FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS BRIAN . WE'RE OUR DISTRICT FOR CITY COUNCILOR AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. TODAY IS APRIL 22ND, 2024. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED AND IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED AT BOSTON OF BACKSLASH CITY DASH CAM ALSO DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON EXTENDED CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FILES NIGHT CHANNEL 964. THE COUNCIL'S BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS WILL ENCOMPASS A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS BEGINNING IN APRIL AND RUNNING THROUGH JUNE. WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS BY GIVING TESTIMONY FOR THE RECORD.  YOU CAN DO THIS IN SEVERAL WAYS. ONE ATTEND ONE OF OUR HEARINGS AND GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY WHO TAPE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AT THE END OF EACH DEPARTAMENTO HEARING AND ALSO TWO HEARINGS DEDICATED TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THE FULL HEARING SCHEDULE IS ON OUR WEBSITE AT BOSTON DOT GOV.  BACKSLASH CIT COUNCILOR DAS BUDGET. AGAIN THAT'S BOSTON DOT GOV BACKSLASH COUNCILOR DAS BUDGET SCHEDULE HEARINGS DEDICATED TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY ARE TONIGHT AT 6 P.M. AND TUESDAY MAY 22ND AT 6 P.M.. YOU CAN GIVE TESTIMONY IN PERSON HERE IN THE CHAMBER OR VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM FOR IN-PERSON TESTIMONY. PLEASE COME TO THE CHAMBER AND SIGN UP ON THE SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE.  FOR VIRTUAL TESTIMONY YOU CAN SIGN UP USING OUR ONLINE FORM ON OUR COUNCIL BUDGET REVIEW WEBSITE OR BY EMAILING THE COMMITTEE AT C C W M AT BOSTON . DOT GOV WHEN YOU ARE CALLED TO TESTIFY PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION. RESIDENTS CAN LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO A FEW MINUTES TO ENSURE THAT ALL COMMENTS AND CONCERNS CAN BE HEARD.  EMAIL YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE COMMITTEE AT C C W M AT BOSTON DOT GOV SUBMIT A TWO MINUTE VIDEO OF YOUR TESTIMONY TO THE FORM ON OUR WEBSITE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW TO TESTIFY PLEASE VISIT THE CITY COUNCIL'S BUDGET WEBSITE AT BOSTON.COM. BACK LAST COUNCIL DAT BUDGET. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 067020672 ORDERS FOR THE FY 25 OPERATING BUDGET INCLUDED ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS FOR DEPARTMENTAL OPERATIONS FOR THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT AND OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS. DOCKET NUMBER 067320675. ORDER ORDERS FOR A CAPITAL FUND TRANSFER APPROPRIATIONS. DOCKET NUMBER 067620678. ORDERS FOR THE CAPITAL BUDGET INCLUDING A LOAN INCLUDING LOAN ORDERS AND LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENTS. THESE MATTERS WERE SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL NINE, 2020 FOR. I AM JOINED TODAY BY COUNCILOR COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE MAI VICE CHAIR COUNCILOR ENRIQUE POPE PEPEN.  COUNCILOR COLETTA. COUNCILOR FINANCE ANDERSON. COUNCILOR BREADON CASTLE WEBER AND COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.  I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING. WE'VE GOT A BUSY BATCH OF HEARINGS ON THE BUDGET COMING UP DURING THE REST OF APRIL IN ALL OF MAY. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR SHOWING UP TODAY INCLUDED OUR DIRECTOR AND OUR CFO.  I WANT TO START BY EXPLAINING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR THE PUBLIC AND WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US. TODAY IS THE MAYOR'S BUDGET AND THROUGH COLLABORATION AND PUBLIC TESTIMONY WE WILL EITHER BE AMENDING OR ACCEPTING THIS BUDGET CREATING A FINAL BUDGET THAT WE ALL FEEL A PART OF . WE CAN'T DECREASE THE OVERALL BUDGET. THIS NUMBER HAS BEEN SET.  NOW IS THE TIME FOR COUNCILORS TO ADVOCATE FOR THE CONSTITUENTS.  BUT EVERY DOLLAR ALLOCATED MUST BE MOVED FROM ANOTHER DEPARTMENT. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE AMENDMENT WORKING SESSIONS EVERY OTHER FRIDAY IN MAY AND WE'LL HAVE ABOUT SIX BUDGET HEARINGS PER WEEK UNTIL MEMORIAL DAY ON JUNE 5TH. AT THE COUNCIL'S WEEKLY MEETING. WE WE WILL VOTE ON THE AMENDMENTS TO THIS BUDGET AT THE JUNE 12 MEETING THE COUNCIL WILL BE PRESENTED WITH ANY MAYOR MURIEL VETOES AND ON JUNE 26 MEETING THE COUNCIL HAVE A CHANCE TO OVERRIDE ANY OF THOSE VETOES DURING THIS BUDGET HEARING.  I'M GOING TO ASK MY COUNCILORS TO WITHHOLD ANY OPENING STATEMENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION WILL MAKE THEIR PRESENTATION FIRST BUT EVERY COUNCIL WILL HAVE AROUND 7 TO 8 MINUTES FOR QUESTIONING. AND WITH THAT I WOULD LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO THE ADMINISTRATION. WE ARE JOINED TODAY BY THE BUDGET DIRECTOR JIM WILLIAMSON AND CFO ASHLEY GRAFF HAMBURG. THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  OKAY, GREAT. GOOD MORNING, CHAIR COUNCILORS . THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. I'M ACTUALLY ACROSS FROM PROGRAM THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND I'M JOINED BY JIM WILLIAMSON, DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF BUDGET MANAGEMENT. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY TO PRESENT OUR FISCAL 2025 OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE CITY. OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL 25 EXCUSE ME SORRY.  THERE WE GO. OUR PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL 25 TOTALS $4.64 BILLION AND SEEKS TO LEVERAGE THE STRENGTH AND GROWTH IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY TO DOUBLE DOWN ON MAKING BOSTON A HOME FOR EVERYONE DELIVERING EXCELLENCE AND SERVICES AND ENSURING STABILITY AND SUPPORT FOR RESIDENTS, BUSINESSES AND VISITORS. THE BUDGET ALSO FEATURES FEATURES TARGETED NEW INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND PUBLIC SAFETY BASIC CITY SERVICES AND HOUSING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY'S OVERALL STABILITY AND VIBRANCY . THE BUDGET WE'VE PROPOSED IS ALSO MINDFUL OF LONG TERM SPENDING GROWTH AND PRESENTS LIMITED ONGOING INVESTMENTS WITH SOME AMOUNT OF ONE TIME INVESTMENTS EQUAL TO ABOUT 26% OF OUR NON-SCHOOL INVESTMENTS AND ALSO FEATURES LOWER FTE GROWTH THAN IN PAST YEARS DESPITE THE ABSORPTION OF FUNCTIONS FROM THE BPA.  THE BUDGET SORRY THIS IS A LITTLE TRICKY SORRY . THERE YOU GO. OKAY. THE BUDGET BEFORE YOU IS BUILT ON A STRONG AND GROWING LOCAL ECONOMY WHICH IS ANCHORED BY RELIABLE REVENUE SOURCES PARTICULARLY IN THE FORM OF PROPERTY TAXES. WE SEE TREMENDOUS STRENGTH IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. JUST A COUPLE OF NOTES HERE ABOUT THE CITY. WE HAVE NEARLY 7400 UNITS APPROVED IN 2023 WHICH IS THE THIRD HIGHEST YEAR IN A DECADE. CITYWIDE OUR OFFICE VACANCY RATE IS 12.7% AND RETAIL VACANCY IS 2.2 WHICH ARE BOTH WELL BELOW NATIONAL AVERAGES AS OF FEBRUARY.  BOSTON'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE STANDS AT 3.2% WHICH IS LOWER THAN THE STATE AVERAGE OF 3.7 AND NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 4.2%. YOU KNOW GOING BACK IN TIME SINCE 2015, OVERALL ASSESSED VALUE OF PROPERTY IN THE CITY HAS NEARLY DOUBLED AND THE REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE HAVE PUT INTO THIS BUDGET ARE BALANCED AND RESPONSIBLE AND REFLECT THAT CITY'S GROWTH. AND JUST YOU CAN'T WE CAN'T UNDERSCORE THIS ENOUGH. THE BUDGET IS ALSO BOLSTERED AND MINDFUL OF OUR FISCAL MANAGEMENT AND THE STRONG ECONOMY WHICH HAS EARNED THE CITY A TRIPLE-A CREDIT RATING FROM BOTH MOODY'S AND S&P SINCE 2014.  THANK YOU, ASHLEY. SO THIS IS A PIE CHART THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY VERY FAMILIAR WITH SORT OF IT REPRESENTS THE HOW THE EXPENDITURES ARE ALLOCATED ACROSS THE ENTIRE BUDGET ENTIRE ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION CONTINUES TO BE FAIRLY PROMINENT ELEMENT OF THE BUDGET. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SERVICES LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROVIDES IS EDUCATING YOUNG PEOPLE.  OUR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE RIGHT BELOW THAT IN TERMS OF PERCENTAGE OF THE PIE IS PUBLIC SAFETY. IT'S IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN SAFETY IN OUR ENVIRONMENT. THAT'S ONE OF THE THE KEY METRICS OF A SUCCESSFUL CITY IS HAVING A SAFE AND WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT. I WON'T GO TO ALL THE SLIDES BUT YOU KNOW THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AT 14.6% IS YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU COME TO RELY ON TO ASK QUESTIONS FOR THE SIX SERVICES THROUGH FIXED COSTS. IS IT IS A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT COMPONENT OF THE BUDGET AND THAT'S HONORING OUR LONG TERM COMMITMENTS, OUR PENSION REQUIREMENTS FOR OUR RETIRED EMPLOYEES AND DEBT SERVICE TO TO SUPPORTS THE THE CAPITAL THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN.  THERE'S SOME OTHER OTHER SLICES HERE THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY FAIRLY FAMILIAR WITH. YOU COULD PROBABLY GO ON TO THIS ONE RIGHT? YEAH. SO AND YOU'RE ALSO PROBABLY VERY FAMILIAR I THINK THE CHAIR ALLUDED TO SOME OF THE MILESTONE DATES THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS.  WE YOU KNOW WE THE MAYOR FILED THE BUDGET ACTUALLY WITH THE CITY CLERK ON ON APRIL 8TH WHO WAS INTRODUCED AT THE COUNCIL MEETING ON THE 10TH ASSIGNED TO THE COMMITTEE AND WE'RE HERE TO TO START TICK OFF THE HEARING PROCESS WHO WE ARE IN ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE EXCITED TO TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT WE DO IN THE BUDGET . WE'RE GOING THROUGH OUR HEARING PROCESSES.  THEN THERE IS I THINK THE STATUTE THE ORDINANCE CALLS FOR THAT NO LATER THAN THE SECOND WEDNESDAY IN JUNE THAT THAT THE COUNCIL WILL TAKE ACTION ON THE BUDGET. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO THE TWO OPTION DATES THERE ARE I DON'T THINK THIS IS A MEETING SCHEDULED ON JUNE 19TH BUT I THINK YOU KNOW LAST YEAR I THINK THERE WAS A SCHEDULED MEETING AND THEN AS THE CHAIR SAID, JUNE 26 IS THE FINAL MEETING OF THE FISCAL YEAR AND GIVES THE COUNCIL THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO REACT TO THE MAYOR'S RETURN BUDGET AND SORT OF A TABULAR VIEW OF THIS SLIDE AS THE APPROPRIATIONS ELEMENT OF THE BUDGET ALL THIS THIS REPRESENTS YOU KNOW, AT A HIGH LEVEL THE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF THE BUDGET. SO WE GET CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT INCLUDES THE DEPARTMENTS THAT YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH YOU KNOW, POLICE, FIRE, LIBRARY SERVICES, PUBLIC WORKS, TRANSPORTATION ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF DEPARTMENTS SIT IN THAT GROUPING. IT'S GROWING BY $87 MILLION OR 5.4% OF PUBLIC HEALTH. THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION SORT OF IT'S ALL THE CITY APPROPRIATES TO THAT BUT IT IS SORT OF AN INDEPENDENT BOARD OR QUASI ELEMENT OF CITY GOVERNMENT THAT'S GROWING BY $8 MILLION OR 6.5%. THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY HAVE A SLIGHTLY BY STATUTE A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SCHEDULE AND THE THE INTERACTION WITH THE BOSTON SCHOOL COMMITTEE SO THAT SCHOOL COMMITTEE TO TAKE ACTION ON THEIR VOTE IN IN IT IS INCLUDED IN IN THE MAYOR'S RECOMMENDED BUDGET TO CITY COUNCIL IT'S GROWING BY $81 MILLION OR 5.6% COLLECTED THE BARGAINING THE COUNCIL IS WELL AWARE OF SORT OF THE ONGOING MECHANICAL PROCESS WHEREBY AS A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT IS SETTLED DOLLARS AND MOVED FROM THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RESERVE INTO DEPARTMENTAL BUDGETS TO TO COMPENSATE THE EMPLOYEES AND THEN THE OPEB OR OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS IS THAT IS AN APPROPRIATION NOT REQUIRED IN LAW BUT REQUIRED BY CITY POLICY TO TO TO FUND TO PREPARE FOR THE EXPOSURE OF THE HEALTH BENEFITS THAT ARE PROVIDED TO RETIREES. SO THOSE ARE THAT'S THE APPROPRIATION TOTALS GROWING BY $274 MILLION OR 8.4%. YOU KNOW, MOVE ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE WHICH IS THE FIXED COST COMPONENT OF THE BUDGET WE TALKED ABOUT PENSIONS WHERE THOSE ARE THE BOSTON RETIREMENT SYSTEM IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD OF THEIR BOARD APPROVED SCHEDULE. THE CITY FUNDS THAT SCHEDULE IT'S SO MULTI-EMPLOYER SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER PUBLIC ENTITIES THAT ARE ALSO PART OF THE PENSION. THIS IS THE CITY OF BOSTON'S COMPONENT OF THAT IT'S GROWING BY $32 MILLION OR 3.2% DEBT SERVICE. AGAIN, THAT'S THIS IS THE WHERE WE GO OUT AND FINANCE DEBT TO SUPPORT THE CAPITAL THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL PLAN THAT'S GROWING BY $28 MILLION OR 11.3% CHARTER SCHOOL TUITION IT'S AN ELEMENT OF OF STATE ASSESSMENTS. SO WE'RE IT'S A IS DEFINITELY WE WE COUNTED AS PART OF PUBLIC EDUCATION BUT IT'S AN ASSESSMENT BY THE COMMONWEALTH THAT USED TO FUNDS PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS AND THEN THE MTA ASSESSMENT IS OUR REGIONAL PORTION OF THE MTA OPERATIONAL COSTS THAT GETS THROUGH AND THEN THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF OTHER LITTLE ASSESSMENTS THAT ARE THAT COME THROUGH THE COMMONWEALTH THAT BASICALLY COME RIGHT OFF OF OUR STATE AID . SO THE FIXED COST TOLL IS GROWING BY $70 MILLION OR 6.8% AND WE CAN GO ON TO SO MY VISION IS THAT IT'S NOT JUST ONE OF FULL TIME EQUIVALENT SO THIS WE'VE BEEN COGNIZANT OF THAT WE'RE IN IN THE THE REAL THROUGHLINE THROUGH ALL THIS IS THAT THE CITY GOVERNMENT IS MOSTLY ABOUT CITY EMPLOYEES PROVIDING CITY SERVICES TO TO TO ITS RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES AND VISITORS AS WELL.  AND WE'RE COGNIZANT THAT WHEN YOU'RE HIRING SOMEONE IT IS A COMMITMENT THROUGH THEIR EMPLOYMENT PERIOD AND LIKELY INTO THEIR RETIREMENT PERIOD IF THEY IF THEY MAKE IT THROUGH THAT PROCESS.  THIS THIS TABLE IS USED TO THIS TO SHOW THAT ALTHOUGH WE'RE GROWING BY 490 POSITIONS, THE BULK OF THAT ARE A GOOD PORTION OF THAT IS JUST RELATED TO THE MECHANICAL TRANSFER OF THE BPA AND TO THE THE BRAND NEW PLANNING AND OFFICE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. SO BUT IN AGGREGATE THE GROWTH IS IS MORE MODERATED COMPARED TO LAST YEAR'S GROWTH WHICH IS 651 IS FULL TIME EQUIVALENTS.  OKAY. SO OUR BUDGET IS GROWING $344 MILLION OVER FY 24 AND THE SIGN UP HERE IS JUST A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF HOW THAT HAPPENS ON BOTH THE REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE SIDE. SO ON THE REVENUE SIDE TO AS QUICKLY WALK THROUGH THESE MAJOR DRIVERS. PROPERTY TAX ACCOUNTS FOR JUST LESS THAN HALF OF THE REVENUE GROWTH ASSUMED IN THIS BUDGET YEAR OVER YEAR WE EXPECT THAT PROPERTY TAX WILL GROW BY ABOUT 5%. A PORTION OF THIS IS ASSOCIATED WITH GROWTH UNDER TWO AND A HALF AND THE OTHER PORTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH OUR EXPECTATIONS OF NEW GROWTH. LOCAL RECEIPTS AND DEPARTMENTAL REVENUES REPRESENT ABOUT 20% OF THE REVENUE GROWTH AND COLLECTIVELY GROW BY ABOUT 25% OVER THE PRIOR YEAR. INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS REPRESENTS ANOTHER 20% OF THE GROWTH GROWING SIGNIFICANTLY OVER LAST YEAR'S BUDGET TO ACCOUNT FOR STRONG EARNINGS ON THE CITY'S CASH IN THIS PERSISTENT HIGH INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT, THE REVENUE FROM THE BPD TO SUPPORT PLANNING IS ABOUT 12% OF THE GROWTH AND I THINK THAT'S THE REVENUE SIDE AND ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE OUR LARGEST COST DRIVER IS THE COST OF PROVIDING FAIR AND EQUITABLE WAGES TO CITY EMPLOYEES DELIVERED THROUGH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS THAT ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 32% OF THE EXPENDITURE GROWTH IN THE BUDGET COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH BEPS AND PUBLIC EDUCATION REPRESENTS THE SECOND HIGHEST COST DRIVER REPRESENTING NEARLY 25% OF THE BUDGET GROWTH. OUR LONG TERM OBLIGATION BONDS REPRESENT 17% OF THE GROWTH THE OFFSETTING EXPENDITURES ASSOCIATED WITH THE NEW REVENUE FROM THE PLANNING DEPART FROM THE BPD TO SUPPORT PLANNING AND OWI. OUR 12% OF OUR EXPENDITURE GROWTH AND THEN INCREASED COST OF DOING BUSINESS AND A VERY SMALL SLIVER OF NEW INVESTMENTS REPRESENT THE REMAINING INCREASES.  OKAY SO I WILL DIVE A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO THE REVENUE SOURCES AND JUST PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE REVENUE SIDE. SO HERE IS A BREAKDOWN OF REVENUE SOURCES AS A SHARE OF THE BUDGET AS WELL AS CHANGES BETWEEN FISCAL 24 AND 25. YOU CAN NOTE THAT ALL REVENUE SOURCES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF STATE REVENUES ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN 25 WITH NON PROPERTY TAX REVENUES GROWING THE FASTEST IN FY 25 AS I SAID. PROPERTY TAX WILL STILL REPRESENT A LION'S SHARE OF OUR REVENUE OVERALL AT 71% FOLLOWED BY STATE AID AT 11%. DEPARTMENTAL AND OTHER LOCAL REVENUES AT 9.3. EXCISE REVENUES AT 6.1% AND OTHER SOURCES MAKING UP THE REST.  YOU'LL NOTE INTERGOVERNMENTAL TRANSFERS HERE.  THIS JUST TO BE CLEAR IS THE REVENUE COMING FROM THE BPD TO SUPPORT THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH PLANNING AND THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT ARE GOING TO BE REFLECTED IN THE CITY.  SO AS I SAID, PROPERTY TAX REPRESENTS THE LION'S SHARE OF THE CITY'S REVENUE PROJECTED AT 71% OF THE TOTAL GENERAL FUND BUDGET IN 25 AND ABOUT 46% OF THE GROWTH IN THE REVENUE IN FISCAL 25 IN FISCAL 25 THE COMBINATION OF THE TWO AND A HALF PERCENT ALLOWABLE LEVY INCREASE A CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE FOR AN ASSUMPTION OF NEW GROWTH FROM CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATIONS AND ADJUSTMENT TO COVER PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENTS ARE PROJECTED TO INCREASE OUR REVENUE BY 159 MILLION OR ABOUT 5% OVER LAST YEAR. AS YOU CAN SEE, PROPERTY TAXES CONSISTENTLY GROWN OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS PROVING TO BE A RELIABLE AND STABLE SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR THE CITY. I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHILE THE CITY IS SIMULTANEOUSLY SEEKING A LEGISLATIVE CHANGE TO SAFEGUARD RESIDENTS AGAINST THE IMPACT OF A POTENTIAL LOSS IN COMMERCIAL VALUE, NOTHING ABOUT THE PROPOSAL CHANGES THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET AND WE ARE CONFIDENT IN THESE PROJECTIONS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THAT MEASURE PASSES.  STATE AID MAKES UP JUST ABOUT 11% OF THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND REVENUE. THE FISCAL 25 BUDGET REFLECTS A SLIGHT DECREASE IN STATE AID ABOUT $1,000,000 LESS COMPARED TO FISCAL 24. NOTE THAT WE BUILT THIS BUDGET BECAUSE OF THE BUDGET STATE'S BUDGET TIMELINE. THESE NUMBERS COME FROM THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET WHICH IS INTRODUCED IN JANUARY. WE SINCE HAVE UPDATED NUMBERS FROM THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS BUDGET BUT WE'LL JUST CONTINUE TO TRACK THOSE AS THE STATE BUDGET MOVES THROUGH ITS PROCESS.  I THINK OVERALL THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS NUMBERS IN AGGREGATE ARE ROUGHLY THE SAME AS THE GOVERNOR'S WITH WITH SOME TWEAKS BUT JUST NOTE THAT THIS REFLECTS THE AMOUNT OF STATE AID INCLUDED IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET.  THE CITY EVALUATES STATE AID ON NET MEANING THE AID REMAINING AFTER YOU SUBTRACT OUT ASSESSMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY TO THE STATE WHEN MATCHED UP AGAINST OUR VARIOUS STATE ASSESSMENTS.  THIS AMOUNTS TO ABOUT A $10 MILLION REDUCTION IN OUR NET STATE AID COMPARED TO FISCAL 24. ADDITIONALLY, NET EDUCATION AID HAS SLIPPED INTO NEGATIVE TERRITORY AND NET STATE EDUCATION NET EDUCATION AID IS OUR CHAPTER 70 AND CHARTER REIMBURSEMENT MINUS OUR CHARTER ASSESSMENT. IN THE BIGGER PICTURE, HOWEVER ,IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT STATE AID HAS FALLEN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES MAKING WHEN IT MADE UP ABOUT 30% OF THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND BUDGET.  AND BECAUSE OF THAT DYNAMIC THIS HAS INCREASED THE CITY'S RELIANCE ON PROPERTY TAX AND OTHER REVENUE SOURCES.  EXCISE TAXES ARE PROJECTED TO BE ABOUT 244 MILLION OR 6.1% OF THE TOTAL GENERAL FUND REVENUE IN FISCAL 25 AND REPRESENTS ABOUT A 15% GROWTH IN THE OVER THE PRIOR YEAR. EXCISE REVENUES ARE COMPRISED OF MOTOR VEHICLE ROOM AND MEALS AND OTHER EXCISE INCLUDING JET FUEL, SHORT TERM RENTALS AND OTHERS. MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE HAS PROVEN TO BE PRETTY STABLE FOR US OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.  ROOMS IS THE LARGEST COMPONENT OF ROOMS AND MEALS EXCISE AT ABOUT 139 MILLION WITH MEALS COMPRISED OF ABOUT 38 MILLION. YOU CAN SEE KIND OF DURING THE PANDEMIC YEAR THAT ROOMS AND MEALS SIGNIFICANTLY DROPPED OFF BUT WE ARE PROJECTING IN THIS UPCOMING BUDGET THAT WE WILL SEE EXCISE ACTIVITY RETURN TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS AND EXCEED PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS UP ABOUT 32% SINCE FY 2019, WHICH IS A SIGN OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY HERE IN THE CITY.  I THINK ONE OF THE MORE THIS IS ABOUT PENN INTERESTING STORIES OF THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS HAVE BEEN INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS.  THIS IS PROVING TO BE A MAJOR REVENUE DRIVER FOR THE CITY IN FY 25 GROWTH AND BUDGETED INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS IS PROJECTED TO GROW SIGNIFICANTLY AND REPRESENTS ABOUT 20% OF THE TOTAL GROWTH IN THE BUDGET SINCE FISCAL 23 WE'VE SEEN REALLY HEALTHY INTEREST INCOME AS A RESULT OF HIGHER CASH BALANCES AND THE SUSTAINED HIGH INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT YOU CAN SEE IN FY 23 WE HAD A REALLY SIGNIFICANT YEAR OF ACTUAL INTEREST COLLECTIONS. WE EXPECT THAT FISCAL 24 WILL WILL ALSO BE REALLY STRONG RELATIVE TO BUDGET.  SO THE FISCAL 24 NUMBER YOU SEE THERE IS WHAT WE APPROPRIATED OR ASSUMED WE WOULD COLLECT BUT WE EXPECT TO SEE THAT ACTUALLY COME IN PRETTY HEALTHY AGAIN.  SO WE BELIEVE THE FISCAL 25 BUDGET PROJECTION IS REALISTIC AND WE WANTED TO REALLY CAPTURE SOME OF THAT INCREASED REVENUE TO HELPS OFFSET INCREASED COSTS IN THE CITY THAT ARE OCCURRING AS A RESULT OF THE HIGH INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT.  IT'S A BIT OF A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD. IN THE LONGER TERM OUR FORECAST FOR INTEREST ASSUMES A SOURCE WILL TAPER AS INTEREST RATES START TO COME DOWN BUT WE BELIEVE WE HAVE APPROPRIATELY BUDGETED A A CONSERVATIVE AMOUNT HERE IN FISCAL 25 AND THEN WE ARE ALSO VERY PROACTIVELY TAKING STEPS IN OUR TREASURY DEPARTMENT WITH OUR CASH MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES TO ENSURE THAT THERE AREN'T ANY DRAMATIC SHOCKS IF AND WHEN INTEREST RATES START TO COME DOWN.  OTHER LOCAL REVENUES JUST A QUICK TOUCH ON THOSE. THESE INCLUDE PILOT LICENSES AND PERMITS AND OTHER DEPARTMENTAL REVENUE.  COLLECTIVELY THESE ARE BUDGETED AT 331 MILLION GROWING ABOUT 12 AND A HALF PERCENT OVER THE PRIOR YEAR AND REPRESENTS ABOUT 10% OF OUR TOTAL REVENUE GROWTH IN THE BUDGET.  AND THEN THIS IS JUST A KIND OF QUICK SNAPSHOT SHOWING THE EBBS AND FLOWS OF THE DIFFERENT REVENUE COMPONENTS OVER TIME. TO ME I THINK THIS REALLY DEMONSTRATES THE RELIABILITY AND STABILITY OF PROPERTY TAXES WHILE SOME OF OUR OTHER LOCAL SOURCES AND STATE AID HAVE BEEN A BIT MORE VOLATILE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AS ONE EBBS, THE OTHER FLOWS AND SO ON AND SO FORTH. BUT REALLY, YOU KNOW, DEMONSTRATE THAT WE ARE WE FEEL CONFIDENT IN OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS AND THAT WE BELIEVE THEY'RE THEY'RE BALANCED AND RELIABLE.  OKAY. I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO JIM.  YEAH. OKAY.  OKAY. SO THIS IS SOME GREAT BULLETS THAT SPEAK TO THE THE LARGER DRIVERS OF EXPENDITURE GROWTH IN THE ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET. WE HAVE WE STARTED BY SAYING THAT THE CITY GOVERNMENT IS LARGELY PEOPLE ARE SO A LARGE DRIVER OF OUR BUDGETARY GROWTH IS EQUITABLE EMPLOYMENT AND WAGE GROWTH AT 110.7 MILLION BELOW THAT. YOU KNOW AGAIN ONE OF THE KEY TENETS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IS TO PROVIDE HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION. SO THERE'S AN $87 MILLION GROWTH HERE THAT INCLUDES BOTH BHP'S AND THE GROWTH IN CHARTER SCHOOL ASSESSMENT AND THEN THE PENSION AND DEBT SCHEDULE PAYMENTS ARE GROWING BY 60 MILLION. IT'S BEEN REFLECTED ON THE THE BUDGET SUMMARY THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE OFFICE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ARE PART OF EXPENDITURE GROWTH. SO IT WILL BE A ONE TIME LARGE GROWTH BUT IT'LL LEVEL OFF ONCE IT BECOMES EMBEDDED AS PART OF THE THE CITY'S BUDGET. AND THEN THERE'S OTHER COST INCREASES IN DEPARTMENTAL, YOU KNOW, CONTRACTUAL THINGS. SO SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY SOME INFLATIONARY ENVIRONMENT. BUT GENERALLY MANAGEABLE AND BUDGETED APPROPRIATELY AT 21.2 MILLION WE CAN THEN GO ON TO SOME OF THE THINGS TARGETED IN FOCUSED ON IN THE IN THE CURRENT YEAR IS ABOUT $22.8 MILLION IN IN IN THESE ARE THEMATICALLY GROUPED OR PRIOR YEARS SO THIS PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY $7.3 MILLION BASIC CITY SERVICES $5.3 MILLION TECHNOLOGY UPDATES. SO THESE YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY THESE ARE TECHNOLOGY UPDATES ARE IN BENEFIT OF THE TWO THINGS ABOUT YOU KNOW, TECHNOLOGY LEVERAGES THE EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF CITY SERVICES AND THEN HOUSING A $3 MILLION CONTINUES TO BE A CONCERN FOR THE CITY IN THE REGION THAT HOUSING YOU KNOW THESE HOUSING ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND PART OF THE INVESTMENT THIS YEAR IS TO WORK IN THAT DIRECTION AND THEN $6 MILLION OF SMART ONE TIME INVESTMENTS THAT WANT TO CREATE AN ONGOING OBLIGATION FOR THE CITY. SO THAT'S SORT OF TAKING ADVANTAGE OF SOME RESOURCES IN THE CURRENT THAT DON'T NEED NECESSARILY NEED TO CARRY ON FOREVER BUT MAKING SOME TIMELY THINGS. A LOT OF THEM ARE FOCUSED ON FACILITIES PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS WE CAN MOVE INTO THE LARGER THEMATIC GROUPING THERE OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY AT 7.3 IS $1.3 MILLION TO INCREASE EMS STAFFING BY 12 EMT. IT'S A IT'S A WORKFORCE OF IN THE 400 RANGE POSITIONS AT THIS POINT ALLOWING FOR ADDITIONAL AMBULANCE CREW TO KEEP RESPONSE TIMES DOWN WITH THE GROWING EMERGENCY CALL VOLUME THERE'S $3.1 BILLION TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT PARTICULARLY TO SUPPORT PROMOTIONAL EXAM.  THAT'S THAT'S THE ONGOING SUPPORT AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVING APPROPRIATE SUPERVISION FOR ALL OF THE SCORING STAFF CLEAR ACCREDITATION AND THAT'S SORT OF ONE OF THE SIGNATURE PROJECTS OF OUR POLICE COMMISSIONER TO TO MOVE IN A DIRECTION TO HAVE HAVE THIS INTERNATIONAL ACCREDITATION FOR THE DEPARTMENT TO BE A TRULY PROFESSIONAL AND RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT.  AND THEN THERE ARE SOME AS WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE HIGH LEVEL THIS TECHNOLOGY COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH MODERNIZING THE TTL SYSTEM THAT CAME THROUGH THE MOST RECENT ROUND OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THERE IS $1.9 MILLION FOR ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IN THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT INCLUDING A SMALL INVESTMENT FOR A PERMANENT TO STREAMLINE SOME OF THE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH FIRE PREVENTION. AND THEN LASTLY ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY GROUPING IS AN ADDITIONAL MILLION DOLLARS TO SUPPORT THE CONTINUATION OF THE LOW THRESHOLD HOUSING PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS FOR FOLKS TO TO MOVE OUT OF HOMELESSNESS SITUATION INTO A MORE STABLE HEALTH ENVIRONMENT. BASIC CITY SERVICES THIS IS SORT OF THE THE BREAD AND BUTTER OF CITY SERVICES. THESE ARE THE SERVICES THAT ALL OF US REALLY DEPEND UPON.  THERE'S $1.9 MILLION SUPPORT RENOVATIONS AND MAINTENANCE ACROSS CITY FACILITIES DEDICATED FUNDS TO SERVICE FLOORS LIKE GYM FLOORS, PICK CENTERS, ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR GRAFFITI BUSTERS. THOSE ARE ALL SORT OF ELEMENTS TO TO HAVE A CLEAN WELCOMING CITY ENVIRONMENT. THIS WAS $1.8 MILLION FOR HUMAN SERVICES SUPPORT THE REOPENING OF THE JOHNSON COMMUNITY CENTER IN B.C. WE HAVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE STRONG COMMUNITY FOR CONNECTION GRANTS AND IN VARIOUS MAINTENANCE AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS THAT JUST TO KEEP KEEP THE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE OPERATIONALLY AFLOAT APPROPRIATE SO STAFF CAN CAN DO THEIR SERVICE TO PROVIDE THEIR SERVICES IN THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY POSSIBLE. THERE'S $1,000,000 FOR FOUR DEDICATED STAFF AT PARKS THE FRANKLIN PARKS FOR A DEDICATED CREW THERE WITH EQUIPMENT AND THERE'S ADDITIONAL TREE PRUNING HAVE BEEN BUDGETED FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT AS WELL. THERE'S $1.6 MILLION FOR BTD FOR PAVEMENT MARKINGS, SIGN SHARP CURVE MANAGEMENT AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN PREPARING FOR SPECIAL ON GUNS. THESE ARE ALL WE HAVE A AS THE CHAIR HAD HIGHLIGHTED WE HAVE A SERIES OF CITY COUNCIL HEARINGS AND THESE DEPARTMENTS LOOK FORWARD TO COME IN AND SHARE THE STATUS OF HOW THEY HOW THEY ARE DELIVERING THESE SERVICES, MOVING IN TO TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES OF HOUSING JUST GROUPING ON THE SAME SIDE BUT TECHNOLOGY UPGRADES THOSE ARE THOSE ARE WAYS TO TO MAKE OUR CITY CITY EMPLOYEES PROVIDE SERVICES MORE EFFICIENTLY QUICKLY IMPROVE THE CITIZENS RESIDENTS EXPERIENCE WITH CITY GOVERNMENT. SO WE'RE OVERHAULING $3.5 MILLION OVERHAULING TECHNOLOGY PLATFORMS TO SUPPORT CITY HIRING. THAT'S YOU KNOW, THE QUICKEST WAY TO PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES IS GETTING GETTING CITY EMPLOYEES INTO POSITIONS EFFICIENTLY AS POSSIBLE. UPDATES TO THE CITY'S PERMITTING SYSTEMS TO MODERNIZE ONLINE ACCESS AND TRACKING IMPEDIMENTS THAT'S THAT'S IMPROVING YOU KNOW THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITIZENS IN THE CITY GOVERNMENT IN OTHER CONSTITUENT FACING UPDATES LIKE 311. UPDATING ADDRESS THE STREET DATA AND ALONG WITH CONSTITUENT SERVICES SURVEYS THAT SORT OF GET AT SOME OF THAT YOU KNOW ARE WE ADDRESSING THE RESPONSIVENESS TO PEOPLE'S THE RESIDENTS DEMANDS IN HOUSING?  THERE IS AN ELEMENT IN IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE THE HOUSING BUDGET TO HELP SUPPORT IN THE BOSTON HOME CENTER TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS WITH DECARBONIZATION OF THEIR THEIR HOMES. AND THEN THERE'S A CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR THE ACQUISITION OF RENTAL OF AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO PRESERVE AFFORDABILITY AS THE AS THE FEDERAL RECOVERY DOLLARS BEGIN TO PHASE OUT.  OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. SO WE'LL WE'LL WRAP UP HERE AND THEN LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS.  SO THE FISCAL 25 BUDGET IS VERY EXCITED TO BE HERE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT TODAY SAY WE BELIEVE IT'S RESPONSIBLY BALANCED AND REALLY RELIES ON THE STRENGTH AND GROWTH IN OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.  THE INVESTMENTS AND DOLLARS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET REALLY SEEK TO DOUBLE DOWN ON YEARS OF CONTINUED INVESTMENT AND MAKING BOSTON A HOME FOR EVERYONE AND DELIVERING EXCELLENT CITY SERVICES.  THESE INVESTMENTS ENSURE STABILITY AND SUPPORT FOR CURRENT RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES AND SEEKS TO DRAW NEW RESIDENTS BUSINESSES AND VISITORS TO THE CITY AND THE TARGET OF INVESTMENTS IN PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY. BASIC CITY SERVICES AND HOUSING REALLY CONTRIBUTE TO THE CITY'S STABILITY AND OVERALL VIBRANCY. SO THANKS FOR ALLOWING US TO PRESENT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR QUESTIONS.  THANK YOU CFO AND DIRECTOR FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.  NOW GO TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES IN THAT ORDER ARRIVAL. AGAIN YOU HAVE 7 MINUTES OF QUESTIONING STARTING WITH COUNCILOR ED FLYNN FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.  THANK YOU ACTUALLY FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING. THIS MORNING I STARTED THE DAY VISITING THE CONDON SCHOOL IN SOUTH BOSTON. I MET WITH THE PRINCIPAL IN TALKING TO HER ABOUT SOME OF THE CUTS THAT ARE GOING TO HAPPEN AT THIS SCHOOL CRITICAL CUTS THAT ARE GOING TO IMPACT STUDENTS THEIR EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE.  BPC HAS AN OPERATING BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR. I BELIEVE THAT 1.5 BILLION. $30,000 PER PUPIL BASICALLY.  SO IN TERMS OF AND I KNOW THE CUTS ARE SOME OF THE CUTS OF FEDERAL FROM THE FEDERAL RECOVERY MONEY AS WELL BUT DID WE DO ANY REVIEW FROM THE PAST YEARS AT VEEPS OF WHAT WASN'T WORKING AND CUT THOSE PROGRAMS OR AT LEAST ADDRESS THOSE THOSE PROGRAMS AND HOW HOW WOULD THE CUTS MADE THAT ARE NOT FEDERAL RECOVERY DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET? HOW WERE THEY MADE AND WHAT IMPACT WILL THAT HAVE ON THE SUPERINTENDENTS PLAN TO ADDRESS PERFORMING PERFORMANCES IN SCHOOL?  I I CAN START. SO YOU'RE CORRECT A LOT OF THE REDUCTIONS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOSS OF THAT ONE TIME FEDERAL ESSER MONEY I THINK THEY RECEIVED ABOUT 300 MILLION AFTER THE PANDEMIC TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS SO I CAN SPEAK AT A VERY HIGH LEVEL AND THEN I THINK THE SUPERINTENDENT IN HER TEAM WHEN THEY COME AND TALK TO YOU ALL CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THEIR PROCESS AND HOW THEY MADE THOSE DECISIONS. BUT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS THE DISTRICT HAS TAKEN A REALLY THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDING THAT THOSE FUNDS WERE ONE TIME BUT ALLOWED THEM TO, YOU KNOW, ADD A LOT OF SERVICES AND A LOT OF STAFF THAT WERE VERY VALUABLE TO THE DISTRICT AND THE STUDENTS REALLY DOING A THOUGHTFUL PROCESS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS TO REALLY EVALUATE THOSE NEW EXPENDITURES.  AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THE THOSE NEW EXPENDITURES ARE THINGS THAT THEY WANTED TO CONTINUE MAKING SURE THAT THEY WERE PUTTING THEM ON TO THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET SO THAT THOSE CAN CONTINUE. OF COURSE IT WAS NOT ABLE TO CONTINUE EVERYTHING BUT THEY ALSO WENT THROUGH A PROCESS OF SORT OF , YOU KNOW, TRYING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TO OFFSET NEW COSTS WITH SOME REDUCTIONS. THERE HAVE BEEN EFFICIENCIES THAT THE DISTRICT HAS FOUND IN THE CENTRAL OFFICE THAT THEY USE TO OFFSET MANY OF THE NEW COSTS THAT THEY BROUGHT INTO THE CITY BUDGET. SO AGAIN, I THINK THE SUPERINTENDENT WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK AT AN A MUCH GREATER LEVEL OF THAN I CAN ON THEIR PROCESS. BUT IT IS YOU KNOW, DESPITE LOSING THAT ONE TIME REVENUE, THE BUDGET IN FRONT OF ME TODAY REPRESENTS A VERY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THEIR IN THE INVESTMENT AND BEPS ABOUT YOU KNOW $80 MILLION OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR SO WE ARE VERY TO CONTINUING THOSE TWO THINGS THAT ARE WORKING FOR THE DISTRICT. HOW SIGNIFICANT WAS THE INCREASE IN TRANSPORTATION? I BELIEVE IT WAS WAS A 10 MILLION OR 12 MILLION FROM LAST YEAR.  WE CAN LOOK THAT UP AND GET BACK TO YOU. YEAH, I BELIEVE IT WAS I BELIEVE WAS 1212 MILLION.  I'M JUST CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING CUTS TO LIBRARIANS OR CUTS TO ACADEMIC PROGRAMS, TEACHERS ASSISTANCE, HELPING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS WHILE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE BUDGET SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE.  I THINK IT WILL HAVE A DEVASTATING ON THE ACADEMICS AND THE SOCIAL WELL-BEING OF OUR STUDENTS.  ARE THERE OTHER WAYS TO CUT A BUDGET WITHOUT CUTTING THOSE TYPES OF CRITICAL SERVICES THAT CHILDREN NEED THAT STUDENTS NEED SUCH AS AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS OR A LIBRARY ASSISTANT OR A SCHOOL SECRETARY?  SO GREAT QUESTION AND AGAIN THINK THE SUPERINTENDENT AND HER TEAM WILL HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION TO SHARE WITH YOU. YOU KNOW, THE DISTRICT HAS DONE A LOT OF WORK TO FIND EFFICIENCIES SO THAT THEY MAKING BUDGETARY REDUCTIONS BASED ON EFFICIENCIES RATHER THAN CUTTING SERVICES. RIGHT. SO THERE'S THERE WAS A HUGE EFFORT MADE TO DO THAT AND THAT'S WHAT'S REFLECTED IN THE SCHOOLS BUDGET. OKAY. BECAUSE I'M SEEING A REDUCTION IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF PERSONS LINE FOR FOR SCHOOLS GOING INTO FOR 24 AND I KNOW THERE WAS AN EFFORT TO FILL A LOT OF CENTRAL OFFICE, YOU KNOW, EFFICIENCIES AND REDUCTIONS WITH WHAT IS THE SCHEDULE OR THE IMPACT OF THE POTENTIAL SCHOOL CLOSINGS SCHOOL MERGERS THAT THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT WILL SOON ANNOUNCE. BUT WHAT IMPACT WILL THOSE UPCOMING ANNOUNCEMENTS HAVE ON THIS BUDGET THAT YOU'RE PRESENTING NOW?  SO I DON'T THINK WE ANTICIPATE THERE WILL BE ANY IMPACT TO THE 525 BUDGET.  BUT ARE YOU FACTORING IN THOSE MERGERS?  ARE YOU FACTORING IN THOSE SCHOOL CLOSINGS WITH THIS BUDGET YEAR? SO AGAIN, THE I YOU KNOW, I THINK DISCUSSIONS AROUND THAT LONG TERM FACILITIES PLANNING IS STILL ONGOING BUT YOU KNOW, WE FEEL THE BUDGET WE HAVE FOR FISCAL 25 REPRESENTS YOU KNOW, WHAT WE BELIEVE WILL BE THE OPERATIONS OF THE DISTRICT FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.  LOOK, JIM, WHAT IMPACT IS THE ESPECIALLY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT I REPRESENT THE BUSINESSES AND IN TAXES WHAT IMPACT IS THOSE BUSINESSES HAVING ON THIS BUDGET? MANY OF THEM ARE SEEKING ABATEMENTS. MANY OF THEM ARE SEEKING ASSISTANCE FROM THE CITY. THEY'RE DOWNSIZING.  MANY WORKERS ARE NOT BACK TO THE OFFICE FULL TIME.  WHAT IMPACT IS THAT THOSE SCENARIOS HAVING ON ON THIS BUDGET? AND IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO AS A CITY TO ADDRESS THE LOW VACANCY RATES IN BOSTON? MAYBE A HIGHER VACANCY RATE WOULD PUT US ON BETTER FINANCIAL FOOTING.  JUST PLEASE.  SO IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO THE YOU KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING DOWNTOWN IS SOMETHING THAT WE WERE THINKING A LOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THINGS THAT WE FUNDED WITH ARPA AND HAVE BEEN WORKING ON TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY ACTIVATE DOWNTOWN LIKE OUR SPACE GRANTS, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THOSE TYPE OF ECONOMIC DRIVING ACTIVITY IS WORKING WITH THE DOWNTOWN BID TO MAKE SURE THAT DOWNTOWN IS ACTIVATED . OUR RESIDENTIAL TO COMMERCIAL CONVERSION PER EXCUSE ME COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL CONVERSION PROGRAM HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL. WE'VE HAD A OF APPLICATIONS FOR UNITS SO A LOT OF THAT IS HAPPENING WITH OTHER RESOURCES AND AREN'T NECESSARILY REFLECTED HERE IN THE BUDGET IN TERMS OF HOW DOWNTOWN VACANCY IMPACTS THE REVENUE THAT'S SUPPORTING THIS BUDGET. THE SHORT ANSWER IS IT IT DOESN'T WE YOU KNOW THE THE LOSS IN VALUE DOES NOT TRANSLATE TO A LOSS OF REVENUE BUT IT DOES YOU KNOW, CAN ALTER SORT OF WHO IS BEARING THE SHARE OF THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY. SO THAT IS WHY A FEW WEEKS AGO THE MAYOR INTRODUCED A PIECE OF LEGISLATION TO HELP, YOU KNOW, TEMPER THAT IMPACT. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY FOCUSED AND DEDICATING A LOT OF TIME AND RESOURCES TO. BUT FROM A YOU KNOW, REVENUE PERSPECTIVE THAT DOES NOT IMPACT THE REVENUE ASSUMED IN THE BUDGET. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR FLYNN COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR CALATA. AND I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR FITZGERALD COUNCILOR SANTANA AND COUNCILOR DURKAN. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU MR CHAIR AND CONGRATULATIONS ON THE BEGINNING OF BUDGET SEASON. HAPPY EARTH DAY EVERYONE. THANK YOU JIM AND ASHLEY FOR BEING HERE AND FOR YOUR PRESENTATION OF THE BUDGET. I GUESS I WILL JUST FOLLOW UP A BIT ON THE LINE OF QUESTIONING THAT COUNCILOR FLYNN WAS ON HE WAS ASKING ABOUT THE BHP'S BUDGET.  TO ME IT SEEMS THAT THERE ARE SOME INEFFICIENCIES RIGHT NOW IN OUR BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUDGET. I WILL ATTRIBUTE A GOOD PORTION OF THOSE INEFFICIENCIES TO RIGHT SIZING BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THOSE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING NOW IN TERMS OF THE MERGERS THAT NEED TO HAPPEN AT BOTH MY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS IS PART OF THAT MERGER DISCUSSION. MY MIDDLE SCHOOL JUST MERGED BUT IT'S TAKING SOME TIME. HAS THERE BEEN PEN TO PAPER MATH DONE ON WHAT THE SAVINGS WILL BE TO THE DISTRICT, TO THE CITY? ONCE WE DO DO THAT RIGHT SIZING OF OUR STUDENTS TO OUR SCHOOLS OR LIKE JUST LET THIS BE LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO FREESTYLE AND LIKE WHAT DO YOU WHAT YOU THINK THAT WILL LOOK LIKE ONCE WE GET THAT RIGHT? YEAH, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT THAT THE SCHOOL THAT'S DIRECTLY ACROSS MY STREET FROM MY HOUSE IS ONE OF THOSE CONSOLIDATION EFFORTS IN ROSLINDALE. NO, IT'S IT'S YEAH THE GOAL IS IS TO TO STAND UP A HEALTHY DISTRICT TO PROVIDE THE QUALITY OF SERVICES SO I THINK A LOT OF THE EFFICIENCIES IT'LL BE A GREAT GAINS THROUGH MERGERS AND CONSOLIDATIONS MANY OF WHICH I THINK THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD LIKELY WANT TO PUT BACK INTO INTO IMPROVING THE EXPERIENCE OF STUDENTS.  SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE AN EXACT SAVINGS NUMBER BUT I THINK THERE'S A GENERAL CONSENSUS THAT'S NOT SORT OF WHERE OUR FOOTPRINT IS A LITTLE TOO BIG FOR THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE IN THE DISTRICT AND IT NEEDS TO SHRINK. DO YOU THINK THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS DONE ANY POINT TO BE OPEN TO PEOPLE MATH ON THAT? IS THAT OTHERS QUESTIONS THAT WE COULD ASK HER? PROBABLY BETTER SUITED FOR A SUPERINTENDENT . OKAY.  I MY NEXT QUESTIONS ARE ABOUT OUR DEBT SERVICE.  IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS AN 11 YOU SAY THAT THERE WAS AN 11.3% INCREASE IN OUR DEBT SERVICE FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR.  IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S STILL UNDER THE 7% THRESHOLD THAT IS NOT REQUIRED BUT THE 7% THRESHOLD THAT WE'VE PUT UPON OURSELVES TO FORGET SERVICE, IS THAT CORRECT? YES. I THINK FOR YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR IT'S BELOW THE 7% BUT IN THE CAPITAL HEARING TOMORROW WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE FORECAST THAT WILL CHANGE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. OKAY. AND THEN CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT DEBT SERVICE IS? I BELIEVE AT END OF THIS BUDGET IT'S AT 5.9% OF THE TOTAL BUDGET IS DEBT SERVICE. CAN YOU JUST TALK ABOUT WHAT THAT WHAT THAT MEANS? SURE. SO THE THAT'S THE DEBT SERVICE THAT WE USE TO PAY BACK OUR GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS.  WE ADHERE TO A PRETTY STRICT SCHEDULE FOR REPAYMENT AND SO YOU SEE THOSE PAYMENTS START TO INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR.  WE IN THE CITY HAVE AN INTERNAL POLICY THAT DEBT SERVICE SHOULD BE BELOW 7% OF TOTAL GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. THIS IS A POLICY I THINK THE CITY HAS HAD IN PLACE FOR MANY YEARS AND IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW, IS LOOKED FAVORABLY UPON BY SOME OF THE RATING AGENCIES AND IS OFTEN CITED IN IN THEIR READING OPINION AND IN AS YOU KNOW, PART OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR AS TO WHY YOU KNOW THAT POLICY AND OUR ADHERENCE TO PAYING BACK THAT DEBT SERVICE AT A GOOD CLIP CONTRIBUTES TO OUR TRIPLE-A BOND RATING. THANK YOU. AND YOU MENTIONED A GOOD CLIP. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THEM ARE ON FIVE YEARS TEN YEARS NO MORE THAN 20 OR 2020 YEAR TIME FRAME. YEAH.  SO MOST OF OUR BORROWING I BELIEVE IS 20 YEARS. WE HAVE A SCHEDULE THAT WE PAY BACK. I'M GOING TO GET THIS WRONG BUT 70% OF IT OVER TEN YEARS. SO WE DO PAY IT BACK AT A AT A PRETTY GOOD CLIP AND AGAIN THIS IS REFLECTED IN SOME OF THE RATING OPINIONS SOME EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE OTHER LARGE CITIES RIGHT. THAT WITH TRIPLE-A BOND RATINGS WHO DO PAY BACK ON A 30 YEAR AMORTIZATION SCHEDULE AND STILL ALSO HAVE TRIPLE-A BOARD RATINGS THESE ARE JUST POLICY DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE AS A CITY. THAT'S RIGHT.  AND WHAT DOES THAT DEBT SERVICE LIKE? WHAT DO WHAT DO THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS ALLOW US TO DO? I KNOW THAT WE HAVE THE CAPITAL BUDGET MEETING HERE LATER BUT I JUST IT IS PART OF THE OPERATING BUDGET WE TALK ABOUT DEBT SERVICE SO I JUST WANT TO. YEAH. NO, I MEAN THE THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS MAKE UP A BULK OF THE REVENUE THAT SUPPORTS OUR CAPITAL PLAN AND SO BECAUSE WE BORROW AT THE LOWEST COST WE CAN DO MORE PROJECTS. SO IT'S IT'S VERY THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS I THINK ARE YOU KNOW OVER 75% OF THE REVENUE THAT GOES INTO THE PLAN AND THE DEBT SERVICE IN THE OPERATING BUDGET REFLECTS PAYING FOR THAT DEBT. GREAT. I'LL TAKE MY LAST OF MY QUESTIONS FOR THE CAPITAL BUDGET BECAUSE I HAVE MY THINKING ABOUT SORT OF AS YOU KNOW ABOUT WHAT WE DO WE DON'T USE IT FOR THE CITIES THAT I THINK DO A LOT OF REALLY GREAT WORK WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING AROUND REALLY LEADING INTO THEIR DEBT OR WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS. I KNOW WE HAD A HEARING ON SOCIAL HOUSING WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT OUR BONDS AND I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT AND I'M YOU KNOW, I THINK OUR OUR OUR OUR OUR WORK HERE IS IMPRESSIVE AND I JUST ALWAYS WONDER IF ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT'S POSSIBLE LIKE DO WE LEAD MORE INTO OUR ABILITY IN OUR FISCAL STRENGTH IN THAT RESPECT? SPEAKING OF THAT, ARE THERE ANY SOURCES OF NEW REVENUE FOR THE BUDGET THIS YEAR?  THE REVENUE COMING FROM THE BOSTON PLANNING DEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO SUPPORT THE PLANNING AND OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S A NEW SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR US SO THAT EQUALLY OFFSETS THOSE NEW EXPENDITURES THAT WE'RE INCURRING.  OKAY. BUT GIVEN THAT THAT'S ESSENTIALLY AN EQUAL, IT'S LIKE IT'S SORT OF A FALSE NEW SENSE OF REVENUE. ARE THERE ANY OTHER NEW SITES, NEW SOURCE?  NOTHING BRAND NEW. AND AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE QUITE LIMITED LOCALLY HERE IN OUR ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, COME UP WITH NEW REVENUE SO THERE'S A MESSAGE AM I MISSING SOMETHING? BUT OTHER THAN THAT NOTHING NET NEW REFLECTED IN THIS BUDGET? OKAY. I'M HAVING A SENSE OF DEJA VU AS AND MAYBE I ASKED YOU THESE QUESTIONS ALREADY OR RECENTLY BUT I WONDER IF THERE IS THINKING ON THE CITY'S PART IN TERMS OF WHERE ARE WE EXPLORING TO SORT OF BUILD OUT NEW REVENUE SOURCES. YEAH. AND IT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION AND I KNOW IT'S COME UP A LOT AS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT CLASSIFICATION ISSUES AROUND PROPERTY TAX.  YOU KNOW, AGAIN WE ARE QUITE LIMITED IN WHAT WE CAN DO HERE LOCALLY TO GENERATE NEW SOURCES OF REVENUE. THERE ARE SOME YOU KNOW NOT WHILE NOT NEW BUT INCREASE PERCENTAGES IN THE MUNICIPAL EMPOWERMENT ACT THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF EXCISE TAX BY A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE.  SO I DON'T REMEMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN FOR US HERE LOCALLY BUT IT'S I THINK A COUPLE TENS OF MILLIONS IF THOSE WERE INCLUDED AS AT THE LEVEL THAT THEY ARE PROPOSED AT. SO AGAIN I KNOW IT'S NOT NEW BUT WOULD REPRESENT YOU KNOW ADDITIONAL REVENUE IS I THINK IS THAT MY TIME YEAR I THINK AND JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE FOCUS ON COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND MAKING TRIAL WAS PAID WORKERS ARE GETTING JUST PAY HERE IN THE CITY SO THEY FEEL THAT THEY CAN DISTRICT COUNCIL PRESIDENT ALSO EARNING DOLLARS THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR MURPHY. NOW TURN IT OVER TO COLLETTE FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR BREADON THANK YOU CHAIR AND CONGRATULATION ON YOUR FIRST BUDGET HEARING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK. FOLKS HAPPY TO BE INVOLVED IN MY SEVENTH SEVENTH BUDGET CYCLE AND I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF PROGRESS SINCE 2018 WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE ON THE COUNCIL . THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AND INCREASING SOME OF THE WAGES OF OUR CITY WORKERS THAT WERE SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN CONSTANTLY TALKING ABOUT SO I KNOW I HAVE A 7 MINUTES CHAIR OR SEVEN 7 MINUTES. OKAY. SO A LOT OF OUR PUBLIC DISCOURSE HAS BEEN CENTERED ON REVENUE POTENTIAL REVENUE SHORTFALLS AND WHAT THAT MIGHT MEAN FOR OUR ECONOMIC LANDSCAPE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO I'M GOING TO FOCUS MY QUESTIONS FIRST ON REVENUE AND COST SAVINGS AND JUST IN GENERAL FOR REVENUES REVENUE GROWTH, DID WE SAY THAT THE PROJECTED PERCENTAGE INCREASE FOR PROPERTY TAXES IS ABOUT 4% FOR THIS YEAR?  IS THAT CORRECT? I THINK IT'S LIKE FIVE 5%.  DO WE HAVE A PROJECTED PERCENTAGE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE FOR PROJECTS APPROVED OR UNDER CONSTRUCTION ? SO WE BUDGET FOR A CONSERVATIVE AMOUNT OF NEW GROWTH AND IN THIS BUDGET WE ASSUME NEW GROWTH EQUAL TO ABOUT $60 MILLION. OKAY.  DO YOU HAVE DO WE HAVE A PERCENTAGE ON THAT OR IS THAT A PART OF THE THAT'S PART OF IT. THAT'S PART OF IT, YEAH. OKAY.  THANK YOU. I NOTICED IN THE BUDGET BREAKFAST PRESENTATION AND I THINK IT'S INCLUDED HERE BUT WE HAVE ABOUT $70 MILLION WORTH OF INTEREST ON CITY FUNDS.  YEP. HOW IS THAT INCREASED OR DECREASED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS? I KNOW THAT AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT WE HAVE $1.5 BILLION IN VARIOUS ACCOUNTS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. HAVE WE LOOKED TO DO AN ASSESSMENT OF HOW WE ARE MAXIMIZING THOSE ACCOUNTS AND MAXIMIZING THE INTEREST ACCRUED? YES, ABSOLUTELY IS THE FOCUS OF THE VERY SMART AND DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS DOWN IN THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT TO BE VERY CAREFULLY MANAGING OUR CASH ON A DAILY BASIS AND WE DO LOTS OF IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS WHAT RATES WE'RE GETTING, THINK ABOUT MOVING THINGS WE ARE ADJUSTING OUR CASH MANAGEMENT CASH AND INVESTMENT POLICIES TO ALLOW US TO INVEST IN LONGER TERM TREASURIES. SO WE'RE BEING REALLY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THAT INTEREST BECAUSE WE KNOW AT ANY WELL YOU KNOW, PROBABLY NOT AT ANY GIVEN TIME BUT WE KNOW AND HOPE THAT THESE HIGH INTEREST RATE ENVIRONMENT WILL NOT BE FOREVER AND THAT WE WILL START TO SEE THAT COME DOWN AND THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE REVENUE REGENERATE THERE. BUT BECAUSE WE ARE TAKING SUCH A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH ON OUR CASH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY, WE'RE HOPING TO REALLY KIND OF STEP THAT DOWN AS OPPOSED TO HAVE IT DRAMATICALLY FALL OFF HOW IS IT INCREASED OR DECREASED SO SLIDE 15 IN YOUR PRESENTATION FROM TODAY IT KIND OF SHOWS THE VOLATILITY THAT SOURCE OVER TIME. SO YOU SEE PRE-PANDEMIC IT WAS LIKE SORRY 30 MILLION PER YEAR DURING THE PANDEMIC WHEN INTEREST RATES WERE LOW WE WERE EARNING VERY, VERY LITTLE ON OUR INVESTMENTS AND THEN OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AS INTEREST RATES HAVE REMAINED HIGH, WE'RE SEEING EXTRAORDINARY GROWTH IN THE AMOUNT OF INTEREST INCOME THAT WE'RE EARNING.  SO IN FISCAL 23 IT WAS 88 MILLION WE EXPECT IN FISCAL 24 TO EXCEED OUR BUDGETED EXPECTATION OF 29 MILLION. AND SO THAT IS WHY WE'RE FEELING CONFIDENT IN CAPTURING SOME OF THAT GROWTH IN THAT $100 MILLION PROJECTION THAT'S REFLECTED HERE.  THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I APOLOGIZE THAT I MISSED THIS AT SOME POINT WE'LL BRING YOU IN ON THE CASH INVESTMENT POLICY TO TALK ABOUT THAT WAS ADOPTED IN 2019 BECAUSE I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR HOW WE'RE DOING ON THAT.  GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHERE HAS THERE BEEN THE LARGEST AREAS IN COST SAVINGS IN THE BUDGET AND THE OPERATING BUDGET? I KNOW WE'VE TALKED ABOUT PERSONNEL RIGHT AND THAT THOSE COST CARRYOVER BUT WHAT HAS BEEN THE LARGEST LINE ITEM OF SAVINGS YOU TALK ABOUT SNOW REMOVAL WHAT IS THAT LOOKING LIKE THIS YEAR AND CAN YOU REMIND FOLKS HERE AND LISTENING IN OF WHERE THAT LIVES, WHERE THAT GOES, HOW IT GETS UTILIZED BUT IF YOU CAN SPEAK GENERALLY ON THAT I WOULD APPRECIATE IT. SURE. SO THROUGH SOME PERSISTENT ADVICE FROM THE STREET'S CABINET WE'VE REBRANDED THAT JUST SNOW AND WINTER MANAGEMENT BECAUSE IN ADDITION TO STRAIGHT STRONG SNOW REMOVAL AROUND FOR ANY ICING EVENTS THINGS OF THAT NATURE.  SO YEAH THE PAST TWO WINTERS HAVE BEEN PRETTY MILD AND NOT A LOT SNOW AND SO WE ANTICIPATE BUT WE CONTINUE TO GO OUT AND IN RESPONSE TO LIKE I SAID THAT SALTING SO THAT SITS WITHIN THE STREET'S CAPITAL IS ITS OWN STANDALONE BUDGET STREET STREET'S SNOW IN WINTER MANAGEMENT OKAY AND THEN NO GENERAL LINE ITEM WHERE WE'VE SEEN THE MOST COST SAVINGS YOU KNOW WE THAT'S WE GO TO DEPARTMENTS ASK FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR REPURPOSING FUNDS BUT IN TERMS OF TRENDS AND UTILITIES DID A LITTLE BETTER SO WE GENERALLY IN THE RAMP UP TO LIKE BEGINNING OF THE UKRAINE WAR AND THINGS LIKE THAT WE WERE GETTING OUR ELECTRIC PRICING BECAUSE WE WERE SORT OF EXPOSED A LITTLE BIT TO THE MARKET IN OUR ELECTRIC PROCUREMENT AND WE SAW THAT SORT OF SETTLE OUT A LITTLE BIT. SO WE TOOK SOME SAVINGS AND UTILITIES GENERALLY THOSE BUT BUT BUT WE ARE IN AN INFLATIONARY ENVIRONMENT AS I ACTUALLY SAID. SO IT IS THAT DOUBLE EDGED SWORD SO WE MIGHT IF WE DO GET COST ESCALATORS JUST ON SOME OTHER ITEMS AS WELL. CHRIS THANK YOU FOR THAT.  HOW MUCH HAVE WE SPENT AS A CITY ON LEGAL FEES AND RELATED CONTRACTS OF ATTORNEYS THAT REPRESENT THE CITY AND HOW MUCH HAVE WE SPENT ON PAYOUTS FOR SETTLEMENTS? HOW IS THAT INCREASING DECREASE SINCE LAST YEAR? IT'S A QUESTION WE WE DO BUDGET FOR JUDGMENTS AND SETTLEMENTS IN A SPECIAL APPROPRIATION CALLED EXECUTION OF COURTS.  IT ACTUALLY I THINK IT SITS WITHIN THE FINANCE CALENDAR BUT IT REALLY IS OWNED BY THE BY THE LAW DEPARTMENT.  I WOULD DEFER TO THE LAW DEPARTMENT ON THE SPECIFICS OF LIKE SOME OF THE NUANCES OF LIKE CLAIMS AND ACTIVITY BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO GIVE IT THE NECESSARILY NUANCE THAT THEY WOULD PROVIDE. THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO CLIMATE IN GREEN SPACE KNOWING THAT I HAVE PROBABLY ONE MINUTE LEFT. SO THERE WAS $200,000 THAT WAS ANNOUNCED FOR SUPPORTING OUR EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. I ALWAYS TALK ABOUT IT'S NOT IF BUT WHEN WE GET HIT BY A HURRICANE UNFORTUNATELY.  SO BEING PREPARED IS IS ESSENTIAL. SO WHAT ARE THE ANTICIPATED USES OF THIS INVESTMENT? IS THIS PERSONNEL IS THIS CONTRACTED? WHERE WOULD THAT LIVE?  AND IF I NEED TO SAVE THIS FOR ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT AND OPEN SPACE I CAN DO THAT WELL WELL SOME SOME OF WHICH SITS IN AN ENVIRONMENT WITH THE UPDATE TO THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN AND SOME OF WHICH IS IN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.  AGAIN, YOU'RE RIGHT. THEY'RE SORT OF OTHER LET ME SEE HOW THAT IS BROKEN OUT WHETHER IT'S PERSONS OR IT LOOKS TO BE MOSTLY NON PERSONAL EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH A NO ACTUALLY THIS ONE POINT FEE AS WELL. YEAH BUT THAT'S YOU KNOW IN ADDITION TO OTHER TYPES OF EMERGENCIES WHETHER EMERGENCY BECOMING YOU KNOW A POTENTIAL CONCERN YOU'RE NOT PROBABLY YOU'RE YOU'RE RIGHT THAT IT'S IT'S SOMETHING WE PROBABLY HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR SWITCHING TO HOUSING REALLY QUICKLY DURING THE STATE OF THE CITY THE MAYOR ANNOUNCED THAT SHE WAS LAUNCHING A FUND SIMILAR TO THE BLUE LINE PORTFOLIO THAT WOULD SEEK TO ACQUIRE EXISTING TRIPLE DECKERS TO KEEP THEM AFFORDABLE.  WHERE DOES WHERE DOES THAT LIVE AND HOW IS THAT REFLECTED IN THIS BUDGET PRESENTATION?  HAS THAT MANIFESTED IN ACTUAL INVESTMENTS RATHER THAN JUST SAYING IT AT THE STATE OF THE CITY? YES. SO THE FISCAL 25 BUDGET INCLUDES A $2 MILLION INVESTMENT FOR THAT FOR ACQUISITION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. OKAY. AND IS THAT A PART OF THE AOP PROGRAM OR IS THAT A YES? YES. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. AND THERE WILL BE A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS FOR FROM MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND IF THERE'S ANY LINGERING QUESTIONS THAT HAVE GONE UNANSWERED,  PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SUBMIT THEM TO ME SO I COULD GET THEM ANSWERED BY THE ADMINISTRATION COUNCILOR BREADON FOLLOWED BY MY VICE CHAIR COUNCILOR BEN CANTERBURY DISCLOSURES. THANK YOU MR CHAIR.  THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY . I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS BUT I'M JUST CURIOUS. IN TERMS OF REVENUE, UM, THE UM I THINK WE'RE LEAVING A LOT OF MONEY ON THE TABLE AND MAYBE I'M WRONG. MAYBE I'M COMPLETELY WRONG BUT IN TERMS OF THE ANALYTICS OUTSTANDING PERSONAL PROPERTY RECEIVABLES AND THEN OUTSTANDING OTHER OUTSTANDING FEES AND LEANS ON THIS IN THE CITY IT SEEMS LIKE WE'VE GOT LIKE A TOTAL OF 86 MILLION NEARLY 67 MILLION THAT ARE YOU KNOW LYNN ARE NOT BEING RECEIVED BROUGHT IN ONE OF THOSE IS JUST THE PERSONAL OUTSTANDING PERSONAL PROPERTY RECEIVABLES IS 19.7 MILLION AND THEN OUTSTANDING REAL ESTATE PERSONAL PROPERTY ETC. RECEIVABLES ARE 86 THE WHOLE TOTAL IS 86.9 MILLION. I DO FEEL THAT WE HAVE THIS PROBLEM WITH LINES LIKE WE NEED TO SORT THAT OUT. PART OF THE ISSUE IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE REAL GOOD UP TO DATE INFORMATION INTEGRATED WITH THE SUFFOLK COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS SO WE KNOW WHO THE REAL REAL OWNER OF THE PROPERTY IS SO WE CAN EXECUTE THE LINES BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE LEAVING LIKE IN THIS MOMENT OF TIGHTENING WE AND I THINK WE SHOULD BE TIGHTENING IS THINKING ABOUT WHAT MONIES OUT THERE ON THE TABLE THAT WE'RE NOT COLLECTING. THE OTHER ISSUE IS REALLY JUST DRILLING DOWN INTO ARE WE REALLY ENFORCING OUR SHORT TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE RECERTIFYING AND COLLECTING THE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE THINGS AS WELL? THAT'S MY STARTING QUESTION. DWAMENA IT'S OKAY.  SO I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS YOU MENTIONED PERSONAL PROPERTY RECEIVABLES I THINK THOSE ARE I WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THAT THE CITY HAS AN EXCEPTIONAL COLLECTION RATE OF OVER 99% ON ON ON TAXES SO THE LARGE RECEIVABLE AS YOU SEE THERE I AGAIN WITHOUT LOOKING AT IT EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT ARE AN ACCUMULATION OF MULTIPLE YEARS WORTH OF , YOU KNOW, RECEIVABLES. IN GENERAL IF YOU WERE TO ASK THE COLLECTING DEPARTMENT IF THEY WERE HERE TODAY THEY WOULD TELL YOU PERSONAL PROPERTY IN PARTICULAR IS QUITE CHALLENGING SOMETIMES TO COLLECT BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE A YOU KNOW, A BUILDING, RIGHT. IT'S YOU KNOW, A KITCHEN EQUIPMENT.  RIGHT. SO IT'S NOT THERE'S NOT THE SAME KIND OF STICK AS THERE IS WITH REAL ESTATE PROPERTY BUT IT'S A YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S A IT'S A GOOD POINT. THE DEPARTMENT THE COLLECTIONS OF ART IT MAKES A REALLY CONCERTED EFFORT TO GO AFTER A PARTICULARLY LARGE PERSONAL PROPERTY RECEIVABLES BUT IT CAN SOMETIMES BE CHALLENGING TO COLLECT THOSE AND IN TERMS OF SHORT TERM RENTALS LIKE WE HEAR LIKE ARE WE REALLY ENFORCING THAT ORDINANCE TO THE FULL EXTENT? ARE THERE NO LOOPHOLES THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO APPLY AND THEN THEY GO THROUGH THE PUT THE APPLICATION IN BUT WE NEVER ACTUALLY RECEIVE THE FEES? YEAH, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I THINK YOU KNOW ESD WHEN THEY COME IN FOR THEIR HEARING CAN SPEAK TO SOME OF THEIR EFFORTS AROUND SHORT TERM RENTALS BETTER THAN WE CAN. THANK YOU. LET'S SEE. KEEP GOING THE.  I SEE I IRG GRANTS MANAGEMENT IS GOING OVER TO OPM EXTERNAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT I THINK ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE COME ACROSS IS JUST OUR MANAGEMENT OF OUR GRANTS. ARE WE ABLE TO YOU KNOW THINKING ABOUT HOW HOW THE FUNCTIONS OF THE GRANT MANAGEMENT ARE GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED AND BROUGHT INTO OPM AS WE NOTICE WHEN WE ESPECIALLY BIG FEDERAL GRANTS LIKE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AID, STRONG HOUSING HOUSING WE HAD A HEARING LAST WEEK ON SOME BIG GRANTS. THEY SEEM TO BE ON TOP OF IT.  AND THEN ALSO BEPS PLACES IN AN ORGANIZATION THAT BRING IN A LOT OF FEDERAL MONEY BUT THE THE ACTUAL COMPLY AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS ARE NOT BEING MET BECAUSE SOME ACCORDING TO OUR AUDITORS SO ARE WE AND ALSO ARE WE BEING VERY AGGRESSIVE AND AGGRESSIVE ENOUGH AND GOING AFTER COMPETITIVE GRANTS LIKE I'M JUST THINKING HAVE WE GOT THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO DO THAT? DO YOU?  SURE. YEAH. SO THANKS FOR POINTING THAT OUT. WE DID MAKE THE VERY INTENTIONAL DECISION TO BRING GRANT SEEKING INTO BUDGET SO THAT IT WOULD BE VERY COORDINATED AND CENTRALLY LOCATED AND ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO HAVE THE CITIES KIND OF BUDGET OVERALL BUDGET IN MIND TOO. SO WE THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS A REALLY PRUDENT DECISION TO KIND OF REORG THAT INTO OPM RIGHT NOW I BELIEVE THERE ARE TWO STAFF ASSIGNED TO THAT TEAM AND THAT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE BECAUSE AS YOU MENTIONED THERE IS A LOT OF FEDERAL MONEY AVAILABLE. THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE BILL, THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT HAVE MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR US AND SO WE FEEL REALLY GREAT THAT WE HAVE A DEDICATED TEAM WHO IS ACTIVELY SEEKING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, APPLYING FOR THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE IT MAKES SENSE HAVE THE ABILITY TO COORDINATE ACROSS THE CITY BECAUSE OF THEIR CENTRAL LOCATION IN THE BUDGET OFFICE. SO WE WE'VE BEEN REALLY HAPPY WITH HOW THAT'S WORKED OUT SO FAR AND THINK THAT YOU KNOW, WE'RE APPROPRIATELY RESOURCE THERE BECAUSE YOU KNOW WE'VE SEEN THAT IS CENTRAL THIS PIECE ADMINISTRATIVE AND FINANCE IS LIKE THE SORT OF THE NERVE CENTER OF ALL OUR OPERATIONS BUT OVER TIME WE'VE SEEN SORT OF THIS SORT OF DECENTRALIZATION AND IT'S PROBABLY NOT THE MOST EFFICIENT RIGHT TO USE YOUR RESOURCES AND ALSO IN TERMS OF HAVING THIS EXPERTISE AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE TO WRITE FEDERAL GRANTS OR THEY'RE VERY STRINGENT AND YOU HAVE TO PLAY OBSERVE THE RULES. SO AND WE HAD THIS ISSUE WITH THE PUBLIC SAFETY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT GRANT LAST YEAR THAT YOU KNOW, THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT WE'RE JUST NOT NOT REPORTING AND NOT HOLDING OUR BENEFICIARIES TO DO THEIR ADEQUATE REPORTING EITHER. I COULD I COULD THE THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL BUDGET IS ONE LIKE 1.8 BILLION. I THOUGHT IT WAS 1.5. DID WE GET ANOTHER ONE 300 MILLION THAT YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT PUBLIC EDUCATION THAT INCLUDES THE CHARTER SCHOOL. OH WELL DOES THE SCHOOL BUDGET NOT ALWAYS INCLUDE THE CHARTER SCHOOL LIKE I THOUGHT THEIR SEPARATE OR SEPARATE SEPARATE.  OH YOU'RE YOU HAVE A LET'S SEE I'M JUST THINKING IN TERMS OF THE SCHOOL BUDGET DO WE HAVE ANY LEVERAGE LIKE IS IT JUST A RUBBER STAMP LIKE THEY SEND US OUR SCHOOL BUDGET THAT'S 1.8 BILLION FOR FOR EDUCATION AND AND WE JUST. DO WE HAVE ANY WAY TO LIKE SAY OKAY, HANG ON A MINUTE WE'D LIKE TO SEND THIS BACK AND HAVE THEM RECONSIDER SOME ISSUES AND AND WE JUST A RUBBER STAMP YOU GET TO VOTE YES OR NO THAT'S IT LIKE IT'S A THIRD OF THE CITY BUDGET. THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER PRIORITIES AND FRANKLY THERE WAS 400 MILLION OF EXTRA FUNDS AND WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WAS SPENT ON.  SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING QUESTIONS AND THEN HANG ON A MINUTE WHAT DID THE MONEY GO? WHAT DO YOU SPEND IT ON? AND HAS THERE EVER BEEN A TOP DOWN AUDIT OF THE CENTRAL OFFICE AND BEEPS TO KNOW WHAT EXACTLY HOW MANY STAFF THEY HAVE, WHAT THEIR BUDGETS ARE LIKE?  PEOPLE ARE ASKING YOU KNOW, ASKING OUR RESIDENTS TO PAY MORE REAL ESTATE TAXES AND THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY HERE. THEY'RE NOT EVEN ACCOUNTABLE TO THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE. THEY WON'T ANSWER QUESTIONS FROM THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE. SO YOU KNOW, THE BUCK STOPS HERE I THINK IN THE CITY COUNCIL AND I AM VERY, VERY COMMITTED TO PUBLIC EDUCATION. I THINK IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE DO. BUT WE'RE REALLY HAVE TO REALLY MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING GETTING WHAT WE WANT AND WHAT WE NEED OUT OF THIS PROCESS.  THAT'S A THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION COUNCIL THE THE THE STATUTORILY THAT THEY DO FOLLOW ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT MODEL WHERE THAT SCHOOL COMMITTEE AND CALENDAR APPROVES THE BUDGET BUT I THINK YOU WILL SCHOOLS IS SCHEDULED FOR SEVERAL HEARINGS I THINK HERE AT IN THE CITY COUNCIL I THINK IT IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO ASK THOSE QUESTIONS AND WORK WITH THOSE PUBLIC MANAGERS TO TO ACCOMPLISH THAT IN THEIR IS IT'S IT'S A $1.5 BILLION BUT THERE THERE ARE A BILLION EASY TO MOVE THINGS OR RESTRUCTURE THINGS IT'S A IT'S A MANAGEMENT THE SCHOOL POPULATION IS DECREASING. THANK YOU CASTLEBERRY GREAT THANK YOU. NOW WE'LL GO TO MY VICE COUNCILOR KEVIN FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR WEBER.  THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE BOTH OF YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY. EXCITED TO BE PART OF MY FIRST BUDGET SEASON. SO AGAIN THANK YOU.  MY FIRST QUESTION IS REGARDING UNPAID CODE VIOLATIONS.  SO MORE SPECIFICALLY THIS PAST FRIDAY I VISITED A LOCATION IN MATTAPAN WHERE THERE'S AN ABSENTEE LANDLORD AND HE HAS UPWARDS OF 30 $40,000 IN UNPAID FINES BUT THAT TRIGGERED A QUESTION WHERE I WAS WONDERING HOW MUCH IS THE CITY MISSING OUT ON BY NOT HAVING THOSE CODE VIOLATIONS PAID BY ABSENTEE LANDLORDS LIKE THE APMS OF THE WORLD OR JUST WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF CODE VIOLATIONS? HAVE WE MADE A CALCULATION OF HOW MUCH WE CAN ACTUALLY HAVE IN OUR BUDGET IF THOSE WERE TO BE PAID?  SO THE SHORT ANSWER IS WE DO HAVE NOTE ON OUR BALANCE SHEET AND WE'VE QUANTIFIED SORT OF HOW MANY OUTSTANDING RECEIVABLES WE HAVE FOR THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.  I DON'T KNOW THE NUMBER OF THE TOP OF MY HEAD SO I CAN GET IT FOR YOU BUT WE WE DO KIND OF OBVIOUSLY KNOW HOW MUCH WE'VE ISSUED AND KNOW HOW MUCH WE HAVE AND COLLECT IT AND WE CARRY THAT AS A RECEIVABLE.  OKAY. YEAH, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THAT NUMBER IF POSSIBLE. JUST BECAUSE IT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT HOW CAN WE BETTER ENFORCE THOSE LANDLORDS TO JUST PAY THAT UP UNDER THEIR YOUR BASIC CITY SERVICES PAGE STATES THAT YOU HAVE $0.6 MILLION FOR BTD FOR PAVEMENT MARK AND SIGN SHOP CORP. CORE MANAGEMENT ADDITIONAL RESOURCE IS BASED ON I MEAN RECENT NEWS TRAGEDIES PEDESTRIANS THIS NUMBER JUST SEEMS LOW.  HOW DID WE GET TO THIS NUMBER?  YEAH THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND THIS IS PART OF THE THEME IS THIS IS A CONTINUED INVESTMENT. THERE'S BEEN A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT OVER THE LAST TWO FISCAL YEARS IN THE STREETS CABINET PARTICULARLY AROUND THE SAFETY SURGE OF ISSUE YOUR AND YOU'RE PROBABLY SEEING SORT OF THE MORE QUICK IMPLEMENTATION OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY MEASURES. EVERY TIME I GO DOWN THE STREET IT SEEMS LIKE SPEED UP IS EMERGING SO THIS MAY SOUND SEEM INCREMENTAL IN THE IN THE SHORT TERM BUT IT'S BEEN BUILT ON AN ON A FAIRLY SIGNIFICANT COMMITMENT OVER A COUPLE OF YEARS. GOTCHA. OKAY. SO AT THIS POINT 6 MILLION IS JUST LIKE AN ADDITIONAL FOUR FOR VERY RAPID RESPONSE. YES.  AND THEN YOU'LL ALSO SEE SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AS PART OF THE CITY'S CAPITAL PLAN FOR SOME OF THE MORE LIKE HEAVY INFRASTRUCTURE. THESE ARE JUST SOME INCREMENTAL KIND OF OPERATIONAL INVESTMENTS FOR TD. OKAY. THANK YOU FOR THAT CLARIFICATION AND THAT SAME PAGE AT THE TOP REGARDING THE $1.9 BILLION FOR CITY OWNED FACILITIES.  SO YOU HAVE FUNDS FOR DEDICATED FUNDS TO RESURFACE FLOORS AT THE B.C. WE HAVE CENTERS OF I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE CAPITAL BUDGET AND IF NOT ARE THOSE FOR THE GYMNASIUMS OF THE B.C. CENTERS OR FOR THE JUST THE FLOORS OF THE B.C. WAY IT IS SORT OF A PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE FLOOR. NO, YOU'RE RIGHT. WHEN WE'RE DOING A MAJOR CAPITAL RENOVATION, WHAT WE WOULD DO OBVIOUSLY INCLUDE THE FLOOR ARE BEING FINISHED OR ARE REINSTALLED BUT THIS IS SORT OF PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE TO KEEP THOSE HARD TO KEEP OUR ASSETS IN A HIGH QUALITY CONDITION. DOES THAT INCLUDE A GYMNASIUM? I SEE. I THINK IT'S IT'S PRETTY FLEXIBLE BUT IT'S OF A SAID GYM FLOOR SO AND YOU RAISE A GOOD POINT WHERE YOU KNOW YOU WOULD EXPECT TO SEE THESE TYPES OF THINGS IN THE CITY'S CAPITAL PLAN I THINK THIS YEAR IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING YOU KNOW INCREASE INTEREST ON INVESTMENT INCOME.  RIGHT. AND THAT MIGHT NOT PERSIST AT THAT SAME LEVEL. WE WERE REALLY LOOKING FOR SORT OF SMART OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO SPEND ONE TIME MONEY. SO YOU KNOW, THESE TYPES OF THINGS ONE TIME INVESTMENTS IN THESE TYPES OF RENOVATIONS ARE GOOD SORT OF USES OF ONE TIME CASH. SO WE INCORPORATED A FEW OF THOSE INTO THIS BUDGET. GOTCHA. JUST THINKING ABOUT THE MANNINO COMMUNITY CENTER AN ARCH STILL RATHER THAN THAT WHERE IT NEEDS SOME OF THAT RENOVATION.  SO THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.  THIS IS MORE FOR ME TO KNOW THAT MY FIRST BUDGET SEASON AND EVEN FOR FOR RESIDENTS WHO MAY BE WATCHING WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE CITY TO HAVE RECEIVED A TRIPLE-A RATING? GREAT QUESTION. SO THE RATING AGENCIES MOODY'S, MOODY'S, S&P AND FITCH, THEY ALL HAVE A SCALE. IT'S BASICALLY LIKE YOUR CREDIT RATING AS A PERSON AND SO TRIPLE-A IS THE BEST YOU COULD HAVE AS A GOVERNMENT AND THAT MEANS THAT WHEN WE BORROW FUNDS WE PAY THE LOWEST COST OF BORROWING AND SO THAT MEANS WE CAN SPEND MORE OF OUR BOND PROCEEDS CAN GO TOWARDS PAYING FOR THINGS AS OPPOSED TO THE DEBT TO PAY THEM OFF. GOTCHA. OKAY. THAT IS GOOD TO KNOW FOR THE FUTURE.  AND THEN THE LAST QUESTION THAT I HAVE FOR NOW IS JUST AFTER THE URINALYSIS AND OBVIOUSLY GOING THROUGH THIS THROUGH JUST OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND EVALUATING HOW THEY'RE DOING,  IS THERE ONE THAT STANDS OUT TO YOU THAT IS STRUGGLING AND COULD USE MORE ASSISTANCE OR WE NEED TO PAY MORE ATTENTION TO?  YEAH, I THINK THAT'S THAT'S A GOAL OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND IS TO DO MORE PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS OF PROGRAMS I THINK MANY SOPHISTICATED DEPARTMENTS ARE PRETTY ON TOP OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE WORKING WELL IN THE THEY STEP RIGHT IN AND SAY WELL THIS IS SOMETHING WE HAVE TO MODIFY ADJUST BUT NOTHING NOTHING SPECIFIC TO HIGHLIGHT. OKAY.  THANK YOU. ALL OF THESE ARE MY QUESTIONS FOR SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS BUT THAT'S IT FOR ME . THANK YOU. VICE-CHAIR NOW GO TO COUNCILOR WEBER FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR FINANCE ANDERSEN COUNCILOR WEBER THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, CHAIR I.  I THINK COUNCILOR PHANTOM IS ANDERSON WAS HERE BEFORE ME BUT FOR GOOD WITH THIS ORDER. OKAY.  I JUST ON THIS SLIDE PRESENTATION PAGE 13.  CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN IT'S IT'S IT THERE'S A NEGATIVE STATED WITH IT WITH TWO IN A LITTLE MORE DETAIL WHAT THAT MEANS IT'S WHEN WE WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT BOTH THE REVENUE WE GET FROM STATE AID BUT THE ASSESSMENTS THAT ARE PUT IN AND IT SORT OF COMES OFF THE TOP BUT BEFORE THEY DISTRIBUTE LOCALLY TO THE COMMUNITIES SO IT IS A SITUATION WHERE OUR OUR ASSESSMENT IS ARE GROWING AT A HIGHER RATE THAN OUR REVENUE AND THAT IS MORE IT IT'S ALSO HIGHLIGHTED IN THE EDUCATION GROUPING WHERE CHAPTER SEVEN WHICH IS THE PRIMARY EDUCATION AID LINE ITEM IS AT THIS POINT THAT GROUPED WITH CHARTER SCHOOL REIMBURSEMENT ARE NOT SUFFICIENT TO COVER THE ASSESSMENT AT THE MOMENT. SO AND IS THIS AN ISSUE OR IS THIS BECAUSE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS? IS THAT IT'S A YEAH, IT IS A DYNAMIC PART OF IT, YES. YEAH. AND SO DID SOMETHING CHANGE IN THE FORMULA? I MEAN YEAH IT'S AN ONGOING FORMULA I THINK THE STUDENT OPPORTUNITY I THINK THERE'S BEEN SOME PRESS CERTAINLY NOT AN EXPERT ON IT BUT THE STUDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY HAS SOME ELEMENTS THAT ARE FOR A LOT OF COMMUNITIES A LITTLE CHALLENGING LIKE SOME CAPS AND SO MORE AND MORE COMMUNITIES ARE FALLING INTO THAT MINIMUM AGE CATEGORY WHERE YOU KNOW IT'S A PER PUPIL GROWTH RATHER THAN AS A FORMULA FORMULAIC SORT OF INVESTMENT. SO.  AND DO YOU EXPECT THIS TO CONTINUE?  IT'S HARD HARD TO SAY, YOU KNOW, BUT IT'S IT'S BEEN A PATTERN THAT'S BEEN OCCURRING FOR SOME TIME NOW. SO.  OKAY. AND SO IN TERMS OF THOSE ASSESSMENTS, WHERE DOES THAT HOW DO WE PAY FOR THE SHORTFALL ? IT COMES RIGHT OUT OF OUR LOCAL RATE. SO IF YOU EXCEED YOUR CHAPTER SEVEN ALLOCATION THEY WOULD JUST OFFSET YOUR OTHER GOVERNMENTAL AID. BUT OUR OTHER GENERAL FUND REVENUE GOES TO SORT OF FILL THE GAP BETWEEN AID AND THE ASSESSMENTS. OKAY. YEAH. SO I MEAN ADJUSTED FOR FOR THE NEXT NEXT FISCAL YEAR, DOES THAT COME OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND, THE SCHOOL BUDGET AND IT COMES FROM THE GENERAL FUND THE ENTIRE ENTIRETY OF THE CITY BUDGET COMES FROM THE GENERAL FUND.  OKAY. AND AND YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S EXPECTED LIKE IS IT 10 MILLION? I CAN'T I'M JUST NOT SURE. I THINK THAT THAT IS A $10 MILLION REDUCTION THERE.  OKAY. AND THEN THAT WOULD BE GOING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS IS THAT I UNDERSTAND. NO, NOT DIRECTLY. IT'S IT'S SORT OF A MIXTURE OF THE TWO GROUPINGS BUT GENERALLY THE CHARTER SCHOOL ASSESSMENT AND OTHER ASSESSMENTS ARE OUTPACING THE TOTAL. SO THE STATE AID ALLOCATION AND WE'D BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU A TABLE THAT SHOWS LIKE THE STATE ASSESSMENTS AGAIN SO WE GET WE CAN KIND OF ISOLATE THOSE ON A TABLE FOR YOU TWO SO YOU CAN SEE ALL OF THE INS AND OUTS AND SORT OF WHAT THE BOTTOM LINE IS AFTER ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE INCLUDED. OKAY. OKAY. YEAH. THANKS. YEAH, I THINK WE HAVE A TABLE IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT. WE COULD PROBABLY JUST SEND IT OUT. IT SOUNDS GOOD BUT THEN YOU MENTIONED DUE TO HIGH INTEREST RATES WERE EXPECTED TO HAVE $100 MILLION IN INTEREST AS A NON-FINANCIAL PERSON HEAR A LOT ABOUT INTEREST RATE CUTS.  HOW WHAT IS WHAT'S YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S COMING UP AND HOW THAT WOULD IMPACT US? YEAH, SO WE ALWAYS WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING PRETTY CONSERVATIVE AND THOUGHTFUL WITH OUR REVENUE AND NOT YOU KNOW, PUTTING OURSELVES IN A POSITION WHERE WE'RE GOING TO FALL OFF A CLIFF OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. SO I THINK THE THE INTEREST REVENUE THAT WE'VE BUILT INTO HERE ASSUMES SOME REDUCTION IN RATES HAPPENING AT SOME POINT IN THIS FISCAL YEAR.  SO IT'S YOU KNOW, PROBABLY A LITTLE CONSERVATIVE THERE GIVEN, YOU KNOW, NEWS FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS WHERE THINGS ARE MAYBE NOT MOVING AS MUCH AS AS PEOPLE THOUGHT THEY WOULD. SO YOU KNOW, THE REVENUE ASSUMPTIONS DO ASSUME SOME TAPERING AND INTEREST RATES BUT LATER IN THE YEAR. OKAY. AND SO IF WE DON'T HEAR ANYTHING THAT'S ON INTEREST RATE CUTS, WE'RE WE'RE THAT'S WHERE WE'VE BEEN CONSERVATIVELY PREPARED.  BUT EVEN IF THERE IS THAT'S ALREADY CORRECT.  THAT'S RIGHT. HAS WHAT STEPS HAS THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OR HAVE YOU TAKEN TO INCREASE CONTRIBUTIONS THROUGH THE PILOT PROGRAM?  SURE. SO PILOT HAS BEEN A BIG FOCUS OF THE MAYOR AND THE ADMINISTRATION. THERE ARE ONGOING CONVERSATIONS THAT'S HAPPENING WITH SOME OF THE BIG INSTITUTIONS TO, YOU KNOW, HOPE TO MODERNIZE THAT PROGRAM AND SORT OF UPDATE IT,  MAKE IT MORE REFLECTIVE OF , YOU KNOW, CURRENT VALUES OR CURRENT MEET, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY IN THE CITY. SO I DON'T THINK THE PILOT REVENUE THAT WE'RE REFLECTING IN THE BUDGET REFLECTS ANY MAJOR CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM. BUT THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE CERTAINLY ONGOING AND REMAIN TO BE A BIG FOCUS OF THE ADMINISTRATION. YEAH, SO I MEAN I ASIDE FROM JUST SAYING YOU KNOW PLEASE IS THERE ANY HAVE YOU EVER GIVEN ANY THOUGHT TO OTHER TOOLS WE CAN USE TO GET MORE OUT OF THAT PROGRAMS? YEAH, IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. YOU KNOW, IT'S A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM SO IT'S ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT OF A DELICATE BALANCE AND WANTING TO MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING THINGS AND DOING THINGS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SOME OF THE MAJOR INSTITUTIONS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. SO YOU KNOW, ON CONVERSATION THESE ARE ONGOING.  OKAY. AND I SEE IN THE IN THE HOUSING PORTION THERE'S IS IS IN THE SUMMARY YOU MENTIONS THAT THE OFFICE OF HOUSING IS IS PROJECTED TO RECEIVE $111 MILLION A $112 MILLION IN EXTERNAL FUNDING FROM FEDERAL AND STATE GRANTS AS WELL AS DEVELOPER FEES.  DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING SPENT? IT PROBABLY IS A BETTER WE GET A BETTER QUALITY RESPONSE IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING BUT YEAH, THEY HAVE SEVERAL TOOLS IN THEIR TOOLBOX TO TAKE DOLLARS FROM DEVELOPMENT TO INCORPORATE IT INTO LIKE CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING SO . OKAY I CAN ADDRESS THAT TO THEM AND.  YEAH. LAST QUESTION. OKAY. YEAH, I WOULD JUST. WHAT IS THE PLAN WITH THE CITY HOUSING VOUCHER RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THROUGH THIS BUDGET? IT'S MAINTAINED AT THE SAME LEVEL. 11.7.  OKAY, I'LL THINK OF COUNCIL WEBER COUNCILOR FINANCE ANDERSON FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR FITZGERALD. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  GOOD MORNING.  SO IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW,  REVENUE IMPACT AND PROPOSED TAX CHANGES, WILL THE PROPOSALS TEMPORARILY? WILL THE PROPOSED TEMPORARY CLASS POSITION CHANGE IN PROPERTY TAXES SHIFTING MORE OF THE BURDEN TO BUSINESSES PROPERTIES? WHAT IS THE ANTICIPATED REVENUE IMPACT OF THE CITY'S BUDGET OVERALL?  THANKS. GREAT QUESTION. SO.  SO OVERALL THE PROPOSAL IS INTENDED TO BE REVENUE NEUTRAL AS THERE'S NO IMPACT TO THE CITY BUDGET.  THE CLASSIFICATION HAS HAS NO IMPACT ON THAT.  THE SORT OF VALUE OF THAT SHIFT THOUGH CAN BE QUANTIFIED. HOWEVER, AT THIS POINT BECAUSE OF THE TIMING IN WHICH WE ARE SEEKING THIS RELIEF, WE ARE SEEKING THIS RELIEF AHEAD OF WHEN WE WILL HAVE UPDATED VALUES IN HAND. AND SO ONCE WE HAVE UPDATED VALUES WE'LL BE ABLE TO SORT OF TELL YOU AND EVERYONE'S THE VALUE OF THAT SHIFT HOW MUCH IS SHIFTING FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. BUT YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WITHOUT UPDATED VALUES WE CAN'T PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION. BUT IN GENERAL AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL THE PROPOSAL IS INTENDED AND IS REVENUE NEUTRAL AND DOESN'T ITSELF GENERATE ANY ADDITIONAL REVENUE FOR THE BUDGET.  MAKES SENSE. THANK YOU. I GUESS HOW DOES IT IMPACT BUSINESSES OR RESIDENTS? DO YOU FORESEE ANY CHANGES OR JUST A IMPACT?  SURE. SO THE PROPOSAL IS REALLY ROOTED IN PROTECTING RESIDENTS AGAINST ANY OUTSIZE IMPACTS OF DECLINING COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE VALUES AND SO THE WAY OUR SYSTEM WORKS IS IF YOU SEE A DECLINE IN VALUES IT CAN RESULT IN AN INCREASE IN TAX RATES. AND AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE STATUTORY SCHEME A DECREASE ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE COULD MAKE A MEANINGFUL INCREASE ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE. SO REALLY WANTING TO SEE YOU KNOW, HAVE THIS RELIEF IN HAND SO THAT WE CAN DIAL THINGS SO THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE PEOPLE'S TAXES ARE FEELING AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE LIKE THEY NORMALLY DO. AND JUST TO CITE 2023 2004 WHEN THE CITY DID THIS AT THE TIME RESIDENTS WERE, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY SEEING AN INCREASE IN THEIR TAXES YEAR OVER YEAR OF UPWARDS OF 40%.  AND SO WHEN THEY DID THIS DIALING BACK, IT MADE IT SO THAT THAT INCREASE WAS MUCH MORE IN LINE WITH PREVIOUS YEARS. I THINK IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE 15 TO 18%. SO THAT'S REALLY THE INTENTION, YOU KNOW, ROOTED IN PROTECTING RESIDENTS BUT ALSO TRYING TO CREATE SOME STABILITY FOR ALL OF THE TAXPAYERS SO THAT YOU'RE NOT SEEING MAJOR INCREASES OR DECREASES ON EITHER SIDE.  THANK YOU FOR THAT BREAKDOWN. I THINK THERE'S SO MANY MISUNDERSTANDING AROUND THIS. WHAT IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE WAITING UNTIL IF YOU'RE WAITING UNTIL THE INCREASE OR THE PROJECTED INCREASE. IS THERE A WAY TO DO SOME SORT OF ASSESSMENT PREEMPTIVELY OVERALL LIKE WITH BONDS, FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU KNOW THE MARKET OR IF YOU KNOW WHERE WE'RE HEADED IN TERMS OF LIKE PROJECTED INCREASES IN REVENUE, COULD WE THEN EXPLORE OR ASSESS WHETHER OR NOT WE COULD GO HIGHER ON OUR BONDS FOR ALTERNATIVE USES AS OUR SOLUTION WAS MENTIONING? YOU MEAN GOING HIGHER ON OUR IF WE EXPECT THAT THE BUDGET'S GOING TO GROW EXCEEDING OUR 7% OR GETTING CLOSER TO OUR 7% DEBT LIMIT, COULD WE POSSIBLY DO AN ASSESSMENT TO PROJECT WHETHER OR NOT WE COULD INCREASE?  YEAH, YOU CERTAINLY CAN. YOU KNOW, THERE'S DEFINITELY TRADEOFFS TO THAT RIGHT AS YOU INCREASE BORROWING, YOU INCREASE DEBT SERVICE THAT'S ONE LESS DOLLAR THAT WE HAVE FOR OTHER OPERATIONAL NEEDS. SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A A TRADEOFF THERE. SO WE CAN CERTAINLY QUANTIFY WHAT THAT WOULD MEAN TO YOU KNOW, GO ABOVE THAT 7% LIMIT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE DO OUR BEST TO PROJECT BUDGET GROWTH BUT THINGS CHANGE EVERY YEAR SO THAT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A MOVING TARGET EACH YEAR OF LIKE WHAT IS 7%. SO BUT CERTAINLY CAN LOOK AT THAT AND SHOW THE TRADEOFF THERE. THANK YOU. GIVEN THE LONGSTANDING DECLINE IN THE STATE AID, HOW DOES THE CITY PLAN TO ADDRESS CHALLENGES POSED BY DECREASED FUNDING PARTICULARLY IN AREAS SUCH AS INCREASE AND PTA AND CHARTER SCHOOL TUITION ASSESSMENTS? YEAH, I MEAN WE'RE WE'RE FORTUNATE HERE IN BOSTON THAT WE HAVE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES THAT CAN HELP FILL THAT GAP. RIGHT. SO WE WE DO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE STATE AND ADVOCATE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR TO GET AS MUCH STATE AID AS WE CAN. BUT WHEN THAT DOESN'T QUITE MEET THE MARK, WE'RE FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES THAT CAN HELP US FILL THE GAP. BUT I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING. NO, NO, YOU DID. IT'S IT'S A GREAT POINT. IT'S DECLINING. IT'S STILL OUR SECOND LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE GENERAL FUND REVENUE SO FAR.  BUT IT'S YOU KNOW, I THINK ACTUALLY ALLUDED TO THE FACT THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY WITH SOME LANGUAGE IN THE DEPARTMENT ACT THAT'S PENDING IN THE LEGISLATURE THAT MIGHT GIVE SOME RELIEF BUT WE TRY TO MANAGE AROUND IT WITH OUR OTHER GENERAL FUND TO FILL THE GAP. THANK YOU.  IN TERMS OF IMPACT OF HIGHER RETURN, THE CITY HAS BENEFITED FROM HIGHER RETURN THAN USUAL RETURNS FROM INTEREST TO INVESTMENTS AND EXCISE TAXES. HOW SUSTAINABLE ARE THESE REVENUE STREAMS AND WHAT MEASURES ARE IN PLACE TO MITIGATE POTENTIAL FLUCTUATE AND IN THESE AREAS AND FUTURE BUDGETS? YEAH, IT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION SO I'LL TAKE EXCISE FIRST. I THINK WE FEEL REALLY CONFIDENT IN OUR EXCISE PROJECTIONS. YOU'VE SEEN THEM GROW PRETTY RAPIDLY AFTER COVID SO WE THINK YOU KNOW THEY'LL CONTINUE TO GROW BUT MAYBE NOT AT THE SAME CLIP AS THEY HAVE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AS WE'VE BEEN RETURNING TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. EXCISE IS ANOTHER ONE THAT YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE INHERENT VOLATILITY THERE ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW WHERE WE HAVE HIGH INTEREST RATES THAT YOU KNOW, PEOPLE EXPECT WILL START TO COME DOWN. AND SO THAT'S WHERE IN MY CABINET, PARTICULARLY IN TREASURY WE'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MANAGING OUR CASH IN SMART WAYS SO THAT WE'RE NOT EXPERIENCING A DRAMATIC DROP OFF WHEN THOSE RATES START TO COME DOWN OR INVESTED IN LONGER TERM TREASURIES THAT WILL HELP US, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SMOOTH THAT IMPACT. SO. AND THEN JUST IN OUR OWN INTERNAL FORECASTING FOR REVENUE WE YOU KNOW, EXPECT THAT THAT WILL TAPER AND SO WE ARE KIND OF EXPECTING THAT. BUT I THINK IT'S A BIG REASON WHY SOME OF THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET ARE ONETIME IN NATURE TO SORT OF MATCH ONE TIME USE FOR ONE TIME EXPENDITURE SO THAT WE'RE NOT CREATING A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM FOR OURSELVES GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU FOR THE PERSONAL AND COST AND COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PERSONNEL SPENDING REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT PORTION ON THE BULK OF THE BUDGET WITH COLLECTIVE BARGAINING CONTRACTS SET TO EXPIRE.  HOW DOES THE BUDGET ACCOUNT FOR POTENTIAL INCREASES IN PERSONNEL COSTS DUE TO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING NEGOTIATIONS AND STRATEGIES OR WHAT STRATEGIES ARE IN PLACE TO MANAGE THESE COST EFFECTIVELY? YES, SO WE DO PROACTIVELY BUDGET OUR RESERVES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WILL BE A BUDGETARY IMPACT OF FUTURE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SETTLEMENTS.  I THINK IT'S IT'S YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH THE COUNCIL TO THEN TRANSACT THEM INTO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUDGETS IN TERMS OF THE STRATEGY, YOU KNOW, THE THE THE WAGE PATTERNS AND THE AFFORDABILITY OF THE WHOLE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING STRUCTURE IS IS BUILT WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF POTENTIAL.  YOU KNOW, WHERE WE SEE REVENUE MAKING AND WE HAVE TO BE SORT OF CONSERVATIVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN WEATHER THE UPS AND DOWNS OF THAT CYCLE. THANK YOU. I THINK MY TIME IS ABOUT TO COME UP SO I THINK YOU'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB IN BALANCING BETWEEN REVENUE AND OFFSETTING NEW COSTS.  I AM VERY INTERESTED IN BHP'S BUDGET OBVIOUSLY VERY INTERESTED MORE IN THEIR INCLUSIONARY PROGRAM AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO DO THAT AND HOW TO MAKE SENSE OF THE INCREASE IN TERMS OF LIKE DECREASE ENROLLMENTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. BUT I'LL I'LL SAVE THAT. I HAVE JUST THREE MORE QUESTIONS. MY SECOND ROUND AND EXCELLENT JOB. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FINANCE ANDERSON COUNCILOR FITZGERALD FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR SANTANA. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU ADMINISTRATION FOR COMING TODAY. I'LL GET RIGHT INTO IT GIVEN TIME.  WE SAID SINCE 2015 OUR OVERALL ASSESSED VALUE IN THE CITY HAS DOUBLED. WHAT DO WE THINK WAS THE CAUSE OF THIS AND WHAT WE THINK WE CAN TRY TO DO TO BUILD UPON THAT TREND? WANT TO KNOW HOW THAT'S YOU KNOW, NINE YEARS TO DOUBLE IT. SO WHAT DID WE DO RIGHT THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP DOING?  IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.  SO YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO KIND OF EDITORIALIZE TOO MUCH BUT YOU KNOW, OVER THAT TIME, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF INVESTMENT IN THE CITY.  RIGHT. AND YOU KNOW, STRONG FISCAL MANAGEMENT HERE IN THE CITY INVESTING IN GOOD CITY SERVICES OR ALL OF THE THINGS THAT SORT OF DRIVE PEOPLE HERE AND HELP BOOST VALUES OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO YOU KNOW, I THINK WAS A A GOOD PERIOD OF TIME. YOU KNOW, AFTER LAST RECESSION AND THE CITY, YOU KNOW, MADE A LOT OF REALLY GOOD CHOICES AND INVESTED IN A LOT OF IMPORTANT WAYS TO HELP, YOU KNOW, BOOST VALUES. THANK YOU.  IT WAS MEANT TO. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHAT THE STATE IS SEEING AND THAT THEY'RE TIGHTENING THEIR FISCAL BELT AND WHAT WE'RE SEEING THAT WE'RE NOT TO SO FOLKS UNDERSTAND BECAUSE WHEN THEY HEAR THE STATE STATEMENT AND THEY LOOK AT US AND SAY WHY AREN'T WE WE'RE SPENDING MORE. RIGHT. WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES IN WHAT EACH ARE SEEING? YEAH, THAT'S A REALLY GREAT QUESTION. AND WHEN WE THINK ABOUT AND TALK ABOUT A LOT I MEAN THEY JUST HAVE A DIFFERENT REVENUE MIX THAT ARE SUBJECT TO DIFFERENT VOLATILITY THAN OURS, RIGHT? THEY'RE MOSTLY INCOME TAX BASED AND YOU KNOW THAT IS 5% RIGHT. THAT'S SORT OF SET THEY DON'T HAVE THIS LIKE YOU KNOW BUILT IN LIKE YOU CAN TAKE LAST YEAR'S TAX BASE AND INCOME TAX BASE AND GROW IT AND THEN LIKE ASSUME NEW RIGHT. LIKE WE JUST HAVE A DIFFERENT MECHANISM FOR HOW WE GENERATE OUR MAIN SOURCES OF REVENUE AND THERE ARE TIMES WHERE IT'S REALLY GREAT TO BE RELIANT ON AN INCOME TAX I MEAN THE STATE SAW SOME REALLY GREAT YEARS FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO THE POINT THAT THEY WERE GIVING OUT BACK REFUNDS AND THEN THERE ARE TIMES WHERE IT'S GOOD TO BE THE CITY AND HAVE THAT SORT OF RELIABLE BASE OF REVENUE THAT YOU CAN GROW YEAR OVER YEAR. SO I THINK IT'S IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT MIX OF REVENUE AND SORT OF SOME DIFFERENT COST PRESSURES AS WELL. YOU KNOW, THEY THEY SAW THEIR BUDGET GROW, YOU KNOW, SINCE 2019, YOU KNOW, ALMOST 34% AND OURS HAS GROWN BY LESS OVER THAT SAME PERIOD OF TIME. SO YOU KNOW, IT'S SOME KEY DIFFERENCES THAT MAKE US, YOU KNOW, IN A SLIGHTLY BETTER POSITION THAN THE STATE AT THIS MOMENT.  THANK YOU.  I KNOW THERE'S A PROPOSED INCREASE IN THE CAPITAL PLAN, RIGHT? AND WILL THAT LEAD TO INCREASES IN OUR DEBT SERVICE IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR AND BEYOND AND HOW WILL THAT CHANGE THINGS? THE YEAH IT IS REFLECTED IN THE IN THE GROWTH IN IN THE CAPITAL PLAN SO WE HAVE TO WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO FINANCE ALL OF THAT THE CAPITAL PLAN.  YOU KNOW I THINK IN A CONVERSATION WITH THE CHAIR IT'S LIKE WE CAN GROW THE CAPITAL PLAN WITH EXTERNAL FUNDS THAT'S EASY BUT THE BULK OF THE PLAN IS STILL SUPPORTED BY GENERAL OBLIGATION DEBT AND IT'S IT'S FUNDED IN THE ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET.  SO WE FEEL WITH THE INCREASE IN THAT SPENDING WE FEEL GOOD GOING FORWARD WE'LL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE OUR DEBT SERVICE PLAN IS FINANCED. WE'LL GET BASED ON THAT.  GREAT. AND I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET THE $60 MILLION IN NEW GROWTH. HOW DID WE ARRIVE AT THAT NUMBER? SO IT'S IT'S NEW GROWTH IS BACKWARD LOOKING. IT HAS ALL KINDS OF DYNAMICS BUILT INTO IT. YOU KNOW THE INTEREST RATE MARKET DEVELOPMENT, THE STATUS OF DEVELOPMENT IT'S SORT OF LOOKING AT HISTORICAL AVERAGES OF OF WHERE WHERE IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN.  WE WILL, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE TAX SETTING PROCESS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OF WHATEVER IT GETS AND FIND THAT BUT AGAIN SIMILAR TO OTHER THINGS THAT DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE SORT OF LIKE PUTS US THROUGH OUR PACES ON DEFENDING THAT BEFORE IT GETS CERTIFIED.  SO GREAT BECAUSE I MEAN WE HAVE THE 121 A'S WE KNOW WHAT HAS BEEN PERMITTED OR IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION SO THAT WE HAVE COMING ONLINE. SO IT SEEMS TO BE THAT YOU COULD YOU COULD DO SOME MATH TO GET A FIRM NUMBER BUT JUST WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH OF YOU KNOW HOW MUCH OF THOSE TWO ELEMENTS ARE PART OF THAT 60 MILLION OR IS THAT ALL OF IT OR. YEAH, I MEAN WE DO OUR BEST BASED ON LIKE YOU SAID, THERE'S YOU KNOW, WE KNOW IT'S PERMITTED AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE KNOW WHAT 121 IS ARE OUT THERE AND WHEN THEY SHOULD THEORETICALLY EXPIRE SOME TERMINATE EARLY YOU KNOW SOMETIMES YOU KNOW YOU KNOW PEOPLE PULL PERMITS AND THEN THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING RIGHT. SO IT'S LITTLE BIT WE DO OUR BEST TO TRY AND PREDICT BUT IT'S NOT SUPER EASY. AND THEN THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER ELEMENT OF THIS WHERE IT'S JUST LIKE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE PUTTING CONDITIONS ON THEIR HOMES OR ALSO, YOU KNOW, BUSINESSES DECISION TO OUTFIT WITH NEW EQUIPMENT IN THEIR OFFICE. RIGHT. WE DON'T HAVE A TON OF VISIBILITY INTO THAT SO WE TRY OUR BEST TO YOU KNOW, KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON, HAVE A BE AN EDUCATED GUESS BUT BE A LITTLE CONSERVATIVE FOR THAT REASON. THANK YOU.  OFFICE VACANCIES AT 12.7%. RETAIL VACANCY AT 2.2%. WHAT WAS OUR CITYWIDE PERCENTAGE IN THESE AREAS IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR OR TWO YEARS? I KNOW YOU COMPARE THEM TO THE NATIONAL AVERAGE BUT JUST TO OUR OWN HISTORICAL AVERAGE WHAT IS IS THAT THEY'RE GOING UP DOWN YEAH I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU. I DON'T HAVE THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD BUT HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP. THANK YOU.  THE OTHER QUESTION ABOUT LONG TERM VACANCIES. IS THERE A WAY TO PRIORITIZE AND YOU KNOW IN ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT THE JOBS THAT HAVE BEEN OUT THERE FOR A LONG TIME THAT ARE UNFILLED, IS THERE A WAY TO PRIORITIZE THESE VACANCIES TO KNOW WHAT WE NEED AND DO NOT NEED SO WE COULD REDIRECT ANY OF THOSE FUNDS FROM THOSE VACANCIES TO, YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS LIKE SPEED HUMPS THAT ARE WANTED EVERYWHERE OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR NEW SCHOOLS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.  YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S OUR ONGOING CONVERSATION WITH DEPARTMENTS ABOUT LIKE REDEPLOY AND VACANCY SOMETIMES TITLES ARE SOMETIMES POSITIONS ARE AND THAT'S OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PEOPLE OPERATIONS CABINETS TO HAVE THAT SORT OF INSTITUTIONAL EXPERTISE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE THERE. OUR JOB DESCRIPTIONS ARE CONSISTENT WITH WHAT THE DEPARTMENT IS WANTS TO ACHIEVE AND IS COMMENSURATE WITH WHAT YOU KNOW, OTHER PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYERS ARE DOING SO THAT THAT'S. BUT YEAH THAT'S THAT'S AN ONGOING CONVERSATION WHERE IF A POSITION BE BECOMES VACANT HAS BEEN VACANT AND THEY WANT TO MODEL IT FOR USE IT REDEPLOY FOR SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S ON TEAM AND WE THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT JIM AND HIS TEAM ARE DOING AS WE'RE SETTING THE BUDGET TOO WE'RE HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH DEPARTMENTS TO UNDERSTAND IF THERE IS ANY REPRIORITIZE ATION THAT THEY WANT TO DO. I MENTIONED A FEW WEEKS AGO WE HAD A HEARING ABOUT VACANCIES AND WE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE KIND OF MAKE AN ASSUMPTION FOR SAVINGS IN THE BUDGET AND SO THAT SAVINGS GETS REFLECTED IN THE BUDGET. SO TO THE EXTENT THAT THAT SAVINGS IS INCLUDED IT'S BEING USED TO KIND OF PAY FOR OTHER THINGS THROUGHOUT THE BUDGET. SO WE DO A LOT OF THAT REPRIORITIZATION WITH DEPARTMENTS AS WE'RE DEVELOPING THE BUDGET. GREAT.  ONE MORE COMMENT NOT REALLY A QUESTION. GO AHEAD.  IT'S MORE B IT'S PROBABLY MORE OF A BEEPS. THAT'S WHY IT'S JUST A COMMENT. BUT FOR FULL TIME EQUIVALENT JOBS THERE ARE 427 LAST YEAR THAT WERE GAINED AND ONLY 160 IN THIS UPCOMING I IMAGINE THAT'S DUE TO THAT NUMBER WAS IN THE ORIGINAL WAS INFLATED DUE TO ESSER FUNDING AND THINGS THAT ARE NOW RUNNING OUT SO I JUST WANT TO PUT IT IN LOSING THOSE FTE E'S AND IS COUPLED WITH MOVING TO THE INCLUSION MODEL THAT COUNCIL FERNANDEZ ANDERSON WAS TALKING ABOUT.  ARE WE CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE SUPPORTING BPO SCHOOL STAFF ENOUGH TO MAKE THAT INCLUSION MODEL SUCCESSFUL AND DOES THE BUDGET REFLECT THAT? THINK THAT'S I'LL SAY THAT MORE FOR BEEPS BUT JUST WANT TO GET THAT OUT THERE. THANK YOU.  CHAIR THANK YOU, COUNSELOR FITZGERALD COUNSELOR SANTANA FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR DURKIN. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AND CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR FIRST BUDGET HEARING AND THANK YOU FOR THE FOR BEING HERE AND ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS.  I'LL JUMP RIGHT IN. AND YOU KNOW YOUR PRESIDENT IN YOUR PRESENTATION YOU MENTIONED THE 7400 UNITS WERE APPROVED IN 2023, THE THIRD HIGHEST NUMBER IN A YEAR IN A DECADE. WE ALSO KNOW FROM A BOSTON GLOBE REPORT THAT AS OF 20TH DECEMBER 2023 THERE WERE AROUND 23,000 UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN PROMOTED BUT NOW HAVE JUST STARTED CONSTRUCTION.  DOES THE CITY TRACK HOW MANY OF THESE UNITS ACTUALLY GOT BUILT OR GET THEM BUILT? DO WE HAVE ANY UPDATE ON THOSE NUMBERS AS OF APRIL 2024 INCLUDING SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE 7400 UNITS THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT WERE PROMOTED LAST YEAR? THANKS FOR THE QUESTION. SO I'M CERTAIN SOMEONE IS TRACKING IT. I THINK THOSE WERE GREAT QUESTIONS FOR THE NEW PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO COME TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT WHEN THEY COME AND PRESENT ON THEIR BUDGET.  THANK YOU, CHIEF. I'LL CERTAINLY ASK IT THAT SECOND QUESTION. YOU KNOW, WITH REGARD TO UNEMPLOYMENT WITH THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN BOSTON LOWER THAN BOTH THE STATE AND NATIONAL AVERAGES, WHAT MATTERS IS IS THE ADMINISTRATION TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT THIS TREND CONTINUES ESPECIALLY IN THE LIGHT OF POTENTIAL ECONOMIC CHALLENGES IN THE FUTURE? YES, GREAT QUESTION. SO I MEAN AT A VERY MACRO LEVEL I THINK THIS BUDGET IS REALLY FOCUSED ON ENSURING STABILITY IN THE CITY AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING TO BE ABLE TO DELIVER SERVICES THAT ARE DRIVING RESIDENTS EMPLOYERS AND VISITORS HERE WHICH ALL CONTRIBUTES TO THE OVERALL ECONOMY AND GROWTH AND STRENGTH OF OUR CITY. SO YOU KNOW AT THE MOST MACRO LEVEL THAT IS WHAT WE ARE DOING . JIM, IF YOU WANT TO CHIME IN ON ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR BUT I MEAN I KNOW IT'S IT'S IT'S VERY HIGH LEVEL AND NOT SUPER SPECIFIC BUT I THINK THAT IS THE FOCUS WE WANT TO JUST CONTINUE TO LEVERAGE AND LEAN INTO THE STRENGTH OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMY SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO WEATHER ANY SORT OF ECONOMIC UNCERTAINTY THAT MIGHT BE COMING UP. GREAT. THANK ACHIEVE.  THE NEXT QUESTION IS REGARDING PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING. YOU KNOW LAST YEAR THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY ADVOCACY FOR PARTICIPANT PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING RESULTING IN A MODEST INVESTMENT FROM THE ADMINISTRATION.  HOWEVER, THE PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET FOR FY 25 APPEARS TO SHOW NO INCREASE IN THE FUNDING FOR THIS INITIATIVE. CAN YOU PROVIDE FURTHER INSIGHTS INTO THE DECISION TO LIKE SPEND THIS ALLOCATION?  YEAH. SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING IS GETTING UP AND RUNNING HERE IN BOSTON.  LAST YEAR ONCE THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED WE WENT AHEAD AND HIRED A DIRECTOR. THE DIRECTOR HAS SINCE STAFFED UP THE OFFICE AND AS OF A FEW WEEKS AGO WITH CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH OUR EXTERNAL OVERSIGHT BOARD HAVE OFFICIALLY ADOPTED THE RULEBOOK OR THE PROCESS FOR PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING. AND THAT PROCESS IS SET LAUNCH THIS SUMMER IN JULY. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE A PROCESS THAT WE CAN BEGIN AND START TO FINALLY DO THIS AFTER MANY YEARS OF PLANNING IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY TO GET THIS EFFORT UP AND RUNNING. SO LAST YEAR WE AND PART OF THE ORDINANCE THAT CREATES THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING OFFICE ALLOWS FOR UNSPENT FUNDS TO SORT OF ROLL FORWARD.  AND SO AS OF LAST YEAR THERE WAS ABOUT I THINK $4 MILLION THAT WAS SET ASIDE FOR PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING FOR BOTH THE YOU KNOW, THE ACTUAL PROCESS AND FOR THE PROJECTS THAT WOULD COME OUT OF THAT. AND SO THAT IS STILL AVAILABLE AND WE HAVE ALSO IN THIS BUDGET APPROPRIATED JUST OVER $2 MILLION. SO WE THINK WE HAVE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO GET THAT PROCESS UP AND RUNNING AND HAVE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO FUND A SUITE OF PROJECTS THAT COME OUT OF THAT. SO YOU KNOW, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED FOR THE PROCESS TO GET STARTED AND FEEL LIKE IT'S WELL RESOURCED AT THIS POINT FOR THE PILOT YEAR. GREAT. THANK YOU. AND YOU KNOW, MY LAST QUESTION WAS MORE OF A COMMENT I THINK I WANT TO ECHO SOME OF THIS MY COLLEAGUES REGARDS TO BP AND YOU KNOW, AS A CHAIR OF EDUCATION I REALLY CARE ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING INTO BP'S. I REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING WHICH ARE A LOT RIGHT ARE ACTUALLY BEING SEEN BY OUR STUDENTS, BY OUR TEACHERS AND BY OUR FAMILIES IN THE CLASSROOM.  SO I WILL HOLD MY QUESTIONS FOR YOU KNOW, WHEN BP'S COMES AND PRESENTS THEIR PRESENTATION TO US. BUT JUST KIND OF WANT TO PUT THAT INTO THE RECORD. BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU BOTH BEING HERE AND THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR SANTANA COUNSELOR DURKIN FOLLOWED BY COUNSELOR MURPHY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. CHAIR AND I ECHO COUNSELOR PIPPEN STATEMENT ABOUT THIS IS REALLY EXCITING. I'VE BEEN REALLY EXCITED TO DIG IN AND LOOKING FORWARD TO MANY CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE BUDGET AND THE OPERATING BUDGET. I HAD A BRIEF QUESTION JUST ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENTS FOR FOLKS THAT ARE WANTING TO ADVOCATE FOR STREETS IMPROVEMENTS THAT MAY BE OPERATING OR CAPITAL GIVEN COUNCILOR PROPONENTS QUESTION WHERE CAN THEY BEST ADVOCATE AS I'VE AT THIS YOU KNOW IS THAT AT A SPECIFIC HEARING FOR PUBLIC WORKS OR SHOULD THEY ALSO ATTEND THE THE CAPITAL HEARING?  YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION AND IT SPEAKS TO SOME OF THE BUDGET ENGAGEMENT PROCESSES THAT THE BUDGET OFFICE HAS TALKED ABOUT THIS THIS A LOT OF ON RAMPS TO GET THAT KIND OF FEEDBACK TO THE PARLIAMENT SO YOU KNOW IN CITY GOVERNMENT WE HAVE OUR SERVICES LIAISONS YOUR LOCAL LIAISONS WE CAN ADVOCATE THROUGH AND YOU CAN REACH OUT TO THE STREETS GOVERNMENT DIRECTLY OR ANY TIME OF THE YEAR THAT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LIMITED TO THE BUDGET SEASON.  AND THEN AS YOU SAY THAT WE CAN ALSO COME AND TESTIFY APPEARING WHETHER IT BE OFF THE STREETS,  IF IT'S OPEN SPACE, YOU KNOW, WITH PARKS HERE AND ALL OF THOSE FEEDBACK LOOPS ARE HELPFUL AND CONSTRUCTIVE FOR,  YOU KNOW, RESOLVING, YOU KNOW, PRIORITIES FOR THE COMMUNITIES . THANK YOU. AND OBVIOUSLY WE AS COUNCILORS WILL BE UPLIFTING A LOT OF WHAT WE HEAR FROM COMMUNITY WANTED TO ALSO GET INTO ONE OF MY NICHE BUT VERY IMPORTANT SUBJECTS OF THE LANDMARKS COMMISSION GIVEN THAT THE PUBLIC GIVEN THAT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT IS MOVING UNDERNEATH THE CITY. THERE HAS BEEN A QUESTION OF WHERE LANDMARKS SHOULD LIVE FOR THE FUTURE. OBVIOUSLY RIGHT NOW IT'S AN ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND OPEN SPACE AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THERE HAD BEEN FURTHER THOUGHT TO THAT PLACEMENT AND IF THERE WERE. OBVIOUSLY IT'S BEING PROPOSED CONTINUING IN THAT DEPARTMENT BUT IF THERE IS AND IT HAS BEEN AND ANY OTHER THOUGHT TO THAT,  I HAVEN'T HAD ANY ANY DIRECT CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT. YEAH NOT THAT WE'VE BEEN A PART OF BUT HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP.  OKAY. YEAH AND I'M HAPPY TO WAIT FOR THAT HEARING TO MAKE SURE THAT I FIND THOSE QUESTIONS IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND THEN OBVIOUSLY YOU PUT TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, SOME GREAT MATERIALS FOR US AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. WANTED TO POINT TO SOMETHING AROUND INCREASING DIVERSITY SO A LOT OF OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE ACTUALLY MORE DIVERSE THAN THE STANDARD THAT WE'VE SET FOR OURSELVES. SO AND IN ALL OF THESE INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMS IT YOU KNOW ,IT POINTS TO PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYEES WHO ARE WOMEN WHICH THE GOAL IS 40% PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYEES WHO ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR AND IT POINTS TO 50%. WHAT I HAVE NOTICED IS THAT A LOT OF OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS ARE ACTUALLY OVER THAT THRESHOLD.  BUT IT SAYS, YOU KNOW, 75% WOMEN AND THEN IT SAYS GOAL 40%. AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF THERE WAS A REASON FOR THAT OR OR IF THAT BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY I WANT TO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A MAJORITY FEMALE CITY COUNCIL . I LOVE THAT.  I THINK I THINK A LOT OF OUR DEPARTMENTS ARE GREAT AS THEY ARE, WHICH IS EITHER MAJORITY FEMALE OR MAJORITY OF PEOPLE COLOR.  BUT WE DO HAVE SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE FACING THAT CHALLENGE SO IT GOES BOTH WAYS. I WAS JUST CURIOUS YOUR THINKING AROUND THAT. YEAH, I THINK IT WAS MORE OF A CONSISTENCY THAT TO TO IT TO REFLECT THE CITYWIDE GOALS. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT IT THERE ARE OFTEN CASES THAT DEPARTMENTS MAY BE EXCEEDING THE INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES AND BUT IT'S IT'S THAT IS A SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ANALYTICS UNIT IN TO IT TO HAVE THAT DATA READILY AVAILABLE TO TO PRESENT THEM. GO OUT THERE TO BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH FOLKS. OKAY AND ONE MORE QUESTION. THE IMPROVEMENT TO TECHNOLOGY I'M REALLY EXCITED OBVIOUSLY ABOUT THAT INVESTMENT. BUT COUNCILOR BRAYTON POINTED TO SOME OF THE INEFFICIENCIES WE HAVE AROUND BEING ABLE TO PLACE LEANS ON PROPERTIES AND I THINK I MEAN I'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL FOR EIGHT MONTHS PROBABLY MENTIONED IN SIX OR SEVEN HEARINGS AND I HAVEN'T HEARD A LOT OF SORT OF FORWARD PROGRESS ON THAT. SO I WAS JUST CURIOUS IF ANY OF THAT TECHNOLOGICAL IMPROVEMENT MONEY WOULD SPEND TOWARDS THAT OR IF WE SHOULD LOOK TO NEXT YEAR TO BE ADVOCATING FOR THAT?  WELL, I THINK PART PART OF THE TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENTS BOTH BOTH HERE IN THE OPERATING BUDGET AND IN THE CAPITAL PLAN, YOU KNOW, THE PERMANENT SYSTEM IS ONE OF THE ONE OF THE THE WHAT THEY CALL ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS THAT WE'RE SEEKING TO TO IMPROVE. SO BUT THAT'S IN TERMS OF LIKE SMALL BUSINESS APPLICATIONS, I THINK WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT IS IN TERMS OF FINES AND LEANS ON IS THAT I THINK THAT'S A SEPARATE SYSTEM. OH SORRY AND I CAN SAVE THIS FOR DO IT I'M SORRY IF THIS IS TOWARDS TRYING TO WE'RE NOT THE MOST TECHNICAL PEOPLE SO WE'RE LIKE IS THAT SOFTWARE FOR THIS? SO I THINK DO IT WOULD BE A GREAT IT WOULD BE GREAT TO DO IT THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION OF THEIR HEARING HOW THROUGH THEIR OPERATING THEY'RE PLANNING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS. THANK YOU AND ONE MORE QUESTION AROUND LOCAL RECEIPTS.  I KNOW I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME. I IT POINTS TO THE LOCAL RECEIPTS SIDE OF THE BUDGET LIKE POINTS TO HISTORICAL TRENDS HOW ACCURATE WILL THOSE BE GIVEN OUR CURRENT FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT?  OBVIOUSLY I REPRESENT AREAS THAT A LOT OF OUR RESIDENTS WHO PAY REALLY HIGH PROPERTY TAXES LIVE IN AND I THINK WITH OTHER CHALLENGES YOU KNOW WITH OTHER SORT OF INCREASED TAXES BOTH FROM THE CITY AND FROM THE STATE GOVERNMENT, THERE IS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT PEOPLE MOVING OUT OF THE CITY. I THINK SOME OF THOSE SOME OF THOSE ASSERTIONS HAVE BEEN FOUND NOT TO BE TRUE.  BUT I WAS JUST CURIOUS YOUR TAKE ON HOW ACCURATE GIVEN OUR CURRENT FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT AND GIVEN SORT OF WHO LIVES IN OUR CITY CURRENTLY IF THOSE HISTORICAL TRENDS WE THINK WILL BEAR TRUE IN THE UPCOMING YEAR? YEAH THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION. SO WE FEEL VERY CONFIDENT IN THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS THAT UNDERPIN THIS BUDGET AND WE ARE VERY THOUGHTFUL AND CAREFUL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BEING INCLUDING SOME ELEMENT OF CONSERVATISM SO THAT WE'RE NOT SUBJECT TO A LOT OF THAT VOLATILITY LIKE YOU'RE MENTIONING. I WILL SAY OUR EXCISE REVENUES ARE NOT JUST RESIDENT FOCUS BUT ALSO CAPTURE A LOT OF VISITOR ACTIVITY. SO ONE OF THE BIG DRIVERS OF EXCISE REVENUE IS HOTEL ROOM EXCISE.  SO THAT THAT I THINK IS ONE OF THE LARGEST SOURCES.  SO WE DO YOU KNOW ARE NOT ONLY RELIANT ON RESIDENTS BUT ALSO SOME OF THE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY THAT COMES WITH TOURISM. AND I JUST WANTED TO ADD MORE THING ONE MORE THING I THINK GIVEN WHAT YOU JUST SAID, I THINK IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE CRACK DOWN ON REGISTERED AIRBNB AND SHORT TERM RENTALS. MY OFFICE HAS ACTUALLY PUT TOGETHER AN ENTIRE DATABASE OF ALL OF THE SHORT TERM RENTALS THAT ARE REGISTERED AND WE'RE STARTING TO NOTICE ONES THAT ARE NOT IN THAT DATABASE. SO I'M EXCITED TO WORK WITH THE CITY AND OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE CRACKING DOWN ON THOSE TOO.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR DURKIN? COUNCILOR MURPHY YEAH YOU FOR BEING HERE.  SO WE KNOW THE BUDGET IS A REFLECTION OF OUR VALUES AND THE MAYOR'S VALUE AND BOTH OF YOU ARE OBVIOUSLY PART OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS FROM THE BEGINNING.  SO WHEN I LOOK AT THE OVERVIEW I HAVE SOME, YOU KNOW, JUST QUESTIONS OF WHAT WOULD YOUR ANSWERS BE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT DOUBLING DOWN ON DELIVERING EXCELLENT SERVICES TO EXPAND ACCESS MORE LIKE IF YOU COULD TOUCH ON LIKE TWO THINGS THAT YOU THOUGHT THAT WERE ADDED TO THIS BUDGET OR THAT WERE CHANGED TO FUND SERVICES THAT WOULD THEN DELIVER HAVE A BETTER DELIVERY TO CONSTITUENTS . THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION. I WILL START AND THEN JIM, YOU SHOULD FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN TOO. I MEAN I THINK THERE IS THERE'S ADDING SO WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THE KIND OF INVESTMENTS AND UPDATES ARE ON BASIC CITY SERVICES SO YOU KNOW MAINTENANCE INVESTMENTS AT CITY OWNED FACILITIES IN B.C. WITH YOU KNOW INVESTMENTS IN PARKS, INVESTMENTS FOR AGE STRONG LIKE THOSE TYPES OF NET NEW THINGS. BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT RIGHT,  THAT ARE JUST SORT OF IN THE BASELINE BUDGET THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO FUND, YOU KNOW, JUST CORE PUBLIC SAFETY, CORE PUBLIC WORKS ACTIVITY, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THE TRASH IS GETTING PICKED UP LIKE THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. AND SO I KNOW WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT'S NEW BUT THERE'S A LOT IN THIS BUDGET THAT IS JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MAINTAIN AND THE OVERALL BUDGET INCREASED.  BUT CAN YOU POINT TO ANY SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS OR LINES IN THE BUDGET WHERE THERE WEREN'T CUTS?  YEAH, THERE ARE LINES I THINK I THINK I ALLUDED TO THERE ARE SOME SAVINGS WE'VE ACHIEVED SORT OF A UTILITY LINE MORE REFLECTIVE OF MARKET CONDITIONS. SO IT'S MORE OF JUST SAVING OR LIKE INTEREST THAT WE DID BUT NOT NO NO DEPARTMENTS HAVE HAD ANY OPERATIONAL REDUCTIONS. NO, NO. THE GOAL IS TO TO IF THERE ARE CHANGES IN AN OPERATIONAL PLAN IS TO REDEPLOY IT TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL. YOU KNOW, PROGRAMS AND I KNOW IT WAS TOUCHED ON BY MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES BUT I FEEL LIKE THE BUDGET TO RIGHT IT CONTINUES TO GROW EVEN THOUGH ENROLLMENT IS DOWN AND ONE THING WE HAVE HAD AND THIS IS MY THIRD BUDGET NOW BUT WE'VE HAD HEARINGS BUT KEEPS UNRELATED TO THE BUDGET CONVERSATION ALONE BUT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE I THINK TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ON THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT BECAUSE WE'RE SPENDING MORE PER STUDENT BUT NOT EVERY CHILD IS GETTING THE QUALITY EDUCATION THAT THEY DESERVE.  SO THAT'S AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION AND I KNOW COUNCILOR BRAYDEN ASKED IT AND IT'S SOMETHING I KNOW IS TRUE LIKE ONCE IF THERE IS A POLITICAL WILL HERE RIGHT IF WE BOND TOGETHER AND WE WORK TOGETHER TRYING TO ASK THOSE TOUGH QUESTIONS AND PUSH BACK AND BECAUSE WE DON'T EVER HAVE TO RUBBER STAMP ANY PART OF THIS BUDGET. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DEFINITELY WORK ON THAT TOGETHER AND ALSO THE THE GROWTH OF JOBS THE LAST FEW YEARS ESPECIALLY COMING THROUGH WITH ALTHOUGH THE CONTRACTS THAT WE'VE PASSED. CONGRATULATIONS ON ALL OF THAT. THERE'S THAT BALANCE BETWEEN THERE'S A STAFFING SHORTAGE BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO YOU KNOW WE'VE HAD MONEY TO INCREASE POSITIONS IN DEPARTMENTS BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE CAN'T FIND PEOPLE TO FILL IT. SO WHEN I LOOK AT THAT PAGE THAT WAS ALREADY REFERENCED LIKE BHP'S HAD 427 LAST YEAR OF THAT COLUMN FOR ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENTS, DO WE KNOW HOW MANY OF ALL FULL TIME EMPLOYEE POSITIONS THAT WERE BUDGETED FOR LAST SEASON WERE NEVER FILLED BECAUSE OFTENTIMES THEY COME BACK AND THEY'RE LIKE YOU KNOW, THANKS FOR THOSE THREE EXTRA HOCKEY'S IN THE BUDGET OR THANK YOU FOR AND YOU KNOW IT WAS A SPECIFIC DEPARTMENT IT WAS A SPECIFIC POSITION THAT THEY KNEW THAT THEY NEEDED AND WE WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE WE WERE GETTING THAT FOR THESE DEPARTMENTS. BUT THEN UNFORTUNATELY FIND OUT THAT THEY'RE NOT FILLED. DO WE KNOW? YEAH. YEAH.  I THINK THE CITY IS NOT IMMUNE TO LABOR SHORTAGES THAT ARE PROBABLY SEEN IN A LOT OF SECTORS OF THE ECONOMY WE ARE TRYING TO ADDRESS YOU KNOW COMPENSATION ISSUES WHEN COMPARABLE YOU KNOW TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE CONSISTENT WITH OTHER PUBLIC EMPLOYERS.  IS THAT ONE OF THE THINGS I KNOW WHEN I TALK TO DIFFERENT UNION HEADS LIKE ASK ME AND OTHERS LIKE THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A COMPARABLE RATE SO THAT PEOPLE WANT TO APPLY BUT THEN ALSO TWO OR THREE MONTHS GO BY THEY CALL AND SAY HEY, WE'RE READY TO ONBOARD AND THEY'VE ALREADY FOUND ANOTHER JOB. SO IT'S A DIFFERENT THERE'S NOT JUST ONE ISSUE, RIGHT? IT'S NOT JUST THAT WE'RE NOT GIVING THEM A GOOD RATE TO START OFF THAT BUT IT'S ALSO THE PROCESS HAS TO BE STREAMLINED AND WORK BETTER.  YEAH, I KNOW CHINESE GOVERNMENT IN COLLABORATION WITH THE PEOPLE OPERATIONS ARE WORKING TO STREAMLINE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN CONTROL LIKE PROCESSES,  HIRING PROCESSES. ARE THIS LIKE CONCERTED EFFORTS TO PROVE THAT BUT IN TERMS OF CERTAIN LABOR SHORTAGES PARTICULAR IN CERTAIN TITLES IT'S IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE THAT'S IN SOME CASES A PERENNIAL ISSUE THAT'S CONSTANTLY RECRUITING FOR CERTAIN TITLES. BUT I KNOW ALSO WHAT YOU BROUGHT UP THE PARTICIPATORY BUDGET WE HAVE MORE POWERS HERE. IT'S WHY WE HAVE KARISHMA. WE ADDED HER TO OUR CENTRAL STAFF AND SHE'S WONDERFUL. THANK YOU KARISHMA FOR YOUR SUPPORT BECAUSE YOU KNOW WE HAVE A NEW ROLE THAT WE PLAY,  RIGHT? AND YOU TALKED ABOUT THIS NEW DEPARTMENT. CAN YOU SAY SPECIFICALLY HOW MUCH THAT PARTICIPATORY BUDGET FOR THE CITY IS COSTING THE TAXPAYERS? SO THE OFFICE OF PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING IN THIS PROPOSED BUDGET IS BUDGETED AT LET'S SEE $2.1 MILLION AND HOW MUCH ARE THEY ALLOWED TO HELP MANAGE SPEND FROM THE PUBLIC SO THAT 2.1 MILLION COVERS THE COST OF THE OFFICE WHICH IS 2.1 MILLION COVERS THE COST OF THE OFFICE WHICH IS CURRENTLY THREE FTE IS AND THEN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT CAN BE SET ASIDE FOR THE PROJECTS THAT ULTIMATELY GET VOTED ON THROUGH THE PARTICIPANT THREE BUDGETING PROCESS.  SO IT'S IT'S AN OFFICE OF THREE. THAT'S CORRECT. AND THEY'RE FULL TIME CORRECT.  OKAY. UM OKAY THAT THAT THAT'S ALWAYS WILL BE AN INTERESTING PROCESS IN THE BUDGET WILL THEY HAVE ANY SAY IN THE WAY DIFFERENT NONPROFITS OR GROUPS WILL BRING FORTH THEIR PROPOSALS GOALS BECAUSE I KNOW IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS THEY'VE BEEN AMAZING ADVOCATE TO HAVE REALLY BEEN STRONG AT REACHING OUT TO US INDIVIDUALLY OR AS A WHOLE OR COMING TO YOU KNOW THE BUDGET COUNCIL MEETINGS WILL THERE ALSO IS HAVE YOU SEEN OR DO YOU KNOW IF THAT DEPARTMENT IS ALSO GETTING THE SAME TYPE OF , YOU KNOW, OUTREACH FROM GROUPS THAT ARE HOPING THAT THEIR PROJECTS ARE FUNDED? YEAH. SO THANKS FOR THAT. THE PROCESS IS REALLY SET UP TO SOLICIT AS MUCH DIRECT RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT AS POSSIBLE AND SO WE WILL GO THROUGH A PROCESS WHERE WE'LL HAVE AN ONLINE PLATFORM YOU KNOW A WEBSITE WHERE PEOPLE CAN SUBMIT IDEAS.  WE'RE ALSO GOING OUT INTO A COMMUNITY WITH SOME COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO SOLICIT IDEAS DIRECTLY FROM THE COMMUNITY.  SO THERE'S THERE'S A PRETTY RIGOROUS PROCESS. WE'RE GOING TO START WITH A BIG WIDE NET AND SORT OF FUNNEL IT DOWN THROUGHOUT WITH A LOT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE PROJECTS THAT ULTIMATELY GET PUT ON THE BALLOT ARE REFLECTIVE OF WHAT A MAJORITY OF THE CITY WANTS TO SEE FUNDED AND IS THERE A PLAN AND MAYBE THE CHAIR ALREADY DOES HAVE A PLAN FOR THIS BUT THAT THOUGH THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND THAT INFORMATION IT REMINDS ME OF LIKE CPA WHERE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN DEPARTMENT BUT THEN THEY COME TO US TO SUPPORT IT OR NOT BECAUSE IT'S ALMOST LIKE THE MAYOR'S DEPARTMENT LIKE THE OFFICE IS NOW TAKING OVER THE FIRST ENGAGEMENT OF THE PUBLIC COMING REQUESTING WE'RE IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. IT DEFINITELY SEEM THAT WAS MORE DIRECTLY TO US.  YEAH AND SO THE THAT PARTICULAR PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROCESS THAT I WAS JUST DESCRIBING IS JUST ONE FACET OF , YOU KNOW, LARGER BUDGET ENGAGEMENT THAT WE'RE DOING AS A CITY, YOU KNOW, SO THAT'S ONE PIECE WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT.  WE'RE GOING TO HEAR A LOT OF IDEAS. WE'RE GONNA GET MORE IDEAS THAN WE WOULD EVER HAVE MONEY TO FUND. AND SO THE POINT IS TO, YOU KNOW, TAKE A LOT OF THAT RESIDENT ENGAGEMENT AND FUNNEL THAT BACK THROUGH TO THE CITY TO DEPARTMENTS TO TO YOU KNOW, WHOEVER TO HELP INFORM JUST LIKE THE LARGER BUDGET ENGAGEMENTS THAT WE'RE NOT JUST ONLY FOCUSED ON THIS ONE PARTICULAR PROCESS. WELL, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR MURPHY AND THANK YOU AMI PUT MY TIME AROUND SO AND THANK YOU TO THE WHOLE BUDGET TEAM FOR YOUR WORK AND BEING RESPONSIVE. ONE OF THE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I APPRECIATED LAST YEAR WAS THAT WE BROUGHT THE BUDGET OUT TO COMMUNITY. WE HAD A LOT OF TUTORIALS INFORMATIONAL SESSION SESSION SESSIONS.  CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT THE OUTREACH THAT WAS DONE THIS YEAR AROUND GETTING TO GETTING THE BUDGET TEAM OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, LETTING THEM KNOW ABOUT THIS PROCESS AND EDUCATING THEM ABOUT YOU KNOW WHAT THIS 1000 PAGE DOCUMENT IS ? MM HMM. YEAH. GREAT QUESTION. COUNCILOR IN WE'VE WE'VE SORT OF BEEN LEARNING THIS IS WE HAD A COUPLE OF ITERATIONS OF SOME FELLOW COLLEAGUES ON THE ON THE COUNCIL HAVE HELPED PARTICIPATE WITH THAT WHAT WE HAD LISTENING SESSIONS AND WORKSHOPS WE HAVE WE'VE CREATED A LOT OF MATERIAL ON THE WEBSITE ABOUT YOU KNOW HOW YOU CAN ENGAGE ON THE BUDGET. SOME OF IT WE WE TRIED TO MAKE IT AS EVERGREEN AS POSSIBLE, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S USEFUL YEAR ROUND. IT WASN'T A PARTICULAR SET OF WORKSHOPS THAT WE MIGHT HAVE DONE LAST THE FALL OF 22 BUT SIMILAR WE WE TAKE AS MANY AS MUCH FEEDBACK AS WE CAN. WE PARTNER DEEPLY WITH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CABINET ON ON GETTING THAT KIND OF INFORMATION. YEAH I WOULD JUST LOVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT CONTINUES TO BE PART OF THE PROCESS LAST YEAR I KNOW THEY POPPED UP AT OUR LOCAL LIBRARIES YOU KNOW I BELIEVE SOME OF THE CYF CENTERS I THINK GOING FORWARD I MEAN THAT WORKED FOR ME WHEN I ATTENDED SOME OF THOSE WORKSHOPS THEY WERE WELL-ATTENDED AND IT JUST KIND OF CREATES THAT ENERGY THAT'S NEEDED AROUND, YOU KNOW, THIS BUDGET. ABSOLUTELY. AND JUST YOU KNOW, I WAS SAYING THAT COUNCILOR MURPHY, I THINK WE HAVE A REAL OPPORTUNITY WITH PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING TO DO MORE OF THAT AND HAVE THAT BE,  YOU KNOW, A GOOD FEEDBACK LOOP ALL THROUGHOUT THE YEAR NOT JUST IN THE FALL AND WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT INTO OUR BUDGET MAKING DECISIONS AND THEN WHAT ROLE DOES YOU KNOW 311 AND I'M JUST ASSUMING LIKE YOU KNOW GETTING ALL THE CONSTITUENT REQUESTS WHETHER IT'S SPEED HUMPS SPEEDING LIKE HOW DOES THAT INFLUENCE YEAH,  YOU KNOW THE INVESTMENTS THAT WE SEE HERE DEFINITELY SO AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL I MEAN WE AS AN ADMINISTRATION ARE ALWAYS TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING WE'RE DOING IS INFORMED BY WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM RESIDENTS. RIGHT. SO AS YOU KNOW, 311 THEY'RE PART OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CABINET.  YOU KNOW, THEY ARE ON THE GROUND. THEY'RE HEARING WHAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING FOR.  THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, FEEDBACK ING TO MYSELF, TO THE BUDGET TEAM, TO THE MAYOR'S TEAM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE BIG ISSUES. AND SO YOU SEE A LOT OF THAT REFLECTED IN THE TYPES OF ASKS THAT COME FORWARD AND THE TYPES OF YOU KNOW INVESTMENTS THAT WE'RE MAKING THAT ARE MAKING SURE THAT THEY'RE VERY INFORMED BY WHAT IS COMING IN WHETHER IT'S THREE, THREE, ONE ONE OR ANY OTHER SOURCE OF INFORMATION WE HAVE FOR WHAT, YOU KNOW, RESIDENTS REALLY WANT TO SEE, YOU KNOW, THAT'S IT'S IT'S ONE ONE OF THE CONNECTIONS TO THE COMMUNITY BUT WHAT YOU KNOW TO THE STREETS CABINETS WILL SAY THAT'S ONE ELEMENT OF IT BUT THEY ALSO USE THEIR SORT OF PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT TO GO OUT AND SURVEY INTO EVALUATIONS OF CONDITIONS BECAUSE YOU MAYBE NOT EVERYTHING IS BEING CAPTURED IN THE 311 SYSTEM. SO THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE NOT SOMETHING'S NOT SLIPPING THROUGH THE CRACKS AND THEN WHAT EQUITY TOOL DOES A BUDGET TEAM USE AND WHAT ROLE THAT THIS TYPE OF EQUITY PLAY WHEN YOU KNOW DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ARE COMING TO PRESENT THEIR PROPOSAL ABOUT NEW PROGRAMS TO THE BUDGET TEAM NOW WE WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE THE EQUITY CABINET AND WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IT'S IT'S YEAH THEY PARTICIPATE A LOT OF THE BUDGET CONVERSATION HONESTLY SO THEY'RE THEY'RE THEY'RE IN EVERY ONE OF THE BUDGET CONVERSATIONS WITH EVERY CHIEF YES AND THERE'S ALSO A DESIRE TO SORT OF PUSH THAT ORGANIZATION OUT INTO DEPARTMENTS UP, YOU KNOW, STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES SO AWESOME. AND THEN IS THERE A THE ABILITY TO KIND OF SEE WHAT EACH DEPARTMENT HAS REQUESTED FROM THE CITY BECAUSE I'M ASSUMING LIKE THE CHIEF'S COME TO THE BUDGET TEAM THEY HAVE THEIR WISH LIST OF ITEMS OF THEIR NEW PROGRAMS OF THEIR NEW FTE OR NEW GRANT PROGRAMS THAT THEY WANT TO IMPLEMENT AND THEN IT'S YEAH TO CFO AND YOU KNOW YOU DIRECTOR SAYING YES OR NO IS IT POSSIBLE TO SEE THE REQUESTS THAT ARE THAT ARE COMING IN?  WELL I THINK I THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY I DON'T KNOW THAT WE MADE UNILATERAL DECISIONS ON AN ON I KNOW YOU DON'T MAKE UNILATERAL DECISIONS WE DEFINITELY GET A THERE'S A LOT OF FEEDBACK THIS IS A VERY ENGAGED ADMINISTRATION WITH YOU KNOW OH SO IT TENDS TO BE MORE OF AN ITERATIVE CONVERSATION WITH DEPARTMENTS SOMETIMES WE WE DO OUR BEST TO GIVE THEM GUIDANCE TO SORT OF YOU KNOW,  SET SOME PARAMETERS AROUND YOU KNOW, WHERE WE SEE THE FISCAL ENVIRONMENT.  BUT YOU KNOW, IT'S SO SOMETIMES YOU KNOW, THE FIRST CUT AT A REQUEST THEY MIGHT HAVE IS LIKE SOME ERRORS IN THERE OR MISTAKES AND THINGS THAT WE JUST KIND OF WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND JUST SORT OF STRAIGHTEN THOSE OUT, GET GET THEM.  SO IT'S IT'S IT'S REALLY YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THAT THE DEPARTMENT COULD COME DOWN TO THE HEARING. SO YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ALWAYS DO MORE WITH MORE RESOURCES BUT IT'S IT'S I THINK IT JUST YOU YOU HAVE TO ARRIVE WITHIN THE FISCAL CONTEXT THAT WE ARE WHERE THERE IS THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY IN THERE IS IN WITHIN WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT THEY HAVE SOME A MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY TO LIKE REDIRECT SOME RESOURCES WITHIN THEIR APPROPRIATION THEY HAVE THAT AWESOME WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THOSE PROPOSALS TO THE CITY COUNCIL ? WELL WE'LL HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT TO SEE THE QUALITY OF THE SHAPE THERE. YEAH A COUPLE MORE QUESTIONS AND I'LL SAVE MY OTHER QUESTIONS FOR THE SECOND ROUND. CAN YOU EXPLAIN FREE CASH?  YES. SO FREE CASH IS A TERM TO DESCRIBE BASICALLY THE AMOUNT OF KIND OF UNENCUMBERED AVAILABLE CASH AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. SO THE CITY AT THE END OF EVERY YEAR OR HAS A FUND BALANCE IS KIND OF YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF EVERY YEAR AND IF THERE ARE ANY BUDGET SURPLUSES THAT GETS ADDED TO THE CITY'S FUND BALANCE AND THEN THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PLUSES AND MINUSES THAT HIT AGAINST THAT FUND BALANCE, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE RECEIVABLES ON OUR BALANCE SHEET OR LIABILITIES THAT WE HAVE TO PAY OUT. THOSE ARE DIFFERENT PLUSES AND MINUSES AND THEN AT THE END THERE IS AN AMOUNT THAT IS WHAT WE CALL FREE CASH. IT'S LIKE AGAIN THE SUM OF ALL OF THE FREE AND AVAILABLE CASH THAT THE CITY HAS AT THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR WE GO THROUGH A PRETTY RIGOROUS RECERTIFICATION PROCESS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE OR THEIR DIVISION OF LOCAL SERVICES EVERY YEAR TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT AMOUNT IS TRULY FREE AND CLEAR AND AVAILABLE. SO THAT IS IT'S A WE'VE BEEN DIGGING INTO IT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.  IT'S QUITE A BIT OF AN ACCOUNTING EXERCISE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS BUT IT KIND OF ITS MOST BASIC LEVEL IT'S FREE AND AVAILABLE ONE TIME FUNDS AVAILABLE FOR THE CITY AND WHAT WAS THE AMOUNT FOR LAST FISCAL YEAR THE AMOUNT THAT THE CITY CERTIFIED LAST MAY OF 2023 WAS ABOUT $440 MILLION. THANK YOU.  NOW WE'LL GO BACK IN ORDER ARRIVAL FOR QUESTIONING AND STARTING WITH COUNCILOR FLOYD.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR AGAIN. THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM THAT IS HERE. THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING.  I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE BUDGET AND POTENTIALLY THE CHALLENGING ECONOMIC TIMES WE ARE FACING NOW AND WILL BE FACING DOWN THE ROAD AS WELL.  I KNOW YOU REFERENCED IN YOUR OPENING COMMENTS THAT WE HAVE A TREMENDOUS STRENGTH IN BOSTON'S ECONOMY BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE US TO BE PREPARED AS WE FACED DIFFICULT TIMES AHEAD IN COLLEAGUES BROUGHT UP PARTICIPATORY BUDGET OR THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A UNIVERSAL INCOME OR OTHER SPENDING PROGRAMS POTENTIAL PROGRAMS BUT PARTICIPATORY BUDGET RIGHT NOW YOU ARE RECOMMENDING $2.1 MILLION FOR THAT, CORRECT? WHAT IS THE LOWEST AMOUNT YOU COULD GO ON ON THAT ASPECT OF THE BUDGET? ARE YOU ABLE TO HAVE SOMETHING EVEN LOWER THAN THAT OR SO I THINK WE AND JIM FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN. I MEAN THE AMOUNT THAT'S REFLECTED HERE IS CONSISTENT WITH THE AMOUNT NEEDED TO FUND THE STAFF AND THE PROCESS ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING.  SO WE FEEL LIKE IT IS THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT TO DO BOTH THE PROCESS AND MAKE SURE THAT THAT OFFICE IS RESOURCED IN THE LAST YEAR OR IS AT 1.1 OF 1.2. I THINK IT WAS SIMILAR. I THINK IT WAS AT $2 MILLION LAST YEAR. MM.  SO WENT UP ANOTHER 100,000 AND AGAIN IT'S BECAUSE STAFF COSTS INCREASE COMPARED TO THE PRIOR YEAR I MY RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE TO LEVEL FUNDED FROM LAST YEAR IS THE CITY CONSIDERING ANY TYPE OF UNIVERSAL INCOME PROGRAM OVER THE NEXT YEAR OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.  DON'T THINK SO. NO NO. OKAY NO THAT'S NOT THAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET. OKAY. THERE'S NO TALK ABOUT HAVING A UNIVERSAL INCOME PROGRAM SUPPORTED BY NONPROFITS OR FOUNDATIONS IF OTHERS ARE DISCUSSING IT. I'M NOT A PART OF IT BUT THE BUDGET DOESN'T REFLECT ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THAT EITHER. ARE YOU FACTORING IN EVENTUALLY ON REPARATIONS AND WHAT IMPACT THAT COULD EVENTUALLY HAVE ON ON THE BUDGET ESPECIALLY SHORT OR LONG TERM? THE BUDGET DOES INCLUDE ITEMS IN SUPPORT OF REPARATIONS. CAN YOU CAN YOU GO OVER THAT I'M SURE WITHIN THE EQUITY CABINET THERE IS FUNDING FOR THE AND THIS IS ALSO OPPORTUNITIES TO TO LEVERAGE EXTERNAL RESOURCES IN THE LIGHT BASICALLY IS A HUGE PART OF IT . THERE IS A A $50,000 FOR ENGAGEMENT ASSOCIATED WITH THE REPARATIONS PROGRAM INCLUDED THAT'S A NEW INVESTMENT ITEM IN THIS YEAR.  SO THE BUDGET INCLUDES SOME COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH DOING THAT PROCESS. BUT I THINK MAYBE YOUR QUESTION IS KIND OF THE WHAT WILL COME OUT OF THAT PROCESS. THERE'S NOTHING NET NEW IN THIS BUDGET ASSOCIATED WITH KIND OF THE OUTCOMES OF THAT TASK FORCE PROCESS. SO THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE LATER NEXT YEAR IF THEY WANTED TO FUND THAT IT WOULD BE A GO INTO THAT. YEAH I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE TIMING OF THE REPORT IS BUT YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT ASSUMING ANYTHING IS COMING OUT OF THAT REPORT IN THIS BUDGET. LOOK, I MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING WITH WHAT REMOTE WORK HYBRID OPTIONS, HIGH INTEREST RATES DROP IN VALUES OF COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.  I'M ALSO I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SEE THESE ZBA AND BPA COME BACK TO WORK FOR THEIR HEARINGS AS WELL. I THINK IT'S A POSITIVE SIGN WHEN THEY'RE IN WHEN THEY'RE IN THE BUILDING ENGAGING IT ENCOURAGES BUSINESSES IN THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT TO COME BACK TO WORK ALSO HISTORICAL TRENDS AND POTENTIAL CHALLENGES IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AS WELL.  HOW COME WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT CUTTING SPENDING OR SALARIES OR OR NEW PROGRAMS?  THANK YOU. SO WE THINK THE BUDGET AND THE LEVEL OF SPENDING THAT'S INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET IS WHAT'S NECESSARY TO REALLY PRESERVE STABILITY FOR OUR CITY AND STABILITY FOR OUR CITY SERVICES THAT WE ARE NOT GOING INTO SOME DOWNWARD SPIRAL RIGHT THESE MAINTENANCE AND CONTINUATION OF BASIC CITY SERVICES IS REALLY CRITICAL AND IF WE WERE TO CUT BACK ON THOSE WE WOULD SORT OF RISK THE LONG TERM VITALITY OF THE CITY. WE WERE VERY THOUGHTFUL IN THIS BUDGET TO LIMIT NET NEW EXPENSES TO THINGS THAT WERE MOST ESSENTIAL SO THINGS IN PUBLIC SAFETY INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING, YOU KNOW, REALLY DOUBLING DOWN ON SOME OF OUR INVESTMENTS IN BASIC CITY SERVICES WHILE STILL MAINTAINING THE THINGS THAT EXIST TODAY AND ALSO BE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT CREATING NEW ONGOING EXPENDITURES FOR OURSELVES. SO SOME OF THE NET NEW EXPENDITURES ARE ONE TIME IN NATURE AND WILL NOT CONTINUE BUT WE THINK FOR THE MOST PART THE INCREASED SPENDING THAT'S IN THIS BUDGET IS RESPONSIBLE.  IT'S BASED ON RELIABLE REVENUE AND IS NECESSARY TO MAKE SURE THAT BOSTON REMAINS STABLE AND VIBRANT. I KNOW A COUPLE OF MY COLLEAGUES ALREADY MENTIONED THE PILOT PROGRAM. I CALLED FOR A PUBLIC HEARING CITY COUNCIL HEARING ON PILOT WHAT WHAT ARE YOU WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PILOT PROGRAM AS IT RELATES TO ARE YOU CONSIDERING DISMANTLING THE PILOT PROGRAM AND ASKING FOR OR HAVING SOME TYPE OF LAW THAT MANDATES THAT COLLEGES, UNIVERSITIES, HOSPITALS, NONPROFITS PAY TAXES AND NOT NOT FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM. SO THANK YOU. THE BUDGET ASSUMES KIND OF YOU KNOW, NO CHANGE TO THE PILOT PROGRAM AS IT CURRENTLY EXISTS. BUT AS I MENTIONED, THERE ARE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS HAPPENING IN THE ADMINISTRATION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE PROGRAM.  WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE ARE YOU CONSIDERING GETTING RID OF THE PILOT PROGRAM?  NO. NO. SO IT WOULD BE MANDATORY THAT ALL NONPROFITS WOULD HAVE TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE. IT'S IT'S IT'S A VOLUNTARY PROGRAM. NO, I KNOW. I KNOW THAT. BUT I'M SAYING WOULD WOULD YOU ENSURE THAT ALL NONPROFITS WOULD PAY WHAT THE RECOMMENDED FIGURE WOULD BE OR WOULD YOU BE INCREASING THAT FIGURE AND ALSO ENSURING THAT NONPROFITS WOULD PAY THAT RECOMMENDED FIGURE? YEAH. SO WITHOUT BEING SORT OF JIM AND I ARE YOU KNOW, DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN SOME OF THOSE CONVERSATIONS. SO I THINK THAT WARRANTS MAYBE LIKE A FOLLOW UP DISCUSSION THAT WE CAN YOU KNOW PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL I CONTEXT FOR YOU AND KIND OF THE EVOLUTION OR WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION'S THINKING ON PILOT YOU KNOW, 52 OVER 52% OF PROPERTY IN BOSTON IS TAX EXEMPT I BELIEVE AT SOME POINT THERE HAS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE TO PILOT.  SO WHAT ROLE WOULD THE CITY COUNCIL PLAY IN TERMS OF THE PILOT PROGRAM?  YEAH, I'M NOT I, I THINK THAT'S ADVOCACY FOR I MEAN MANY OF THEM ARE ORGANIZATIONS ARE ENTITIES WITHIN CONSTITUENCIES OF COUNCIL SO I'M SURE YOU'LL HEAR IT BOTH AS FROM THEM BEING YOUR CONSTITUENTS AS WELL AS THE SERVICES AND YOU KNOW, THE BOSTON'S ECONOMY.  I THINK THE RECENT SALE OF A HOTEL THEY TALKED ABOUT ALL THE VALUE IN THE MARKETPLACE THAT BOSTON BRINGS. SO YOU HAVE TO EDUCATE. WE ALWAYS SAY IT'S IMMENSE EDUCATION, MEDICAL, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE ARE ELEMENTS OF THE ECONOMY THAT WE WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE VIBRANCY OF THE ECONOMY AND MAKE IT MORE DIVERSE. SO IT'S IT'S IT IS IT'S A THERE ARE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WANT TO GET OUR FAIR SHARE OF THEIR CONTRIBUTION, RECOGNIZE THE BENEFITS THEY GET FROM CITY GOVERNMENT FOR FOR BEING IN OUR CITY. WE ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THEY THEY CONTRIBUTE TO THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF THE CITY THROUGH YOU KNOW, PEOPLE COMING IN AND VISITING THEIR THEIR CHILDREN AND PARENTS WEEKEND OR COMING IN FOR A MEDICAL PROCEDURE. YOU KNOW, FROM ANOTHER PART OF THE WORLD OF THE COUNTRY. SO THOSE ARE THOSE ARE BENEFICIAL THINGS TO THESE NONPROFIT SECTORS. ARE YOU IS THE CITY CONSIDERING OTHER REVENUE OPTIONS SUCH AS INCREASING THE THE PARKING FEE AT METERS? I KNOW WE'RE MOVING TO MOVE THE TECHNOLOGY. YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THESE ARE EMERGING WE MOVE FROM YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CARRYING QUARTERS AROUND TO LIKE I THINK IT WAS REPORTED I WAS READING YOUR PAPERS AND WE THINK 90% AND IT'S EVEN EVOLVED IN THE IN THE PANDEMIC PERIOD OF LIKE WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE PARKING REVENUE IS THE CITY IS STILL MANDATED TO PROVIDE A CASH OPTION FOR FOR RESIDENTS BUT THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY ARE USING DIFFERENT I THINK I THINK THERE'S OTHER TECHNOLOGY ELEMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE INTRODUCED TO THAT. I THINK MY TIME IS UP. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU BECAUSE I USE THIS ONE. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU AGAIN TO JIM, TO ASHLEY, OUR CFO AND DIRECTOR FOR BEING HERE AND ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS. I JUST WANTED TO FOLLOW UP ON A QUESTION THAT COWEN, THE CHAIR, ASKED ABOUT FREE CASH THE $404 MILLION IN FREE CASH IS THAT A ROLLING IS THAT A RUNNING AMOUNT FROM FISCAL YEAR 2022 OR IS IT RESETTING SO IT HAS TO BE RECERTIFIED EVERY YEAR SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE BANK IT AND THEN LIKE WE ADD MORE TO IT EVERY YEAR SO IT'S IT'S A ROLLING AMOUNT. SO YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR'S CERTIFICATION COULD INCLUDE SOME OF LAST YEAR'S BALANCE BUT IT HAS TO BE COMPLETELY RECERTIFIED AND RUN THROUGH AGAIN THOSE PLUSES AND MINUSES TO ARRIVE AT A NEW FREE CASH BALANCE. OKAY.  AND AGAIN, CAN CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO I'M SPEAKING IN BOTH MY CAN YOU JUST SPEAK TO WHAT WHAT WE ARE PERMITTED TO USE IT FOR? YEAH. SO THE CITY DOES HAVE A FREE CASH FUND BALANCE AND FREE CASH POLICY GENERALLY THE POLICY STATES THAT BECAUSE IT IS ONE TIME MONEY IT SHOULD BE SPENT ON ONE TIME THINGS. I THINK THE POLICY EXPLICITLY STATES USAGES FOR PENSION AND OPEB AND OTHER ONE TIME EXPENSES AS CERTIFIED BY THE CITY AUDITOR. SO IN THE BUDGET EACH YEAR WE APPROPRIATE SOME OF IT TOWARD OUR OPEB CONTRIBUTIONS. SO YOU SEE THAT $40 MILLION WE APPROPRIATE ANNUALLY WE ASSUME THAT THAT IS COMING OUT OF OUR FREE CASH BALANCE BUT AND THAT'S A GREAT ONE TIME USE RIGHT IT'S KIND OF A CHOICE THAT WE CAN DECIDE TO APPROPRIATE THAT TOWARD AND THERE ARE 8 MILLION DO YOU SAID THERE ARE $8 MILLION IN NEW IN WAS IT NEW INVESTMENTS RIGHT IN WITH THAT IS THAT COMING OUT OF FREE CASH? NOPE SO THAT'S COMING OUT OF GENERAL OPERATING REVENUE BUT YES, ABOUT $6 MILLION OF OUR $23 MILLION OF NEW INVESTMENTS ARE THINGS THAT WE WOULD CERTIFY OR SAY ARE ONE TIME AND IT'S THAT'S COMING OUT OF THE OC UM SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP OPEB WE ARE STILL IN LINE TO MEET OUR OBLIGATION TO FULLY FUND BY 2027 OUR PENSION OBLIGATIONS SO YES OUR EMPLOYEE PENSION OBLIGATION ON THE CURRENT SCHEDULE IS OUT THAT WILL BE FULLY FUNDED BY 2027. WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF A REVALUE ZATION AT THIS POINT SO WE'LL SEE. YOU KNOW WHAT THE UNFUNDED LIABILITY IS AT THE END OF THAT BUT THE BUDGET REFLECTS YOU KNOW ADHERING TO THAT SCHEDULE OF 2027 OPEB IS A MUCH BIGGER LONGER TERM ISSUE. WE DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF WE HAVE A FIXED SCHEDULE OR WE CERTAINLY DON'T NOW BUT OUR EXPECTATION AND OUR INTENTION IS THAT ONCE WE ARE ABLE TO FULLY FUND OUR UNFUNDED PENSION OBLIGATION THAT WE CAN KIND OF LIKE TURN THE JETS ON TO OPEB AND START TO MAKE SOME PROGRESS ON THAT LIABILITY WHICH IS UPWARDS OF $2 BILLION. THANK YOU.  AND YOU KNOW, CRITICISM OR CRITICISM, YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT LIKE WHETHER IT LOOKS LIKE US RIGHT SIZE. BUT I DO THINK IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN I REALLY SORT OF IN THIS POSITION OF THAT LARGE CITY COUNCIL AS PRESIDENT THE COUNCIL IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO BE COMPARING HOW WE'RE DOING AGAINST IT ACROSS OTHER CITIES TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING AND AND AND HOW ARE WE LIGHTING UP WITH HOW OTHER MAJOR CITIES ARE TACKLING LIKE NONE OF THESE ARE LIKE UNIQUELY BLACKSTONE ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING BUT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR OUR PENSION OBLIGATIONS IT'S PRETTY IMPRESSIVE COMPARATIVELY TO OTHER CITIES. YES OUR ABILITY TO MEET THAT. SO I JUST WANTED TO TO STATE THAT AND TO SALUTE THE CITY ON GETTING THAT RIGHT. I THINK I THINK IT'S REALLY I THINK IT'S A IT'S A IT'S A REFLECTION ON OUR FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP AND ON OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR CITY EMPLOYEES.  I WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT THAT I WAS THANK YOU. YOU MENTIONED IT SO I WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHTED I DO HAVE IS THERE ANYTHING NO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. OKAY. TWO QUESTIONS REGARDING STATE AID ON PAGE 2022 OF THIS BUDGET BOOK IT TALKS ABOUT THE DECLINE IN STATE AID BUT IT ATTRIBUTED TO THE CHARTER TUITION ASSESSMENT AND TO THE REDUCTION IN THE CHARTER TUITION REIMBURSEMENT. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT? I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ASKED BUT JUST MORE POINTEDLY. YES. SO WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT A STATE AID AND A NET STATE AID COMPARISON. SO ALTHOUGH STATE AID MAY GROW INCREMENTALLY YEAR OVER YEAR,  OUR ASSESSMENT MAY GROW AT A DIFFERENT PERCENTAGE. SO ON A NET BASIS WE MAY BE, YOU KNOW, NOT ANY BETTER OFF OF THE WORSE OFF THAN WE WERE THE YEAR BEFORE BECAUSE WE NOW HAVE TO COVER THAT AS THOSE ASSESSMENTS. OKAY.  AND THEN LASTLY I THINK COUNTER-ISIL LETTER MENTIONED A LITTLE BIT WE HAVE A LINKED DEPOSIT ORDINANCE THAT BASICALLY PUTS REQUIREMENTS ON BANKS THAT RECEIVE CITY DEPOSIT IDS.  DO YOU KNOW HOW WELL WE'RE DOING WITH LIKE FOLLOWING THE LINKED DEPOSIT ORDINANCE WITH MAKING SURE THAT OUR BANKS THAT ARE HOLDING CITY MONIES IN CITY FUNDS ARE ACTUALLY INVESTING REINVESTING IN COMMUNITY? YEAH, I'M HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP ON THE ORDINANCE SPECIFICALLY I WILL YOU KNOW MY UNDERSTANDING OF KIND OF WHERE A LOT OF OUR CASH SITS RIGHT NOW IT'S IT'S IN OH MY GOSH I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME IT'S A MDT SORRY ON THE FLY THINKING ABOUT OUR CASH DEPOSITS A LOT OF OUR CASH IS SORT OF POOLED IN THIS MUNICIPAL DEPOSITORY THAT WE POOL WITH OTHER MUNICIPALITIES IN THE IN THE COMMONWEALTH WE DO HAVE SOME AMOUNT OF OUR CASH THAT IS INVESTED IN COMMUNITY BANKS AS WELL SO I'M CERTAINLY HAPPY TO FOLLOW UP WITH MORE INFORMATION ON SORT OF HOW WE TRACK AND KIND OF HOW MUCH IS IN THOSE COMMUNITY BANKS AND HOW WE TRACK THEIR ADHERENCE WITH THAT LINKED DEPOSIT ORDINANCE. THANK YOU. I'M PRETTY SURE THAT WITH THE ORDINANCE IT'S LIKE IT'S A REQUIREMENT FOR ANY FOR ANY BANK THAT HOLDS OUR DEPOSITS AND NOT NOT JUST FOR COMMUNITY BANKS AND I MEAN THIS IS A IT'S A LEADING QUESTION BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE'RE NOT DOING A GOOD JOB. I SAY THANK YOU.  THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT COUNCIL BRAIDING THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  LET'S SEE I'M LOOKING AT THE GENERAL FUND THE APPROPRIATIONS FOR CABINET BY CABINET AND DEPARTMENT AND I SEE THAT THERE'S NOTABLE REDUCTIONS IN ELECTIONS FAIR HOUSING, FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT AND HUMAN SERVICES AND INCREASES OBVIOUSLY AND DPS PLANNING DEPARTMENT. DOES IT SEND YOU NEW A NEW DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY AND ALSO EQUITY?  SO I'M REALLY CONCERNED GIVEN THE POLITICAL CLIMATE RIGHT NOW AND THE THAT THIS IS A PRESIDENTIAL YEAR THAT WE ARE CUTTING THE FINALLY THE ELECTION DEPARTMENT'S BUDGET A GREAT QUESTION COUNCIL THAT THAT THAT'S A REFLECTIVE OF THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR HAS THREE ELECTIONS AND NEXT YEAR IS THE TWO ELECTIONS SO BUT IT COMPLETELY FUNDS THE REQUIRED SORT OF STAFFING COMPLEMENT TO EXECUTE A LOT BECAUSE WE HAVE ONLY TWO ELECTIONS THIS YEAR BUT THREE NEXT YEAR. YEAH WE HAVE THREE IN THE CURRENT BUDGET. YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOPEFULLY GOING TO SEE HUGE TURNOUT THIS YEAR MAYBE HOPEFULLY 30 40% OF THE ELECTORATE WOULD LIKE TO GET OFF THEIR BACKSIDE SINGLE VOTE BE NICE. AND THEN JUST REAL QUICK ON PROCUREMENT THAT DECREASE YOU'RE SEEING THAT THERE WAS A ONE TIME INVESTMENT MADE IN THE PRIOR FISCAL YEAR FOR SOME SORT OF ONE TIME OFFICE RENOVATIONS AND SO THAT'S NOT ASSUMED TO CONTINUE RIGHT THEN I'M ALSO LOOKING AT THE A I REALLY GET TO SOME INSIGHT INTO CAPITAL BUDGETING LIKE WE APPROPRIATE MONEY EVERY YEAR FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND THERE'S A NOTIONAL SPACE WHERE YOU SAY THIS IS GOING TO GO TO THIS BUT VERY OFTEN WE FIND THAT THINGS ARE IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET FOR YEARS ON END AND THE NEVER ACTUALLY GETS EXECUTED. SO IT'S VERY HARD FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND AND I'M SURE IT'S INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT FOR OUR RESIDENTS AND CONSTITUENTS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE CAPITAL BUDGETING PROCESS WORKS. WE PUT MONEY IN OUR DISTRICT. WE'RE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE HEAP LIKE I THINK IT'S 5046 MILLION THIS YEAR. SOME OF THE PROJECTS ARE ACTUALLY COMPLETED ALREADY SO WE SHOULDN'T EVEN BE IN THERE AND IT'S JUST THAT YEAR ON YEAR LIKE A FIVE YEAR ROLL OUT LIKE WHEN DO THINGS THINGS FALL OFF LIKE THEY DISAPPEAR. THERE WERE ON THE LIST A FEW YEARS AGO AND THEN THEY'RE GONE BUT THEY'RE STILL LONG COMPLETED OR THERE'S STILL A PROJECT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT NEEDS ATTENTION.  I'D JUST LOVE TO GET SOME INSIGHT INTO THAT. YES.  YES. WITH THE CAPITAL WE RECAST THE FIVE YEAR PLAN AND RELEASE AND SO IN THE PROJECT WE YOU KNOW, ULTIMATELY ARE SORT OF CUSTOMER DEPARTMENTS SOMETIMES SET THE PRIORITIES ON ON PROJECT BECAUSE REALLY WHEN YOU GET TO THE END OF IT IT'S IT'S THESE ARE ASSETS TO SUPPORT THE DELIVERY OF CITY SERVICES OR ALLOW FOR THE EFFICIENT MOVEMENT OF OF RESIDENTS AROUND THE CITY SO IN TERMS OF FACILITIES WE THINK OF THEM AS A TOOL TO AN END AND WE WE ARE WORKING THROUGH SO IT INCLUDES BOTH FEEDBACK FROM THE OPERATIONAL DEPARTMENTS BUT ALSO THE PROFESSIONAL AGENCIES CHARGED WITH EXECUTING THOSE PROJECTS.  LAST, THERE'S AN ELEMENT OF SCHEDULING THAT HOW YOU CAN INSTITUTE AND TO BE QUITE CANDID TO THIS DAY YOU STAY WITHIN THE FINANCING PARAMETERS YOU NEED TO STAY WITHIN YOUR FINANCING PARAMETERS. SO YEAH, ALL OF THOSE ELEMENTS TOGETHER PRIORITIZATION BY DEPARTMENTS, PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND SCHEDULING IN THE IN THE FINANCING ALL PLAY INTO HOW SOMETHING EFFICIENTLY FLOWS THROUGH THAT THROUGH CAPITAL. AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO GO TO THE TREASURY FINANCE IT SEEMS LIKE TREASURY FINANCE AS A WHOLE NEW DEPARTMENT IS SOME OF IT'S PROGRAM DESCRIPTION. THE FINANCE PROGRAM ORGANIZES PLANS AND DIRECTS THE CITY'S FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES INCLUDING HOW IT BORROWS MONEY, INVEST CASH, EXPAND ITS FINANCIAL PLANNING CAPACITY, EXPANDS ITS FINANCIAL KEY FUNCTIONS TO INCLUDE ALTERNATIVE FINANCE,  FINANCIAL PLANNING, BLAH BLAH. CASH FLOW FORECASTING IS THAT A NEW THAT'S A NEW DEPARTMENT, A NEW SECTION IT'S IT'S NOT NEW THAT IT'S A FUNCTION THAT USED TO EXIST IN MY OFFICE AND THE CFO IS OFFICE AND WE HAVE REORG TO THAT TO BE UNDER TREASURY NOW.  OKAY. AND THAT'S SORT OF LIKE A FUND MANAGER TYPE ROLE THAT THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY A FUND MANAGING BUT HELPING TO IDENTIFY SORT OF CREATIVE WAYS TO FINANCE THINGS. RIGHT. WHETHER IT'S THROUGH, YOU KNOW, UNIQUE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, THEY'RE SORT OF TASKED WITH SOME OF THOSE MORE, YOU KNOW, NON GO BOND FUNDED TYPE OF PROJECTS AND LET'S SEE I'M ALSO LOOKING AT THE TRUST CENTER WE HAD THE FOLKS FROM THE THE CEMETERY DIVISION IN THE OTHER DAY TO TALK ABOUT THIS AT 250 TESTIMONY TESTAMENTARY TRUSTS IT SEEMS LIKE THE THE THE FUNDING PERSONNEL'S PERSONNEL SERVICES FOR THEM MANAGEMENT OF THOSE TRUSTS IS EXTREMELY LOW IT'S 1400 DOLLARS THIS IS HOW HOW'S THAT WORK OUT THE TRUST UNIT WITHIN TREASURY ARE BY AND LARGE IS FUNDED ON THE ON THE TRUST THROUGH THE PROCEEDS OF THE TRUST. SO THE DOLLARS THAT ARE THERE ARE PROBABLY SOME THERE'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE BUILT INTO THE STRUCTURE EXACTLY SO THEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO BUDGET FOR IN THE CITY BUDGET RIGHT SO THEY'RE YEAH THE TRUST TEAM IS CHARGING THEIR ADMINISTRATIVE TIME TO THE VARIOUS CITY TRUSTS THAT WE HAVE. OKAY THIS IS A LOT THEM YOU KNOW SOME OF THEM ARE VERY SMALL SOME OF THEM ARE SIGNATORIES AGAIN BACK TO WHAT IS PERHAPS TOO MANY BITS OF PAPER HERE AND BACK TO THE LEANNE'S REVENUE DETAIL.  THE LEAGUE CODE ENFORCEMENT GLEANED FOR TRASH IS IN 2022 IT WAS LIKE 15 1,569,000 AND NOW IT'S YOU'RE ANTICIPATING THIS YEAR IT WOULD BE 1,200,000 LIKE I THINK WE'RE BACK TO THIS WE HAVE TO CRACK THIS LEGAL ISSUE . WE CANNOT JUST LEAVE THIS THESE BAD ACTORS DO CODE VIOLATIONS AND NEVER HAVE ANY CONSEQUENCES. SO I'M JUST WONDERING HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY STOP TALKING ABOUT THIS AND ACTUALLY GET TO SOME ACTION BECAUSE WE'RE LEAVING A LOT OF MONEY ON THE TABLE IN TERMS OF LEADS, OUTSTANDING LEADS AND OUTSTANDING FINES. AND THEN I'M CURIOUS ALSO ABOUT THE MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE LIKE IT'S IT'S DROPPED FROM 2022 AS WELL. WHAT'S THE EXPLANATION FOR THAT? ARE WE SEEING FEWER CARS OR WHAT'S THE STORY WITH MOTOR VEHICLE EXCISE?  I THINK TIP I THINK DURING THE THE PANDEMIC THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN UPSURGE AN UPTICK IN VEHICLE PURCHASES BUT WE WE ARE I THINK IN 23 WE ALMOST BROUGHT IN 60 MILLION SO WE'RE CONSERVATIVELY REFLECTING YOU KNOW A NUMBER IN THAT RANGE. MM ALL NO CONSTABLE FRIEND WAS TALKING ABOUT THE PILOT PROGRAM I UNDERSTAND THAT AND AS A CHAIR OF THE PILOT COMMITTEE I KNOW THERE'S ONGOING CONVERSATIONS WITH THE BIG INSTITUTIONS AND WHAT IN TERMS OF PUT PUSHING THAT LIKE WE CAN JUST LET IT GO INDEFINITELY WE'D REALLY LIKE TO GET SOME GET TO SOME COMPLETION ON THAT I, I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK AS THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE BUT IT'S REALLY THE BALL IS REALLY IN THE ADMINISTRATION'S COURT IN TERMS OF NEGOTIATING WITH THE WILL WITH THE BIG INSTITUTIONS AND THEN LEAVE IT AT THAT I DON'T KNOW. WE NEED TO GET INTO THE DETAILS AND THEN OBM GRANTS ADMINISTRATION WENT FROM AGERO TO OBM AND WILL THAT PROCESS INTO BRING ALL THE GRANTS ADMINISTRATION IN UNDER ONE ONE ROOF OR I KNOW SOME DEPARTMENTS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS IT'S THE MANAGEMENT OFTEN IS IS AS YOU SAY THERE ARE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HOUSING AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION THAT KNOW THOSE FEDERAL REGS BETTER THAN THAT ANYBODY IN ITS EVEN WITHIN THE CENTRAL DEPARTMENTS THERE IS A COLLABORATION SO THERE'S A GRANTS MONITORING UNIT AND THE AUDITING DEPARTMENT THEY SHEPHERD THE GRANTS THROUGH THE SINGLE AUDIT PROCESS.  RJR STILL CONTINUES TO PLAY A ROLE FACILITATING IN COORDINATION WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES THAT NEED TO PARTICIPATE IN OUR GRANT. BUT WE DO WE DO HAVE OF THE FUNCTIONS THAT SORT OF YOU'RE SORT OF SHEPHERDING DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE REALLY GOOD AT IT. YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS IN MAYBE STEERING SOME DEPARTMENTS THAT DON'T HAVE A LOT OF CAPACITY HELPING THEM A LITTLE BIT WITH THAT AND ACTUALLY YOU TALKED ABOUT EARLIER WE TRY TO MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES COMING FROM SOME OF THESE FEDERAL SORT OF STIMULUS FUNDS AND FINDING THE MONEY AND THEN REPORTING IT THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, IS PART OF OUR CODE AND OUR CODE OF ORDINANCES IS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE THE INTERNAL FRAMEWORK AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE OPERATION OF CITY GOVERNMENT AND WE REALLY DON'T REALLY TALK ABOUT THIS ADMINISTRATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT ANYMORE. BUT IT IS SORT OF THAT LIKE UMBRELLA LIKE BRING IN GUYS BRING IN DO IT DO IT USED TO BE ON UNDER MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SERVICES.  IS THERE IS IT A WAY TO INCREASE EFFICIENCIES WITHIN ADMINISTRATION BY REALLY SORT OF STANDING THAT DEPARTMENT UP MORE AND AND BRINGING BRINGING EVERYTHING IN UNDER YOU KNOW GRANTS ADMIN GRANT ADMINISTRATOR OBVIOUSLY SOME DEPARTMENTS ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS BUT RESEARCH THAT DEMOGRAPHY LIKE I THINK HOPEFULLY THE NEW DEPARTMENT OR NEW PLANNING DEPARTMENT WILL DO REALLY ROBUST DEMOGRAPHY RESEARCH ETC. OUR GUYS FOR MAPPING AND UNDERSTANDING ALL OF OUR ASSETS ACROSS THE CITY LIKE IS THERE ANY WHY DID WE GO AWAY FROM THAT SORT OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENT MODEL AND WAS STILL ON THE BOOKS BUT WE DON'T REALLY USE IT. YEAH I THINK IT'S STILL THE WAY WE'VE BEEN ORGANIZED AS A CABINET SORT OF STRUCTURE AND THE ELEMENTS OF THE OLD ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENT ARE STILL PRESENT IN DIFFERENT STRUCTURES BUT EFFECTIVELY BUT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO STREAMLINE ACTUALLY THE MOVEMENT OF OF EXTERNAL RESOURCES FROM MY JOB AT IBM WAS IT TO ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES SORT OF YOU KNOW OUR GOAL TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT BECAUSE ONE THING YEAH THANK YOU THANK YOU COUNSELOR BREADON WE'LL COME BACK AROUND IF YOU HAVE A THIRD ROUND OF QUESTIONS. COUNCIL VICE CHAIR PEPEN CLOSURES.  THANK YOU, CHAIR UM, AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND ANSWERING ALL OF OUR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU TO THE TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR AND ASKING QUESTIONS THAT I HAD ALREADY BUT I HAVE TO TWO QUESTIONS THAT I WANT TO BRING UP AS REGARDS FOR OUR CITY EMPLOYEES HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT OUR MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES AND I'M THINKING ABOUT THOSE THREE WILL ONE CALL TAKERS OUR CITY COUNCIL STAFFERS SO THAT THEY CAN RECEIVE A LIVABLE WAGE IN OUR CITY? I MEAN THEY ARE TODAY WE'RE RECEIVING JUST RECENTLY I BELIEVE THERE WAS AN ARTICLE THAT SAID FOR YOU TO LIVE COMFORTABLY AS A FAMILY OF FOUR IN MASSACHUSETTS YOU HAVE TO MAKE $300,000. I DON'T KNOW WHAT COMFORTABLY IS BUT HOW DO WE WHAT STEPS ARE WE TAKING AS A AS A CITY TO ENSURE THAT I CAN START AND THEN OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, MANY OF OUR EMPLOYEES ARE REPRESENTED BY UNIONS AND SO THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROCESS WE'RE ABLE TO DO A LOT OF THAT NEGOTIATION. AND I THINK ONE THING THE ADMINISTRATION IS PARTICULARLY PROUD OF IS IN THIS MOST RECENT ROUND OF LABOR NEGOTIATIONS THAT WE'RE IN, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO REALLY TARGET MORE RELIEF THAN NORMAL THAN YOU WOULD NORMALLY SEE TO THOSE MAKING, YOU KNOW, LESS THAN 60,000. SO WE'RE REALLY PUTTING AN INTENTIONAL EFFORT AROUND DEDICATING MORE OF THE CITY'S RESOURCES TO THOSE LOWER WAGE EMPLOYEES AND HAS, YOU KNOW, IF THE CITY HAS EVER CONSIDERED OR WE ARE EXPLORING THE IDEA OF THE CITY WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAM.  SO I THINK THROUGH ARPA THERE WERE SOME RESOURCES SET ASIDE FOR AN EMERGENCY HOUSING PROGRAM SO THAT IS STILL SORT OF IN ITS PILOT PHASE THAT IS RUN THE PEOPLE OPERATIONS CABINET AND SO THEY COULD GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE OF AN UPDATE ON HOW THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN GOING BUT IT SOMETHING THAT WE PILOTED WITH ARPA FUNDS. THANK YOU.  YOU KNOW ON THE CITY'S APPROPRIATION IS DONE THROUGH THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING PROCESS THERE IS THE HOUSING TRUST. IT'S A LINE UP IN THE BUDGET WHICH TAKES FROM THE UNIONS THAT PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM . IT MAY BE DIRECTED TO SUPPORT WORKFORCE HOUSING. GOTCHA.  OKAY. THAT'S IT FOR ME NOW. THANK YOU. THANK VICE CHAIR.  NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. OKAY. JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM RESET MY TIMER AT CFO.  I THINK YOU SAID IN THE PAST THAT YOU WORKED IN THE CITY WHERE YOU HAD A MULTIYEAR BUDGET. YES. ANY THOUGHT RIGHT ON BRINGING A MULTI-YEAR BUDGET HERE TO THE CITY OF BOSTON AND IF ANY CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT AND,  HOW WOULD THAT WORK? AND I THINK IT WOULD JUST BE GREAT FOR US ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW,  REVENUE AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES AND BELT TIGHTENING ,YOU KNOW, AS BEING ABLE TO SEE THE WHOLE ENTIRE LANDSCAPE. SO YES, ANY THOUGHTS ON HOW OR IF THAT'S THE CONVERSATION THAT'S HAPPENING NOW ABOUT MULTIYEAR OUR OPERATING BUDGET? SURE. SO YOU'RE RIGHT. I CAME THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO AND THEY DID ROLLING TWO YEAR BUDGETS SO YOU WOULD REVISIT THE SECOND YEAR OF THAT BUDGET EVERY YEAR SO IT WASN'T LOCKED IN STONE BUT THE REAL FEATURE AND BENEFIT OF DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS THAT YOU AS LEGISLATORS AND YOU KNOW THE MAYOR AND THE PUBLIC CAN REALLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF THE CHOICES THEY MAKE TODAY AND HOW THAT IMPACTS NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET AND THE YEAR AFTER THAT. ONE THING THAT WE DO HERE IN THE CITY WHICH I THINK IS REALLY EFFECTIVE IS WE DO YOU KNOW, AT LEAST A MULTIYEAR BUDGET FORECAST EVERY FALL WE PRODUCE AND PUBLISH AN UPDATED TWO YEAR FORECAST FOR THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR AND THE YEAR BUDGET FORECASTING THE FURTHER OUT YOU GO YOU KNOW THE ACCURACY GETS LESS AND YOU GET LESS AND LESS ACCURATE. BUT WE DO YOU KNOW IN THE WAY THAT THE IN SAN FRANCISCO THAT KIND OF TWO YEAR BUDGETING WAS A REQUIREMENT AND BY LAW I THINK YOU GET THE SAME BENEFIT OF DOING THAT THROUGH BUDGET FORECASTING AND SO IT'S SOMETHING WE DO HERE IN THE CITY.  IT'S SOMETHING WE CONTINUE TO DO IN THE FINANCE CABINET AND IN COLLABORATION WITH ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS AND OBM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE REALLY UNDERSTANDING HOW OUR CHOICES TODAY ARE PLAYING OUT THE LONG TERM. SO WE STILL LOVE THE IDEA.  I DON'T KNOW IF JIM WOULD AGREE WITH ME NOW BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, RIGHT? IT'S YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I CAN'T EMPHASIZE ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT IT IS AND I THINK SOMETIMES IN THE MOMENT IT CAN FEEL REALLY EASY TO ALLOCATE ONE TIME RESOURCES TO PLUG A HOLE. RIGHT. BUT YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR YOU'RE JUST CREATING A PROBLEM FOR YOURSELF. SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE THINK ABOUT A LOT AND REALLY BASED A LOT OF OUR DECISION MAKING AROUND US AND DIRECTOR GO I WILL LEAVE IT TO OTHERS JUST TO EVALUATE THE POLICY OF A MULTI-YEAR BUDGET BUT TO THE POINT IS A REGULAR OPERATIONAL ENGAGEMENT WITH DEPARTMENTS WHEN THEY SAY OH WE HAVE THIS MONEY I THINK WE HAVE THAT DISCUSSION TO SAY WHERE DOES THAT ANNUAL RS ON ON THE NEXT YEAR TAKES US SO YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME MONEY IN THE THIRD QUARTER OF THE FISCAL YEAR BUT IS THAT GOING TO BE AVAILABLE? WHAT'S IT'S ANNUALIZED THAT'S SO YOU GUYS KIND OF DO IT ALL RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT A LITTLE BIT, YES. AND THEN DO YOU GUYS TALK TO ME ABOUT DEPARTMENT THAT YOU HAVE SEEN OVER THE LAST THREE MAYBE TO LIKE FIVE YEARS THAT HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY OVER BUDGETED THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, NOT SPENT, YOU KNOW, A TOTAL WE WE REALLY TRY TO BELIEVE THAT OUR ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET SHOULD BE A REFLECTION OF WHAT THEIR COSTS ARE FOR DELIVERING THOSE SERVICES.  RIGHT. BUT IN SOME DEPARTMENTS STACK FOR SOME LIGHT ITEMS AT ALL THAT MIGHT NOT GO THAT MIGHT NOT THAT MIGHT BE OVER BUDGETED. YEAH IT'S IT'S SOME SOME THINGS ARE IT'S WE'RE IT'S A BUDGET BASED ON PEOPLE AND PEOPLE ARE IT'S NOT A LINEAR THING SO SOMETIMES THERE ARE SURPLUSES BECAUSE OF VACANCIES OR SOMETIMES THERE'S LITTLE PATTERNS OF VACANCY AND ANY ANY ANY DEPARTMENTS THAT OR ANY LINE ITEM FROM A DEPARTMENT THAT HAS YOU KNOW MAYBE THE LAST TWO YEARS, THREE YEARS THAT IS BECOME A PATTERN.  I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S LIKE A CONSISTENT PATTERN BECAUSE WE TEND TO PUSH THAT ON THE DEPARTMENT WHEN THEY REQUESTED BUDGET SAYING WELL MAYBE LIKE TWO YEARS TO SAY A TWO YEAR PATTERN.  YEAH I HAVEN'T I HAVEN'T ESTABLISHED A CONCRETE PATTERN TO TO THAT LETTER. WELL WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO US ANY DEPARTMENT THAT HAS UNDER SPEND FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. YEAH I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE RFI PACKAGE AND WE WILL. OKAY YEAH NOT PERFECT AND YES WE TALK A LOT ABOUT TRACKING OUTCOMES ON EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT BEEPS BUT HOW WE HOW DO WE EVALUATE CITYWIDE PROGRAMS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WORK, WHAT WORKS, WHAT DOESN'T WORK AND HOW DOES THAT WORKING TO YOUR PROCESS WHEN YOU'RE MEETING WITH DEPARTMENT HAS INCHES YEAH NO IT'S THAT'S THAT'S AN ISSUE THAT WAY SO SOMETIMES IT'S MORE PROGRAMMATIC LIKE THE DEPARTMENT MADE A REQUEST IT'S LIKE WE'RE ON HERE WITH OUR REQUEST. HAVE YOU EXECUTED IT IF IT'S A CONTRACTUAL SITUATION THAT THE RFP IS FINISHED YOU HAVE HAVE THE STAFF THAT YOU ARTICULATE HAVE BEEN HIRED. SO THOSE ARE A MORE BASIC BUT THEN THERE'S LIKE A THROUGH OPERATIONAL THING SOME THINGS HAVE BEEN SORT OF MEASURED IN THEIR VERY COMPARABLE ACROSS JURISDICTIONS WHETHER IT BE YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW PUBLIC SAFETY METRICS OR BUT THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE YOU KNOW, GOALS AND TARGETS THAT ARE BEING EVALUATED IT'S 5311 LIKE HOW LONG IT TAKES TO TO TO TO IMPLEMENT A POTHOLE AND SOMETIMES DEPARTMENT WILL COME AND SAY YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE WE COULD TRANSLATE THIS INTO THIS THIS LEVEL OF SERVICE OUTPUT AND YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE WE AGREE WE TAKE THAT LEAP AND FUND THAT AND WE CHECK BACK IN AND SAY DID IT ACTUALLY ACHIEVE THE INTENDED I GUESS MY QUESTION IS MORE LIKE ARE WE EVALUATED IN INVESTMENTS TO SEE IF THEY'RE MAKING THE IMPACT THAT THEY WERE INTENDED TO MAKE? THAT'S THAT THAT IS THE GOAL TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY INVESTMENT ACHIEVES THE INTENDED GOAL AND WE ASK FOR METRICS WHEN THEY FOR THINGS LIKE WHAT WHAT IS WHAT NEEDLE ARE YOU TRYING TO MOVE YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO LIKE? SOME OF IT IS IS YEAH AND I WAS GOING THINK PROCESS WISE SO YOU KNOW WE'LL FINISH THE BUDGET UP JUNE JULY AND THEN IN THE FALL THE BUDGET TEAM IS BRINGING DEPARTMENTS IN FOR STATUS UPDATES AND CHECK INS. YOU KNOW YOU YOU GOT THIS IN THE BUDGET. HOW ARE YOU DOING?  ARE YOU MAKING PROGRESS TOWARDS RAMPING UP OR AND THEN YOU KNOW NOT EVEN JUST ON THE INVESTMENTS THAT THEY GOT IN THE MOST RECENT BUDGET BUT THE INVESTMENTS YOU GOT IN THE BUDGET BEFORE THAT TOO. SO THERE IS YOU KNOW, BAKED INTO OUR PROCESS THIS CONSTANT UPDATING AND ACCOUNTABILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE INVESTED IN ARE DELIVERING RESULTS AND IF THEY'RE NOT, HOW DO WE PIVOT AWAY AND MOVE THEM TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, HIGHER AND BEST USE? OH OKAY. AND THEN WANT TO THINK YOU KNOW THE WHOLE OBM FOR INCORPORATING YOU KNOW THE BUBBLES INSIDE THE NECESSARY OH WE CAN PUSH THAT OUT ACROSS THE HOPE YOU KNOW MAYBE THE FIRST FEW PAGES OF THE BUDGET BUT ADDITIONALLY I, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU KNOW MORE INFORMATION ON THE PROGRAM PROGRAM LEVEL LINE FOR EACH DEPARTMENT RIGHT.  LIKE WHAT EACH DEPARTMENT IS ACTUALLY DOING WHEN IT COMES TO YOU KNOW, GRANTS OR YOU KNOW WHAT PROGRAMS ARE THEY YOU KNOW STANDING UP WITH WITH WITH THE DOLLARS OR THEIR FUNDING.  I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE GOT TO DO OUR FIVE BUT I THINK FOR ME AT LEAST AND MAYBE YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR CONSTITUENTS TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT EACH OF THESE DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING IN THE PROGRAMS THAT ARE THAT THEY'RE STANDING UP THAT THAT'S THAT'S AN EXCELLENT POINT AND WE CONTINUE OUR OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE ANALYTICS UNIT IN IN DO IT AND WE'RE TRYING TO SUPPORT THEIR EFFORT TO WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER. SO THEY'RE TRYING TO LEVERAGE ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS TO GENERATE THOSE PERFORMANCE INDICATORS TOO. SO THAT RATHER THAN HAVING SOMEONE YOU KNOW, MANUALLY UPDATING SOME SPREADSHEET SOMEWHERE THAT IT'S COMING OUT OF A ROOT SYSTEM.  BUT YEAH, WE WE DEFINITELY TAKE FEEDBACK ON WE DO WE DO SUBMIT OUR BUDGET TO THE GOVERNMENT FINANCES OFFICERS ASSOCIATION WHICH ARE SORT OF OUR PEER ORGANIZATION THAT EVALUATES IN THAT THAT WHAT THEY THERE'S CERTAIN CONTENT ELEMENTS AND AND WHAT THEY WOULD DEEM IS IMPORTANT FOR EXCELLENCE IN BUDGET COMMUNICATION AND PROGRAMMATIC INFORMATION AND YOU KNOW THE NUMBER OF YEARS OF DATA PRESERVED ARE OTHER CONTEXTUAL THINGS THAT WE WE WORK AND WE WE WE TAKE THOSE FEEDBACK WHEN THEY DO AN EVALUATION WE TAKE THAT FEEDBACK AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK ON SOME OF THE THINGS IN THE BUDGET. SO THANK YOU. I'LL MAKE SURE I GET NATIONAL ACCREDITATION TO YOU KIND OF UP THERE. WE'RE OFFERING THEM.  THE OTHER ONE IS HOMEOWNERSHIP. I KNOW WHERE WHERE I INVEST IN $3 MILLION INTO HOUSING BUT THERE'S NOTHING HERE THAT SPOKE SPOKE TO HOMEOWNERSHIP DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.  WE HEARD FROM A MORTGAGE ON HOW IMPACTFUL THEIR PROGRAM IS OR HAS BEEN GOING ON AND JUST WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, HEAR FROM YOU GUYS. IS THERE ANY INVESTMENTS FOR A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE IN SUPPORTING THE HOMEOWNERSHIP GOALS THAT WE HAVE?  YOU KNOW, THAT'S A THAT'S A GREAT POINT, COUNSELOR. SO WE'RE KNOW IN THIS IS ALSO SPEAKS TO THAT SORT OF BODY OF CONTINUED INVESTMENTS IN PRIORITY AREAS LIKE YOU KNOW AFFORDABLE HOUSING ALL OF THOSE THE PROGRAMS THAT THE VARIOUS TYPES OF HOUSING MAINTAINED ARE FUNDED. SO THEY'RE THE ARE INCREMENTAL ON TOP OF A $40 MILLION APPROPRIATION THAT EXISTED ALREADY IN THE CURRENT YEAR FOR ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT HOUSING AND YOU KNOW, HOMELESSNESS ISSUES. SO I WOULD PUT DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE IN THIS NEW $3 MILLION, RIGHT? NO, NOT AS PART OF THE 3 MILLION.  AS YOU KNOW, HOME HOUSING WAS ONE OF THE BIGGEST AREAS OF INVESTMENT WITH OUR ARPA FUNDS AND SO THERE IS A LOT THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS PLANNED AS THEY KIND OF SPEND DOWN ARPA OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO YEARS. SO I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HEAR FROM THEM TO TO EXPLAIN SORT OF WHAT THEY HAVE PLANNED. BUT YOU'RE RIGHT THE $3 MILLION IS TARGETED TOWARD YOU KNOW, SEEDING THE HOPE PROGRAM, SUPPORTING CONTINUATION OF EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND DECARBONIZATION SO THAT 3 MILLION IS NOT SPECIFIC TOWARD A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.  I GUESS THAT'S ONE OF MY CONCERNS IS LIKE IT WAS IT OR IT IS A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM VHA MORTGAGE CAME IN AND SPOKE TO HOW SUCCESSFUL THE PROGRAM IS BUT THEY'RE NOT SEEING THE DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE BEING FUNDED IN THIS BUDGET IS A LITTLE DISHEARTENING BUT I GUESS THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN PUSH FOR AS A COUNCIL SEEING THAT THERE'S NO PUBLIC TESTIMONY, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FROM MY COLLEAGUES AT THE HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER AND GET THE NUMBERS RIGHT 0607020678 IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU FOR