABOUT SOMEONE ELSE'S HOME WE CAN TRY AND GET IN SO WE'LL GO OUT, WE'LL KNOCK ON THE DOOR, MIGHT GO OUT A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT USUALLY PEOPLE AREN'T AROUND OR THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED IN HAVING US IN THEIR HOME AND THEY ARE UNDER NO OBLIGATION TO HAVE US IN THEIR HOME AND SO WE HAVE TO MAKE ESTIMATES BASED ON THE BEST INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AND SO SOMETIMES THINGS LIKE THAT HAPPEN AND PEOPLE ARE LIKE HEY, I COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS PERSON. WHY HASN'T THEIR VALUE GONE UP IF WE DON'T HAVE A REASON TO CHANGE OUR DATA WE CAN'T JUST ARBITRARILY INCREASE THEIR VALUE.  BUT YOU SAY ABOUT 92% IS WHERE THE 90% CONFIDENT IN SORT OF THE ASSESSMENTS? NO, NO, WE'RE SO WE'RE CERTIFIED BY THE STATE THAT WE ARE VALUING EVERYTHING AT 100% FAIR MARKET VALUE. BUT MY DIRECTOR EVALUATION WAS TALKING ABOUT IS OUR ASSESSMENT OF SALE RATIO AND SO THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE DEFINES 100% MARKET VALUE AS BEING MEDIAN ASSESSMENT TO SALE RATIO OF BETWEEN 90 AND 110%. OUR ASSESSMENT SELL RATIO FOR OUR PRIMARY CLASS WHICH IS CONDOMINIUMS IS ABOUT 19 92%. THAT BASICALLY MEANS THAT WE'RE VALUING THE CITY AT 92% OF ITS WHAT WOULD BE 100% WOULD BE FAIR MARKET VALUE WHERE 92% OF FAIR MARKET VALUE WOULD BE DEFINED AS FAIR MARKET VALUE. MY TIME IS UP SO I'M GOING TO RESERVE I HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS ABOUT ABATEMENTS I RESERVE I'M NOT SURE IF I'LL MAKE IT TO SECOND ROUND SO I JUST WANTED TO GO ON RECORD AND SAY SUPPORT I WAS LAST YEAR OF THIS DOCKET AND THE GOOD LANDLORD AND ALL OF THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE MAKING HERE TO TRY TO MAKE LESS OF A TAX BURDEN OF OUR SENIORS. SO IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WHEN ASKED ABOUT ABATEMENTS PLEASE DO BUT I'LL TAKE MY QUESTIONS FOR SECOND ROUND IF I MAY GET THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY. THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  I'M GOING TO FOCUS ON THE QUESTION I ASKED ABOUT WHY DO PROPERTY VALUES DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY WITH NEARBY PARCELS AND A LOT OF YOUR OPENING STATEMENTS KIND OF TOUCHED ON IT. BUT I HAVE A FEW FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS WHEN WE THINK ABOUT IN A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS WE GET IS LIKE WHAT KIND OF DATA DO YOU GATHER AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THE PROPERTY RECORD CARD AND IN THE BATHROOM MAYBE IMPROVEMENTS OR KITCHEN IMPROVEMENTS IS IS SALES OF NEARBY PROPERTIES REALLY THE ONLY ACTUAL DATA AND IS THAT WHAT YOU HAVE TO REALLY RELY ON BECAUSE I'M LISTENING TO YOU KNOW THERE'S 180,000 PARCELS THERE'S ONLY 22 VALUATION STAFF I WOULD ASSUME LIKE ANOTHER QUESTION I'M GOING TO HAVE IS DO WE NEED MORE STAFF OR A TEMPORARY STAFF DURING THE BUSY TIME BECAUSE LIKE YOU SAID THIS IS YOUR BUSY TIME WHEN THE TAX BILLS GO OUT AND MORE PEOPLE ARE WANTING ESPECIALLY IF THEY THINK THEY'VE BEEN ASSESSED HIGHER THAN THEY BELIEVE THEIR HOME VALUE SHOULD BE. BUT THE PROPERTY RECORD CARD AND WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE RADS I KNOW ALL THE WARDS IN THE CITY BUT IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN ALSO HOW WE BREAK UP THE RADS ACROSS THE CITY AND WHAT WHAT THAT IMPLICATION HAS ON WHAT RAD YOUR HOME IS IN AND IF THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN HOW YOUR HOUSE IS VALUE.  SO RESIDENTIAL ASSESSING DISTRICTS ARE HOMOGENEOUS AREA SO IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S AWARD OR A ZIP CODE IT'S BOUNDARIES DIFFERENT STREETS FROM A PARK TO HERE TO THERE WHERE THE HOMES ARE SIMILAR IN STYLE SHAPE AND PRETTY MUCH SIMILAR VALUES. CAN YOU SHARE THAT WITH US AGAIN AFTER THIS? GOOD. OKAY. IN ABOUT THE PROPERTY RECORD CARD LIKE HOW MUCH ACTUAL INFORMATION OTHER THAN HOME SALES DO YOU GET BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE LIKE YOU SAID DON'T WANT YOU IN THEIR HOUSE. THEY DON'T HAVE TO COME IN THEIR HOUSE LIKE HOW DO YOU FIGURE OUT IF THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, A FANCY NEW BATHROOM OR THEY STILL HAVE THE BATHROOM WHEN THEY BOUGHT THEIR HOME 30 YEARS AGO OR SO WE INSPECT OUR PROPERTIES WHEN THEY PULL THE PERMIT, WHEN THEY SELL AND THEN WE HAVE A TEN YEAR PROGRAM TO TRY TO SEE EVERY PROPERTY IN THE CITY. SO IF THEY DON'T LET US IN WE JUST ESTIMATE WHAT'S BEEN DONE OR BEEN COMPLETED BUT THAT'S 5050. SO IF ANY PERMIT THAT'S PULLED THROUGH ESD YOU HOW YOU NOT JUST YOU HAVE ACCESS TO IT BUT YOU USE EVERY SINGLE PERMIT THAT WAS PULLED TO ADJUST THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY TO ADJUST THE REMODEL THE KITCHEN IN THE BATH PUT AN ADDITION ON POOL DECK.  THOSE THINGS WILL PICK UP SOME OF THE WATER, INSPECT THOSE PROPERTIES. COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT PROCESS BETWEEN THE DATABASE THAT LIVES AT ESD AND HOW THAT INFORMATION GETS TO YOUR OFFICE AND WHO ACTUALLY INPUTS IN IT? LIKE HOW DOES THAT LOOK?  WE HAVE A LINK TO THEIR DATABASE SO WE CAN WE CAN PULL UP THE INFORMATION FROM THEIR FILES. THEY DON'T NECESSARILY IDENTIFY THINGS IN THE EXACT SAME WAY THAT WE DO SO LIKE SOMEONE PULLS A PERMIT IN A CONDO SOMETIMES IT CAN BE HARD TO FIGURE OUT LIKE WHICH UNITS BEING CHANGED AND YOU SAID WE CAN MATCH BUT DO YOU DO ALL OF THEM OR IS THERE A SAMPLE YOU USE SO WE LOOK AT ALL OF THEM ALL OF THEM ARE ASSESSED.  OKAY. ONE QUESTION ABOUT SOME OF THE RESIDENTS LIKE HOW MANY RESIDENTS WHO ARE ELIGIBLE ACTUALLY APPLY AND THEN ACTUALLY RECEIVE EITHER EXEMPTIONS OR ABATEMENTS?  IT'S REALLY HARD TO IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. THANK YOU. IT'S REALLY HARD TO IDENTIFY THE NEGATIVE PART OF THAT. SO HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ELIGIBLE THAT AREN'T GETTING A THING THAT I DON'T KNOW AND I'M NOT SURE HOW TO HOW TO FIGURE OUT BECAUSE OUR OBJECTIVE IS IF YOU'RE ELIGIBLE THAT YOU GET THE THING HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE'RE EDUCATING THE PUBLIC THAT THIS IS LIKE THIS IS HOW YOU APPLY, THIS IS THE RESULT IF WE ASSESS IT AND WE MAKE A DECISION THAT'S ALSO AN EXCELLENT QUESTION. EVERY YEAR WE SEND OUT WITH PEOPLE'S TAX BILLS NOTICES ABOUT THE EXEMPTION PROGRAMS WE HEARINGS LIKE THIS TO INFORM THE PUBLIC. WE DO MAILINGS WE WORK WITH A STRONG WE WORK WITH THE VETERANS COMMISSION, A BUNCH OF OTHER CITY DEPARTMENTS TO GET INFORMATION AND IS AS BROADLY AS WE CAN BECAUSE THE EXEMPTION PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE IT EXIST IN ORDER TO BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF WE WANT PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR THEM SO THAT WE CAN GET EVERYONE THAT POTENTIALLY DOES QUALIFY QUALIFIED.  WE DON'T HAVE A GAUGE OF THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO ARE MISSING OUT ON THAT. I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW A WAY TO IDENTIFY THAT FOR THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION PROGRAM WE HAVE IT'S ABOUT 77,000 PEOPLE ARE GETTING THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION THIS YEAR AND WE HAVE ABOUT 100 BUT 150,000 ROUGHLY PROPERTIES THAT ARE CONDOS, SINGLE FAMILIES,  TWO FAMILIES, THREE FAMILIES COMBINED.  SO PROPERTIES THAT YOU THINK MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE FOR RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION IF THERE WAS SOMEONE THAT WAS LIVING THERE THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO GET IT, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT GET IT HAS BEEN PRETTY STANDARD OVER TIME. SO I WOULD I WOULD THERE'S ALSO LIKE THE THE REAL ESTATE MARKET DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB INFORMING PEOPLE THAT THEY CAN GET THE EXEMPTION IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT PEOPLE DEFINITELY NOTICE WHEN IT'S MISSING SO I THINK THAT THERE'S A PRETTY GOOD SUCCESS RATE IN PEOPLE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE GETTING THAT EXEMPTION BUT I HONESTLY CAN'T SAY WITH CERTAINTY THAT OKAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COUNSELOR SANTANA SORRY BUT HE HAS BEEN HERE FOR THE VERY BEGINNING AND ALSO WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR TONG IN TODAY'S ANDERSON CASA PEP IN THE FLOOR JOYCE, THANK YOU TO THE CHAIRS AND THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS. GOOD AFTERNOON TO ALSO TO THE RESIDENTS.  THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH US. I THIS TOPIC IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME. I REPRESENT A DISTRICT THAT HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST BLACK AND BROWN HOMEOWNERSHIP RATES IN THE ENTIRE CITY AND I'M PROUD OF THAT. AND THAT'S THOSE ARE THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF HYDE PARK,  ROSLINDALE AND MATTAPAN. SO SHOUT OUT TO ANYONE THAT LIVES OUT THERE BUT I AM I WANT TO START OFF BY ASKING YOU A QUESTION THAT COMES LOUIJEUNE WAS KIND OF ALLUDE ASKING ABOUT AS WELL AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A PROPERTY IS SOLD AT A HIGHER PRICE DUE TO COMPETITIVE BIDDING. I WANT TO KNOW IF THAT IMPACTS THE ASSESSMENT OF THE SURROUNDING HOUSES FOR EXAMPLE IF THE VALUE OF THE HOUSE IS ACTUALLY 700,000 BUT IT GOES FOR SO FOR $950,000 BECAUSE OF THE BIDDING, DOES THAT IMPACT AT ALL THE ASSESSMENT OF THE NEAR SURROUNDING HOUSES ? SO THE SALES PRICE IS THE SALES PRICE. IT'S AN ARM'S LENGTH TRANSACTION AND WHERE THERE'S MULTIPLE BUYERS NEGOTIATING FOR A PRICE THAT WOULD BE WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR FAIR CASH VALUE. OKAY SO WE CAN'T SAY IF THE ASSESSMENT THE VALUE WOULD THAT WOULD BE THE FAIR CASH VALUE WHATEVER THE ASSESSMENT IS SEPARATE FROM THAT BASED UPON THE ANALYSIS WE DO HERE BUT WE DON'T WE DON'T ACTUALLY SPOT ASSESS IF SOMEONE'S SAYING FOR X OR YOU CAN'T HEAR YOU GO YEAH SORRY. SO WE DON'T WE DON'T SPOT ASSESS PEOPLE SO THE FAIR CATCH FOR ALL THAT GOES INTO OUR SYSTEM WOULD BE THAT SALE OF WHATEVER IT SOLD FOR AS AN ARM'S LENGTH TRANSACTION. OKAY OKAY THAT'S THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE A FEW I GOT A FEW EMAILS ABOUT THAT REGARDING SOME HOUSES THAT ARE BEING SOLD IN MY DISTRICT WHICH ALSO LEADS TO MY NEXT QUESTION MY DISTRICT IS A LOT OF PRIVATE WAYS AND THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT ARE TAXES DIFFERENT ON A PRIVATE WAY?  ARE HOUSES ASSESSED DIFFERENTLY? DO RESIDENTS PAY A DIFFERENT AMOUNT OF TAXES IF THEY LIVE IN A PRIVATE WAY? IS THERE ANY INFORMATION YOU CAN SHARE ABOUT THAT?  SO IF WE CAN IN THE MODEL ITSELF, IF WE CAN DETERMINE THAT THERE'S A VALUE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE IT'S A PRIVATE WAY AS I SAID TO A PUBLIC THOROUGHFARE, YOU KNOW IT'LL BE IN THE MODEL ITSELF SO IT SHOULD BE REFLECTED IN THE VALUE WE WILL COMPARE THOSE AS FAR AS SITE RATINGS GO. SO IF WE CAN DISCERN THERE'S A VALUE DIFFERENCE BECAUSE IT'S A PRIVATE WAY VERSUS A PUBLIC,  THEN IT'LL BE IN THE VALUE OF THE MODEL ITSELF. SO IF IT'S SO IT IS DIFFERENT. IT'S A RAISE ANSWER IS A MORE DETAILED WAY OF BASICALLY SAYING IT DEPENDS SO BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS BASED ON MARKET TRANSACTIONS AND VALUES ARE BASED ON MARKET TRANSACTIONS IT BASICALLY DEPENDS ON LIKE WHETHER SOMEONE WOULD PAY MORE MONEY FOR THAT.  SO YOU COULD MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING WITHOUT LIKE LOOKING AT A PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD YOU CAN MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT LIKE A PRIVATE WAY HAS LESS TRAFFIC AND SO MAYBE PEOPLE PAY MORE FOR A HOME AS LONG A PRIVATE WAY. YOU COULD ALSO MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT A PRIVATE WAY DOES NOT HAVE ALL THE SAME CITY SERVICES AND SO PEOPLE WOULD PAY LESS FOR A HOME THAT IS LONG OR PRIVATE. WHY WE DON'T BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT RESIDENTIAL ASSESSING DISTRICTS SO WE HAVE 99 RANDOM RESIDENTIAL ASSESSING DISTRICTS TO GET TO THE POINT THAT RAY WAS MAKING EARLIER ABOUT DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS OF DIFFERENT VALUES AND DIFFERENT STREETS HAVE DIFFERENT VALUES. OUR MODEL DOES EVERYTHING IT CAN TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL OF ATTRIBUTES THAT ARE LIKE CITY WIDE BUT ALSO EXTREMELY LOCAL.  AND SO THINGS LIKE PRIVATE WAYS GET BUILT INTO A MODEL BECAUSE IT IMPACTS HOW MUCH SOMEONE WOULD PAY FOR THAT PIECE OF PROPERTY. OKAY, OKAY.  I AM I JUST WANT TO PUT YOU IN MY SHOES FOR EXAMPLE, IF A RESIDENT LIVES ON I KNOW I'M OBSESSED WITH PRIVATE WAYS BUT IF IT LIVES IN A PRIVATE WAY AND THEY'RE MAD AT ME BECAUSE THE CITY CANNOT PAVE A PRIVATE WAY AND THEY SAY I PAY THE SAME AMOUNT OF TAXES IS THAT TRUE?  SO THEY PAY THE SAME TAX RATE THEY IT'S HARD TO IT'S HARD TO KNOW IF THEY PAID THE SAME AMOUNT OF TAXES BECAUSE IT WOULD BASICALLY YOU WOULD HAVE TO KNOW WHETHER THAT HOME WOULD HAVE SOLD FOR AN IDENTICAL AMOUNT IF THAT STREET OR NOT A PRIVATE WAY. OKAY OKAY. IF IT IF IT WOULD SELL FOR LESS THAN THEY WOULD PAY LESS TAXES. OKAY. SO IT WOULD SELL FOR MORE THEY COULD ARGUE THEY PAY MORE TAXES BECAUSE OF THE BENEFIT OF BEING ON A PRIVATE WAY?  I DON'T HAVE A STRONG OPINION ONE WAY OR ANOTHER BUT WITH THEIR PRIVATE WAY IS A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING. YEAH I KNOW THERE ARE OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE I KNOW ANECDOTALLY I'VE HEARD OF OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS WHERE PEOPLE REALLY LIKE PRIVATE WASTE BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THEM PAID BECAUSE THEN THEY THINK PEOPLE DRIVE SLOWER. OKAY YES I'M NOT PERSONALLY ADVOCATING FOR THAT. I'M JUST SAYING THAT SOME PEOPLE VALUE THINGS DIFFERENTLY. YEAH AND I THINK YOU ARE BEING OBSESSED WITH PRIVATE WAYS. IT'S JUST I FEEL LIKE I GET A PRIVATE WAY TAX QUESTION IN MY EMAIL EVERY WEEK SO THANK YOU FOR ANSWERING AND I LOOK FORWARD TO FOR THE SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS. THANK YOU COUNCILOR MEJIA THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU. YOU HEAR ME? YES, THAT'S RIGHT. ALL RIGHT.  SO I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO BE HERE AND JUST I WANT TO GO ON THE RECORD JUST STRAIGHT UP THAT I AM IN FULL SUPPORT OF MAKING SURE THAT WE NOT ONLY SEND THIS TO THE STATE HOUSE BUT THAT WE DO EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO UTILIZE OUR MICROPHONE TO AMPLIFY TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE. SO I JUST WANT TO GO RIGHT OFF THE BAT LETTING EVERYBODY KNOW I'M ON BOARD. I DO HAVE QUESTIONS THOUGH BECAUSE YOU WOULD NOT BE A HEARING WITHOUT ME ASKING SOME QUESTIONS SO.  GET READY NICK. I'M REALLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FROM A PROCESS STANDPOINT THE GENTLEMAN WHO WAS HERE EARLIER TALKED ABOUT HOW BEACON HILL PAYS LESS. IS THERE A WORLD IN WHICH WE LOOK AT LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES AND SAY YOU KNOW WHAT, LOOKING AT THE AM I THAT EXISTS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND MAYBE DOING INSTEAD OF VALUING THE HOME WE VALUE THE THE INCOME IS THAT I JUST I'M JUST CURIOUS BECAUSE LIKE I DIDN'T EVEN WELL YOU KNOW WHAT I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DON'T KNOW BUT I THINK WE REALIZE THAT BEACON HILL PAYS LESS IN PROPERTY TAXES THAN ROXBURY DORCHESTER, MATTAPAN. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CLARIFY THAT BECAUSE IF THAT IS TRUE THAT IS UNJUST. CAN YOU PLEASE CONFIRM OR DENY THAT I WOULD AGREE FULLY THAT IF THAT WERE TRUE THAT WOULD BE UNJUST AND IS IN NO WAY MY DEPARTMENT'S OBJECTIVE NOR DO I UNDERSTAND THIS WHAT WE DO THAT WE VALUE BEACON HILL LESS THAN ANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE IT COSTS MORE TO LIVE THERE. IT IT DOES AND IT'S THE SO WHEN AT LEAST IN ASSESSING WHEN WE TALK ABOUT VALUING SOMEONE MORE OR LESS WE TALK ABOUT ASSESSMENT TO SALE RATIOS AND SO WE'RE BASICALLY SAYING IS THIS PERSON PAYING TAXES AT THE SAME PERCENTAGE OF VALUE AS SOMEONE ELSE? SO BUT WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND THEY CAN DECIDE WHICH ONE BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF TIME AND AND I WANT PEOPLE WHO ARE FOLLOWING ME TO UNDERSTAND IF THE PROPERTY VALUES IN BEACON HILL ARE FAR I MEAN YOU CAN'T EVEN DIP AT ALL AND BEACON HILL TO EVEN BUY A CONDO LET ALONE A BROWNSTONE SO IT'S IT COSTS MORE TO LIVE THERE. SO WHY IS THE PROPERTY BEING ASSESSED LOWER AND IT YOU KNOW THE PROPERTY WE LIKE THE RENT QUOTE UNQUOTE IS STILL A LITTLE BIT LOWER IN DORCHESTER, ROXBURY AND MATTAPAN BUT THE VALUE OF WHAT THE PEOPLE ARE PAYING IS A LOT HIGHER. SO THAT'S WHAT I JUST WANT JUST FOR THE RECORD JUST FOR SOME FLAHERTY SAKE HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT.  YES MA'AM. SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THERE AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I GET TO ALL OF THEM. SO FIRST OFF, THE HOMES THAT ARE WORTH MORE ARE DEFINITELY PAYING MORE IN TAXES 100%. THAT IS TRUE. SECOND, MY DEPARTMENT DOES A LOT OF WORK IN STATISTICAL ANALYSIS TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE PAYING AT THE SAME RATE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND IN DIFFERENT VALUE PROPERTIES. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF PEOPLE IN BEACON HILL ARE PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE JUST AS ANYWHERE ELSE, YOU ALSO RAISE A QUESTION AT THE VERY BEGINNING THAT I DID NOT HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS WHICH IS YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF THE TAX SYSTEM THAT WAS BASED ON INCOME OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. YEAH, THAT IS NOT SOMETHING THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY LEGALLY ALLOWED TO DO. OKAY. SO IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN WE'RE DOING OUR JOBS BECAUSE OF THE CURRENT SYSTEM.  I THINK IT IS ALONG WITH EXEMPTIONS FOR SENIORS ALONG WITH RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTIONS. YOU KNOW IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT THAT COULD BE TALKED ABOUT AND WE DO HAVE DEFERRAL PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE LOW INCOME SO THAT THEY CAN GET EXTREMELY SO BEFORE THE BUZZER GOES OFF. I GOT WHAT I GOT TO PUT ONE MORE QUESTION IN BECAUSE IT GOES BACK TO THE ASSESSMENT AND THE VALUE.  SO A LOT OF SENIORS FEEL THAT THEIR HOMES ARE OVER THAT OVERVALUED IN THEIR ASSESSMENTS BASED ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING REFLECT NEW DEVELOPMENT. RIGHT. SO THERE'S STARBUCKS HAS LUXURY APARTMENTS WE'RE SUBSIDIZING THE RICH WHEN WE'RE PUTTING IT ON THE BACKS OF LOW INCOME ELDERS AND FOLKS THAT ARE UNDER ATTACK RIGHT NOW.  SO CAN YOU JUST TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IN TERMS OF JUST THAT SAID, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE AFRAID THAT FILING FOR AN EVENT ABATEMENT COULD CAUSE THEIR TAX BILL TO GO UP OR OTHER ABATEMENT REQUEST. HOW MANY RESULT IN VALUES GOING DOWN STAY THE SAME OR GO UP? CAN YOU JUST TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? SURE. SO THE OBJECTIVE OF FILING AN ABATEMENT IS TO GET YOUR DATA CORRECTED AND THEN THE VALUE FLOWS FROM THAT. SO I WOULD SAY BEFORE YOU FILE ON ABATEMENT YOU SHOULD CHECK AND SEE WHAT THE VALUE OF YOUR PROPERTY IS NOT NOT THE TAX BILL AMOUNT BUT WHAT WE ACTUALLY SAID YOUR PROPERTY IS WORTH AND THEN MOST PEOPLE HAVE A GENERAL SENSE OF WHETHER THAT THAT'S AN ACCURATE VALUE OF THEIR PROPERTY OR NOT. SO IF YOU GO AND YOU LOOK AT YOUR BILL IT SAYS YOUR ASSESSED VALUE IS $750,000 IF YOU THINK THAT LIKE THE GOAL OF MY DEPARTMENT IS TO GET THE DATA RIGHT. SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO THINK THAT WE HAVE BAD DATA AND THAT'S GOING TO RESULT IN YOUR VALUE GOING UP, WE STILL WANT TO KNOW THE DATA BUT IF I WERE A CONSTITUENT AND I THOUGHT THAT LIKE SO AND $50,000 IS A GOOD VALUE FOR MY PROPERTY I PROBABLY WOULD NOT FOUND ABATEMENT BECAUSE THAT WOULD MAKE MY TAXES GO UP IN FOLLOWING YEARS.  IT WON'T GO UP FOR THAT YEAR BUT IF WE FIND OUT THAT WE HAVE DATA THAT'S GOING TO MAKE YOUR VALUE HIGHER IN FOLLOWING YEARS WE WILL BE OBLIGATED TO CORRECT THAT RIGHT. AND I KNOW THAT MY TIME WAS UP BUT I JUST I JUST WANT TO QUICKLY JUST KNOW THAT WHEN YOU HAVE NEW DEVELOPMENTS RIGHT AND FLASHY NEW BUILDINGS THAT MOVE NEXT DOOR TO YOU THAT IMPACTS THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME. RIGHT. BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT WHAT'S SURROUNDING YES OR NO? NOT NECESSARILY.  IT WOULD DEPEND ON WHETHER IT'S A SIMILAR THING. SO WE'D LIKE YOU TALKED ABOUT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS. RIGHT. SO IF A STARBUCKS MOVES INTO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD AND PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO GO TO STARBUCKS AND THEN THEY WOULD PAY MORE FOR YOUR HOUSE BECAUSE THERE'S A STARBUCKS THERE, THEN THAT'S GOING TO IMPACT YOUR VALUE. BUT IF THERE'S A STARBUCKS THERE AND EVERYONE HATES IT THEN THAT'S GOING TO MAKE YOUR HOUSE WORTH LESS AND SO THEN THAT WOULD LOWER YOUR TAX VALUE BUT IT'S NOT YOU HAVE A NEW SHINY APARTMENT BUILDING MOVING IN THAT DOESN'T RAISE YOUR TAXES. I LIVED IN NEW YORK AND AS SOON AS THERE WAS A STARBUCKS THAT CAME UP WE ALL GOT GENTRIFIED OUT.  SO I JUST WANT TO NOTE FOR THE RECORD THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME WHEN THE STARBUCKS SHOW UP. YOU CAN JUST PACK IT UP AND GO HOME. I WASN'T TRYING TO MAKE A JUDGMENT CALL ABOUT WHETHER PEOPLE LIKE STARBUCKS OR NOT.  THANK THANK YOU BRAD.  I NEVER GOT WHAT IT IS AN ACRONYM, RIGHT? IT'S A RESIDENTIAL ASSESSING DISTRICT. SO SO BASICALLY IT'S WHEN WE IT'S IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT WAY OF DIVIDING UP THE CITY INTO KIND OF MORE SIMILAR BLOCKS YOU KNOW SO LIKE THERE'S QUESTION EARLIER ABOUT ZIP CODES AND LIKE WHAT TAXES WERE CHANGING YEAR OVER YEAR FROM ZIP CODE WHEN WE'RE ESTABLISHING VALUES IN OUR MODEL WE USE RESIDENTIAL ASSESSING DISTRICTS WHICH IS THERE ARE A LOT MORE OF THEM THAN ZIP CODES ARE MORE IT'S IT'S A SMALLER IDENTIFIER. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FITZGERALD THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY WHO CAME TO IN YOUR ACTION COUNCIL. THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TO BE IN HERE.  I FEEL LIKE THIS HAS ALREADY BEEN A VERY EDUCATIONAL HEARING AND I WANT TO REITERATE AGAIN THAT THIS HEARING IS ABOUT TWO MAIN POINTS. FIRST, THAT FOLKS BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW THEIR HOME IS VALUED AND WHAT CRITERIA IS USED AND SECONDLY THAT WE ENSURE THAT TAXES ARE BEING LEVIED FAIRLY ACROSS NEIGHBORHOODS AND AMONGST NEIGHBORHOODS THEMSELVES. RIGHT. SO SIMILAR TO SOME PREVIOUS QUESTIONS BY MY COLLEAGUES, I'LL TRY AND PHRASE IT A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY.  I DID SOME BACK OF THE NAPKIN MESH ACROSS NEIGHBORHOODS AND I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS MAY BE THE FIRST TIME YOU GUYS ARE HEARING THESE NUMBERS SO I CAN APPRECIATE THAT IT'S DIFFICULT TO, YOU KNOW, REACT RIGHT HERE NOW TO THEM. BUT THE MEDIAN THE MEDIAN AVERAGE OF THE WHOLE OF SOMEONE'S VALUE OF THEIR HOME WENT UP ACROSS THE CITY ROUGHLY 4.6%. SO ACROSS THE WHOLE CITY EVERYONE SAW A VALUE GO UP 4.6. HOWEVER, WHEN IT'S BROKEN DOWN BY NEIGHBORHOOD YOU HAVE PLACES LIKE I JUST WENT THROUGH SOME EXAMPLES AND I DID ZIP CODE. I UNDERSTAND IT'S NOT THE RATS BUT IT'S STILL BY ZIP CODE AND THAT'S HOW MOST CONSTITUENTS WOULD THINK RIGHT.  AND YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A BACK BAY AT ABOUT 4.66%. SO RIGHT THERE AT THE AVERAGE YOU HAVE CHINATOWN 4.73 IT GOES UP A LITTLE SOUTH END 9.03 BUT THEN YOU GET INTO PLACES LIKE ROXBURY 02119 11.59% INCREASE IN OVERALL VALUE 02122212 FOR 10.21% 11.53% SEVEN HIL MY DISTRICT 13.25% INCREASE ACROSS SO WHAT I WORRY ABOUT WHEN I SEE THESE NUMBERS IS THAT THEY'RE REALLY ON THE BACKS OF A LOT OF LIKE THE FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE RIGHT WHERE ACROSS THE CITY BACK BAY 4.6 THE AVERAGE OF THE ENTIRE CITY AS A WHOLE BUT THEN YOU LOOK AT SAVIN HILL, DORCHESTER, ROXBURY AND WE'RE IN THE DOUBLE INCREASE AND SO I WANT TO MAKE AGAIN TO THE SECOND POINT OF MAKING SURE THIS IS DONE FAIRLY.  DO YOU DO WE THINK WE KNOW WHY THAT THERE MIGHT BE HOMES THAT SEE THAT INCREASE OF A PERCENTAGE AMONGST FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS AND NOT THAT BACK BAY AND OTHERS ARE NOT FAMILY NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL BUT TRADITIONALLY RIGHT THE MORE EXPENSIVE HIGHER RENTS THAT THEY MIGHT SEE A SMALLER AGAIN, I JUST DON'T WANT TO BE HURTING THE MIDDLE CLASS IN THE CITY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE KNOW HAS ALWAYS BEEN BEEN DRIVEN OUT OVER THE PAST MANY YEARS IN TRYING TO HOLD ON TO THAT I LOOK AT SOUTHIE AT 9.88 AND COUNCIL FLYNN I APOLOGIZE. YOU KNOW THERE'S NOT AS MANY FAMILIES IN SOUTHIE ANYMORE AND THAT IS A SMALLER NUMBER THAN WHERE WE MIGHT SEE AN INCREASE IN FAMILIES ARE TRYING TO HOLD ON TO IT. SO I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S CONCERNING TO ME AND I DON'T KNOW IF I KNOW THESE NUMBERS ARE JUST FOR YOU BUT JUST WONDERING HOW YOU MIGHT REACT TO WHY WE CAN GO FROM 4.6 IN THE BACK BAY TO A 13.25% INCREASE IN A PLACE LIKE SAVANT HILL. GREAT. IT'S HAVING A BEAUTIFUL GREAT HOUSES NICE COMMUNITY BUT SO IS THE BACK BAY RIGHT? YEP SO IT'S A IT'S A GREAT QUESTION COUNCILOR IT'S I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR THAT WE ARE OBLIGATED TO FOLLOW STATE LAW AND FOLLOW STATE GUIDELINES AND SO WHEN I TALK ABOUT WE VALUE THINGS AT FAIR MARKET VALUE AND I TALK ABOUT THESE ASSESSMENT TO SALE RATIOS THOSE ARE ALL STATE STANDARDS THAT WE HAVE TO MEET WOULD BE A VERY BROAD CERTIFICATION STANDARD GUIDE THAT GOES ALL INTO IT. IT'S A PUBLIC DOCUMENT HAPPY TO SHARE IT WITH THE COUNCIL IF YOU GUYS WANT A SECOND JOB AS AN ASSESSOR SOMEWHERE OR COME WORK FOR ME, YOU'RE WELCOME TO WE MIGHT HAVE TO I MIGHT HAVE TO I WANT TO MOVE TO SEVEN HILLS BUT THE SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENCES IN NEIGHBORHOODS AND DIFFERENT PRICE CHANGES AND ASSESSMENTS YEAR OVER YEAR AND THAT KIND OF SCOPE AND SCALE IT'S DUE TO MARKET ACTIVITY IT'S DUE TO DEMAND IS THE IS THE QUICK ANSWER DEPENDING ON WHICH THINGS YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOU KNOW THAT THE MARKET MOVES DIFFERENTLY FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, IT MOVES DIFFERENTLY FOR CONDOS A LOT OF TIMES YOU'LL SEE HIGHER WHEN WE TALK ABOUT PERCENT INCREASES A LOT OF TIMES YOU SEE HIGHER PERCENT INCREASES IN AREAS THAT HAVE LOWER VALUED HOMES BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE AREAS WHERE YOU KNOW IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BUYING A PLACE FOR $500,000 OR $550,000 IS 10% IF YOU'RE IN AN AREA WHERE THE HOMES ARE SELLING FOR $2 MILLION THEN IT'S 2 MILLION TO 220000. IT'S LIKE $2,200,000 AND SO A LOT OF TIMES IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT THAT WAY YOU WILL SEE HIGHER INCREASES IN OVERALL PERCENTAGE IN PLACES WHERE HOUSING PRICES IN GENERAL ARE LOW OR YOU HAVE A LOT OF LOWER VALUED HOMES THAT ALLOW FOR MORE TRANSACTIONS SO THAT THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE IN THE MARKET THAT CAN BUY THOSE THINGS. I UNDERSTAND I KNOW MY TIME IS UP AND TAKE A CHAIR BUT JUST ONE FINAL AN EXAMPLES THAT I JUST MAYBE IF YOU GIVE A QUICK ANSWER AS TO WHY IF I HAVE A IN SEVEN HILL IF I HAVE A SIX FAMILY UNIT THAT IS A RENTAL AND IT IS OWNED BY SOMEONE THAT DOES NOT LIVE IN THE CITY SO THEY ARE WE CAN CALL THEM ABSENTEE LANDLORD BUT THEY ARE LANDLORD THAT IS NOT PAYING TAXES OTHERWISE THEMSELVES RIGHT.  AND THE THE THE ASSESSMENT AND TAXES ON THAT SIX FAMILY BEING RENTED FOR GOD KNOWS WHAT HE'S YOU KNOW WHATEVER THE GOING RATE IS 3000 PER UNIT COMPARED TO THE TWO FAMILY OWNER OCCUPIED NEXT DOOR HOW ARE THEY PAYING MORE IN TAXES THAN AN OUT OF CITY OWNER ON A SIX UNIT RENTAL THAN A TWO FAMILY THING? NO CLAPPING IN THE EYES. SORRY GUYS BUT I THANK YOU FOR THE GREAT QUESTION THAT THAT IS THE THINGS WHEN PEOPLE CALL THE OFFICE I THINK WE JUST GO I DON'T KNOW AND THE INTENSE WAYS THAT WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT IT YEAH NO AND I THINK THAT UNFORTUNATELY THE QUICK ANSWER FROM US IS WE DON'T KNOW EITHER BECAUSE IT TURNS INTO A VERY SPECIFIC THING. SO LIKE TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION I NEED TO LOOK AT THOSE TWO PROPERTIES, YOU KNOW AND IT SOUNDS LIKE PROBABLY ONE OF THEM IS WRONG RIGHT?  IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S SOME DATA THAT WE NEED TO FIX AND AGAIN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 180,000 PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY LIKE THERE'S A REASON THAT STATE LAW HAS AN AMENDMENT PROCESS BUILT INTO IT. IT HAS ALL THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO REVIEW VALUES SO THAT WE CAN WE CAN FIX THINGS LIKE THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED FOR US TO BE ACCURATE FROM THE BEGINNING AND I THINK MY STAFF HONESTLY DOES A REALLY, REALLY GOOD JOB AND WE WE GET OUR CERTIFICATION EVERY YEAR AND THERE'S A RIGOROUS REVIEW THAT WE HAVE TO GO IN ORDER TO GET THAT CERTIFICATION. BUT AT THE SAME POINT REALLY GOOD WILL HUNTING 8000 PARCELS MEANS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PROPERTIES WHERE SOMETHING'S GOING TO BE OFF AND WE NEED TO FIX THAT AND SO THEN OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO FIX THAT AND TO FIX IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE SO THAT PEOPLE AREN'T PAYING TAXES THAT THEY SHOULDN'T BE. THANK YOU. AND YOU HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT JOB AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S QUITE AN UNDERTAKING YOU GUYS DO AND SO OF COURSE WE CAN'T EXPECT A 100% ACCURACY RATE. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME BEING HERE. I'M SURE WE'LL DO ANOTHER ROUND. SORRY, JEFF, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WEBER THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS. OKAY. THANK YOU, CHAIR SO WE HEARD SOME PUBLIC TESTIMONY ABOUT CABIN ESTATES WHICH IS SORT OF LIKE TOWNHOUSES AND THERE'S A DIFFERENCE IN VALUE AND HAVE HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THAT TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHY THERE'D WOULD BE SUCH A BIG DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THERE WAS SORT OF YOU KNOW, MY THOUGHT ABOUT THAT FIRST AND YOU KNOW, MY DISTRICT AND RAISED CONCERNS ANY RESPONSE TO THAT I'M SURE SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY FOUND ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS WHICH IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY MIGHT WANT TO THAT'S NOT THE KIND OF THING THAT WE CAN TALK ABOUT IN A HEARING. IT'S VERY SPECIFIC TO THEM TO THEIR PROPERTIES BUT WE VERY MUCH WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE INCORRECT DATA THAT WE WANT TO BE FIXED AND IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT KIND OF THING SHOULD HAVE FAIRLY CONSISTENT VALUATIONS. THE PERSON WHO TESTIFIED EARLIER TALKED ABOUT HOW THEY ALL SOLD AND PRETTY MUCH THE SAME PRICE CATEGORY AND ALL THE UNITS SOLD FOR SIMILAR AMOUNTS MONEY. SO IT WOULD GENERALLY MAKE SENSE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE SIMILAR ASSESSED VALUES AND SO IF THEY DON'T THEN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND FIX SO OKAY, THANKS NICK AND I GUESS SOMEONE FROM CABINET SEATS ASKED ME A QUESTION THAT HAS BEEN KICKING AROUND IN MY HEAD IF YOU FILE FOR AN ABATEMENT AND YET THE ASSESSING DEPARTMENT FINDS THAT THE ASSESSED VALUE THAT WAS TOO LOW I MEAN CAN YOUR TAXES GO UP SO IN THIS YEAR YOUR TAXES WON'T GO UP SO WE CAN'T LIKE GO BACK IN TIME AND WE CAN'T REVISE THIS YEAR UPWARDS BUT WE'LL FIX OUR DATA IN OUR MODEL AND SO IN ALL LIKELIHOOD YOUR TAXES WILL GO UP NEXT YEAR BECAUSE YOUR VALUE WILL GO UP. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE ABATEMENT PROCESS? IT DEFINITELY DOES, YES. OKAY.  OKAY. AND I GUESS YOU KNOW SOMETHING THAT'S COME UP IN THE IN THE IN OUR DEBATE ABOUT THIS IS WE'VE HEARD FROM YOU KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT STATE SENATOR NICK COLLINS.  I THINK ONE OF HIS THINGS HE SAID IS WELL, I DIDN'T HAVE THE ASSESSMENT DATA OR WE DIDN'T PRODUCE IT TIMELY OR WE HAD THE BALL IN THAT CAN YOU CAN JUST TELL US WHAT HAPPENED AND YOU KNOW, HELP US RESPOND TO THAT. SURE. SO WHAT HAPPENED IS THAT MY DEPARTMENT WENT THROUGH THE PROCESS THAT IT GOES THROUGH EVERY SINGLE YEAR, FOLLOWED THE SAME TIMELINES THAT WE FOLLOW EVERY SINGLE YEAR.  IT WAS A RECERTIFICATION CYCLE. AND SO ACTUALLY THE LAST ONE OF THOSE THAT WE HAD WAS IN 2020 FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021 AS I MENTIONED THAT INVOLVES A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER CHECKS FROM THE STATE ALL EXTRA SET OF ANALYSIS AND REVIEW. WE STILL COMPLETED THAT ALL IN THE SAME TIMELINE THAT WE DID FOUR YEARS AGO EVEN WITH THE EXTRA SCRUTINY AND I DON'T REALLY HAVE AN ANSWER OTHER THAN THE DATA CAME OUT THE SAME PERIOD THAT IT'S COME OUT ALWAYS AND HONESTLY AT LEAST IN THE TIME THAT I'VE BEEN COMMISSIONER WE'VE BEEN ADVANCING EVERY YEAR AND GETTING INFORMATION DONE EARLIER AND EARLIER AND EARLIER THAN THE RIVALS BEFORE I WAS COMMISSIONER. YEAH, I GUESS THE CONCERN FOR US WAS THAT RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY SENIORS WOULD SEE A HUGE INCREASE.  THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. YOU KNOW, IT'S OBVIOUSLY WE WERE RIGHT ABOUT WHAT THE WHAT WOULD OCCUR AND ANYWAY SO I'M SORRY I GUESS I HAVE SOME MORE TIME. I RECEIVED A QUESTION FROM A CONSTITUENT ABOUT TRYING TO IDENTIFY COMPS ON THEIR BEAT. DO YOU HAVE TO IDENTIFY COMES OUT HOW CAN RESIDENTS YOU KNOW SHOULD WE EVEN BE DOING ASKING THEM TO DO THAT AND HOW CAN THEY SHOW COMPS SHOULD THERE BE AN APPLICATION PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO BUT LIKE LIKE ANYTHING THE MORE INFORMATION THAT YOU CAN PROVIDE TO US WITH YOUR ABATEMENT APPLICATION THE EASIER IT MAKES FOR MY STAFF TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND AND RESPOND . SO IF YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW GOOD COMPARABLES FOR YOUR HOME, YOU KNOW STUFF THAT SOLD AROUND THE AREA THEN IT'S USEFUL TO TELL US IT IT KIND OF SPEEDS THE PROCESS UP A LITTLE BIT BUT IT'S NOT A REQUIREMENT BY ANY MEANS.  WE ALSO HAVE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE A REALLY NICE MAP PRODUCT WHERE YOU CAN GO, YOU CAN LOOK UP ADDRESSES.  IT SHOWS EVERY SALE THAT OCCURRED IN 2023 THAT WAS AN ARM'S LENGTH TRANSACTION. THEY'RE ALL COLOR SO YOU CAN GO TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. YOU CAN SEE IF ANYTHING AROUND YOU SOLD YOU CAN PULL UP THE ADDRESS. WE HAVE LISTS OF SALES THAT WE PROVIDE IF PEOPLE JUST WANT RAW DATA THAT'S THAT SAME INFORMATION AND SPREADSHEETS.  BUT YEAH, SO BUT PEOPLE WILL NOT HAVE THEIR ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS DENIED JUST BECAUSE THEY DON'T PUT IN COMPS . OH DEFINITELY DEFINITELY NOT. IT'S EVEN APPLICATIONS ARE MORE LIKE OKAY, WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO HELP US HELP THEM. SO IT'S LIKE EVERYONE KNOWS MORE ABOUT THEIR PROPERTY THAN WE KNOW ABOUT IT AND SO THEY KNOW MORE ABOUT THE PROBLEMS AND MORE ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE GOT WRONG THEN THAN WE DO.  WE ASSUME THAT IF YOU'RE FOLLOWING THEM BE PATIENT. IT'S BECAUSE WE GOT SOMETHING WRONG. YOU'RE NOT FILING IT TO JUST TELL US THAT WE GOT EVERYTHING RIGHT AND SO GOING OFF OF THAT PREMISE, IF YOU CAN IDENTIFY THINGS THAT WE GOT WRONG THEN THAT'S WHAT WE KNOW TO FOCUS ON SO THAT WE CAN TRY AND GET YOUR VALUE FIXED QUICKLY.  OKAY. THANK THANK YOU, JIM. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR DURKIN, THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO OUR CHAIRS AND REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. I THINK SOME OF MY CONSTITUENTS HAVE SEEN ME GOING IN AND OUT OF HERE. I THINK A LOT OF US HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND WERE INTERESTED IN EITHER MOVING FORWARD OR WE HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE SPEND OUR TIME WORKING FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS. SO I ALREADY KNOW HOW I'M VOTING ON THIS. SO I'M GOING TO IN SUPPORT BUT I THINK I THINK WE'RE ALL VERY CLEAR FROM SEEING WHO'S HERE TODAY THAT THIS CRISIS IS NOT ABSTRACT.  OVER 55% OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OWNERS SAW THEIR ANNUAL TAX BILLS SPIKE MORE THAN 9% WITH MANY FACING INCREASES OF 30% OR HIGHER FOR SENIORS ON FIXED INCOMES AND FAMILIES IN TRIPLE DECKERS AND FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER HOMEOWNERS. THESE INCREASES ARE DEVASTATING. MEANWHILE, COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS PARTICULARLY LARGE OFFICE BUILDINGS A LOT OF WHICH ARE IN MY DISTRICT SAW TAXES AS THEIR TAX BURDEN DECREASED BY MILLIONS. THIS IMBALANCE IS NOT AN ACCIDENT OF THE MARKET. IT IS A DIRECT RESULT OF THE SYSTEMIC INEQUITIES IN OUR TAX STRUCTURE THAT THIS LEGISLATION SEEKS TO CORRECT. WE CANNOT FORGET HOW WE ARRIVED HERE LAST YEAR.  THE MAYOR, SUPPORTED BY THIS COUNCIL AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY FORGED A COMPROMISE TO PREVENT THIS VERY SCENARIO. YET A SINGLE SENATOR BLOCKED THAT CONSENSUS LEAVING RESIDENTS TO SHOULDER THE CONSEQUENCES. NOW WITH FISCAL YEAR 25 AND THIRD QUARTER BILLS IN HAND,  THE URGENCY IS UNDENIABLE. THE AVERAGE SINGLE FAMILY HOME WITH A RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION SAW A 575 ANNUAL INCREASE AND A 21% JUMP FROM THEIR LAST BILLS FOR MANY IN MISSION HILL AND OTHER AREAS OF MY DISTRICT, THE NUMBERS ARE FAR WORSE. SOME ARGUE THAT THESE INCREASES ARE MANAGEABLE OR THAT COMMERCIAL TAX PAYERS SHOULD NOT BEAR A GREATER SHARE. TO THEM I SAY JUST LOOK AT THE DATA. COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES RECEIVE A SIX POINT SORRY 3.4% TAX CUT THIS YEAR. MEANWHILE RESIDENTIAL TAXPAYERS ARE NOW SHOULDERING 44% OF THIS LEVY THE LARGEST SHARE SINCE 2007. THIS IS NOT ABOUT PITTING RESIDENTS AGAINST BUSINESSES IT'S ABOUT ENSURING ALL SECTORS FAIRLY CONTRIBUTE DURING A PERIOD OF ECONOMIC TRANSITION. SO MY QUESTION TODAY ARE ACTUALLY JUST SOME PET PEEVES OF MY CONSTITUENTS AND NOW THAT I THE ASSESSOR HERE AND THE EVALUATOR OF ALL THE EVALUATION ONES I WANT TO ASK ABOUT DEEDED PARKING SPACES PARTICULARLY. THERE ARE SOME FAMOUS RECENT FAMOUS ARTICLE IN THE BEACON SORRY IN THE BOSTON GLOBE ABOUT A PARKING SPACE IN MY DISTRICT THAT SOLD FOR $500,000 AND I SO I JUST WANTED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO WALK ME THROUGH HOW THE ASSESSOR'S OFFICE VALUES PRIVATE PARKING SPACES THAT HAVE A OWNERSHIP INTEREST.  AND THE SECOND QUESTION IS DO CLASS B PARKING SPACES HAVE TO BE ON SITE OF THE OWNED HOUSING UNIT AND WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING AT THE PARCEL ZONING BOARD JUST TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT VALUATIONS IN OUR DISTRICT.  BUT I JUST WANTED TO GET AN ANSWER TO THOSE TWO QUESTIONS. SO THE COMMERCIAL SO RESIDENTIAL PARKING SPACES WE SOMETIMES VALUE BASED ON SALES ANALYSIS SO WE'D HAVE A SALES APPROACH SO THAT $500,000 WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE ANALYSIS WE HAVE SORRY WE ALSO USE WE ALSO USE AN INCOME APPROACH SO WE TRY TO PROMOTE THE RENT SIDE TO TERM WHAT THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY IS AND SOMETIMES ON THOSE SPACES THE VALUES MIGHT BE LOWER THAN WHAT THE SALES PRICES ARE SO WE'LL GO WITH WHATEVER VALUE APPEARS TO BE MOST REASONABLE BUT IF IT'S AN OUTLIER WE DON'T A WHOLE BUNCH OF SALES OF 500,000 TO SAY THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE.  GOT IT. I HAVE HEARD FROM CONSTITUENTS THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT EITHER I MEAN IT'S IT'S BOLD OF THEM TO SAY BUT THAT THEIR OWN PARKING SPACES ARE UNDER ASSESSED AND THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A IT'S I WOULDN'T SAY CULTURE OF UNDER ASSESSING BUT JUST YOU KNOW AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ASSESSING BUT I THINK A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS HAVE THERE ARE YOU KNOW CONSTITUENTS THAT HAVE MULTIPLE SPACES AND OFTEN THEY DON'T YOU KNOW, NO ONE WANTS TO VOLUNTEER THAT THEY'RE THERE, THAT THERE ARE SPACES ARE UNDERVALUED. BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT I'VE HEARD MENTIONED SO GRATEFUL FOR THE CHANCE TO GET AN ANSWER FOR ME. I THINK YOU THANK YOU COUNCILOR OPINIONS ANDERSON THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  THANK YOU MR CHAIR. CAN I ASK MAY I ASK YOU IF YOU COULD PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME JUST SORT OF LIKE THE OH YES. WE'RE NOW HAVING A CONVERSATION ON ON DOCKING NUMBER 0269 AND I CAN JUST READ THAT RATHER FOR YOU OR FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY VALUES IN THE ASSESSMENT PROCESS SORRY AND THE OBJECTIVES HERE BETWEEN THE THREE DOCKETS AND THEN THE OTHER THREE DOCKETS WILL BE DISCUSSED AFTER ROUND OF QUESTIONS FROM OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES. BUT NOW WE'RE JUST DISCUSSING DOCKET 0269 WHICH IS THE PROCESS FOR THE ASSESSMENT.  OKAY, THANK YOU.  HI. THANK YOU. I GUESS IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW, TRANSPARENCY AND METHODOLOGY, JUST WONDERING IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN IN DETAIL ON APOLOGIES IF YOU'VE ALREADY EXPLAINED THIS AND I MISSED IT AND IF YOU SAY PASS I WILL REVIEW THE TAPE LATER ON I GUESS IN DETAIL. METHODS USED TO ASSESS PROPERTY VALUE AND WHY LIKE THE VARIATIONS OCCUR BETWEEN THE SIMILAR PROPERTIES.  I KNOW THAT COUNCILOR FITZGERALD MADE A GREAT POINT IN TERMS OF AND THEN YOU MENTIONED STATE LAWS I GUESS THERE IF IF YOU COULD BREAK DOWN LIKE THE ACTUAL METHODS BUT THEN UNDERSTANDING FOR US LIKE IF THERE'S AN APPETITE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO TACKLE THIS THIS POLICY ON A STATE LEVEL TO FIGURE OUT OR MITIGATE A BETTER SOLUTION A QUICK ASSESSMENT FOR DIFFERENT PARTIES WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION AGAIN? SORRY. SURE.  SO I GUESS IN DETAIL IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN THE METHODS USED TO ASSESS PROPERTY VALUES AND VARIATIONS THAT OCCURS LIKE SO FOR EXAMPLE BETWEEN SIMILAR PROPERTIES OF THE OVER A SHORT TIME FRAMES AND I MENTIONED THAT CASTLE FITZGERALD DID A GREAT JOB TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TWO DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEN I HEARD THE EXPLANATION THAT THIS WAS ALL DETERMINED BY STATE AND WHETHER OR NOT LIKE THE VIABILITY OF THE OPEN MARKET IN PROPERTIES BEING BLIGHT OR AVAILABLE THEY'RE MAKING IT MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR HIGHER TAXES. AND SO I WAS JUST ASKING IN TERMS OF LIKE THE METHODOLOGY USED TO SORT OF MEASURE THAT AS WELL AS IF THERE'S AN APPETITE FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO TACKLE MITIGATE THIS ISSUE ON THE STATE LEVEL.  SO WE USE A CAMERA SYSTEM, A COMPUTER ASSISTED MASS APPRAISAL SYSTEM BASED UPON THE SALES DATA AND THE DATA OF EACH PROPERTY THAT EARLIER HAVE THE WORK EXCUSE ME HOW DOES IT WORK SO THE PROPERTY DATA SO IF SEE IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT THERE'S A STREET WITH DIFFERENT HOUSES WITH DIFFERENT VALUES IT'S BASED SPECIFICALLY ON THE DATA OF EACH PROPERTY. SO IF THERE'S TWO CAPES ONE MIGHT HAVE TWO AS OPPOSED TO ONE THERE'LL BE A DIFFERENCE IN THE VALUES. SO THAT'S THE APPROACH WE USE THE REGRESSION PROGRAM I SEE YOU THINK YOU ARE THEY LIKE EXTERNAL AUDITS OR REVIEWS CONDUCTED TO ENSURE FAIRNESS OR INACCURACY IN THE ASSESSING PROCESS.  WE DO REVIEW THE SALES AND THE STATE CERTIFIES THE VALUES SO THE STATE CONDUCTS A PRETTY IN-DEPTH REVIEW EVERY YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MEETING A BUNCH OF STATISTICAL GUIDELINES USING SOMETHING CALLED AN ASSESSMENT TO SALE RATIO. AND SO WE HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT WE ARE BEING FAIR ACROSS TIME ACROSS VALUE, ACROSS NEIGHBORHOOD, ACROSS A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT CHARACTERISTIC WALKS TO SHOW THAT WE ARE VALUING ALL PROPERTY TO THE CORRECT LEVEL. I SEE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY IMPACT SORRY THERE IS A CHAIR THAT I TOOK A WHILE TO GET TO CLARIFICATION OF MY QUESTIONS. MAY I ASK ANOTHER QUESTION? YES THANK YOU. HOW I GUESS IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY IMPACTING LIKE HOW LIKE THE RISING PROPERTY TAX IMPACTING HOMEOWNERS ARE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH PREDOMINANTLY BLACK AND BROWN RESIDENTS AND SPECIFICALLY LIKE IF WE'RE MEASURING THAT IF WE'RE MONITORING THAT, ARE WE HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO FIGURE THAT OUT? I UNDERSTAND THAT RECENTLY THERE HAS BEEN EFFORTS SOMETHING THAT WE THOUGHT WAS ALMOST SUCCESSFUL AND THEN WASN'T. BUT IN TERMS OF LIKE LIKE WHAT MEASURES ARE BEING TAKEN TO PREVENT THE DISPLACEMENT THAT CAN BE CAUSED BY THIS ARE WE THINKING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY LOOKING AT EQUITABLE SOLUTIONS SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PULL THE DATA AND SAY OH, DISAGGREGATED THEM AND SAY THE THIS PARTICULAR POPULATION SHOULD BE OUR TARGET BECAUSE THEY'RE AT RISK OF DISPLACEMENT ? SO I THINK IT WOULD BE BEST TO HAVE YOU KNOW I KNOW THERE ARE FOLKS IN THE ADMINISTRATION WHO ARE WORKING ON THIS TOPIC OF DISPLACEMENT MORE BROADLY.  I DON'T THINK WE'RE QUITE THE RIGHT PANEL TO TALK ABOUT IT TODAY BUT TO SEE A LARGER POINT OF LIKE RECOGNIZING THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM AND NEEDING TO REALLY PRESERVE STABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY FOR EVERYONE IS THE REASON WHY WE BROUGHT THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE OR THE DOCKET WE'LL TALK ABOUT IN A IN A FEW MINUTES BUT REALLY JUST TRYING TO COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO STABILIZE TAXES FOR EVERYONE SO THAT WE COULD PRESERVE AFFORDABILITY TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE.  SO THAT IS ONE SOLUTION THAT THIS PANEL IS ABLE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY. BUT I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER WORK HAPPENING IN THE ADMINISTRATION AROUND DISPLACEMENT AND AFFORDABILITY AS WELL. YES.  THANK YOU. I GUESS YOU KNOW, ONE THANK YOU FOR THE WORK AROUND THIS AND I GUESS THE ONLY TIME WE HAVE IS FOR JUST TWO QUESTIONS. BUT IT'S IT'S SUCH A INTERESTING TOPIC EVERYBODY'S SO EXCITED TO LEARN ABOUT TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS AND ALL OF THE PROCESSES BUT WITH SUCH A BORING TOPIC I HOPE THAT WE CAN SORRY, SORRY. NO I KNOW IT'S FAIR.  YEAH. SORRY. I GUESS I JUST WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR SO THAT I CAN HAVE INFORMATION.  IS IT LIKE, YOU KNOW, DIGITAL AD CAMPAIGNING?  ARE WE DOING INFOGRAPHICS? ARE WE FIGURING OUT WAYS TO MAKING USER FRIENDLY INFORMATION ACCESSIBLE TO COMMUNITIES SO THAT WE'RE NOT ALWAYS JUST IN A HEARING THAT IS DURING THE DAY THAT PEOPLE CAN'T ACCESS TO BE REACTIVE OR REACTIONARY AFTER THE FACT, RIGHT? SO LIKE HOW ARE WE EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY?  HOW ARE WE CATCHING PEOPLE UP SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE THE TOOLS TO NAVIGATE THIS THING MORE EFFICIENTLY THE NEXT TIME? I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. I THINK IT'S IT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT WE'RE ALWAYS KIND OF TRYING TO SOLUTION FOR AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO KIND OF BROADEN OUR OUTREACH AND GET MESSAGES OUT TO PEOPLE.  IT'S ALSO JUST A REALLY HARD QUESTION TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT AND SO ALWAYS OPEN TO TO SUGGESTIONS AND CRITIQUE AND AREAS TO IMPROVE. RIGHT NOW WE DO A LOT WITH MAILINGS SO WE INCLUDE INFORMATION WITH PEOPLE'S TAX BILLS TO GET THEM INFORMATION ABOUT HOW BATEMAN WORKS, HOW TO CONTEST COME TO HEARINGS LIKE THIS. WE GO TO NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS, WE WORK WITH OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY. SOMETIMES COUNCILORS ASK US TO TALK AT THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ACCOMMODATE WHENEVER WE CAN SO WE DO WHAT WE CAN TO BE AVAILABLE AND GET INFORMATION OUT. BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M SURE WE CAN ALWAYS BE BETTER AT. THANK YOU. I DO HAVE SOME SUGGESTIONS. MICHEL, STOP. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR COLETTE IS A PARTNER FOR A GENEROUS THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. THIS WAS A REALLY INFORMATIVE PRESENTATION AND I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU ALL ARE HERE IN THIS TALK IT WAS PUT FORWARD SO THAT WE CAN OPERATE.  IT WAS BASICALLY TABLE SETTING, RIGHT? WE'RE OPERATING FROM THE SAME SET OF FACTS AND WE WERE STRUGGLING ON THE PHONE TO YOU KNOW SOMEONE'S ASKING ABOUT A PARTICULAR PARCEL AND I STILL DON'T KNOW WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS AN ART OR A SCIENCE JUST GIVEN WHAT YOU'VE DESCRIBED HERE IT IS IT IS VERY NUANCED AND IT'S VERY COMPLEX AND SO I DO APPRECIATE YOU WALKING US THROUGH ALL OF THAT.  THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE IT WAS AFTER YOU SAID MAKING SURE THAT THE VALUATION IS FAIR AT 100% OF THE MARKET VALUE.  YOU MENTIONED THAT THERE IS A PROCESS WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME TO YOU AND ESSENTIALLY APPEAL IT ALTHOUGH THAT'S NOT THE WORD THAT YOU USED AND I APOLOGIZE IF THIS IS A VARIATION MAYBE OF COUNCILOR MURPHY'S QUESTION BUT HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD YOU SAY HAVE REACHED OUT IN THE LAST YEAR TO SAY THAT THAT THEIR PROPERTY SHOULD BE LOOKED AT AGAIN OR IF THERE WAS AN ISSUE?  SURE. SO YOU KNOW, FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 OR DO YOU WANT TO GO FOR IT LAST YEAR IF YOU CAN DO BOTH THAT WOULD BE GREAT.  SO LAST YEAR I THINK WE HAD AROUND 1200 PAYMENTS SO MORE THAN THIS WAS FY 24 SO FAR 24 I THINK WE HAD AROUND 1200 ABATEMENTS. I CAN GIVE YOU THE EXACT NUMBERS THAT'S ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS. YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE PEOPLE FORMALLY TELLING US LIKE HEY I HAVE A CONCERN WITH MY VALUE WHEN YOU COME TAKE A LOOK AT IT THAT IS A FREE PROCESS. YOU DO IT DURING THE MONTH JANUARY THE INITIAL PAGE THAT'S THE APPLICATION PAGE IS EXTREMELY EASY TO FILL OUT AND THEN THERE'S AN INFORMATION REQUEST THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT SO THAT PEOPLE KIND OF HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL US WHAT THEIR CONCERNS ARE AND TO HOPE STEPS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION SO WE CAN HELP THEM AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.  THIS YEAR IS A RECERTIFICATION YEAR WE HAD A DISCLOSURE PERIOD IN NOVEMBER WHERE PEOPLE COULD CALL US OR COME IN AND HAVE QUESTIONS BEFORE VALUES WERE FINALIZED THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY YEAR.  SO THAT WAS KIND OF AN EXTRA OPPORTUNITY BUT WE STILL HAVE THE ABATEMENT PERIOD WHICH IS IS RIGHT NOW AND IS ONGOING AND THAT ENDS ON MONDAY, CORRECT? THAT ENDS ON MONDAY. I DON'T HAVE LIKE FINAL NUMBERS PLUS TO BE HONEST PEOPLE ALWAYS TEND TO WAIT IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE UNTIL THE DEADLINE ON ALL THINGS AND SO TRADITIONALLY WE DON'T REALLY HAVE A WAY TO DETERMINE ACCURATELY HOW MANY ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS WE'RE GOING TO GET UNTIL THE PERIOD'S ALREADY OVER. OKAY. AND SO 12 1200 FOR LAST YEAR WE DON'T REALLY KNOW THIS YEAR HOW MANY INSPECTIONS. SO YOU HAVE TO DO AN INSPECTION FOR EVERY SINGLE PROPERTY BASED ON THAT. HOW LONG DOES THAT TAKE?  HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU HAVE GOING OUT PER WEEK? WE HAVE ALL OF THEM. WE HAVE WE HAVE 22 STAFF MEMBERS PLUS FIVE TRAINEES. TRAINEES DON'T GO UP BY THEMSELVES YET IF IT TAKES TIME. HOW LONG WOULD YOU SAY IT TAKES ? SO WE HAVE THREE MONTHS THAT WE HAVE TO ACT ON EVERY ONE OF THOSE ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS FROM THE TIME THAT IT'S FILED.  AND SO DO YOU GET TO EVERY SINGLE ONE? WE DO. WE TEND TO GET EVERY SINGLE ONE. IT DEPENDS ON SO WE HAVE TO ACT ON EVERY SINGLE ONE. SOMETIMES WE CAN'T GET INSPECTIONS BECAUSE THAT INVOLVES SCHEDULING AND SO SOMETIMES IT'S A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE DOESN'T MATCH UP WITH OUR SCHEDULE IF WE CAN'T MAKE A DETERMINATION ON THE APPLICATION WITHIN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS THERE'S A SECOND THREE MONTHS THAT CONSTITUENTS HAVE TO FILE AN APPEAL THAT DOES COST MONEY.  BUT DURING THAT SECOND THREE MONTHS WE CAN RESOLVE IT WITH THEM BEFORE THEY HAVE TO FOLLOW THE APPEAL. SO IT'S ANOTHER ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY WE VERY MUCH FOCUS ON DURING THE FIRST THREE MONTHS WORKING WITH RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES ONE BECAUSE THE PROBLEMS ARE A LITTLE BIT EASIER BUT TWO BECAUSE THOSE CONSTITUENT USUALLY IT'S MORE OF A CONCERN THAT THEY GET THEIR BILL CORRECTED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND SO OUR EFFORTS ARE FOCUSED ON THAT END OF THE MARKET DURING THE FIRST THREE MONTHS. THANK YOU. AND HOW MANY CORRECTIONS WERE GIVEN LAST YEAR? I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE THE DATE ON CORRECTIONS. DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR PAYMENTS? I DON'T REMEMBER HOW MANY WERE GRANTED YOU JUST GET THAT CHOICE. I CAN.  YEAH. INVENTORY. THANK YOU. IS THAT THE TIME? YEAH, THAT'S MY TIME.  I LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT ROUND WHERE WE DIVE IN TO YOUR PROPOSAL AND THEN HOW SOME OF THE OTHER PROPOSALS MIGHT IMPACT HOW MUCH FOLKS PAY.  APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. I MEAN, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ASKED A LOT OF GREAT QUESTIONS. I ONLY HAVE A FEW ON THE RAD WHAT WHAT DATA DO WE COLLECT IN EACH RAD ARE WE COLLECTING THE YOU KNOW ASSESSED VALUE TO THE MARKET VALUE PERCENTAGE IN EACH RAD ARE WE COLLECTING ALL PROPERTY TYPES AND HOW MANY DIFFERENT PROPERTY TYPES ARE WITHIN LIKE SINGLE FAMILY CONDOS, LARGE APARTMENT BUILDINGS WHAT INFORMATION ARE WE COLLECTED IN EACH RESIDENTIAL ASSESSING DISTRICT? SO WE WE HAVE ALL THAT DATA THAT YOU MENTIONED SO WE CALCULATE AN ASSESSMENT OF SALE RATIOS FOR EACH RAD THE OTHER THINGS ARE IT'S JUST BASICALLY ALL THE DATA ATTRIBUTES ABOUT PROPERTIES THAT WE HAVE.  WE COULD TELL YOU WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE FOR AROUND SO WE HAVE A BUNCH OF DATA PROPERTY DATA PROPERTY ATTRIBUTES FOR PROPERTIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND WE CAN GO DOWN AND NARROW THAT LARGER DATASET AND SAY OKAY WELL WITHIN THIS RAD THEY'RE THIS MAY SINGLE FAMILY HOMES OR THIS MANY CONDOS THERE THIS MAY CONDOS OVER THIS SQUARE FOOTAGE THERE THIS MANY TWO FAMILIES THAT ARE ASSESSED AT THIS PRICE AND WE CAN KIND OF BREAK IT DOWN IN A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT WAYS. AWESOME. AND THEN HOW MANY RAD ARE THERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON? I BELIEVE WE HAVE 99 RESIDENTIAL HOUSING DISTRICTS.  UM, BUT THAT'S I SHOULD ALSO CLARIFIED SO THAT THE RAD RESIDENTIAL HOUSING DISTRICTS ARE USED FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES TWO FAMILIES, THREE FAMILIES THAT'S IT.  YEAH. SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, TWO FAMILIES AND THREE FAMILIES. WE SAY THAT AGAIN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, TWO FAMILY HOMES AND THREE FAMILY HOMES ARE WHAT ARE BROKEN OUT INTO.  THOSE ARE THE PROPERTY TYPES THAT ARE BROKEN OUT INTO THE RESIDENTIAL ASSESSING DISTRICTS . OKAY, RESIDENTIAL. SO SOME DISTRICTS IT'S KIND OF LIKE HOW WE DEFINE A NEIGHBORHOOD ONE WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE IDENTIFYING AREAS FOR OUR MODEL. WE ALSO HAVE A DIFFERENT SET OF ASSESSING DISTRICTS FOR CONDOMINIUM UNITS. THEY'RE DISTRIBUTED DIFFERENTLY THROUGHOUT THE CITY SO THERE ARE FEWER OF THEM. SO WE HAVE 36 CONDOMINIUM ASSESSING DISTRICTS. OKAY. AND THEN COMMERCIAL PROPERTY GETS TREATED COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY. GOT IT. AND THEN WHAT ABOUT LARGE APARTMENTS LIKE TEN 1230? HOW DOES THAT GET TREATED UNDER COMMERCIAL OR IT GETS TREATED LIKE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES COMMERCIAL RIGHTS.  OKAY. AND HOW MANY DISTRICTS HOW MANY ASSESSING DISTRICTS? 36 FOR COMMERCIAL FOR COMMERCIAL OH, I'M NOT SURE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.  AND THEN YOU SPOKE ABOUT A RECERTIFICATION THERE. CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT WHAT THAT MEANS? SURE. SO EVERY FEW YEARS IT USED TO BE EVERY THREE YEARS BY STATUTE THEN IT GOT CHANGED TO UP TO EVERY FIVE YEARS BY STATUTE UP TWO MEANS THE STATE CAN CHANGE IT AROUND WHEN THEY WANT TO.  THE STATE BASICALLY GOES THROUGH A DIFFERENT SET OF ANALYSIS WHEN IT'S REVIEWING OUR VALUES AND SO THERE'S A HIGHER LEVEL OF ACCURACY THAT'S REQUIRED FROM THE ASSESSMENT DEPARTMENT. AND SO THE PROCESS THAT HAPPENS TO EVERY MUNICIPALITY IT'S NOT SPECIFIC TO BOSTON AND SO ALL MUNICIPALITIES ARE ON DIFFERENT SCHEDULES AND CYCLES SO THE STATE'S NOT DOING IT FOR EVERYBODY ON THE SAME FIVE YEAR CYCLE. UH, THEY'RE ALL SPREAD OUT BUT BASICALLY IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT SET OF STANDARDS OF REVIEW AND SO IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MEETING THAT REVIEW AND THOSE OBLIGATIONS WE REBUILD OUR EVALUATION MODELS, WE GO THROUGH A WHOLE BUNCH OF STATISTICAL CHECKS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING WHAT WE NEED TO TO GET CERTIFICATION.  THANK YOU. AND THEN IS WHEN YOU'RE REVIEWING THE VALUE WHICH I KNOW WE GET CERTIFIED BY THE STATE BUT AS YOU KNOW WHEN THERE IS A RAD WHETHER IT'S A RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL DISTRICT AND IT DOESN'T MEET LIKE THE 90 TO 2% WHETHER IT'S OVER OR YOU KNOW FOR THE BELOW LIKE WHAT ACTIONS DO YOU GUYS TAKE IN ORDER TO, YOU KNOW, REVISIT THE THE DATA TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S YOU KNOW 92% YEAH SO THE BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS OUR RESEARCH DEPARTMENT GOES AND LOOKS AT THE DATA AND TRIES TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THAT WE GOT WRONG SO THAT KIND OF THE CURVE ISN'T FITTING AND THEN WE'LL MAKE TWEAKS. THE NATURE OF THE TWEAK KIND OF DEPENDS HOW OFF IT IS. SO IF IT LOOKS LIKE ONE PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD WE'RE NOT MAKING THE THE ASSESSMENT SURREY SHOW IS NOT FITTING THEN YOU CAN GO IN AND YOU CAN MAKE VERY SLIGHT CHANGES TO THOSE TWO DIFFERENT CATEGORIES UNTIL YOU'VE GOT A DISTRIBUTION THAT FITS THAT LINE BETTER ALSO AND THEN I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT BREAKDOWN OF THE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL ASSESSING DISTRICTS IF POSSIBLE AND THEN THE TYPE OF PROPERTIES AND THEN THE PERCENTAGE WE CAN WE CAN GIVE THE COUNCIL A MAP OF THE DISTRICTS THAT THAT WOULD BE YEAH, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO GO TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS.  IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION PLEASE TURN YOUR LIGHT ON AND I'M GOING GO IN THE ORDER ARRIVAL BASED ON WHOSE LIGHTS LET COUNCIL FILLING THE FLOORS. YES. THANK YOU MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. I APPRECIATE YOUR HONESTY. WHEN YOU MENTIONED IF A PERSON DOES FILE FOR AN ABATEMENT THAT IT COULD IMPACT THEM THE FOLLOWING YEAR MAYBE NOT THIS YEAR DURING THE BILL TIME BUT IT WOULD IMPACT THEM THE FOLLOWING YEAR COULD IMPACT THEM NEGATIVELY UNFORTUNATELY. BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOUR HONESTY.  I THINK THAT'S GOOD INFORMATION TO KNOW ALTHOUGH IT'S NOT ALL THAT ENCOURAGING TO RESIDENTS TO KNOW THAT IF THEY DO FILE FOR AN ABATEMENT THAT THE PROPERTY TAX COULD ACTUALLY GO UP BUT AT LEAST THEY THEY KNOW ABOUT IT BEFORE THEY MAKE THAT CALL AND PURSUE THAT OPTION.  IS THAT IS THAT A FAIR IS THAT A FAIR STATEMENT?  NO, I THINK THAT IS A FAIR STATEMENT. COUNCILOR, AND IT'S NOT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I THINK THIS IS OBVIOUS BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M VERY, VERY CLEAR.  WELL, I'M SAYING THAT THEY COULD GO UP IT'S NOT LIKE A PUNITIVE MEASURE LIKE IT'S NOT LIKE SOMEONE'S FILING AND WE'RE LIKE OH, NOW THAT YOU FILED WE'RE GOING TO MAKE YOU BETTER. YOU GO UP IT'S MORE OF WE'RE GOING TO CORRECT WHATEVER DATA WE HAVE. AND SO IF THE DATA THAT WE HAVE SAYS THAT BUT YOU COULD BE GIVEN THE ASSESSING DEPARTMENT INFORMATION THAT WILL IMPACT THAT YOUR DECISION NEXT YEAR, IS THAT ACCURATE? YES.  SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE THOUGHT THAT YOU HAD ONE BATHROOM IN YOUR HOUSE AND YOU HAVE FOUR THEN IN ALL LIKELIHOOD YOUR HOUSE IS WORTH MORE THAN WE THOUGHT. OKAY, THAT'S FAIR. THANK YOU.  HOW HAS THE ABATEMENT PROCESS OR WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN OVER THE LAST YEAR MAYBE THIS YEAR AS IT RELATES TO BUSINESSES COMING IN SEEKING RELIEF?  ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT VOLUME?  CAN YOU SAY IT AGAIN? ARE YOU ASKING ABOUT VOLUME OR LIKE HOW HOW WHETHER PEOPLE ARE HAPPY?  NO, I WOULD SAY BUSINESSES PROPERTY OWNERS, COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS ARE THEY ALSO COMING IN SEEKING ANY TYPE OF ABATEMENTS, ANY TYPE OF RELIEF, ANY TYPE OF COOPERATION WITH THE ASSESSING DEPARTMENT BECAUSE THEY THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT. I'M JUST I JUST WANT TO SEE WHAT WHAT HAS BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE LAST 1418 MONTHS. SURE. SO WE DO GET FILINGS FOR ABATEMENTS BY COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS. THEY USUALLY COME IN THROUGH REPRESENTATIVES AND BECAUSE THE FILING PROCESS IS FREE WE GET A DECENT NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL ABATEMENTS EVERY YEAR WHERE THAT ACTUALLY RESULTS IN ABATEMENT IS LESS SO BUT THE FILINGS ARE PRETTY CONSISTENT EVERY YEAR.  OKAY. AND THEN MY FINAL MY FINAL QUESTION COMMENT KIND OF A QUESTION BUT WE ALL SUPPORT AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHETHER IT'S HOW IS IT GOING TO IN NEIGHBORHOODS IN MARKET HOUSING MARKET RATE HOUSING AS WELL RESIDENTS ARE PART OF THE PROCESS SOMETIMES THEY ARE THE PART OF THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS. THEY'RE LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY MEETINGS AND WHEN THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PARTICULAR PROJECT IS APPROVED, YOU KNOW CERTAINLY THAT SMALL HOUSING FOR RESIDENTS THAT NEED IT BUT IT ALSO ADDS VALUE TO THEIR PROPERTY MANY SENIORS IT ADDS VALUE TO THEIR PROPERTY BUT IT ALSO INCREASES THEIR PROPERTY TAX AS WELL MAYBE MAYBE NOT INDIRECTLY BUT CERTAINLY THE PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING UP BECAUSE OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION THAT IS TAKING PLACE IN AND AROUND THEIR HOMES IN AND AROUND THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.  SO MY QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALMOST THERE. THEY'RE ALMOST PENALIZED IN A WAY FOR SUPPORTING ALL THIS WONDERFUL NEEDED CRITICAL HOUSING AND THEN THEY SEE THE VALUE GO UP BUT THEIR PROPERTY TAX ARE ALSO GOING UP AND THEY BARELY CAN AFFORD THE PROPERTY TAX AS IT IS. AND YOU KNOW, THEY THEY WOULD RATHER THE PROPERTY TAX STAYED THE SAME IF IT WAS LESS LESS HOUSING IF YOU IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M THE SCENARIO I'M TRYING TO SPELL OUT HERE BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT IS THAT IS THAT FAIR TO SAY THAT THAT'S AN AREA DOES TAKE PLACE IN BOSTON? I WOULD SO IT'S POSSIBLE I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING PERFECTLY THE POINT THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO MAKE. GENERALLY SPEAKING, IF WE INCREASE THE STOCK OF HOUSING THEN THAT DRIVES DOWN PRICES BECAUSE WE'RE INCREASING SUPPLY IF WE HAVE STEADY DEMAND AND SO THAT WOULD ACTUALLY LOWER PEOPLE'S PROPERTY VALUES BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE MORE CALLS FOR PEOPLE TO TO CHOOSE FROM.  SO MAYBE IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LIKE SO BUT THEIR PROPERTY TAXES HAVE NEVER GONE DOWN, HAVE THEY? I MEAN THE PROPERTY TAX RATE GOES DOWN PROPERTY TAXES SO EXCESS VALUES DROP AND TAX RATES GO DOWN AND SO IT IS DEFINITELY POSSIBLE FOR SOMEONE'S PROPERTY TAXES TO GO DOWN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO COLLECT ON EXISTING STOCK CAN ONLY WHICH IS THE LEVY CAN ONLY GO UP TWO AND A HALF PERCENT EVERY YEAR.  SO LIKE WHEN THERE'S NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT'S NEW GROWTH MONEY BUT THE NEW GROWTH MONEY COMES FROM THE NEW DEVELOPMENT. IT DOESN'T COME FROM THE EXISTING PROPERTIES SO SO SO IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD IN SOUTH BOSTON THE THERE'S ALWAYS DEVELOPMENT TAKING PLACE AND WE HAVE MORE HOUSING BECAUSE OF IT BUT ALSO IT ADDS VALUE TO THE PEOPLE'S HOMES IN AND AROUND THAT DEVELOPMENT BUT ALSO THE PROPERTY TAXES GO UP.  SO IT'S NO I'M NOT BLAMING ANYBODY BUT THAT'S JUST THE SCENARIO THAT TAKES PLACE. THIS IS A LAST QUESTION. GO AHEAD. YEAH, NO, I APPRECIATE IT. I THINK THIS IS A GOOD A GOOD CONVERSATION TO HAVE. SO I THINK WHEN WHEN THE DEVELOPMENT IS DEVELOPMENT THAT MAKES THE NEIGHBORHOOD MORE DESIRABLE AND SO IT INCREASES THE VALUE OF SOMEONE'S HOME THERE SO THEY COULD SELL IT FOR MORE MONEY WHEN THEIR VALUE GOES UP THEN THEIR PROPERTY TAXES ARE GOING TO GO UP BY THERE. IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THERE TO BE DEVELOPMENT THAT DRIVES DOWN PROPERTY VALUES WHICH WOULD THEN MAKE SOMEONE'S TAXES GO DOWN IN GENERAL MOST OF OUR DEVELOPMENT HAS MADE THE CITY WORTH MORE MONEY NOT WORTH LESS MONEY. I'VE NEVER SEEN THE I'VE NEVER SEEN THE PROPERTY VALUES GO DOWN OR THE TAXES GO DOWN BUT THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIS JENNIFER JOYCE THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND I JUST HAVE ONE SMALL QUESTION BUILDING OFF OF COUNCILOR FLYNN'S QUESTION THAT WAS BUILDING OFF OF COUNCIL CUT AS A PART OF THIS QUESTION ABOUT THE ABATEMENTS AND YOU SAID THAT IN 2024 WE ISSUED 1200 OR 1200 ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED.  WHAT IS THE PERCENTAGE OF THAT THAT WERE WHERE THERE WERE ABATEMENTS ACTUALLY APPROVED? I ALSO THE NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY IS IT A MAJORITY IS IT A I'M TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF LIKE LIKE A THE EFFORT THAT PEOPLE PUT IN VERSUS YEAH I MEAN I'M GETTING I CAN FIND IT FOR YOU YES IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING I KEEP TRACK OF TO THE CHAIR IF WE COULD GET THAT INFORMATION THAT'D BE HELPFUL. YEAH.  AND THEN RELATED TO THAT QUESTION ABOUT THE NUMBERS THAT ARE SUCCESSFUL, ARE WE EXPECTING MORE ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS THIS YEAR GIVEN THAT TAX BILLS WENT OUT AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE RECEIVED TAX BILLS THAT WERE HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY EXPECTED OR WANTED OR COULD AFFORD LIKE IS THERE A CORRELATION THERE BETWEEN LIKE IS THIS JUST THAT YOU EXPERIENCED AN INCREASE IN YOUR TAXES AND THEREFORE YOU FOUND ABATEMENT OR IS IT MORE GENERALLY PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING INCORRECT ABOUT THE VALUATION.  SO IT'S A REALLY COMPLICATED MULTIPART QUESTION. YOU HIT ON A COUPLE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS. ONE, I FEEL WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY THAT WE WILL GET MORE ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS THIS YEAR THAN WE DID LAST YEAR. RIGHT. AND THERE ARE THERE ARE A FEW REASONS FOR THAT.  ONE IS THAT IS A RECERTIFICATION YEAR AND HISTORICALLY I'VE GONE BACK AND CHECKED EVERY SINGLE RECERTIFICATION YEAR THERE IS A LARGE SPIKE IN ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS COMPARED TO THE YEAR IMMEDIATELY BEFORE I COULD GUESS AT SOME REASONS FOR THAT I THINK A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH JUST THAT THERE'S EXTRA ATTENTION SO THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A DISCLOSURE PERIOD AND WE SEND OUT THIS EXTRA OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO ASK ABOUT THEIR VALUE UM THAT THAT WAS A FACTOR THIS YEAR IN PARTICULAR I AM EXPECTING EVEN MORE ABATEMENT APPLICATIONS BECAUSE IT IS RARE FOR PROPERTY TAXES IN BOSTON TO BE IN THE NEWS EVERY WEEK FOR A YEAR BUT I'M PRETTY SURE WE'RE CLOSE TO THAT MIGHT BE EVERY TWO WEEKS IF YOU AVERAGE IT OUT DEPENDS ON THE MONTH SO THAT IN GENERAL I THINK HAS PEOPLE PAYING EXTRA ATTENTION WHICH HONESTLY WE REALLY JUST WANT TO GET DATA CORRECT. PART OF THE REASON THAT I DON'T KEEP TRACK OF LIKE HOW MANY ABATEMENT SUITE GRANTED IS THAT IT'S NOT I'M MORE CONCERNED WITH US ACTING ON CONCERNS AND HAVING THINGS BE ACCURATE AND MAKING CORRECTIONS THAN I AM ABOUT MAINTAINING OUR VALUE. I REALLY DON'T CARE ABOUT MAINTAINING OUR VALUE.  I WANT OUR VALUES TO BE RIGHT. AND SO YOU KNOW THE NUMBER OF ABATEMENTS WE GET BACK IS ALSO AN INDICATION NUMBERS OF ERRORS THAT ARE BEING MADE AND SO LIKE THAT'S AN IMPORTANT DATA POINT FOR ME BUT AT THE SAME POINT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 1200 APPLICATIONS ON 180,000 PROPERTIES. IT'S WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LESS THAN 1% OF PEOPLE THAT ARE FILING WITH THE CONCERN IN THE FIRST PLACE. AND SO THEN THE NUMBERS GET JUST INCREASINGLY SMALL ABOUT WHERE THERE ARE ACTUAL PROBLEMS BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE PROBLEMS GET FIXED. THANK YOU.  I APPRECIATE THAT ANSWER AND VERY RARELY ARE PEOPLE FILING ABATEMENTS WHERE THEY ARE UNDER ASSESSED. AGAIN WE DID HEAR THAT TESTIMONY BUT THERE ARE SITUATIONS WHERE SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE IN THE MINORITY OF THE MINORITY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE APPLYING WHO ARE FILING ABATEMENTS AND THERE'S ACTUALLY AN UNDER ASSESSMENT RATHER THAN AN OVER ASSESSMENT NO, I THINK I THINK THAT'S FAIR AND I ALSO THIS YEAR IN PARTICULAR I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN SOME LETTERS THAT HAVE GONE OUT TO TELL PEOPLE ABOUT FILING FOR ABATEMENTS THAT ARE LETTERS THAT HAVE NOT GONE OUT FROM MY OFFICE AND SOMETIMES THOSE LETTERS TALK ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY TAXES. SO IF YOU'RE UNHAPPY ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY TAXES YOU SHOULD FILE ON ABATEMENT AND MY OFFICE IS ALWAYS REALLY CAREFUL TO MAKE CLEAR THAT ABATEMENTS HAVE TO DO WITH VALUE AND NOT YOUR OVERALL TAXES. AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE LOOK AT THEIR VALUE AND SAY LIKE AM I HAPPY WITH THAT NUMBER? DO I THINK THAT THAT'S A FAIR NUMBER BECAUSE THAT IS GOING TO BE A BETTER INDICATOR OF WHETHER THEIR ABATEMENT FILING IS GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL NOT JUST HOW UNHAPPY THEY ARE WITH THE LEVEL OF TAXES THAT THEY'VE GOTTEN A BILL FOR THANKING YOU INSTEAD ON MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  GRETCHEN CARLSON MURPHY THE FLOOR IS YOURS. Q AND I DO JUST WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT FOR THOSE HERE IN THE CHAMBER OR THOSE LISTENING THAT THIS HEARING TODAY IS COVERING FOR DOCKETS WHICH I DO BELIEVE BOTH CHAIRS DID A GOOD JOB AT THE BEGINNING EXPLAINING THANK YOU THAT FOR THAT. BUT SO FAR IN THIS FIRST TWO AND A HALF HOURS WE'VE ONLY BEEN TALKING ABOUT DOCKETS 0269 BECAUSE THERE WAS A COLLEAGUE WHO SAID THAT WHERE WASTING OUR TIME AND THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE MYSELF COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND COUNCILOR WEBER FILED THIS SPECIFIC HEARING ORDER TO DISCUSS PROPERTY VALUES AND THE ASSESSING PROCESS AND IT'S THE FIRST TIME THAT WE HAVE BEEN KIND OF DIGGING INTO THESE QUESTIONS AND WE'VE BEEN ASKING SOME GREAT QUESTIONS AND GETTING SOME GOOD ANSWERS. SO I DO JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR TO THOSE LISTENING IN THAT WE HAVEN'T EVEN TOUCHED ON THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL YET OR THE OTHER TWO TAX RELIEF OPTIONS THE GOOD RENTER LANDLORD ONE OR THE ONE I HAD FILED ABOUT INCREASING THE EXEMPTION FROM 35 TO 40 SO THAT THAT IS COMING UP SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PEOPLE LISTENING DON'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE JUST FILIBUSTERING OR TRYING TO WASTE ANYONE'S TIME BECAUSE THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE.  BUT I DO HAVE A QUESTION YOUR USE ON BOTH WORDS FOR YOU SO IF YOU COULD JUST CLARIFY IS IT 180,000 PARCELS OR PROPERTIES AND DOES A PARCEL IN CLUDE IF IT'S A THREE FAMILY IS THAT LIKE THREE DIFFERENT PROPERTIES OR IS IT ONE HOW DO WE ASSESS? SURE. SO THE 208,000 NUMBER IS NOT THAT PRECISE IT'S A VERY ROUND NUMBER. YEAH BUT IT IS ROUGHLY THE NUMBER OF REAL ESTATE PROPERTIES NOT INCLUDING PERSONAL PROPERTY BUT INCLUDING EXEMPT PROPERTY WHICH WE ALSO HAVE TO VALUE BUT AND THEN TO ANSWER THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION THREE FAMILIES ARE THAT WOULD BE ONE PROPERTY UNLESS IT WAS SOMETHING WHERE IT BECAME LIKE A CONDOMINIUM BUILDING WITH THREE SEPARATE CONDO UNITS AND THEN EACH UNIT IS IT'S EACH OWNER PARCEL. SO WHAT ABOUT AN APARTMENT BUILDING WHERE EVERYONE RENTS AND IT'S LIKE SIX UNITS OR 20 UNITS? WOULD IT JUST BE ONE IF THERE WAS ONE OWNER YES, IF ONE ATTACHES TO WHO PAYS ONE PERSON'S PAYING THE WHOLE BILL . IT'S ONE THAT THAT'S HELPFUL ABOUT THE DEADLINE FOR ABATEMENTS IT SAYS FEBRUARY THIRD. SO IF SOMEONE MISSES THAT DATE, DOES THAT TIE IN TO WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THE APPEAL PROCESS IS ONLY IF YOU MISSED YOUR FIRST DATE? NO. SO THE TIME WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M THAT I'M CLEAR IF SOMEONE HAS A CONCERN WITH THE VALUE OF THEIR PROPERTY THEN THEY CAN FILE FOR AN ABATEMENT AND THAT PERIOD EVERY YEAR IS TRADITIONALLY IN JANUARY AND IT'S JANUARY THIS YEAR AND THE DEADLINE IS FEBRUARY 3RD. FEBRUARY 3RD IS THE APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR EITHER GETTING IT INTO OUR OFFICE SO DELIVERED INTO OUR OFFICE OR IF YOU HAVE IT STAMPED BY THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE NOW A DIFFERENT DELIVERY SERVICE THEN WE USE THE DATE OF THAT POSTAL STAMP EVEN IF IT GETS TO OUR OFFICE AFTER FEBRUARY 3RD, IF YOU MISS THAT DEADLINE SO THAT THAT'S SET UP BY STATUTE. AND SO IF YOU MISSED THAT DEADLINE, WE HAVE NO RECOURSE TO HELP YOU WITH FISCAL YEAR 25. WE HAVE NO ABILITY TO WE CAN TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY DATA AND MAKE SURE WE GET THINGS FIXED FOR NEXT YEAR.  BUT ONCE A DEADLINE IS PASSED WE CAN'T GO BACK AND I THINK YOU SAID IT BUT YOU CAN'T THEN APPLY KNOWING THAT YOU MISS THIS TIME. BUT LET'S JUST BE AHEAD OF TIME . I KNOW YOU SAID MOST HUMANS WAIT TILL THE END. DOES IT OPEN IN JANUARY AND CLOSE FEBRUARY 3RD SO IT'S NOT AS THOUGH WE CAN SAY HEY I KNOW I MISSED 2025 BUT OVER THE NEXT 11 MONTHS YOU COULD COME OUT AND CHECK FOR MY NEXT YEAR'S BILLS THAT THE POSSIBILITY IT IS SO WE CAN CHECK FOR YOUR NEXT YEAR'S BILL AND THEN IF YOU THINK WE STILL GOT IT WRONG YOU CAN STILL FILE AN ABATEMENT NEXT JANUARY AND THERE'S NO RECOURSE IF YOU DO COME OUT AND YOU FIND OUT THAT THEY'RE PAYING TOO MUCH. BUT THEY MISSED THE FEBRUARY 3RD DEADLINE, THERE'S NO LEGAL RECOURSE TO SAY HEY, I KNOW THAT TECHNICALLY I MISSED A DEADLINE BUT I AM PAYING TOO MUCH.  NO, NO, NO, NO RECOURSE FOR THAT.  THE OTHER DEADLINE THAT I WANT TO MENTION SINCE WE'RE HERE IS THE DEADLINE FOR RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTIONS AND PERSONAL EXEMPTIONS IS ACTUALLY APRIL 1ST THIS YEAR I THINK IT WAS FIRST SHOULD BE THIS ONE MAKE SURE IT DOESN'T FALL ON A WEEKEND AND SO THERE'S A LITTLE MORE TIME FOR PEOPLE THAT BUT A FEW MORE MONTHS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO GET A RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION TO STILL APPLY FOR THAT AND THEN ARE ELIGIBLE FOR OUR SENIOR EXEMPTIONS OR ARE DISABLED VETERANS EXEMPTIONS THINGS OF THAT NATURE.  APRIL APRIL 1ST YEAH, I'LL END ON SAYING ONE OF THE REASONS ALSO I KNOW THE CHAIRS ARE HAVING THIS MEETING TOGETHER BECAUSE THERE ARE DEADLINES AND ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT THE ASSESSMENT THERE IS A DATE WHERE I THINK IT'S LIKE FEBRUARY 3RD ALSO WHERE IF WE DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION BEFORE THEN THEN RESIDENTS WOULDN'T KNOW TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY APPLIED. SO IT WAS IMPORTANT TO EDUCATE NOT JUST OURSELVES WHO THEN CAN SUPPORT OUR CONSTITUENTS BUT THE SENIORS WHO CAME IN AND THE RESIDENTS LISTENING THAT WE GET THIS INFORMATION IN A TIMELY MANNER SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR PEP THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU MR CHAIR. AGAIN THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS FOR FOR HERE. I ALSO AGREE WITH COUNCILOR MURPHY THAT THIS IS NOT A WASTE TIME. THIS HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO MYSELF. I KNOW THAT RESIDENTS ALSO APPRECIATE THIS CONTINUED I WANTED TO JUST FORMALLY REQUEST THROUGH THE CHAIR THROUGH YOU ALL FOR THE FOR AN ANSWER ON THE PRIVATE WASTE CONVERSATION JUST IF YOU CAN FIND SOME EXAMPLES I DON'T KNOW HYDE PARK OR SOMETHING OF VALUES OF HOUSES AND THEIR TAXES THEY PAY WHICH IS PROBABLY ALWAYS JUST SOMETHING THAT I GENUINELY GET A LOT OF QUESTIONS ON AND I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A CONCRETE ANSWER ON. SO AND ALSO IF YOU CAN GIVE ME THE THE NUMBERS FOR AT LEAST MY DISTRICT ON HOW MUCH MY PROPERTY VALUES HAVE INCREASED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS AND WHAT ARE THE TAXES LIKE. SO THOSE TWO REQUESTS AND THAT'S A THANK YOU COUNCILOR MEJIA THE FLOOR IS YOURS AND I FEEL A LITTLE BIT GOOD THAT COUNCILOR ANDERSON ALSO WANTS TO ASK QUESTIONS SINCE WE'RE SHARING ONE MIGHT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT SHE IS ASKING FOR PERMISSION TO SPEAK.  OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO ONE QUICK QUESTION PILOT.  I UNDERSTAND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ASSESSMENTS BUT AT SOME POINT THE CITY ALSO HAS TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE BIG UNIVERSITIES AND HOSPITALS AND FOLKS WHO ARE DOING BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  BUT WE HAVE NO REAL MECHANISM IN TERMS OF HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE. SO THEN THE BURDEN SHIFTS OVER TO THE RESIDENTS. SO I'M JUST CURIOUS AROUND ASSESSMENTS AND CONVERSATIONS.  CAN YOU JUST GIVE ME A QUICK UPDATE IN TERMS OF THE APPETITE IF ANY THAT EXISTS TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE AGGRESSIVE AROUND OUR PILOT ASSESSMENTS YET? NO. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILOR. YEAH, AS YOU KNOW THOSE EXAM PROPERTIES ARE THAT EXEMPTION IS DICTATED BY STATE LAW SO WE DON'T HAVE AN OPTION TO TAX THEM. WAIT ONE SECOND. YEP. AND I UNDERSTAND AND I APPRECIATE THAT BUT WE ARE HERE SENDING OVER A PIECE OF LEGISLATION TO THE STATE HOUSE FOR APPROVAL SO WHY WE KEEP PASSING THE BUCK AND SAYING THAT WE DON'T HAVE THE POWER? I DO BELIEVE THAT WE MIGHT HAVE THE APPETITE AND IF WE HAD THE POLITICAL APPETITE THEN WE MIGHT POTENTIALLY BE ABLE TO PUSH OVER ON THE STATE HOUSE AROUND THIS. RIGHT. BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS THAT COMMUNITY HERE IS ONE THING AND THEN THEY BELIEVE IT. SO FOR THE RECORD, IF WE WANTED TO CHANGE THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS WITH OUR PILOT WE COULD NOW OPTION AN OPTION WOULD BE FILING A STATE LAW. OKAY. OKAY, GREAT. SO IT'S ONE TO ME I JUST WANT FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE TUNING IN THAT THERE IS A PATHWAY TOWARDS THIS PILOT CONVERSATION BECAUSE ALWAYS FEEL A LITTLE BIT CONFUSED BY IT SO SO THANK YOU FOR FOR THAT AND SINCE WE ARE HERE TALKING ABOUT ASSESSMENTS I'M CURIOUS BECAUSE WE'VE HAVE 500 DOCKETS ONLY ONE I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I DON'T GET BUZZED.  I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE PERSONAL EXEMPTION PROPERTY TAX FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE TALKED ABOUT IT.  I'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH CHIEF YOU YOURSELF AROUND HOW DO WE PROVIDE RELIEF AND WHILE I UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THAT IN THE EXEMPTION THAT'S GOING TO BE GOING OVER TO THE STATE HOUSE WE HAVE AN EXEMPTION FOR SMALL FOR PROPERTY OWNERS BUT IT'S ONLY AT 30,000 30,000 I BELIEVE 30,000 IS A VALUE, YES. YEAH. SO HAVING SPOKEN WITH SOME SMALL BUSINESSES, THE NEIGHBORHOOD ESPECIALLY LIKE RESTAURANT OWNERS AND BARBERSHOPS AND HAIR SALONS, SOME OF THEIR THEIR EQUIPMENT IS FAR MORE THAN $30,000 EVEN LOOKING AT THE RESTAURANTS WITH THEIR THE OVENS AND THE HOODS AND ALL OF THAT IT'S CLOSER TO 50 TO EVEN $100,000. SO I'M CURIOUS WHAT APPETITE,  IF ANY DO WE HAVE TO PUSH THAT EXEMPTION A LITTLE BIT HIGHER THAN 30,000 JUST BECAUSE THAT'S NOT A THAT'S THE REALITY FOR SOME OF THE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO IN PREPARATION FOR TODAY. NO, I APPRECIATE THE DATA POINT . THE $30,000 WOULD MAKE US THE HIGHEST EXEMPTION IN THE STATE BY FAR. THERE ARE ACTUALLY LOT OF COMMUNITIES THAT DON'T EVEN HAVE THE $10,000 EXEMPTION THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND THERE ARE ALSO PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES BIZARRELY COMPLEX AND SO THINGS ARE TAXED DEPENDING ON WHETHER YOU'RE AN LLC OR A CORPORATION FOR EXAMPLE, OR A SOLE PROPRIETOR. SO YOU CAN HAVE THE SAME PIECE OF PROPERTY OWNED BY TWO BUSINESSES THAT LOOK IDENTICAL AND ONE DOES NOT PAY TAX TO THE CITY ON IT AND ONE DOES SO THERE'S ALL THESE OTHER INS AND OUTS TO IT THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT HARD TO ADDRESS IN A BRIEF PERIOD. BUT IN GENERAL WE SETTLED ON $30,000 NUMBER BECAUSE IT WOULD MAKE US THE HIGHEST LEVEL AND I APPRECIATE THAT AND I'M GOING TO ADD MY LAST QUESTION IS THAT THERE IS A PROPOSAL, YOU KNOW, THAT'S BEING HEARD TODAY THAT WOULD INCREASE THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION AND WE KNOW THAT THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION IS VERY IMPORTANT TO HOMEOWNERS. BUT WE ALSO HEARD SOME CONCERNS THAT THE EXPANSION AND OF THE EXEMPTION COULD SHIFT COSTS TO THE RENTERS.  SO CAN YOU SPEAK TO THIS AND HELP US UNDERSTAND WHO MIGHT BENEFIT AND WHO MAY FACE THE COST OF THIS PROPOSAL JUST SO THAT WE HAVE A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF THAT DYNAMIC? DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT YEAH, WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IN THE NEXT ROUND THIS IS THE LAST ROUND OF QUESTIONS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0269 SO WE'LL ANSWER THAT IN THE NEXT ROUND. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FITZGERALD THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU CHAIR WE TALKED ABOUT THIS YEAR, RIGHT. I DON'T THINK ENOUGH HAS BEEN DONE TO EXPLAIN SORT OF WHAT THAT MEANS OR WHAT DATA POINTS ARE LOOKED AT IN A RECERTIFICATION YEAR BECAUSE I THINK THAT MIGHT HELP GIVE FOLKS A BETTER IDEA OF MAYBE WHY THE INCREASE IN THE VALUE OF THEIR HOME MAY HAVE OCCURRED MAY HAVE OCCURRED IF COULD YOU TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE DATA POINTS THAT ARE IN THE RECERTIFICATION YEAR AND HOW HOW OFTEN IT COMES UP AND AND THE ROLE IT PLAYED IN THIS YEAR'S VALUATIONS? SURE. SO GENERALLY SPEAKING THE CHANGE IN PEOPLE'S TAXES AND THE SURFACE VALUES SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY THE RECERTIFICATION YEAR. IT'S EXTRA WORK THAT MY DEPARTMENT HAS TO GO THROUGH TO SHOW THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING OUR STATE MANDATE.  BUT IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE REQUIREMENT THAT WE VALUE ALL PROPERTY AT FAIR MARKET VALUE EVERY SINGLE YEAR. SO WE CHANGE THOSE VALUES EVERY SINGLE YEAR.  IT'S REALLY JUST THE LEVEL OF WORK THAT MY DEPARTMENT GOES THROUGH THAT ENDS UP BEING HEIGHTENED DURING A RECERTIFICATION YEAR.  SO I'M NOT I'M NOT SURE THERE'S A DIRECT CONNECTION BETWEEN PEOPLE'S INCREASES IN TAXES AND THE FACT THAT IT WAS A RECERTIFICATION YEAR. SURE. BUT COULD YOU PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DATA POINTS ARE IN THE RECERTIFICATION YEAR BECAUSE WELL, IT MIGHT NOT BE THE DRIVER I MEAN IT IS PART OF THE EQUATION OVERALL, RIGHT. IF WE'RE SEEING AN EAST BOSTON TRENDS GO UP OVER THE YEARS AS IT BECOMES MORE OF A, YOU KNOW, HOT NEIGHBORHOOD TO MOVE INTO AND THEN YOU LOOK BACK OVER THE LAST FIVE AND YOU KIND OF TAKE THAT DATA AND AND HELP THAT SHAPE WRITE THE CRITERIA THAT YOU WOULD USE TO VALUE SOMETHING AGAIN, NOT NOT CLAIMING IT'S THE DRIVER BUT IT IS COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE PART OF THE EQUATION THAT IT IS? YEAH. SO I MEAN BASICALLY THE STATE LOOKS AT ASSESSMENT OR SALE RATIOS FOR ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT BREAKDOWNS AND DURING RECERTIFICATION YEAR THEY LOOK AT MORE AND MY DEPARTMENT LOOKS AT THEM EVERY YEAR AND SO WHEN YOU SAY MORE THEY LOOK AT MORE WHAT IS WHAT IS MORE CHURN? CAN YOU THINK OF A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A RECERTIFICATION YEAR VERSUS A REGULAR YEAR? WELL, THE INTERIM YEARS WE JUST USE TYPICAL SALES RATIO ANALYSIS. WE DON'T CHANGE THE MODELS ENTIRELY.  RIGHT. BUT THEN WHEN YOU DRIVE IT BECAUSE WE DO IT EVERY YEAR PROTONS DON'T DO IT EVERY YEAR SO THEY GET A BIG BUMP ON THE 50 YEAR BUT WE'RE THE DIFFERENCE. BUT I JUST WANT TO THE POINTS YOU GET A BIG BUMP ON THE FIFTH YEAR THAT I THINK THAT'S THE POINT I THINK FOLKS SHOULD UNDERSTAND LIKE WHAT CAUSES THAT BIG BUMP IN THE FIFTH YEAR. NO I'M SORRY IF IT'S NOT FOR US THAT SO A LOT OF CITIES AND TOWNS DON'T EVERY YEAR JUST THE ASSESSMENTS ARE INTERIM YEARS AGO SO IT'S TIME TO GET TO THE FIFTH YEAR THEY HAVE A BIGGER OC SO THAT'S WHY THEY WENT FROM THREE YEARS TO FIVE WAS JUST SO THEY FEATHER THEM OUT. BUT WE DO EVERY YEAR SO WE DO EACH YEAR WE DO A REEVALUATION JUST NOT WITH ALL NEW MODELS AND STARTING FROM SCRATCH AND SHOWING THE STATE EVERYTHING WE DID TO GET THERE. OKAY SO THIS YEAR COMPARATIVELY SPEAKING TWO OTHER YEARS WAS THE SAME OR DIFFERENT.  SO THE WORK THAT WE DO IS SIMILAR.  WE JUST HAVE TO SHOW OUR WORK IN MORE DETAIL. OKAY DO YOU HAVE I KNOW THAT'S NOT A SUPER SATISFYING ANSWER. I CAN I DO HAVE ANY OF YOU HAVE ANY OF THOSE DETAILS GETS US WHAT I'M ASKING BUT I THINK IT'S IT'S NOT THE WORK THE DEPARTMENT THAT CHANGES. IT'S REALLY LIKE WHAT THEY'RE SHOWING TO THE STATE SO IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT LIKE ADDITIONAL FACTORS THAT THEY WOULDN'T IN YEARS ONE AND THROUGH FOUR THEY'RE JUST NEEDING TO SHOW ALL OF THEIR WORK OR DIFFERENT LEVELS OF WORK TO THE STATE IN A WAY THAT THEY WOULDN'T NORMALLY. IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE ATTRIBUTING NEW FACTORS TO VALUES IN A RECERTIFICATION YEAR AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT'S ANSWER GOT YOU.  THANK YOU. OKAY. AND IT'S I THINK THAT'S I MEAN IS SIMILAR QUESTION AGAIN BACK TO CAM OF THE COMPUTER ASSISTED MASS APPRAISAL AND AGAIN YOU KNOW I KNOW IT TAKES IN LOCATION ASSESSMENT TO RAIL ASSESSMENT TO SALES RATIOS.  ARE THERE ANY OTHER MAIN DATA POINTS THAT MIGHT BE THE DRIVERS IN THE CAMERA AS TO WHAT THE EVALUATION LIKE? I KNOW IT'S A LOT I MEAN I UNDERSTAND THAT TAKES IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS BUT I JUST I'M JUST TRYING TO THROW IT OUT THERE FOR FOLKS AS A WHOLE. MIKE THESE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THAT THEY LOOK AT AND I WISH I BROUGHT A PROPERTY RECORD CARD BECAUSE IT BE EASIER JUST TO READ OFF ALL THE DIFFERENT OPTIONS. BUT THERE ARE THINGS LIKE EXTERIOR CONDITION ROOF TYPE. YEAH, YEAH.  CAN ANYONE LOOK UP THEIR PROPERTY RECORD CARD IF THEY WANT TO AND HOW COULD THEY DO THAT SO YOU CAN GET A BUNCH OF THE DETAILS THAT WE HAVE IN YOUR PROPERTY RECORD CARD IN ASSESSING ONLINE WHERE YOU CAN GO AND LOOK UP YOUR PROPERTY KNOW I'LL GIVE YOU A BUNCH OF THE SPECIFIC PROPERTY ATTRIBUTES YOU CAN ALSO REQUEST FROM THE CITY A COPY OF YOUR OFFICIAL PROPERTY RECORD CARD AND THAT'S FREE IF YOU'RE ASKING FOR YOUR OWN PROPERTY. OKAY SO FOLKS COULD ASK FOR IT AND THEY WOULD JUST GO ASK TO CALL YOUR OFF CALL ASSESSING AND MAKE THE REQUEST THROUGH ASSESSING FOR THEIR PROPERTY RECORD CARD TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE DIFFERENT CRITERIA THAT IS IN THEIR HOME. YES.  GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. THANK YOU, JEFF. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FOR NANCY ANDERSON FOR JOYCE.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  MR CHAIR, I'M SORRY. COULD YOU REDIRECT ME WITH WHAT QUESTIONS WE SHOULD BE ASKING DOCKET 0269 AROUND THE ASSESSING OF PROCESS IN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES. ALL RIGHT, LET'S CAN WE I'M OKAY WITH MOVING ON. OKAY. YEAH. SO WE JUST HAVE A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS SO OH, YEAH. DO YOUR TIME. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.  CASA CLARA ZAPATA FOR US.  THANK YOU, CHAIR. I'M SORRY I HAVE A LONG RUNNING DOCKET WHERE I HAVE MY QUESTIONS. ONE MOMENT. OKAY. APPEALS IN OPEN ABATEMENT. UM, DO WE KNOW HOW MANY APPEALS ARE OPEN AND TOTAL FOR FISCAL YEAR 2223 24 JUST TO GAUGE OUR VIABILITY, IS IT A LOT? IS THAT GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET THAT INFORMATION?  IT WON'T TAKE A LONG TIME TO GET INFORMATION BUT I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME AND OKAY TO HAVE ANYTHING THAT'S IN EXCESS OF $10 MILLION. THE PROPERTY VALUE IS IN EXCESS OF $10 MILLION. YEAH. SO YES. YEAH. ABOUT HOW MANY APPEALS ARE IN OPEN ABATEMENT IN EXCESS OF 10 MILLION AGAIN I'M HAPPY TO GAVE YOU THAT ANSWER BUT I DON'T KNOW IF TOP OF MY HEAD. OKAY THANK YOU. THOSE WERE MY LAST QUESTIONS.  I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I JUST HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. YOU MENTIONED THAT ANYTHING OVER A THREE FAMILY WILL BE INSIDE OF A COMMERCIAL ASSESSING DISTRICT. WHAT WHY IS THAT SO IT'S TIED TO THE MODELING THAT WE USE SO THREE FAMILIES IN SMALLER WE MAINLY DRIVE THROUGH SALES MODELS AND THINGS OVER THREE FAMILIES. WE MAINLY DRIVE THROUGH INCOME MODELS BECAUSE GENERALLY WHEN THAT PROPERTY IS BOUGHT AND SOLD IS BUTTON SO BASED ON THE INCOME THAT IT CAN GENERATE.  GOT IT. ALL RIGHT.  SET OF VARIANCES. YEP. YEP. NO IT MAKES SENSE SO I WAS ASKED MY DIRECT VALUES. OH SORRY. SO IS THERE I GUESS I'M TRYING TO THINK OF LIKE A LARGE SCALE APARTMENT BUILDINGS LIKE ARE THEY PAYING LESS PER UNIT FOR TAXES THAN JUST SAY LIKE A SINGLE FAMILY, A CONDO OR THREE FAMILY HOME?  SO IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SAY A LOT OF THINGS WITH CERTAINTY WITHOUT LIKE GOING AND LOOKING AT A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE. BUT IN GENERAL YES, A SIX UNIT BUILDING WILL SELL AT A VALUE THAT IS LOWER PER UNIT THAN SIX CONDOMINIUM UNITS GOT TWO OR SIX SINGLE FAMILY HOMES. THANK YOU.  NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM ME. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM?  MY COUNCILOR COLLEAGUES. ALL RIGHT NOW NOW PASS IT OVER TO OKAY. THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS, CASIMIR ,CAN YOU MOVE ON AN ABATEMENT FORM FOR YOUR OWN PROPERTY BECAUSE DID MENTION THAT SOMETIMES NEIGHBORS CALL IN BECAUSE THEY'RE QUESTIONING A NEIGHBOR AS VALUE OF THEIR HOME, NOT THEIR OWN. YES, YOU CAN ONLY FOAM ABATEMENT FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU OWN OR IF YOU'RE RESPONSIBLE THE MORE THAN 50% OF THE TAXES OF THAT PROPERTY YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOWING ABATEMENT ON IT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AND I JUST REMEMBERED I HAD ONE MORE QUESTION AND IT'S PROBABLY FOR THE CFO THE CHAIR OF THE CHAIR WAYS AND MEANS WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH OUR BUDGET PROCESS. JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR AND GET IT ON THE RECORD IS IF WE WERE YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE SPENDING CONVERSATION, IF WE WERE TO CUT THE BUDGET BY $10 MILLION, WOULD THAT REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAXES THAT RESIDENTS WOULD HAVE TO PAY? NO, NOT ON ITS OWN.  ALL RIGHT. WHAT ABOUT $100 MILLION? NO, NOT ON ITS OWN.  OKAY. 200 NOW. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. I THINK THAT WOULD BE THE WHAT WILL BECAUSE I MEAN I THINK OR THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCIL ME YEAH. I MEAN YOU CAN BE ASKING A QUESTION THAT MAKE ME INSPIRED THOUGHT HERE BUT WHAT WILL WELL KIND OF DIRECTLY RELATED TO WHAT THE CHAIR WAS SAYING YOU WOULD HAVE TO SUBSEQUENTLY FOREGO THAT SAME AMOUNT OF THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY SO WE WOULD NOT CHOOSE TO TAX UP TO OUR FULLY ALLOWABLE LEVY. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY THAT WE COULD ACHIEVE A REDUCTION IN PROPERTY TAXES THAT'S SOMEWHAT DRIVEN BY SPENDING BUT IN THE END IT'S REALLY JUST DRIVEN BY YOUR CHOICE TO TAKE THE FULL LEVY OR NOT. YOU COULD HAVE REVENUE THAT WOULD REPLACE THAT AND STILL ALLOW YOU TO DO THE SAME AMOUNT OF SPENDING. SO IT'S NOT DIRECTLY LINKED TO SPENDING.  CANCELING IS AN INCENTIVE FOR US.  THANK YOU MR CHAIR.  THE IDEAS SO I GUESS YOU KNOW IN TERMS OF MAKING INFORMATION ACCESSIBLE I THINK ABOUT I DO THINK ABOUT LIKE DIGITAL CAMPAIGNING AND HOW EVERYONE HAS A SOCIAL MEDIA OF SOME SORT AND I SPOKE WITH O AND S AT ONE POINT AND I YOU KNOW THOSE VIDEOS THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING WHERE YOU GO INTO PEOPLE'S OFFICES AND THEY SAY GOOD MORNING AND THEY TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY DO IN THAT OFFICE GUESS WHAT GAVE YOU THAT IDEA? SO MY IDEA WOULD BE THAT YOU WOULD GET YOU WOULD ACTUALLY BREAK DOWN THESE THINGS IN INFOGRAPHICS LIKE SORT OF LIKE YOU KNOW, TAXES FOR DUMMIES AND NOT WE CAN'T CALL IT THAT PROBABLY BUT BUT IT WOULD BE LIKE ABC OF TAXES I DON'T KNOW AND THAT FOLKS YOU KNOW HOW EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE CITY AND YOU HAVE 311 IS JUST TO COMPLAIN BUT MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY MANAGE ALL THE THINGS THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY WITH THE CITY IN AN APP MAYBE IT'S A WAY OF NAVIGATING AND YOU COULD ALWAYS SEE IN REAL TIME WHAT YOUR MISSING WHAT YOUR WHAT YOU NEED TO PAY OR WHAT WHAT YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH MORE YOU HAVE TO GO AND HOW THINGS ARE GOING UP IN REAL TIME.  IF PEOPLE KNEW THAT THERE WAS AN APP TO MANAGE THEIR FINANCES WITH TAXES OR TICKET PAYING TICKETS YOU KNOW ANY OTHER TYPES OF TAXES THEN PEOPLE WOULD DEFINITELY DOWNLOAD THAT APP AND THEY COULD MANAGE IT AND ALL THE TOOLS WOULD BE THERE AND YOU COULD UPDATE IT IN REAL TIME AND IN TERMS OF ANY CHANGES.  SO I THINK YOU KNOW IN THIS DAY AND AGE OF LIKE DIGITAL ACCESSIBILITY MAYBE OFFERING THAT LIKE IF WE'RE DOING 311 AND PEOPLE ARE JUST COMPLAINING BUT ARE WE OFFERING TOOLS THAT HELP THEM WITH THAT AND NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO GO ON THE WEBSITE AND EVEN WHEN YOU DO GO ON A WEBSITE IT'S KIND OF LIKE YOU CAN'T REALLY MANAGE IT.  WHEN I GO INTO IT I TRY TO LOOK AT IT FROM LIKE A SCOPE OF LIKE IF I'M IF I'M, YOU KNOW, HOME WITH KIDS WITH MY KIDS OR IF I'M A SENIOR OR IF I HAVE A LOT OF JUGGLING A LOT OF THINGS AM I VISITING YOUR WEBSITE? DO I KNOW TO VISIT YOUR WEBSITE AND WHEN I DO DO I FIND THAT ACCESSIBLE OR USER FRIENDLY?  SO JUST A QUICK IDEA ON THAT BUT I THINK THAT THERE'S MANY WAYS OF LIKE STABILIZING AS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BEING REACTIONARY AND COMING IN AND REFILING HOME RULE PETITION TO NOW YOU KNOW REINFORCE THE COMPROMISE AND BRINGING IT BACK LIKE HOW ARE WE CONSIDERING LIKE FUNDS THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY PUT ASIDE AHEAD OF TIME TO MITIGATE THE HARMS IN THE FUTURE ESPECIALLY IF WE CAN HAVE LIKE SORT OF CATEGORIES TO MAKE IT EQUITABLE IN TERMS OF LIKE INCOME BASED CATEGORIES ? EXACTLY. YEAH. YEAH. WE'RE GOING TO JUMP INTO THE SECOND ONE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE IF IT IS ANYTHING IS THAT NOT ABOUT ASSESSING AND THIS IS MORE IDEAS THAT WE WANT TO PROCESS AND THE HOW THE ASSESSING OFFICERS VALUES PROPERTIES YES BUT THEN HOW DO THEY COMMUNICATE IT TO RESIDENTS? SO ON THE COMMUNICATION PIECE I THINK THEY'RE GREAT SUGGESTIONS. I THINK WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO THINK OF WAYS WE CAN BETTER COMMUNICATE, MAKE IT MORE CLEAR TO FOLKS I KNOW WE TRYING TO UPDATE OUR ASSESSING ONLINE WEBSITE AND TRY AND MAKE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE USER FRIENDLY FOR FOLKS. SO I THINK WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SUGGESTIONS SO HAPPY TO YOU KNOW FURTHER HAVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT FEEDBACK THAT YOU'VE GOTTEN AND WHAT WOULD BE USEFUL TO SEE THAT WE CAN INCORPORATE INTO ANY OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS . OKAY THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  COUNCILOR FLYNN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. MR CHAIR, I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON A QUESTION YOU ASKED TO THE CFO.  YOU ASKED WOULD A $100 MILLION CUTS TO SPENDING WOULD THAT IMPACT PEOPLE'S PROPERTY TAX OR EVEN $200 MILLION WOULD THAT IMPACT THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES? COULD YOU REPEAT THE ANSWER?  I JUST I WASN'T CLEAR. I KNOW YOU SAID IT WOULDN'T IMPACT BUT CAN YOU TELL ME IS THAT ACCURATE? THAT IS ACCURATE. SO THE ONLY WAY THAT IF WE CUT LET'S USE $100 MILLION FROM THE BUDGET JUST DOING THAT ALONE WOULD MAKE NO IMPACT ON THE PROPERTY TAX DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE BEEN HAVING THE.  ONLY WAY TO IMPACT IT WAS IF WE AS A CITY MADE A CHOICE TO FOREGO THAT SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM OUR PROPERTY TAX LEVY WHICH IS SOMETHING THE CITY HAS NEVER DONE, WE HAVE ALWAYS MAXIMIZED THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY IN THE YOU KNOW, 40 PLUS YEAR HISTORY OF PROP TWO AND A HALF DOES DOES SO ON ON THAT ON THAT SAME SUBJECT, ARE WE ALSO LOOKING AT THIS COMING BUDGET AND WE ALSO LOOKING AT A67 PERCENT INCREASE IN SPENDING COMPARED TO LAST YEAR IS THAT IS THAT ABOUT ACCURATE ? NO, I MEAN IT'S VERY EARLY IN OUR PROCESS. IT'S NOT EVEN FEBRUARY YET. WE ONLY HAVE SIX MONTHS WORTH OF INFORMATION FROM THIS CURRENT YEAR THAT WE CAN FEED INTO OUR PROJECTIONS OF WHAT WE THINK REVENUE IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE NEXT YEAR. SO TOO SOON TO SAY WHAT A BUDGET GROWTH PERCENTAGE WILL LOOK LIKE AT THIS POINT. BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE BPR IS GOING TO INCREASE THEIR TRANSPORTATION BUDGET.  THEY MENTIONED THAT TO US A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO. THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA GO UP SEVEN OR $8 MILLION COMPARED TO LAST YEAR.  I DO THINK I DO THINK 200,000,000 MILLION SPENDING DOES IMPACT THE PROPERTY TAXES FOR RESIDENTS. THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. WE'RE NOW TRANSITIONED TO THE OTHER HALF OF THIS HEARING AND I'LL PASS IT OFF TO MY CO-CHAIR COUNCILOR COLETTE ZAPATA.  THANK YOU COUNCILOR WORRELL. AND AGAIN I APPRECIATE YOU ALL ARE STAYING I BELIEVE AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO INVITE CHIEF OF OKAY YES AND RAY, OUR DIRECTOR OF VALUATION IS NOT STAYING FOR THIS PART.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, RAY. AND AGAIN, I DO APPRECIATE MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR INTRODUCING THIS HEARING ORDER SO THAT WE CAN DISCUSS THIS IN DEPTH. IT REALLY HAS BEEN SO INFORMATIVE.  COUNCILOR AND I AGREED TO HOLD THIS JOINT HEARING TO REVIEW ALL OF THESE PROPOSALS SINCE THE TOPICS ARE CLOSELY INTERCONNECTED AND AS I ANTICIPATED A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS ARISING FROM ONE HEARING ORDER THE PETITION, A COUPLE OF ORDERS THEY ALL INFLUENCE OR LIKELY WILL INFLUENCE ONE ANOTHER. SO WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO RUN THIS HEARING AND WE FIGURED TO GROUP THE THE NEW PROPOSAL BY THE ADMINISTRATION COUNCIL MURPHY AND FITZGERALD I'M SO SORRY TO HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME BUT I BELIEVE COUNCILOR MURPHY'S THE LEAD SPONSOR ON THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION AND THEN THE GOOD LANDLORD TAX ABATEMENT. SO AS EARLIER WE'LL KEEP IT CONSISTENT. WE'LL GO TO LEAD SPONSORS FOR THE NEXT DOCKETS. WE HAVE DOCKET ZERO ONE FOR TWO AND THIS IS THE PETITION FOR A SPECIAL LAW AN ACT AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO INCREASE ITS RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION. THIS WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILOR MURPHY FLYNN AND BRIAN WORLD AND THE FLOOR IS OPEN FOR YOU IF YOU WANTED TO DO AN OPENING STATEMENT FOR THAT. COUNCILOR MURPHY SURE. THANK YOU.  SO I KNOW IT'S BEEN TIED IN AND IT'S SIMILAR TO THE DOCKET THAT THE MAYOR PUT FORWARD AND I KNOW COUNCILOR WEBER EVEN QUESTIONED ARE THESE ARE VERY SIMILAR SO THE CONVERSATIONS ARE GOOD TO HAVE TOGETHER HERE BUT YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING THE GROWING CONCERN OF TAXES INCREASING AND PEOPLE FEELING AS THOUGH THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ON THAT BURDEN AND STAY HERE IN THE CITY HAS GOTTEN A LOT OF RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY SENIORS OR THOSE ON FIXED INCOME FEELING AS THOUGH THEY YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS NOT WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN STAY HERE. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AND I KNOW WHEN I FILED MY EXEMPTION PIECE TO THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION TO 40 IS YOU KNOW, ONE TOOL WE TALKED ABOUT THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT TOOLS BUT WE COULD MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS AT LEAST YOU KNOW, ONE EXEMPTION THAT PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE FEELING THE BURDEN MORE THAN OTHERS AND WOULD ACTUALLY FORCE THEM TO MOVE OUT OF THE CITY IF WE COULD DO THAT FOR THEM, I THINK THAT WOULD BE IMPORTANT.  SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION AND I'LL SAVE MY REST OF MY STATEMENTS FOR THAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MURPHY, COUNCILOR FLYNN.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I WILL BE BRIEF WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR OUR RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY FOR OUR SENIORS WORKING, CLASS FAMILIES, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. I WOULD DISABLED VETERANS AS WELL. I ALSO THINK THAT HAS TO BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION THAT I HIGHLIGHTED WHERE WE ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES TO GET BACK TO WORK TO DOWNTOWN BOSTON. I THINK THAT'S A CRITICAL PART OF THE DISCUSSION BOSTON. I THINK THAT'S A CRITICAL PART OF THE DISCUSSION THAT WE HAVEN'T FULLY ADDRESSED. I KNOW THE PREVIOUS BPD DIRECTOR AGREED WITH ME THAT THE BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION WOULD BE ESSENTIAL.  IT HASN'T GONE ANYWHERE BUT GETTING PEOPLE GETTING WORKERS BACK INTO DOWNTOWN BOSTON IS A CRITICAL PART OF THIS ALONG WITH PEOPLE IN CITY HALL GETTING BACK TO WORK IS ALSO A PART OF IT. WE ALSO HAVE TO BE FISCALLY DISCIPLINED AND ENSURE THE RESIDENTS THAT WE MANAGE EVERY SINGLE CENT APPROPRIATE.  AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE STRUGGLES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY HAVING.  I ALSO HAVE ADVOCATED FOR THE CITY COUNCIL NOT TO ACCEPT A 2025 AND 2026 PAY RAISE JUST IMPLEMENTED. I THINK THAT WOULD SHOW RESIDENTS THAT WE ARE SERIOUS AND WE ARE FISCALLY DISCIPLINED . THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR MIRO WAS THE THIRD CO-SPONSOR ON THIS ONE. BETWEEN THAT HE'S NOT HERE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE GOOD LANDLORD TAX ABATEMENT. I WAS PROUD TO FILE THIS. MY CO-SPONSORS ARE HENRY SANTANA AND BRIAN WORLD.  I WILL GIVE A BRIEF OPENING STATEMENT ON THAT AND THEN I'LL PASS IT OVER TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR I BELIEVE WHAT IS THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU SENT OVER AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THAT. I AM WELL, I'M PLEASED TO BE HERE.  I'M NOT REALLY PLEASED THAT THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING THIS. I THINK OUR OBJECTIVE HAS BEEN CLEAR FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WHICH IS TO PROTECT PEOPLE WHO ARE HOUSE RICH IN CASH, POOR FOLKS ON A FIXED INCOME SENIORS AND WE ARE ULTIMATELY TRYING TO MITIGATE DISPLACEMENT RATES HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AROUND THE REBATES FOR THOSE ELIGIBLE FOR THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION. THAT'S A NEW FACET OF THE PROPOSAL AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE LAST ONE AND THIS ONE. I'M ALSO PLEASED TO SEE A VARIATION OF OUR ORIGINAL PROPOSAL FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.  SOME OF THE PROTECTIONS INCLUDING THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION AND THE UP TO $50 MILLION TO ASSIST THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO DISCUSSING THE MERITS OF MY ORDER THAT I FILED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MY CO-SPONSORS . THAT ALLOWS THE CITY TO OPT INTO A GOOD LORD TAX GOOD LANDLORD TAX ABATEMENT. THIS IS A TOOL AT THE STATE LEVEL CREATED BY SENATOR EDWARDS AND REPRESENTATIVE ANDY VARGAS AND IT OFFERS A PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR LANDLORDS WHO PROVIDE YEAR ROUND RENTAL UNITS AT AFFORDABLE RATES. I THINK OF MANY SENIORS WHO HAVE LIVED IN THEIR SINGLE TWO FAMILY TRIPLE DECKER HOMES FOR GENERATIONS WHO HAVE RECENTLY BECOME EMPTY NESTERS AND ARE NOW RENTING OUT THEIR TWO OR THREE BEDROOMS FOR UNDER A MARKET VALUE. I HAVE A WOMAN IN MY DISTRICT I'M NOT GOING TO NAME HER. SHE RENTS OUT HER FIRST FLOOR APARTMENT THREE BEDROOMS FOR 1200 DOLLARS AND SHE DOES IT BECAUSE SHE UNDERSTANDS THAT IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.  HER TAXES JUST INCREASE WITH THAT MUCH MORE. I EVEN THINK THAT MUCH BUT BUT MORE AND SO I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE HELPING HER OUT . THIS WILL ULTIMATELY REMAIN EXCUSE ME THIS WILL MAINTAIN AFFORDABILITY AND INCENTIVIZE OTHERS TO DO THE SAME WHILE STABILIZING OUR COMMUNITIES. SO I JUST WANT TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE PACKET THAT FOLKS HAVE. SO WITHIN THE GOOD LANDLORD TAX ABATEMENT PACKET I DO HAVE A ONE PAGE WHICH IS A ONE PAGER WHICH HAS ALL THE INFORMATION ON THE PROPOSAL IF FOLKS HAVE QUESTIONS OF COURSE FEEL FREE TO BRING THEM UP IN THIS IN THIS HEARING. THERE'S ALSO A FULL PACKET OF THE DEAL OUR GUIDELINES FOR MUNICIPALITIES AND SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS BASED ON WHAT THEY PRODUCED HERE BUT THAT'S MY OPENING STATEMENT. I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO DO ONE EARLIER. SO NOW PASS IT OVER TO THE ADMINISTRATION. IN WHAT ORDER? WHATEVER ORDER YOU SEE FIT. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANKS EVERYONE. ASHLEY GOLF BURGER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER. MY COLLEAGUE, THE CHIEF OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INCLUSION HAS A HARD STOP SO I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO HIM FOR ANY PIECES HE WANTS OUT AND THEN WE CAN GET INTO OUR SLIDES AND MORE DISCUSSION. WELL, NOW GOOD EVENING,  EVERYBODY. FIRST BECAUSE SOMEONE MADE THE COMMENT THAT THIS WAS A BORING TOPIC AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT AS A BOSTONIAN I'M VERY GRATEFUL THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST 14 PEOPLE WHO ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT THIS AND MAKING SURE WE GET THIS RIGHT. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR STICKING IT OUT AS WELL AS THOSE WHO ARE JOINING US IN PERSON OR ONLINE. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY INTERESTING CONVERSATION AND I ALSO HAVE TO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I THE WAY THE SCHEDULES GOT SET UP YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO JUMP INTO THIS PANEL A LITTLE EARLIER BUT I HAVE TO LEAVE IN LIKE 15 MINUTES BECAUSE I ACTUALLY DELAYED A FLIGHT. MY GRANDMOTHER IS VERY PROUD OF ME NOW BECAUSE I'M TAKING MY FIRST EVER VACATION IN THIS JOB AND I DID NOT A LINE THAT WAS SCHEDULE APPROPRIATELY SO BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR GIVING THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT THIS SO IN MY ROLE AS CHIEF OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION I RESTATED I WAS GOING TO DO FOR THE RECORD BECAUSE OUR OUR SCOPE IS NOT JUST SMALL BUSINESS WHICH IS USUALLY WHAT BRINGS ME IN FRONT OF ALL OF YOU TO TALK ABOUT WHETHER IT BE CONTRACTING OR WHAT WE'RE DOING SPECIFICALLY FOR SMALL BUSINESS. BUT IN THE TITLE ITSELF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL 681,000 RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY. SO THIS TOPIC IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE IT'S IMPACTING ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS.  BUT BEFORE JUMPING INTO WHY IT'S IMPORTANT AND I'LL JUST TAKE 2 MINUTES ON THIS I JUST WANTED TO CORRECT AN EARLIER STATEMENT THAT WAS MADE BECAUSE I WANT TO I LIKE TO USE EVERY PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE CITY.  THE CITYWIDE OFFICE VACANCY RATE IS 14% AS OF DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR AND ACTUALLY CBRE, WHICH IS A VERY PROMINENT BROKERAGE FIRM JUST PUT OUT A REPORT IN JANUARY JANUARY 10TH THIS YEAR SUGGESTING OR SHOWING THAT VACANCY RATES IN THE DOWNTOWN SPECIFICALLY ARE 18% AND OUR DATA HAS 16% FOR THE GREATER DOWNTOWN. BUT I KNOW THAT'S JUST IT'S NOT JUST WASHINGTON STREET HERE BUT JUST TO SAY THAT IT'S 18% THE LAST QUARTER WE SAW 1.9 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF LEASING ACTIVITY WHICH IS A HUGE AMOUNT CBRE WILL TELL YOU AND THAT WAS DUE TO RENEWAL SO THINGS LIKE THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS WHO RENEWED SPACE HERE IN THE DOWNTOWN WHICH WAS GREAT ROPES AND GRAY AND OTHERS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN THE GLOBE AND OTHERS COVER. SO FOR OUR DOWNTOWN WHICH ALSO SAW ALMOST 30 MILLION EXCUSE ME 25 MILLION FOLKS COMING THROUGH LAST YEAR WHICH AGAIN EVERY YEAR WE'RE GETTING BETTER AND BETTER WITH FOOT TRAFFIC. JUST TO SAY THAT OUR DOWNTOWN CONTINUES TO REBOUND FROM THE PANDEMIC. SO AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO USE THESE OPPORTUNITIES TO SHARE IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR DOWNTOWN. BUT THE REASON WHY I'M HERE THIS MORNING IS AS YOU SAID, COUNCILOR, THERE ARE TWO SPECIFIC THINGS THAT ARE IMPACTING THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING BUT IN GENERAL ANY SUPPORT FOR RESIDENTS IS IMPORTANT.  BUT THAT $15 BILLION FUND IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES.  COUNCIL OVER HERE BROUGHT UP THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION ANOTHER IMPORTANT STEP FOR ENSURING WE'RE PROTECTING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. WE JUST HAD A CALL WITH ROUGHLY 50 ON THIS PAST FRIDAY IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER ENGAGEMENT WE'VE DONE OF BUSINESSES WHO ARE SUPPORTING THIS MEASURE FOR A COUPLE OF REASONS NOT JUST BECAUSE OF THOSE TWO THINGS I JUST MENTIONED BUT PROPERTY TAXES INCREASING IMPACT THEIR CUSTOMER BASE. THE MORE YOU'RE PAYING IN TAXES THAT'S LESS DISCRETIONARY MONEY. YOU'VE GOT TO SPEND IT THEIR BUSINESS IT'S IMPACTING THEIR EMPLOYEES.  IF A LOT OF EMPLOYEES CHOOSE THEIR PLACE OF OF WORK BASED ON LOCATION AND SO IF THEY HAVE IF THEY GET PRICED OUT OF BOSTON,  THEY MIGHT LEAVE THAT JOB. SO IT'S IMPACTING RETENTION EFFORTS AND THEN IT IMPACTS OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS THEMSELVES MANY OF THEM THE 18,000 SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE EMPLOYING 127,000 PEOPLE LIVE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. AND SO TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH AN EXTRA BURDEN IS IS NOT IDEAL. AND SO I'M MOSTLY HERE NOW BECAUSE OF MY LIMITED TIME AS AN ADVOCATE TO SAY THAT I APPRECIATE THE VERY GREAT MANY OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN SUPPORTING THIS AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR HELPING TO PUSH THIS THROUGH BECAUSE OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR BUSINESSES NEED THIS URGENTLY. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, CHIEF.  I HAVE ADDITIONAL SLIDES I CAN VERY QUICKLY ROLL THROUGH ON THE THREE DOCKETS SO THERE'S OKAY, EXCELLENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SPENDING TIME WITH US TALKING ABOUT THIS VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC AND THANK YOU ALSO AGAIN TO THE COUNCIL FOR YOUR SUPPORT TO OTHER TIMES IN PASSING THIS PIECE AND VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION ALONG. SO THE PACKAGE PUT FORTH BY MAYOR WU INCLUDES MANY OF THE SAME CONCEPTS THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN PREVIOUS ITERATIONS OF THIS LEGISLATION WITH ONE NEW NOTABLE EXCEPTION AND I'LL JUST QUICKLY WALK THROUGH THEM SO THE FIRST THING THAT THE HOME RULE PETITION DOES IS IT SEEKS TO SET THE TAX RATES FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR AT THE LEVELS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN AT HAD THE COMPROMISE PROPOSAL WE HAD REACHED EXCUSE ME IN THE FALL WITH THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND OTHERS PASSED BY THIS COUNCIL AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THAT MADE IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH.  SO JUST FOR REFERENCE THE TAX RATES FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR FOR RESIDENTIAL ARE $11.58 AND FOR COMMERCIAL $25.96. WHAT THIS LEGISLATION DOES IS IT SETS THOSE RATES AT $11.03 FOR RESIDENTIAL AND $26.92 FOR COMMERCIAL. SO IT MEMORIALIZES THOSE RATES AS THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN HAD THAT LEGISLATION BEEN ULTIMATELY ADOPTED. FURTHER, IT SETS CLASSIFICATION LEVELS FOR FISCAL 26 AND 27 AGAIN CONSISTENT WITH THE LEVELS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN IN PLACE BASED ON THAT OCTOBER 2020 FOR A COMPROMISE AND JUST FOR REFERENCE THAT WOULD SET THE CLASSIFICATION MAXIMUM AT 180% IN FISCAL 26 AND THEN 178% FOR FISCAL 2027. THIRDLY, AS THE CHIEF ALLUDED TO, IT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE DIRECT RELIEF UP TO $15 MILLION IN EACH YEAR THAT THE SHIFT EXCEEDS 175%. THIS WAS SIMILAR TO LANGUAGE THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE MOST RECENT VERSION OF THIS HOME RULE PETITION.  SO AGAIN JUST MEMORIALIZING THAT AND SEEKING THAT FLEXIBILITY AGAIN.  FURTHER, IT INCLUDES AN EXPANSION OF THE SENIOR PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION VERY SIMILAR TO THE ONE THAT THIS BODY TOOK UP AND PASSED AND I BELIEVE THE MAYOR SIGNED YESTERDAY.  SO JUST DOUBLING DOWN ON THAT REALLY WANTING TO SEE THAT GO THROUGH. AND THEN AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, TRIPLES THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FROM ITS CURRENT LEVEL OF $10,000 UP TO $30,000 AND IN DOING SO AS THE COMMISSIONER SAID WOULD MAKE US THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE AND WE BELIEVE WOULD EXEMPT ABOUT HALF OF THE BUSINESSES IN ALL OF THE CITY FROM PAYING PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES. AND LASTLY AND THIS IS THE NEW PART THE HOME RULE PETITIONS GIVES THE CITY THE FLEXIBILITY TO ISSUE RESIDENTIAL TAX REBATES IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 IF THE TAX RATES THAT WE HAD INCLUDED IN THE FIRST SECTION OF THE LEGISLATION ARE NOT ULTIMATELY ADOPTED. SO IT WOULD GIVE US SOME ABILITY TO PROVIDE RELIEF DIRECT RELIEF RIGHT TO TAXPAYERS UTILIZING SURPLUS FUNDS FROM THE CITY AND WE'D HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU ALL TO ACTUALLY APPROPRIATE THAT MONEY SO WE WOULD STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. THE WAY THE LEGISLATION IS CURRENTLY WRITTEN, THE PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE A TAX REBATE OR SOME SORT OF RELIEF WHATEVER WE'RE GOING TO CALL IT AND THAT WOULD BE DIVIDED EQUALLY DEPENDING ON THE POOL OF FUNDS THAT THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL APPROPRIATE FOR. IT ULTIMATELY WILL BE EVENLY DIVIDED AMONGST ALL OF THOSE ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.  OKAY. SO THAT'S VERY QUICKLY OUR RESIDENTIAL TAX RELIEF PACKAGE. I'LL TALK I'LL TOUCH ON THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION INCREASE AND THEN GOOD LANDLORD AND THEN LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS. SO ON THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION SO THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION HAS BEEN A GREAT TOOL.  THE CITY HAS HISTORICALLY MAXIMIZED IT TO TRY AND MAKE BOSTON AS AFFORDABLE AS POSSIBLE FOR FOR OUR RESIDENTS USING FISCAL 2025 DATA AND INFORMATION.  WE MODELED WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE IF THE EXEMPTION HAD BEEN 40% THIS YEAR. SO AS I MENTIONED THE TAX RATE RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE FOR THIS YEAR IS $11.58. IF THAT AND IF THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION WAS SET AT 40% THAT WOULD HAVE INCREASED TO $11.93. SO A 3035 CENT OR 3% INCREASE IN THE RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE FOR THIS YEAR IF THAT WERE IN PLACE . WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS EXTENSIVELY AS WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH AND TALKING ABOUT THIS TAX RELIEF PACKAGE IN GENERAL BUT I THINK THE CONCERN WITH RAISING THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION PARTICULARLY AT THIS TIME WHEN THERE'S ALREADY INCREASED PRESSURE ON THE RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE JUST CAN POTENTIALLY EXACERBATE SOME OF THOSE AFFORDABILITY AND STABILITY CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE BEEN SEEKING TO ADDRESS THROUGH THE TAX SHIFT PROPOSAL. SO YOU KNOW THE THE INCREASE IN THE THE RESIDENTIAL RATE THE CONCERN THERE IS THAT THAT WOULD BE FELT BY NON OWNER OCCUPIED RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS SUCH AS APARTMENT BUILDINGS AND THAT WE WOULD SEE SOME OF THOSE INCREASED TAXES AT A TIME WHEN THEY'RE ALREADY GOING UP BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGES WE'RE SEEING IN THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR THAT THOSE WOULD BE FURTHER PASSED DOWN. SO WE STILL BELIEVE THAT THE TAX SHIFT PROPOSAL IS REALLY THE BEST WAY TO ACHIEVE AFFORDABILITY AND STABILITY FOR EVERYONE AT THIS TIME WHICH IS WHY WE'RE SEEKING AGAIN TO GET RELIEF FOR THIS YEAR AND FOR THE NEXT TWO FISCAL YEARS AS WELL.  AND THEN LASTLY THE GOOD LANDLORD PROPOSAL IF I COULD GET THE NEXT SLIDE.  SO THIS WAS A AS AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED AN EXEMPTION THAT WAS CREATED AS PART OF A STATE PIECE OF A PIECE OF STATE LEGISLATION BACK IN OCTOBER 2023. IT CREATES A NEW EXEMPTION THAT WOULD APPLY TO THE PROPERTY OF RESIDENTIAL UNIT OWNERS WHO RENT THEIR UNITS TO INCOME QUALIFYING INDIVIDUAL SALES AT AFFORDABLE RATES ON A YEAR ROUND ANNUAL BASIS.  THE IMPORTANT THING TO KNOW IS THAT THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT AND UNDERSTAND THAT GO ALONG WITH THIS LEGISLATION PARTICULARLY THE GUIDELINES THAT THE CHAIR MENTIONED FROM THE DIVISION OF LOCAL SERVICES SAYS THAT MUNICIPALITIES NEED TO ADOPT RULES TO SET THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF THE EXEMPTION THE HOUSEHOLD INCOME LIMIT FOR THE OCCUPANT,  THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING RATE OF RENT, THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE OWNER IF ANY AND THEN OTHER RESTRICTIONS OR REGULATIONS CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT OF THE LAW. SO THERE'S A I THINK A LOT TO DISCUSS. ONE OTHER IMPORTANT THING I THINK IS WORTH MENTIONING HERE IS THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN I BELIEVE IT'S DIFFERENT FROM A TYPICAL LIKE OUR RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION THAT GETS BUILT INTO THE TAX RATE. OUR READ OF THE LEGISLATION IS THAT THIS WOULD BE SORT OF A DIRECT CREDIT OF SORTS THAT WE WOULD NEED TO PAY AS A CITY SO IT WOULDN'T BE ABSORBED, IT WOULD BE A NET NEW COST.  AND SO WE JUST NEED TO UNDERSTAND KIND OF HOW WOULD THAT WHAT THE UNIVERSE OF THAT IS BEFORE WE WOULD ACCEPT SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO WE ARE NOT SORT OF SIGNING UP FOR A UNCAPPED FISCAL IMPACT THAT WE'RE NOT PREPARED FOR.  EXCUSE ME. SO I THINK THAT'S IT IN TERMS OF SLIDES FROM US AND HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, CHIEF ADMIRAL. WHAT'S YOUR HEART STOP NOW?  NO, BUT I'M HERE. I'M HERE NOW. OKAY. I DON'T WANT TO MISS YOUR FLIGHT. I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO TRY TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE TUNNEL TO EAST BOSTON AT THIS TIME SO I WILL JUST RESPECTFULLY ASK IF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU AND MAY BE SENT VIA EMAIL THAT THEY BE FORWARDED FOLLOWED UP ON EXPEDITIOUSLY. DEFINITELY. AND I WILL SAY BECAUSE YOU KNOW ,I'M SURE THERE MIGHT BE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS THE THE $15 MILLION FUND AS WITH EVERY PROGRAM YOU'VE EVER DEVELOPED WITH OCO, I DEFINITELY AND HEARTEDLY LOOKING FORWARD TO ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT FOLKS HAVE FOR WHAT THAT PROGRAM SHOULD LOOK LIKE. CERTAINLY WE ARE BEING THOUGHTFUL ON OUR END ABOUT WHAT THAT COULD LOOK LIKE BUT WE WOULD RATHER WE'RE GETTING YOUR THOUGHTS BEFORE A PROGRAM LIKE THIS IS DEVELOPED VERSUS COMING BACK TO YOU AND SAYING HERE'S WHAT THE PROGRAM IS BAD IDEA IS COMING BUT IT'S ALREADY BEEN LAUNCHED. SO JUST TO SAY WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AROUND THAT. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I REALLY APPRECIATE I KNOW YOU'RE GOING ON VACATION. I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR VACATION. YOU DESERVE IT.  BUT I CAN STAY I CAN STAY FOR A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS BUT THEN I'LL DO THAT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO DOES ANY OF MY QUESTIONS OH, COME TO MEJIA. GO RIGHT AHEAD. THAT'S RIGHT. AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, I'D LOVE TO HEAR SINCE WE HAVE NICK AND THE CHIEF I AM REALLY I'VE BEEN TALKING IN EVERY HEARING I KNOW I'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS PERSONAL TAX ON SMALL BUSINESSES. WHAT DO YOU SEE AS A PATHWAY TOWARDS HELPING TO ALLEVIATE THE BURDEN ON THESE SMALL BUSINESSES AND WHAT CAN THE ASSESSING DEPARTMENT DO TO SUPPORT IT? LIKE WHO WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AND HOW CAN WE HELP THESE SMALL BUSINESSES?  WELL, AND I APPRECIATE THAT AND COUNSELOR AS ALWAYS ALWAYS RESPECTING I APPRECIATE THE PASSION THAT YOU'VE SHOWN FOR SMALL BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE NOT EVEN JUST THE CAREER YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK FOR TODAY FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE IMPACT THAT INCREASED PROPERTY TAXES WILL HAVE AND AT LEAST THE SHIFT WILL HAVE ON THINGS LIKE THE RENT OF SMALL BUSINESSES.  I THINK THE MEASURES THAT WE'RE TAKING ARE IMPORTANT FOR HELPING TO ADDRESS THAT. I THINK MORE BROADLY SPEAKING FOR SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE THAT, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO FACE CHALLENGES I MEAN IT WILL BE A LONG ANSWER BECAUSE IT'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING COULD ENHANCE WITH, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT, ETC. WHETHER IT'S OUR TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S YOU KNOW, THIS GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SO MANY OTHER THINGS. SO I WISH I HAD LIKE A THIS IS WHAT WE CAN DO BUT THIS IS AN IMPORTANT STEP ESPECIALLY TO INCREASE THE PROPERTY TAX INCREASE, ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE EXEMPTION.  YEAH, MY MY, MY. OKAY. NICK, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR AGAIN. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  CHIEF, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND DESPITE YOUR TIME CONSTRAINT AND AGAIN TO THE PALINS, THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. YOU GAVE ME AN IDEA YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW ACTUALLY I THINK IT WAS CHIEF FROM EARLIER YOU MENTIONED HOW WE DON'T WANT BUSINESS OWNERS TO FEEL EVEN MORE PRESSURE IF THEY'RE PAYING TAXES ALREADY. MY QUESTION IS IS THERE ANY INCENTIVE OREGON EXCEPTION FOR BUSINESS OWNERS WHO BOTH LIVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND OWN A BUSINESS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON? IS THERE ANY PROGRAM THAT BENEFITS THAT OR INCENTIVIZES THAT THROUGH OUR SMALL BUSINESS TEAM? NOT AT THE MOMENT BUT WE'D BE INTERESTED IN TALKING MORE. YEAH, I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT THERE'S LIKE I HAVE A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF LIKE I HAVE A RESIDENT THAT LIVES IN HYDE PARK, OWNS A BUSINESS IN ROSLINDALE AND HE OWNS HIS HOUSE. SO I'M JUST THINKING HE'S PAYING TAXES ON HIS HOUSE, PAYING TAXES ON HIS SMALL BUSINESS AND JUST THINK MAYBE THERE'S SOME BUT I THINK I THINK WE WILL FIND THAT A LARGE AMOUNT OF OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS RESIDE IN THE CITY LIKE PROXIMITY IS USUALLY WHAT DICTATES WHERE PEOPLE OPEN THEIR BUSINESS. THAT'S BEEN THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE SPACE PROGRAM WHICH HAS BEEN HELPING PEOPLE TO MOVE OUTSIDE OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE. I THINK WHERE YOU FIND THAT A LOT OF FOLKS DON'T LIVE IN THE CITIES LIKE THE PROPERTY THAT THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS MIGHT LIVE IN IN OTHER PLACES BUT WE WOULD DEFINITELY BE INTERESTED IN TALKING ABOUT WHAT ARE OTHER WAYS TO SHOW ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR RESIDENTS WHO OPERATE BUSINESSES IN THE CITY KIND OF YOU KNOW JUST FORWARD THINKING ABOUT. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. OKAY. NOW WE'LL GO TO FOLKS IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL FOR OH, I'M SORRY COUNCIL OFFICER OKAY. GO HAVE.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU, CHIEF. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. A QUICK QUESTION. I THINK ABOUT THE $50 MILLION THAT WERE FOR SMALL BUSINESS TO HELP WITH TAX RELIEF.  I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SMALL BUSINESSES THERE ARE IN THE CITY AND I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW WHAT THE AVERAGE IS OF THAT 50 LIKE IF IT IS IF EVERY SMALL BUSINESS WERE TO GET A BREAK.  I WONDER IS YOU KNOW IS THE 15 MILLION EVEN WORTH IT OR NOT RIGHT LIKE LIKE WHEN I GOT TEN BUCKS I SAVED TEN BUCKS BUT LIKE IS THAT RIGHT? SO SO FIRST, YOU KNOW, JUST TO SAY WITH THE LEVEL OF NEED THAT SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE EXPRESSED IN FOR ANY GRANT ONCE YOU SAY GRANT THEY GET A TON OF PEOPLE SHY AND SO I DON'T KNOW THAT ANY GOVERNMENT HAS ENOUGH MONEY. THAT SAID, IF THE ONLY GOAL IS JUST TO GIVE A GRANT WHICH IS WHY WE DO ALL THESE OTHER THINGS TO SUPPORT A BUSINESS BECAUSE WHAT I CARE ABOUT IN MY JOB IS REVENUE FOR BUSINESS,  RIGHT? I AND I SAY TO BUSINESS OWNERS ALL THE TIME WHO WILL REACH OUT BY EMAIL OR PHONE CALL OH YOU KNOW WHEN'S THE NEXT GRANT COMING? I'M LIKE HOW CAN WE HELP YOUR BUSINESS BE UBER SUCCESSFUL SO THAT YOU WON'T EVEN HAVE TO RELY ON THE GOVERNMENT GIVING YOU A GRANT RIGHT?  BUT THAT TO SAY AT LEAST FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS LEGISLATION WHAT IT SAYS IS THAT IT'S A FUND FOR THOSE WHO ARE IMPACTED BY THESE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASES AND SO I THINK THAT NUMBER WILL BE RELATIVELY SMALL WITH THAT PARTICULAR CONTEXT YOU WOULDN'T THINK THAT EVERY SMALL BUSINESS WOULD SORT OF SAY IF IT'S A BIG MONEY EVERY PACKAGE. SO I'LL SAY BECAUSE I'M COMPLETELY WITH YOU BECAUSE ACTUALLY LAST YEAR WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE FOLKS REACHING OUT TO ME SAYING THAT FOLKS WERE INCREASING THEIR RENT JUST BECAUSE OF THE CONVERSATION. RIGHT. AND SO AND THAT THAT IS NOT RIGHT ESPECIALLY IF A LOT OF OUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES ARE ACTUALLY SEEING THEIR BILLS FALL, THEIR TAXES FALL.  RIGHT. AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'D LOVE TO TALK WITH.  BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I YOU KNOW, WITH THE ATTORNEY I MEAN THAT'S THAT BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF CRAZY TO BLAME TAX INCREASES ON RAISING THE RENT ON ALREADY HURTING SMALL BUSINESSES WHEN YOUR BILL ACTUALLY WENT DOWN. I THINK THAT IS A THAT'S AN ISSUE FOR ME PERSONALLY.  SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, IT IS IF YOU SEE AN INCREASE IN THINGS LIKE RENT OR WHICH THEY WILL BECAUSE A LOT OF BUSINESSES SIGN TRIPLE NET LEASES IF THE FIX BECAUSE THE VALUE GOES UP I THINK WHAT YOU ALL I MEAN I WAS HERE BUT WAS I HEAR YOU KNOW SO WITH VALUES AND ASSESSMENTS AND ALL THAT IF THE TAXES GO UP ON THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY LIKELY THE SMALL BUSINESS WILL SEE THAT WHICH IS WHAT THIS FUND IS MEANT TO HELP ADDRESS WOULD BE MEANT TO HELP ADDRESS. BUT WE DON'T I MEAN AND I, I CAN BE CORRECTED IF I'M WRONG WHICH GENERALLY I AM IS THAT WE DON'T EXPECT THAT A HUGE AMOUNT OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES WILL SEE THEIR TAXES GO UP AS A RESULT OF THIS. YEAH, UNDERSTOOD. YOU KNOW BECAUSE THE SHIFT IS NOT HAPPENING TODAY. RIGHT. RIGHT.  GOTCHA. UNDERSTOOD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I THINK I THINK WE'RE OKAY, CHIEF AT ALL. YOU ARE DISMISSED FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM.  THANK YOU. AND YOU HAVE ONE MORE THING BECAUSE ONE THING I JUST MEANT TO I MEANT TO SAY IS SO BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SMALL BUSINESS BECAUSE THE OTHER PIECE OF THIS I ACTUALLY I'M HAPPY THAT THE ISSUE WHERE VACANCY HAS GOT BROUGHT UP HERE WHETHER IT'S IN THE DOWNTOWN OR ACROSS THE CITY BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATION AND YOU KNOW CONCERT WITH A LOT OF OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN WORKING YOU KNOW LIKE THE MAYOR HERSELF,  YOU KNOW, HAS BEEN TALKING WITH ALL THE CEOS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, HOW CAN THE CITY PLAY AN EVEN BIGGER ROLE IN ATTRACTING NEW COMPANIES LIKE LEGO AND OTHERS TO THE CITY WHICH WHERE WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THIS LAST YEAR? I MEAN ALMOST EVERY WEEK IT FEELS LIKE A NEW COMPANY IS ANNOUNCING THE FACT THAT THEY'RE COMING TO THE CITY. HOWEVER, NOT PASSING A MEASURE LIKE THIS AND THIS IS I GUESS MORE SO FOR OUR FRIENDS AT THE STATE HOUSE THAN THE COUNCIL BECAUSE AGAIN YOU ALL HAVE SHOWN SUPPORT FOR RESIDENTS YOU KNOW, WITH PASSING THIS LAST YEAR IS THAT BOSTON'S ALREADY SEEN AS UNAFFORDABLE.  RIGHT. THAT'S THE EXPERIENCE OF A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT REPUTATION CONTINUING IS ACTUALLY HARMFUL TO OUR EFFORTS TO BRING NEW COMPANIES TO THE CITY BECAUSE AS A RESULT OF COVID BECAUSE EVEN THIS CONVERSATION ON RETURN TO WORK LIKE THE POWER RIGHT NOW IS IN THE HANDS OF EMPLOYEES WHICH IS WHY YOU HAVE NOT SEEN A LOT OF COMPANIES EXCEPT FOR THOSE LIKE AMAZON AND OTHER BEHEMOTHS THAT CAN AFFORD FOR PEOPLE TO RESIGN EN MASSE BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST GOING TO HIRE A BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT WANT TO WORK AT AMAZON. BUT THERE ARE SMALLER COMPANIES IN BOSTON THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO PASS OFF OFF ALL THEIR EMPLOYEES AND HAVE THEM ALL RESIGN BECAUSE THEY WANT TO DO A FOUR OR FIVE DAY WORKWEEK. SO YOU'VE SEEN A LEVELING OFF ACROSS THE COUNTRY OF A THREE DAY, THREE DAY WORKWEEK.  THAT ALL SAID, WE YOU KNOW, IF WE IF WE CONTINUE TO ADD TO THIS REPUTATION OF BOSTON BEING UNAFFORDABLE, EMPLOYEES ARE MAKING THE DECISION THAT WE DON'T WANT TO GO TO BOSTON. WE EITHER WANT TO KEEP VIRTUAL WORK AND LIVE IN MADISON WHILE YOU KNOW WE WORK FOR A COMPANY BASED IN BOSTON BUT THAT COMPANY REDUCES ITS FOOTPRINT BECAUSE THEY DON'T NEED ALL THAT SPACE FOR EMPLOYEES AND SO COMPANIES OR THEY JUST DECIDE NOT EVEN TO MOVE TO BOSTON.  WE'VE HEARD THIS FROM SOME MAJOR COMPANIES THAT YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IN THE NEWS THAT SAY WHAT THEY DO IN THINKING ABOUT BOSTON BECAUSE OUR EMPLOYEES FEEL LIKE IT'S UNAFFORDABLE.  SO JUST TO SAY THAT IN ADDITION TO ALL OF YOU SUPPORTING THIS MEASURE TO ENSURE WE'RE HELPING OUR RESIDENTS AND IN PARTICULAR OUR SENIORS.  YOU PASSING THIS AND THEN OUR FRIENDS AT THE STATE HOUSE PASSING THIS IS HELPING MOVE OUR EFFORTS FORWARD TO BRING NEW COMPANIES WHICH MEANS NEW REVENUE INTO THE CITY OF BOSTON WHICH MEANS THAT THAT'S 18% VACANCY RATE IN DOWNTOWN GOES DOWN. WE ALREADY HAVE THE LOWEST RETAIL VACANCY RATE IN THE COUNTRY TO 2% AND WE WANT TO SEE THAT CONTINUE RIGHT.  SO JUST TO SAY THAT THIS THIS IS WHY YOU KNOW, THIS ISSUE WAS IMPORTANT TO ME IN PARTICULAR AND OUR CABINET BECAUSE THIS IS IMPACTING OUR WORK IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS AND WHICH IS WHY WE ALSO APPRECIATE ALL YOUR CONVERSATION BECAUSE IT'S HELPING US MAKE BETTER LEGISLATION TO HELP ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES.  THANK YOU. SORRY FOR THE SPEECH. THANK YOU, CHIEF. NO, WE APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND YOUR EXPERTISE IN THIS AREA AND WE'LL GO TO ORDER OF ARRIVAL.  WE'LL GO TO AUDIO ARRIVAL FOR QUESTIONS NOW ON THREE OF THESE DOCKETS STARTING WITH COUNCILOR FLYNN MURPHY AND THEN FOR THE COUNCIL FUND YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I DID WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS TO THE CHIEF BUT THAT'S OKAY. I TOOK AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK HIM QUESTIONS JUST NOW. MY LIGHT WAS ON THE WHOLE TIME. OH, I DIDN'T TALK. I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT ANYBODY FROM MY MY POINT WAS WHAT I'VE FOCUSED ON OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS IS CERTAINLY SUPPORTING BUSINESSES IN DOWNTOWN. I REPRESENT A GOOD PORTION OF THE DOWNTOWN AND BUSINESSES CALL ME ALL THE TIME BUT THEY'RE ALSO CALLING ME MADAM CHAIR ABOUT QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES IN THE CALLING ME ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES, HOW WE SUPPORT IN ENSURING A SAFE DOWNTOWN. I MET WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TODAY.  I MET WITH THE DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION CHIEF TODAY PRESIDENT TALKING ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES AND THAT'S ALSO PART OF THE SOLUTION IS PROVIDING A SAFE AND HEALTHY DOWNTOWN FOR OUR BUSINESSES, FOR OUR WORKERS AND THAT'S A TOP PRIORITY OF MINE AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON AND AT TIMES I DO GET PUSHBACK FROM PEOPLE AND THAT'S OKAY. BUT MY JOB IS TO REPRESENT MY CONSTITUENTS THE BEST I CAN AND THAT'S ADDRESSING QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES AND PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES. I SPENT AN HOUR TODAY AT ST ANTHONY'S SHRINE ON OUR STREET TALKING TO TALKING TO HOMELESS VETERANS FOR FOUR FOR A HEARING I MEAN FOR A FOR A LUNCH WE HAD BUT YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE ENSURING THAT BUSINESSES ARE RESPECTED AND HEARD AS IT RELATES TO QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES, PUBLIC SAFETY CHALLENGES THAT ALSO HAS TO BE THE THAT ALSO HAS TO BE THE PRIORITY AND THAT'S SOMETHING I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO LEAD ON ESPECIALLY DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES. CHIEF I JUST WANTED TO SEE IF YOU ALSO AGREE THAT PUBLIC SAFETY HAS TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION AS WELL IN WELCOMING BACK EMPLOYEES TO DOWNTOWN BOSTON, PUBLIC SAFETY IS A CRITICAL TOPIC AND I BELIEVE YOU HOSTED A MULTI-HOUR HEARING ON THIS IN LATE NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER WHERE THE ADMINISTRATION WAS VERY HAPPY TO SHARE THE EFFORTS THAT WE'VE BEEN TAKING TO IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY AND NOT JUST PUBLIC SAFETY BUT THE PERCEPTION OF PUBLIC SAFETY WHICH FOR ALL THE FOLKS IN DOWNTOWN THAT I TALKED TO THAT'S REALLY THE CRITICAL PIECE OF THIS IS THE PERCEPTION OF PUBLIC SAFETY VERSUS THE EXPERIENCE THAT FOLKS ARE ACTUALLY HAVING. BUT I WOULD NOT DISAGREE AT ALL THAT ADDRESSING THE PERCEPTION OF PUBLIC SAFETY IS IMPORTANT.  BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS HEARING WHICH IS TALKING ABOUT THE PROPERTY TAXES, I'M JUST HERE TO CONVEY THAT THIS SPECIFIC PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT YOU ALL ARE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS ANOTHER CRITICAL PIECE OF ATTRACTING NEW BUSINESS TO THE AREA TO ADD TO THE REVENUE THAT THE CITY IS COLLECTING. THANK YOU MAY MAY DIRECT QUESTION I GUESS I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK THE MEMBER STATE SENATE FOR THEIR IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP.  MY QUESTION IS WHAT TYPE OF SUPPORT HAVE YOU RECEIVED FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN SUPPORT OF THIS POTENTIAL HOME RULE PETITION?  SO FOR ME WHEN YOU SAID WHAT AND HERE WAS JUST MY MY QUESTION TO YOU SIR WOULD BE WHICH PART OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY I WOULD LIKE TO BE CLEAR BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT HAVE THEIR OPINIONS BUT THEN THERE ARE BUSINESS ASSOCIATES THAT REPRESENT LARGER ENTITIES INCLUDING COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS THAT HAVE IN THEIR OPINION. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M ADDRESSING THEIR SPECIFIC QUESTION LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A THAT'S A FAIR POINT. SO IT COULD IT COULD BE EITHER IT COULD BE MAIN STREET SMALL BUSINESSES IN HIGH PARK OR SOUTH BOSTON, CHINATOWN OR IT COULD BE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA SOME OF THESE BIGGER BIGGER COMPANIES THAT EMPLOY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHAT IS THEIR OPINION ON THIS HOME RULE PROPOSAL?  SO THIS IS ACTUALLY ALWAYS AN INTERESTING PART OF THE CONVERSATION BECAUSE THIS IS SIMILAR TO WHEN I WAS WORKING WITH BODY CAMERAS WHERE WE FOUND THAT YOU KNOW, THE PEOPLE DIRECTLY IMPACTED WANTED A THING BUT THE PEOPLE REPRESENTING THEM DIDN'T ALWAYS SHARE THE SAME OPINION. SO ON ON BOTH STRANDS HERE SMALL BUSINESSES THAT I'VE SPOKEN WITH SUPPORT THIS AND I DON'T TRY TO LOBBY FOLKS I DON'T TRY TO STEER THEM A PARTICULAR WAY. I PROVIDE THE FACTS AND AT THE END OF THE DAY WHAT I SHARED IN MY OPENING STATEMENT ABOUT ITS IMPACT ON CUSTOMERS, ON EMPLOYEES AND ON THE BUSINESS OWNERS THEMSELVES CAME DIRECTLY FROM CONVERSATION WITH SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN TERMS OF THE BROADER BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT USUALLY IS WHAT THE FOCUS IS IN THE MEDIA FOCUSING ON MEMBERS OF LIKE THE CHAMBER OR OP OR OTHERS WHICH ARE GREAT FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES OF MY OWN. WE JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE A DIVERGENCE OF OPINION ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE.  THE CEOS OF COMPANIES WILL AGREE WITH ME AND WITH THE MAYOR THAT THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE BECAUSE THIS IS THEIR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE BEING IMPACTED. I WOULD I WOULD ASK YOU TO REACH OUT TO FOLKS LIKE RON O'HANLEY WHO'S THE CEO OF STATE STREET, ONE OF OUR LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN THE STATE AND ACTUALLY IS BACK TO, YOU KNOW, THEIR CONGRESS AND THEY'RE GOING TO SEE AN INCREASE IF THIS PASSES, THIS WILL PASS ON TO THEM.  THEY SUPPORT THIS. I SAW THAT ON THE VIDEO. YEAH. AND SO SO JUST TO SAY THAT IT'S REPRESENTATIVE TO ME OF THE FACT THAT THAT COMPANY LEADERSHIP SUPPORT IT BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS REFLECTED IN THE ASSOCIATION LEADERSHIP I'M SORRY YEAH IT'S BEEN FORMALIZED . YEAH THANK YOU. OH BUT I WANT TO I WANT I DIDN'T WANT TO NOT ANSWER IT BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN 4 MINUTES. YEAH YEAH WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE EVERYBODY 4 MINUTES. YEAH BUT BUT I RESPECT RESPECT I RESPECT THE QUESTION AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANYTHING I SOMEWHAT YOU KNOW. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU EVERYONE. OKAY. NEXT UP WE HAVE COUNCILOR MURPHY. I APOLOGIZE.  I DIDN'T MENTION IT'S IT'S 4 MINUTES AND I'LL PUT IT ON MY TIMER UP HERE.  COUNCILOR MURPHY OF THE FLOOR. THANK YOU.  SO I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEMS LIKE WE'RE MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACKING NOW, RIGHT? WE LIVED THROUGH LAST YEAR. IT DIDN'T AND HERE WE ARE. SO IF YOU COULD HIGHLIGHT AND SPEAK TO DIFFERENCES IN THIS NEW HOME RULE PETITION THAT THE MAYOR HAS PUT FORTH AND WHAT CHANGES OR IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY COMPROMISE AND WOULD YOU CONSIDER THIS A PLAN B WHICH IS WHAT I KNOW MYSELF AND OTHER COLLEAGUES AND JUST PEOPLE ACROSS THE CITY NOT JUST US HERE ON THE COUNCIL WERE LOOKING FOR. THANK YOU. SO AS I MENTIONED MANY I'D SAY 90% OF THIS IS IDENTICAL TO WHAT YOU'VE SEEN BEFORE THE WITH THE NOTABLE EXCEPTION WELL TO I GUESS ONE VERY TECHNICAL IN THAT IT EXPLICITLY SETS THE TAX RATES FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR WHICH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE LAST HOME RULE WHICH JUST WAS DEALING WITH THE MAXIMUM SHIFT AMOUNT AND THE TAX RATES WOULD HAVE FLOWN FLOWED FROM THERE BUT IT'S EXPLICITLY SETS THE TAX RATES FOR FISCAL 25 AND INCLUDES AGAIN ALL OF THE OTHER PROVISIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. BUT THE THE NOTABLE DIFFERENCE IS THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE DIRECT PAYMENTS TO TAXPAYERS IN THE EVENT THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO SET THE TAX RATES AT THE LEVELS THAT WE WOULD LIKE IN FISCAL YEAR 2025 AND WHAT WOULD HAVE TO HAPPEN AND AT WHICH LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT WOULD THAT YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SET THE TAX RATES IF YOU COULD SPEAK THROUGH THAT. SO WE WOULD NEED THE STATES APPROVAL TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE HAVE ALREADY SET TAX RATES AS A CITY AND HAVE GOTTEN THEM APPROVED BY THE STATE. SO THIS WOULD SORT OF BE AN EXTRAORDINARY EXCEPTION THAT WE WOULD BE ASKING FOR WHICH IS WHY WE'RE SEEKING THE CHANGE THROUGH THE HOME RULE AND WHAT ARE WE DOING DIFFERENTLY AS A CITY TO ENSURE THAT IT PASSES THIS TIME?  WELL, I THINK BECAUSE IT DIDN'T. RIGHT. AND HERE WE ARE AND LOOK WHAT CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE.  YEAH. I MEAN I THINK WE HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF HAVING THE BILLS HAVING GONE OUT AND I THINK THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS THERE WAS CONCERN OR QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE IMPACT WAS GOING TO BE AND WE WERE VERY CLEAR THAT WE HAD TO GET ALL OF OUR WORK DONE AND LINE EVERYTHING UP BUT WE WERE BEING VERY CLEAR THAT THIS WAS COMING AND NOW THAT WE HAVE THE EXPERIENCE OF THE THIRD QUARTER BILLS I THINK PEOPLE CAN SEE THAT THIS TOOL WAS NEEDED AND WHICH IS WHY I WAS BACK HERE AGAIN FOR PROBABLY THE SIXTH TIME WE'VE BEEN HERE TO TALK ABOUT IT. WE SHOULD COME EVERY WEEK. EXACTLY. SO I THINK WE'LL COME AS MANY TIMES AS WE NEED TO BUT WE THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THIS MOMENT. AND COULD YOU EXPLAIN TO THE RESIDENTS AT HOME WHY IT'S NOT SPREAD OUT THE INCREASE OVER THE FOUR QUARTERS AND HOW YOU DECIDE HOW TO SPLIT UP THE INCREASE AND HOW YOU KNOW AND DID THEY SEE AN INCREASE IN THE FIRST BILL FOR THIS PERCENTAGE FOR THE CURRENT BILLS?  YES, FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR SO THE WAY TAX BILL AND NICK CAN CHIME IN AS WELL BUT THE WAY IT WORKS IS YOUR FIRST TWO QUARTERS ARE AN ESTIMATE BASED ON LAST YEAR'S TAXES AND THEN THE THIRD AND FOURTH QUARTERS ARE BASED ON YOUR UPDATED VALUE AND YOUR UPDATED AND THE YOU KNOW, THE UPDATED TAX RATES. SO THINGS KIND OF GET TRUE NOT FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD IN THOSE FINAL TWO QUARTERS WHICH WAS WHAT WE WERE YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT ALL THROUGHOUT NEEDING TO HAVE THE FLEXIBLE BILITY TO INCREASE THE SHIFT BEYOND 175 IN TIME FOR THAT THIRD QUARTER BILL. SO WE COULDN'T MAKE THOSE CHANGES. WE'VE MISSED THAT POINT SO PEOPLE RECEIVED TAX BILLS BASED ON EXISTING LAW NO ABILITY TO SHIFT AND MOVE THINGS AROUND AND SO FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE ABILITY TO CHANGE THOSE TAX RATES SO THAT PEOPLE'S BILLS CAN BE ADJUSTED TO WHAT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER WHAT IS THE DEADLINE DATE TO MAKE SURE WE COULD GET IT INTO THE FOURTH QUARTER? YEAH. SO WE HAD THE FIRST THE SECOND IN THE LEGISLATION SAYS SETS A DATE OF MARCH 1ST WHICH WAS AMBITIOUS BUT WE NEED TO DO AN EXTRAORDINARY THING IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE GETTING FOURTH QUARTER BILLS OUT IN A TIMELY MANNER.  SO WE HAVE SET A DATE OF MARCH 1ST FOR THIS TO HAPPEN SO THAT WE COULD TRY AND DO THIS ALL IN TIME. OH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY,  COUNCILOR PIPPEN AND THEM HERE . THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I ACTUALLY ASKED MY QUESTION TO THE CHIEF ALREADY SO I'M GOING TO PASS ON MY TIME. SO THANK YOU. OKAY, COUNCILMAN, HERE YOU ARE. 4 MINUTES.  THIS IS INTERESTING TO THINK OF WHAT ALL THE RULES.  SO I FEEL LIKE THIS IS SUCH A RETURN TO ALL THREE PROPOSITIONS SO I'M SURE THAT WE NEED TO GO TO JUST A HIGHLIGHT.  ALL RIGHT, SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND YOU KNOW, THE CITY HAS FACED A LOT OF CRITICISM AROUND THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY REGARDING THE BUDGET ALLOCATIONS AND SPENDING. CAN YOU PROVIDE US A YOU KNOW, ANY DETAILED DATA ON HOW SURPLUS FUNDS HAVE BEEN UTILIZED OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS? WHY HAVEN'T THESE FUNDS BEEN FULLY LEVERAGED TO PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL TAX RELIEF ESPECIALLY IF GIVEN THE FINDING THAT THE FINANCIAL STRAINS ON MANY RESIDENTS I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS GET THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF HOOPLA IN THE MEDIA ABOUT HOW WE'VE BEEN SPENDING MONEY AND HOW WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER. THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY I ALWAYS LIKE TO UTILIZE THESE HEARINGS FOR FACT CHECKING AND FOR INFORMATION SHARING. SO CAN YOU PLEASE HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT LIKE DEBUNK THAT PLEASE? SURE.  SO IN THE FISCAL YEAR THAT JUST PASSED FISCAL YEAR 2024, THE CITY ENDED THE YEAR WITH A BUDGET SURPLUS WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE FELT COMFORTABLE INCLUDING THE PROVISION IN THIS VERSION OF THE BILL THAT WOULD HAVE ALLOWED US THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO USE SOME PORTION OF THE CITY'S UNRESTRICTED FUND BALANCE THROUGH AN APPROPRIATION FROM THE CITY COUNCIL TO PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL RELIEF SO THE YOU KNOW, THE FISCAL YEAR THAT JUST PASSED THE CITY COLLECTED, YOU KNOW, SUFFICIENT REVENUE TO COVER ITS EXPENSES. WE DIDN'T HAVE A REVENUE SHORTFALL. WE DIDN'T HAVE AN EXPENDITURE PROBLEM.  WE ENDED THE YEAR IN GOOD SHAPE AND OUR JUST THROUGH THIS LEGISLATION SEEKING TO LEVERAGE SOME OF THAT GOOD NEWS FROM THAT YEAR TO PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL RELIEF IF OUR ORIGINAL PROPOSAL DOES NOT GO THROUGH. OKAY. SO WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT FROM WELL I KNOW I HAVE I WILL SAY WE ALL SPEAK FOR MYSELF SO I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM A LOT OF RETIRED TEACHERS, CITY EMPLOYEES WHO ARE IN FIXED INCOMES AND THERE'S BEEN SOME STRUGGLES WITH THEIR RETIREMENT. THEY'VE BEEN YOU KNOW, THEY'RE FINDING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO KEEP UP WITH THEIR TAX PAYMENTS . SO IT'S GOING TO BE A TWO PART QUESTION. ONE IS THERE ARE SOME FOLKS WHO MAKE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WHAT THE EXTENSION WILL ALLOW FOR.  SO HOW ARE WE GRAPPLING WITH THOSE ELDERS THAT ARE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS BECAUSE THEY MAKE JUST A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH SO THEY DON'T APPLY? YEAH. SO I THINK THE CURVE OR THE VERSION OF THE SENIOR EXEMPTION THAT WAS JUST PASSED AND IS ALSO REFLECTED IN THAT BILL SEEKS TO PUSH UP THOSE LIMITS TO CAPTURE MORE FOLKS WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE INCOME BRACKET BECAUSE WHAT BEEN HEARING FROM SOME FOLKS I THINK THAT WE NEED TO INCREASE THE AGE I MEAN INCREASE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT SO IN THE PROVISION THAT WE HAVE IN HERE THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS ALSO PASSED BEFORE IN SOME TO THE STATE HOUSE IN RESPECT TO THE TRANSIT TAX BEFORE WE'RE IN ESSENCE DOUBLING A ALL OF THE CATEGORY REQUIREMENTS.  SO WE'RE INCREASING THE AMOUNT OF THE EXEMPTION THAT IS CURRENTLY THE CAP IN THE STATUTE IS CURRENTLY $500 AS LIKE THE DEFAULT IN BOSTON. WE'VE ALREADY RAISED THAT TO $1,000 AND WE HAVE A DOUBLING PROVISION SO PEOPLE CAN GET UP TO $2,000. THIS WOULD CHANGE THE $500 TO 1500 WHICH MEANS PEOPLE COULD GET UP TO $3,000 AFTER THE DOUBLING FOR US. SO WHO WHO UNDERSTAND THINGS DIFFERENTLY? CAN YOU WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING FROM SOME SENIORS IS TO EXPAND IT TO 80% AND I SO THE WHAT CAN WE DO FOR THAT BECAUSE AND THEN ALSO THE ISSUE AROUND THE RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS AS ASSETS THAT'S ALSO AN ISSUE THAT IMPACTS OUR SENIORS WHO ARE ON FIXED INCOMES AND THEY YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR INCOME.  SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THEM AND SO AND THEN I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADVOCATE AND GO ON THE RECORD IN SUPPORTING LOOKING AT A TAX ASSESSMENT FREEZE TO ENSURE THAT OUR ELDERS CAN AFFORD TO AGE IN THEIR OWN HOMES AND COMMUNITY. SO I'M CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT SOME OF THE ADVOCACY THAT YOU HEARD HERE TODAY. SO THE INCREASES THAT WE HAVE IN THE PROPOSAL BEFORE YOU ARE IN ESSENCE DOUBLING THE INCOME REQUIREMENTS THAT WE PRESENTLY HAVE IN THE CITY AND THEY ARE DOUBLING THE ASSET REQUIREMENTS SO WE'RE NOT AT 80% YET EVEN WITH THE DOUBLING WE'RE YOU KNOW, 80%. THE PROGRAM IS ONE THAT WAS DESIGNED BY THE STATE TO TELL PEOPLE EXTREME NEED BUT WE'RE MAKING SERIOUS MODIFICATIONS TO THAT EXISTING POOL COMMISSIONER THIS IS WHERE THIS IS WHERE I KIND OF STRUGGLE A LITTLE BIT AND I'M NOT TRYING TO BE DIFFICULT. I AM JUST TRULY MAKING SURE THAT I UNDERSTAND WE KEEP THIS IS A HOME RULE PETITION THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEND TO THE STATE, CORRECT? YES. SO IF THIS IS A HOME RULE PETITION THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEND TO THE STATE, THIS IS OUR OPPORTUNITY TO ADVOCATE FOR THE THINGS THAT WE BELIEVE THE MOMENT CALLS FOR AND WHAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR IF WE WANT TO SUPPORT OUR ELDERS. SO MY QUESTION IS OR ARE WE GOING TO I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF I'M GOING TO HAVE A WORKING SESSION OF THIS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT. BUT IF THIS IS THE ONLY TIME I'M GOING TO GET TO SPEAK ON IT THEN I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M UTILIZING MY MIKE TO ADVOCATE FOR IT BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN HERE SO I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY ELSE KNOWS BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO JUST PUT A VOTE ON THIS ON WEDNESDAY WITHOUT A WORKING SESSION THEN IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN I WANT TO BE HERE UNTIL THE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT BECAUSE I DO HAVE SOME LANGUAGE THAT I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE FOR ADDITIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS.  AND ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT I LIKE TO ADVOCATE FOR ARE AND AN INCREASED RATE I'D LIKE TO FIGHT FOR AND ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF CONSIDERING SOME SORT OF FREEZE AN ASSESSMENT FREEZE FOR ELDERS IN PARTICULAR AND I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO ADVOCATE AND FIGHT FOR TO SEE HOW WE CAN INCREASE THE THE CURRENT ASSESSMENT THAT WE HAVE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. SO IF THIS IS JUST A HEARING THEN FINE BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK FOR A WORKING SESSION TO TWEAK THE LANGUAGE.  BUT IF THIS IS A HEARING DESCRIBED AS SUCH BECAUSE NORMALLY UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES WE HAVE A HEARING AND WHEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SEND SOMETHING OVER TO THE STATE HOUSE, WE HAVE A SERIES OF WORKING SESSIONS WHERE WE AS COLLEAGUES ARE ABLE TO FIGHT FOR THE THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO ADVOCATE FOR IF THIS IS NOT WHAT THIS IS AND IT'S BETTER FOR ME TO KNOW AND THAT I WOULD LIKE TO UTILIZE MY MY TIME TO FIGHT FOR THE THINGS THAT I LIKE TO RECOMMEND. SO I NEED SOME FLAHERTY ABOUT WHAT THE WHAT THE GAME PLAN IS AND WHAT WE ARE DOING BECAUSE I WANT TO STAY HERE AS LONG AS I NEED TO STAY HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M FIGHTING FOR THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE MADE TWEAKS IN ADDITIONS HERE JUST BECAUSE I DON'T WANT WINDSOR TO COME AND SAY WE HELD A HEARING SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO PUT IT UP FOR A VOTE NO, THAT JUST IS NOT THE WAY WE SHOULD BE DOING BUSINESS.  BUT IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE PRETENDING TO DO THEN I'D LIKE TO KNOW SO I CAN YOU GUYS MIGHT TELL ME I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GETTING THAT INFORMATION FROM BECAUSE THAT'S NOT WHAT I PUT OUT THERE AND THAT'S NOT AT ALL WHAT ANYBODY HAS SAID EITHER MYSELF OR THE CHAIR THE CO-CHAIR WE WANTED TO GET THROUGH TODAY SO I DON'T HAVE A GAME PLAN MOVING FORWARD. I DON'T THINK I'M GONNA BRING IT UP FOR WEDNESDAY GIVEN THAT I THINK WE STILL NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME. WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION. WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THE GOOD LANDLORD TAX ABATEMENT. I'M INTERESTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR IDEA OF A TAX ASSESSMENT FREEZE FOR SENIORS. DO YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF METRICS ON THAT? NO, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE HERE HAD LOTS OF REALLY GREAT IDEAS AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A WORKING SESSION SO THAT I CAN WORK WITH COMMUNITY, FIGURE OUT SOME REALLY GREAT PROPOSALS AND SOME NICE LANGUAGE THAT I CAN PRESENT TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CONSIDERATION SO AND IN THE NEXT ITERATION OF WHATEVER MEETING HAPPENS DEVELOPING SOME SORT OF INCOME THRESHOLD, SOME OTHER THINGS MAYBE TO TO THINK THROUGH YOUR TAX ASSESSMENT FREEZE A LITTLE BIT MORE AND THEN I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE THIS CLEAR. SO THIS IS THE 80 YOU WANT TO GO FROM 50% OF THE TO TO 80. YEAH I MEAN FROM ACCORDING THE ADVOCATES THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH AND THE FAMILY AND YOU KNOW SOME OF THE ELDERS WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH FIXED INCOMES, THEY'RE MAKING A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH AND EVEN 50% IS NOT ENOUGH AND SO THEY'RE ASKING FOR 80%. OKAY. SO YOU KNOW ME I'M ALWAYS GOING TO ASK FOR MORE THAN WHAT I CAN GET BECAUSE THAT'S HOW NEGOTIATIONS WORK. SO IF YOU'RE AT 50 I'M ASKING FOR 80. CAN WE GET TO 60 OR 65 LIKE I'M JUST TRYING BE UNREASONABLE BECAUSE I KNOW BEING UNREASONABLE GETS US TO AT LEAST WHERE WE NEED TO BE. THANK YOU THANK YOU AND I DO APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY. YOU REALLY DO. I JUST FELT LIKE I HAD TO CHIME IN WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE PRETENDING TO DO AND NOT PRETENDING TO DO RIGHT. THAT'S WHY SOMEBODY ASKED ME TO GET ON THE RECORD AS CHAIR. YEAH. THANK YOU, CHARITY.  SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO GET THE TIMELINE ON THE RECORD SO THAT NOBODY HAS SURPRISES COME WEDNESDAY. OKAY, NEXT UP WE HAVE COUNSELOR FITZGERALD AND I THINK THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I'M HAPPY TO RESPOND TO THE CHAIR. TO THE CHAIR, GOVERNOR, I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION. I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR POSITION.  SO THE ADMINISTRATION IS BRINGING FORWARD THE PROPOSALS . A LARGE NUMBER OF THESE PROPOSALS ARE ONES THAT HAVE ALREADY PASSED THIS BODY AND THAT STALLED OUT AT THE STATE AND SO WE ARE HOPING TO TO THE EXTENT THAT'S RELATED TO PROPERTY TAXES AND THAT SAME BILL IS KIND OF TYING INTO THE SENIOR EXEMPTION IS ALSO TYING INTO THE SMALL BUSINESS EXEMPTION AND THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE CHANGES HAPPEN FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR IDEALLY BEFORE THE FOURTH QUARTER BILLS GET MAILED. IT IS EXTREMELY TIME SENSITIVE AND SO WE DID NOT GO THROUGH AND FULLY REPORT THIS AND REEVALUATE ALL OF THOSE PROGRAMS.  THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT TAKES OFF THE TABLE PUTTING FORWARD OTHER OPTIONS BUT I AM NOT SURE HOW MUCH TIME THERE IS TO COMPLETELY REWORK AND RECONSIDER THIS OPTION AND I ASSURE YOU THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO SPEND TIME TO FIND THE RIGHT AMOUNT.  BUT THIS IS ALSO SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE DOUBLING THE EXISTING EXEMPTION. WE'VE DONE A COST ANALYSIS. WE'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT COST ANALYSIS.  WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT FOR ANY OF THE OTHER PROPOSALS THAT YOU MENTIONED.  ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE THINGS THAT COST THE CITY DIRECT MONEY AND THAT WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO TO PAY FOR.  AND SO IT'S IF WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE SOMETHING FORWARD AND IT PROVIDES HOPE AND THEN WE HAVE TO COME IN A YEAR TO FIND MORE HELP IT'S NOT IDEAL BUT IT'S BETTER PROVIDING NO HELP AT ALL.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MADAM CHAIR. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE BECAUSE A LOT OF THIS FROM MY OWN AGAIN EDUCATION OF THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL WOULD TAKE US BACK TO WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED IN THE FALL BUT WITH THE TWO CAVEATS OF SENIOR EXEMPTION AND THE INCREASE ON THE SMALL BUSINESSES PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX THOSE ARE THE TWO CARVE OUTS THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE WAS PART OF THE FALL. THAT'S SMART. ALL RIGHT.  THE SENIOR PIECE WAS PART OF DIFFERENT LEGISLATION BUT WE'RE BRINGING IT INTO HERE AS PART OF A LARGER PACKAGE IN THE 15 MILLION WAS ALSO PART OF THE IT WAS IT WAS PART OF THE OCTOBER COMPROMISE. YES. ALL RIGHT. IS THERE ANYTHING I'M MISSING THAT IS THAT THERE WERE TWO DIFFERENCES IN THE NEWLY PROPOSED IT'S REALLY JUST BUT THE REBATE PIECE IS THE REALLY NEW LIKE NET NEW PIECE THAT NO ONE'S SEEN BEFORE. SO HOW DOES THAT WORK? HOW DOES THAT HOW DOES THE REBATE WORK? YEAH. SO WE HAVE IT ENVISIONED THAT IF WE GET APPROVAL TO DO IT WE WOULD COME BACK TO THIS BODY WITH A REQUEST FOR AN APPROPRIATION OF A CERTAIN AMOUNT DEPENDING ON SORT OF HOW MUCH WE FEEL THE CITY CAN AFFORD AND THEN IT WILL BE APPLIED EVENLY ACROSS ALL OF THE ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS IN THIS CASE ELIGIBLE ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS ARE THOSE THAT WOULD THAT RECEIVED THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION IN FISCAL YEAR 2025. AND SO WE WOULD JUST DIVIDE THAT EVENLY IN THE CITY WOULD THAT WE'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY TO DO IT BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THE CITY HAS EVER DONE ANYTHING AT THIS SCALE BEFORE BUT SORT OF ENVISION IT AS BEING SOME SORT OF DIRECT PAYMENT TO THOSE ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS. SO IF YOU IF YOU ARE ALLOWED THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION SAY LAST YEAR OR RIGHT YOU'RE YOU'RE IN YOU FIT THE CRITERIA TO APPLY FOR RESIDENTS EXEMPTION THE REBATE WOULD JUST BE THE AVERAGE COST OVERALL OF THOSE ELIGIBLE FOLKS RIGHT IF YOU WERE WHATEVER THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION IF YOU REALLY ARE 2025 HOWEVER MUCH WE APPROPRIATE FOR THIS PURPOSE WOULD BE REALLY DIVIDED. GOTCHA.  AND SO I'M JUST LOOKING AT THAT AS OPPOSED TO THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY WHICH IS THE THE ACT AUTHORIZES CITY OF AN INCREASE ITS RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION FROM 35 TO 40% AND HOW THESE TWO EITHER ARE YOU KNOW, SIMILAR BUT BUT VARIED BUT DIFFERENT CORRECT AS WELL MAKE SURE IT IS THE IDEA THAT BOTH OF THESE ARE WE LOOKING TO ALIGN WE COULD LANDLORDS THAT THEY COULD ALL WORK TOGETHER COULD THEY WORK TOGETHER AND IF SO LIKE IF EVERYTHING WAS PASSED AND EACH OVERALL PETITION AND AND THE GOOD LANDLORD AND IT DOES IT ALL WORK UNDER YOU KNOW OR IS IT SOMETHING IS SOMEONE GETTING A HUGE DISCOUNT OR SOMETHING IF THEY FIT ALL THREE? SO THE REBATE CONCEPT ONLY APPLIES TO FISCAL YEAR 2025 I BELIEVE THE SO THE GOOD LANDLORD WOULD NOT APPLY RETROACTIVELY NOR I THINK WOULD THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION INCREASE SO THOSE WOULD BE FORWARD LOOKING PROVISIONS. SO THEY'RE SEPARATE LIKE THE TIMING OF ALL OF THEM COULD BE SEPARATE AND THEY DON'T NECESSARILY ALL HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.  I THINK AT SOME POINT YOU KNOW, IF THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION INCREASE IN THE GOOD LANDLORD THING OR ARE BOTH LEGISLATION ARE BOTH PASSED, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT HOW THOSE WORK TOGETHER. BUT THE REBATE CONCEPT IS WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP IT VERY LIMITED TO THIS ONE TIME EVENT IN FISCAL YEAR 2025. GOTCHA. AND EVEN LIKE WITH THE FOR INSTANCE THE SENIOR EXEMPTION THAT'S IN THE MAYOR'S TO THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION, I MEAN THERE ARE FOLKS THAT IT WOULDN'T BE ELIGIBLE FOR FOR BOTH WHICH ONE WOULD SUPERSEDE LIKE IF YOU'RE A SENIOR THAT A SENIOR THAT OWNS YOUR HOME WHICH ONE IS MORE BENEFICIAL FOR THEM TO SO CURRENTLY SENIORS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE EXEMPTION THIS IS MODIFYING IT'S CLAUSE 41 C CAN GET THAT EXEMPTION AS WELL AS GETTING THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION. SO YEAH YOU GET BOTH. YOU CAN HAVE AND THERE ARE NO CHANGES THAT ARE CONTEMPLATED FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN THAT WOULD PREVENT ANYONE FROM GETTING BOTH EVEN IF BOTH PROGRAMS ARE MODIFIED.  YOU. THANK YOU. AND JUST A FINAL QUESTION. COULD YOU NOT JUST IF YOU'RE FOR THE GOOD LANDLORD ONE MAYBE THIS IS FOR YOU AS WELL CHAIR IS IT NOT JUST LIKE WHAT IF YOU JUST HAD LIKE A PERCENTAGE OF THE LIKE WHAT IF YOU JUST RENT IT OUT AT A PERCENTAGE OF LIKE A LOW ENOUGH PERCENTAGE OF THE MEDIAN AREA RATHER THAN BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S RESTRICTIONS WHERE IT HAS TO BE FOR YOU KNOW, AM I AFFORDABLE IN THAT? BUT WHAT IF I HAVE A TWO FAMILY AND JUST SAY WELL I'M RENTING IT BELOW WAY BELOW MARKET, YOU KNOW, BUT IS THERE ANY INCENTIVE FOR FOLKS IN THAT REGARD THAT THAT MAYBE NOT DOING IT TO FOLKS THAT FALL UNDER A CERTAIN CATEGORY BUT JUST SAY HEY, MY RENT IS LOW ENOUGH BY COMPARISON?  SO I THINK THAT'S A THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION COUNSELOR.  THE SO THE PROVISION IS WRITTEN IN STATE LAW LEAVES SOME OPTIONS OPEN INTO CRITERIA. I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE OFFERING IN THIS CURRENT MARKET PROVIDES A LIMIT THAT WOULD IMPACT THE KIND OF THING THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT AND I THINK IT IS SOMETHING THAT IF WE DID MOVE FORWARD WE WOULD HAVE TO THERE'S SOME CRITERIA THAT WE WOULD NEED TO FIGURE OUT THE CITY AND THE COUNCIL TOGETHER THAT WOULD ADDRESS SOME OF THE POINTS THAT I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW. JUST THE INTERESTING JUST KIND OF POPPED IN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.  THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. AND THERE IS ONE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT FOR LANDLORDS MAYBE THIS IS GETTING TO YOUR POINT BUT PROPERTIES MUST BE RENTED TO TENANTS WITH HOUSEHOLD INCOMES AT OR BELOW 80% OF THE AM-I RENTS MUST NOT EXCEED 30% OF THE HOUSEHOLD'S TOTAL INCOME AND THAT'S ALIGNING WITH GUIDELINES BY HUD AND THEN THE WE HAVE TO GET INTO TO THE SPECIFICS WHAT THE INCOME FOR OUR INCOME THRESHOLD FOR TENANTS BUT IT JUST SAYS NOT TO EXCEED AT 20% OR 200% OF THE AMY WHICH FOR TWO FOLKS IS $189,000 SO THAT'S OKAY. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR. I WOULD THOUGHT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO LOOK AT IT IN THE WAY OF LIKE YOU KNOW IF THE BACK BAY THE AVERAGE RENTS 5000 AND YOU'RE LIKE BUT I RENT MINE FOR A THOUSAND AND I RENT IT TO ANYBODY. RIGHT. OKAY. AND LIKE DO YOU GET IT DO YOU GET REWARDED FOR THAT TYPE OF GOTCHA.  SO I MISUNDERSTOOD YOUR QUESTION. NO, NO, I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.  COUNCILOR WEBER THANK YOU, CHAIR OKAY, SO WHAT'S THE TIME? SORRY WHAT IS THE TIMELINE HERE IN TERMS OF LABOR I'M SORRY. I GUESS IF WE'RE IF WE'RE GOING YEAH ARRIVED FOR BOTH HEARINGS. I MEAN I WAS HERE COUNSELOR FOR AN IS JUST WHAT'S THE TIMELINE FOR WHEN WE NEED TO GET THIS OUT OF THIS BODY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE BENEFITS.  YEAH. THANK YOU SO AND UNFORTUNATELY WE LIKE EVERYTHING. THERE'S A LOT OF URGENCY HERE IF WE WANT TO HAVE AN IMPACT FOR THE FOURTH QUARTER BILLS THAT ARE THAT NEED TO GO OUT ON APRIL FIRST. AND SO WITHIN THE LEGISLATION WE HAVE WRITTEN IN THAT IF PASSED TO ALLOW US TO DO THE CHANGE TO THE TAX RATE THAT THAT HAS TO BE DONE AND PASSED AND SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR AND ADOPTED AND ALL OF THAT BY MARCH 1ST SO THAT WE GIVE OURSELVES A MONTH TO MAKE MAKE THAT HAPPEN AS FAR AS THE REBATE CONCEPT GOES WRITTEN INTO THE LEGISLATION CURRENTLY IS THAT THAT WOULD NEED TO PASS BY JULY 1ST 2025 IN ORDER FOR THAT TO BE VALID.  OKAY. SO SO WHEN WOULD BE SO SOMETIME IN IN IN FEBRUARY YES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND THE THE IT'S YOU KNOW SORT OF WRITTEN AS A MENU OF OPTIONS OF SORTS. SO IF THE TAX RATE CONCEPT IS NOT PALATABLE WELL THERE'S ANOTHER OPTION. OKAY. AND THEN SO TERMS OF THE HOME RULE THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL SECTIONS ON THE REBATES, IT SAYS ONLY IN THE EVENT THAT THE TAX RATES FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON ARE NOT CHANGED BY MARCH 1ST, THEN THE REBATES KICK IN. SO CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN THAT SO IT'S NOT WE'RE NOT YOU CAN'T WE'RE NOT DOING BOTH.  NO, NO. IT'S SORT OF LIKE A DECISION TREE OF SORTS WHERE IT'S LIKE IF WE DON'T GET THE TAX RATE ABILITY WE LIKE THE ABILITY THEN TO DO THIS REBATE. OKAY, THANKS. JUST HELPS ME EXPLAIN THAT. SO ON THE THE THE PORTION IS JUST THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION INCREASE AND THERE'S YOU CAN EXPLAIN THIS MY UNDERSTANDING IS LIKE THERE'S A 10% OF THE VALUE CAP LIKE YOU HAVE TO PAY IT AND SO MY CONCERN IS THAT JUST INCREASING THE PERCENTAGE ENDS UP BENEFITING YOU BASICALLY PEOPLE WITH MORE VALUE YOU KNOW WHERE YOU'RE YOU JUST HAVE SO AND CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT OR DO THE MATH AND BECAUSE IF IT'S JUST 5% SOMEBODY WHOSE HOME IS WORTH $1,000,000 IS GOING TO HAVE THAT'S 5% IS A LOT MORE THAN SOMEBODY WHOSE HOME IS WORTH $500,000. BUT CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH THAT AND HOW YOU KNOW WHAT IMPACT THAT WOULD HAVE? YOU KNOW, ON PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT VALUE RESIDENCES? YES, SIR. AND TO BE CLEAR, TALKING ABOUT THE THE REBATE PROGRAM, RIGHT? NO, NO, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION. OH, THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION, YEAH. I'M GLAD A PROPOSAL BY MY COLLEAGUES NOT THE THE THE MAYOR. YES. SO YOU ARE CORRECT IN THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION LAW THAT CURRENTLY EXIST CONVERSION THAT THIS WOULD BE MODIFYING THERE IS A REQUIREMENT IN ESSENCE THAT MAKES IT SO THAT EVERYONE HAS TO PAY AT LEAST 10% OF WHAT THEY WOULD OTHERWISE OWN PROPERTY TAXES.  AND SO PEOPLE THAT ARE ALREADY AT THAT LEVEL OF PAYMENT WITH THE CURRENT EXEMPTION AT 35% WOULD NOT GET ANY ADDITIONAL TAX RELIEF IF THE EXEMPTION AMOUNT WERE TO INCREASE TO 40% OR 45 OR ANY NUMBER THAT WOULD GO TO PEOPLE WITH HIGHER VALUE PROPERTIES BUT NOT PEOPLE WITH THAT ARE ALREADY PAYING THAT 10% MINIMUM. OKAY I DON'T KNOW IF MY COLLEAGUES WOULD WANT BUT I MY QUESTION IS JUST COULD YOU PLUG IN A NUMBER OF SCENARIO SO I CAN IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE BUT I, I, I WOULD CHAIR BACK TO YOU. I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS IF THEY WANT TO ASK THAT ON MY TIME. I'M HAPPY TO HEAR. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR WEBER. EXCUSE ME. MY GOSH. COUNCILMAN, ANY TENSION?  I.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. CAN I.  SO THIS IS ON THE FLOOR NOW, RIGHT? LIKE THE MAYOR RULES FILING I ASSUME FOR DISCUSSION. THANK YOU. AND YOURS IS AS WELL. AND SO IS CASTLE MURPHY'S. YES. OKAY. THANK YOU. COULD I JUST ASK YOU GUYS IF YOU HAVE AN APPETITE OR WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT CASTLE COLLIDER'S ORDER? I THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING CONCEPT AND THERE'S JUST LIKE I SAID IN MY PRESENTATION, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO WORK OUT AND UNDERSTAND AND SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A DESIRE TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND THE I THINK IT'S A HOME RULE PETITION BY CASTLE MURPHY.  YES. THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT? SO IN MY PRESENTATION I YOU KNOW, I'M SORRY I MIGHT HAVE MISSED HALF OF YOUR PRESENTATION. OKAY. I'M HAPPY TO RECEIVE IT. IN THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION HAS BEEN A REALLY IMPORTANT TOOL FOR THE CITY THAT'S ALLOWED US TO, YOU KNOW, ATTEMPT TO MAXIMIZE AFFORDABILITY FOR FOLKS. I THINK OUR POSITION IS THAT AT THIS MOMENT WHEN WE ALREADY ARE SEEING INCREASED PRESSURE ON THE RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE BECAUSE OF THE DYNAMICS IN THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET, OUR CONCERN IS THAT INCREASING THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION AND THEREFORE THE RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE EVEN FURTHER COULD EXACERBATE SOME OF THOSE AFFORDABILITY CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS WITH OUR TAX RELIEF PROPOSAL. SO JUST A CONCERN ABOUT THE TIMING AND HOW THOSE THINGS IMPACT THE RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE. THANK YOU, MAYOR.  MAYOR, WHAT WAS EXACTLY THE LETTER TO THE COUNSELOR TO THE COUNCIL AND IT REALLY GOES IN DEPTH TO EXPLAINING ABOUT A STATE SENATOR WHO BLOCKED THE COMPETITION FROM PASSING OR FROM BEING HEARD AND HEARD AND BLOCKED IT THREE TIMES AND THEN GOES INTO MORE DETAILS.  DO WE HAVE A SENSE OF LIKE THE TEMPERATURE NOW?  WHAT WHAT IS DIFFERENT AND HOW WILL IT BE RECEIVED IN THE SENATE? DO YOU ANTICIPATE?  I WILL JUST SAY I THINK IN TERMS OF WHAT'S DIFFERENT FROM LAST TIME WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE THIRD QUARTER BILLS HAVE GONE OUT AND SO PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO SEE IN THEIR MAILBOX THE GO HOW IT WAS RIGHT OF WHAT THIS OF WHAT HAPPENED. RIGHT. SO I THINK THAT'S THE CRITICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NOW AND BEFORE WHEN WE WERE TRYING TO ANTICIPATE AND BE PROACTIVE AND GET THIS DONE AHEAD OF TIME.  NOW WE HAVE THE ACTUAL IMPACT OF IT IN PEOPLE'S MAILBOXES.  SO I DID READ ABOUT THE TIMELINE.  YOU SAID MARCH 1ST AND SO WE HAVE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF MEET NO JUST ONE LEFT IN FEBRUARY. SO MADAM CHAIR, DO YOU ANTICIPATE A WORKING SESSION OR HOW ARE WE DOING? I WANTED TO GET THROUGH TODAY FIRST. I'M NOT IN A POSITION I JUST SIMPLE ANSWERS I DON'T KNOW AND I DON'T HAVE A TIMELINE FOR YOU AT THIS MOMENT BUT I PROBABLY WILL FOLLOWING EVERYONE'S QUESTIONS AND I CAN MAKE A COMMITMENT SOON.  I JUST I'LL SAY I DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT ARE WE IN A PLACE WHERE. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  ARE WE IN A PLACE WHERE WE CAN DEVELOP SOME SORT OF CHECKLIST OR CHART OF SOME SORT TO SAY SATISFIED NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO SATISFIED. WE UNDERSTAND IT. WE GET IT. THIS WORKS DOES MAKE SENSE. WE AGREE. DO WE DO BY PROCESS OF ELIMINATION SOME SORT OF CHECKLIST SO THAT WE CAN GET TO A SOLUTION. IT JUST FEELS SUPER CONVOLUTED ESPECIALLY WITH LIKE THE OTHER FILINGS IN PLACE. AND SO I THINK THAT YOU KNOW, FOR MY CONSTITUENTS WHAT I'VE BEEN HEARING IS OBVIOUSLY ONE THAT YOU CAN GO BACK AND YOU CAN TRIM THE BUDGET AND YOU CAN REALLOCATE FUNDS AND YOU CAN FIGURE IT OUT HOW TO CREATE MORE EXEMPTIONS OR OTHER OPPORTUNITIES. BUT THEN ALSO LIKE IF WE ARE DOING ALL OF THESE DOCKETS IN ONE HEARING I DON'T SEE THE AVERAGE PERSON WITHIN DATA STRESSORS OR WHATEVER GOING WATCHING THIS AND SAYING YEP I GET ALL OF IT THIS IDEA, THAT IDEA, THIS IDEA I GET ALL OF IT BUT SO IF WE CAN CONSOLIDATE AND I SEE THAT YOU HAVE YOUR PRESENTATION YOU'VE DONE YOUR WORK, YOU'VE BROUGHT YOU KNOW WE HAVE THE LETTER, WE HAVE THE FILING BUT IS THERE A WAY TO DO SORT OF LIKE SORT OF A CHECKLIST SO THAT COUNCILORS CAN BEGIN TO BUY PROCESS NOMINATION AND CROSS OUT THINGS THAT WE DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT AND JUST LOOK AT THE PAIN POINT BECAUSE IF THERE IS ONE I'D LIKE TO BE PROACTIVE ABOUT FINDING A SOLUTION SO WE CAN GET TO A RESOLUTION FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS.  YEAH, I THINK FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE AND THE REASON WHY WE FILED THE HOME RULE PETITION IN JANUARY IS WE VIEW THAT AS THIS VEHICLE AS THE PATH TO GET RESIDENTIAL RELIEF TO FOLKS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE REALLY HERE TO DO.  THE CONCEPTS ARE NOT NEW IN MANY CASES THEY'RE THE SAME CONCEPTS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW WITH A NEW ADDED COMPONENT AROUND THE REBATES AND REALLY JUST TRYING TO GET THIS TO THE STATE HOUSE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN DELIVER RELIEF TO RESIDENTS AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN. I UNDERSTAND YOU ANSWER MY QUESTION RESPECTFULLY BECAUSE YOU ARE USUALLY REALLY GOOD AT THIS. SO I KNOW I KNOW AND MAYBE I DIDN'T EXPLAIN IT CORRECTLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS THAT THERE HAS TO BE A SIMPLE WAY TO SIMPLIFY THIS SO THAT WE CAN COMMUNICATED WITH CONSTITUENTS BEFORE WE CAN VOTE ON IT. THAT HAS TO BE A SENTIMENT THAT WE'VE CONVEYED IT IN A WAY THAT IS DIGESTIBLE, IT'S USER FRIENDLY AND PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO NAVIGATE AND ADVOCATE IN THE FUTURE AND UNDERSTAND IT.  THE PROACTIVE MEASURE HERE IS WHAT I'M LOOKING I'M LOOKING FOR A WAY SO THAT WE CAN TAKE AWAY AND SAY WE'RE GOOD WITH A BCB AND THAT EA IS A PROBLEM AND THAT'S WHERE WE GOT TO WORK OUT BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE BRING UP DIFFERENT TOPICS AND YOU HAVE DIFFERENT COUNCILORS TALKING ABOUT IT, IT FEELS MOOT TO JUST SIT HERE AND GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND IT MUST BE LIKE ARDUOUS FOR YOU TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS IN THESE HEARINGS AND TO FOR CONSTITUENTS TO FEEL THEY'RE NOT GETTING ANYWHERE AND YOU WANT THE VOTE WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS OR PREFERABLY WEDNESDAY. THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, RIGHT? IF THAT'S THE CASE, HOW DO WE COMMUNICATED TO CONSTITUENTS? HOW DO WE TAKE A VOTE RESPONSIBLY AND SAY WE'VE DONE OUR JOB TO BE TRANSPARENT BECAUSE CONSTITUENTS STILL HAVE A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THIS IDEA ? IF I COULD JUST ASK A POINT OF CLARIFICATION ARE YOU ARE YOU ASKING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE ON THE DOCKET RELATED TO THE MAYOR'S HOME RULE OR YOU CORRECT.  TALKING ABOUT ALL OF THE DOCKETS THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING TODAY. I THINK CONSIDERING SORRY MADAM CHAIR, I'M FROM A WRAP UP CONSIDERING THE DYNAMICS POLITICAL DYNAMICS ON THE COUNCIL YOU YOU KNOW AND I KNOW THAT YOU'RE GOING TO ASK US TO VOTE ON THIS SOON FORGET EVERYTHING ELSE IT'S FILED BECAUSE IF YOU GOT TO STILL GO LOOK AT IT IT MEANS YOU'VE GOT TO DO MORE RESEARCH AND IF YOU DIDN'T COME PREPARED TO PROVIDE THE RESEARCH FOR COUNCIL LETTERS OR COUNCIL MURPHY'S FILING, IT MEANS THAT THE PRIORITY IS MARIO'S FILING. IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN HOW DO WE PROACTIVELY WORK TOGETHER TO FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION?  IT MEANS THAT WE GO THROUGH A CHECKLIST BY PROXY FOR ELIMINATION BY ELIMINATION I MEAN ALL SAID WE AGREE AND MAYBE THERE ARE A COUPLE OF PAIN POINTS LIKE BUT OUR REALLOCATION OR OTHER POINTS THAT PEOPLE CONSTITUENTS ARE BRINGING UP THAT WE CAN SUPPORT YOU IN SAYING WE JUST GOT TO WORK OUT THIS ONE KINK AND THEN AFTER THAT WE'RE GOOD TO GO. HOW DO WE DO THAT WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT THIS CAN HAPPEN WEDNESDAY BUT I THINK IT CAN HAPPEN TO NEXT WEEK NEXT WEDNESDAY IF WE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO LOOK AT THAT AND CONVEY IT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS AND COME BACK AND FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT WE'VE DONE OUR JOB. SO I THINK WHAT I WOULD I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE YOUR POINT AND I THINK YOU EXPRESSED IN AN EXTREMELY THOUGHTFUL MANNER. THANK YOU. WE ARE NOT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ESPECIALLY TO KIND OF HELP PROCESS THESE PROPOSALS AND PROVIDE THE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN PROVIDE SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE INFORMED VOTES AND CHOICES. THE PROPOSAL THAT WE BROUGHT FORWARD TODAY WE TRIED REALLY HARD TO KEEP IT IN ESSENCE TO THE THINGS THAT THIS BOARD HAS ALREADY VOTED ON AND ALREADY PASSED IT. YOU DID. AND SO OUR HOPE IS BY DOING THAT THAT WE AREN'T BRINGING LOTS OF COMPLICATED NEW THINGS TO THE TABLE THAT WOULD REQUIRE A LENGTHY BACK AND FORTH. AND SO THAT'S WHY OUR HOPE IS THAT IT CAN BE ACHIEVED QUICKLY. THERE'S SOME CHANGES TO BECAUSE OF TIMING AND BECAUSE THE TAX RATE IS ALREADY SET. YOU HAVE THE CHANGES IN THE BEGINNING TO FISCAL YEAR 25. IN ESSENCE WHAT THAT IS DOING BY SETTING THOSE TAX RATES IS IT IS SETTING THEM AT THE RATES THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN IF OUR PREVIOUS HOME RULE PASSED AND WE HAD THE AUTHORITY TO CHANGE THE SHIFT. THOSE ARE THE RATES THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED OUT OF THAT HORRIBLE PASSAGE. SO IT LOOKS DIFFERENT BUT IT'S ACHIEVING THE SAME OBJECTIVE AS THAT FIRST LAW THAT THIS BOARD VOTED ON IN ADVANCE TO THE STATE.  WE HAVE PROVISIONS IN THERE FOR THE SHIFT FOR THE NEXT TWO YEARS THAT ARE ALSO EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE ONE THAT THIS BOARD VOTED ON AND ADVANCED TO THE STATE AND THEN THE SENIOR EXEMPTION IT'S BEEN A LITTLE WHILE NOW SINCE IT WAS BEFORE THIS BOARD BUT WHEN THIS BOARD VOTED ON THE TRANSFER TAX IN ADVANCE THAT TO THE STATE THE SENIOR EXEMPTION WAS IN THERE AS WELL AND SO ALL OF THOSE ARE THINGS THAT AS WRITTEN OR VERY CLOSELY MIRRORING THE EXACT LANGUAGE AND ACHIEVING THE SAME EFFECT AS ITEMS THAT THIS BOARD AS RECENTLY VOTED ON AND ADVANCED THROUGH HOME RULE PETITIONS. THERE IS ONE TWEAK WHICH IS THE REBATE CONCEPT THAT IS A THAT IS A DIFFERENT THING THAT WASN'T IN THERE BEFORE IS A YOU CAN ASK IN ATTEMPTS TO KIND OF DEAL WITH THE CLOCK THAT WE'RE FACING AND WE WERE IN A MANNER TO KIND OF MAKE IT REALLY CLEAR AS TO WHO THE ASSISTANCE WOULD GO TO AND WHAT THE POINT OF THE ASSISTANCE WOULD BE.  THE GOAL OF THAT WAS TO TRY AND PREVENT LENGTHY DEBATE SO WE COULD DO WHAT WE COULD TO SEE IF WE CAN GET RELIEF TO OUR CONSTITUENTS BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE FOR FISCAL YEAR 25.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WE'LL DO A SECOND ROUND. NUMBER THREE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH.  THAT'S RIGHT FOR THE PORT AUTHORITY. SORRY. COUNCILOR WORRELL THANK YOU, CHAIR.  MY QUESTIONS WELL, MY FIRST QUESTION WILL BE AROUND THE RESIDENTIAL TAX EXEMPTION SEEING THAT THAT HAS INCREASED, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE YEARS EVER SINCE IT WAS FIRST PUT INTO LAW.  I WHEN WHEN WHEN WOULD BE THE BEST TIME YOU KNOW, JUST YOU KNOW, LIKE WE CAN ALWAYS SAY YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2016 WE COULD HAVE HAD THE SAME ARGUMENT THAT IT WOULD INCREASE YOU KNOW THE OTHER RENT. BUT IT'S A WHAT WHEN WOULD BE THE BEST TIME TO INCREASE THE EXEMPTION.  SO TRADITIONALLY THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED ON TO INCREASE THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION IN YEARS WHERE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES WERE RISING SO QUICKLY THAT THE TAX RATE WAS FALLING DRAMATICALLY.  AND SO YOU'LL NOTICE IN YEARS WHERE WE WENT FROM LIKE 30% EXEMPTION TO 35% EXEMPTION TAX RATES DIDN'T ACTUALLY GO UP RELATIVE TO THE PRIOR YEAR. THEY STILL WENT DOWN. THEY WOULD HAVE GONE DOWN FURTHER IF THAT EXEMPTION WASN'T PASSED BUT BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH KIND OF THE OPPOSITE SCENARIO NOW WHERE TAX RATES ARE RISING THEN THE INCREASE OF ADDING IN RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION MAKES THAT STRUGGLE A LITTLE HARDER ESPECIALLY FOR PROPERTIES LIKE RENTAL PROPERTIES THAT AREN'T ELIGIBLE FOR THE EXEMPTION BUT HAVE TO BEAR THE FULL WEIGHT OF THAT TAX INCREASE.  GOT IT.  BUT I THOUGHT COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES OR ANY PROPERTY OVER THREE UNITS WAS BASED OFF OF INCOME.  RIGHT. AND FROM A VALUATION PERSPECTIVE, YES, I'VE BEEN I'M NOT ON THE RATE BUT NOT IN THE TAX RATE. NOT ON THE TAX RATE.  IT'S THE SAME AS RESIDENTIAL. GOT IT. ALL RIGHT.  MY OTHER QUESTION IS WHEN IT COMES TO THE SURPLUS, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME GUARDRAILS AROUND YOU KNOW, CREATING SOME SORT OF, YOU KNOW, PRECEDENT ON WHY WE'RE USING THESE FUNDS AT THIS MOMENT. WHAT WOULD BE YOUR, YOU KNOW, FEEDBACK ON CREATING SOME GUARDRAILS ON YOU KNOW,  CREATING A STANDARD FOR FOR FUTURE USE OF STEPS AND REBATES ? YEAH. SO TWO THINGS ON THAT. NUMBER ONE, THIS IS ENVISIONED AS SOMETHING THAT WILL ONLY HAPPEN IN FISCAL YEAR 2025. WE DO NOT WANT THIS TO BE SET UP TO BE A REPEATING THING. THIS IS A ONE TIME AND IT IS WRITTEN AS SUCH SO IF THERE'S ANY SUGGESTIONS YOU HAVE ON THE LANGUAGE SO WE CAN FURTHER CLARIFY THAT THIS IS INTENDED TO BE JUST FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025. HAPPY TO TAKE THOSE SUGGESTIONS. I THINK THE OTHER THING IS WE WILL HAVE TO ORIGINATE AND COME TO YOU ALL WITH AN APPROPRIATION FOR THIS PIECE WHICH WILL BE BASED ON A NUMBER OF FACTORS OF AFFORDABILITY AND WHAT WE FEEL LIKE WE AS A CITY CAN REASONABLY APPROPRIATE AT THE TIME.  SO I HOPE BETWEEN THOSE TWO THINGS WE SORT OF LIMITED IT TO THIS ONE TIME EXTRAORDINARY THING THAT WE WILL CREATE. YOU KNOW, APPROPRIATE TOGETHER. ALL RIGHT. YEAH. AND I DO GET THAT BUT WE DO NOW SET A PRECEDENT, YOU KNOW, FROM A PUBLIC PERSPECTIVE THAT YOU KNOW, WE CAN AND WILL ISSUE REBATES OF TAX BILLS RISE. YOU KNOW TOO MUCH. RIGHT. SO YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOME SORT OF GUARDRAILS AND HAPPY TO WORK ON SOME LANGUAGE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AROUND THAT.  MY OTHER QUESTION HOW MANY HOW MANY PROPERTY OWNERS RECEIVE THE RESIDENTIAL TAX EXEMPTION? IT'S AROUND 77,000. 77,000? YES.  SO.  RIGHT ON TIME. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR. WELL, OKAY. I HAVE QUESTIONS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE REBATE PROGRAM CAUSE THAT'S THE NEW DETAIL OF THIS PROPOSAL.  THE COUNCIL DID VOTE ON EVERYTHING ELSE BEFORE. HAPPY TO SEE THIS ALSO INCLUDED IN THERE WE TALK ABOUT SO IN SECTION SIX THE REBATE SHALL BE A UNIFORM AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR EACH ELIGIBLE TAXPAYER. HAVE YOU DEVELOPED THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?  HOW DO YOU DEFINE THAT? SO AS IT'S CURRENTLY WRITTEN ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS WOULD BE THOSE THAT RECEIVED THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION IN 20 COUNT FISCAL YEAR 2025. SO THAT IS THE CRITERIA IS CURRENTLY INCLUDED IN THE LEGISLATION. THANK YOU. AND THEN THE APPLICATION PROCESS WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE ON ON YOUR END TO PULL OFF SOMETHING LIKE THIS? SO AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, I DON'T SO THE COMMISSIONER CAN SPEAK TO THE APPLICATION FOR GETTING THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION WHICH FOLKS HAVE UNTIL APRIL 1ST TO DO FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR.  WE ARE NOT ENVISIONING SORT OF AN APPLICATION PROCESS FOR THE REBATE CONCEPT. THAT'S WHY WE KIND OF DEFINED IT VERY BROADLY SO THAT WE THERE'S A DEFINED UNIVERSE OF PEOPLE. WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE SO WE CAN DIRECTLY DEAL WITH THE RELIEF THAT WAY. BUT I'LL LET THE COMMISSIONER SPEAK TO THE ACTUAL APPLICATION PROCESS YET SO THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY SORT OF ADDITIONAL NEED OR APPLICATION FROM CONSTITUENTS FOR THE REBATE. IT WOULD JUST GO OFF OF WHETHER THEY HAD RECEIVED THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION FOR FISCAL YEAR 25. OKAY. AND SO THERE'S NO DOCUMENT THAT THEY NEED INCOME VERIFICATION. OKAY. NO, THERE WOULD BE WE WOULD HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE WOULD NEED AND THEN WE WOULD JUST NEED TO COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL APPROPRIATE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY AND GET IT OUT TO PEOPLE. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA OF HOW YOU'RE GOING TO CALCULATE THIS REBATE FOR FOLKS? SO WE'LL COME TO YOU ALL AND REQUEST IF WE GET AN AUTHORITY TO DO THIS AND THIS IS THE PATH THAT THE CITY CHOOSES TO GO DOWN, WE WILL APPROPRIATE AN AMOUNT OF MONEY AND THEN THAT WILL BE EVENLY DIVIDED AMONGST THE ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS. SIMPLE.  OKAY. THAT'S I THINK THAT'S OVERLY SIMPLE. IS THERE ANY WAY YOU CAN EXPAND ON THAT? I MEAN YOU ARE ASKING FOR GREAT AUTHORITY HERE AND THIS IS HAVE WE EVER DONE A REBATE PROGRAM BEFORE? NO, NO. WE'VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE IT AND YOU KNOW, IS A SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM THAT WE'RE FACING IN THIS MOMENT AND UNFORTUNATELY BECAUSE OUR INITIAL ATTEMPTS DID NOT END UP BEING PASSED, WE ARE TRYING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO GET ASSISTANCE OUT TO PEOPLE FOR FISCAL YEAR 25. YEAH, AND TO BE CLEAR WE STILL BELIEVE THAT THE TAX SHIFT PROPOSAL IS THE BEST WAY TO DO THIS RIGHT. THIS IS SORT OF AN EXTRAORDINARY MEASURE THAT WE'VE INCLUDED BECAUSE PAST ATTEMPTS DID NOT PASS AND SO WE STILL FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE SHIFT IS THE BEST WAY FOR THE CITY TO DO THIS. BUT THIS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY MEASURE THAT WE'VE INCLUDED IN THIS THIRD GO AROUND. DID I NOT TIE MYSELF I'M SO SORRY. I APOLOGIZE. ALL RIGHT. I'LL JUST DO ONE THAT WAS A MISTAKE ON MY BEHALF.  IS THIS REBATE GOING TO BE APPLIED DIRECTLY TO THE PROPERTY TAX BILL?  WE ARE ENVISIONING IT BEING MORE SOMETHING LIKE LOOKING LIKE DIRECT RELIEF WHEN YOU START TO APPLY THINGS TO THE BILL GETS A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED. AND SO AGAIN, IF THE GOAL IS TO HELP, YOU KNOW, IMPACT THE MOST PEOPLE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, OUR ASSESSMENT IS THAT IT'S PROBABLY EASIER TO PROVIDE SOME SORT OF DIRECT CHECK OR SOMETHING AS OPPOSED TO INTERACTING WITH THE TAX BILL. OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'LL DO A SECOND ROUND FOR FOLKS. WE'LL START BACK AGAIN AT THE TOP COUNCIL OF FLYNN MURPHY HAS GONE TO HERE FITZGERALD AND THEN WEBER THAT'S THE FUNNY OBVIOUSLY.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM AGAIN WHEN THIS DOES PASS THE CITY COUNCIL THE MAYOR'S HOME PETITION PROPOSAL IS IT AMENDABLE UP AT THE STATE HOUSE BY THE BY THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE AND IF IT IS WHAT WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS OF WHAT WHAT IS THE ADVICE THAT YOU ARE GIVING THEM ON WHAT THEY SHOULD FOCUS ON OR NOT FOCUS ON? IS THERE ANYTHING ON THE TABLE OR OFF THE TABLE OFF THE TABLE AS IT RELATES TO WHAT THE WHAT YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO THE STATE LEGISLATORS?  YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. SO YES, IT IS AMENDABLE I BELIEVE THE WAY IT IS WRITTEN THEY COULD PASS IT AS IS AND MAKE NO CHANGES TO IT AND IT WOULD ALL FIT TOGETHER AND WORK TOGETHER SO THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S SORT OF IN CONFLICT WITH ONE ANOTHER. IT'S JUST THE THE WAY THE TAX RATE CHANGE IS WRITTEN IS THAT IF WE DON'T GET THAT BY A CERTAIN DATE THEN WE WOULD LIKE THE AUTHORITY TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THOSE REBATES.  NOW WILL WILL THEY WILL THE HOUSE AND SENATE NEGOTIATE WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ABOUT WHAT THOSE NEW CHANGES MIGHT BE IN THE AMENDABLE AND AMENDABLE DOCUMENT DOCUMENT OR DO THEY HAVE THE UNILATERAL AUTHORITY TO DO IT THEMSELVES WITHOUT NEGOTIATING?  VERY GOOD QUESTION. I WILL SAY JUST WE'VE HAD REALLY GOOD PRODUCTIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR FOLKS AT THE STATE DELEGATION. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE IS SOME SORT OF NEGOTIATION, I THINK WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEM. BUT YOU MIGHT HAVE YEAH. SO IT'S WRITTEN THAT IT'S AMENDABLE AS LONG AS THE CHANGES ARE WITHIN THE SCOPE AND ORIGINAL INTENT OF THIS HOME RULE PETITION IF THEY DID SOMETHING UNILATERALLY THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WOULD END UP COMING BACK TO THE CITY AND BACK TO THIS BODY.  SO IT'S NOT KIND OF GIVING A BLANK CHECK FOR THEM TO WRITE ANY LAW THEY WANT AND THEN OPPOSE IT IMPOSED UPON BOSTON.  I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S THE CONCERN EXACTLY, BUT I THINK WELL IF THEY DO MAKE SOME CHANGES THERE'S A COME BACK TO THE CITY DOES IT COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL TO TO VOTE ON IT.  YEAH. SO I THINK IT DEPENDS ON HOW DRAMATIC THE CHANGES SO LIKE THERE ARE SOME DATES THAT ARE WRITTEN IN HERE IF THEY CHANGED SO LIKE FOR EXAMPLE IN THE FIRST SECTION WHERE IT'S TALKING ABOUT TAX RATES IT SAYS THAT IT NEEDS TO BE ENACTED BY MARCH 1ST. IF THEY CHANGE THAT TO MARCH 10TH IT'S NOT IDEAL. HOPEFULLY WE WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE IT BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD REQUIRE YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL TO TAKE ANOTHER VOTE BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF IMPACTING TIMELINE BUT IT'S NOT IMPACTING THE MECHANICS OF THE OF THE LAW . I MEAN OUR OUR HOPE IS VERY MUCH THAT NOW THAT THE DATA IS OUT THERE WE CAN GET THE BILL THAT WAS ALREADY AGREED TO BY A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND PASSED BY A NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO BE ENACTED AS WRITTEN THE THE 77,000 BOSTON RESIDENTS THAT DO RECEIVE A REBATE IS THAT THAT'S THE FIGURE YOU PUT OUT I THINK SOME IS FOR THAT YES OKAY SO THEY THEY WOULD GET A REBATE OF WHAT IS THE PART OF MONEY THAT'S IN THAT IN THAT REBATE FORMULA. HOW MUCH ARE THEY GETTING GETTING IS THAT WAS IT 15 MILLION TOTAL IN THAT IN THAT PART I MISSED THAT I'M SORRY. NO, NO, THAT'S THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. SO THAT PART IS CURRENTLY UNDEFINED. UM, THE SO THERE ARE 77,000 PEOPLE THAT ARE GETTING THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION THAT IS DEFINING THE CATEGORY OF PEOPLE THAT COULD GET THE REBATE. YOU'RE CORRECT IN HOW YOU FRAMED IT AND THEN IF PASSED AND IF THE TAX RATES DON'T CHANGE THEN THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE THE COUNCIL TO APPROPRIATE POT OF MONEY TO DISTRIBUTE. BUT IT'S NOT DEFINED AS $15 MILLION THAT'S RELATED TO THE SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE.  OKAY. WHAT LIKELY WOULD IT BE? WOULD IT BE 20 MILLION? 10 MILLION? I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHAT DO WE HAVE AN IDEA OR IS IT HIGH AS HIGH AS 50 MILLION? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE YET DECIDED. I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO IF WE GET THE AUTHORITY TO DO IT BASED ON THE FINANCIAL SITUATION AT THE TIME MAKE A CALL AND COME BACK TO YOU ALL WITH A PROPOSAL. OKAY, MADAM CHAIR, MAY I ASK YOU ONE QUESTION? SURE. IF CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES I THINK COUNCILMAN JIM MENTIONED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WANT TO ADD OR ARE THINKING ABOUT ADDING AMENDMENT ARE THEY ALLOWED TO DO THAT IN? WHAT WOULD THE PROCEDURE BE? THEY ARE 100% ALLOWED TO DO THAT. IT'S BEEN THE PRACTICE OF THIS COMMITTEE UNDER MY LEADERSHIP BEFORE I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN WHATEVER AMENDMENTS FOLKS HAVE AND IT WOULD BE THE NORMAL PROCESS. OKAY THROUGH WORKING SESSION. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU COUNCILOR MURPHY AND CHAIR.  SO WE WERE CLEAR THAT WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THE POT FOR THE REBATES WOULD BE BUT WILL THAT EXACT AMOUNT BE GIVEN TO US BEFORE WE WOULD EVER CONSIDER VOTING ON IT? OH ABSOLUTELY. WE WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU ALL WITH THAT APPROPRIATION. SO YES. SO WE NEED TO HAVE THAT IN DAYS . YEAH CONSIDERING SO THE HOME RULE PETITION GIVES US THE AUTHORITY TO DO IT BUT IN ORDER FOR US TO ACTUALLY SPEND THE MONEY IF WE WERE TO GET THE AUTHORITY WE HAVE TO COME BACK TO YOU COME BACK.  IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE LEASE THAT WE VOTE ON BEFORE WE HAVE A LEASE FOR WHITE STADIUM MONTHS BEFORE SO WE COULD POTENTIALLY VOTE AND PASS THIS. THE MAYOR IS HOME RULE PETITION THAT INCLUDES REBATES WHICH HAVE NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND THEN IT WOULD BE LATER THAT THIS BODY WOULD FIND OUT HOW MUCH IT WOULDN'T BE BEFORE A VOTE WAS TAKEN AND IT EVEN WENT UP TO THE STATE HOUSE FOR YOU.  YOU WOULDN'T BE JUST A POINT OF CLARIFICATION IF THIS WERE APPROVED AS WRITTEN AND IT WOULD GO TO THE STATE HOUSE. IT WOULD GIVE THE CITY THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION REQUEST TO THE COUNCIL AND AT THAT POINT IF WE DID NOT LIKE THE AMOUNT OF THE REQUEST OR IF THERE WAS A CONVERSATION THAT NEEDS TO BE HAD ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF A REQUEST, THAT OPPORTUNITY WOULD HAPPEN THEN THE CITY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO UNILATERALLY GET LIKE TECHNICALLY WITH THE LEGAL TIMELINES BUT THE ADMINISTRATION KNOWS YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE. YOU KNOW I MEAN WE'RE ABOUT TO PUT FORTH THE NEW BUDGET. WE KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PULL FROM OR HOW MUCH WE WANT TO SPEND. SO YOU MUST ALREADY HAVE AN IDEA BECAUSE IT HAS TO BE SOME NUMBER ALREADY IN YOUR HEADS TO EVEN DECIDE IF IT'S GOING TO BE ENOUGH FOR THE THOSE WHO WOULD RECEIVE IT TO FEEL AN IMPACT BECAUSE IF WE WENT THROUGH ALL THIS AND IT WAS A $7 LESS BILL OR SOMETHING THEN YOU WOULDN'T GET ANY POLITICAL BUMP FROM THAT, RIGHT? IT WOULDN'T MATTER IT WOULDN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE. LIKE WE'RE SAYING WE'RE OBVIOUSLY IN A DIFFERENT POSITION NOW BECAUSE PEOPLE GOT THEIR BILLS AND THEY'RE UPSET SO THERE HAS TO BE SOME FIGURE BALLPARK FIGURE THAN KNOWING THAT IT'S 77,000 RESIDENTS WHO COULD QUALIFY. IS THAT WHAT WE'RE SAYING? BECAUSE IT'S THE SAME POOL OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ALSO ELIGIBLE FOR THE EXEMPTIONS BUT IT COULD POTENTIALLY BE MORE SO TO CLARIFY THE 77,000 NUMBER JUST DIDN'T COME UP A NUMBER OF TIMES. THOSE ARE THE THAT'S THE NUMBER OF EXEMPTIONS THAT WE APPROVED AS OF THE TIME THAT WE SET THE TAX RATE RIGHT. AND PEOPLE HAVE UNTIL APRIL FIRST TO FILE. SO WE'LL WE'LL GET MORE SO THAT THE FINAL POOL WILL END UP BEING MORE PEOPLE THAN 77,000 NOT LIKE DOUBLE BUT THE RIGHT NOW WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR WITH THIS HOME RULE IS TO GET AUTHORITY TO THEN HAVE A CONVERSATION LATER ABOUT THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE TO PROVIDE KNOW I AND IF WE GET THE ALL YEAH I KNOW THAT RIGHT BUT I'M JUST WONDERING IF YOU WOULD SHARE WITH US BEFORE THAT ACTUAL CONVERSATION HAD LIKE A CLOSE NUMBER IS THE MAYOR WILLING TO REMOVE THE REBATE PORTION IF IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THIS COUNCIL WOULDN'T EVEN PASS IT TO GET IT UP TO THE STATE HOUSE IF THAT WOULD BE A STICKING POINT FOR US TO NOT WANT TO PASS IT WITHOUT MORE INFORMATION OR DO YOU KNOW BECAUSE I KNOW LIKE QUESTION FROM THE LAST COUPLE WAS LIKE WHAT'S PLAN B? CAN WE MAKE AMENDMENTS? AND IT WAS LIKE NO, THIS IS THE PLAN AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE GOING UP TO THE STATE HOUSE WITH.  I THINK WE THINK WE HAVE PUT TOGETHER A PRETTY COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE THAT TAKES INTO ACCOUNT A LOT OF FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE GOTTEN OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS AS WE'VE AS WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS THE REBATE CONCEPT CAME UP PREVIOUSLY AND WE DIDN'T HAVE LEGAL AUTHORITY TO DO IT.  THIS LEGISLATION NOW WOULD GIVE US THE ABILITY TO DO IT IF IT WAS GRANTED. SO WE'RE REALLY VIEWING IT AS A COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGE TO SEND UP WITH OPTIONS AND THE GOAL IS TO GET IT. SO THE ANSWER IS NO, NOT TO BE DISRESPECTFUL. I JUST WANT TO GET TO MY LAST QUICK QUESTION AND MAYBE WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE ELIGIBLE RESIDENTS FOR THE EXEMPTION ARE SENIORS BECAUSE WE ALREADY PASSED THE SENIOR EXEMPTION AND HOW MANY OF OUR HOMEOWNERS THAT WILL QUALIFY FOR THE EXEMPTION THAT WE ALREADY PASSED AND THAT IS ALREADY WAS SIGNED YESTERDAY BY THE MAYOR. SO HOW MANY RESIDENTS THAT WILL BE RECEIVING THE SENIOR EXEMPTION ARE THE PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF RESIDENTS WHO COULD QUALIFY FOR.  SO I DON'T HAVE THE PRECISE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT RECEIVED THAT 41 C SENIOR EXEMPTION IN FRONT OF ME. MY RECOLLECTION FROM FISCAL YEAR 24 WAS THAT IT WAS AROUND 500 PEOPLE OF 77,000 RESIDENTS WHO QUALIFY FOR THE EXEMPTION ONLY 500 OF THEM ARE SENIORS, ONLY 500 OF THEM MEET THE CRITERIA UNDER THE CURRENT 41 C PROGRAM THAT HAS INCOME AND ASSET LIMITATIONS. AND IS THAT EQUAL TO THE ONE WE PASSED? THAT COUNCIL WERE ALL PULLED FROM THE GREEN SHEETS LAST WEEK SO THE ONE WITH THE NEW INCOME AND ASSET LIMITATIONS WOULD PROBABLY BE A LARGER POOL AND THAT'S THE ONE I'M REFERENCING RIGHT? WE WON'T KNOW THE SIZE OF THAT POOL UNTIL WE GET THE ACTUAL APPLICATION. SO WE DON'T WE DON'T KEEP TRACK OF PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THINGS BUT MAY BE ELIGIBLE IF WE CHANGED LIMITS OUR BEST GUESS BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT THAT LEGISLATION AND PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BUT I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS USING THE SAME LIMITS AS WHAT IS IN THE RULES CURRENT PROPOSAL OIL OR GAS IS THAT BY INCREASING THOSE LIMITS WE'LL GET BACK TO THE NUMBER OF APPLICANTS THAT WE HAD AROUND A DECADE AGO WHICH WAS A THOUSAND.  RIGHT. THANK YOU TO THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE COUNCILOR MEJIA FITZGERALD WEBER FERNANDEZ ANDERSON THANK YOU.  THIS IS THE OC SO WHAT I BELIEVE JUST FOR FOLKS WHO ARE TUNING IN AND TRYING TO CATCH UP IS THAT I GUESS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS BECAUSE ULTIMATELY WHATEVER DECISIONS WE MAKE HERE ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND WE'RE THE FACES OF THE DECISIONS BECAUSE Y'ALL DON'T THEY DON'T RECOGNIZE Y'ALL OUT ON THE STREETS BUT THEY RECOGNIZE US RIGHT IN THE SUPERMARKET AND EVERYWHERE THAT WE GO. AND WHEN THE MAYOR HAS SOMETHING YOU KNOW IT'S THE MAYOR'S WE'RE NOT THE CITY COUNCIL RIGHT?  SO THEN WE ALWAYS WE EITHER HAVE TO BEAR THE BRUNT OF WHATEVER DECISIONS GET MADE BY THE COUNCIL BUT WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY REAL POWER IN MAKING THOSE DECISIONS BECAUSE ESPECIALLY IN THIS ITERATION OF THE BODY THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH IS JUST EVERYTHING IS IN A RUSH EVERYTHING'S URGENT, EVERYTHING IS UNCLEAR AND THEN WE'RE EXPECTED TO MAKE THE BIG DECISIONS ABOUT TAXPAYER DOLLARS WITH VERY LIMITED INFORMATION AND THEN WE LOOK LIKE WE ARE NOT OUR DUE DILIGENCE. SO THAT'S I JUST WANT TO JUST IN TERMS OF JUST TO UNDERSTAND THE FRUSTRATION AT LEAST FROM AS SPEAK FOR MYSELF THAT I FIND MYSELF IN BECAUSE THEN I HAVE TO GO BACK AND ANSWER TO PEOPLE WHY ARE WE SPENDING $100,000,200 MILLION IN A WHITE STADIUM? WHY ARE WE SPENDING 100 MILLION ON ACCELERATOR FUN SITUATION? WHY ARE WE DOING ALL OF THIS BUT YET WE STILL CAN'T GET IT RIGHT FOR FOLKS IN TERMS OF SOME OF THE TAX RELIEF THAT OUR SENIORS NEED. SO THOSE ARE REAL QUESTIONS THAT GET ASKED AND WE DON'T HAVE REAL ANSWERS BECAUSE NOW I'M GOING TO HAVE TO GO AND DEFEND ANOTHER PROJECT THAT HAS STILL MAKING FORMATION WITHOUT ANY DATA ABOUT HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE GOING TO SPEND. YOU KNOW, THAT'S AND WHAT HAPPENS IS IS THAT WE PIT PEOPLE AGAINST EACH OTHER THEN SENIORS THINK THAT WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THEM BECAUSE WE'RE ASKING QUESTIONS BECAUSE GET IT THERE'S THIS PERCEIVED NOTION WE'RE MESSING WITH THEIR LIVELIHOOD WHEN ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS GET ANSWERS SO THAT WE CAN BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE. AND SO THAT'S I JUST LIKE THAT'S WHAT I'M STRUGGLING WITH HERE BECAUSE IT'S YOU KNOW AND THEN THERE'S REALLY NO REAL PROCESSES IN PLACE. THERE'S THE ILLUSION OF WE'RE DOING THINGS THE WAY THINGS GO BUT THE COUNCIL RULES LEGISLATION HOW IS WHAT I BELIEVE I WAS A CO-SPONSOR OF THAT COUNCIL WERE ALL ALONGSIDE COUNCILOR MURPHY THAT HE WENT TO THE STATE HOUSE I'M NOT SURE OR NOT BUT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT I WAS I'M JUST CURIOUS WHY SO THAT THERE WERE SENIOR EXEMPTIONS THERE THAT HAD TO GO HURRY UP THERE. HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO? THE REBATE HOW I MEAN LIKE OUR SENIORS ARE GOING TO GET THE RELIEF WITH WHAT COUNCILOR WORRELL HAS ALREADY PROPOSED OR NOT LIKE THERE'S HERE AND I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WELL MAYBE I'M THE SILLY ONE THAT I DON'T KNOW BUT I'M JUST I NEED SOME FLAHERTY. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN COUNCILOR MORALES EFFORT AND MAYOR WOO'S EFFORT LIKE THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT COUNCIL ROLE HAS FILED SOMETHING THAT COUNTS THAT.  THE ADMINISTRATION IS FILING FIRST IT WAS THE ACCELERATOR FUND.  NOW WE'RE COMING BACK TO THE SENIOR EXEMPTION. IT JUST FEELS LIKE I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A CONCERTED EFFORT OF WHAT IT IS BUT IT JUST FEELS MESSY.  SO IF SOMEBODY CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS THERE, I WANT TO GET EVERYTHING ON THE RECORD BECAUSE EVERYBODY NEEDS TO KNOW HOW HOW HOW WE ROLL UP IN HERE JUST OKAY. SO I THINK JUST TO ANSWER VERY SPECIFICALLY THE QUESTION YOU ASKED ABOUT THE SENIOR EXEMPTION SO THE LANGUAGE AROUND THE SENIOR EXEMPTION THAT'S IN THE MAYOR'S HOME RULE PETITION THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS I THINK IDENTICAL TO THE LANGUAGE THAT THE COUNCIL PASSED. SO I THINK SORT OF LIKE UNFORTUNATE TIMING MAYBE BOTH OF THOSE THINGS SORT OF ARE COMING UP AT THE SAME TIME. SO THOSE TWO THINGS ARE BUT I NEED FLAHERTY. HOLD ON A SECOND BECAUSE THIS IS YOU KNOW WHAT I UNDERSTAND AND I APPRECIATE THE CLOCK BUT HERE'S THE PROBLEM WE'RE WORKING IN A CONSTRUCT THAT DOES NOT ALLOW US TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION AND THEN WHAT WE GET PUSHED TO MAKE VOTES. SO IF WHAT I'M HEARING YOU SAY IS TRUE THAT THE HOME RULE PETITION THAT COUNCIL AROUND MYSELF AND MURPHY WERE THE CO-SPONSORS OF THAT WENT UP TO THE STATE HOUSE THAT ALREADY THE SENIOR EXEMPTION IS ALREADY BAKED INTO HIS HOME RULE PETITION SO YOURS IS THE SAME IDENTICAL. SO THEN WHY ARE WE HERE?  BECAUSE THERE'S OTHER FEATURES OF OUR HOME RULE PETITION BEYOND JUST THE SENIOR EXEMPTION THERE'S FIVE OR SIX PROVISIONS. SO THEN WHY DON'T YOU SEPARATE THOSE? SO IF THE SENIOR EXEMPTION WAS GOING TO BE LED BY ALREADY THE COUNCIL ALLEGEDLY THAT WAS GOING TO BE OUR WORK TO DO AND THEN ALL OF THESE OTHER BELLS AND WHISTLES LET THAT BE THE ADMINISTRATION LIKE I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT LIKE HELP ME UNDERSTAND WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT RESIDENTIAL TAX RELIEF FOR MONTHS AND WE HAVE BEEN AT HEARINGS AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THESE CONCEPTS FOR A LONG TIME WHEN THE THIRD QUARTER BILLS CAME OUT IT WAS OUR INTENTION TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER TAX RELIEF TO RESIDENTS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WITH AS MANY TOOLS IN OUR TOOLBOX AS POSSIBLE. THEIR SENIOR EXEMPTION IS ONE OF THOSE TOOLS THAT WE PUT INTO THE TOOLBOX THAT IS NOW THIS HOME RULE PETITION.  SO WE'RE MOVING ALL OF THOSE THINGS TOGETHER INCLUDING CHANGING THE TAX RATES INCLUDING THE REBATE CONCEPT DURING THE PROCESS. SORRY I DON'T MEAN TO YOU'RE NOT ANSWERING MY QUESTION. MY QUESTION IS IF THE SENIOR EXEMPTION ALREADY LIVES IN COUNCIL MORALES HOME RULE PETITION THAT WE APPROVED THAT HE PULLED OUT OF THE GREEN SHEETS A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT ALREADY IS ON ITS WAY ALREADY PROBABLY HAS THE CO-SPONSORS WERE WELL IN OUR JOURNEY TOWARDS DELIVERING SENIOR EXEMPTIONS RIGHT WE ALREADY THERE SO WHY BRING THE MOST SENIOR COUNCILOR HERE TO FIGHT FOR SENIOR EXEMPTIONS BECAUSE THEY'RE ALREADY VETTED BY OTHER PARTS OF THE HOME RULE PETITION WE'VE BEEN MASSING YOUR ACTION HAS BEEN COMING AND SPEAKING TO THIS BODY AND IN OTHER PUBLIC SETTINGS ABOUT THE TAX SHIFT AND THAT IS A BIG PART OF THIS. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING.  PERFECT. THAT'S WHAT I WANTED YOU TO SAY BECAUSE THEY ARE ALSO ASKING FOR MORE AND WE'RE NOT DELIVERING ON THOSE ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR. THEY'RE ASKING FOR A FREEZE ON ASSESSMENTS. THEY'RE ASKING FOR A HIGHER AM I LIKE 80 80%? THEY'RE ASKING FOR VERY SPECIFIC THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM. SO WHAT WE DO IS CREATE THE ILLUSION THAT WE'RE FIGHTING ON THEIR BEHALF. THEY COME HERE AND ASK FOR THINGS THAT WE DON'T DELIVER. SO WHAT I DON'T WANT IS FOR MY SENIOR ACTION TO THINK THAT WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR BECAUSE THEY CAME HERE TO TESTIFY FOR MORE.  SO IF THEY'VE ASKED FOR MORE CAN I HEAR FROM THE ADMINISTRATION ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE THEM MORE BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY CAME HERE TO FIGHT FOR AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO HEAR IN TERMS OF COMMITMENTS.  I BELIEVE THE TESTIMONY WE HEARD EARLIER WAS BEYOND JUST THE SENIOR EXEMPTION. WE'VE BEEN TALKING A LOT ABOUT THE TAX SHIFT AND I HEARD TESTIMONY ABOUT THE SHIFT AND THAT IS PART OF THIS BILL. RIGHT. BUT THEY ALSO HAVE ASKED FOR A FREEZE ON ASSESSMENTS THEY'VE ASKED FOR I HAVE THE MEMO HERE. THEY'VE ASKED FOR THOSE THINGS. SO THIS IS WHERE THIS IS WHERE FOR ME AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER. RIGHT. IN TERMS OF HOW WE UTILIZE PEOPLE, THESE ARE THE SORT OF THINGS THAT GET ME FROM A TACTICAL PERSPECTIVE ON WHY I TAKE OFFENSE TO BRINGING THESE ELDERS HERE WHO'VE ASKED FOR VERY SPECIFIC THINGS AND WE'RE NOT DELIVERING ON THOSE THINGS SO WE CAN'T SAY THAT WE'RE HERE TO FIGHT FOR THEM AND THEN THE THINGS THAT THEY WANT US TO DO WE DON'T GIVE THEM BECAUSE WHO LOOKS BAD WE DO RIGHT? BUT I'M NOT GOING TO I'M THAT'S NOT HOW I WORK AND I WANT THE SENIORS WHO CAME HERE TO KNOW THAT THE THINGS THAT THEY ASKED FOR WHEN I DELIVERING AND SO IF I DON'T VOTE ON ON BEHALF OF OR IN FAVOR OF THE MAYOR'S VERSION THEN I'M GOING TO LOOK LIKE I'M BEING DIFFICULT. BUT NOT THE CASE IF I'M GOING TO BE HERE I'M GOING TO FIGHT FOR THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE WANT. I'M GOING TO ASK US TO OPEN UP THE NEGOTIATION I HAVE A FEW WORKING SESSIONS AND DELIVER FOR THEM.  OTHERWISE THIS WAS JUST A BIG WASTE OF EVERYBODY'S TIME BECAUSE WE BROUGHT THEM HERE FOR WHAT I'M JUST SAYING. YOU KNOW WHAT COUNCILOR DURKAN SAID IT WAS A WASTE OF TIME AND NOBODY CALLED HER OUT BUT AS SOON AS I SAY IT I GET CALLED OUT. I'M BEGINNING TO FEEL LIKE THIS IS A RADIATION ALL OVER AGAIN HERE. I JUST GAVE YOU 9 MINUTES TOO TO SPEAK AND I APPRECIATE IT BUT I THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH,  COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING HERE AND LETTING US PUT THE HEAT ON ABOUT THESE IMPORTANT SUBJECTS AND GIVING ANSWERS THAT THE COMMUNITY SHOULD KNOW AND TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES AND OURSELVES ABOUT AND TO THE CHEERS FOR DOING A GREAT JOB ON ANOTHER LENGTHY HEARING AS WE DO FOR THIS OUT THERE FOR THE FOLKS. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WEBER THANK YOU, CHAIR JUST ONE CLARIFYING QUESTION AND MAYBE A MATH QUESTION.  SO JUST IN THE SECTION ON REBATES IT SAYS THE REBATE SHALL BE A UNIFORM AMOUNT OF YOU.  YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IT DOESN'T MEAN THE SAME AMOUNT IN ESSENCE WHAT WE ARE GOING FOR IS THAT EVERYONE THAT WOULD QUALIFY FOR THE REBATE WOULD GET THE SAME AMOUNT WITH THIS LIMIT THAT THERE WOULD STILL BE A REQUIREMENT THAT YOU WOULD PAY 10% OF YOUR TAXES. BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME YOU KNOW EVERYONE IS NOT GOING TO GET A $500 CHECK. IT'S GOING TO BE BASED ON A PERCENTAGE OF YOUR KNOW IT WOULD POTENTIALLY BE LIKE EVERYBODY GETS A $50 OH OKAY. SO IT'S THE SAME AMOUNT AND THAT'S $50 $1.  THE OTHER QUESTION IS WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BEING A REFUND AND A REBATE? YOU DID WAS THAT IS THERE A LEGAL DISTINCTION?  AND SO THE DISTINCTION THAT I WOULD DRAW IS THAT THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THAT PROGRAM IS BASED ON WHETHER YOU GET A RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION BUT THE MONEY IS NOT DIRECTLY TIED TO YOUR PROPERTY TAXES SO IT'S NOT COMING FROM OUR PROPERTY TAX ACCOUNTS, IT'S COMING FROM A DIFFERENT AREA. THAT'S WHY WE WOULD HAVE TO APPROPRIATE MONEY FOR IT.  OKAY, THAT HELPS. AND THEN JUST THE LAST THING I THINK WE I ASKED JUST TO ILLUSTRATE HOW THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION PROPOSAL WOULD WORK IF WE WENT FROM 35 TO 40% WITH TWO DIFFERENT PROPERTIES OF WILDLY DIFFERENT VALUE. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN JUST SHARE IN 30 SECONDS OR LESS DO THAT. IF YOU CAN'T THEN MAYBE WE CAN HAVE THE CONVERSATION OFFLINE. I MEAN I REALLY HOPEFULLY A SIMPLE EXAMPLE TO ADDRESS SOMEONE THAT'S ALREADY GETTING A MAXIMUM EXEMPTION AND MAYBE THAT WILL FLOW THROUGH THE MATH MIGHT NOT BE PERFECT BUT HOPEFULLY IT'S ROUGH ENOUGH TO TO AT LEAST HELP BUT WE CAN ALWAYS FOLLOW UP IF IT'S NOT QUITE RIGHT. SO LET'S SAY THAT RIGHT NOW THE RESIDENTIAL TAX EXEMPTION IS 30 $500. I THINK THAT JUST TO KIND OF TIE TO THE 35% RIGHT AND LET'S SAY YOUR TAXES ARE $3,850 THAT WOULD MEAN AFTER GETTING THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION YOU'RE PAYING $385. UM YOU WOULD HAVE TO PAY $3.95 AFTER GETTING THE EXEMPTION BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT SAYS YOU HAVE TO PAY 10%. OKAY IF WE RAISED THE EXEMPTION AMOUNT UP TO $4,000 BY CHANGING IT FROM 35% TO 40% YOU WOULD STILL HAVE TO PAY THAT $385 SO YOUR TAXES WOULD NOT ACTUALLY DECREASE EVEN THOUGH THE POTENTIAL MAXIMUM OF THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION INCREASED BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PAY 10% OF THE THAT'S LIKE A THAT'S THE THE MINIMUM YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE IF YOUR HOUSE IS WORTH $300,000 YOU COULDN'T PAY ZERO YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU THAT'S CORRECT I THINK IS THAT HELPFUL? I CAN TRY AND PUT IN ACTUAL MATH AND MAKE SURE I GET THEM OUT. NO, NO IT DOES.  I THINK WE WILL OBVIOUSLY HAVE MORE DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS. I APPRECIATE IT.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, CHAIR. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WEBER COUNCILOR FOR ANDERS ANDERSEN.  ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.  I THINK I HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO SORT OF LIKE PIECE TOGETHER WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO HERE AND I DO THINK THAT THE LETTER WAS VERY HELPFUL AND I DO THINK THAT THE PRESENTATION WAS VERY HELPFUL.  OF COURSE MY ONLY THING WOULD BE LIKE, OKAY, HOW DO WE ADVOCATE FOR MORE BECAUSE THE AS I SAID, GETTING THE INFORMATION TO THE CONSTITUENT AS AND WHO WAS IMPACTED ALSO MEANS YOU KNOW WHO HAS ACCESS AND THOSE WHO HAVE ACCESS ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE LOOKING AT IT FROM LIKE A SUBSIDIZED STANDPOINT WE'RE JUST SAYING WE'LL DIVIDE THE MONEY EQUALLY. THEN IT BEGS THE QUESTION OF EQUITY AND THEN OF COURSE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MY ARGUMENT.  BUT I DO UNDERSTAND ONE THE TIME CONSTRAINTS TO THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE WITH LITTLE TIME AFTER ALREADY BEING GETTING BEAT UP LIKE A FEW TIMES AFTER ALREADY LIKE FIGURING OUT LIKE NOT NOT BEING ABLE TO FIND A FINAL RESOLUTION BUT NOT BEING ABLE TO PASS IT RIGHT. AND SO THEN WE HAVE A LIST OF THINGS HERE AND I AND I WANT TO SUPPORT MY COLLEAGUES TERMS OF LIKE WHAT THEY FILED WITH CREATIVE SOLUTIONS. AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT TAKES FURTHER CONVERSATION TO FIGURE OUT AND YOU COULD IT HERE LIKE WHY IT'S ON THE FLOOR ALTOGETHER BECAUSE IT'S LIKE WAIT CAN WE FIGURE OUT HOW ALL OF IT CAN BE HEARD AND I DON'T WANT ONE THING TO BE LEVERAGE WITH THE OTHER AND I PROMISED YOU FROM THE BEGINNING THAT I WOULD TRY TO ALWAYS BE TRANSPARENT WITH YOU AND TRY TO DO THIS JOB AS FAIR AS POSSIBLE WHICH MEANS THAT IF WE CAN DO SOME GOOD AND AND NOT LIKE NOT NO LEVERAGE, NO GAMES, NO YOU KNOW, TRANSACTION JUST FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN DO SOME GOOD AND THEN IN THE AREAS THAT WE CAN'T THEN HOPEFULLY BE OPEN TO DOING WORKING TO FINDING MORE SOLUTIONS I DO THINK THAT AGAIN THESE ARE LIKE GOOD SOLUTIONS.  I WOULD JUST CONTINUE TO FIGHT OR OUR ADVOCATE THAT WE FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, MAKING THOSE SERVICES ACCESSIBLE MEANS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT LIKE WHO IS MORE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED AND THEN CAN WE REACH OUR THOSE EFFORTS TO BE REALLY FOCUSED ON THOSE PEOPLE.  AND I WOULD JUST SAY THAT LIKE OUR MOST VULNERABLE, OUR MOST NEEDY, THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY NEED THE SUPPORT OUR SENIORS AND I'M NOT QUESTIONING WHETHER OR NOT THE ADMINISTRATION CARE ABOUT OUR SENIORS I'M SIMPLY LOOKING AT ARE YOU SAYING OKAY, HOW DO WE IMPROVE THE EFFICACY LIKE HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT WE IMPLEMENT THIS GREAT IDEA IN A WAY THAT CAN WORK AND THEN HOW CAN WE ALSO HAVE SOME SORT OF COMMITMENT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TO TALK ABOUT MY COLLEAGUES PROPOSALS BECAUSE THEY SOUND LIKE A GOOD IDEA BUT YES, THEY NEED MORE VETTING, THEY NEED MORE CONVERSATIONS AND I DO THINK THEY PROBABLY NEED TO BE SPLIT UP IN DIFFERENT WORKING SESSIONS AND NOT CONSOLIDATE IN HEARING LIKE THIS. SO BY WEDNESDAY FOR ME IF YOU IF YOU IF YOU GUYS MADE EFFORTS AND PUSH FORWARD I'M STILL IN SUPPORT I'M STILL CONSISTENT IN WHAT MY PRIORITIES ARE WHICH MEANS SUPPORT PEOPLE THE MATH DOES WORK. IT JUST DOESN'T REACH AS MUCH AS WE WANT IT TO.  AND AGAIN, IF WE LOOK AT HOW EFFICIENT WE ARE TO ADDRESSING EQUITY THEN I'D BE HAPPIER WITH IT AND I SAW THE CALCULATIONS ONLINE.  I SAW YOUR YOU KNOW HOW YOU HAD YOUR TABLES AND FIGURING OUT LIKE HOW TO ADDRESS THOSE WHO ARE MOST VULNERABLE. I SAW THOSE EFFORTS ALREADY THE LAST TIME WE WERE TRYING TO PASS THE THING AND NOW I'D LIKE TO SEE EVEN MORE EFFORTS TO MAKING IT MORE ACCESSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN REACH OUR MOST VULNERABLE. THAT'S WHERE I AM WITH IT.  AND IN TERMS OF THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE NOT ANSWERED, I DON'T THINK IS THE END ALL BE ALL IN THIS HEARING THERE ARE OTHER MEANS, THERE ARE OTHER WAYS METHODS THAT WE CAN USE TO GET THE INFORMATION FROM YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. I KNOW THAT YOU'RE RESPONSIVE IF I ASK YOU SOME INFORMATION THROUGH THE CHAIR OR NOT AND I AM GOING TO GO AND PUT PIECES MORE TOGETHER, TALK TO MY ADVISORS IN MY MY DISTRICT COME BACK TO YOU WITH THE QUESTIONS AGAIN. HOPEFULLY WE CAN PROACTIVELY GET THIS THING BY WEDNESDAY OR NEXT WEDNESDAY AND I HAVE I DO NO FAVORS. I ASK FOR NO FAVORS.  I AM SIMPLY TRYING TO DO THE BEST THING WITH SINCERITY FOR MY CONSTITUENTS BECAUSE I, I GOD WILLING I LOVE MY PEOPLE AND I WANT TO FIND THE BEST SOLUTIONS. I DON'T WANT TO DO LIKE THE POLITICAL THING WITH YOU. I JUST WANT TO FIND A SOLUTION. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU COUNCILOR WORRELL.  THANK YOU CHAIR HOW MUCH DID PROPERTY RESIDENT TO PROPERTY TAXES INCREASE THIS YEAR?  THERE ARE MUCH DIFFERENT WAYS THAT CAN ANSWER THE QUESTION. OKAY DEPENDING ON WHAT EXACTLY YOU'RE TRYING TO GET AT. SO THE TAX FOR THE AVERAGE SINGLE FAMILY HOME WENT UP 10.4 10.4%. GOT IT. AND WHAT HAS THE AVERAGE I GUESS LIKE DO YOU KNOW LIKE THE AVERAGE INCREASE HAS HAPPENED LIKE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS THE PRIOR FIVE YEARS NOT INCLUDING THIS IF WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT THE SINGLE FAMILY HOME EXAMPLE RECEIVING THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION I THINK WAS 9% IF YOU GO BACK OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME IT'S LESS THAN THAT. I MIGHT HAVE THAT SOMEWHERE BUT THE LAST FIVE YEARS NOT INCLUDING THIS YEAR WAS NINE CARRIED IT BUT THAT WAS EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH. I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IS LIKE WHAT ARE WE IN WITH THE REBATES? WHAT ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR ? ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR GETTING EVERYONE DOWN TO A 9% INCREASE? ARE WE TRYING TO GET EVERYONE DOWN TO A YOU KNOW WHAT WHAT ARE WE LOOKING TO SOLVE FOR WHEN IT COMES TO THE REBATE? I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR IS PROVIDING SOME AMOUNT OF RELIEF TO FOLKS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE GOTTEN HAD THIS SHIFT GONE THROUGH WHICH WOULD HAVE GAVE US A WHAT, A PERCENTAGE INCREASE SHIFT WHERE THEY GAVE US A LOT OF I DON'T I WANT TO SAY IT WAS AROUND 5 TO 6%. YEAH.  OKAY SO SO LIKE IDEALLY IDEALLY WITH THIS PACKAGE IN THIS HOME RULE WHAT WE WANT IS FOR THAT FIRST OPTION OF THE TAX RATES TO BE RESET FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR AND THEN THAT WILL PROVIDE THE SAME ASSISTANCE THAT WE WERE SEEKING BEFORE UM, TO THE ENTIRE RESIDENTIAL CLASS. RIGHT. AND THE REBATE OPTION IS JUST AN ATTEMPT TRY AND GET SOME LEVEL OF HELP FOR YEAH NO I GET IT I GET I'M JUST TRYING TO I GUESS WORK A LITTLE BIT BACKWARDS ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE FOR TO KIND OF GIVE MY COLLEAGUES A KIND OF A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF LIKE WHAT ARE WE LOOKING TO APPROPRIATE AT THE END OF THE DAY, RIGHT? BECAUSE WE'RE LOOKING TO GET PEOPLE DOWN TO 5 TO 6%, RIGHT? IN A 77,000 PEOPLE I THINK THAT WE SHOULD TO LOOK AT IT, HUH? I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN APPROACH THAT WE COULD TAKE WHEN WE'RE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE RIGHT AMOUNT TO APPROPRIATE RIGHT KIND OF JUST GIVE US LIKE A BALLPARK, RIGHT? YEAH.  UM, I GUESS MY OTHER QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE I'M NOT SURE WHERE I ASSUME THAT WE'RE PULLING THIS FROM OUR RAINY DAY FUND. WHAT ARE THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS?  YOU KNOW, COULD THAT HAVE ON OUR CITY? YOU KNOW, IT'S OUR CREDIT RATING, OUR FINANCES ANY ANY CREDIT, ANY NEGATIVE IMPACTS.  SO OBVIOUSLY EVERYTHING'S ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU DO.  I THINK THE CITY HAS BEEN MANAGED REALLY WELL FOR MANY, MANY YEARS AND CONTINUES TO BE AND SO WE ARE VERY WELL RESERVED. I DON'T THINK ANY APPROPRIATION I WOULD NEVER ADVISE BRINGING FORWARD AN APPROPRIATION THAT WOULD JEOPARDIZE OUR RESERVE LEVELS AND HOW RATING AGENCIES VIEW US FROM A RESERVE PERSPECTIVE SO.  YOU KNOW, AGAIN EVERYTHING'S ABOUT AMOUNT BUT I WOULD ENVISION THAT IF WE COME BACK TO YOU AND REQUEST ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION AUTHORITY FOR THIS CONCEPT THAT WOULD BE DONE AND PART OF THE REASON WHY IT'S HARD FOR US TO PICK AN EXACT AMOUNT TODAY IS I THINK WE NEED TO HOLISTICALLY EVALUATE OUR FINANCIALS SITUATION AS A CITY AND MAKE SURE WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD AN AMOUNT THAT'S RESPONSIBLE. GOT IT. YEAH. NO, I'M JUST THINKING OF YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WERE THERE WERE PULLING FROM AND JUST WANT TO JUST KIND OF GET A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THAT AFFECTS THE CITY FINANCES AS A WHOLE.  I HAVE 1121 LAST QUESTION CHECK . THIS GOES BACK TO THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY EXEMPTION . THE ALTHOUGH THE TAX RATE WILL GO UP RIGHT BECAUSE THOSE PROPERTIES ARE NOT VALUED AT THE SAME AT THE SAME I GUESS MARKET VALUE AS YOU KNOW PER UNIT AS LIKE A HOME LIKE A CONDO OR LIKE A THREE LIKE A THREE STORY OR THREE THREE FAMILY HOME IF THAT WAS THREE CONDOS YOU KNOW IT WILL BE ASSESSED AT A HIGHER VALUE.  I WOULD IN THAT JUSTIFY THE THE REASON TO INCREASE THE RATE ON THOSE APARTMENTS BECAUSE THEN WE'RE ABLE TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE REVENUE OUT OF THOSE APARTMENTS THAT ARE NOT PAYING THE SAME UNIT PER VALUE AS LIKE A YOU KNOW, A CONDO A SINGLE FAMILY OR TWO FAMILY OR THREE FAMILY HOME.  IT'S A REALLY INTERESTING QUESTION, COUNCILOR. I THINK IT'S EVERYTHING KIND OF TURNS ABOUT TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCING POINT AND I THINK AS WE'VE BEEN GOING THROUGH FOR THE PAST YEAR AND TALKING ABOUT CLASSIFICATION AND RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL AND TRYING TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCING POINT BETWEEN THOSE TWO CLASSES, YOU'RE RIGHT IN THAT THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION KIND OF FINDS THIS BALANCING POINT BETWEEN OWNER OCCUPIED HOMES AND AND RENTERS WHO REALLY END UP BEARING THE COST OF A HIGHER TAX RATE THAT COMES AS A RESULT OF HAVING THAT RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION.  IT'S IT'S REALLY HARD TO KIND OF SAY WITH ANY LEVEL OF PRECISION LIKE WHICH APPROACH IS THE RIGHT APPROACH. UM IN GENERAL WHEN WE HAVE HISTORICALLY WORKED TO CHANGE TAX LAWS WE'VE DONE IT IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE'S TAXES WEREN'T GOING UP DRAMATICALLY OVER PRIOR YEAR JUST BECAUSE OF THAT RATE CALCULATION CONCERN I THINK THAT'S WHY THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION CHANGES HAVE GONE IN WHEN WERE GOING DOWN DRAMATICALLY AND IT'S ALSO WHY WE WERE TRYING TO GET THE CLASSIFICATION PASSED FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 BEFORE COMMERCIAL TAXES DROPPED BECAUSE NOW IF WE CHANGE THE RATES BACK UP IN FISCAL YEAR 26 AND WE DON'T HAVE AN IMPACT ON YEAR 25, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN OUR POINT WILL NO LONGER BE TRUE AND THAT WOULD BE AN INCREASE ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES.  AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO I THINK A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TAX LAW WE TRY AND DO IT IN SUCH A WAY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT PEOPLE HAVE BUDGETS AND WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT SO THAT THERE ISN'T A NEW OPTION COST IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE WE'RE COMPARING TO WHAT YOU'RE PAYING TODAY AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO DO IT IN SUCH A WAY THAT YOU GET STABILITY IN THOSE IN THOSE FORWARD LOOKING YEARS.  BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE COULDN'T BE A TIME WHEN IT'S WARRANTED TO HAVE AN INCREASED COST ON APARTMENTS AT THE EXPENSE OF OWNER OCCUPIED UNITS.  I THINK RIGHT NOW OUR RENTAL MARKET IS VERY TOUGH. THE COSTS ARE VERY HIGH.  WE KNOW LANDLORDS PASS THROUGH THESE COSTS TO TENANTS PRETTY DIRECTLY.  UM WE'VE HEARD ANECDOTALLY OF LANDLORDS THAT WERE INCREASING THEIR CHARGES TO TENANTS THAT WERE MONTH TO MONTH BEFORE THIS EVEN PASSED BECAUSE THEY WERE BEFORE WE EVEN PUT THIS PROPOSAL FORWARD BECAUSE THEY WERE WORRIED THAT IT WOULDN'T PASS.  AND SO AS A JUSTIFICATION THERE INCREASING RENTS AND SO YOU KNOW IDEALLY WE'D GET THE THE TAX RATES TO KIND OF A STABLE LEVEL THAT STILL LEADS TO INCREASES FOR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY OVER LAST YEAR BUT NOT TO THE EXTENT THAT PEOPLE JUST SAW IN THEIR JANUARY BILL.  YEAH, I'M GOOD BUT CAN WE CIRCLE BACK?  YEAH, WE'LL CIRCLE BACK. OKAY THANK YOU SO MUCH.  SO I KNOW I'M TRYING TO HAVE A VERY FAIR PROCESS HERE. I KNOW THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC TRYING TO LET PEOPLE FINISH THEIR THOUGHTS. WE WILL GO BACK TO UM A THIRD ROUND. UM, OKAY. I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO TIME MYSELF THIS TIME.  UM, I'M GOING TO ZERO IN PUBLIC AS THE MORNING AFTER THIS ROUND AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK INTO THE ROUNDS OF COUNCILORS. I APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE. THANK YOU.  UM, OKAY, SO ZEROING IN ON THE GOOD LANDLORD TAX ABATEMENT FROM THE GUIDANCE FROM THE DIVISION OF LOCAL SERVICES THERE'S A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF THINGS THAT THE CITY HAS TO FIGURE OUT THAT WAS ON PURPOSE. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO PUT A BROAD BRUSH OVER INDIVIDUAL MUNICIPALITIES SO THE MAXIMUM SO THE THINGS THAT THEY WANT US TO FIGURE OUT THE FIRST OF WHICH BEING THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF THE EXEMPTION COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE PROCESS AROUND HOW YOU WOULD DETERMINE THE AMOUNT OF THE THE EXEMPTION, THE MAXIMUM LIKE HOW WOULD YOU START TO TO ANALYZE THAT? WHAT WOULD YOU LOOK AT? I FEEL LIKE BEFORE YOU CAN DO THAT I THINK WE NEED TO DEFINE THE POPULATION THAT WE THE UNIVERSE THAT EXISTS AND THEN IF THERE IS ABILITY TO REFINE WITHIN THAT AND JUST LIKE FIGURE OUT WHAT THE UNIVERSES AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE HOW MUCH BASED ON THAT WE FEEL LIKE WE HAVE WE CAN AFFORD OKAY BECAUSE IT'S A DIRECT PAYMENT.  OKAY. DO YOU SO THE SECOND POINT I'M JUST GOING DOWN IN THE ORDER THAT THEY PROVIDED THE ANNUAL OCCUPANT HOUSEHOLD INCOME LIMIT THERE'S GUIDANCE HERE ABOUT 200%. AM I WHICH FROM THE LAST U.S. CENSUS BUREAU IT'S ABOUT A 180 SOMETHING THOUSAND DOLLARS INDIVIDUAL.  IT'S 94,000. THAT SEEMS A LITTLE BIT HIGH TO ME. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT THE ANNUAL OCCUPANT HOUSEHOLD INCOME LIMIT SHOULD BE? SO HONESTLY IT'S NOT GOING BACK TO THE SERIOUS POINT ABOUT TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE OVERALL POPULATION THAT MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE. THAT'S ANOTHER QUESTION THAT THAT RAISES AND SO THAT WE CAN FIGURE OUT THE COSTS AND THEN IT RUNS INTO A PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE WITH A NUMBER OF THESE TAX EXEMPTIONS WHERE AS SO SPECIFICALLY MY DEPARTMENT ASSESSING DOES NOT TRACK ANY OF THESE THINGS. THESE ARE NOT DATA POINTS THAT WE HAVE. WE DON'T HAVE DATA POINTS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE IN PROPERTIES. WE DON'T HAVE DATA POINTS ABOUT UM WHAT THEIR INCOME LEVEL IS. WE DON'T HAVE DATA POINTS ABOUT WHAT THEIR ASSET LIMITS ARE. WE DON'T WE HAVE NONE OF THAT. UM, THERE ARE WAYS TO LOOK AT CENSUS DATA TO TRY AND MAKE A GUESS BUT THEN THE CENSUS DATA DOESN'T HAVE A DIRECT CORRELATION TO WHETHER PEOPLE OWN STUFF OR ARE RENTING AND SO THEN IT AGAIN BECOMES A LITTLE BIT HARDER AND THE MORE VARIABLES THAT YOU HAVE THE THE MORE UNCERTAINTY YOU HAVE ABOUT WHETHER YOU HAVE MADE A A GOOD CALL OR NOT IN TERMS OF THE RISK PROFILE AND THAT THE REASON I CALL A RISK PROFILE IS BECAUSE OF THAT DIRECT PAYMENT ISSUE AND I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS INFORMATION I DID TRY TO GET THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING HERE TO TO TALK ABOUT THIS. THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO COME BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY HAVE SIGNALED THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTIVE OF. I'M NOT SURE I PUT WORDS IN THEIR MOUTH OR REPRESENT THEIR POSITION BUT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY ARE INTERESTED IN AND I THINK GENERALLY IS A GOOD IDEA.  THE AND I CAN IMAGINE MOVING FORWARD IN FUTURE CONVERSATIONS THERE WILL BE PARTICIPATION FOR THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING. I THINK THAT THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT I WANT TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT SORT OF DATA THAT THEY NEED TO LOOK AT IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS A REALITY.  THE DOMICILIARY EXCUSE ME THE DOMICILE WE'RE REQUIREMENTS OF THE OWNER I THINK SHOULD BE OWNER OCCUPIED. UM, BUT THAT'S JUST ME BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING THROUGH THE DETAILS ON THAT.  HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO SET THESE PARAMETERS? I THINK WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING HOW LONG WOULD YOU BE ABLE OR HOW LONG WOULD IT TAKE TO PROJECT THE UNIVERSE OF FOLKS DO YOU THINK? AND THEN WHAT IS THE TIMELINE ON FIGURING OUT WHAT THE ASSOCIATED COST IS?  I FEEL LIKE WE REALLY NEED TO PARTNER CLOSELY WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING TO EVEN ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS LIKE THE COMMISSIONER SAID, THESE ARE NOT THINGS THAT ARE TYPICALLY THINGS THAT ARE TRACKED WITHIN OUR CABINET. BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION DOESN'T EXIST ELSEWHERE. SO HARD TO PUT A TIMELINE ON IT BECAUSE IT'S NOT INFORMATION I'M FAMILIAR WITH. THANK YOU. I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE PROCESS JUST MOVING FORWARD. I THINK THERE IS A AND THAT MY PIECE OF THE LAW DEPARTMENT THIS IS TECHNICALLY IN ORDER AND SO THIS WAS AN ORDER TO OPT IN WHAT'S IN THE LEGISLATION IS THAT IN A TYPE A GOVERNMENT THE STIPULATIONS HAVE TO ORIGINATE IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WITHOUT APPROVAL. SO I JUST WANTED TO TALK THROUGH A LITTLE BIT WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE. OKAY. WE DO HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S BEEN VERY PATIENT FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY. WE'LL MOVE FORWARD AND THEN WE'LL GO TO A THIRD ROUND OF QUESTIONS TO ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FOR WAITING THIS ENTIRE TIME. I APPRECIATE IT.  IF YOU WANT TO JUST COME DOWN TO THE MIC, STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION AND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME OKAY.  ALL RIGHT.  I'LL BE QUICK. FIRST AND FOREMOST I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THIS CONVERSATION TODAY AND I WANT TO MOVE INTO THIS TESTIMONY. SO GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSELOR CENTRAL STAFF AND FELLOW NEIGHBORS OF BOSTON. WHEN YOU SEE THE MAPS IN YOUR ACTION COUNCIL BLUE SHIRTS KNOW THAT THIS BLUE SHIRT IS RIGHT BEHIND IT. OUR SENIORS DESERVE TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY AND OUR SMALL BUSINESSES DESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW. I AM DEEPLY DISAPPOINTED BY THE DECISION MADE BY SENATOR COLLINS AT THE STATE HOUSE INSTEAD OF FULLY EXPLORING ALL OPTIONS, HE CHOSE TO IMPOSE UNNECESSARY BURDENS ON THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON AND MASSACHUSETTS.  WE WILL NOT FORGET THIS. I WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE PANELISTS FOR THEIR TRANSPARENCY.  HOWEVER, I MUST STATE MY FIRM OPPOSITION TO ANY TAX INCREASE THAT NEGATIVE NEGATIVELY IMPACTS OUR RESIDENTS ESPECIALLY OUR SENIORS AND SMALL BUSINESSES.  WE NEED TO REVISIT THE ASSET LIMITS THAT NOT ONLY AFFECT PROPERTY VALUES BUT ALSO DIRECTLY IMPACT THE HEALTH CARE OF OUR RESIDENTS PARTICULARLY OUR SENIORS.  THIS IS WHY WE MUST INCREASE THE EXEMPTIONS TO OFFER THE SUPPORT THEY DESERVE. IF THE CURRENT ASSESSMENT FORMULAS ARE OUTDATED AND CAUSED DISCREPANCIES ACROSS NEIGHBORHOODS MUCH LIKE OUR ZONING CODES THEN WE MUST TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO ADDRESS THESE INEQUALITIES.  AS PART OF REFORMING THIS FORMULA RESIDENTS SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN AND APPROVE ANY NEW APPROACH. FURTHERMORE, TO ENSURE FAIRNESS AND TRANSPARENCY WE SHOULD CONSIDER UTILIZING CPA FUNDS TO PROVIDE FREE PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS FOR EVERY PROPERTY IN MASSACHUSETTS UCITS. LET'S ALSO REVISIT THE PILOT TAX AND IDENTIFY A REASONABLE FIGURE THAT OUR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS CAN ACTUALLY SUPPORT. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE WE'RE ADDRESSING PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS WE MUST NOT OVERLOOK THE GLARING DISCREPANCIES IN PROPERTY INSURANCE RATES BY ZIP CODE. IT'S TIME TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD ACROSS OUR CITY. FINALLY, WE MUST MAKE PROPERTY TAX PAYMENT PLANS MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR OUR RESIDENTS ENSURING THAT THEY ARE NOT FORCED INTO HARDSHIP DUE TO THE UNFAIR FINANCIAL EXPECTATIONS. OUR BUSINESSES DESERVE TO THRIVE AND OUR SENIORS DESERVE TO LIVE WITH THE RESPECT AND SECURITY.  WE CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT TAX OUR RESIDENTS DURING A TIME OF INFLATION. IF WE DO WE WILL NOT ONLY INVITE IF WE DO WE WILL ONLY INVITE FURTHER DISPLACEMENT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I DON'T KNOW IF FOLKS ARE IN THE AUDIENCE BUT I ALSO HAVE SHIRLEY JONES SIGNED UP FROM DORCHESTER OR AKU.  ALL RIGHT. WE'LL MOVE TO A THIRD ROUND. I CAN I'LL JUST GO AROUND FROM THE ORDER OF ARRIVAL. COUNCILOR FLYNN, IF IT'S OKAY, WE'LL DO 2 MINUTES THIS ROUND. YEP. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. HERE.  I WAS LOOKING CLOSELY AT THE DATA FROM THE WEBSITE ON ASSESSED PROPERTY VALUES BY ZIP CODE AND I THOUGHT IT WAS I THOUGHT IT WAS STUNNING DOUBLE DIGIT FOR SOUTH BOSTON THE SOUTH END IN DORCHESTER AREAS THAT I REPRESENT I DO REPRESENT DORCHESTER.  ISN'T THAT THE HIDDEN TAX THAT PEOPLE ARE FEELING IN THESE COMMUNITIES I GUESS IS MY QUESTION. IF THE AVERAGE VALUE INCREASE CITYWIDE WAS 4.6% IS IN TWO AND THREE TIMES THAT EXCESSIVE, IT CLEARLY LED TO A SPIKE IN PROPERTY TAXES FOR PEOPLE IN THOSE COMMUNITIES. CERTAINLY THE AVERAGE RATE INCREASE OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS WAS 9.5% AND THIS YEAR IT'S 0.9% HIGHER THAN THAT. SO IS THAT THE REAL REASON WHY TAXPAYERS OR A SPIKE IN TAXES WAS DUE TO THE UNILATERAL INCREASE ASSESSED BY THE ASSESSING DEPARTMENT? IS THAT IS THAT FAIR TO SAY? COMMISSIONER THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. COUNCILOR I'M NOT SURE WHAT I I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BY THE WORD UNILATERAL SO THE DEPARTMENT WILL USE EVERY PROPERTY IN THE CITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS AND LAW AS WE ARE OBLIGATED TO AND IF WE DON'T WE DON'T GET CERTIFICATION WHICH MEANS THAT TAX RATES DON'T APPROACH WHICH MEANS THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE REVENUE, IT WILL TAKE OUT THOSE UNILATERAL L WORD. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?  I THINK THAT THE CITY VALUES THE CITY ACCURATELY AND APPROPRIATELY SO SOME AREAS THE PROPERTY VALUE INCREASED 10% 9%, 8%, 11%. THE BACK BAY I THINK INCREASED 4% OF 4.5% SOMEWHERE BETWEEN FOUR AND 5% IN DORCHESTER INCREASED 11% 10% 11%. SO IS IS THAT FAIR? IS THAT IS THAT FAIR TO SAY THAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE ACCURATE AND IF THEY ARE, IS THAT A FAIR ASSESSMENT OF IT? THANK YOU. THAT'S THE LAST QUESTION. FEEL FREE TO ANSWER.  I THINK THE MATTER OF FAIRNESS KIND OF DEPENDS ON HOW YOU WANT TO DEFINE THE PROBLEM SO THE DEPARTMENT IS DOING WHAT IS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW WHICH IS TO VALUE EVERYONE AND KEEP EVERYONE WITHIN THESE MEDIAN ASSESSMENT TO SALE RATIOS.  AND SO WE DO A LOT OF WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE BEING APPLIED FAIRLY TO EVERYONE AND SO EVERYONE IS BEING ASSESSED TO THE SAME STANDARDS IN THE SAME WAY.  I CAN'T SAY FOR CERTAIN WITHOUT LOOKING AT SPECIFIC DATA POINTS TO GIVE YOU A DIRECT ANSWER ON WHAT'S GOING ON WITH PERCENTAGES IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS. A LOT OF TIMES THAT'S DUE TO THE FACT THAT IF YOU HAVE VERY GENERALLY SPEAKING LOWER VALUED PROPERTIES WHEN THEY INCREASE THEY INCREASE AT HIGHER PERCENTAGES THAN HIGH VALUE PROPERTIES AND IT HAS A LOT TO DO WITH THE SUPPLY AND DEMAND OF THOSE PROPERTIES. THANK YOU. WELL MADAM CHAIR TO THE CHAIR,  MAY I REQUEST THAT INFORMATION THROUGH YOU? YES.  OKAY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN.  JUST MAKE A NOTE OF THAT. COUNCILOR MURPHY.  THANK YOU. CHAIRS. SO I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO THE NUMBERS YOU USED WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT THE EXEMPTION AND I TOTALLY GOT YOUR MAP. SO YOU USE THE EXAMPLE THAT IF YOUR TAX BILL WAS 3800 AND YOUR EXEMPTION WAS 3500 THAT YOU WOULD PAY 380 BECAUSE 300 WOULD BE THE BILL. BUT YOU HAVE TO PAY AT LEAST 10%. SO WHAT IF THEY QUALIFY FOR THE EXEMPTION? THEY'RE PAYING MORE THAN WHAT THE EXEMPTION WOULD GIVE THEM. BUT THEY DO HAVE TO BE AT LEAST THE 10% SO THEY'RE AT 380. WHAT IF THEY ALSO THEN QUALIFY AND APPLY FOR THE REBATE? WOULD THAT WOULD THEY THEN NOT QUALIFY TO EVEN APPLY BECAUSE I ALREADY ADD THE MINIMUM OR WOULD THAT SUPERSEDE THE 10% REQUIREMENT? THE 10% REQUIREMENT IS ALSO BUILT INTO THE LEGISLATION WITH THE REBATE. SO THEY WOULD IN THAT INSTANCE YOU WOULDN'T SEE A REBATE, RIGHT? YOU WOULDN'T EVEN BE ABLE TO APPLY TO THE REBATE BECAUSE YOU'VE ALREADY HIT THE MINIMUM YOU COULD EVER REACH. CORRECT. AS WRITTEN IN THE LEGISLATION THERE'S NO APPLICATIONS FOR ANYBODY BUT RIGHT.  THAT'S THE POINT. THAT'S THE SAME AS AT THAT POINT AND YOU'RE NOT IN YOUR HOME RULE PETITION ASKING FOR THAT LANGUAGE TO CHANGE. CORRECT.  THE 10% MINIMUM AND IF THERE ARE PROPOSALS WELL NO, I'M SAYING THE ONE THAT YOU'VE ALREADY PUT FORWARD.  YES, THAT'S IN THE ONE THAT WE'VE PUT FORWARD. THE 10%. RIGHT. RIGHT. OKAY. THANK YOU, CHAIR.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MURPHY, THIS IS JUST NOW MUSCLE MEMORY. I'M SORRY I'M DOING THIS. I HAVE THE TIMER ON MY PHONE. OKAY. COUNCILOR, MEJIA. OKAY, SO FROM PAYING ATTENTION TO THE MOST SENIOR COUNCIL FOLKS, THEY HAD THREE VERY SPECIFIC DEMANDS AND I'D LIKE TO GET SOME LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE YOU ARE LANDING WITH THESE DEMANDS. SO I'M GOING TO PUT THEM ON THE RECORD AGAIN JUST IN CASE YOU DO REMEMBER ALL THEIR TESTIMONY. ONE IS EXPAND THE SENIOR EXEMPTION PROGRAM BY RAISING INCOME ELIGIBILITY BY 80%. AM I OKAY? THAT'S A VERY SPECIFIC ASSET. THESE FOLKS CAME HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR. THEY DON'T WANT US TO COUNT RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS AS ASSETS. IT'S ALREADY ACCOUNTED AS INCOME SHOULD NOT BE COUNTED TWICE. SENIORS NEED THAT TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR INCOME OVER THE LENGTH OF THEIR RETIREMENT. SO THAT'S ALSO ANOTHER DEMAND THAT I HEARD HERE TODAY. AND THEN THEY WANT SUPPORT LOOKING AT A TASK ASSESSMENT FREEZE TO ENSURE THAT OUR ELDERS CAN AFFORD TO AGE IN THEIR HOMES AND COMMUNITIES. SO THAT'S WHAT I HEARD FROM THOUGH FROM FROM THE MASS SENIOR ACTION GROUP. AND SINCE WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE MAYOR'S HOME RULE PETITION THAT IS APPARENTLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT COUNCILOR MORRELL AND WE HEAR ON THE COUNCIL ALREADY PASSED. CAN YOU GET ON THE RECORD FOR ME? WHERE DOES THE ADMINISTRATION LAND ON THESE THREE VERY SPECIFIC DEMANDS THAT THESE ELDERS CAME HERE TO FIGHT FOR? WE'RE OPEN TO CONSIDERING ALL OPTIONS THAT ARE PUT FORWARD. SO WHEN WHEN WHEN I HEAR THAT AND THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE TAKING A VOTE AT SOME POINT, AT WHAT POINT ARE WE GOING TO COMMIT TO THESE DEMANDS?  SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE HEARD OF THEM A APPARENTLY THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING. SO THIS IS THE FIRST TIME. WELL, MAYBE I DON'T KNOW WHO THEY'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH SO BECAUSE I KNOW THEY CAME HERE ALL.  YES. SO WHO HAVE THEY BEEN TALKING TO BECAUSE APPARENTLY THEY HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR THESE THINGS. SO COUNCIL I'VE BEEN HERE FOR OVER 5 HOURS ANSWERING MANY, MANY QUESTIONS TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY BASED ON MY KNOWLEDGE. BUT I'M NOT REALLY INTERESTED NOR DO I HAVE THE ABILITY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT I'VE NEVER CONSIDERED AND I HAVEN'T LOOKED INTO WHATSOEVER. SO I'M OPEN AND I WILL TALK TO THE REST OF THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT ALL PROPOSALS AND ALL POTENTIAL IDEAS. I DON'T THINK THAT THEY ELIMINATE THE NEED RIGHT NOW WHERE WE HAVE AN OFFER ON THE TABLE THAT PROVIDES ASSISTANCE . NOW MAYBE THERE'S A NEW PROPOSAL THAT WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT MEANS THAT WE SHOULD DELAY A DECISION ON THE FIRST PROPOSAL. SEE, THIS IS THE PROBLEM AND I'LL USE I'LL WAIT FOR MY TURN TO SPEAK BECAUSE FROM WHAT I'M HEARING IT'S THERE'S ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE A DISCONNECT FROM WHAT WE'RE HEARING IN COMMUNITY. THEN WE COME HERE AND WHEN YOU SAY YOU'RE OPEN THEN THE CHAIR YOU KNOW HER DISCRETION AND THE CHAIR AT HIS DISCRETION YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING TO END UP PASSING THIS BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT OUR SENIORS TO SUFFER. BUT THERE ALREADY IS A HOME RULE PETITION FOR THEM AND THEN IF THEY'RE ASKING FOR MORE MY ASSUMPTION THAT THIS HEARING WAS GOING TO ALLOW US TO TALK ABOUT WHAT THESE DEMANDS LOOK LIKE WITH THE ITERATION BEFORE WE SENT IT OVER TO THE STATE HOUSE. SO IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEND IT TO THE STATE HOUSE AND THEN THERE'LL BE AN AFTERTHOUGHT, THEN WE COULD TALK ABOUT IT AT A DIFFERENT TIME BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT NOW. I CAN RESPECT THAT BUT THEY AS THE COUNCIL THEY CAME HERE TO THE SENIORS. THEY CAME HERE TO SPEAK. THEY NEED TO HEAR THAT WHAT THEY CAME HERE TO SPEAK ABOUT IS NOT GOING TO BE IN THE HOME RULE PETITION THAT'S GOING TO BE SENT TO THE STATE HOUSE THAT GETS APPROVED BY THIS COUNCIL BECAUSE THEIR VOICES IN TERMS OF THEIR DEMANDS WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE HEARD OR MET IN THIS ITERATION OF WHAT IS BEING SAID. SO FOR THE RECORD THAT IS CLEAR AND THEN WE CAN CONTINUE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR FUTURE ORGANIZING AND WORKING ALONGSIDE Y'ALL TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN GET THEM THESE THINGS THAT THEY'VE BEEN ASKING FOR AT A FUTURE LATER DATE. HOPEFULLY THEY'LL STILL BE ALIVE AND STILL BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MEJIA COUNCILOR FERNANDEZ ANDERSON.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.  SO I.  I DON'T BELIEVE OR THINK I KNOW THAT THERE IS A PROCESS AND AS LEGISLATORS WE HAVE THE AUTONOMY TO PROPOSE AMENDMENTS EVEN IF IT'S ON THE FLOOR. AND SO I IT'S JUST BEEN FILED, RIGHT. IT'S JUST GOING TO BE HEARD WEDNESDAY NOT A VOTE WEDNESDAY RIGHT. WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR ANY I DON'T WANT TO HEAR WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR A VOTE ON WEDNESDAY BECAUSE WE'RE JUST GOING TO HEAR IT ON THE FLOOR WEDNESDAY AND THEN POSSIBLY THE FOLLOWING WEDNESDAY. RIGHT? MADAM? MADAM CHAIR, THERE'S GOING TO BE A COMMITTEE REPORT FORTHCOMING SORRY THIS WAS FILED PRIOR TO IT WAS ON THE FLOOR ALREADY WE HEARD THIS ON THE FLOOR AND WE HAVE NOT WELL ,IT WAS INTRODUCED AS PART OF A COMMUNICATIONS FROM HER HONOR THE MAYOR I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATE WAS THAT JANUARY 13TH EXCUSE ME. AND THEN AS USUAL THE COMMITTEE REPORT COMES OUT OR. BUT AM I SAYING THE RIGHT THING HERE BECAUSE COMMITTEE REPORT MEANS THAT I'M LOOKING FOR PASSAGE. I MEAN WE WOULD JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED HERE. THANK YOU.  MATTERS MOST RECENTLY HEARD. THANK YOU. YOU THINK I WOULD REMEMBER THAT ? I'M SORRY. OKAY.  AND SO I AM TRYING TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY HERE AS A CITY COUNCILOR WE HAVE THE AUTONOMY TO MOVE THINGS A CERTAIN WAY. SAY THE CHAIR SAY I DISAGREE WITH THE CHAIR OF OF COVER UPS AND SOME THINGS ON THE FLOOR. FOR THOSE OF YOU WATCHING AT HOME, COUNCILORS HAVE THE AUTONOMY TO PROPOSE AMENDMENTS ON THE FLOOR. IT IS NOT FOR US TO PUSH AGAINST YOU. THE ADMINISTRATION.  I THINK YOU'RE DOING YOUR JOB AND TODAY EXCEPTIONALLY PATIENT WITH THE PROCESS HERE.  I MAY DISAGREE WITH THE MAYOR AND I DISAGREE WITH THE MAYOR ON A LOT OF THINGS.  I WILL NOT CHANGE MY DISPOSITION, MY RESOLVE BASED ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S BEHAVIOR IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT THE MAYOR FEELS OR SAYS ABOUT ME. THIS IS ABOUT SUPPORTING A THING A RESOLUTION THAT COULD MITIGATE SOME HARM. HOWEVER, IT'S NOT DOING WHAT THE CONSTITUENTS FEEL OR AT LEAST I'VE HEARD FROM MY CONSTITUENTS ENOUGH IF IT'S A FIRST STEP, LET'S GO FORWARD AND WE AS COUNCILORS HAVE THE RIGHT AND THE DUTY TO PROPOSE AMENDMENTS ON THE FLOOR ALLOW OUR COUNCIL COLLEAGUES TO OPINE, ASSESS, SPEAK ON IT AND IF THEY DON'T VOTE ON IT LET THEM GO ON RECORD AND NOT VOTE ON IT. THAT IS OUR JOB SO WE CAN TAKE THIS PROCESS OUTSIDE OF THIS. THIS IS NOT FOR US TO BEAT YOU UP ABOUT ANY INFORMATION WE'LL KEEP ASKING YOU ABOUT THE SAME INFORMATION.  THIS IS FOR US TO LEGISLATE AMEND CHANGE IF NOT PASS WHAT'S ON THE FLOOR.  I HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR ME PERSONALLY SO MAYBE I'M BEING A BIT SELFISH IN THIS CASE BUT I THINK INSTEAD OF ASKING YOU WHAT YOU PROPOSE OR WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO AGREE TO A PROPOSAL IT'S WE PUT IT ON THE FLOOR, WE GO THROUGH A TRANSPARENT PROCESS AND WE ASK OUR COLLEAGUES WE HOLD OUR COLLEAGUES ACCOUNTABLE TO VOTE OR NOT VOTE AND THAT CAN BE DONE. THERE'S NO THERE'S NO NEED HERE. I FEEL LIKE I FEEL LIKE THE HEARING TOOK A TURN AND WHETHER THE LEGISLATORS WILL TAKE WELL, WE'LL TAKE IT FROM HERE. I APPRECIATE THE WORK AND ALL THE INFORMATION THAT YOU BROUGHT FORWARD AND IF I NEED ANY MORE THROUGH THE CHAIR I'LL BE REACHING OUT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN ANDERSON. AND THEN JUST TO REITERATE AS CHAIR AS I HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST OPEN TO PROPOSALS TO INCLUDE IN THE COMMITTEE REPORT ,YOU DON'T JUST HAVE TO PUT IT ON THE FLOOR TO AMEND BUT IF THAT'S YOUR PREROGATIVE, THAT'S YOUR PREROGATIVE.  BUT THERE'S THERE'S THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS THROUGH THAT AVENUE AS WELL. THANK YOU. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND TO THAT, PLEASE? SURE.  IN THE EVENT I HEARD TWO THINGS I HEARD COLLEAGUES TALK ABOUT NOT BEING HEARD. WE'VE HEARD IN THE PAST COLLEAGUES FEEL LIKE WHEN THEY HAVE PROPOSING WORKING SESSIONS OR HEARINGS THEY ARE NOT HEEDING TO THAT OR SOME OF OUR COLLEAGUES NOT HEEDING TO THAT. WE HAVE CONFLICTS IN WHEN WE DISAGREE NOT HOLDING WORKING SESSIONS WHEN WE NEED MORE TIME TO DELIBERATE.  AND SO I'M I AM PROPOSING NOT TO SAY THAT I AM GOING AGAINST YOUR LEADERSHIP MADAM CHAIR. RATHER I AM PROPOSING THAT WE REMIND OURSELVES THAT WE ARE THE ONES RESPONSIBLE, THAT WE'RE THE LAWMAKERS, THAT WE CAN TAKE THIS PROCESS IN DIFFERENT WAYS WITHOUT POINTING FINGERS OR SAYING TO FOLKS THAT DO A JOB FOR A BOSS WHICH IS THE MAYOR.  THAT'S I DON'T THINK THIS IS IT HERE. I THINK EITHER YOU HOLD A WORK IN SESSION AND OR WE'RE SAYING TO THE MAYOR LOOK COUNCIL WE'RE ALL COUNCIL CLOUTIER COUNCIL AARON MURPHY ALL FILE THINGS THAT LOOK A LITTLE BIT SIMILAR OR PARTS OF SIMILAR SIMILARITIES IN THIS AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK WITH YOU AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY TRANSPARENTLY SO THAT WE CAN GET THE BEST SOLUTION FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS WITHOUT ALL THIS LEVERAGING AND FOR TAT AND I THINK A LOT OF WORK IN THE HOUSE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE ANGRY THAT WE SAY OKAY, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE THINKING THAT AND I THINK WE'RE OUT OF TIME BUT YOU HAVE VERY I THINK THE WAY YOU SEEM TO BE MORE POSITIVE ABOUT IT AND LIKE I ASK I THINK I WANT TO BE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT I THINK ABOUT THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH THE WORK ORDER. I DON'T EXPECT THERE WILL A LOT BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT  DIFFERENT WAYS TO DOING THIS. I WAS GOING TO SAY MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SKIN A CAT AND I DON'T MEAN THAT I LOVE CATS BUT YOU KNOW WHETHER IT BE ON THE FLOOR HERE, WHETHER WE'RE DISCUSSING IT HERE OR THERE'S A WORKING SESSION I HAVEN'T HEARD YOU AND YOU AND I RIGHTFULLY SO YOU HAVE TO GO THINK ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE A WORKING SESSION AFTERWARDS.  SO I'M NOT PUTTING THE PRESSURE OF SAYING YOU HAVE TO RESPOND HERE YOU YOU ARE VERY PATIENT IN THIS PROCESS AND I THANK YOU AND I JUST I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO THE FOLKS WATCHING AT HOME TO MY CONSTITUENTS WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE IS BASICALLY COUNCIL A LETTER HAS TO DECIDE IS YOUR WORK IN SESSION SHALL REPORTED ON WEDNESDAY AND ON WEDNESDAY IF WE ARE ASKING FOR A VOTE WE ALL HAVE DIFFERENT WAYS OF OF PROPOSING A MOTION FOR AN AMENDMENT SO THAT CAN HAPPEN ON THE FLOOR OR COUNCIL. COLETTE IS GOING TO ASK FOR WORK IN SESSION BUT EITHER WAY WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE TO GET A SOLUTION. BUT THERE ARE OTHER PROPOSALS ON THE FLOOR WHERE FROM COUNCIL LETTER COUNCILOR AARON MURPHY AND I THINK OTHERS I'M NOT SURE IF COUNCIL ALL WAS FILING SOMETHING I APOLOGIZE. AND SO IN THAT CASE THEN WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT THAT AND IT'S OUR JOB TO BASICALLY FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO GET THE BEST SOLUTIONS FOR ALL OF OUR CITIZENS IN BOSTON. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND I DO THINK EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO THEIR OPINIONS AND THEIR OWN WAY OF LEGISLATING AND I JUST THANK YOU FOR ACKNOWLEDGING THAT AND THAT THERE THERE ARE MANY PROPOSALS THAT IMPACT ONE ANOTHER. AND SO I APPRECIATE THE GRACE AS WELL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO PIECE THAT TOGETHER IN A WAY THAT MAKES SENSE THAT IS FAIR TO EVERYBODY AND MY INTENTION IS TO ULTIMATELY HELP THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON THROUGH THIS PROCESS COUNCILOR WORRELL . THANK YOU, CHAIR JUST SOME FINAL QUESTIONS.  YOU REFERRED TO THE GOOD LANDLORD TAX RELIEF RELIEF AS A NEW COST YOU KNOW AT AFTER YOU FIGURE OUT THE ANSWER TO THE QUITE OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS,  ARE YOU ABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH WHAT THAT COST WILL BE?  NOT UNTIL WE DEFINE WHAT THE POPULATION IS. SO ONCE IF WE HAVE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS ABOUT WHO THIS WOULD APPLY TO THEN WE COULD GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION. BUT ABSENT THAT INFORMATION WE CAN'T. OKAY. YEAH AND THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT LIKE THE TIMELINE AROUND THAT AND THEN JUST FOR YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUES AND ALSO TO THE PUBLIC YOU KNOW, I MET WITH THE MASSENA ACTION YESTERDAY AND HAVE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET A LOT OF THE ADVOCACY INTO THE BILL THAT PASSED THIS COUNCIL AND IS NOW ON ITS WAY UP TO THE STATE HOUSE AND THAT LANGUAGE IN THAT HOME WILL PETITION ALLOWS THE STATE HOUSE TO AMEND AN AD INTO NO DIFFERENT ADVOCACY INTO THAT HOME RULE PETITION. SO WE HAVE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS AND LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH OUR SENIORS ON PROVIDING THEM, YOU KNOW, MAXIMUM RELIEF BUT IT IS URGENT TO GET THEM RELIEF AND I THINK TYING IT TO ANYTHING AS WE HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST BECAUSE IT'S UP THERE NOW WITH TRANSFER TAX AND WHAT IT DOES IS YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TIE IT TO PAST THINGS SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T GET ACROSS AND WE KNOW OUR SENIORS NEITHER RELIEF AND I THINK IT YOU KNOW, IS IN MY OPINION BETTER OFF ON A STAND ALONE SO THAT OUR SENIORS ARE PRIORITIZED AND IT'S NOT A EITHER OR OR IT'S JUST PRIORITIZING OUR SENIORS. SO THAT'S WHY YOU KNOW, I DECIDED TO MOVE IT ON A STANDALONE AND I INTRODUCED IT PRIOR TO THE MAYOR INTRODUCING HER TAX RELIEF PLAN AND I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THAT WAS GOING TO BE INSIDE OF IT AS WELL. SO I JUST WANTED TO STATE THAT FOR THE RECORD AND ALSO MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE PUBLIC. THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR MORALE. AND THEN I ALSO JUST I WANT TO CLARIFY TOO THAT I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT UH, MY TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS GOOD LANDLORD TAX ABATEMENT FOR OVER A YEAR.  GOT THE CALL. UH, I THINK IN JANUARY THAT YOU GUYS WERE REFILING THIS. YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T ANTICIPATE A THIRD FILING. OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW, FOLKS NEED RELIEF AND YOU'RE DOING THIS TO PROVIDE THAT IMMEDIATE RELIEF AND SO I UNDERSTAND THAT UM, AT THIS POINT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO MOVE MOVE TO ADJOURN THE MEETING.  UM, IS THERE DO YOU HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION?  COUNCILOR FLYNN OKAY, MADAM CHAIR, THANK YOU. AND I HAVE A QUESTION AND A COMMENT TO AND JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR FERNANDEZ ANDERSON QUESTION AND COMMENT WHICH WHICH I AGREE WITH AND I THINK YOU AND I THINK THE PROCESS YOU HAVE HAD HAD HERE IS FAIR BUT I, I DO I DO WANT TO ASK MADAM CHAIR, WHEN THIS IS BROUGHT UP BEFORE THE ON THE FLOOR WHETHER IT'S NEXT WEEK OR THE WEEK AFTER BUT OFTENTIMES WHEN WE'RE DISCUSSING AN IMPORTANT MATTER SOMEONE WILL ASK FOR AN END TO DEBATE OR TO VOTE ON A PARTICULAR MATTER EVEN THOUGH COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ARE INTERESTED IN CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION, MAYBE THEY MAY WANT MAYBE THEY MIGHT WANT TO ADD AN AMENDMENT ON THE FLOOR WHICH IS THERE WHICH IS THEIR RIGHT.  BUT I GUESS MY QUESTION IS HOW DO WE PREVENT SOMEONE FROM MAKING A MOTION TO END THE DEBATE HAVE A VOTE WHEN WHEN CITY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES REALLY WANT TO ADD SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO THE DISCUSSION WHETHER IT'S AN AMENDMENT OR IT'S A IT'S A IT'S SOME COMMENTS THAT THEY WANT TO ENSURE I HEARD ON THE RECORD THAT'S MY CONCERN AND BECAUSE OF THAT I DON'T WANT US TO MOVE SO FAST IN THIS PROCESS THAT CITY COUNCIL IS ARE NOT ABLE TO REALLY WEIGH IN. I STILL HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS AND I TRY TO LISTEN TO EVERY COMMENT AND EVERY QUESTION AND EVERY OPINION WHETHER I AGREE AGREE WITH SOMEONE OR DISAGREE WITH SOMEONE. BUT I DON'T LIKE TO BE AND I THINK YOU'VE BEEN VERY PROFESSIONAL BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE RUSHED IN MAKING A VOTE WITHOUT ALL THE NECESSARY TOOLS TO IMPACT A PARTICULAR VOTE. SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT MAYBE IT'S HELPFUL TO MY COLLEAGUES, MAYBE IT'S NOT BUT I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT ON THE RECORD.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN I CAN'T PREDICT MY OTHER COUNCIL COLLEAGUES ACTIONS. I THINK THE THE QUESTION OF HOW DO WE STOP IT IS IS A PROCEDURAL ONE. UM I DON'T HAVE THE RULES IN FRONT OF ME BUT I SINCERELY TAKE THAT FEEDBACK AND WE'LL BE SURE TO CONSIDER THAT ON THE FLOOR.  ULTIMATELY IT'S GOING TO BE BROUGHT UP AS YOU KNOW IN A REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING WHERE I DON'T PRESIDE OVER THAT. THAT'S THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT THANK YOU COUNCILOR MEJIA. AND FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN TUNING IN, WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS ON WEDNESDAYS AND HOW EVERYTHING HAPPENS HERE. SO GET JUST POPCORN BECAUSE THERE'LL BE LOTS OF DRAMA AND DRAMA FOR US TO GO GET THERAPY ONCE WE GET DONE WITH THIS SITUATION. BUT GOING BACK TO WHAT I REALLY WANT TO ENSURE RIGHT AND BECAUSE YOU COUNCIL WE'RE ALL JUST LAID IT ALL OUT ON THE FLOOR THAT EVERYTHING THAT THE SENIOR COUNCIL ACTION COMMITTEE HAS BEEN FIGHTING FOR IS GOING TO GET DONE AT THE STATE BASED ON HIS OR HER HOME RULE PETITION BUT IT'S VERY CONFUSING BECAUSE WE HAD A RULES AND I'M GOING BACK TO THAT SAME POINT THERE'S BEEN SO MANY OTHER LITTLE THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN BAKED INTO WALLS THE ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSAL AND IT JUST ALL FEELS VERY CO-OPTED . IT IT JUST I'M GOING TO NEED THAT FOR THE RECORD. AND THERE IS THIS DESIRE TO WANT TO CREATE CHAOS BECAUSE WE'RE ASKING QUESTIONS BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE.  I DON'T THINK IT'S JUST FOR ME TO BE MAKING VOTES FREELY REALLY JUST BASED ON A FIVE HOUR HEARING THAT HAD MORE QUESTIONS THAN WHAT I'M WALKING AWAY WITH HERE. SO OUT OF RESPECT FOR THE PROCESS, I THINK THAT EVERYBODY NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS THE CULTURE AND CLIMATE THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW AND I AM GOING TO DO MY JOB BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT I GET PAID TO DO AND IF I'M GOING TO PUT AN AMENDMENT ON THE FLOOR, I'M NOT SURE AT WHAT POINT I'M GOING TO GET THE DEBATE IS GOING TO GET SHUT DOWN AND I'M JUST TRYING TO PREPARE MYSELF FOR THIS CHAMBER ON WEDNESDAY. SO AS MUCH INFORMATION YOU COULD PROVIDE BEFOREHAND, CHAIR I'D APPRECIATE IT BECAUSE I THINK SURPRISES REALLY MAKE EVERYONE LOOK, YOU KNOW, BAD. SO IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS BECAUSE FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND ALL THE VOTES HAVE ALREADY BEEN WHIPPED.  THIS WAS JUST A TRANSACTIONAL JUST SO THAT WE CAN SAY THAT WE DID IT SO IF THAT'S THE CASE THEN WE'VE WASTED EVERYONE'S TIME HERE AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S A BEHAVIOR TO MODEL. NO. AND I WOULD LIKE TO RESPOND ON THAT. I THINK WE SHOULD REALLY CAUTION AGAINST PROJECTING ANY IDEA OR DISTRUST OF GOVERNMENT INTO THIS CHAMBER. WE ALL WORK WITHIN GOVERNMENT. WE ARE ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PEOPLE I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF MAYBE PRESUMPTIONS ABOUT PEOPLE'S INTENTIONS AROUND THIS PARTICULAR DOCKET AND NOT ALL OF THEM ARE NECESSARILY TRUE. WE ARE IN THIS BUSINESS TO HELP PEOPLE AND THERE'S NO SORT OF PAULO TRICKS THAT ARE GOING ON BEHIND THE SCENES. I THINK THAT IT IS NOT OUR IT'S NOT PRODUCTIVE TO BE TO HAVE THAT BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION WHEN ALL WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS JUST LOOK AT THE MERITS AND CONTENTS OF THIS PROPOSAL.  RIGHT. AND I YOU KNOW, I JUST DON'T WANT TO BOX MYSELF INTO A TIMELINE THAT I CAN'T MAKE GOOD ON. I JUST I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S GOOD PRACTICE FOR ME AS CHAIR AND SO I'M SAYING I DON'T HAVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER FOR YOU WHEN IT COMES TO THE TIMELINE.  THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT I HAVE ANY ULTERIOR MOTIVES BASED ON THIS PROPOSAL. I SAW A LOT OF QUESTIONS MYSELF . I FEEL REALLY STRONGLY ABOUT THE GOOD LANDLORD TAX CREDIT. I STILL WANT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE OF THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION ON RENTERS BECAUSE 70% OF OUR RESIDENTS ARE RENTERS AND ULTIMATELY WE DO PEOPLE NEED RELIEF AT THIS POINT AND I AND I DO APPRECIATE YOUR ADVOCACY. I KNOW HOW HARD YOU ARE FOR THE SENIORS.  I DO AND I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU BROUGHT UP THE 50 TO 80%. I THINK THAT THAT'S A WORTHWHILE ENDEAVOR TO LOOK AT. I WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT A FREEZE ON A TAX ASSESSMENT LOOKS LIKE. SO I DO APPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS REALLY AND TRULY AND I JUST I THINK FOLKS FOR THEIR PATIENCE AT HOME AND I THINK THE ALL MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR PATIENCE AS WELL. THIS HAS BEEN A LONG HEARING. I'VE TRIED MY BEST TO BE AS FAIR AS POSSIBLE AND I THINK JUST IN GENERAL JUST TO CLOSE IT BUT I'LL PUT A BOW ON IT. I DON'T HAVE A DEFINITIVE ANSWER ON A TIMELINE FOR YOU QUITE YET BUT THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT THERE IS AN ULTERIOR MOTIVE. THAT'S IT.  UM, COUNCILOR FOR NUSINERSEN OH, IS THAT YOU?  YES. ME, I THOUGHT. OH, I'M SORRY. COUNCILOR MURPHY SIT ME OKAY.  JUST TO GO BACK AND YOU'VE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT IT A LITTLE BUT IF A COLLEAGUE BECAUSE THIS HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST BUT ALSO THIS YEAR AND WE'VE ONLY HAD TWO MEETINGS SO FAR IF A COLLEAGUE ASKS TO PULL THIS FROM THE GREEN SHEET IT CAN BE STOPPED THE CHAIR TO GO TO A VOTE OR JUST SHUT DOWN CONVERSATION.  ARE YOU COMFORTABLE ENOUGH TO SAY THAT YOU WOULDN'T ALLOW IT TO BE PULLED FROM THE GREEN SHEET FOR A VOTE SO AND SO ALSO THERE'S QUESTIONS ON THE RECORD FROM TODAY THAT MAY NOT BE BACK IN TIME BECAUSE THEY MAY NEED MORE TIME THAN JUST DAY AND A HALF. MADAM CHAIR, DO YOU NEED US FOR THIS PARTICULAR PART?  I MEAN I WOULD LIKE I'M THE LAST ONE SO I HAVE ANYTHING FOR YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S OTHER QUESTIONS FOR US. I DO HAVE QUESTIONS FOR THEM COUNCILOR OPINIONS AND YOU ASK FOR THEM. OKAY, GREAT. SO IF YOU CAN SAY AND WE DO A PUBLIC TESTIMONY AS WELL TOO SO I DON'T I ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW IF WE WOULD NEED TO PULL THIS FROM THE GREEN SHEET BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE IN MATTERS RECENTLY HEARD.  RIGHT. SO I DON'T I JUST DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR POINT CUT COMMUNICATION.  THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I JUST WANTED TO QUICKLY THE NEXT TIME YOU COME TO A HEARING ASK EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNSELOR TO IDENTIFY AND CLARIFY AND DESCRIBE WHAT IT IS THEY'RE ASKING ABOUT BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE HECK THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT THEY SHOULDN'T BE ASKING YOU. SO THAT'S ONE AND I HEAR A LOT SOMETIMES WITH AND THEY MAY BE COLLEAGUES THAT ARE NOT HERE SO I DON'T WANT TO MENTION NAMES BUT OR COLLEAGUES THAT ARE HERE . AND SO IF FOLKS DON'T UNDERSTAND AND THEY DON'T HAVE INFORMATION, IT'S NOT LIKE FOR US TO BE DEFENSIVE AND PUSH AGAINST AND UNTIL WE FIND WE'VE WE PROSTRATE THAT WE'RE DOING A THING THAT WE'RE DOING A JOB OR THAT WE'RE GRANDSTANDING AND I I'M SORRY. I JUST I JUST FEEL LIKE AT SOME POINT IT HAS TO BE ABOUT THE WORK ITSELF AND SO BUT I DO FINALLY I WOULD SAY I DO AGREE WITH THE PROCESS BEING FLAWED IN TERMS OF AND THIS IS NOT FOR YOU AND I'M SORRY I DON'T KNOW IF MADAM CHAIR ALMOST MISS YOU BUT I DO FIND A PROBLEM OF LAW WITH THE PROCESS WHERE ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES CAN SAY MOVE TO VOTE AND IF IT'S SECOND IT GOES TO TO MOVE TO VOTE. RIGHT. AND THAT IS THE RULE AND THINK I HEAR THE FRUSTRATION SO I AM ASKING OFFICIALLY, MADAM CHAIR, IF WE CAN HAVE A QUICK WORKING SESSION IF IT'S TOMORROW LET'S DO IT. LET'S GET TO WORK. IF NOT IT'S UP TO YOU. I DON'T WANT TO PUT ANY HARDSHIP ON YOU BUT I WOULD SAY THAT THIS THE RULE DOES ALLOW ANY ONE OF OUR COLLEAGUES TO SEND IT TO VOTE AND I THINK THAT'S THE FRUSTRATION OR THE CAUTION FROM MY COUNSELOR COLLEAGUE FLYNN.  SO I WOULD SO AND THEN AND THEN THE OTHER PART IS THAT IF THAT IF THAT DOES HAPPEN IF THAT DOES HAPPEN, THEN YOU KNOW, LET'S ALL CALL IT OUT BECAUSE THE PROCESS IS BEGINNING TO FEEL LIKE HIGH SCHOOL.  THAT'S RIGHT. AND I WOULD JUST LIKE TO HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, CLARIFY AND HAVE SOME FAIR AND TRANSPARENT PROCESS. BOSTON DESERVES BETTER AND HOPEFULLY WE DO THAT WHENEVER YOU ARE READY WHETHER IT BE ON THE FLOOR OR NOT I'LL BE EXECUTING OR USING THE RULES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO FIGHT TO ADVOCATE FOR MY CONSTITUENTS. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT PROCESS AND I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PATIENCE. DO YOU NEED US TO BE HERE WITH YOU FOR THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND WE'RE HAPPY HANG OUT BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT YOU TO BE ALONE. THAT IS UP TO YOUR DISCRETION IF YOU WANT TO STAY.  AM NOT KEEPING ANYBODY ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES.  I THINK IF WE'RE READY TO MOVE YOUR PUBLIC TESTIMONY YOU CAN MAKE THAT DECISION. I WOULD LIKE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO HEAR FROM BILL PHILIPPE AND LOOSENS. THEY DID SPEND ALL DAY LISTENING AND WE'LL MOVE TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. WE'LL GO TO BILL FIRST SINCE HE'S FIRST ON MY LIST IS BILL IS BILL STILL US?  IS BILL STILL WITH US?  OKAY. WE'LL MOVE TO PHILIPPE.  HELLO.  HI, PHILIPPE. GOOD 2 MINUTES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. BEING WITH US. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. I JUST CAME UP WITH A FEW IDEAS TO KIND OF HELP OFFSET THE WEIGHT AGAINST THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING WITH THE PROPERTY TAXES MOST I JUST WANT TO GO OVER QUICKLY OVER A FEW POINTS I THINK THAT RECENT RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS AND BIG COMMERCIAL YOU KNOW, BUILDINGS SHOULD BE PAYING HIGHER PROPERTY TAXES FOR ANYTHING NEW IN THE CITY. THEY'RE THE ONES LIKELY WITH THE MOST MONEY SO I FEEL LIKE WE COULD OFFSET COSTS FROM THEM . SECOND, I FEEL THAT UNOCCUPIED UNITS IN PROPERTIES THAT ARE ABOVE THE CITY'S MEDIAN PRICE SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO AN OCCUPANCY FEE BECAUSE WE TALK A LOT ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS AVAILABLE JUST MAKING IT APPLICABLE SO THAT MORE PEOPLE CAN MOVE IN.  SAME THING WITH BUSINESSES IF THERE'S A LOT OF UNUSED OFFICE SPACE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO PAY MORE FOR THAT INEFFICIENCY OR FORFEIT THEIR SPACE OR OTHER RESIDENCES . ALSO THOSE WITH THE LOWEST PROPERTY VALUE THEY SHOULDN'T SEE MUCH OF A HIT FOR THEIR PROPERTY TAXES AND YOU KNOW WHO KNOWS IF IT CAN BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT THEIR INCOME, THEIR ASSETS THAT THEY HAVE DISABILITY AND SO ON. TWO MORE POINTS I THINK IT'S HONESTLY TIME TO START TAXING UNIVERSITIES AND MUSEUMS FOR THEIR LAND AND POSSIBLY EVEN PUBLIC SPACES LIKE THE COMMONS . I MEAN THIS IS WHAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE TO BOSTON. IT'S PARTLY WHAT MAKES IT SUCH AN EXPENSIVE CITY. I KNOW LOAN FROM NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY AND IN 2023 THE PRESIDENT MADE $2.2 MILLION AND NORTHEASTERN TAKES A LOT OF LAND WITHIN THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THEN WEST AND THIS IS A CONTROVERSIAL ONE. I THINK THAT WE SHOULD PUT A TAX ON ALCOHOL BECAUSE I MEAN WE HAVE TAXES ON MANY THINGS EVEN SUCH AS LIKE MARIJUANA THAT IF WE TAX ALCOHOL THAT COULD OFFSET THE COSTS AND THAT'S A LUXURY WHEREAS PEOPLE NEEDING A HOUSE THAT ISN'T SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO PASS ALONG AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME ME THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH US THIS LONG AND FOR YOUR TESTIMONY.  LOU IS LOU STILL ON?  OH YOU HEAR ME NOW WE CAN HEAR YOU. OKAY.  MY NAME IS LOU MURRAY. I'M FROM WEST ROXBURY. I'M A FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE ROSLINDALE BOARD OF TRADE, BEEN ACTIVE IN THE CITY A LONG TIME. I FIND MYSELF IN THE ODD POSITION FOR THE FIRST TIME AGREEING WITH COUNCILWOMAN HERE THE PROCESS THAT I SAW TODAY WAS MESSY. SENIOR EXECUTIVE REBATES, GOOD LANDLORD GIVEAWAYS WAS REALLY ILL DEFINED AND HARD TO UNDERSTAND.  SHE USED THE WORDS MESSY AND UNCLEAR AND I USED THE WORD ILLUSORY. THE TAX DEPARTMENT COULDN'T EVEN GIVE NUMBERS ON WHO WILL QUALIFY. SHE ASKED THE BEST QUESTION WHAT ABOUT THE $150 MILLION FOR WHITE STADIUM? WHAT ABOUT THE BIKE LANES? WHAT ABOUT THE 200 NEW HIRES AT CITY HALL WITH HUGE SALARIES IN NEW POSITIONS?  I THINK SHE WENT ON TO SAY THIS IS A BIG WASTE OF EVERYONE'S TIME. IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS AGO SHE YOU KNOW, SHE SAID THAT THIS WAS ALL A A RUSE THAT YOUR YOUR VOTES ARE ALREADY COMMITTED. AND I HAVE TO JUST POINT OUT THAT THESE TAX HIKES ON THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR WILL TRICKLE DOWN TO LEASEHOLDERS AND BE PASSED ON TO THE CONSUMERS OF BOSTON AND HIGHER PRICES FOR GOODS AND SERVICES. THE SMALL LANDLORDS THEN TWO AND THREE FAMILY HOMES ARE THE BACKBONE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE WORKING AND THE MIDDLE CLASS IN THE CITY. YOU THE CITY HALL THE CITY COUNCILORS HAVE JUST DESTROYED THOSE LANDLORDS WITH MORE RULES FEES, FINES, REGULATIONS.  AND THE BURDEN IS GETTING SO ONEROUS THAT THOSE AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS ARE GOING TO BE TURNED INTO CONDOS.  AND THEN WHERE WILL THE WORKING CLASSES GO TO GET A DECENT PLACE TO LIVE? CERTAINLY NOT IN SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. THE PROMISE THAT IN THE YEARS TO COME AS THE VALUATIONS ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES RISE WE CAN RETURN TO A LOWER TAX RATES IS COMPLETELY ELUSIVE.  ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND REMOTE WORK IS HERE TO STAY AND THE NEED FOR COMMERCIAL OFFICE SPACE WILL CONTINUE TO DETERIORATE. THERE ARE CERTAIN CLASSES OF COMPANIES AND CORPORATIONS THAT NEED TO HAVE IN-PERSON HOUSING.  BUT MIA WU AND HER HUGE UTOPIAN DESIRE THE MILLIONAIRE'S TAX FOR QUOTE UNQUOTE EQUITY HAS MADE BOSTON A PLACE THAT CORPORATIONS JUST DON'T WANT TO PUT THEIR HEADQUARTERS AND HEADQUARTERS ARE THE PLACES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE TO COME WORK EACH AND EVERY DAY.  I WAS CUT OFF ON UP TO 5 HOURS. I WAS CUT OFF ON ZOOM AND I HAD SIGNED BACK IN USING MY PHONE. SO I'M TRYING TO HOLD MY PHONE AND LOOK AT MY NOTES HERE. I WANTED TO SAY LASTLY THAT THE COST OF MAINTAINING PROPERTY INCREASES AS A PERCENT OF FAIR MARKET VALUE UNDER THIS PROPOSAL THIS TAX INCREASE WILL ONLY ACCELERATE THE BOSTON TO THE DECLINING BOSTON REAL ESTATE MARKET. OWNERS OF REAL PROPERTY AND POTENTIAL INVESTORS WILL INVEST IN OTHER CITIES OR IN OTHER INVESTMENT ASSETS.  BOSTON HAS THE HIGHEST RELIANCE OF OF ANY CITY ON COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE AND AS PERCENTAGE OF ITS TAX REVENUE.  AND STATE SENATOR SUSAN MORAN AT THE JOINT MEETING OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE TAXATION COMMITTEE SAID TO THE MAYOR EVERYONE IN MASSACHUSETTS, EVERY FAMILY, EVERY GOVERNMENT IS TIGHTENING OUR BELTS AND THE MAYOR HAD NO RESPONSE AND I THINK THAT THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL SHOULD STOP WORRYING ABOUT GOOD LANDLORD PROPOSALS AND START WORRYING ABOUT BEING GOOD CITY COUNCILORS AND START CUTTING THE TAXES START CUTTING THE BUDGET SO DON'T HAVE TO RAISE THE TAXES. LASTLY, I WANT TO SAY THAT I RESENT THE EMOTIONAL BLACKMAIL OF THE ASSESSORS WHEN TODAY SAID OUTRIGHT SHE WAS RIGHT YOU DIDN'T LET US RAISE TAXES ON BUSINESSES AND TAXES WENT UP. ALSO I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT THEY SAID THAT THEY SAID IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE TESTIMONY THAT THE CITY WAS WELL RUN. IF YOU GO TO TRUTH IN ACCOUNTING DOT ORG THE UNIVERSITY OF DENVER SCHOOL OF ACCOUNTING HAS RANKED BOSTON 62 OUT OF THE 75 GREAT AMERICAN CITIES FOR FISCAL IRRESPONSIBILITY WITH A RATING OF D. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH STICKING WITH US. APPRECIATE IT. IT WAS EYE OPENING.  HAPPY TO HAVE DEMOCRACY ON FULL DISPLAY HERE. AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOU BEING WITH US FOR SO LONG. I APPRECIATE THE ADVOCACY ON BEHALF OF MY COLLEAGUES. THANK YOU SO MUCH, ASHLEY, CFO FOR STAYING HERE.  BEING HERE. I WANT TO TAKE MY CHAIR AS WELL TO I'LL JUST SAY THAT IF FOLKS HAVE BECAUSE THE THE MAYOR'S DOCKET IS IN MY COMMITTEE IF THERE ARE ANY LANGUAGE OR AMENDMENTS THAT FOLKS WANT TO CONSIDER, PLEASE SEND IT MY WAY. WE'LL BE HAPPY TO REVIEW IT AND TAKE IT UNDER CONSIDERATION. I'LL KEEP IT THERE AND THEN PASSED OVER TO MY CO-CHAIR IF YOU WANTED TO PROVIDE ANY START. COULD I MAKE ONE PUBLIC COMMENT PLEASE? OH, I'M SORRY. WHO WHAT'S YOUR NAME, SIR? I DIDN'T I DIDN'T SEE YOU NOW THIS IS BILL MASTERSON. I LIVE IN EAST BOSTON.  BILL MASTERSON. HI. SO YES, WE KNOW. DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. YOU CALLED ON ME EARLIER AND I COULDN'T GET TO MY MIKE SOON ENOUGH SO I KNOW WE'RE ROLLING UP ON 6 HOURS WHATEVER, SO I'LL KEEP IT SHORT.  I LIVE IN EAST BOSTON BUT I WAS SPEAKING AS A LANDLORD.  I'D LIKE TO JUST TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE WITH THIS TAX INCREASE. MY WIFE AND I OWN TWO INVESTMENT PROPERTIES IN ROXBURY. WE HAVE FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS AND WE REALLY TRY TO KEEP OUR RENTS AT MARKET RATE OR BELOW AND WE'VE GOT 12 GREAT TENANTS AND WE WANT TO KEEP THEM BUT I'M JUST AFRAID THAT WITH THE INCREASES WE'VE SEEN IN INSURANCE AND UTILITIES AND JUST OVERALL MAINTENANCE, THIS TAX INCREASE JUST IT'S GOING TO BE ABSORBED SOMEWHERE WILL ABSORB SOME OF IT BUT SOME OF IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE PASSED ALONG TO OUR TENANTS WHICH I HATE TO DO. I THINK IT WAS COUNCILOR FITZGERALD HAD MENTIONED EARLIER 02119 IS OUR ZIP CODE AT 11.5% INCREASE. I HAD ONE PROPERTY WENT UP 10%, THE OTHER ONE UP 18% IN TAX RATE AND UNFORTUNATELY SOME OF THAT IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE PASSED ALONG. SO I JUST IMPLORE YOU TO I LOVE ALL FOUR OF THE DOCKET ITEMS OBVIOUSLY FAVOR OF THE LANDLORD EXEMPTION TO A CERTAIN DEGREE.  I THINK THAT IT WILL REALLY HELP TO KEEP PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES. HOUSING IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR THESE FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO AND HAVE TO PASS SOME OF IT ALONG.  BUT WHERE WE'RE FORCING PEOPLE OUT AND I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT BECAUSE I'VE GOT SOME GREAT TENANTS SO JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT AND I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HEAR MY VOICE HEARD AND ALSO FOR THE CO-CHAIRS FOR MANAGING THROUGH THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BUT I APPRECIATE YOU BEING ON WITH US AND FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO IN TRUE A I PASSED OVER TO MY CO-CHAIR FOR ANY CONCLUDING REMARKS. YES. I JUST WANT TO THANK MY CO-CHAIR, MY COLLEAGUES, MY TEAM CENTRAL STAFF, THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING HERE TODAY AND ACTION GREAT QUESTIONS AND PROVIDING INFORMATION ALSO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS CONVERSATION ON MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THE RIGHT RELIEF TO OUR RESIDENTS.  THANK YOU.  THIS HEARING ON DOCKETS 014202360269 AND 0270 IS ADJOURNED. THANKS EVERYONE