ARE
. BOSTON CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTING DISTRICT ONE AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS. TODAY IS JUNE 30TH AND IT IS EXACTLY 2:04 P.M. IN ACCORDANCE
WITH CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACTS OF 2025 MODIFYING CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS OF THE OPEN MEETING LAW AND RELATING PUBLIC BODIES AND CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING THE REQUIREMENT THAT PUBLIC BODIES CONDUCT ITS
MEETINGS IN A PUBLIC PLACE THAT IS OPEN AND PHYSICALLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE CONDUCTING THIS HEARING VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM. THE SHARING IS BEING RECORDED.
IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED. BOSTON DARK OF LAST CITY DOES COUNTLESS TV AND BROADCAST ON ITS KENNEDY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FILES CHANNEL 964.
WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C C C DARK GEO AT BOSTON DARK GROVE AND WILL BE MADE A PART OF A RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU WISH TO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND HAVE NOT
DONE SO PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON MEGHAN AND G.A. AND DOT C 0RU GEDO AT BOSTON DARKO FOR THE ZOOM LINK
AND YOUR YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET 127 FOR A HEARING ON THE COMMUNICATION RECEIVED FROM ANITA TAVARES CHAIR OF THE
BOSTON OF THE BOARD OF ELECTION REGARDING THE CITIZEN PETITION TO ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT MUNICIPAL INSPECTOR GENERAL. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY
COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR FLYNN COUNCILOR MAHILA COUNCILOR FRITZ GERALD
COUNCILOR WEBER COUNCILOR BREADON AND COUNCILOR SANTANA. THIS IS GOING TO BE A IT IS A HEARING ALTHOUGH IT IS A SPACE
FOR COLLEAGUES TO ASK QUESTIONS AND GET FLAHERTY. I DO WANT TO BE SURE TO MAKE HOW FOLKS RECEIVE THE THE FILE
OF QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE AND THEY CAN REVIEW IT AND UNDERSTAND WHO SIGNED AND WHAT IT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE. THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OPENING REMARKS.
I WILL HAVE COUNCILOR JOIN MEJIA. GO FIRST SEEING AS THOUGH SHE WAS A LEAD ORGANIZER AND PUTTING THIS FORWARD AND THEN WE CAN GO FROM THERE.
COUNCILMAN, HERE YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN HOSTING A HEARING. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN AT THIS FOR NOW ALMOST A MONTH AND
A HALF SO I APPRECIATE THE EBBS AND FLOWS AND SO I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE HERE TODAY AND WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS THE COMMUNICATION FROM THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT
REGARDING A NONBINDING BALLOT QUESTION ASKING WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY OF BOSTON SHOULD ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT MUNICIPAL INSPECTOR GENERAL. THIS HEARING IS ABOUT GIVING MY COLLEAGUES AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS AND TO GET
FLAHERTY ON THE PROCESS BEFORE WE BRING THIS TO A VOTE. ORIGINALLY THE INTENT WAS TO BRING THIS ITEM UP FOR A VOTE DURING THE LAST FEW COUNCIL MEETINGS BUT WE JUST KEPT MEETING HURDLE AFTER
HURDLE AND THAT DID NOT HAPPEN AND THAT'S OKAY. I KNOW THINGS SHIFT AND I'M NOT HERE TO DWELL ON THAT. WHAT MATTERS NOW IS THAT WE ARE IN THE SPACE TOGETHER AND WE HAVE A CHANCE TO MOVE THIS WORK FORWARD.
THIS BALLOT INITIATIVE QUESTION IS A PART OF A BROADER STRATEGY. I JUST WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR. WE FILED A FORMAL PETITION WHICH WE ARE WORKING ON ALONGSIDE EVERYONE WHO'S PARTICIPATED THUS FAR IN OUR WORKING SESSIONS WITH THE GOAL
OF RESTRUCTURING THE FINANCE COMMISSION TO EXPAND ITS POWERS TO INCLUDE THE DUTIES AND EXPAND CAPACITY OF THE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL THAT LEGISLATION IS IN THE WORKS AND
IT HAS BEEN SO FOR OVER A YEAR IN COLLABORATION WITH MY COLLEAGUES, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OUR LEGAL TEAM THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSPECTOR GENERAL, OUR INSPECTOR
GENERAL'S ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY INSPECTOR GENERAL SHAPIRO. SO NEEDLESS TO SAY THAT WE HAVE AND CONTINUE TO DO THIS WORK IN PARTNERSHIP IN THE TRUE SPIRIT
OF MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THIS RIGHT IN BOSTON AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ALL KEY STAKEHOLDERS TO ENGAGE THE PUBLIC. AND SO THE GOAL REALLY IS IS TO DEMONSTRATE TO THE STATE HOUSE
THAT BOSTON RESIDENTS CARE ABOUT OVERSIGHT, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. THIS IS NON-BINDING BUT IT IS MEANINGFUL. WE'VE SEEN HOW EASILY LEGISLATION STALLS WHEN IT
REACHES BEACON HILL IF WE CAN DEMONSTRATE PUBLIC SUPPORT NOW IS STRENGTHENED THE CASE FOR THE HOME RULE PETITION THAT WE HAVE I DON'T UNDERSTAND KIND OF LIKE FOLKS THINK THAT THIS IS AN REPLACE UP. SO I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR
THIS IS NOT IN REPLACE OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING. THIS IS TO STRENGTHEN THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING AND WE'RE NOT VOTING ON THE ACTUAL CONTENTS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD HAVE IT.
WE'RE VOTING ON WHETHER OR NOT THE CITIZENS COULD PUT THIS ON THE BALLOT. THAT IS THE KEY DIFFERENCE HERE. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT
THAT THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITHIN THE HOME RULE PETITION IS THE MAIN PRIORITY. THIS IS A TACTIC FROM ORGANIZING STANDPOINT. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MOVEMENT ECOLOGY YOU NEED INSIDE AND OUTSIDE GAME TO REALLY MOVE
LEGISLATION AND WE ARE WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS AND UTILIZING THE ECOLOGY MOVEMENT FRAMEWORK TO DO JUST THAT. I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES TO TREAT THIS FOR WHAT IT IS AN
OPPORTUNITY. LET'S NOT PUT THE BURDEN BACK ON EVERYDAY PEOPLE TO GO OUT AND COLLECT THOUSANDS OF SIGNATURES JUST TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD WHICH IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE DON'T
MOVE THIS FORWARD. LET'S TAKE WHAT WE NEED FROM THIS HEARING SO THAT WE CAN VOTE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD AND GIVE RESIDENTS A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN THIS NOVEMBER. TODAY WE'RE NOT ASKING YOU
WHETHER YOU PERSONALLY AGREE WITH THE QUESTION OR WHETHER YOU EVEN PERSONALLY AGREE WITH WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD HAVE AN INSPECTOR GENERAL. THAT IS NOT WHAT IS FOR DEBATE HERE TODAY. TODAY IS ABOUT ALLOWING
DEMOCRACY TO PLAY OUT. IT'S ABOUT GIVING THE BOSTON THE CHANCE TO WEIGH IN ON HOW THEY WOULD WANT THEIR GOVERNMENT TO FUNCTION AND IT COULD WORK EITHER WAY. THE BALLOT QUESTION JUST TO BE
CLEAR FOR THE RECORD IS IN THE INTEREST OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY EXCUSE ME IN THE INTEREST OF ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, ACCESSIBLE CITY AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
SHOULD THE CITY OF BOSTON ESTABLISH AN INDEPENDENT MUNICIPAL INSPECTOR GENERAL TO PROVIDE GOVERNMENTAL OVERSIGHT ? THIS QUESTION JUST FOR THAT FOR THE JOURNEY HERE WE HAVE ASKED
RESIDENTS TO DO THIS OVER TWICE ALREADY AND SO THERE IS A LEVEL OF OF URGENCY AS WE KNOW WE HAVE ONE MEETING IN JULY AND
THEN WE DON'T HAVE A NEXT MEETING UNTIL AUGUST THE SIX WHICH IS THE FINAL DATE THAT THE MAYOR IS SUPPOSED TO SIGN THIS. OTHERWISE IF IT DOESN'T GET TO HER WITHIN THIS SHORT PERIOD
OF TIMELINE IT WILL TRIGGER PUT IN THE BURDEN ON RESIDENTS TO COLLECT THOUSANDS OF SIGNATURES TO MOVE THE WORK FORWARD. SO IN THE INTERESTS OF MOVING THINGS ALONG, I HOPE THAT WE
CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN. ED INITIALLY COUNCILOR CLARISSA PAPA FILED A COMMITTEE REPORT WHICH WE WERE GOING TO VOTE ON
I THINK IT WAS JUNE 12TH AT WHICH POINT SHE FLAGGED FOR ME THAT THAT SHE WAS NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE COMMITTEE REPORT BECAUSE WE HAD WORKED ON UPDATING THE LANGUAGE INTEREST
OF MAKING SURE THAT THERE WAS NO DISCREPANCIES. I WAS ADVISED THAT WE SHOULD RE FILE AND WORK ALONGSIDE RESIDENTS TO GET MORE SIGNATURES SO THAT WE CAN DO IT
OVER SO NOBODY WOULD QUESTION IT. SO WE'VE DONE EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO GET TO A GOOD PLACE AND SO NOW INSTEAD OF HAVING A
COMMITTEE REPORT GIVEN THE FACT THAT PEOPLE HAD QUESTIONS I ASKED FOR A HEARING SO THAT WE CAN GET YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED AND WE COULD DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO DELIVER FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU COUNCILOR MEJIA AND I DID RECEIVE JUST FEEDBACK FROM OUR COLLEAGUES WHO HAD MAYBE NOT BEEN PRESENT DURING THE 2019 2021 BALLOT INITIATIVE
NON-BINDING BALLOT INITIATIVES. AND SO THIS WAS THAT SPACE THAT THEY WERE ASKING FOR. AND SO JUST REAL QUICK, THERE ARE TWO OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE
PUBLIC TO BRING FORTH NON-BINDING PUBLIC OPINION ADVISORY QUESTIONS WHICH LIVES IN STATE LAW AND SO THIS IS ONE OF THEM. SO CITIZENS MAY SUBMIT A PETITION TO THE ELECTIONS
DEPARTMENT TO QUALIFY A QUESTION FOR PLACEMENT ON THE NEXT MUNICIPAL BALLOT. WHY DID THAT REQUIRING THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY'S QUOTE UNQUOTE GOVERNING BODY WHICH IS
THE COUNCIL AND THEN VOTE OF MAYOR AND THE SECOND IS REQUIRING THE SUBMISSION OF A PETITION SIGNED BY AT LEAST 10% OF THE CITY'S REGISTERED VOTERS .
I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF ME AND SO I WILL MAKE A GUESS TO SAY THAT GIVEN THE 400,000 REGISTERED VOTERS IN THE CITY IT COULD BE AROUND THERE. SO IT IS A VERY DIFFICULT
PROCESS AND SO IN THE FIRST INSTANCE OR THE FIRST PATHWAY YOU GET TEN RESIDENTS TO SIGN THIS PETITION AND THAT IS EXACTLY THE PATHWAY THAT COUNCILMEMBER HERE HAS HAS TO
FOLLOW THROUGH ON. AND SO IT NEEDS APPROVAL FROM THE GOVERNING BODY. SO THE COUNCIL THE MAYOR NO LATER THAN 90 DAYS PRIOR TO THE REGULAR MUNICIPAL ELECTION
MEANING THAT WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6TH IS THE LAST DAY THAT THE MAYOR CAN SIGN IT AND WORKING BACKWARDS THAT THE COUNCIL CAN APPROVE IT. THE CITY CLERK SHALL CALL THE
QUESTION TO BE PLACED ON THE BALLOT AT THAT NEXT ELECTION EVEN AFTER THE 90 DAY MARK. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I DIDN'T KNOW THE GOVERNING BODY RETAINS THE AUTHORITY TO APPROVE AND
PLACE THE QUESTION ON THE BALLOT UP TO 35 DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION. THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO PURSUE I THINK BEFORE AUGUST SIX IS IS IS WHERE WE WANT TO GO. THERE'S SOME PRECEDENT FOR
THIS. AND SO THERE WAS A BALLOT QUESTION IN 2019 WHERE THE COUNCIL RENAMED DUDLEY SQUARE TO NUBIAN SQUARE. THE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS HELD A HEARING ON
THAT DOCKET AND THEN IT WAS APPROVED FOR PASSAGE BY THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE AT THE TIME IN 2021. I'M NOT SURE THE TWO YEAR DIFFERENCE IN 2021 AS WELL.
THE ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE THERE WAS A QUESTION THAT WAS PLACED BEFORE THE BODY IN AUGUST OF 2021 THERE WERE THERE
WAS ONE HEARING AND THEN TWO COMMITTEE REPORTS AND THEN LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST THERE WAS A NON-BINDING OPINION OR
EXCUSE ME PUB ADVISORY A ADVISORY QUESTION PUT FORTH BY THE CITIZENS OF BOSTON ASKING FOR THERE TO BE SOME
TRANSPARENCY ACCOUNTABILITY AROUND WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN EAGLE HILL. AND SO AS IT RELATES TO THIS PARTICULAR DOCKET, COUNCILOR MEJIA DID A BROAD OVERVIEW BUT IT WAS INTRODUCED
AS AN EMERGENCY LATE FILED. I THINK IT WAS DURING OUR FIRST MEETING IN JUNE. WHAT THE RATIONALE BEING THAT THE COUNCIL WAS ON AN EXPEDITED TIMELINE TO PASS IT AHEAD OF THE AUGUST 6TH DEADLINE. THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT
THE ORIGINAL QUESTION THAT WAS PROPOSED WHICH STATED SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF DO YOU SUPPORT THE CREATION OF THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AND
THE CITY OF BOSTON BASED ON PREVIOUS DISCUSSIONS THAT TOOK PLACE WITHIN THIS COMMITTEE I RECOMMENDED TO THE SPONSOR TO REVISE THE QUESTION TO BEST REFLECT THE EXISTING AND SUBSTANTIVE WORK THAT IS TAKING
PLACE THROUGH THE WHOLE PETITION THAT SHE MENTIONED THAT INSTEAD OF CREATING THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL IT MORPHED INTO A HOME A PETITION SEEKING TO EXPAND MODERNIZE AND
ENUMERATE THE POWERS OF THE THINKING. THE FINANCE COMMISSION AND FOR THOSE WATCHING THE FINANCE COMMISSION IS THE WATCHDOG AGENCY OF THE CITY OF BOSTON. IT WAS CREATED IN 1907.
IT HAS A DIRECTOR BY THE NAME OF MATT CAHILL AND HE AND HIS VERY SMALL BUT MIGHTY STAFF INVESTIGATE AND AUDIT ALL MATTERS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES IT
IS BY IT'S A MISNOMER. IT IS THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE CITY BOSTON. HOWEVER THERE WE HE NEEDS ADDITIONAL HELP. HE NEEDS MORE RESOURCES AND HE NEEDS HIS POWERS ENUMERATED A
BIT MORE THROUGH A FORM OF PETITION PROCESS THAT I CERTAINLY SUPPORT AND I'M VERY PROUD OF TO WHERE WE ARE GETTING IT TO REPLACE AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE PASSAGE OF THAT. AND SO AS A CHAIR OF THIS
COMMITTEE I SUBMITTED A COMMITTEE REPORT RECOMMENDING PASSAGE AN AMENDED DRAFT OF THE NEW VERSION WHICH WE FULLY AGREED ON. WHICH STATES DO YOU SUPPORT AND THIS IS TO THE EFFECT OF I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME I
APOLOGIZE. DO YOU SUPPORT AN INDEPEND MUNICIPAL INSPECTOR GENERAL AND THE CITY OF BOSTON RATHER THAN CREATING AN OFFICE AS MENTIONED I ULTIMATELY THREW IT BECAUSE I
WAS CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO THE QUESTION GOING TO THE BALLOT THAT WAS DIFFERENT FROM WHAT THE CITIZENS HAD SIGNED FOR AND SUBMITTED TO THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT AND SO NOW WHAT WE
HAVE IS A READ SUBMITTED QUESTION THAT WAS PRESENTED LAST WEEK BY THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT BUT ORGANIZED BY COUNCIL HERE IN THE TIME FRAME
FROM THE FIRST WEEK IN JUNE THROUGHOUT ALL OF THIS UP UNTIL LAST WEEK I WAS PRESENTED WITH FEEDBACKS THAT COLLEAGUES WANTED TO TALK THROUGH AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS BALLOT
INITIATIVE THAT WAS WHAT WAS KOSHER BASED ON WHAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST. THIS IS ABOUT TIME AND SPACE. I WANT FOLKS TO USE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THEIR
QUESTIONS TO BE INFORMED AHEAD OF THE VOTE. WE DID REACH OUT TO I BELIEVE THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT TO SEE IF THEY WOULD PARTICIPATE IN THIS HEARING ALTHOUGH I CAN I
DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR THEM BUT WHAT THEY'VE SAID IN PAST HEARINGS AND WORKING SESSIONS ON ANYTHING RELATED TO ELECTIONS IS THAT THEY SIMPLY ADMINISTER THE ELECTIONS AND SO
THIS IS REALLY IT'S A UNIQUE SPACE FOR OUR COLLEAGUES TO ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROCESS ASK COUNCILMAN, HEAR MYSELF ANYTHING THAT YOU MAY HAVE TOP OF MIND AND WE CAN WE CAN GO
FROM THERE. IT'S A VERY IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY LOOSE STRUCTURE IF FOLKS HAVE ANY OUTSTANDING QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS, NOW'S THE TIME TO ASK THEM.
I THINK WHAT I'LL DO IS JUST GO THROUGH FOLKS THAT HAVE JOINED US IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING DON'T WORRY WE CAN GO TO THE NEXT PERSON.
BUT IF YOU DO HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS JUST PUT YOUR HAND UP AND I CAN GO BACK TO YOU. SO WITH THAT I'LL GO FIRST TO COUNCILOR RITCHIE LOUIJEUNE FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS YOU
MAY HAVE. THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCILOR CLLR ZAPATA FOR THAT EXPLANATION. I THINK THAT WAS INCREDIBLY HELPFUL AND ESPECIALLY TO THE PROCESS BECAUSE I HAD A FEW
PROCESS QUESTIONS THAT I THINK WERE FROZEN BECAUSE LOUIJEUNE YOU ARE FROZEN IF YOU WOULDN'T
MIND JUST REPEATING YOUR LESSONS. OH I WAS SAYING THANK YOU FOR SOME OF THE PROCESS QUESTIONS AND I THINK THE PROCESS QUESTIONS WERE IMPORTANT FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND IN TERMS OF WHAT IS THE JURISDICTION
OF THE COUNCIL IN ANSWERING SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS. BUT I DO I MEAN I TAKE BEING ON THE COUNCIL NOW THE SECOND OR SECOND TERM I HAVEN'T BEEN ON THE COUNCIL FOR A BALLOT
INITIATIVE. I AND I DID HEAR YOU STATE THAT THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL AND I BELIEVE IT IS ACTUALLY THE FINANCE COMMISSION THAT WE HAVE AND IT'S A FINANCE
COMMISSION IS THE OFFICE THAT WE AS A COUNCIL DURING THE AMENDMENT PROCESS AND THROUGHOUT THE PAST TWO YEARS WHERE I HAVE FOR YEARS I HAVE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL HAVE BEEN PUTTING MORE RESOURCES IN TO SUPPORT MORE OF THEIR WORK AND
SUPPORT MORE RIGOROUS OVERSIGHT OF THE CITY. AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SO THAT IT CURRENTLY EXISTS AND WE'RE FIGHTING TO STRENGTHEN
THE FINANCE COMMISSION AND SO IS THIS QUESTION DUPLICATIVE OF THAT OR IS IT SOMETHING SEPARATE? I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING CLEAR TO THE VOTERS AS TO WHAT
IS HAPPENING AND AND BEING CREATED THE VOTERS AS TO THE STRUCTURE THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS . SO WHAT IS THE STRUCTURE RIGHT NOW THAT IS DOING THE WORK OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL? DOES IT EXIST IN ITS CURRENT
FORM AS A FINANCE COULD? I JUST WANTS TO BE VERY CLEAR TO THE VOTERS AS TO WHAT EXISTS ,WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON AND YOU KNOW I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT AND WE'VE TALKED
ABOUT THIS IN DIFFERENT FACETS AS A COUNCIL AND SO WHEN WE ARE EXPANDING GOVERNMENT, HAVING MORE LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT THAT'S MORE BUREAUCRACY, THAT'S MORE CITY FUNDING FOR
ADDITIONAL POSITIONS, THAT'S MORE MONEY IN THE CITY'S BUDGET AND IS IT FOR SOME THAT IS DUPLICATIVE? IT ISN'T AS NECESSARY. SO THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT I WANTED TO PUT OUT THERE JUST HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING SO
THAT WHEN WE TALK TO VOTERS AND THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC NO WELL DO WE NOT ALREADY HAVE THIS OFFICE WILL THE ANSWER WHAT IS THE ANSWER IS THE ANSWER YES OR YES AND SO THOSE
ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT I WANT TO PUT OUT. SURE. COUNCILMAN. HEY, DO YOU WANT ME TO ANSWER JOE, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE A STAB AND THEN I WILL REITERATE WHATEVER I NEED TO THANK YOU. OKAY.
SOUNDS GOOD. AND THANK YOU FOR THAT QUESTION. COUNCIL REGION SO THERE GOES I'M ALSO DEALING WITH A CONSTITUENT EMERGENCY ISSUE BUT I AM HERE AND LISTENING SO OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR THAT FLAHERTY.
SO THERE'S CURRENTLY A HOME A PETITION SPONSORED BY COUNCILWOMAN HERE THAT WE HAVE HAD GOT MULTIPLE WORKING SESSIONS AND HEARINGS ON AND SO
THERE ARE A FEW KEY COMPONENTS WHERE IT IT REPLACES THE FINANCE COMMISSION STRUCTURE BECAUSE IT WAS SO BROAD AND SO BROADLY DEFINED. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS
WHERE IT IT IT KEEPS THE EXISTING STRUCTURE. SO FIVE BOSTON RESIDENTS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR SERVING ON STAGGERED TERMS. IT EXPANDS THE LANGUAGE TO SAY
THAT THEY HAVE TO HAVE RELEVANT EXPERIENCE IN AN AUDITING INVESTIGATION AND PUBLIC POLICY. IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR THE FINANCE COMMISSION LIKE THIS GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE
CURRENTLY APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR TO APPOINT AN INSPECTOR GENERAL AND SO THE FINANCE COMMISSION APPOINTS AN INSPECTOR GENERAL BY A MAJORITY
VOTE AND THAT INDIVIDUAL HAS TO BE CERTIFIED AND HAVE EXPERTISE AND FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT OR INVESTIGATIONS AND THIS INDIVIDUAL HAS TO REPORT
ANNUALLY TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND THEN IT ALL GOES GOES FURTHER INTO ADDITIONAL DUTIES WHERE THEY ARE INVESTIGATING CITY FINANCES AND OPERATIONS FOR FRAUD, WASTE ABUSE AND MISMANAGED MEANT THEY
REVIEW AND IMPROVE CITY PROCEDURES AND SERVICES THEY ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC, RECEIVE COMPLAINTS, LAUNCH INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
PARENTS WHILE ALSO PROTECTING CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED INFORMATION. AND SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF POINTS OF FEEDBACK THAT WERE PROVIDED BY I THINK IT WAS THE NATIONAL INSPECTOR GENERALS
ASSOCIATION AND I DON'T THINK THAT THAT'S THE ACTUAL NAME BUT THERE HAS BEEN FEEDBACK PROVIDED BY JEFFREY SHAPIRO WHO IS THE MASSACHUSETTS INSPECTOR GENERAL AND HE'S BEEN VERY COLLABORATIVE THROUGHOUT THIS
WHOLE PROCESS AND HE'S HE'S BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE AUTHORITY AT THE STATE LEVEL SO THE SUPREMACY CLAUSE. SO HE ULTIMATELY HAS THE AUTHORITY TO COME IN AND AND INVESTIGATE THE CITY.
BUT HERE HE FROM HIS OWN WORDS THERE WAS A LANE HERE FOR A MUNICIPAL LEVEL BUT HE IT WAS A PART OF HIS TESTIMONY AND I
THINK IT WAS ECHOED BY MY COLLEAGUES THAT WE SHOULD LOOK TO THE FINANCE COMMISSION TO EXPAND THAT JUST MAKING SURE THAT THERE ARE RULES IN WHICH
THE FINANCE COMMISSION AND THE INSPECTOR GENERAL THAT THEY APPOINT IS SET UP FOR SUCCESS AND THAT THIS OFFICE WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO CARRY OUT THE DUTIES THAT WE ARE WE ARE
SO TRYING TO GIVE THEM. SO I HOPE THAT WAS HELPFUL. WE CAN SEND AROUND MORE INFORMATION AND I SEE COUNCILMAN HIS HAND IS UP IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT I FORGOT TO ADD COUNCILOR MEJIA. YEAH NO I JUST WANT FOR THE SAKE OF EXERCISE AND PARTICULARLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE
FOLLOWING THIS SITUATION IS THAT JUST SAW THAT OUT FOR MY OWN EDIFICATION HERE. WELL, THIS HEARING IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE CITIZENS PETITION. WE'VE HAD A SERIES OF WORKING
SESSIONS AND HEARINGS ON THE ACTUAL CONTENT OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL. SO I JUST WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR THAT LATE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M PARTICIPATING IN THE RIGHT EXERCISE HERE. RIGHT.
THIS IS TO GO OVER WHAT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NON-BINDING, YOU KNOW AND INITIATIVE AND THE HOME RULE PETITION LIKE I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I UNDERSTAND THAT I
DON'T WANT TO CONFUSE PEOPLE BECAUSE PEOPLE GET CONFUSED REALLY EASILY ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE VOTING ON AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT THIS PARTICULAR HEARING IS SPECIFICALLY TO
DELIBERATE ON WHETHER OR NOT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO APPROVE HAVING THIS PARTICULAR QUESTION ON THE BALLOT FOR NOVEMBER THAT WILL HELP AND THAT WILL HELP STRENGTHEN THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING WITH THE HOME RULE
PETITION. SO I JUST WANT I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR FOR THE RECORD THAT THIS IS NOT TO BULLDOZE OR TO STEAM OVER YOUR ABILITY TO VOTE WHETHER OR NOT YOU EVEN WANT AN INSPECTOR GENERAL.
THIS IS JUST TO GIVE CITIZENS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IT ON THE BALLOT AS AN ADVISORY QUESTION THAT WILL HELP STRENGTHEN FROM ORGANIZING TACTICAL STANDPOINT THE WORK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I SURE THE WHAT THE EXERCISE THAT I'M ENGAGING IN IS WHAT WE'RE HERE TO DELIBERATE NOT THE MERITS OF WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD HAVE AN INSPECTOR GENERAL JUST SO THAT I'M CLEAR AGAIN FOR THE
RECORD PLEASE. THANK YOU COUNCILOR MEJIA AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE BACKGROUND NOISE THAT IS MY BACK GOING ON AND OFF BUT I, I, I DO THINK THAT BECAUSE THE INSPECTOR
GENERAL FORMAL PETITION IS SO IT'S IT'S RELATED HEAVILY ON THIS PARTICULAR QUESTION IT'S ALMOST LIKE A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP LIKE ONE IMPACTS
THE OTHER AND VICE VERSA IT IS IT IS A QUESTION THAT WILL ULTIMATELY BOOST OUR EFFORTS AROUND THAT PARTICULAR QUESTION AND SO LIKE WE ARE HERE TALKING ABOUT THE MERITS OF THIS
PARTICULAR ADVISORY QUESTION THAT WOULD BE NON-BINDING BUT IT IS SAYING THAT THE REST OF THE CITY OF BOSTON NOT JUST THE COUNCIL AFFIRMS OUR EFFORTS
IN THAT WORK. IS THAT SAFE TO SAY? YEAH. WELL I DON'T REMEMBER GOING THROUGH ALL OF THIS IN THE PREVIOUS ITERATIONS OF THESE BODIES THAT I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN LIKE WE YOU KNOW WHEN IT COMES TO THE PEOPLE AND AND
GIVING THEM A VOICE AND A VOTE WE WE I DON'T REMEMBER ALL OF THIS GOING BACK AND FORTH BUT THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT POLITICAL CLIMATE THAT WE ARE IN NOW. SO I APPRECIATE OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION. I THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT OF THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL WITH A QUESTION THAT SO RELATES TO A WHOLE PETITION THAT IS
CURRENTLY BEFORE THE BODY THAT ALSO RELATES TO THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO AN AMENDMENT SO UNDERSTANDING THAT LIKE YOU STATED MADAM CHAIR, THE SYMBIOSIS AND THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE INTERCONNECTED IT NESS OF IT ALL IS IMPORTANT IN
UNDERSTANDING WHERE THE AUTHORITY TO ACTUALLY EITHER EXPAND OR NOT TO IN THE OFFICE WHERE THAT DERIVES FROM. SO THAT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND AS I UNDERSTOOD TO UNDERSTAND THIS BALLOT QUESTION
AND TO UNDERSTAND THE HUMMEL PETITION. THANK YOU. I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THERE IS A A NON-BINDING
OPINION GOING OUT TO THE VOTERS ON AN EXISTING LEGISLATIVE EFFORT. SO IT DOES IT IS IT IS UNIQUE IN THAT WAY AND I THINK CALLING THAT OUT IS IS PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE IN THIS SPACE AND
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE WE HAVE A SPACE NEXT UP I HAVE COUNCIL PRESIDENT EXCUSE ME LET ME GET MY LEFT. I HAVE COUNCILOR FLYNN AND THE COUNCIL FITZGERALD COUNCIL YOU
HAVE THE FORUM. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. SO I WAS JUST LISTENING TO THE CONVERSATION. MADAM CHAIR AND I REALLY HAVEN'T NECESSARILY TAKEN A
POSITION YET ON WHETHER I SUPPORT OR I'M AGAINST THE THE PROPOSAL PUT FORWARD BY COUNCIL ME HERE BUT BUT BUT IT
SEEMS LIKE WE'RE WE'RE REALLY NOT GOING TO DISCUSS THE MERITS OF THE OF OF WHAT THE PETITION IS ABOUT BUT MORE IS IT MORE
BASICALLY JUST SAYING THAT WE WE WANT OR WE DON'T WANT A PETITION ON THE BALLOT IS THAT IS THAT THE ARGUMENT FOR TODAY I'M I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR I
WOULD SAY IT'S AN YES AND RIGHT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE MERITS OF THE PROPOSAL BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO TALKING ABOUT LIKE AS A COUNCIL THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SPIRIT AND INTENT IN WHICH
THIS BALLOT QUESTION WAS BROUGHT FORTH BY OUR COLLEAGUE AND LEARN MORE IF YOU WANT TO. THERE ARE QUESTIONS BECAUSE AGAIN IT IS A SYMBIOSIS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO WHAT THE EXISTING EFFORTS LOOK
LIKE BECAUSE IT IS THIS QUESTION IS SAYING DO YOU SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS IN CREATING AN INSPECTOR GENERAL THROUGH THE EXPANDED 100 PETITION PROCESS WITH THE FINANCE
COMMISSION? OKAY THEN THEN MAYBE COULD I ASK A QUESTION TO COUNCIL MAY HERE THEN MADAM CHAIR YOU MAY COUNCILOR FINE, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU CONCILOR MEJIA HERE WHAT WOULD WOULD YOUR PROPOSAL OR WHAT IMPACT WOULD YOUR PROPOSAL HAVE ON THE THE OFFICE
OF THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL AS WOULD THE INSPECTOR GENERAL HAVE JURISDICTION OVER INVEST TO GETTING THE MEMBERS
OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, CITY DEPARTMENTS? BUT I'M REALLY WHAT I'M REALLY FOCUSED ON WHAT IMPACT WILL IT HAVE ON THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL?
I CERTAINLY WOULDN'T WANT IT TO HAVE AN INVESTIGATIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE CITY COUNCIL BUT I JUST WANTED TO ASK SPECIFICALLY WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS ARE. YEAH, I THANK YOU
COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR THAT QUESTION AND I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR AGAIN FOR THE RECORD THAT THOSE QUESTIONS THAT YOU'RE ASKING ARE BEING FLESHED OUT IN OUR WORKING SESSIONS, RIGHT?
WE'RE STILL IN THE DRAFTING FORM OF THE HOME RULE PETITION AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO REALLY FLUSH THINGS OUT BEFORE WE SEND IT OVER TO THE STATE.
RIGHT NOW THE EXERCISE REALLY IS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE WANT TO ALLOW CITIZENS TO HAVE THIS QUESTION ON THE BALLOT THAT WILL STRENGTHEN OUR ORGANIZING EFFORTS SO THAT WHEN IT GETS TO
THE STATE HOUSE IT'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE. AND SO THE WAY WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS PARTICULAR HOME LAW PETITION IS THAT WE WERE ALSO NOT JUST CITY COUNCIL BUT
ALSO YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN EXPLORING ALL OTHER OTHER QUASI AGENCIES LIKE THE BOSTON PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS LIKE TO MOVE IT BEYOND JUST THE BOSTON, YOU KNOW, CITY ADMINISTRATION AND
THE CITY COUNCIL. BUT REALLY LOOK AT LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE YOU KNOW, ALL FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT. OKAY. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR AGAIN
FOR THE RECORD BECAUSE I DON'T WANT I WANT TO I'M GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO SAY THIS THAT THIS PARTICULAR TIME TOGETHER IS TO REITERATE THAT
THE HOME RULE PETITION IS IN OUR WORKING FORM LIKE WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF AS A BODY FIGURING OUT WHAT WE WANT TO SEND OVER TO THE STATE HOUSE. THE QUESTION THAT WE ARE
WORKING WITH RESIDENTS ON GETTING ON TO THE BALLOT IS AN ORGANIZING TACTICAL STRATEGY SO THAT ONCE IT GETS TO THE STATE HOUSE OUR HOPE IS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE WILL
OF THE VOTERS IS IT IT STRENGTHENS US THE ADVOCACY THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING HERE THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN ANYTHING BECAUSE Y'ALL ALREADY KNOW THINGS DON'T MEAN ANYTHING THESE DAYS, RIGHT?
SO THAT NONBINDING YOU ARE NOT COMMITTING TO A MARRIAGE HERE. IT'S A NONBINDING LIKE THERE'S NO THERE'S NOTHING THAT IS GOING TO CHANGE. IT IS MORE ABOUT ORGANIZING
TACTICS SO YOUR ABILITY TO ALLOW THIS TO GO ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHETHER OR NOT YOU BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN INSPECTOR GENERAL. IT'S THAT YOU BELIEVE THAT
RESIDENTS DESERVE THE RIGHT TO HAVE DEMOCRACY PLAY OUT IN AN ELECTION AND TO GIVE THEM A VOICE AND BEING ABLE TO DETERMINE FOR THEMSELVES WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD EVEN CONSIDER. IT IS AS SIMPLE AS THAT AND I AM GOING TO CONTINUE TO SAY
THAT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN BECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT DEMOCRACY MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR HERE MADAM
CHAIR, MAY I ASK ONE FINAL QUESTION TO COUNCILOR OVER HERE ? YES, COUNCILOR THEN GO AHEAD. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR ME HERE. I'M JUST THINKING OF THE
NON-BINDING BALLOT INITIATIVE THAT WAS ON I BELIEVE IN I BELIEVE IN ROXBURY OR OR OTHER AREAS AS WELL.
BUT HOW WOULD YOU COMPARE THE TIME FRAME OF OF THAT BALLOT INITIATIVE IN TERMS OF THE TIME FRAME THAT IT HAD LEADING UP TO
NOVEMBER COMPARING TO THIS TIME FRAME I'M JUST THINKING KIND OF THINKING ABOUT ARE WE GIVING OUR DO WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME LOGISTICALLY FOR YOU KNOW, THE
THE CITY ELECTION DEPARTMENT, THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND LEGAL FOR EVERYONE TO DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND GET IT TO THE PRINTER ON TIME? THAT'S MORE OF A LOGISTICAL A
LOGISTIC QUESTION. YES. THANK YOU COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR THAT QUESTION. JUST SO YOU KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT IN REGARDS TO THE TIMELINE WHICH IS WHY
WE'RE MOVING WITH THE URGENCY THAT THE MOVEMENT IS CALLING FOR IN TERMS OF GETTING EVERYTHING UP AND RUNNING. AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S THOSE DEADLINES THAT WE JUST MENTIONED. THERE HAS TO BE 90 DAYS BEFORE
THE NOVEMBER ELECTION THAT WE GET SIGNED BY THE MAYOR SO THAT WE ARE IF WE IF WE CAN GET THIS OUT OF THE COUNCIL AND IN OUR
NEXT JULY MEETING AND THEN THE MAYOR HAS 30 DAYS TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT SHE WANTS TO SEND IT OVER FOR FOR SIGNATURE ,THEN WE CAN MEET THE MOMENT IF THE IF IT DIES IN OUR
COMMITTEE IT DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE THEN I'LL JUST KILLED IT AND THERE GOES DEMOCRACY. BUT IF YOU ALLOW IT TO LIVE AND SEND IT OVER TO THE MAYOR AND THE MAYOR THEN SIGNS IT, THEN WE HAVE TIME. BUT IF THE MAYOR STALLS ON IT
THEN IT'LL JUST DIE IN HER HOUSE I MEAN IN HER ARMS AND HER ADMINISTRATION. WELL, THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MEJIA. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. AND THEN WHETHER THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN ME
HERE FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. I APPRECIATE IT. YEAH, I SIMILAR THAT COUNCILOR FLYNN I DON'T KNOW WHERE I STAND ON THE ISSUE AS OF YET SO I APPRECIATE YOU HOLDING THE SPACE TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS. I THINK ONE OF MY MAIN
QUESTIONS THAT I REALLY WANT TO TRY AND WRAP MY HEAD AROUND IS IF WE'RE TO DO THIS I THINK TO IT TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT FIN
COMM IS OR ITS ROLE IT PLAYS AS AN INSPECTOR GENERAL ROLE IN OUR GOVERNMENT. IF YOU WERE TO TELL ANYONE SAY HEY, DON'T YOU THINK THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON SHOULD HAVE THIS? I THINK OVERWHELMINGLY PEOPLE WOULD SAY YEAH, THAT SOUNDS
LIKE A GOOD IDEA. NOT UNDERSTANDING IT'S MAY BE A DUPLICATIVE EFFORT AND COSTS MORE MONEY AND BE MORE OVERSIGHT ON THINGS BUT THE GENERAL PUBLIC MAY VOTE IF IT
WERE TO MAKE A BALLOT AND SAY YEAH, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA AND THEN WE ALMOST CREATE OUR OWN OPPOSITION BY SAY WE THINK THIS IF FOLKS COME AROUND
AS WE GATHER AND FORMULATE OUR OPINION ON THIS AND THINK THAT HEY, THIS ALREADY EXISTS, THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN. BUT NOW PEOPLE WILL BE OUT THERE SAYING HEY, OVER 70% OF THE CITY OF BOSTON VOTED TO
HAVE IT AND YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE. I FEEL LIKE WE'VE CREATED THIS ALMOST THIS THIS OUTRAGE THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST HAD WE NOT ALLOWED IT TO GET TO THE BALLOT
IN THE FIRST PLACE. RIGHT. SO I GUESS COUNCILOR MEJIA THAT'S ALL I WANT TO LIKE CAN UNDERSTAND IS IF THIS IDEA IS BURDENSOME TO CITY GOVERNMENT AND IF WE ARE GOING TO GET IT
BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO STOP DEMOCRACY BUT I FEEL THAT THERE COULD BE LOTS OF THINGS THAT GET ON TO THE BALLOT AND SAY LET DEMOCRACY PLAY OUT. BUT THE POINT IS YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN INFORMATIVE DISCUSSION
PRIOR TO IT MAKING THE BALLOT AND SO FOLKS UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS ON THERE AND I JUST DON'T KNOW IN THIS CASE AS WE KIND OF FIGURE IT OUT IT MAY BE UNNECESSARY AND THEREFORE WE
COULD BE CREATING AN ARGUMENT AGAINST OURSELVES BY IT TO GO TO THE BALLOT. AND AGAIN I DON'T THINK THAT'S THWARTING I THINK THAT'S TRYING TO JUST BE MORE COMMUNICATIVE
TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT IT ALREADY EXISTS AND HERE'S WHAT IT DOES AS FINGER TIME AS OTHER THINGS AND THOSE POWERS ARE ALREADY IN A DEPARTMENT OR AN ENTITY SOMEWHERE AND WE DON'T
NECESSARILY HAVE TO CREATE ONE. SO THAT'S MY ONLY THAT'S MY CONCERN HERE. BUT AGAIN, CERTAINLY I'M HERE TO LEARN AND SO I APPRECIATE YOU GUYS ASKING ALL THESE GREAT QUESTIONS, MY COLLEAGUES AS WELL AND YOU COUNT MEJIA FOR
FOR ANSWERING THEM THOROUGHLY. THANK YOU CHAIR. CHAIR DO YOU ALLOW ME TO SPEAK ? I'M GLAD TO BE HERE AND I FEEL LIKE I'M ON TRIAL HERE BUT I'M GOOD FOR IT BECAUSE I'M USED TO
THIS LIKE THAT. ALL RIGHT. SO AGAIN, I'M GOING TO REITERATE THE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THE HOME RULE PETITION. WELL, FIRST WE STARTED IT OFF AS IN COURT.
IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS NOW ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS THIS AND IT HAS MORPHED INTO SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS BASED ON OUR COLLABORATIVE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING HERE COLLEAGUES.
AND SO I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR THAT WE ENDED UP WITH A HOME RULE PETITION THAT WE'RE STILL IRONING OUT WITH THE GOAL OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE NOT
ESPECIALLY IN THE FINANCIAL TIMES THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN THAT WE ARE NOT UTILIZING OR WASTING OUR HOUR OUR BUDGET ASK
ON THINGS THAT FEEL DUPLICATIVE . THIS IS REALLY ABOUT STRENGTHENING INCOME RIGHT AND CHANGING THE STRUCTURE OF INCOME SO THAT IT COULD HAVE MORE POWERS. RIGHT?
SO THOUGH IT'S NOT ABOUT ADDING A LAYER OF OF EXTRA NUANCES, IT'S REALLY ABOUT GIVING RESTORING TRUST IN GOVERNMENT WHICH IS WHY THIS IS UP RIGHT
NOW. PEOPLE DON'T TRUST US AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ALONGSIDE INSPECTOR GENERAL SHAPIRO ON THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL SO THAT WE CAN START DOING OUR
DUE DILIGENCE TOO AND PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THAT. I'M NOT GOING TO GO BACK AND FORTH AGAIN ON WHETHER OR NOT THE MERIT OF THE ACTUAL
QUESTION THAT IS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW IN REGARDS TO THE HOME RULE PETITION BECAUSE THOSE THINGS ARE STILL PART OF THE WORK IN SESSION. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEND THIS QUESTION OVER TO THE STATE HOUSE RIGHT.
SO WHEN YOU GUYS BELIEVE IT'S IN A GOOD PLACE BUT WHEN IT GETS TO THE STATEHOUSE I WANT TO SEND IT WITH A MANDATE THAT YOU KNOW, THE WORK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS DONE REFLECTS
THE WILL OF THE BODY. RIGHT. AND IF IT DOESN'T IF YOU ALL VOTE AGAINST THE HOME RULE PETITION, IT WILL NOT GET TO THE STATE HOUSE.
BUT IF YOU DO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE HOME RULE PETITION THEN WE COULD SEND IT OVER TO THE STATE HOUSE WITH A MANDATE FROM BOSTON VOTERS. RIGHT.
AND NOT WHETHER THEY PASS IT. THAT'S UP TO THE STATE HOUSE. I CAN'T CONTROL WHAT MY STATE HOUSE COLLEAGUES WILL DO ONCE IT LEAVES IF IT EVER SEES THE LIGHT OF DAY AND GIVEN THE CLIMATE THAT WE'RE IN EVEN IF
IT GETS THERE. SO IF IT'S COUNCIL PROCEDURAL TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IN A NUTSHELL BACK TO THE MATTER IS IS THAT THE QUESTION THAT IS UP FOR DISCUSSION REFLECTS?
THE WORK THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING TIRELESSLY ON THE HOME WILL PETITION AND IT IS A COMPLEMENT TO NOT IN COMPETITION OF IT IS AGAIN AN ORGANIZING TACTIC AND IT'S
ORGANIZING TACTICS SO THAT WHEN IT GETS THERE THE THE STATE WILL BE ABLE TO YAY OR NAY. NOW I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR
IN TERMS OF THIS WHOLE IDEA OF ORGANIZING AGAINST OURSELVES BECAUSE WE CAN FIND THAT VOTERS MAY VOTE AGAINST IT, RIGHT? YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHAT PEOPLE
ARE OR PEOPLE MAY NOT KNOW WHAT IT IS AND SO THIS MIGHT ALSO NOT STRENGTHEN IT IT MIGHT WEAKEN IT BUT WHAT IT DOES IT GIVES PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND TO READ
A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE WORK THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO ON THE COUNCIL. RIGHT. AND TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. AND I THINK THAT THAT IS WHAT I'M ASKING MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER IN IN THIS EXERCISE
THAT WE ARE DELIBERATING ON TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR THANK YOU.
KESLER FITZGERALD EXCUSE ME COUNCILMEMBER I CAN'T HEAR I'M SORRY. COUNCIL HOWEVER WE CANNOT HEAR
YOU IF YOU WOULDN'T MIND STARTING OVER AGAIN AND THEN WE HAVE YEAH. CAN I GO TO COUNCILOR BREADON AND THEN CIRCLE BACK TO YOU?
OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU FOR, UM. I FEEL THAT WE ALREADY HAVE AN INSPECTOR GENERAL IN THE FORM
OF THE CENTCOM BASE AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING OVER THE LAST TWO ELECTION CYCLES. WE HAVE APPROPRIATED MORE FUNDS FROM CENTCOM SO WE GOT THEM
MORE MONEY LAST YEAR AND WE ADDED SOME MORE THIS YEAR. THE REALITY IS THAT THE CENTCOM HAS BEEN STARVED OF ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR DECADES AND THEY
HAVE A BASICALLY THE SAME FUNDING AS ONE OF OUR CITY COUNCIL OFFICES AND TRY AND THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE OVERSIGHT OVER THE WHOLE CITY. SO YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD I'M NOT SURE THAT WE NEED TO SORT
OF REINVENT THE WHEEL HERE. WE ALREADY HAVE IN THE FIN COMM WHICH IS FUNCTIONING AS THE INDEPENDENT INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE CITY BOSTON THE FACT
THAT THEY HAVE BEEN UNDERFUNDED GOING BACK SOME DECADES AT THIS POINT IS THE PROBLEM AND THE ISSUE I THINK I DO IMAGINE THAT
ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES WOULD WANT TO STRENGTHEN INDEPENDENT INSPECTOR OVERSIGHT WITH CENTCOM AND I ALSO BECAUSE THIS
THIS THIS LEGISLATION OR THIS ACT IN ESTABLISHING CENTCOM HAS BEEN THERE SINCE 1907. IT'S NOT A NEW IT'S NOT NEW CONCEPT.
WE HAVE HAVE THE STATES INSPECTOR GENERAL. SO YOU KNOW, I THINK I'M REALLY QUESTIONING THE TIMELINE OF THE
NEED FOR A A A BALLOT INITIATIVE ON THIS ONE, A NONBINDING BALLOT. I FEEL THAT REALLY EVEN IF THE HOME RULE PETITION DOES NOT PASS, WE CAN STILL WORK AS A
BODY TO INCREASE SUPPORT FUND INCREASE FOR CENTCOM. THEY THEY PAY FOR THEMSELVES BASICALLY THE THE THE THE
PARKING GARAGE WHERE MILLENNIUM TUNNEL WAS BUILT WAS VALUED AT $35,000 TO BE SOLD AS A NO WAS A NO IT WAS A 35,000 IT WAS IT
WAS VALUED UNDERGROUND A $25 MILLION I THINK SOMEWHERE IN THAT RANGE AND CENTCOM LOOKED AT AND SAID NO, IT'S NOT THE VALIDATE THE VALUE OF THE GARAGE MAY BE 25 MILLION BUT
THE VALUE OF THE LAND ON WHICH IT STANDS IS WAY MORE THAN THAT. SO YOU HAVE TO BE TO BE ARE ABLE TO SELL IT FOR 25 MILLION SOMEWHERE IN THAT RANGE AND IT
WAS SOLD FOR OVER 220 MILLION AND RIGHT THERE THEY'VE PAID FOR THEMSELVES FOR DECADES. SO I THINK THE ISSUE IS THAT WE HAVE AN INSPECTOR GENERAL IT'S BEEN UNDERFUNDED AND WE NEED TO
STRENGTHEN THAT OFFICE AND THAT IS WHY WE NEED THE HOME RULE PETITION. BUT EVEN IF THE HOME RULE PETITION WENT TO THE STATE HOUSE AND FAILED, WE COULD STILL STRENGTHEN DEFEND COM BY
ADEQUATELY FUNDING THAT THAT'S THAT OFFICE THE OTHER THING IS THAT ALTHOUGH MATT CAHILL IS THE THE THE DIRECTOR OF THERE
WE HAVEN'T ACTUALLY MET WITH THE COMMISSION THEMSELVES THE COMMISSIONERS ARE APPOINTED THE GOVERNOR WAS UNDER THE ADVICE AND CONSENT OF THE GOVERNOR'S COUNCILOR THEY'RE INDEPENDENT
TOTALLY INDEPENDENT OF THE CITY COUNCIL SO WE INDEPENDENT OF THE MAYOR AND THEY THEY HAVE TO TAKE THEIR THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES INCREDIBLY
SERIOUSLY SO THAT THEY AND IF THERE'S EVER ANY HINT OF OF POLITICAL BIAS OR ANYONE COMING IN WITH AN AX TO GRIND, THEY ARE GIVEN SHORT SHIFTS.
THEY ARE THEY TAKE THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND THEIR OBJECTIVITY AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES REALLY, REALLY SERIOUSLY. SO YOU KNOW, I THINK I HOPE WE'RE NOT TRYING TO REINVENT
THE WHEEL HERE THAT WE JUST NEED TO ADEQUATELY FUND THE PROGRAM THAT THE CENTCOM IS AS IT HAS BEEN TRYING TO BUILD.
I THINK WE'RE WE EVEN WE WE WE THEY REALLY APPRECIATE THE EXTRA FUNDS THAT WE'VE GIVEN THEM IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. BUT IF THEY WERE ADEQUATELY FUNDED THEY SHOULD GIVEN THE
FUNDING THAT THEY GOT WAY BACK IN 1907 WAS $25,000 A YEAR IN TODAY'S MONEY THAT'S ABOUT $1,000,000 AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY GETTING WHAT THEY'RE GETTING ABOUT 350,000.
SO YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T EXPECT THE LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE IF WE DON'T HAVE TO BE FUNDED FROM THE FROM THE FUND COME. SO I THINK THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR BRENNAN
AND I AM VERY PROUD OF MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR EFFORTS AND I THANK YOU LEANING FOR THAT BUDGET AMENDMENT TO TO FUND THE FINANCE COMMISSION A BIT MORE THAN WHAT HE WAS
GETTING. COUNCILMAN, HERE IS YOUR HAND UP FROM EARLIER OR IS THAT OKAY? YES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK. SO I JUST WANTED TO BE REALLY
CLEAR AGAIN LIKE FOLKS AND I'M MAKING LOTS OF ASSUMPTIONS HERE BUT I THINK ALL OF THE WORK IN SESSIONS AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN REGARDS TO THIS PARTICULAR INITIATIVE HERE
HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT EXPANDING THE POWER OF INCOME, RIGHT? LIKE WE WE UNDERSTOOD THE ASSIGNMENT ABOUT LIKE WE'RE NOT IN A MOMENT TO ADD ANOTHER LAYER OF LIKE YOU KNOW, ANOTHER
OFFICE AND SO I'VE MANAGED ALL OF MY EXPECTATIONS AND YOU KNOW, GOT IT TO A POINT WHERE I FEEL LIKE NOW WE'RE FOCUSING ON INCOME, RIGHT? MOST RESIDENTS LIKE THE EVERYDAY PEOPLE THEY'RE NOT
THINKING ABOUT INCOME AS A PLACE TO GO WITH OVERSIGHT CONCERNS RIGHT. PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE GENERAL GIST OF WHAT AN INSPECTOR GENERAL IS AND I THINK THAT THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO REALLY DO IS TO BEEF UP.
BUT ALSO TO SUPPORT YOU KNOW, THE HOME RULE PETITION IS ALSO INCLUDING A BUDGET APPROPRIATION LANGUAGE TO FULLY FUND THE COMMISSION. AND SO I THINK TO
COUNCIL BRITTON'S YOU KNOW, POINTS IN TERMS OF HOW WE BEEF THEM UP THAT YOU KNOW THIS IS 20 AND 25. THE WORLD HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY SINCE THIS WAS
ESTABLISHED AND I THINK THAT THIS IS GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE IT A MAKEOVER AND AN UPDATE WITH ALL OF THE TOOLS THAT MATT NEEDS TO REALLY BE SUCCESSFUL.
SO AGAIN, FOR THE RECORD, ANYBODY'S PAYING ATTENTION. THIS IS NOT REALLY ABOUT DISSOLVING FIN COMM. IT REALLY IS ABOUT STRENGTHENING THE WORK AND GIVING US THE POWER AND THE AUTHORIZATION TO DO JUST THAT
IN BALTIMORE THE INSPECTOR GENERAL HAS NAMED THEM OVER ABOUT $7 MILLION SO THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY PAY FOR THEMSELVES. WE KNOW THIS RIGHT. AND SO I THINK I WANT TO BE
CLEAR AGAIN FOR THE RECORD THIS IS WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THIS NOW MATT HAS PARTICIPATED IN OUR WORKING SESSIONS. WE'VE WORKED WITH INSPECTOR SHAPIRO, WE'VE WORKED WITH
FOLKS ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTRY ON THIS AND WE HAVE ADOPTED AND MODIFIED OUR EFFORTS TO MEET THE CONCERNS OF MY COLLEAGUES AND OUR TIME TOGETHER HERE
AGAIN, FOR THE RECORD, IT IS NOT ABOUT THE MERIT OF WHETHER OR NOT THIS QUESTION IS IS IS WHETHER OR NOT YOU AGREE WITH THE QUESTION PER SAY WHETHER OR NOT YOU ALLOW THIS QUESTION TO
BE ON THE BALLOT SO RESIDENTS CAN HAVE THEIR THEIR THEIR VOICES HEARD AGAIN, I WANT TO BE REALLY MINDFUL OF WHAT THIS EXERCISE IS ABOUT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK THAT
WE'RE HERE TO DELIBERATE ON WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD HAVE AN INSPECTOR GENERAL BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT WE CONFUSE PEOPLE AND EVERYDAY FOLKS YOU KNOW NOT THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE DYNAMICS THAT HAPPEN HERE ON THE COUNCIL. SO I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE ADVOCACY THAT WE ARE DOING HERE AT LEAST THAT I'M DOING HERE IS TO BRING THIS UP FOR A VOTE IN
OUR NEXT JULY MEETING. AND IF YOU ALL DON'T WANT THIS TO BE ON THE BALLOT THEN YOU CAN VOTE FOR AGAINST IT THEN AND THAT'S FINE TO.
THANK YOU. AND COUNCILOR MEJIA I WILL GO BACK TO COUNCILOR WEBER IN THE EVENT THAT HIS MICROPHONE IS NOT WORKING. DO YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN.
RIGHT, ETHAN, WAY TO GO GET I GUESS LET'S SEE. SO AT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AND THEY REVIEW BALLOT INITIATIVES UNDER THIS SORT
OF THING, YOU KNOW, GUIDELINES FOR FLAHERTY AND STUFF LIKE THAT AND I KNOW THE SAME GUIDELINES DON'T APPLY HERE FOR NINE NON-VOTING DAY QUESTIONS
LIKE THIS BUT I WOULDN'T. BUT BEFORE WE VOTE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOME ANALYSIS OF THAT BECAUSE WHEN YOU WHEN YOU HAVE
A QUESTION THAT IS DO PEOPLE EVEN KNOW WHAT AN INSPECTOR GENERAL IS? WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO BE VOTING ON WHEN THEY VOTE ON THIS QUESTION? SO I HAVE A GENERAL QUESTIONS
ABOUT LIKE THE FLAHERTY OF THE QUESTION ITSELF. I DON'T KNOW IF COUNCILOR MATT HERE HAS WORKED WITH DOTS ON THAT BUT SO THAT'S JUST YOU KNOW, I THINK IT MIGHT HELP TO
SORT OF EXPLAIN WHY WE DON'T FOLLOW THOSE GUIDELINES BECAUSE WHEN YOU VOTE ON A BALLOT INITIATIVE STATEWIDE YOU'RE ACTUALLY CHANGING STATE LAW. THIS IS NON-BINDING SO I'M NOT HOLDING THIS UP TO THE SAME
STANDARD BUT IN THE END IT'S LIKE I MEAN THE QUESTION IS SORT OF YOU'RE GOING TO GET ONE ANSWER, YOU KNOW, OVER ANOTHER AND I THINK THE QUESTION IS DESIGNED THAT WAY AND THEY DO
THEY'RE ALL DESIGNED THAT WAY. BUT MY SENSE IS THERE WOULD BE SOME SORT OF EXPLANATION OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT WHAT AN INSPECTOR GENERAL IS THAT
EXACTLY. SO I DON'T KNOW CATHERINE TO GET THAT OUT ALSO WEBER IS SUCH A GREAT QUESTION. THANK YOU FOR ASKING SO JUST SO THAT YOU KNOW WE SENT THE QUESTION OVER TO INSPECTOR
GENERAL SHAPIRO AND IT WAS BASED ON HIS GUIDANCE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF FINESSE IT AND GET IT TO A GOOD POINT. AND THEN WITH THE BACK AND
FORTH WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES I HAD BEEN WORKING ON THE HOME RULE PETITION. WE DROPPED THE WORD OFFICE AND WE ADDED WE SCAFFOLD THE ORIGINAL QUESTION JUST TO THAT
SAME POINT BECAUSE THE WAY IT WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN REALLY DIDN'T HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT AN INSPECTOR GENERAL DOES OR CAN DO AND WE BELIEVE THAT
THE WAY WE REFRAMED THE QUESTION PROVIDES MORE CONTEXT FOR THE EVERYDAY VOTER TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL COULD
POTENTIALLY DO. SO IT WAS LOOSELY WRITTEN THE FIRST TIME AND AND THEN WE STRENGTHENED THE LANGUAGE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE BETTER
CONTEXT. BUT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING THE WAY THINGS WORK WITH ADVISORY QUESTIONS IS THAT THERE'S ALWAYS A DESCRIPTION SO THAT
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE QUESTION IS. SO YEAH, OKAY THANK YOU THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF SPACE TO BE ABLE TO LIKE DO
A WHOLE ENTIRE DISSERTATION YOU KNOW LIKE A THESAURUS AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF THAT YOU KNOW ALL THOSE TOOLS LIKE YOU KNOW WE WE SCAFFOLD IT SO THAT WE CAN BE CLEAR ON WHAT THE
FUNCTION OF THIS INDIVIDUAL WOULD WOULD BE DOING. OKAY. AND I JUST MY MY ONLY OTHER QUESTION COUNSELOR HERE YOU CAN ANSWER THIS IS JUST IN TERMS OF THE HOME RULE PETITION.
SO IS IT STILL BEING WORKED ON? ABSOLUTELY. COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU WERE ACTUALLY IN THE LAST WORKING SESSION THAT WE HAD AND COUNCILOR CLARISSA ABOUT I KEPT IT IN COMMITTEE BECAUSE WE ARE
STILL WORKING ON FINESSING AND GETTING TO A GOOD PLACE WHERE EVERYONE FEELS HAPPY WITH IT AND WE'RE NOT THERE YET. THE GOAL IS TO HAVE THIS IN A
GOOD PLACE AND SO WHAT WE'RE HOPING TO DO AND THE REASON WHY WE WANT TO EXPEDITE THIS IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO SPEND THE COALITION THAT'S WORKING ON THIS WOULD RATHER UTILIZE THEIR TIME EDUCATING VOTERS ABOUT
WHAT THE HOME RULE PETITION IS AND THAT YOU GIVE THE OPPOSITION AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THOSE WHO OPPOSE IT TO ALSO DO THEIR THEIR ADVOCACY AND THE
LONGER THE MORE TIME WE HAVE TO DO THAT WORK THE MORE INFORMED PEOPLE CAN BE VERY SIMILAR TO THE FOLKS WHO RAN THE ELECTED SCHOOL COMMITTEE EFFORT. THEY HAD TIME TO ORGANIZE AND
TO EDUCATE FOLKS ABOUT WHAT THE INITIATIVE WAS ALL ABOUT AND SO THAT IS THE OTHER REASON WHY THERE IS A SENSE OF URGENCY AROUND THE QUESTION GETTING ON
THE BALLOT SO THAT PEOPLE CAN DO THAT EDUCATION WORK. OKAY. THANKS COUNCILOR AND THANK YOU. CHAIR THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER. I DO WANT TO I'M JUST GOING TO
ASK THIS FOR MY STAFF AND POTENTIALLY FOR CENTRAL STAFF IF WE CAN GET COPIES OF THE LAST NON-BINDING BALLOT
QUESTIONS AND JUST PUT THOSE IN THE FOLDER FOR OUR COLLEAGUES BECAUSE I DO KNOW WHAT OUR CONCERN HERE IS HERE IS DESCRIBING WHERE THERE IS A SECTION THAT HELPS TO EDUCATE
AND EMPOWER THE VOTERS ON WHAT THEY ARE VOTING FOR. I'D LIKE TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE FLAHERTY ABOUT THAT WHO WHO WRITES THAT? HOW DOES IT GET IN THERE? HOW CAN WE BE SURE THAT IT IS
THERE FOR FOLKS TO FULLY UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT IT IS THEY ARE THEY ARE VOTING ON IT AND COUNCILOR COLLETTE I SUPPORT THAT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS YOU
KNOW, THE JULY NIGHT IS LITERALLY AROUND THE CORNER AND SO I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR ABOUT THE THE NEED TO HAVE THIS
UP FOR VOTE ON THE NINTH AND I JUST WANT TO BE, YOU KNOW, CAUTIOUS AND CAREFUL AND NOT OF ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER LAYER
OF OF, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL ARE GOING TO ASK TO DO BEFORE YOU TAKE A VOTE ON IT BECAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER THAT BEING THE PROCESS IN OTHER ITERATIONS OF THIS BODY NOT TO
HERE I WAS JUST ASKING FOR A PHOTO OF WHAT HAS BEEN ON THE BALLOT TO BE PLACED IN THE FOLDER FOR COLLEAGUES TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE EDUCATED BUT I THINK FOR MY OWN PURPOSES JUST
TO EDUCATE MYSELF ABOUT WHO HELPS TO WRITE WHAT PHYSICALLY ON THE BALLOT THAT PEOPLE SEE SO KNOW WHAT IT IS NOT AN EFFORT TO ADD ANOTHER LAYER AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT I
THINK COULD HELP EDUCATE FOLKS BEFORE THEY MAKE THEIR DECISION AND WE VOTE ON THIS. COUNCILOR SANTANA SANTANA THANK
YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I THANK YOU FOR HOLDING US HERE TODAY AND IT'S BEEN A VERY INSIGHTFUL CONVERSATION AND APPRECIATE IT.
MY COLLEAGUES PRIOR QUESTIONS I HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S GOING ON AND THE TIMELINE OF THINGS
AFTER THIS HEARING SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE RESPONSE FOR GETTING US HERE TODAY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU COUNCILOR SANTANA WE
HAVE CASIMIRO DURKIN AND THEN PREPARED I DON'T SEE COUNCILOR WORLD VISION WE'LL
CIRCLE BACK TO HIM IF HE IS ON OUR COUNCILOR JURGEN AND THEN
CAPTAIN AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE LOST COUNCILOR DURKIN AS WELL AS COUNCILOR FOR KEN STILL ON?
YES, I AM EXCITED. GO RIGHT AHEAD. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND I'M GRATEFUL TO HEAR ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION AS WELL. I'VE BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT WITH COUNCILOR OVER HERE TO GET AN
UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THIS OR WHAT THIS PROPOSAL IS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS AS WELL. I WANT TO BE HERE TO JUST LISTEN TO MY OTHER COLLEAGUES QUESTIONS AND I THINK A PRETTY
I HAVE A PRETTY GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE WOULD POTENTIALLY BE VOTING ON IN THE END ON A BALLOT. SO FOR ME I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS JUST HERE TO TO SEE WHAT OTHER FOLKS MAY
HAVE TO PROVIDE BUT THAT'S IT FOR ME, MADAM CHAIR. OKAY. VERY WELL. I DON'T SEE COUNCILOR MORELLO
DURKIN ON THANK YOU TO MY COLLEAGUES IF ANYBODY HAS ANY ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, THEIR SUGGESTIONS PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND NOW I CAN GO BACK COUNSELOR HERE.
YES. THANK YOU COUNSELOR. SUBPART TO SUPPORT THAT I'M CURIOUS JUST IN TERMS OF THE PROCESS JUST BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT'D JUST BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE MY OWN
EXPECTATIONS REGARDING YOUR PROCESS AND KIND OF WHAT YOU ARE ANTICIPATING AND DOING. AND I FEEL LIKE I WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR LIKE FOR ME THE INTENT OF THIS HEARING WAS TO
ALLOW MY COLLEAGUES TO ASK QUESTIONS REGARDING THE BALLOT ADVISORY QUESTION THAT WE'RE TRYING TO PUT ON THE BALLOT. RIGHT? THAT'S THE INTENT OF THIS HEARING. AND THEN I'M JUST CURIOUS THE
LAST TIME YOU WROTE A COMMITTEE REPORT AND YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT THAT THE MATTER OUGHT TO PASS AND
YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME BACK AND FORTH AND I'M JUST CURIOUS IN REGARDS TO THIS PARTICULAR SESSION WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE AND?
YOU KNOW WHAT, I CAN GO BACK AND REPORT TO PEOPLE IN TERMS OF WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS. WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO HAPPEN NEXT? LIKE WHAT IS THE WHAT'S THE
PATHWAY TOWARDS THE WORKING FLOW HERE FOR THAT? AND SO I'VE BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT I DON'T OPPOSE NON-BINDING
ADVISORY OPINIONS GOING TO THE VOTERS. I THINK IF IT'S UP TO THEM AND WE'RE ABLE TO SHOW AND DEMONSTRATE DATA AS TO WHAT OUR CONSTITUENTS WANT, THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT I CHAMPION AND HAVE VOTED FOR IN THE PAST. I THINK TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC INPUT IN OUR PROCESSES IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I'M OPEN TO CONSIDERING MY COLLEAGUES PERSPECTIVES AND
WILL TAKE THEIR OPINIONS INTO THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION AS WE MOVE FORWARD. IT WAS GOOD TO HAVE EVERYBODY IN THE SAME GROUP BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN IN ONE OFF CONVERSATIONS AND IN THE CONFUSION EVEN WITHIN THE
COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT THE HOMEWORK PETITION LOOKS LIKE WHAT THIS FINAL QUESTION WILL BE. AND SO I YOU KNOW, I DID PUT IT
UP AS A AS A WHAT WAS IT A COMMITTEE REPORT THAT OUGHT TO PASS FOR THE QUESTION AND CHANGE THE QUESTION. THE QUESTION IS A LITTLE BIT MORE REFLECTIVE OF WHAT THE EFFORTS ARE.
AND SO THAT'S YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN CONSISTENT ON THAT. IT HAS BEEN HELPFUL TO HEAR MY COLLEAGUES THOUGH IN THEIR SUPPORT OR THEIR CONCERNS EITHER WAY.
I HAVE TOLD YOU, COUNCILOR MEJIA THAT I THINK WE CAN AIM FOR JULY 9TH AND I'LL I'LL BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT THAT HERE. YEAH. THE THANK YOU FOR THEIR COUNCILOR CLETA BUT PIECE ABOUT
THAT I'M STILL UNCLEAR IS THAT THE THE CONCERNS THAT I HEARD THE COLLEAGUES HERE MENTIONED ARE MORE AROUND THE THEIR
DESIRE WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD EVEN BE PURSUING EVEN A HOME RULE PETITION LET ALONE AN ADVISORY QUESTION AND I GUESS I STILL AM UNCLEAR ABOUT WHEN
YOU'RE SAYING THAT IT WAS GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOUR COLLEAGUES ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE THINKING ABOUT HOW HOW DOES THAT INFLUENCE THE THE WILL OF THE WORK THAT WE YOU KNOW, THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN YOU KNOW,
THEY'VE HAD TO REDO THE QUESTION TWICE, YOU KNOW AND SO I'M JUST CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT I THINK TO REPORT BACK TO THE COALITION OF FOLKS LIKE ARE YOU SAYING THAT BECAUSE SO MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES ARE LEANING
TOWARDS THAT THEY THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THE INSPECTOR GENERAL THAT WE SHOULD THAT THIS QUESTION IS NOT EVEN GOING TO GO ON THE BALLOT BECAUSE THERE'S REALLY NO APPETITE ON THE COUNCIL FOR IT LIKE I JUST
LIKE I WANT TO BE ABLE TO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING AND NOT MISINTERPRET IT. SO WHEN YOU SAY THAT IT'S GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOUR COLLEAGUES, WHAT DO YOU WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ? IT'S THAT THAT IT'S GREAT TO
HEAR MY COLLEAGUES AND THEIR OPINIONS ON THE MATTER. I MEAN I ACTUALLY HAD HEARD THAT THEY THINK THAT THE BALLOT QUESTION IS IS DUPLICATIVE TO THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING THE PETITION AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK MANY FOLKS HAVE I
THINK MANY FOLKS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT ON FROM THE START WHEN IT WAS FIRST AN ORDINANCE CREATING AN OFFICE THEY HAD SAID LET'S EXPAND AND REFORM AND MODERNIZE THE FINANCE
COMMISSION. ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T REALLY HEAR TOO MUCH OPPOSITION HERE TODAY AND SO I JUST SAID THAT IT WAS HELPFUL TO UNDERSTAND KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
I'M SORRY I NEED A TRANSLATOR. I THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT. I'M SAYING THAT I I AM SEEKING FLAHERTY BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN
CONSISTENT AROUND EXPANDING PENCOM AND THE HOME RULE PETITION DOES WHAT MY COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN SAYING RIGHT? THE BALLOT INITIATIVE IS NOT DUPLICATIVE.
WHAT IT DOES IS IT STRENGTHENS THAT WORK BECAUSE IT HELPS REINFORCE THE ADVOCACY THAT WE WANT TO DO IF WE REALLY WANT THIS TO HAPPEN.
SO I'M UNCLEAR AS TO WHERE IS THE LINE OF THERE'S A WORD THAT YOU USED EARLIER THAT BEGINS WITH US I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT ANYWAYS THAT THESE
TWO THINGS SHOULD BE IN COMPLEMENT OF EACH OTHER NOT IN COMPETITION OF SO I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHERE THAT WHERE THAT NARRATIVE IS COMING FROM THAT THIS FEELS DUPLICATIVE WHICH IS
I'VE BEEN CLEAR FROM THE GET GO THAT THIS IS IN COMPLEMENT NOT INCOMPETENCE AND SO I'M I'M UNCLEAR AS TO WHERE THAT NARRATIVE IS COMING FROM AND I
NEED SOME UNDERSTANDING OF THAT . I THINK JUST INTERPRETING WHAT I HAD HEARD HERE TODAY AND I DON'T HAVE MY EYE ON MY NOTES IN FRONT OF ME LIKE THAT'S YOUR INTERPRETATION OF THE
CONVERSATION. WHAT I HAD GOTTEN IS THAT THEY THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE TO POST FIRST OF ALL IF THIS DOES GO TO THE BALLOT THAT FOLKS ARE FULLY IN FORMED OF THE EXISTING
EFFORTS THAT'S TAKING PLACE. BUT I THINK THAT THERE THERE WERE MULTIPLE COLLEAGUES HERE THAT CALLED THIS AS POTENTIALLY CONFUSING TO RESIDENTS AND POTENTIALLY DUPLICATIVE TO THOSE EFFORTS.
AND SO THE THE AND I WOULD JUST HAVE TO JUST PUSH BACK ON THAT NOTION BECAUSE THE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN ORGANIZING AROUND THIS SEE THIS AS A ORGANIZING TACTIC AND PART OF THE MOVEMENT ECOLOGY THAT YOU NEED INSIDE
AND OUTSIDE GAIN TO REALLY MOVE LEGISLATION ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SEND THINGS TO THE STATEHOUSE. SO FOLKS SEE THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE YOU ALL THE
DATA THAT YOU NEED TO HELP PRESSURE THE STATEHOUSE. SO I THINK I'M GOING TO I'M GOING TO KEEP REITERATING TO MY COLLEAGUES THAT IT IT IS NOT IN
COMPETITION OF IT IS IN SUPPORT OF. SO I THINK YOU ARE ENTITLED TO PUSH BACK AND MY COLLEAGUES ARE ENTITLED TO THEIR OPINIONS AS WELL AND EXCUSE ME OUR
COLLEAGUES AND I THINK THIS WAS THIS WAS THIS WAS A GOOD DEMONSTRATION OF HAVING FOLKS ACTUALLY COME TO THE TABLE AND HAVE A BROADER DISCUSSION TOGETHER ALTHOUGH WE DIDN'T
HAVE TWO OF OUR THREE OF OUR COLLEAGUES I WOULD LOVE TO I DON'T KNOW BUT I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM THEM AT SOME POINT BUT THAT'S FINE. BUT IT WAS A GOOD CONVERSATION
AND I DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I DON'T THINK WE HAD TIME TO ORGANIZE BUT SOMEBODY WILL SURE IF ANYBODY WAS ABLE TO SHOW UP BECAUSE THIS WAS AGAIN ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS THAT WE'RE
PUTTING SO MUCH BURDEN ON PEOPLE RIGHT NOW. SO I I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE ANY I'M LIKE INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED THAT ANYBODY WOULD SHOW UP AT THIS LATE NOTICE.
SO I BEFORE WE GO TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY, I JUST WANT TO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO ME COUNCILOR, TO SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE THE LAST FEW TIMES I'VE
LEARNED ABOUT THESE LAST MINUTE SITUATIONS THE DAY OF WHEN I WAS EXPECTING TO MOVE THE WORK FORWARD, I JUST ASKED RESPECTFULLY THAT GIVEN THE
CLIMATE THAT WE'RE IN THAT IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE ME THE HEADS UP PRIOR TO JULY 9TH SO THAT I CAN MANAGE MY EXPECTATIONS AND THOSE FOLKS THAT ARE FOLLOWING US IF YOU'RE
NOT PLANNING TO BRING IT UP FOR A VOTE BECAUSE THE COLLEAGUES HERE DON'T WANT TO DO IT, THEN I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT SOONER RATHER THAN THE DAY OF WHEN IT'S TIME TO TAKE THE BILL.
THAT'S ALL I ASK OF COURSE AND I IT JUST LIKE TODAY WHERE WE GAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO ASK THEIR QUESTIONS AND TO THINK LIKE T'S NOTHING WRONG WITH TRYING TO SHOW OR
HAVE OUR COLLEAGUES BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE WHERE THEY STAND ON IT. SO I'LL JUST I'LL I'LL LEAVE IT THERE. BUT I DO HAVE WE DO HAVE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP.
WE HAVE SHARON HINTON, LORI RADWAN, DIANE VALLEY AND DOMINGOS DEROSA IF THEY CAN BE ELEVATED TO PANELISTS WE CAN START WITH SHARON HINTON.
YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO EXPRESS YOUR NAME AFFILIATION WE'LL GIVE YOU THE MIC. HI, MY NAME IS SHARON HINTON.
I'M ACTUALLY A CANDIDATE FOR DISTRICT FIVE CITY COUNCIL. I'M NOT TALKING IN REGARDS TO THAT. I'M TALKING IN REGARDS TO BEING INTERESTED CITIZEN I'VE
LISTENED TO THE DIALOG AND FRANKLY I AM IN SUPPORT OF COUNCIL MEJIA BECAUSE SHE'S IN SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE IN THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE IN TERMS OF THE BACK AND FORTH AND I
ALSO HEARD HER CLARIFY THAT THIS PARTICULAR POSITION OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL WOULD BE SUPPORTIVE IN THAT COMPETITION. I'M ALWAYS IN SUPPORT OF THE
PEOPLE HAVING THE ACCESS WHAT OUR INFORMED I'M SORT OF YOU KNOW I'M TRYING TO KEEP ON FEELING THAT THE PEOPLE ARE
BEING TALKED DOWN TO. I HAVE TWO AND A HALF MASTER'S DEGREE AND I'M WORKING ON MY DOCTORATE AND IT I STRUGGLE SOMETIMES TO FOLLOW WITH THE VERBAL MACHINATIONS THAT YOU
GUYS DO AND SO I AM SUPPORTING HER TO PUSH FORWARD SO THAT THIS IS PUT ON AS A NON-BINDING VOTE ON THIS UPCOMING ELECTION FOR THE PEOPLE TO DECIDE AND I
UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS HAVE GOT TO WORK SOMETHING OUT BUT I THINK WE HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO EXPLAIN IT TO THE PEOPLE SO THEY CAN ADEQUATELY VOTE AND EXERCISE ITS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT. SO I'M IN SUPPORT OF COUNCIL
MEJIA AND THIS COMPETITION RULE PETITION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH MINOR CLARIFICATIONS IF YOU NEED TO BUT IN THE EXPLANATION NOT IN THE WORDING OF THE PARTICULAR DOCUMENT.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SHARON. NEXT UP WE HAVE LAURIE BACK WHEN SHE CAN BE ELEVATED TO PANELIST ENVIRONMENT YOURSELF
LAURIE OR LAUREL. HELLO HOW ARE YOU? GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YEAH, THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU COUNSELOR MEJIA FOR MAKING
THIS WORK. I HAD PREPARED 2 MINUTES OF TESTIMONY AND PRACTICED IT BUT I'M GOING TO SPEAK RELATIVE TO THE DISCUSSION THAT WE'VE HAD SO FAR AND I'M GOING TO NEED TO GO OFF SCRIPT.
I THINK THE WORLD OF MATT CAHILL. I TRULY DO. AND I MAY BE AN UNUSUAL PERSON WHO TRAVELS IN UNUSUAL CIRCLES BUT I'M QUITE FAMILIAR WITH PINKHAM AS ARE MANY OF MY COLLEAGUE VOTERS.
THEN COMES WHAT I'VE LEARNED IN WORKING WITH MATT IS THAT PINKHAM SCOPE IS LIMITED. THAT MISMANAGEMENT MAY NOT FALL UNDER THE LIMITED BOUNDARIES OF FRAUD, WASTE AND ABUSE AND
MISMANAGEMENT IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE INCLUDED AT THIS POINT IN TIME. THIS CONSTITUENTS HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE RIGHT TO PUT ITEMS LIKE THIS ON THE
BALLOT AND THIS QUESTION NEEDS TO GO ON THE BALLOT. ANYONE WHO'S WORKED IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ANYONE WHO'S WORKED IN STATE GOVERNMENT, ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN A VETERAN UNDERSTANDS WHAT AN
INSPECTOR GENERAL DOES. AND ALSO IN TERMS OF THE PUBLIC'S UNDERSTANDING, I UNDERSCORE WHAT YOU CONTRIBUTED SO FAR. COMMON LANGUAGE EXPLANATIONS COMMONLY ACCOMPANY BALLOT QUESTIONS.
I THINK THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS USED TO WRITE THEM BUT SOMEBODY WRITES THEM IN VERY PLAIN LANGUAGE AND THAT COMMON LANGUAGE HELPS EXPLAIN WHAT GOES ON AS DO CAMPAIGNS FOR AND
AGAINST THE BALLOT. QUESTIONS HAVE A LITTLE FAITH. I DON'T VOTE ON THINGS I DON'T UNDERSTAND AND I BELIEVE OTHERS DON'T VOTE ON THINGS THAT THEY
DON'T UNDERSTAND AND ARE THAT REALLY WHAT I WAS GOING TO TALK ABOUT IN MY TESTIMONY WAS ABOUT A SITUATION HERE WHERE THE ADMINISTRATION PUT FORWARD
SOMETHING THAT CALLED INTO QUESTION AFFIRMATIVELY FOR FAIR HOUSING. WE TURNED TO THE COUNCIL FOR HELP. WE HAD A HEARING WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. WE HAD ONE COUNCILOR WHO WROTE
A VERY NEEDED LETTER OF CONCERN BUT WHEN THE ZONING CODE REACHED THE COMMISSION THE COMMUNITY HAD JUST TWO DAYS TO REVIEW THE CODE AND IT PASSED. AND WHEN WE HAVE A SITUATION
WHERE THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH AND APPOINTED COMMISSIONS DO NOT HELP TO ASSURE FAIR PROCESS, WE CAN EITHER FILE A LAWSUIT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OR WE CAN TURN TO
SOMEBODY LIKE THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT UNDER THIS ADMINISTRATION WHO WANTS TO DO THAT? SO THIS IS EXACTLY WHY WE NEED AN INSPECTOR GENERAL. WE NEED INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT WHEN THE SYSTEMS WE RELY ON
FALL SHORT. SO AGAIN, I URGE THIS COMMITTEE TO SEE AN INSPECTOR GENERAL'S VITAL TOOL. I URGE THIS COMMITTEE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS AROSE FROM YOUR CONSTITUENTS.
AND I URGE THE COMMITTEE TO PASS THIS ON TO THE MAYOR SO THAT IT CAN APPEAR ON THE BALLOT. THANK YOU FOR A LONG I'VE BEEN AHEAD EXTRA TIME AND I APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, LARRY. NEXT UP WE HAVE DYING VALLEY.
OH, I THINK I THINK SHE JUMPED OFF IS WHAT I'M BEING TOLD BY CENTRAL STAFF. I'M JUST DOUBLE CHECKING THE ATTENDEES. I DON'T SEE HER. OKAY. NEXT UP IS DOMINGOS DEROSA. IF YOU'D LIKE TO OMIT YOURSELF, STATE YOUR NAME AND
AFFILIATION. YOU HAVE 2 MINUTES.
THE MANGOES ARE YOU ON? YEAH, I'M HERE. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. APPRECIATE YOU GUYS HAVING THIS HEARING. YEAH, I'M AS A CONCERNED CONSTITUENT.
THESE ARE ONE OF THOSE PROCESS IS THAT WE NEED TO BE FULLY INVOLVED WITH. AGAIN LIKE TO COUNCILOR MY HERE SAID DUE TO THE SHORT NOTICE WE
WASN'T ABLE TO BRING IN ENOUGH INDIVIDUALS TO TO SPEAK THEIR POINT OF VIEW ON WHAT'S GOING ON. SO WHAT I LIKE TO SAY IS AS SOMEONE WHO IS INVOLVED IN A
LOT OF DIFFERENT SPACES THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR IS MORE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY WHEN IT COMES TO THINGS THAT GOING ON HERE AND HERE IN BOSTON.
WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SEE WHERE OUR DOLLARS ARE BEING PUT AND HAVE THOSE DOLLARS ACTUALLY GO THE EXTRA MILE IN THESE TOUGH TIMES.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT AT $1.7 BILLION SHORTFALL FOR THE 2027 BUDGET. SO HOW DO WE GO ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE FUNDING THAT WE DO HAVE IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE
UTILIZED FOR PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THAT ARE GOING TO BENEFIT THE CITY AS A WHOLE? SO I'M IN SUPPORT OF HAVING THIS PUT ON THE BALLOT AND
LETTING YOU KNOW YOU YOU KNOW, THE 470,000 BOSTONIANS WHO ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE MAKE THE DECISION ON HOW WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS AND THEN FROM
THERE WE CAN KIND OF SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT TO MAKE IT YOU KNOW, ADD A STICK OR SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GO BACK AND WORK ON AND MAKE SURE THAT WE I KNOW ALL
THE LITTLE KINKS TO BENEFIT OUR CITY. WE'RE SPENDING YOU KNOW, WE PLANNED FOR A $50 MILLION A LITTLE UNDER $50 MILLION POLICE
OVERTIME BUDGET AND WE'RE EXCEEDING IT AT 101 100. I DON'T WANT TO BE MISQUOTED BUT IT'S A LITTLE OVER $100 MILLION FOR 2024 AND THAT SEEMS
TO JUST BE AN ONGOING GROWING NUMBER AND THOSE ARE FUNDS THAT WE CAN BE USING FOR MORE ON THE GROUND SERVICES THAT WE CAN SEE
FOR ALL BOSTONIANS. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS BODY PUSHING FORWARD, PUT IT ON THE MAYOR'S DESK AND LET THE VOTERS OF BOSTON MAKE THE DECISION ON HOW WE MOVE IT FORWARD. THANK YOU GUYS. ENJOY YOUR DAY.
THANK YOU, DOMINGO. I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE ANY MORE TESTIMONY COME TO ME. IS THAT YOUR HAND UP FROM NOW OR FROM EARLIER? YES, MA'AM. MANAGER SO I WANT TO THANK BOTH
THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY FOR IT FOR SHOWING UP AND MAKING THEIR VOICES HEARD. I APPRECIATE IT WAS NOT ANTICIPATING THAT WE COULD TURN ANYBODY OUT GIVEN THE TIME FRAME BUT I DO APPRECIATE YOU
ALL SHOWING UP AND BEING PUTTING YOUR VOICES ON THE RECORD. I'M COUNCILOR A LOT OF YOU KNOW THERE IS I THINK I ALREADY ASKED YOU IN AND I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT THE TIMELINE
HERE IS THAT JULY 9TH WOULD BE THE LAST DAY FOR US TO BE ABLE TO BRING THIS UP FOR A VOTE. AND I'M JUST GOING TO ADVOCATE THAT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT, YOU KNOW, MY COLLEAGUES WANT IT OR NOT, I THINK I DID
JUST OUT OF THE DUE PROCESS WE WE DID A HEARING WE YOU KNOW, WE WE REWROTE THE QUESTION TWICE AND HAD VOTERS, YOU KNOW, COLLECT SIGNATURES TWICE.
I JUST THINK THAT IF IF WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE CLOSURE THEN I THINK THAT WE DO SO WITH A VOTE ON JULY 9TH AND WHETHER IT PASSES OR NOT, THAT'S JUST SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M WILLING TO, YOU KNOW, COME TO
TERMS WITH. BUT AT THE VERY LEAST GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THAT THEY'VE BEEN ASKED TO DO TO GET IT UP FOR A VOTE ON THE COUNCIL THAT I'M
JUST GOING TO, YOU KNOW, ADVOCATE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT PASSES OR NOT THAT JULY 9TH IS DEFINITELY THE LAST THE DEADLINE BECAUSE GIVEN THE TIMEFRAME THAT WE'VE THE
TIMELINE THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN THAT JULY I THINK AUGUST 5TH OR SIXTH IS THE LAST DAY FOR THE MAYOR TO SIGN IT. SO SHE CAN'T SIGN SOMETHING THAT SHE DOESN'T HAVE AND WE ONLY HAVE ONE MEETING IN JULY.
SO THAT IS THE THAT IS THE MOMENT FOR US TO BE ABLE TO VOTE ON THIS YES OR NO AS A BODY. THANK YOU. YES, I RECOGNIZE YOUR ADVOCACY AND I APPRECIATE IT.
I COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THAT ONE WAY AHEAD OF JULY 9TH. I JUST ALSO WANT TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR COMING TOGETHER IN SUCH A THOUGHTFUL DIALOG AROUND THIS.
THANK YOU COUNCILOR MEJIA FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN PUTTING THIS FORWARD AND ACKNOWLEDGE THE ONE AND ALL OF THE TEN RESIDENTS WHO WORKED TOGETHER TO BRING THIS MATTER TO THE BALLOT.
THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE DEMOCRACY IN ACTION SO I WOULD LIKE TO CALL IT OUT AS WE CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE PROVIDE VOTERS WITH THE NECESSARY FLAHERTY ABOUT
EXISTING EFFORTS AND HOW THIS PROPOSAL FITS INTO THE BROADER CONTEXT. AND WE CAN DO THAT WITHOUT DEVIATING FROM THE TIMELINE OR UNDERMINING THE HARD WORK
THAT'S THAT'S ALREADY TAKING PLACE ON BEHALF OF COUNCILMAN HAND AND THESE FOLKS. AND SO I JUST. TRANSPARENCY COLLABORATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE THAT ARE TOP OF MIND
FOR ME THAT I WANTED TO CLOSE THIS OUT WITH. SO WITH THAT I WILL SAY THAT WE ARE CONCERNED AND GROW LESS ABOUT WHAT YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT WAS UNCLEAR TO ME WHEN YOU
SAY UNDERMINING UNDERMINING WORKERS. THIS IS SUPPORTING THE HOME RULE PETITION AND THE WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, NOT UNDERMINING IT. RIGHT. JUST WANT TO BE OH NO NO, NO. YEAH. I WASN'T SAYING ABOUT THAT. I WAS SAYING THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT FLAHERTY.
THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO JUST SEE AND I THINK THERE'S ALREADY EXAMPLES OF ABOUT QUESTIONS THE FORMER BATTLE QUESTIONS IN THE FOLDER FOR FOLKS TO TO PROVIDE THAT NECESSARY FLAHERTY FOR
VOTERS ABOUT THE EXISTING EFFORTS LIKE WITHOUT UNDERMINING THE TIMELINE IN THE COUNCIL THAT THAT YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT JULY 9TH. OKAY OKAY BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENED
IS THAT IF THIS DOESN'T IF WE DON'T MOVE THIS THEN WE'RE GOING TO PUT THE BURDEN JUST SO FOLKS UNDERSTAND WHAT IS AT PLAY HERE IS THAT THEN THE BURDEN GETS SHIPPED TO THE RESIDENTS AND THEN THE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE TO COLLECT
THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF SIGNATURES TO GET THIS ON THE BALLOT WHEREAS WE AS A BODY CAN APPROVE THIS AND SEND IT OVER TO THE MAYOR AND PREVENT THIS YOU KNOW, THE BURDEN TO
FALL ON ON THE RESIDENTS TO CARRY THIS FORTH SO I THINK THAT IN THE INTEREST OF MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE WHY AND WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO NOT PUT THE BURDEN ON BOSTON
VOTERS. WE'RE TRYING TO ALLEVIATE THAT BURDEN. BUT IF WE DON'T MOVE THEN THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SIGNALING TO THEM THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COLLECT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF SIGNATURES TO MAKE THAT
HAPPEN. EXACTLY. OKAY. I THINK THAT I I FEEL AS THOUGH I WANT A PLACE THAT WE COULD
CLOSE A HEARING JUST SEEING NO HANDS AND NO MORE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THIS DOCKET OR THIS HEARING ON DOCKET 1274 IS ADJOURNED. THANKS SO MUCH EVERYONE. THANK Y