Boston Tax Hike Proposal Sparks More Fireworks Among City Council

An emergency Boston City Council meeting held for the sole purpose of sending a revised mayoral home rule petition that would increase business tax rates to a committee for a hearing and possible vote next week generated unexpected fireworks.

City Council President Ruthzee Louijeune said at the start of Friday morning’s virtual meeting that she had called the emergency session to “refer the mayor’s proposed home rule petition to a committee for additional action” to “ avoid further delays and address the urgent fiscal issues being addressed.” in the city and with the state.”

A unanimous vote was quickly taken to allow the emergency meeting to continue, and Louijeune immediately moved to forward the file of the mayor’s autonomy petition to the Government Operations committee.

Louijeune then called for a vote to adjourn the session, about 5 minutes after it began. While the vote was unanimous, several councilors raised questions when they were called to cast their vote, leading to some confusion later about why the meeting was held after the adjournment vote was taken.

“I just want to make sure I understand the protocols and procedures at this time,” Councilwoman Julia Mejia said before giving a “yes” to the postponement. “Are we going to adjourn if I say yes or no, we won’t stay?”

Louijeune said that while the Council had voted in favor of an adjournment, she had not officially requested an adjournment, to allow for further discussion that began with Councilman Ed Flynn’s request to speak and led to more questions raised by councilors about the process and concerns that the body could choose to avoid a hearing to expedite the mayor’s request for a vote next Wednesday without community participation.

“The process here seems rushed, in my opinion,” Flynn said, “and we’re just holding this meeting as a formality, and then we’ll go straight to Tuesday and then to the vote on Wednesday. It doesn’t seem like we’re really doing our due diligence in studying this issue, listening to constituents, listening to residents.

“It’s almost like we’re a rubber stamp, and we’re just trying to get this out on Wednesday afternoon, for whatever reason,” he added.

Flynn went on to state that his comments represented his opinion and asked the Council President if they were accurate.

“As you said, that’s your opinion and I’m not going to offer an opinion on your opinion,” Louijeune said.

Mayor Michelle Wu told reporters Thursday that she had been “hoping to have a hearing next week and vote next Wednesday,” as the clock is ticking before the month’s tax rates are set, meaning the Council would have They must act quickly on the petition, to send it to the Legislature for a vote in late November. The mayor says her plan aims to avoid a double-digit tax increase for homeowners.

Flynn, a critic of the mayor’s tax plan who has offered two alternatives, blocked the home rule request from being added as a late item to Wednesday’s agenda, citing concerns with transparency and secret negotiations that did not include the City Council. . .

The revised petition is the result of a compromise the mayor reached this week with four business leaders who opposed Wu’s initial plan and withdrew their opposition contingent on a smaller change in the city’s tax burden, beyond what was allowed by state law.

Mejia and Murphy expressed concern about whether a hearing on the autonomy petition would be held before a possible vote next Wednesday.

“Is there an expectation that this body will hold a hearing to discuss this new tax proposal, because it seems like a lot of other people in the city have had, I would say, the pleasure (and) opportunity to really be involved in this conversation, but we on the council have not done it,” Murphy said.

Mejia noted that he had assumed a hearing would be held, per protocols requiring a hearing after a matter is placed in committee, but was concerned there would not be one after Flynn questioned whether there would be one and whether it would include testimony. public.

“If he is questioning it, then that made me question it,” Mejia said.

Councilor John FitzGerald requested that the hearing have two formal panels representing both sides of the argument.

Councilwoman Gabriela Coletta, president of the Government Operations Commission, assured her colleagues that it was always her intention to hold a hearing – scheduled after the meeting for next Tuesday – with public testimony, but said that in terms of panels, “ “That is to be determined.” .”

“This is an important issue for all of us and for the city of Boston,” Coletta said.

Continued discussion after the day’s adjournment vote led Councilwoman Tania Fernandes Anderson to say she would retract her vote to adjourn the session, after asking why her colleagues voted to end the meeting if they didn’t want to.