A Letter from the Chair of Ways and Means

Fri., May 2, 2025

We’re one week into the departmental hearings on the Mayor’s proposed FY26 budget, which was capped off by a working session on May 2 that explored the city’s revenue to date in FY25 as well as further discussion of past and future Council amendments. In terms of city revenues, the administration provided revenues through the first three quarters of Fiscal Year 2025 to begin to see how the city’s fiscal strength is faring in these fiscally uncertain times.

The data makes a case that the city’s revenue remains strong in 2025. Through 75% of the year (March 31, 2025), the city is at 87% of its full-year projected revenue on Hotels Tax, 84% of its full-year projected revenue on Aircraft Fuel Tax, 86% of its full-year projected revenue on Meals Tax, nearly 84% of its projected revenue on Income from Investments, and is already past its full-year projected revenue (175% of it) on Short-Term Rental fees. The takeaway from looking at current revenue, including the first three months of 2025, is that the city’s projections for FY26 are conservative despite the country’s fiscal headwinds.

We started our departmental process with two hearings with the Equity and Inclusion cabinet this week so that we as a City Council can use equity as a lens. We heard from all of the cabinet’s departments, including Black Male Advancement, which detailed how it has made more than 20 policy recommendations totaling $34 million for Fiscal Year 2026. It’s a model of advocacy that I believe should be replicated throughout that cabinet, along with making sure the cabinet has representation on every RFP selection committee in the city. The cabinet remains without a coordinated strategy for data collection and analysis that can reduce disparities throughout the city.

On Tuesday, we heard from the Economic Opportunity and Inclusion cabinet in two hearings, where OEOI Chief Segun Idowu outlined many of the advances the departments in his cabinet have made during the past couple of years. Among those successes have been the SPACE Grants to fill vacant storefronts as well as the expansion of technical assistance to small businesses, and the historic expansion of liquor licenses.

Chief Idowu also dove deep into the emphasis on equity in city contracts, which has seen success. This initiative was created after long-term data collection and disparity studies showed the gaps and barriers that our women- and minority-owned businesses faced in contracting with the city. Through the Sheltered Market programs that were created to address that gap, many of those barriers have been removed and the city has exponentially grown its number of contracts for minority- and women-owned businesses. Deliberate collection and studying of data led to an informed and successful solution, which is a proven strategy that should be replicated across the city.

On Thursday, we held two hearings that centered on setting our city up for the rest of the 21st century and beyond: Department of Innovation and Technology in the morning, and the Environment, Energy and Open Space cabinet in the afternoon. Discussions with DoIT focused on addressing digital equity gaps (Internet affordability, Internet speed, and digital skills) as well as streamlining digital processes for permitting across several city departments and implementing new software for 311. At the afternoon hearing, the Office of Food Justice spoke on continuing its support for farmers market coupons as well as Double Up Food Bucks, while the Environment Department discussed possible changes to the wetlands ordinance as well as numerous climate resiliency projects in the works across the city, among other items.

Next week, we’ll continue with 6 more departmental hearings, including the Boston Public Health Commission, Boston Centers for Youth and Families, Boston Public Library, Inspectional Services Department, Property Management, and Public Facilities. As a reminder, public testimony is welcome at all of our hearings, and please visit the Council’s budget website for more information.

Councilor Brian Worrell

Chair of the Committee on Ways & Means