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City Council to hold emergency Friday meeting to try to deal with property-tax issue

By adamg on Thu, 10/24/2024 - 4:00pm

The Boston City Council, which usually only convenes on Wednesdays, has scheduled a Zoom meeting for 9:30 a.m. tomorrow to consider asking the state legislature to let Boston increase the commercial-property tax rate over a three-year period.

The council approved a similar measure in June, but Mayor Wu and business leaders reached a compromise deal over the weekend with changes requiring a new request be sent to Beacon Hill.

Wu asked the council to consider the measure at its regular meeting yesterday, but because she filed it after the agenda had been set, consideration required a unanimous vote, and Councilor Ed Flynn (South Boston, South End, Chinatown, Downtown), who opposes the idea altogether, voted against adding it to the agenda.

The agenda for tomorrow's meeting has one item: The tax proposal.

Action on new matters before the council are usually deferred until after they are given a public hearing and study by a council committee, so Flynn could still try to block any enactment tomorrow by voting against "suspension of the rules" on the tax matter.

Other city officials say time is of the essence, because any changes in city tax rates would have to be approved by the legislature and signed by the governor in time for the council to formally set them in November for use with January tax bills.

Neighborhoods: 
Boston
Topics: 
Politics
Free tagging: 
City Council


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Comments

By Bill Viets on Thu, 10/24/2024 - 9:45pm.

How about cutting back on spending first?

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16

By Pete X on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 9:48am.

What would you cut back?

By robo on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 10:34am.

Seems like things were humming away last year. What do you think is necessary in the 8% increase?

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13

By Pete X on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 11:37am.

What would you cut?

By robo on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 12:02pm.

You asked a question and I answered it. I asked a follow up question so now it’s your turn….

By Pete X on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 12:33pm.

You didn't answer sh*t.

According to this report by the Boston Municipal Research Bureau: https://www.bmrb.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/RU41224Budget.pdf

The $4.64B operation budget represents a $344.0M increase from FY24, or an increase of 8.0%, driven by increased spending on Boston Public Schools, debt service, pension payments, and the creation of a new Planning Department.

So you can't cut debt service or pension payments. Are you going to cut schools, where the city's contribution increased (about 1.9% of the 8% increase) but the total school budget actually DECREASED due to ending of emergency aid, or the new planning department (only approx 1% of that 8% increase), which was an explicit promise Wu made during the campaign?

Not so easy, is it?

By robo on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 2:05pm.

Holy hell! Imagine paying that much for those results! Cut their budget. It’s increased by 46% in the last 5 years with absolutely abysmal results.

Planning department was part of Mayor Wu’s campaign is great. Don’t increase the budget to fund it. Get creative.

What’s that 3% of the 8%? That’s a good start and took me all of 5 minutes.

By Pete X on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 2:25pm.

So you want all the results and want to pay nothing for it. Cool.

By robo on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 2:35pm.

Top dollar, but because you said so….

How can you say I’m not a serious person? Because I disagree with your approval of frivolous spending? That’s a pretty piss poor argument.

By Pete X on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 2:42pm.

Spending on schools and the city planning department you support is not frivolous. You claiming they can be done for free IS frivolous, however.

What are you going to cut in the school budget THIS year? Fire teachers? Close Schools?

You are not a serious person.

By robo on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 2:55pm.

No one. Stop putting words in my mouth. 46% increase in the last 5 years with consistently bad results. You know what they need?! More money

I have to assume your contribution to the city and state’s tax base is small considering your spend spend spend attitude. It’s easy when it’s not your money.

By Pete X on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 3:23pm.

Again, everyone can read what you wrote. You want the City Planning department transferred for free and you want to cut funding for schools immediately.

So, again, what do you cut THIS YEAR from a school budget that has already been cut from last year?

I have to assume your contribution to the city and state's tax base is small considering your attitude that nothing costs money. It's easy when you don't understand how money works.

By ScottB on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 5:36pm.

The amount allocated to BPS for FY 2024 was $1.446 billion, up from $1.380 billion in FY 2023. The FY 2025 budget sets aside $1.527 billion for the schools -- an increase of 5.6% even though enrollment in BPS continues to decline.

By robo on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 5:51pm.

He’s clearly on the government dole and just keep making things up to fit his narrative.

By Pete X on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 6:47pm.

Even though I'm not and have never been on the "dole" as you say, your open contempt for people who rely on government assistance is pretty illuminating of what kind of person you are.

By Pete X on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 6:27pm.

The School Commitee approved
Boston Public Schools’ $1.53B budget in March,
comprising 32.9% of the City’s FY25 operating
budget and its largest budget expenditure. The
BPS budget included an $80.8M (5.6%) increase,
yet, because of the significant decrease in ESSER
funding, all-funds spending on schools is decreasing by 4.8% ($83.8M).

The total amount of money spent on schools is decreasing, as I said earlier. Facts are sticky things, aren't they? Again, if you think too much is being spent this year, what do you cut?

By anon on Thu, 10/24/2024 - 10:21pm.

Okay...just saying....um.....who are the entities that own the ghost town of long vacant commercial real estate in Downtown Crossing, South End, Back Bay, and neighborhood districts ? No tenants and no market mean failed mortgages and defaulted promissory notes.

By Zhu Hengpeng on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 7:21am.

Is it on Zoom so that citizens can also particulate or is it for Councilors' and Mayor 's convenience?

By adamg on Fri, 10/25/2024 - 9:29am.

The public isn't normally allowed to participate in regular council meetings, anyway - that's what committee hearings are for.