city of Boston budget

Following the lead of neighbors Somerville and Cambridge, Boston is taking on a new initiative that allows the public to decide how the city spends a portion of its 2025 budget.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu last week announced her recommended nearly-$4.3 billion city budget for the city’s fiscal year 2024.

Last Wednesday, Mayor Michelle Wu unveiled her proposed budget of nearly $4 billion, alongside plans to spend the remainder of the $350 million in one-time federal COVID relief dollars

Last week, Mayor Michelle Wu announced a series of community “listening sessions” to take place through the end of the month, in which city residents will be able to weigh in on how Boston spends portions of its multi-billion dollar budget.

The Attorney General’s office last Friday cleared a ballot question that, if approved by voters this November, would shift the balance of power in Boston’s budget process by giving the council the authority to amend a mayor’s budget “in whole, or in part,” and override a mayoral veto with a two-thirds vote.

On Saturday, June 26, activists from the Youth Justice and Power Union gathered at City Hall to demand a $120 million cut from the police budget and a cancellation of the new class of 250 police officers.

Last year, as president of the Boston City Council, Kim Janey voted no on former Mayor Martin Walsh’s budget, because it didn’t do enough to cut down on the police budget. Last week, city councilors passed acting Mayor Janey’s budget, while maintaining their criticism of her decision to add more officers to the force.

Acting Mayor Janey signed an ordinance giving Boston’s voters a chance to amend the city charter this November, giving the City Council and voters more power in the budget process.