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FY2026 City Council Legislative Budget Review

We'll be updating this page with information regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget review process.

About the Process

Creation and Approval of the Municipal Budget

The Boston City Charter lays out the responsibilities and timeline for creation and approval of the City budget. The Mayor is in charge of creating the annual City operating budget, and submitting it to the City Council no later than the second Wednesday in April of each year. The City Council is responsible for reviewing this budget proposal, and voting on it no later than the second Wednesday in June. The Mayor also submits to the Council dockets related to spending and borrowing money and acquiring land to support the City's Capital Plan.

The City’s fiscal year runs from July 1 – June 30. We are currently in FY25. The upcoming fiscal year will be FY26.

FY26 City Council Review Process

The City Council begins planning and advocating for the budget in January. After the Mayor submits her budget proposal in April, the Council reviews the Mayor’s budget proposal from the middle of April until June. This process is run by the Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means, Councilor Brian J. Worrell. This year, the process will involve approximately 35 public hearings, during which time the Council will hear from the departments that comprise the greatest percentage of the operating budget, as well as a few smaller departments. These hearings will also cover revolving funds and other budget-related appropriations. The Council will also have working sessions to discuss Councilors' budget priorities and potential amendments.

Council hearings will be held in the Iannella Chamber, on the fifth floor of Boston City Hall. The public is encouraged to watch all the hearings in person or via livestream or broadcast on Xfinity Channel 8, RCN Channel 82, and Fios 964.

Public testimony is welcomed and encouraged at all departmental hearings, as well as at dedicated public testimony hearings. See below for the hearing calendar and ways to testify!

Full Schedule

Schedule
Topic Public Notice
Working Session: BPS RFI Monday, February 3, at 10 a.m. 

(Piemonte Room)
Working Session: Departmental RFI Monday, February 10, at 2 p.m.

(Piemonte Room)
Public Testimony

Tuesday, February 18, at 6 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Working Session: BPS Budget Priorities

Monday, February 24, at 10 a.m.

(Curley Room)

FY26 Revenue + FY25 Revenue to Date

Thursday, February 27, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Working Session: BPS Budget Priorities (with BPS)

 

Monday, March 3, at 2 p.m.

(Piemonte Room)

Working Session: Departmental Budget Priorities

Friday, March 7, at 10 a.m.

(Piemonte Room)

Working Session: Departmental Budget Priorities #2

Monday, March 17, at 2 p.m.

(Virtual)

Public Testimony

Monday, March 24, at 6 p.m.

(Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School)

Working Session: Budget Data

Wednesday, March 26, at 2 p.m.

(Piemonte Room)

 

Topic Public Notice

Boston Public Schools (BPS)

  • Inclusion
  • Multilingual Learners
  • Special Education Services
  • Curriculum (CTE, Literacy, Math)    
  • Post-Secondary Outcomes

 

Monday, April 14, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Boston Public Schools (BPS)

  • Arts and Music
  • Health and Wellness
  • School Meals
  • Athletics
  • Wrap-around Programs

 

Monday, April 14, at 2 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Boston Public Schools (BPS)

  • Mergers/Closures
  • Facilities
  • HUB Schools
  • Transportation
  • New Arrivals
  • Unhoused Students

BPS Facilities Revolving Fund

BPS Transportation Revolving Fund

 

Tuesday, April 15, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Boston Public Schools (BPS)

  • Partnerships
  • External Funds 
  • Central Office
  • Contracts / Staffing

BPS Technology Revolving Fund

 

Tuesday, April 15, at 2 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Operating Overview

Thursday, April 17, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Capital Overview

Thursday, April 17, at 2 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Public Testimony

Tuesday, April 22, at 6 p.m.

(Virtual)

Office of Equity

Black Male Advancement

Fair Housing and Equity

Women’s Advancement

Monday, April 28, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Immigrant Advancement

Language and Communications Access (LCA)

Commission for Persons with Disabilities

Human Rights Commission

LGBTQIA2S+ Advancement

 

Monday, April 28, at 2 p.m.

(Virtual)

Economic Opportunity and Inclusion (OEOI)

Supplier Diversity

Tuesday, April 29, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Consumer Affairs and Licensing

Tourism, Sports and Entertainment

Tourism Revolving Fund

Tuesday, April 29, at 2 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

 

Topic Public Notice

Department of Innovation & Technology (DOIT)

PEG Access Fund

Thursday, May 1, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Environment Department

Office of Food Justice

Conservation Commission Revolving Fund

Distributed Energy Revolving Fund

Thursday, May 1, at 2 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Working Session

Friday, May 2, at 10 a.m.

(Piemonte Room)

Inspectional Services Department (ISD)

Property Management

Public Facilities Department (PFD)

Monday, May 5, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Office of Police Accountability and Transparency (OPAT)

Monday, May 5, at 2 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Boston Centers for Youth and Families (BCYF)

Office of Human Services

  • Office of Early Childhood

BCYF Revolving Fund

Tuesday, May 6, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Boston Public Library (BPL)

Arts & Culture Revolving Fund

Tuesday, May 6, at 2 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC)

  • BPHC Overview
  • Infectious Disease
  • Child Adolescent and Family Health
  • Violence Prevention
  • Behavioral Health and Wellness

Thursday, May 8, at 10 a.m

(Iannella Chamber)

Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC)

  • Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
  • Recovery Services
  • Homeless Services

Thursday, May 8, at 2 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Planning Department

Monday, May 12, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Labor Compliance and Worker Protections

Law Department

Third Party Property Damage Revolving Fund

Monday, May 12, at 2 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Boston Fire Department (BFD)

Tuesday, May 13, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

People Operations

Election Department

Tuesday, May 13, at 2 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Boston Police Department (BPD)

  • Mental Health and Substance Abuse Response
  • Community Policing
  • Firearms
  • Homicides
  • Crime Lab

Canine Revolving Fund

Fitness Center Revolving Fund

Thursday, May 15, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Boston Police Department (BPD)

  • Overtime
  • Detail System
  • Officer Mental Health
  • Diversity and Recruiting

Thursday, May 15, at 2 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Working Session

Friday, May 16, at 10 a.m.

(Piemonte Room)

Treasury Department

  • Collecting Division

Participatory Budget (PB)

Monday, May 19, at 2 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH)

Monday, May 19, at 6 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Parks and Recreation

Parkman Fund

Tuesday, May 20, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Boston Transportation Department (BTD)

Public Works Department (PWD)

Tuesday, May 20, at 2 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Age Strong

Veteran Services

Thursday, May 22, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber or Offsite Location TBD)

Office of Human Services

  • Youth Engagement and Advancement

Office of Workforce Development

Youth Employment and Opportunity

Thursday, May 22, at 6 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS)

  • 311
  • Office of Civic Organizing

SPARK Boston

Tuesday, May 27, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Office of Human Services

  • Office of Returning Citizens

Tuesday, May 27, at 2 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Capital Overview

Wednesday, May 28, at 10 a.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Public Testimony

Wednesday, May 28, at 6 p.m.

(Iannella Chamber)

Working Session

Thursday, May 29, at 10 a.m.

(Piemonte Room)

Working Session

Friday, May 30, at 10 a.m.

(Piemonte Room)

 

Topic Public Notice
Working Session

Monday, June 2, at 10 a.m.

(Piemonte Room)

Working Session

Tuesday, June 3, at 10 a.m.

(Piemonte Room)

 

Hearing Materials

Hearing Materials

Orders for capital fund transfer appropriations:

Orders for the Capital Budget, including loan orders and lease-purchase agreements:

Orders authorizing limits for departmental revolving funds for FY26, including Arts & Culture, Boston Centers for Youth and Families, Boston Public Schools, Boston Police, Law, Tourism, and Environment, and other budget-related dockets:

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