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Council votes to prevent future inaugurations on Jan. 1, but not unanimously

The City Council voted 11-2 today to seek permission from the state legislature to change the date on which councilors and the mayor are inaugurated following an election from "the first Monday" in January to "the first weekday after the second day in January."

Councilor Brian Worrell (Dorchester) proposed the change after this year's inauguration of councilors fell on Jan. 1, which he argued presented an unfair burden on city employees who had to work on a national holiday, in particular, public-safety officers getting off First Night duty. The measure, if approved by the legislature and signed by the governor, would take effect in January, 2026

Councilors Ed Flynn (South Boston, South End, Chinatown, Downtown) and Erin Murphy (at large) voted against. They did not break into a rendition of Tradition or otherwise explain their opposition.

The proposal needs state approval because the first-Monday requirement, in effect since 1948, is part of the city charter, which is effectively a state law that applies only to the city of Boston.

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Comments

A January 1 inauguration is not a burden on public safety personnel because 1) public safety personnel are happy to collect double-overtime and 2) the inauguration only requires public safety personnel if the city makes a spectacle out of it. In theory the Mayor, City Council, and Clerk could meet over Zoom for 10 minutes, swear each other in, and be done.

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So overburdened. Yet again, I'm amazed at what they prioritize to take action on.

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Which, if you're interested, I can list. I took a break from writing about criming to write about this one because I thought an 11-2 vote on something like this was unusual.

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Very unusual.

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There's no reason not to change an arbitrary date to make things easier for the people who have to work the occasion. Also, why have to pay staff extra to work on a holiday?

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TRADITION! Tradition.

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