##VIDEO ID:cDA9OFupaHA##  LET'S LOOK AT DISTRICT FOUR. AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS.  TODAY IS OCTOBER 17, 2024. THIS HEARING IS BEING HELD VIRTUALLY AT THE REQUEST OF THE LEAD SPONSOR COUNCIL . THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON.COM. BACKSLASH CITY DAS COUNCILOR DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND PIOS CHANNEL 964.  WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL CTC THAT W M AT BOSTON BOSTON.COM AND WILL BE MADE PART OF THE RECORDING AVAILABLE TO ALL THIS PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. AN INDIVIDUAL WILL BE CALLED IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED INTENSIFYING PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTER STAFF LIAISON LIAISON OUR CHARISMA SHOW HOTLINE AT CHARISMA K OR ICE AGE AT ACH0UHA AND OUR BOSTON WALKUP FOR THE LINK YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER ONE FOR FOUR OR FIVE. WHAT IF WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS PROVIDING 15 MILLION TO RESIDENTIAL TAXPAYERS IN NEED OF RELIEF?  AND DOCKET NUMBER 151 TO ORDER FOR A HEARING TO EXPLORE UTILIZING SURCHARGES TO PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL TAX REMEDIES.  THESE MATTERS ARE SPONSORED BY COUNCILOR AT EXPLAIN COUNCILOR JULIAN MEJIA AND COUNSELOR ERIN MURPHY AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 2024 AND OCTOBER NINE, 2020 FOR. TODAY WE ARE HERE IN PART BECAUSE OF THE HOME RULE PETITION FILED BY THE MAYOR.  THE HOME RULE PETITION SEEKS TO CHANGE THE TAX BURDEN BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL AS COMMERCIAL PROPERTY GROWTH HAS STALLED.  THE TAX BURDEN IS SET TO FALL MORE ON HOMEOWNERS. WE ARE ALL WELL WE ARE WE ARE WELL BELOW OUR LEVY CEILING AND WE SET OUR TAX LEVY TO UP TO A LEVY LIMIT WHICH IS 2.5% MORE THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S LEVY LIMIT EVERY YEAR AS WE HAVE DONE FOR 40 YEARS THE ONLY ISSUE IS WHO THAT LEVY IS SPREAD ACROSS THE PROPERTY TAX CLASSIFICATION IS TRYING TO KEEP THE RESPONSIBILITY THE SAME AS THEY USUALLY ARE BETWEEN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY. TODAY DOCKETS OFFER ALTERNATIVES TO THE PLAN. I WOULD LIKE TO SPONSOR TALK MORE ABOUT THEM BUT I'D LIKE TO BE CLEAR AGAIN THAT WE HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THE ADMINISTRATION OF ANY REVENUE PROBLEM FOR NY 25 IN BOSTON. I ALSO LIKE TO KEEP THIS HEARING FOCUSED ON PROPERTY SOLUTIONS. THERE HAVE BEEN CALLS TO CUT THE BUDGET THAT ACTUALLY WILL ONLY ADD TO THE END OF THE YEAR SURPLUS AS WE HAVE ALWAYS INCREASED THE LEVY BY 2.5%. IT'S WHAT HAS GOTTEN THIS CITY THROUGH 40 YEARS AND ECONOMIC TURMOIL ON THE OUTSIDE ON THE OUTSIDE WORLD IN GOOD SHAPE FINANCIALLY WITH REGARD TO HIS BUDGET THERE ONE OF SPRING HERE IS ON THE PROPERTY TAX CLASSIFICATION WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK SUGGESTED IN COMMERCIAL RATE OF 185% A MIDDLE GROUND BETWEEN THE 175% CAP AND THE 200% ORIGINALLY PASSED BY THE MAYOR IN THIS BODY.  I KNOW THE MAYOR HAS COMPROMISED DOWN TO 190% WITH THE HOUSE AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE MIGHT BE 185% OFFER ON THE TABLE IN THE SENATE AS SOMEONE WHO VOTED AGAINST THE PROPERTY TAX SHIFT IN JUNE BECAUSE I THOUGHT TO 200% WAS TOO HIGH AND AS SOMEONE WHO'S GOT 190% WITH A BETTER NUMBER, I URGE THE SIZE TO REACH THAT COMPROMISE ON THAT 185% THAT WAS FIRST SUGGESTED IN THE SPRING HEARING EARLIER THIS YEAR. AGAIN, I'M HAPPY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE INS AND OUTS OF THE PLANS FROM COUNCILOR FLYNN AM ESPECIALLY EAGER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REDIRECTING STATE SURCHARGE SURCHARGES AS THIS CITY HAS SEEN A DRASTIC DROP IN THAT STATE AID OVER THE PAST 20 YEARS. I'LL NOW TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES.  I STARTED WITH THE ORIGINAL CO-SPONSORS OPEN ENDED REMARKS . COUNCILOR FLYNN YOU NOW HAVE THE FLOOR.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.  WE ARE HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS FOR TAX RELIEF INCLUDING STATE SURCHARGES TO THE M.K. FOR THE 15 MILLION ANNUAL FUND THE ADMINISTRATION HAS FLOATED TO SMALL BUSINESSES WITH THEIR TAX SHIFT. I CONTINUE TO OPPOSE THE CITY OF BOSTON'S PLAN. THE ADMINISTRATION CONTINUES TO PRESENT THE PROPERTY TAX SHIFT PROPOSAL AS THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE TO THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXES. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THAT RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN OFFERED A FALSE CHOICE SINCE APRIL AS THE CITY HAS DISREGARDED A NUMBER OF OTHER ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS RECOMMENDED BY FISCAL WATCHDOGS RELEVANT EXPERTS. THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND SAID WE'VE CONTINUED TO ENGAGE IN AN EXERCISE OF PITTING WHETHER THE BURDEN SHOULD BE ON RESIDENTS OR BUSINESSES OR WHETHER WE'VE AVOIDED WORKING TOGETHER ON DIFFICULT ISSUES WITH PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS. IT MAY BE GOOD POLITICS BUT IT'S NOT WHAT'S BEST FOR THE LONG TERM ECONOMIC VITALITY OF BOSTON WITH THE CONTINUED UNCERTAINTY IN OUR ECONOMY DUE TO THE EFFECTS OF POST-PANDEMIC INFLATION HIGHER INTEREST RATES, THE CITY SHOULD FIRST SHOW OUR COMMITMENT TO FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY BY EXAMINING AREAS TO TIGHTEN OUR OWN BELT AFTER AN 8% BUDGET INCREASE AND IMPLEMENT A HIRING FREEZE AND EXPLORE ALL ALTERNATIVES OPTIONS PROVIDED BY RELEVANT EXPERTS BEFORE WE CAN EVEN THINK OF RAISING PROPERTY TAXES ON RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES. WHILE IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE WORK TO MAINTAIN 1 BILLION IN EMERGENCY RESERVES TO DISPLAY OUR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO RATING AGENCIES WHENEVER OUR RAINY DAY SURPLUS EXCEEDS THAT FIGURE, THE REMAINDER IN INTEREST SHOULD BE RETURNED TO THE CITY BUDGET TO HELP US MEET OUR OBLIGATIONS STABILIZE BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXES AS A F FLY 23 OUR RESERVES AND THE CITY BUDGET FUND BALANCE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1.186 BILLION IN THEIR MAY REPORT, BOSTON MUNICIPAL RESEARCH BUREAU NOTED THAT THE CITY LOOKS TO MAINTAIN A FUND BALANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 50% OF GENERALLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES OPERATING EXPENDITURES THIS FIGURE REPRESENTS 29% IN WELL ABOVE THAT DESPITE SEVERAL RELEVANT EXPERTS CALLING ATTENTION TO THE HEART OF THE ISSUE BEING OUR TAX STRUCTURE THAT BOSTON IS MORE RELIANT ON PROPERTY TAXES THAN ANY OTHER CITY IN THE COUNTRY. WE HAVE SPENT SIX MONTHS AVOIDING THAT LONG TERM ISSUE WHILE FOCUSED ON THE ADMINISTRATION'S PROPOSAL. WE HAVE NOT SEEN OR ANY ANALYSIS OR DEBATED WHETHER A SMALL LOCAL SALES TAX OR FOOD AND BEVERAGE TAX WHICH THE BURDEN ALSO PAID BY VISITORS TOURISTS RENTERS WOULD BE LESS PUNITIVE THAN A SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY TAX INCREASE FOR YEARS. I CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THE LASTING IMPACT OF WORK FROM HOME POLICIES, LACK OF FOOT TRAFFIC ON SMALL BUSINESSES. I ADVOCATED TO SHIFT BACK TOWARDS A MORE CITY BUSINESS IN HEARINGS BEING CONDUCTED IN PERSON OVER A YEAR AGO I HELD A HEARING AT THE COUNCIL WHERE PANELIST AFTER PANELIST FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TESTIFIED THAT DESPITE CONCERNING REPORTS ON DOWNTOWN OFFICE VACANCIES AND FOOT TRAFFIC, THERE WAS NO CAUSE FOR ALARM WHEN IT CAME TO THIS NEW NORMAL.  TODAY WE MAY ALSO HEAR FROM THE AUTHORS OF A JOINT STUDY WHICH INDICATED THAT DOWNTOWN BOSTON OFFICE VACANCY BUILDING GOOD TO DECREASE IN VALUES 30% AND LEAD TO CITY OF BOSTON COLLECTING 1.5 BILLION IN LESS REVENUE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OR ANNUAL TAX REVENUES 500 MILLION BELOW CURRENT LEVELS.  AGAIN OUR HEAVY DEPENDANCE ON PROPERTY TAX MAY HAVE ALLOWED US TO WEATHER PREVIOUS STORMS BUT WORK FROM HOME POLICIES FALLING COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES HAVE UNFORTUNATELY MADE IT UNSUSTAINABLE. AFTER SPEAKING WITH BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT BOSTON AND CONCERNED RESIDENTS, I DID NOT BELIEVE THE ADMINISTRATION'S PLAN WAS THE RIGHT SOLUTION. IN MARCH I CALLED FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A BLUE RIBBON COMMISSION ON THIS ISSUE WHICH WAS UNANIMOUSLY PASSED AS A RESOLUTION ON THE CITY COUNCIL . I HAVE CALLED FOR A REVIEW OF THE PILOT PROGRAM WITH LARGE NONPROFITS IN THE CITY WHICH HAVE ABSORBED OVER 50% OF OUR CITY AND CONTINUE TO EXPAND THIS WAS SIMPLY AN UNSUSTAINABLE FORMULA EVEN PRIOR TO OUR ECONOMIC CONCERNS WE HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF THE LEADERSHIP REQUIRED TO MEET THIS MOMENT INITIALLY INSTEAD OF CONFRONTING THIS CHALLENGE ISSUE WITH A SERIOUSNESS IT REQUIRED THE ADMINISTRATION DOWNPLAYED THE REPORT AND ATTACKED ITS CREDIBILITY. BUT THE BUDGET PROCESS IN MAY, FISCAL WATCHDOGS AND BUSINESS LEADERS NOTED THAT WHEN MAYOR MENINO IMPLEMENTED THEIR TAX SHIFT WHICH THIS CURRENT LEGISLATION IS BASED ON, THEY EXERCISED RESTRAINT WITH A MODEST BUDGET INCREASE OF 0.55% WHILE BEING FORCED TO ELIMINATE HUNDREDS OF POSITION ALONG WITH THE HIRING FREEZE.  SOME EMPLOYEES TOOK A PAY CUT DESPITE REPEATED CONCERNS FROM FISCAL WATCHDOG GROUPS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. THE CITY ADMINISTRATION PUBLICLY INDICATES THAT RESIDENTS SHOULD PLACE THE BLAME ON THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE SENATE IF THEIR PROPOSAL DOES NOT PASS THIS YEAR.  NEGOTIATIONS HAVE CONTINUED IN RECENT WEEKS. I HAVE CALLED FOR THIS HEARING TO DISCUSS USING THESE FUNDS TO PROVIDE PROPERTY TAX RELIEF TO THE VERY PEOPLE INTENDED TO BE PROTECTED BY THIS POTENTIAL TAX SHIFT THE RESIDENTS I CONTINUE TO SAY THAT WHILE IT MAY NOT BE POPULAR, OUR CITY CAN NO LONGER AFFORD ALL SECTORS OF OUR ECONOMY TO WORK FROM HOME INDEFINITELY AND CONTINUE TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS FALLING COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES WHETHER THAT INCLUDES COMPROMISES OF A FOUR DAY WORKWEEK MORE IMPORTANT PERSON WORK THE CITY OF BOSTON OR PRIVATE SECTOR NONPROFIT PARTNERS NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND BRING BACK FOOT TRAFFIC TO DOWNTOWN BOSTON SO IT CONTINUES TO BE A VALUABLE DESIRABLE PLACE TO DO BUSINESS IN TIMES OF GREAT CRISIS, STRONG LEADERSHIP CAN NEVER BE ABOUT PRIDE IN AUTHORSHIP.  WE CAN'T LET IDEOLOGY CODDLE JUDGMENT WHEN IT COMES TO THIS ISSUE. WHAT'S BEST FOR BOSTON LEADERSHIP REQUIRES US TO HAVE DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR CONSTITUENTS.  IT MAY NOT BE WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR BUT WHAT THEY NEED TO HEAR. THE AUTHORS OF THE RELEVANT STUDIES AND FISCAL WATCHDOGS NOTED THAT THE ISSUE LIES WITH OUR TAX STRUCTURE. IT'S EASY POLITICALLY TO PIT RESIDENTS AGAINST THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY.  IT'S A LOT HARDER TO DO THE WORK TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE ON THE BUSINESS CLIMATE IN THE CITY.  I DO NOT PRETEND TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS I DO NOT PRETEND TO HAVE ALL THE IDEAS BUT I'M A GOOD LISTENER. WHAT I DO KNOW HOWEVER, IS THAT MANY PEOPLE THAT I RESPECT FROM THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND OTHERS AND RESIDENTS HAVE ALL COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT WE SHOULD WORK ON A COMPROMISE THAT'S NOT A DIRTY WORD WORK ON A COMPROMISE FROM A NUMBER OF SOLUTIONS SO THAT WE DON'T HARM AN ALREADY STRUGGLING INDUSTRY AND PERHAPS LEAD US TO BECOMING A LESS DESIRABLE PLACE TO LIVE OR DO BUSINESS.  IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO LISTEN. IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO COMPROMISE AS BOSTON WORKS BEST WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. CASTLE FLYNN TO ACKNOWLEDGE ALL MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES THAT ARE HERE TODAY COUNCILOR FITZGERALD CASTLE BRADING CASTLE MEJIA CASTLE MURPHY, CASTLE SANTANA AND CASTLE WEBER WE WILL START AGAIN WITH OPEN REMARKS FROM ALL THE ORIGINAL CO-SPONSORS.  CAST MEJIA YOU NOW HAVE THE FLOOR.  I'VE MET THE LEAD CO-SPONSOR I THINK COUNCILOR MURPHY IS AND I AND I HAVE TWO. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I FOLLOW THE PROTOCOLS, THE PROCEDURES.  SO COUNCILOR MURPHY IS THE SECOND SPONSOR SO YOU CAN GO TO HER AND LET ME OR YEAH, I MEAN I WAS GOING IN AND ORDER ARRIVAL ORIGINAL CO-SPONSORS FOR CASTLE OKAY ALL RIGHT NOW I'LL OKAY CHAIR I SEE YOU.  ALL RIGHT. SO GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. HAPPY TO BE HERE.  ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT POLITICS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO ALWAYS TRY TO FIND A WAY WHERE EVERYBODY FEELS LIKE THEY'VE LOST BECAUSE IN THIS SITUATION HERE VERY SIMILAR TO COVID BECAUSE WE DID NOT PICK ANY WINNERS. RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT THIS CONVERSATION OFTENTIMES COMES WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT WE NEED TO DO IT IT IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE ALWAYS FORCED TO PICK A SIDE AND I THINK THAT WE ARE WELL POSITIONED HERE IN THIS MOMENT IN TIME TO REALLY BE THOUGHTFUL AND HAVING A CONVERSATION WHERE EVERYONE IS SHARING THE RESPONSIBILITY I'VE BEEN SAYING AND SOUNDING THE ALARM FOR SINCE I'VE GOT ON THE COUNCIL ABOUT HOW WE CAN LOOK AT OUR PILOT PAYMENTS AS AS A VIABLE OPTION TO HELP OFFSET SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  SO I'M EXCITED TO HEAR ALTERNATE SOLUTIONS ONE THAT DOES NOT BEGIN AND END WITH IMPACTING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES BECAUSE IF WE FOCUS ON THAT AS THE ONLY PATHWAY FORWARD, THESE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS.  THESE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE PROVIDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO FOLKS AND I THINK THAT WHAT I'D LIKE TO GET OUT OF THIS PARTICULAR HEARING IS SOME FLAHERTY FROM THE ADMINISTRATION. I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE A SET OF A SET OF NUMBERS IN 2023 EARLY ON AND THINGS HAVE SHIFTED AND SO FOR ME I'D LIKE TO GET THINGS ON THE RECORD AND I WANT TO WALK OUT OF HERE WITH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT REALLY IS AT PLAY AND WHAT WE CAN DO AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE FOR THE COUNCIL TO HAVE THE POLITICAL WILL AND COURAGE TO GET US THERE. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. CASIMIR CASSEL MURPHY WE NOW HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO MY PREVIOUS COLLEAGUES FOR YOUR GOOD STRONG OPENING REMARKS. I MEAN I LOOK FORWARD TO TODAY'S CONVERSATION SOMETHING I KNOW WHEN I FILED BACK IN THE BEGINNING OF JULY A HEARING TO DISCUSS AND SOMETHING I TALKED ABOUT YOU KNOW, SINCE THIS PLAN WAS SENT OVER TO US FROM THE MAYOR ABOUT FINDING OUT WHAT IS A PLAN B, WHAT OTHER OPTIONS DO WE HAVE? IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T JUST SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET GA YOU KNOW, HEELS INTO THE GROUND AND NOT COMPROMISE AND IT WORRIES ME THAT WE STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE DATA. SO I KNOW THAT TODAY.  THANK YOU TO THE BALANCE PANEL. I KNOW MANY COUNCIL MEETINGS WE HAVE ARE ONE SIDED SO I'M HAPPY TO SEE THAT WE HAVE FISCAL WATCHDOGS AND BUSINESS OWNERS WHO HAVE BEEN STUDYING THIS NOT JUST THIS FISCAL CYCLE BUT FOR DECADES AND CAN SHARE THEIR EXPERTISE AND FIGURE OUT OTHER OPTIONS THAT WE COULD USE. SO I'LL CONTINUE TO ASK FOR THE DATA TO SUPPORT YOU KNOW, AND TO FIND OUT WHAT WHAT WILL THE ACTUAL IMPACT BE TO OUR RESIDENTS AT THE SAME TIME MAKING SURE WE'RE BALANCING THAT ON OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND OUR COMMERCIAL TAX RATE HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS CONVERSATION AND HEARING FROM BOTH SIDES AND LIKE COUNCILOR MEJIA SAID, I HOPE WE WALK AWAY FROM THIS MEETING TODAY HAVING THE INFORMATION WE NEED ON THE COUNCIL TO BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR NOT JUST THE RESIDENTS BUT ALSO THE BUSINESS OWNERS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.  SO THANK YOU. CHAIR THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MURPHY ACCOUNT OFFICE JARED THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CHAIR AND THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE. TODAY IS AN IMPORTANT TOPIC I TO APPLAUD COUNCIL FLYNN AND THE OTHER CO-SPONSORS OF THIS BILL FOR LOOKING AT WAYS IN WHICH TO TRAIN READ TAX PAY TO READ MORE BENEFITS MAKE UP FOR THE SHORTFALL THAT WE DO HAVE COMING IS SIMILAR TO THE HEARING I PUT IN THERE THAT WE'VE YET TO HAVE BUT ON DIVERSIFYING THE CITY OF BOSTON REVENUES SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE PEOPLE USING THEIR CREATIVE IMAGINATION HERE AND FIGURING OUT WAYS TO TRY AND IMPAIR THAT . AND I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT THESE SPECIFIC IDEAS AND ASKING QUESTIONS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JIM.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR BREADON THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  GOOD MORNING EVERYONE AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.  I'M HERE TO LISTEN AND LEARN THIS MORNING.  YOU KNOW THE ISSUE I THINK I'M ON THE SAME PAGE AS I'M CONCERNED FITZGERALD THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR REVENUE THAT OUR CITY BUDGET IS SUPPORTED IS 73% OR 75% IS COMES FROM REAL ESTATE TAXES AND YOU KNOW THAT'S THAT THAT'S SORT OF CAN BE A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD. IT HELPED US DURING COVID BECAUSE WE WEREN'T RELIANT ON OTHER REVENUE SOURCES THAT WERE BEING SEVERELY CUT AT THE TIME. BUT I DO THINK LIKE 15 YEARS AGO WE WERE LOSING OUR MINDS BECAUSE WE IT WAS 55% OF THE CITY BUDGET WAS PAID FOR BY REAL ESTATE TAXES AND HERE WE ARE AT 75 AND I REALLY DO THINK WE NEED TO DIVERSIFY OUR REVENUE STREAMS SO THAT WE ARE NOT ENTIRELY DEPENDENT ON REAL ESTATE TAXES IN A TIME OF BOOM OR A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION AND NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT THAT SEEMS TO WORK. BUT YOU KNOW, THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND I LOOK FORWARD TO EXPLORING OTHER OPTIONS TO TRY AND DIVERSIFY OUR I KNOW THAT MAY NOT BE SPECIFIC FOCUS OF THE CONVERSATION TODAY BUT I DO THINK WE NEED TO DIVERSIFY OUR REVENUE STREAM SO THAT WE'RE NOT TOTALLY SO SO HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON REAL ESTATE TAXES. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING MORE THIS MORNING AND THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. THANK YOU. COUNSELOR SANTANA THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE AND THANK YOU FOR THE LEAD SPONSOR RESPONSIBLE PLANNING AND COUNCIL OF AMERICAN COUNCIL OF MEDIA FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD. AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM OUR PANELISTS THIS MORNING. THANK YOU MR CHAIR.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR WEBER, IT WAS NOW YOURS.  THANK THANK YOU, CHAIR HAPPY TO BE HERE AND LEARN YOU KNOW I SUPPORTED THE MAYOR'S PROPOSAL IN THE CITY COUNCIL . I SUPPORT THE COMPROMISE THAT WAS PASSED BY THE STATE LEVEL, THE STATE HOUSE AND YOU KNOW, HOPING IT PASSES IN THE SENATE. I THINK WE NEED TO DO ALL WE CAN TO PROTECT OUR OUR RESIDENTS FROM HAVING A SHARP ONE TIME SPIKE IN THEIR RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXES AND THAT THE PROPOSAL WILL DO THAT WITHOUT OVERBURDENING OUR OUR COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES.  AS YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THE PROPOSAL WOULD STILL ALLOW WITH THE CURRENT ASSESSMENTS THAT I THINK THE AMOUNT OF TAXES COLLECTED FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES WOULD STILL GO DOWN SLIGHTLY. IT IS NOT GOING DOWN AS MUCH IMMEDIATELY AS IT WOULD OTHERWISE.  YOU KNOW, I THINK WE CAN HAVE A LOT OF PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM IN THE LONG TERM.  I LOOK FOR OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE LIKE COUNCIL RATE AND JUST SAID I WILL JUST REITERATE SOMETHING THE MAYOR POINTED OUT IN HER LETTER THAT YOU KNOW, THE HAS TRIED TO GET TO TO FIND OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE FOR EXAMPLE IN THE TRANSFER UH TAX PROPOSAL THAT NOT PASSED. AND SO YOU KNOW WE NEED COOPERATION FROM OUR OUR STATE REPS, THE STATE SENATORS TO TRY TO DO THAT AND I THINK YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD DEFINITELY FACTOR THAT INTO OUR DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO GET SOMETHING DONE SO.  WE CAN FIND A LONG TERM SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE WHICH I THINK WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO DO. THANK YOU, CHAIR THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. NOW TO OUR FIRST PANEL AND I MISS GREG MAYNARD AND THE BOSS AT THE BOSTON POLICY INSTITUTE, RANDY LATIMER NORTHROP AND GOVERNMENT RELATIONS LIAISON TO THE SOUTH END BUSINESS AND HOROWITZ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THE STATE POLICY AT TUFTS UNIVERSITY.  AND WE HAVE CHRIS ASHLEY VOTED TO WRITE OFF THE SMALL PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT GREG, YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION?  YEP, I DO. ALL RIGHT. I'M THIS WAS AN EXCELLENT SO I THINK ETHAN HAS GOT MY PRESENTATION UP HERE AND WE ARE JUST GOING TO GET THE FIRST SLIDE UP THERE SHOWS THAT UP HERE I SORRY JUST ONE SECOND I'M JUST WHILE HE'S GETTING THAT UP I CAN INTRODUCE MYSELF . MY NAME IS GREG MAYNARD. I'M THE CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BOSTON POLICY INSTITUTE, A POLICY FOCUSED NONPROFIT.  BEFORE I START I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BPI AND ALSO THANK COUNCILOR AND FLYNN FOR INVITING ME TO BE A PANELIST AT TODAY'S HEARING AND CHAIR AL AND ALL OF THE STAFF AT BOSTON CENTRAL OFFICE FOR HAVING ME ENTER AS TO WHY BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER TESTIFIED BEFORE THE BOSTON CITY COMMITTEE CITY COUNCIL AND IT'S AN HONOR TO DO IT ON AN IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT I'M PASSIONATE ABOUT. JUST TALK LITTLE ABOUT BPI. I LAUNCHED BPI IN DECEMBER 2023 IN ORDER TO HIGHLIGHT AND MONITOR ISSUES FACING CITIES AND TOWNS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS THROUGH WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE LARGEST CITY IN THE COMMONWEALTH BOSTON LEADERS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS LOOK TO BOSTON FOR IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO GOVERN THEIR OWN CITIES AND TOWNS AND BHP'S IDEA IS THAT BY FOSTERING A BETTER INFORMED CONVERSATION IN BOSTON, THE PUBLIC CONVERSATION ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS WILL BE IMPROVED IN THIS PRESENTATION I AM GOING TO GO THROUGH THE FISCAL FALLOUT OF BOSTON'S EMPTY OFFICES. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR GETTING THAT UP THERE THAT THAT REPORT WHAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THAT REPORT WAS PUBLISHED? IT WAS PUBLISHED BACK IN FEBRUARY AND HOW THE REPORT'S FINDINGS HELP US UNDERSTAND THE NEW INFORMATION WE'VE GOTTEN SINCE FEBRUARY. FOR THOSE OF YOU WATCHING, YOU CAN FIND YOU CAN FIND THIS REPORT ON OUR WEBSITE BOSTON POLICY INSTITUTE DOT ORG AND WHILE YOU'RE THERE PLEASE SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER. WE HAVE AN EDITED TRANSCRIPT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS SO YOU CAN SEE EXACTLY WHO SAID WHAT IN TODAY'S MEETINGS AND ALL THE OTHER MEETINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THE END OF LAST LAST YEAR. SO CAN YOU ADVANCE THE SLIDE PLEASE?  GREAT. SO IN BOSTON AND ACROSS THE REST OF MASSACHUSETTS, CITIES AND TOWNS ARE DEPENDENT ON PROPERTY TAXES FOR THEIR LOCAL BUDGET AND IN MANY PLACES THAT DEPENDANCE HAS INCREASED OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS. IN THIS SLIDE YOU CAN SEE THAT PROPERTY TAX REVENUE HAS INCREASED ITS SHARE OF BOSTON'S REVENUE FROM 55% BACK IN 20 BACK IN 2000 TO 75% IN 2020 FOR NEW ADVANCED ON THIS GRAPHIC IS FROM THE REPORT AND IT SHOWS THAT PROPERTY TAX DEPENDANCE AND SPECIFICALLY COMMERCIAL TAX DEPENDANCE MAKES BOSTON UNIQUE AMONG BIG CITIES IN AMERICA THIS UNIQUENESS PLAYS A BIG ROLE IN FALLING OFFICE VALUES HIT BOSTON'S BUDGET PARTICULARLY HARD AND A LOT HARDER THAN A LOT OF OTHER BIG BIG AMERICAN CITIES.  CAN YOU ADVANCED THIS I PLEASE . THIS IS THE GRAPHIC THAT GOT THE MOST ATTENTION WHEN OUR REPORT CAME OUT IN FEBRUARY,  BPI PROJECTS THAT BOSTON FACES A 1.2 TO $1.5 BILLION SHORTFALL IN COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX REVENUE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AS WE WILL TALK ABOUT BASED ON THE CITY'S NEW NUMBERS, THESE PROJECTIONS MIGHT BE TOO POSITIVE AND BOSTON COULD FACE A BIGGER SHORTFALL THAN BPI ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED. CAN YOU ADVANCE THIS ON PLEASE? SO WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS ? WE JUST HAD ALL THE CITY COUNCILORS TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY'D LIKE TO SEE NEW OPTIONS FOR REVENUE AND WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS LISTED IN OUR REPORT BUT MOST OF THEM WOULD NOT GENERATE ENOUGH REVENUE TO BE REAL SOLUTIONS.  A TRANSFER TAX WOULD GENERATE LITTLE NEW REVENUE AND IT CANNIBALIZES REVENUE IN IN SOME WAYS HIGHER PILOT PAYMENTS ALSO WOULDN'T WOULDN'T GENERATE MUCH NEW NEW REVENUE AND THE OTHER TWO OPTIONS NEW TAXING AUTHORITY AND MORE STATE AID SEEM EXTREMELY UNLIKELY. SO THAT LEAVES THE LAST OPTION HIGHER RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXES IN LATE MARCH, LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AFTER BPI REPORT WAS RELEASED, THE WU ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED IT WAS PURSUING THAT LAST OPTION ALBEIT IN A ROUNDABOUT WAY WITH THE HOME LAW PETITION TO TEMPORARILY INCREASE TAXES ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OVER THE STATE MANDATED LIMIT. CAN YOU ADVANCE THIS LINE PLEASE? SO PEOPLE'S REPORT CAME OUT MORE THAN EIGHT MONTHS AGO AND SINCE THEN THERE HAS BEEN A NEW REPORT AND NEW NUMBERS FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON THAT CORROBORATED THE REPORT'S FINDINGS THIS IS THE NEW REPORT IN MAY THE TAX POLICY CENTER A JOINT PROJECT OF THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTE AND THE URBAN INSTITUTE PUBLISHED A STUDY THAT LOOKED AT THE IMPACT OF FALLING OFFICE VALUES ON 47 AMERICAN CITIES WITH DETAILED ANALYSIS OF 13 ALLEYS INCLUDING BOSTON. SOME OF THAT DETAILED ANALYSIS IS ON THIS SLIDE. THE AUTHORS OF THAT REPORT WROTE QUOTE THE QUESTION FACING POLICYMAKERS IS NOT IF BEST FALLING OFFICE VALUES WILL AFFECT LOCAL BUDGETS BUT HOW BAD IT WILL GET. THIS WHOLE REPORT IS WORTH READING FOR A SENSE OF HOW BOSTON'S SITUATION COMPARES TO OTHER MAJOR AMERICAN CITIES.  CAN YOU EVENTS ASIDE PLEASE THE SECOND TIME BPI FINDINGS WERE CORROBORATED WAS BY BOSTON'S BUDGET OFFICIALS WHEN THE PROJECTIONS FROM THE ASSESSING DEPARTMENT WERE RELEASED LAST WEEK, THESE NUMBERS SHOW THAT DESPITE THE WU ADMINISTRATION REPEATEDLY DISMISSING BUDGET CONCERNS ABOUT FALLING OFFICE VALUES AND CRITICIZING BPI REPORT, BPI WAS CORRECT FALLING OFFICE VALUES ARE A MAJOR BUDGET PROBLEM FOR BOSTON AND WILL BE FOR YEARS TO COME.  CAN YOU DANCE THIS ON PLEASE?  THE NUMBERS THE CITY RELEASED LAST WEEK SHOW RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY VALUES INCREASING 4% AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES DECLINING 7%.  THIS GRAPHIC WAS PRODUCED BY EVAN HOROWITZ WHO PARTNERED WITH BPI TO PRODUCE THE REPORT . HE DID IT LAST LAST NIGHT. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO.  AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE 7% DECLINE REALLY STANDS OUT. IT IS A BIG DECLINE COMPARED TO THE LAST 20 PLUS YEARS OF COMMERCIAL VALUES. BOSTON SO THIS 7% DECLINE IS CLOSE TO HALF OF THE TOTAL DECLINE IN COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUE THAT BPI REPORT EXPECTED. BPI EXPECTED A TOTAL FALL IN COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUE WOULD BE 25% IN REAL TERMS OVER FIVE YEARS. THIS 7% NOMINAL DECLINE IN VALUE IS CLOSER TO 10% IN REAL TERMS PUT IN PLAIN LANGUAGE. BOSTON COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUE IS DROPPING MUCH FASTER THAN, BPI PREDICTED BACK IN FEBRUARY. BPI IS REPORT DOES NOT EXPECT THAT THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET WILL HIT BOTTOM UNTIL 2029. THAT MEANS THIS YEAR'S DECLINE IN COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUE AND THE SUBSEQUENT INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXES IS NOT A ONE TIME EVENT BUT RATHER WILL HAPPENING FOR THE COMING YEARS. CAN YOU ADVANCE THIS LINE PLEASE?  LOOKING AT BPI REPORT TAX POLICY CENTER'S REPORT REPORTING ACROSS THE COUNTRY ABOUT THE STATE OF COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MARKET AND THE CITY'S OWN NUMBERS THERE IS EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES WILL CONTINUE TO DECLINE IN THE YEARS TO COME. THAT DECLINE CREATES A PERFECT STORM FOR BOSTON BECAUSE THE CITY'S BUDGET CAN BE RACKED EVEN WHILE MAYOR WU'S CLAIM IN THE LETTER SHE SENT TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON TUESDAY THAT QUOTE THIS IS NOT A MOMENT OF ECONOMIC CRISIS OR RECESSION IS TRUE. THE LONG TERM AND UNIQUE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM THAT BOSTON FACES IS WHY NONE OF THE PUBLICLY OFFERED SOLUTIONS MAYOR WU'S COMMERCIAL TAX HIKE THE BOSTON MUNICIPAL RESEARCH BUREAU'S 2% BUDGET CUT OR THE COUNCIL'S PROPOSALS THAT TODAY'S HEARING WAS CALLED TO DISCUSS REALLY ADDRESSED THE BUDGET PROBLEMS. ALL OF THOSE SOLUTIONS ASSUME THAT BOSTON IS FACING A SHORT TERM PROBLEM THAT CAN BE SOLVED WITH A SHORT TERM FIX AND THAT IS JUST NOT THE CASE. ON THE CONTRARY, SOME OF THE PROPOSED SOLUTIONS WOULD VERY LIKELY MAKE THIS PROBLEM WORSE. TO OVERCOME THESE CHALLENGES, BOSTON NEEDS TO TAKE A BOLD ACTION BY EITHER FINDING A NEW SOURCE OF GROWTH OR MAKING TOUGH CHOICES AROUND TAXING AND SPENDING. THAT REQUIRES A MUCH BROADER AND MORE DATA DRIVEN CONVERSATION ABOUT THE CITY'S BUDGET THAN WE HAVE HAD SO FAR THIS YEAR. IT IS VERY MUCH THAT STUFF THAT'S OUT OF MY PRESENTATION IF YOU WANT TO ADVANCE OUTSIDE WE HAVE YOU HAVE WE HAVE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR MYSELF AND FOR THE AUTHOR OF FOR THE AUTHOR OF THE REPORT EVAN.  EVAN HOROWITZ SO ONE WAS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT AND I SAW THE COMMISSIONER THANK YOU SO MUCH.  THANK YOU. WHY DON'T OPEN UP TO ANYONE ELSE ON THE FIRST PANEL RANDY. EVAN BUT CHRIS. RANDY ANY OPENING COMMENT OR STATEMENT SORRY . IS THIS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO GIVE OUR SPEECH OR SPECIFICALLY TO COMMENT ON GREG'S PRESENTATION? THIS WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU GUYS TO GIVE HIM YOUR SPEECH. OKAY. MARK'S BUT WE'LL START WITH RANDY FIRST. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS RANDY LATHROP. MY HUSBAND AND I AND MY SON WHO IS NOW 45 BUT WAS SIX AT THE TIME MOVED TO THE CITY IN 1986 WHEN FAMILIES WERE FLEEING THE STATE FLEEING THE CITY. MY SON GREW UP IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND TODAY STILL LIVES IN BOSTON. I'M A HOMEOWNER, A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER BUT IN THE PAST I WAS A COMMUNITY LEADER AND PRESIDENT OF MY NEIGHBOR ASSOCIATION FOR MANY YEARS TODAY AND I ALSO WORKED IN THE ADMINISTRATION OF MAYOR MENINO. I WORKED AT THE BUREAU FOR SIX AND A HALF YEARS HEADING UP DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY PLANNING.  SO I'M WELL AWARE OF WHAT THE CITY GOES THROUGH THEIR CHALLENGES.  TODAY I'M ON A PUBLIC ACCOUNT. I'M A CONSULTANT FOR THE REAL ESTATE COMMUNITY AND ALSO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AS A VOLUNTEER. I AM A MEMBER OF THE SOUTH END BUSINESS ALLIANCE. THE SOUTH END BUSINESS ALLIANCE REFER TO CIBA WAS FOUNDED IN 1978. WE HAVE OVER 150 MEMBERS THERE OF NONPROFITS, RETAILERS, RESIDENT RESTAURANTS, THREE HOTELS, ARTISTS, OFFICE SERVICES AND GALLERIES.  60% OF OUR BUSINESSES ARE WOMAN OWN AND MINORITIES. A LOT OF I WOULD SAY HALF OF OUR BUSINESSES ALSO BOSTON RESIDENTS. THE GOOD NEWS IS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WE HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD TO FILL IN OUR EMPTY STOREFRONTS AFTER COVID I PERSONALLY AND HAVING WORKED AND BEEN IN RETAIL FOR MANY YEARS, I OWN MY OWN BUSINESS FOR 11 YEARS AND THEN WORK FOR A NONPROFIT. I WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE PROPERTY OWNERS AND THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE TO LET THEM KNOW THAT WE REALLY WANTED TO LOCAL AND INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES OPENING UP IN THE SOUTH END. IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE AGAINST NATIONAL RETAILERS BUT WE REALLY WANT TO HAVE LOCAL AND INDEPENDENT. THE GOOD NEWS IS WE HAVE FILLED UP EXCEPT SIX EMPTY STOREFRONTS IN THE PAST FEW YEARS AND WE HAVE WE'RE PROUDLY TO SAY WE HAVE PROBABLY 20 NEW BUSINESSES. WE HAVE CONVINCED PEOPLE TO BUY LOCAL AND AS YOU KNOW, 80, 80, $0.80 ON THE DOLLAR GOES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY WHEN IT'S BY BUYING LOCAL. OUR RENTS TODAY IN THE SOUTH END GO ANYWHERE FROM $40 TO $65 A SQUARE FOOT BUT MOST OF THEM ARE ON TRIPLE NET AS YOU MIGHT KNOW. TRIPLE NET MEANS THAT BASICALLY IF PROPERTY TAXES GO UP IT BASICALLY GOES ON TO THE TENANTS SO THE RESTAURANTS AND THE BUSINESSES WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE HAVING TO PASS THAT INCREASE ON TO THE CONSUMER WHICH ARE RESIDENTS AND PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE BOSTON FOR FOR INSTANCE, I TALKED TO A BARBER RECENTLY AND HE SAID MY MY HAIRCUTS USED TO BE $55 AND COMING OUT OF COLGATE I HAD TO RAISE IT TO $70. IF THIS TAX INCREASE GOES IN IT, MY HAIRCUT WILL NOW BE $95. PEOPLE WILL NOT PAY $95 IN THE SOUTH END. I WILL HAVE TO CLOSE MY BUSINESS AND LEAVE BOSTON.  THIS IS VERY CONCERNING TO US IN THE SOUTH IN THAT THE COMPOSITION OF WHAT OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS WILL CHANGE DRASTICALLY.  AS A PERSON THAT LIVES IN THE SOUTH AND SINCE FOR A38 YEARS THE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS ARE OUR ECONOMIC ENGINE SEAPORT SOUTH BOSTON SOUTH THEN BEACON HILL, BACK BAY FENWAY AND DOWNTOWN OUR PROPERTY TAXES CONSUME THAT AND SO DOESN'T OUR COMMERCIAL TAXES. IT'S CONCERNING THAT NO THE ADMINISTRATION HAS NOT MET WITH ANY OF THESE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS TO DISCUSS HER PLAN TO RAISE COMMERCIAL TAXES OR TO DISCUSS HER PLAN ABOUT SHIFTING SOME OF THE BURDEN ON TO RESIDENTS. IN JUNE THE SOUTHEND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION'S ALONG WITH SIEBERT WAS INVITED TO THE EAGLE ROOM TO MEET WITH MAYOR IMMANUEL MAYER, WHOSE SENIOR STAFF AT THAT TIME I RAISED ALONG WITH THE PRESIDENT OF SEBA ELIZABETH BEUTEL. THE CONCERN WE HAD ABOUT ONE LACK OF RESOURCES FOR OUR BUSINESSES SINCE WE ARE THE ONLY BUSINESS ORGANIZATION IN THE SOUTH, IN THE CITY, IN THE SOUTH END LACK OF PARKING FOR FOR SHOPPERS AND ALSO THE RISE OF COMMERCIAL TAXES. I WAS PROMPTLY CUT OFF IN THAT MEETING AND TOLD LISTEN, WE ARE NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT BUSINESS CONCERNS TODAY. WE'LL HAVE A SEPARATE MEETING WITH SEBA.  SINCE JUNE I'VE REPEATEDLY TALKED TO THE SOUTH END LIAISON SARAH SHARPE AND SHE'S FANTASTIC BY THE WAY, IT'S NOT HER FAULT ABOUT HAVING A MEETING WITH STEVE A BOARD TO DISCUSS THIS CONCERNS WE HAD BECAUSE WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE OF SOMETHING OF A COMPROMISE THAT WE COULD TALK TO THE ADMINISTRATION.  NO MEETING WAS SET. IN TURN THEY CAME BACK AND SAID WHY DON'T WE HAVE A BIG MEETING WITH THE WHOLE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD? AND MY RESPONSE IS I THINK YOU WOULD RATHER HAVE A MEETING WITH THE CFA BOARD BECAUSE ON THE BOARD IT'S BASICALLY YOU EITHER HAVE TO HAVE YOUR OWN BUSINESS OR YOU WORK IN YOUR OWN BUSINESS IN THE SOUTH END. WOULDN'T IT BE BETTER TO HAVE A MEETING WITH THESE BUSINESS LEADERS ON OUR BOARD TO DISCUSS THESE CONCERNS AND HOW WE CAN HELP WITH THE SHORTFALL? TO NO AVAIL.  WE'VE NEVER HAD A MEETING AND NOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE END OF OCTOBER TRIPLE NET WILL DRASTICALLY AFFECT OUR GROUND FLOOR RETAILERS AND OUR COMMERCIAL BUSINESSES ON THE SOUTH END. MANY OF THEM WILL LEAVE AND WILL END UP GETTING NATIONAL RETAILERS WHICH WILL TOTALLY CHANGE THE COMPOSITION OF OUR LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS. IT'S FINE TO HAVE NATIONAL RETAILERS COMING TO THE DOWNTOWN OR THE NEWBURY STREET OR COPLEY PLACE OR PRUDENTIAL CENTER.  BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW OUR DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS IS THE HEARTBEAT OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT'S WHERE MOST OF OUR MINORITY NEIGHBORS AND MINORITY BUSINESS BUSINESSES ARE ARE AND THAT'S HOW THEY ACTUALLY GET THEIR WORK DONE.  HAVING WORKED WITH MAYOR MENINO FOR MANY YEARS, I REMEMBER THE TOUGH TIMES BACK IN THOSE DAYS . THE CONCERN WAS THE BUDGET AND HE WAS FASTIDIOUS ABOUT THE BUDGET. I USED TO START MY COMMUTING MEETINGS BY SAYING TO PEOPLE IF WE ALL COME OUT OF THE MEETING EXPECTING 100% WE'RE ALL GOING TO FAIL. IF WE CAN GET TO 80% I THINK WE'LL WIN AND IT'S SIMPLY WHAT COUNCIL I MENTIONED TODAY WE NEED TO HAVE A COMPROMISE. NO ONE'S GOING TO WIN ON THIS. A COMPROMISE DOES HAVE TO BE MADE. THE 8% INCREASE NEEDS TO BE CUT. THE CONCERN IS THERE IS A LOT OF PROGRAMS GOING ON AND ONE OF THEM BEING BIKE LANES THAT COULD BE RECONSIDERED AND PUT ONTO THE BURNER THAT HAS COST A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY BUT THE BUDGET HAS TO BE CUT. A HIRING FREEZE NEEDS TO BE SET IMMEDIATELY. WHEN WHEN THE BOSTON GLOBE COMPARED THIS ADMINISTRATION TO MAYOR WALSH THIS ADMINISTRATION AT THE SAME TIME INTO THE THIRD YEAR FOR 150 MORE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN HIRED IN MAYOR WHOSE ADMINISTRATION THEN IN MAYOR WALSH'S ADMINISTRATION THIS EXTRA HIRING HAS REALLY INCREASED THE BUDGET.  DURING TOM MENINO'S ADMINISTRATION I PERSONALLY BECAUSE I WAS A SENIOR STAFF MEMBER TOOK A PAY CUT FOR THREE YEARS. I THINK THESE ARE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY HAS TO LOOK AT. THESE ARE TOUGH CHOICES. CUTTING BUDGETS, PUTTING HIRING FREEZES INTO PLACE AND ALSO CUTTING SENIOR STAFF. BUT THESE THINGS CAN BE DONE TO BRING THE BUDGET BACK TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE DONE. THE CONCERN I HAVE IS LISTENING TODAY TO SOME OF THE CONCERNS AND LISTENING LOOKING AT MERRILL'S LETTER.  I HAVE GRAVE CONCERN BECAUSE SHE IMMEDIATELY GOES AFTER BOSTON POLICE, EMS AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS SAYING THE CADET PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE CUT OR YOU CAN'T DO THIS OR THAT. SHE IMMEDIATELY GOES FOR THE HEARTSTRING OF SAFETY. THOSE PROGRAMS DO NOT HAVE TO BE CUT BUT I THINK OTHER PROGRAMS HAVE TO BE CUT. I THINK EVERY DEPARTMENT AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO MAYOR MENINO. TODAY'S SAT DOWN AND WE CAREFULLY LOOK AT OUR BUDGETS AND CUTS WERE MADE CITYWIDE.  UNTIL WE LOOK AT THESE BUDGETS CAREFULLY AND EVERYBODY IS ABLE TO COME FORTH AND MAYBE LAY OFFS NEED TO HAPPEN BUT THE BUDGET HAS TO BE BALANCED. MAYOR MENINO WAS ALWAYS VERY PROUD THAT WE HAD A TRIPLE-A BOND RATING AND THAT THE CITY COULD LOOK AT IT AS A SHINING STAR FOR THE WHOLE NATION.  BUT I DO BELIEVE AT THE END OF THE DAY IT IS RECKLESS THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS WHICH IN TURN WILL GO RIGHT DOWN TO THE LOCAL BUSINESS OWNERS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OF WHICH MANY OF THEM ARE RESIDENTS. AND LET'S NOT FORGET THAT THOSE RESIDENTS ALSO MIGHT BE TAXED THROUGH INCREASED PROPERTY TAX . HOWEVER, I THINK ALL THESE SOLUTIONS NEED TO BE ON THE TABLE AND WE NEED TO STEP UP AND COME UP WITH THESE SOLUTIONS. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING TO ME AT THIS TIME.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, RANDI. EVEN IN THE OPENING.  THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE THE INVITATION TO JOIN AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WHEN THE SO WE WERE INVOLVED I RUN THE CENTER FOR STATE POLICY ANALYSIS AT TUFTS. WE WERE INVOLVED IN THE PAPER WHOSE FINDINGS GREG OUTLINED EARLIER. AND WHEN THAT PAPER CAME OUT ONE OF THE RESPONSES WE GOT. ONE OF THE CRITICISMS WE GOT WAS SOME VERSION OF YOU DOING THIS ALL WRONG. BOSTON CAN'T HAVE A REVENUE SHORTFALL. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE. THE CITY IS GUARANTEED TO GET THE TWO AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE IN REVENUES EVERY YEAR UNDER REVENUE IS REALLY TOXIC FOR THE FUTURE OF BOSTON BECAUSE IT'S TRUE IN SOME BROAD SENSE THAT THE CITY COULD ALWAYS INCREASE ITS REVENUES BY TWO AND A HALF PERCENT. BUT IT'S ONLY TRUE IF YOU'RE WILLING TO TOLERATE HUGE INCREASES IN PROPERTY TAXES ON RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES AND ULTIMATELY HARM THE ECONOMY OF THE CITY AND THE REGION AND WHAT THE CITY REALLY NEEDS IS TO ADDRESS BOTH THE SHORT TERM CHALLENGES AND THE MEDIUM TERM CHALLENGES OF COLLAPSING COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE PRICES IS A WHOLE NEW APPROACH TO BUDGETING IDEALLY MODELED ON THE STATE VERSION.  SO I'M ONE OF THESE PEOPLE THAT GETS INVITED TO THE CONSENSUS REVENUE HEARING FOR THE STATE EVERY YEAR WE DO MODELING WE FIGURE OUT YOU KNOW, IF YOU KEEP THE TAX RATES WHERE THEY ARE, HERE'S HOW MUCH REVENUE YOU'LL GET IF YOU CHANGE THE TAX RATES BY A LITTLE BIT, HERE'S HOW MUCH REVENUE YOU GET AND LAWMAKERS THEN MAKE A DECISION OKAY, ARE WE GETTING ENOUGH REVENUE?  SHOULD WE INCREASE THE TAX RATES OR NOT? THEY DON'T SAY OKAY, WE'RE ENTITLED TO THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE WE GOT LAST YEAR PLUS TWO AND A HALF PERCENT OR 3% OR 4%. LET THE RATES FALL WHERE THEY MAY THEY SAY NO. LET'S START WITH THE RATES WHERE THEY ARE, SEE HOW MUCH REVENUE WE GET AND BUILD A BUDGET AROUND THAT EXPECTED REVENUE AND THAT'S THE RIGHT WAY FOR ANY CITY, FOR ANY POLITY TO BUILD THE BUDGET TO SAY START FROM WHAT DID WE DO LAST YEAR? HOW MUCH WILL WE RAISE IF WE KEPT RATES IN THE SAME PLACE? IS THAT ENOUGH, YOU KNOW TO BUILD THE BUDGET WE WANT TO BUILD? IF IT'S NOT ENOUGH LET'S HAVE A DEBATE ABOUT RAISING TAXES. INSTEAD WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR AS YOU'RE ALL DEALING WITH THE FALLOUT IS THE CITY SAID WELL WE ALWAYS GET THE TWO AND A HALF PERCENT INCREASE.  WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT AGAIN. WE'LL DO THAT AND WE WON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS AT FIRST. AND THEN WHEN THEY REALIZED WHAT IT MEANT, IT MEANT OH, A GIANT INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXES. IT'S OH, PANIC MODE. LET'S ADJUST THIS. LET'S GO TO THE STATE. LET'S GET AN OVERRIDE.  LET'S YOU KNOW, SHIFT THE RESPONSIBILITY. BUT THAT'S ONLY BECAUSE WE STARTED IN THE WRONG PLACE. YOU JUST START IN THE PLACE OF WITH THE RATES AND THEN WORRY ABOUT THE REVENUES AND I THINK IT'S TRUE THAT THE SORT OF SYSTEM HAS WORKED FOR A LONG TIME RIGHT FOR DECADES JUST SAYING WE'LL TAKE THE MAXIMUM HAS BEEN A GOOD STRATEGY. THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT WILL ALWAYS BE A GOOD STRATEGY AND IT IS NOT A GOOD STRATEGY NOW LIKE BURNING COAL WAS A TREMENDOUSLY GOOD STRATEGY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR 100 YEARS. IT IS NO LONGER A GOOD STRATEGY FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.  THERE WAS A TIME WHEN WE REALIZED IT HAD COSTS THAT HAD TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR THE PRACTICE THE CITY'S PRACTICE OF CLAIMING THE FULL TAX THE FULL ALLOWABLE TAX LEVY AS THE STARTING POINT FOR ITS BUDGET HAS WORKED BUT IT WILL NOT WORK. IT IS NOT WORKING THIS YEAR AND IT WILL NOT WORK MOVING FORWARD BECAUSE OF THE DRAMATIC DECLINE IN COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE VALUES AND WHAT THAT WILL MEAN FOR THE TAX SPLIT AND THE CITY BUDGET. ONE OF THE THING I WANT TO NOTE HERE IS THAT BUDGET CUTS WHEN ONCE YOU REALIZE THAT THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON LIKE THAT THE FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEM HERE IS THE DECISION TO CLAIM THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE AMOUNT OF REVENUE.  BUDGET CUTS DON'T HELP, RIGHT? BECAUSE AS LONG AS I'M STILL COMMITTED TO CLAIMING ALL OF MY REVENUE I CAN CUT THE BUDGET OVER HERE BUT THAT JUST MEANS I HAVE A BIGGER SURPLUS. I'M STILL COLLECTING I'M STILL COMMITTED TO COLLECTING ALL THIS REVENUE SO I'M SPENDING LESS BUT SO WHAT? I'M STILL GOING TO HAVE TO RAISE TAXES.  SO THE BUDGET CUTS ONLY MAKE SENSE IF YOU ALSO REDUCE YOUR LEVY THE ACTUAL LEVY OR REDUCE THE RATES RIGHT.  THE ONLY THE ONLY WAY THE ONLY UNIVERSE IN WHICH BUDGET CUTS ARE HELPFUL IS IF AT THE SAME TIME YOU'RE SAYING OKAY WE ARE NOT GOING TO COLLECT THE MAXIMUM OR WE'RE GOING TO REBATE AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT THIS OBVIOUSLY WHAT THIS COUNCILMAN IS ABOUT IS THAT WE COULD REBATE THAT IS EFFECTIVELY THE SAME THING AS SAYING WELL NO WE'RE NOT GOING TO COLLECT THE MAXIMUM TAXES, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE A BUNCH OF IT BACK. AND I THINK THAT THAT DOES SEEM LIKE A REASONABLE APPROACH TO SAY YOU KNOW WHAT THE BEST ALTERNATIVE TO NOT HAVING COLLECTED THESE TAXES IN THE FIRST PLACE IS JUST TO GIVE BACK AS MUCH AS WE AS MUCH AS IS CONSISTENT WITH THE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY BUDGET.  I WANT ONE LAST THING AND THEN I'LL CLOSE WHICH IS TO ECHO THE POINT GREG MADE THAT THE REAL-WORLD WORLD FIGURES THAT WERE RELEASED ABOUT A 7% DECLINE IN COMMERCIAL ASSESSMENTS ARE WORSE DRAMATICALLY WORSE THAN WHAT WE ANTICIPATED IN OUR MODELING AND THAT LEADS TO THAT MAKES ME MORE WORRISOME ABOUT THE FUTURE AND THE DEGREE TO WHICH THESE CHALLENGES THAT YOU'RE FACING THIS YEAR ARE GOING TO GET WORSE IN THE NEXT TWO, THREE, FOUR YEARS AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO GET THE BUDGETING PROCESS RIGHT FOR THE NEW REALITY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.  THANK YOU, CHRIS. THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS. THANK YOU, GENERAL AND THANKS TO THE WHOLE COUNCIL FOR THE INVITE ALSO THANKS TO THE BOSTON POLICY INSTITUTE, THE CENTER FOR A STUDY OF POLICY ANALYSIS AND THE BOSTON MUNICIPAL RESEARCH BUREAU FOR CONTRIBUTING SO MUCH TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF THESE ISSUES.  MY NAME'S CHRIS LEHMAN. I'M ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE SMALL PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION WHICH REPRESENTS SMALL PROPERTY OWNERS ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS.  I'M ALSO ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF DRAMA WHICH IS A BOSTON BASED REAL ESTATE AND FINTECH COMPANY THAT MANAGES SMALL RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES IN THE BOSTON AREA INCLUDING MANY IN BOSTON ITSELF.  I ALSO WANT TO START AT THE BEGINNING NOTING THAT BECAUSE GRANMA IS AN OWNER AND OPERATOR OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES WE WOULD BENEFIT FROM LOWER RESIDENTIAL TAXES BUT BUT WE NEVERTHELESS THINK IT'S WRONG FOR THE CITIES LONG TERM HEALTH TO PUT MORE OF THE BURDEN ONTO THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY ECOSYSTEM FOR REASONS I'LL DISCUSS.  I'D LIKE TO START BY TALKING A BIT ABOUT THE CORE FUNCTION OF CITIES IN THE MODERN WORLD WHICH IS TO FACILITATE LABOR MARKETS. THE PRIMARY ADVANTAGE OF CITIES LIES IN ENABLING LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE TO WORK TOGETHER AND EXCHANGE IDEAS IN WAYS THAT RESULT IN PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCING INVENTIONS AND INNOVATION. BOSTON IS EXCELLENT AT THIS. WE HAVE MORE WORLD BEATING COMPANIES AND UNIVERSITIES THAN I CAN REALISTICALLY LIST HERE. THESE INSTITUTIONS CREATE ENORMOUS WEALTH WHICH PROVIDES HIGH SALARIES FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES, ROBUST DEMAND FOR SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES AND FUNDING FOR ESSENTIAL GOVERNMENT SERVICES LIKE LAW ENFORCEMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENTS, EDUCATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE. WITHOUT THIS BOSTON AND CITIES LIKE IT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO FUNCTION THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES THAT SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES ARE ALREADY UNDER STRESS WITH LOWER RENTAL DEMAND AND HIGHER INTEREST RATES.  THEY ALREADY PAY A MILITARY THAT'S MORE THAN DOUBLE WHAT RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES PAY. FURTHER INCREASING THEIR TAX BURDEN WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY CAUSE SOME OF THE OWNERS THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY ALL OF THESE PROPERTIES AND THEIR TENANTS TO LEAVE FOR MORE FAVORABLE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT POTENTIALLY MAKING THE TAX HEIGHTS SELF-DEFEATING FROM A REVENUE PERSPECTIVE AND HAVING BROADER RIPPLE EFFECTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY'S ECONOMY. THE MAYOR HAS MADE AN ANALOGY WITH MENINO'S RECLASSIFICATION IN 2004 BUT I THINK THIS ANALOGY IS FLAWED FOR A FEW REASONS. SOME OF WHICH HAVE BEEN MENTIONED ALREADY. PROPERTY TAXES ONLY MADE UP 54% OF THE CITY'S BUDGET BACK THEN WHICH IS STILL HIGH RELATIVE TO THE NATIONAL NORM BUT PROVIDES SIGNIFICANTLY MORE ROOM TO GROW THAN TODAY. THE 2004 RECLASSIFICATION ALSO TOOK PLACE IN AN ENVIRONMENT OF FISCAL DISCIPLINE. THE CITY'S NOMINAL SPENDING INCREASED BY 3.8% IN FISCAL YEAR TO 2.8% IN FISCAL ZERO THREE AND ONLY 1.5% IN FISCAL YEAR BEFORE THE LAST OF THESE WAS ACTUALLY A BUDGET CUT IN INFLATION ADJUSTED TERMS FULL TIME HEADCOUNT FOR CITY EMPLOYEES AS RANDI MENTIONED ALSO DECREASED BY 8.7% DURING THIS PERIOD. PROPERTY OWNERS COULD THEREFORE BE PERSUADED THE TAX INCREASE WAS NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE BASELINE FUNCTIONING OF CITY GOVERNMENT AND NOT MERELY A WAY TO SUSTAIN IRRESPONSIBLE SPENDING GROWTH. CONTRAST THIS WITH WHAT'S BEING ASKED FOR TODAY THE PROPOSED FISCAL YEAR 25 BUDGET INCREASES SPENDING BY 8% OVER FISCAL YEAR 24 AFTER A DECADE THAT HAS SEEN SPENDING INCREASE BY 54.8% AND FULL TIME EMPLOYEE HEADCOUNT INCREASE BY 7.6%. THESE INCREASES EXCEED INFLATION BY FAR WHICH HAS ONLY BEEN 31.5% OVER THE PAST DECADE AND ONLY 2.2% OVER THE PAST YEAR. AND THE CITY SPENDING INCREASES ARE ESPECIALLY NOTABLE GIVEN THAT ITS POPULATION HAS ACTUALLY DECLINED IN RECENT YEARS FROM A LOCAL PEAK OF NEARLY 695,000 ON THE EVE OF THE PANDEMIC TO ROUGHLY 650,000 TODAY. AND IN MASSACHUSETTS, STATE BUDGET FOR REFERENCE INCREASED BY ONLY 2.7% THIS YEAR A MODEST GAIN RELATIVE TO INFLATION. SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THIS?  MANY SOLUTIONS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED. I THINK IT'S USEFUL TO NOTE THAT THE CITY SHOULD SPEND LESS ON SERVICES THAT PROVIDE POOR RESULTS OR OTHERWISE NON-ESSENTIAL BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS SPEND OVER $30,000 ANNUALLY PER STUDENT. POOR RESULTS AND DECLINING ENROLLMENT. OTHER PROGRAMS SEEM DESIGNED PRIMARILY TO DISPENSE RESOURCES TO SPECIFIC CONSTITUENT GROUPS RATHER THAN TO BENEFIT THE CITY BROADLY. THE CITY SHOULD CONSIDER REINING IN SPENDING IN THESE AREAS BEFORE CUTTING ESSENTIAL SERVICES AS SUGGESTED BY MARY IN HER LETTER EARLIER THIS WEEK. AS FOR REVENUE, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF CREATIVE SOLUTIONS THAT WOULD NOT ONLY PROVIDE FUNDING BUT ALSO CREATE POSITIVE INCENTIVES AND EXTERNALITIES FOR THE CITY. GIVEN OUR HOUSING CRISIS WHICH IS DRIVEN BY INSUFFICIENT SUPPLY TAXING REAL ESTATE WHETHER IT'S IN THE FORM OF ONGOING PROPERTY TAXES OR TRANSFER TAXES IS A COUNTERPRODUCTIVE APPROACH DISCOURAGING INVESTMENT IN NEW SUPPLY AND WORSENING THE UNDERLYING CRISIS. THERE ARE CREATIVE SOLUTIONS SUCH AS A CONGESTION TAX WHICH WHILE LIKELY TO BE CONTENTIOUS AS WE SAW IN NEW YORK RECENTLY WOULD PROVIDE SOME REVENUE WHILE ENCOURAGING MORE EFFICIENT USE OF THE CITY AND REGION'S ROADS AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. BOSTON ALSO HAS NUMEROUS CITY OWNED PARCELS ON WHICH IT COULD EXPEDITE PRIVATIZATION AND DEVELOPMENT. NOT ONLY WOULD THIS GENERATE SHORT TERM WINDFALLS FOR THE CITY, IT WOULD ALSO CONVERT THESE PARCELS FROM COST CENTERS TO ONGOING SOURCES OF PROPERTY TAX REVENUE WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY HELPING TO ADDRESS THE CITY'S HOUSING SHORTAGE.  MANY CITIES HAVE THEIR OWN SALES TAXES WHICH PROVIDE CONSIDERABLE REVENUE WITH MINIMAL BEHAVIOR DISTORTION RELATIVE TO TAXES ON FOR INSTANCE INCOME. THE CITY SHOULD CONSIDER SEEKING STATE APPROVAL FOR THESE REVENUE SOURCES WHICH WOULD BE MORE CONDUCIVE TO ITS LONG TERM GROWTH THAN THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX INCREASE CURRENTLY BEING DISCUSSED. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE AND WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU TO THE FIRST PANEL FOR THE PRESENTATION. ONE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE AND ALSO COUNCILOR PEPEN AND THEN TURN IT OVER TO THE ORIGINAL CO-SPONSORS. FIRST FOR THE FIRST LINE OF QUESTIONS THEN I'LL GO TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES IN ORDER IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL I WILL GO OFF SCREEN. I'LL GIVE EVERYONE 6 MINUTES AND I POP UP BACK ON SCREEN AND MEANS YOU HAVE 30 SECONDS, 30 SECONDS LEFT. COUNCILOR FLYNN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR ANY OF THE PANELISTS BUT I HIGHLIGHTED IN MY OPENING STATEMENT IT'S ABOUT COMPROMISE. IT'S ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER. IT'S ABOUT LISTENING TO EACH OTHER, RESPECTING EACH OTHER. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER OPTIONS THAT MIGHT WORK TO ADDRESS THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGE THAT WE ARE IN WHERE WE COULD PROVIDE SUPPORT TO HOMEOWNERS?  WE CAN SUPPORT BUSINESSES BUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER OBVIOUS STEPS WE CAN TAKE NOW TO ADDRESS THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGES WE ARE CURRENTLY FACING?  COUNCILOR I BELIEVE THIS IS RANDY LATER BUT I BELIEVE EVERY SINGLE CITY DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO LOOK CAREFULLY AT THEIR BUDGETS AND THEY NEED TO MAKE CUTS. CUTS ARE ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO DO BUT I THINK THEY NEED TO DO THAT. I THINK THE HIRING OF 450 NEW PEOPLE IN THIS ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO BE CAREFULLY LOOKED AT TO SAY DO SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE HAVE TO BE LAID OFF? AND THOSE ARE HARD THINGS TO DO. BUT HAVING ALL THESE FOLKS RECENTLY HIRED AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING A HIRING FREEZE CONTINUES TO ADD TO THIS CONCERN I HAVE. YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT ALSO CITY HALL NEEDS TO GO BACK IN PERSON AND WORK.  THE IDEA THAT WE CONTINUE TO NOT ALLOW PEOPLE TO COME IN AND HAVE MEETINGS AT CITY HALL AND MOSTLY THINGS ARE DONE TO ZOOM DESPERATELY IS HURTING OUR DOWNTOWN AREA. I WORKED PERSONALLY ON DOWNTOWN CROSSING FOR MAYOR MENINO AND IT BECAME A BID WHICH THANK GOD IT IS TODAY. BUT DOWNTOWN CROSSING I SAY AT LEAST 40% OF THE STOREFRONTS ARE EMPTY AT THIS TIME. CRIME IS HAPPENING IN THE DOWNTOWN AND DAY AND NIGHT. CRIME IS HAPPENING IN THE COMMONS.  BUT HAVING THERE'S OVER 200 THERE USED TO BE OVER 280,000 PEOPLE WORKING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND IT'S PROBABLY A FRACTION OF THAT TODAY. YOU'VE GOT TO GET PEOPLE BACK TO WORK BECAUSE OF CITY HALL LEADS THAT THEN COMPANIES THE MAYOR COULD SAY WELL ALL OF THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORT AND COMPANIES YOU NEED TO COME BACK TO WORK BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING TODAY IS MOST PEOPLE ARE WORKING FROM HOME AS WE ALL KNOW AND THEY'RE PROBABLY MAKING THEIR LUNCHES AND HAVING EVERYTHING IN-HOUSE AND THEY'RE NOT GOING OUT NECESSARILY TO THAT RESTAURANT DOWN THE CORNER TO HAVE THEIR LUNCH OR TO SWING BY THAT CARD SHOP TO BUY A CARD OR TO BUY A GIFT. I THINK IT HAS TO COME FROM EVERYBODY. I THINK COMPROMISES HAVE TO DESPERATELY HAVE AND IT'S REALLY TOUGH TO DO THAT. BUT IT'S TIME WE HAVE A SERIOUS FAULT RIGHT NOW. BUT TO PUT IT TOTALLY ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS. MANY OF OUR PROPERTY OWNERS AS THEY AS CHRIS MENTIONED, THESE ARE SMALL PROPERTY OWNERS.  I HAVE A FRIEND IN THE SOUTH BEND THAT OWNS TWO BUILDINGS. SHE AND HER HUSBAND BOUGHT IT IN THE SEVENTIES. IT HELPS PAY HER MORTGAGE. SHE'S NOT A BIG PROPERTY OWNER BUT AS I SPOKE TO HER LAST NIGHT SHE SAID LISTEN, I WOULD HAVE TO RAISE THE INCREASES ON MY TENANTS TO TAKE OVER THIS INCREASE ON COMMERCIAL TAXES SO WE CAN NO LONGER LOOK AT THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS AND ASK THEM TO PUT LOCAL AND INDEPENDENT IN WHICH IS THE BACK BLOOD OF OUR BUSINESSES TODAY. AND THESE ARE TOUGH THINGS I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN A HUGE AMOUNT OF BUILDING GOING ON WITH THE BIKE LANES AS EVERY KNOWS MY HUSBAND'S A BIKER. I UNDERSTAND THAT'S A TOUGH QUESTION TO ASK BUT I THINK YOU EVERYBODY HAS TO GET OUT THEIR PENCIL AND LOOK AT ALL THESE COST ITEMS AND THEY HAVE TO CAREFULLY LOOK AT THAT AND NO ONE IS GOING TO BE HAPPY AT THE END OF THE DAY AS I ALWAYS SAID, 100% PEOPLE ARE NEVER PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO WALK AWAY WITH 100%. IF WE CAN FIND A COMPROMISE AROUND 70% WE'RE GOING TO WIN. SO I DON'T THINK IT'S ONE THING BUT I THINK IT'S MANY THINGS TO LOOK AT. THANK.  THANK YOU, RANDI. YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT. IT'S ABOUT COMPROMISE.  IT'S ABOUT RESPECTING EACH OTHER. I MUST HAVE SENT MARIA FOUR LETTERS AND THE CITY OF BOSTON CITY COUNCIL ACTUALLY WE SUPPORTED A RESOLUTION TO BRING ALL CITY BOARDS, AGENCIES BACK IN PERSON THE ZBA, THE LICENSING, THE BPA. YOU KNOW THEY NEED TO BE BACK IN BOSTON AT CITY HALL CONDUCTING THESE IN-PERSON HEARINGS, ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO COME BACK TO WORK AS WELL IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. I HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS WITH ARTHUR JAMISON ABOUT THIS. HE DID SUPPORT MY PROPOSAL. HE WANTED TO MAKE IT HAPPEN BUT HE WASN'T HAVING ANY LUCK. I BELIEVE TRIED TO GET IT IMPLEMENTED. BUT AGAIN, I'M CALLING FOR THE ZONING BOARD, THE BPD, THE LICENSING TO MEET IN PERSON. IT'S CRITICAL. LET ME LET ME ASK GREG GOOD QUESTION. GREG, THIS CITY OF THE CITY OF BOSTON, WE INCREASED THE BUDGET 8% THIS YEAR RANDI JUST MENTIONED ALMOST 500 NEW HIRES AS WELL DURING THIS ECONOMIC CHALLENGING PERIOD ACROSS THE COUNTRY.  WHAT IS THE AVERAGE INCREASE OF OTHER CITIES, BIG CITIES IN THE IN TERMS OF THEIR BUDGET?  DO YOU HAVE A SENSE OF HOW HOW MUCH THEY INCREASE THEIR BUDGET IN MAYBE WHAT PERCENT THAT WAS? I'M SO I CAN'T I CAN'T SPEAK TO OTHER CITIES EXACTLY BUT I CAN YOU KNOW OTHER CITIES AROUND THIS REGION HAVE SEEN, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SIMILAR INCREASES IN THE IN THE BUDGET.  BUT I THINK THE I GUESS THE THING I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO NOT TO NOT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION BUT THING GOING TO GO BACK TO IS THAT YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT LIKE NOW I DON'T THINK THAT ON THIS AT THIS HEARING WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE ALL OF THE CITY'S PROBLEMS. I THINK WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE IS THAT A CONVERSATION LIKE THIS THAT WE'RE HAVING HERE WITH MEMBERS OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WITH LANDLORDS, WITH OUTSIDE EXPERTS HAS NOT HAPPENED IN THE CITY OF BOSTON SO FAR AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT MYSELF AND EVAN HOROWITZ HAVE BEEN ASKED TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL ABOUT THE REPORT THAT WE RELEASED IN FEBRUARY. RIGHT. WE WERE NOT ASKED TO TESTIFY ABOUT THIS PRIOR TO THE CITY PASSING THE BUDGET IN JUNE. WE WERE NOT ASKED TO TESTIFY WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL WAS CONSIDERING THE TAX THIS THIS COMMERCIAL TAX HIKE YOU KNOW, BEFORE BEFORE THE BUDGET WAS WAS APPROVED. AND SO THAT ISN'T THAT ISN'T THE FAULT OF THE CITY COUNCIL , RIGHT. THIS IS NOT BOSTON TRADITIONALLY DOES NOT SPEND A LOT OF TIME OR EFFORT ON ITS ON ITS BUDGET. IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE MAYOR DOES AND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE SCHOOL COMMITTEE PLAY, YOU KNOW, A RELATIVELY SMALL ROLE IN. RIGHT. THE CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A BUDGET THIS YEAR THAT WAS 99% THE SAME AS THE BUDGET THAT MAYOR WU APPROVED IN APRIL.  AND SO I THINK THAT THE THE BIG THING THAT I HOPE PEOPLE TAKE AWAY FROM THIS MEETING TODAY IS THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY HERE TO BRING IN A LOT MORE OF THESE VOICES IN A MORE ORGANIZED KIND OF DELIBERATE WAY RATHER THAN, YOU KNOW, LIKE A HEARING THAT'S ORGANIZED ON 48 HOURS NOTICE TO TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS AND TALK ABOUT THE POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS FOR THEM. WE HAVE A MODEL FOR THAT UP ON BEACON HILL HAVING TALKED ABOUT THAT A BIT, THE CONSENSUS REVENUE HEARING AND ON BEACON HILL A GOVERNOR WE HAVE TO WAYS AND MEANS CHAIRS AND WE HAVE NON-PROFITS ALL OF WHOM HAVE THEIR OWN BUDGET EXPERTS HERE IN BOSTON WE HAVE A COUPLE OF STAFF ON THE CITY COUNCIL . THE NEARLY ALL THE BUDGET EXPERTISE SITS IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND UNTIL THERE IS A BROADER AND MORE DATA DRIVEN PUBLIC CONVERSATION, UNTIL THE BUDGET IS NOT A BLACK BOX LIKE IT IS NOW, WE'RE JUST NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE THESE PROBLEMS.  WELL, THANK. THANK YOU, GREG. AND IF WE DON'T ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING OTHER THAN GIVING PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE IMPACT THESE THESE PROPOSALS WILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT'S SOMEWHAT OF AN ACCOMPLISHMENT BUT I THINK THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY SHOULD BE AT THE TABLE WHEN WE ARE DISCUSSING BOSTON'S ECONOMIC CHALLENGES AND LET THIS BE A START BUT HOPEFULLY WE CAN CONTINUE LISTENING TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY GIVING THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD.  THEY HAVE THEY'RE VALUABLE TO THE CITY.  THEY PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN OUR CITY. THEY'VE ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON. THEY'RE PART OF THE SOLUTION.  SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN AND I DO JUST WANT TO THANK CENTRAL STAFF AND ALL THE CITY COUNCILORS THAT DO SHOW UP TO BUDGET HEARINGS AND POUR IN A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME INTO THOSE BUDGET MEETINGS, THOSE WORKING SESSIONS IN THOSE HEARINGS. IT IS A LARGE LIFT FOR OUR COLLEAGUES AND GENERAL STAFF AND ANYONE AND THE WHOLE PUBLIC IS ALWAYS ABLE TO TESTIFY AT THOSE BUDGET HEARINGS. COUNCILOR I MEAN HE HAD THE FLOOR. JOYCE.  THANK YOU CHAIRMAN ROLE. I ALSO JUST WANT TO UPLIFT AND NOTE THAT IN YOUR CHAIRMANSHIP SINCE YOU'VE BEEN ON THE COUNCIL CHAIR OF RAIL YOU HAVE BEEN ALL ABOUT DATA AND DRIVING INFORMATION AND INFORMING OUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS WITH DATA AND I'M VERY ENCOURAGED BY BOTH WHAT GREG JUST STATED IN TERMS OF HAVING KEY STAKEHOLDERS AT THE TABLE BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE DON'T KNOW AND I THINK WHAT HAPPENS IN THE WORLD OF POLITICS IS THAT WE PICK AND CHOOSE WHO WE WANT TO PLAY IN THE SANDBOX WITH AND THEN WE WANT TO ALIENATE ANYONE WHO DOES NOT AGREE WITH US. AND I THINK IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE TO IN THIS MOMENT IN TIME TO BE A HUMBLE LEADER.  AND I WILL JUST SUBMIT FOR US TO REALLY CONSIDER HOW WE ARE MOVING FORWARD NOT ONLY AS A COUNCIL BUT JUST AS A PRACTICE. A LOT OF THINGS END UP IN FRONT OF THE BODY WITHOUT US DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND WE ARE OFTENTIMES JUST FORCED TO APPROVE A BUDGET OR APPROVE AN ORDINANCE OR WHATEVER THE CASE IS WITHOUT US REALLY BEING ABLE TO FULLY ASSESS, YOU KNOW, THE PROS AND CONS OF EVERYTHING THAT COMES OUR WAY. AND I THINK THAT THIS IS WHY WE ARE IN THE SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW. IF WE WOULD HAVE PAID ATTENTION TO THE CRITICISM QUOTE UNQUOTE WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WHEN THE REPORT FIRST CAME OUT AND WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE REAL MEANINGFUL DIALOG WITH ALL STAKEHOLDERS AND THE CONVERSATION PROBABLY WILL LOOK VERY DIFFERENT.  BUT HERE WE ARE AND THE GOAL IS TO GET TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE WITHOUT ANYONE FEELING LIKE THEY'RE BEING LEFT BEHIND.  THAT IS ALWAYS MY GOAL. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN FIGHTING FOR ON THE COUNCIL IS AN OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL NOW WE ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH STAFFERS AND TO RANDI'S POINT AND I HEAR YOU. THERE'S TOO MANY PEOPLE AND ALL THAT GOOD STUFF BUT THERE REALLY ISN'T A MECHANISM IN PLACE WHERE WE ARE AUDITING OUR OUR DEPARTMENTS AND NOT JUST THE RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT. ARE WE BEING EFFICIENT?  RIGHT. AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I'VE BEEN CHAMPIONING THIS WHOLE IDEA OF HAVING THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL THAT WOULD DO JUST THAT BECAUSE THEN WE WILL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WASTE NOT TO SAY THAT EMPLOYEES ARE WASTE BUT WE WE COULD BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND MORE EFFICIENT WITH HOW WE HOW WE STAFF AND I THINK THAT THAT IS AN AREA OF GROWTH. MY OFFICE AUDITED FOUR PIECES OF LEGISLATION BECAUSE WHAT IS THE SENSE OF PASSING ORDINANCES THAT ARE IN THE BOOKS IF THEY'RE NOT GIVING US A RETURN ON THOSE INVESTMENTS OR NOT MEETING THE MOMENT AND THAT REQUIRES THE CITY OF BOSTON TO DO JUST THAT IN THIS MOMENT. WHAT OFFICES HAVE WE ESTABLISHED?  WHAT HAS BEEN THE RETURN ON THOSE INVESTMENTS? ARE WE PRODUCING THE RESULTS THAT WE SET FORTH IN 1986 AND 1990? WE HAVE TO DO THAT REFLECTION AS PART OF THIS RECONCILING WITH THE THE SITUATION AS FAR AS IT RELATES TO FINANCE.  BUT AGAIN, IT IS HUMBLING. IT'S A HUMBLING EXERCISE AND I THINK IT TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE TO SAY I SAID I WAS GOING TO DO X, Y AND Z. HAVE I DONE THAT? AND IF I HAVEN'T DONE THAT, DID MY ORDINANCE MEET THE MOMENT OR DO WE NEED TO REVISE IT RIGHT? LIKE THOSE ARE THE SORT OF CONVERSATIONS THAT I I THINK ARE PART OF THIS DISCUSSION OR AT LEAST WE NEED TO CONSIDER.  BUT ANYWAYS LET ME ASK A QUESTION BECAUSE I CAN GO ON MY SOAPBOX FOREVER AND NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR ME YAPPING. SO EVEN CAN YOU TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TRANSFER FEE AND JUST KIND OF WHAT I THINK YOU MENTIONED THAT AS AS AS SOMETHING TO EXPLORE.  CAN YOU UNPACK THAT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER FOR THOSE WHO ARE TUNING IN TALKING ABOUT THE PROPOSAL FOR A REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAX THAT SEEMS TO HAVE STALLED? YEAH. YES. FIRST OF ALL, I WAS ENJOYING YOUR COMMENTS THAT I THOUGHT WERE VERY THOUGHTFUL AND I WOULD NEVER CHARACTERIZE AS YAPPING ON THE THE TRANSFER TAX . I THINK VERY FAIR TAXES HAVE A COUPLE OF REAL DOWNSIDES. ONE OF THEM IS THAT THEY INHIBIT TRANSFERS WHEN YOU TAX SOMETHING YOU GET LESS OF IT AND WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SELL THEIR BUILDINGS OR THEIR BUSINESSES WHEN THEY SENSE NEW OPPORTUNITIES OR WHEN THERE ARE OTHER PEOPLE WHO CAN MAKE BETTER USE OF IT.  AND THE RESEARCH IS PRETTY CLEAR THAT YOU SEE PRETTY DRAMATIC DECLINES IN REAL ESTATE ACTIVITY FROM A TAX LIKE THAT. AND THE OTHER IS IT DRIVES DOWN PRICES FOR THE SAME SAME BASIC REASON, RIGHT, FOR PEOPLE WHO KNOW THE VALUE OF THE BUILDING. THEY THEN ACCOUNT FOR THE TAX WHEN THINKING ABOUT THE VALUE. SO WHEN YOU ADD A TAX TO THE TRANSACTION YOU REDUCE THE VALUE BUILDING AGAIN THIS IS A LOT OF RESEARCH ON THERE. SO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE DOING THIS ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE. SO LIKE IF IT WERE JUST A TRANSFER TAX ON HIGH VALUE RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE THAT KIND OF MANSION TAX MODEL, I THINK THE CITY COULD PROBABLY RAISE SOME REVENUE THAT WAY. SO MEANINGFUL REVENUE. THERE'S A LOT OF HIGH VALUE REAL ESTATE.  IT'S A VERY STRONG MARKET. RIGHT. SO THE RISK OF REDUCING TRANSACTIONS OR THE RISK OF PRICE DECLINES ARE NOT AS PROMINENT BUT ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT,  RIGHT? THE COMMERCIAL MARKET IS TOTALLY IS COMPLETELY FROZEN UP AND PRICES ARE ALREADY DECLINING. SO WHEN YOU APPLY A TRANSFER TAX TO THE COMMERCIAL MARKET,  WHAT YOU SEE IS A BASICALLY LIKE A SEIZING UP OF THE MARKET AND A FURTHER DECLINE IN PRICES. SO YOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS SPLIT THIS WAY WHERE A TRANSFER TAX WITH A THRESHOLD $1,000,000 THRESHOLD OR $2 MILLION THRESHOLD WOULD PROBABLY HAVE SOME PRETTY NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE CITY BECAUSE MOST OF THE BUILDINGS OR AT LEAST A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE BUILDINGS AFFECTED WOULD BE COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS THAT ARE NOT IN A GOOD POSITION TO ABSORB TAX LIKE THIS RIGHT NOW WHEREAS A MORE TARGETED TRANSFER TAX JUST ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE PROBABLY HAS MUCH MORE UPSIDE IN TERMS OF RAISING REVENUE WITHOUT TOO MUCH DISTORTION IF THAT MAKES SENSE. YEAH. COUNCILMAN , ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME I ONLY HAVE 30 SECONDS LEFT BECAUSE YOU'RE BACK ON SCREEN THAT I'M I HAVE TO START CHECKING MY OWN TIME HERE. BUT ONE MORE QUESTION BEFORE YOU MEET ME . IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR OUR AUDIENCE AND I ALWAYS LIKE THE POSITION LIKE THIS BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT FOLLOW OUR WORK WHO ARE NOT IN THE WEEDS OF POLITICS BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T WE WE JUST HAVE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN OUR LIVES RIGHT?  SO I THINK IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL IF YOU CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND THIS WHOLE IDEA OF THE NARRATIVE HAS BEEN THAT YOUR REPORT AND AND YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE REACTIONS FROM SOME OF THE COLLEAGUES ON THE COUNCIL WAS FEAR BASED AND IT WAS YOU KNOW, YOUR WHOLE SCENARIO WAS PRETTY MUCH DISMISSED NOW THAT WE ARE BRINGING IT BACK. YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT 2029 LIKE THIS IS NOT GOING TO GO ANYWHERE. SO CAN YOU HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT NARRATIVE NOW EVEN A BIT FURTHER JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET THIS ON THE RECORD JUST BECAUSE IT FEELS LIKE IT COULD BE A PATTERN.  ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. SO PROBABLY THE KEY TAKEAWAY FROM OUR REPORT ON THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY IN BOSTON IS THAT THIS IS UNLIKE MOST ECONOMIC PROBLEMS, LOTS OF ECONOMIC PROBLEMS ARE LIKE OH, THERE'S A CRASH AND THEN YOU REBOUND OH, WE HAVE A RECESSION AND THEN WE COME OUT OF IT. THAT'S NOT THE SHAPE OF THIS PARTICULAR PROBLEM BECAUSE OF REMOTE WORK BECAUSE A LOT OF IT IS DRIVEN BY THE REALITY OF REMOTE WORK.  AND ADMIRABLE AS FOR INSTANCE RANDI'S ADVOCACY WAS JUST NOW ABOUT GETTING MORE PEOPLE DOWNTOWN AND BACK TO WORK. I THINK THAT IS AN UPHILL BATTLE AND THE NEW REALITY OF THE U.S. ECONOMY AND THE BOSTON ECONOMY IS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE WORKING REMOTELY. AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT OFFICES ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE WORTH LESS THAN THEY WERE IN THE PRE REMOTE WORK AGE. WE ARE NOT GOING BACK TO A TIME WHEN OFFICES ARE AS USEFUL FOR BUSINESSES AND THEREFORE AS VALUABLE. SO THIS DECLINE IN OFFICE VALUES IS NOT THE KIND OF THING THAT HAPPENS AND THEN BOUNCES BACK WHICH IS WHAT HAPPENED IN 2003 2000 FOR THE LAST TIME WE CHANGED THE FLIP.  THIS TIME AROUND IT'S GOING TO FALL AND IT'S GOING TO STAY DOWN. SO THE CITY NEEDS TO ADJUST NOT FOR THIS YEAR BUT FOR ITS NEW ECONOMIC REALITY WHERE OFFICES WILL MAYBE NEVER BE AS VALUABLE AS THEY WERE AND THEREFORE THE ABILITY TO TAX THEM IS GOING TO BE LIMITED INDEFINITELY MOVING FORWARD.  THANK YOU. THAT'S LIKE THAT'S THE COMING TO JESUS CONVERSATION THAT WE NEED TO HAVE AND IT SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING WITH IT BUT SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. I DO APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  CUSTOMER COUNCIL MURPHY THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THIS PANEL. VERY INFORMATIVE SO FAR SO THANK YOU. MY FIRST QUESTION I THINK IS IT'S MORE A POLITICAL NOT AN ECONOMIC QUESTION BUT WHY ARE YOUR NUMBERS YOU KNOW, WHY IS YOUR REPORT SO DIFFERENT?  THAT'S A QUESTION I'M GETTING FROM RESIDENTS SOMETHING COUNCILWOMAN HERE JUST TOUCHED ON IT ALSO. BUT YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BELIEVE THE ADMINISTRATION RIGHT. IS TELLING THEM THAT THESE ARE THE NUMBERS AND THIS IS THE ONLY OPTION.  YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO BUDGING AND NOW I FEEL LIKE IT'S BECOME MORE POLITICAL WHERE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, HOLDING TOWN HALLS TO PUSH A NARRATIVE THAT TO ME ESPECIALLY, YOU KNOW, LISTENING TO YOU ALL TODAY, IT'S ONE SIDED AND IT'S CONTRADICTING YOUR REPORTS AND WHAT YOU WERE SAYING. WITH ANY OR ALL OF YOU WANT TO KIND OF TOUCH ON THAT BECAUSE IT'S A QUESTION I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE REACHING OUT ASKING ABOUT LIKE AN ANSWER THAT QUESTION COMES UP. THIS IS GREGORY MAYNARD. YEAH. THANK YOU.  I TOO I DON'T THINK THERE'S ACTUALLY AS MUCH DAYLIGHT BETWEEN WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION BELIEVES AND OUR REPORT.  I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF DAYLIGHT BETWEEN HOW THE ADMINISTRATION DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM THAT IT IS FACING AND OUR REPORT IN BUDGET HEARINGS THAT WE'VE SEEN OVER THIS PAST YEAR THE ADMINISTRATION HAS DECLINED, HAS REFUSED TO PROVIDE FORWARD LOOKING GUIDANCE AS PROVIDE A REFUSED TO LOOK INTO THE FUTURE ON WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO PROPERTY VALUES . AND SO EVERYTHING IS TREATED AS IF IT'S A ONE TIME EVENT THAT WILL NOT CONTINUE INTO THE FUTURE. RIGHT. THAT'S I WENT TO THE MAYOR'S TOWN HALL LAST NIGHT AND THAT APPEARED TO BE WHAT SHE WAS WHAT SHE WAS SAYING ON THIS ON THIS ISSUE.  AND SO IF THIS IS A ONE TIME EVENT THEN YOU KNOW, THEN THEN THIS REPORT THEN OUR REPORT IS WRONG BUT WE DON'T BELIEVE IT'S A ONE TIME EVENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION HAS OFFERED NO EVIDENCE THAT IT'S THAT IT IS A ONE TIME EVENT. I THINK THIS KIND OF GETS BACK TO MY POINT I MADE FOR COUNCILOR FLYNN AROUND THE BUDGET CONVERSATION IN BOSTON, WHICH IS THAT THERE JUST ISN'T A LOT OF BUDGET EXPERTISE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THE CITY COUNCIL HAS VERY LITTLE THERE'S THERE'S NOT A LOT IN IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. RIGHT. THE FACT IS THAT BOSTON POLICY INSTITUTE, AN ORGANIZATION THAT WAS FORMED IN LESS THAN A YEAR AGO LAUNCHED THIS REPORT AND DID THIS AND AND WE WERE IN A POSITION TO DO THAT BECAUSE THIS IS A RELATIVELY EMPTY LANE IN POLICY MAKING HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS.  AND SO I THINK A LOT OF THIS IS JUST BECAUSE THE BUDGET IS NOT A PARTICULARLY WELL UNDERSTOOD THING HERE IN BOSTON AND AND SO IT IS RELATIVELY EASY TO HAVE TWO MESSAGES THAT LOOK SUBSTANTIAL BUT ARE ACTUALLY PRETTY PRETTY SIMILAR. NO, THANK YOU.  ONE THING TO HOME RULE PETITIONS CAN BE SENT UP TO YOU KNOW, WRITTEN IN A WAY AND SENT TO THE STATE HOMES WHERE WE GIVE THE STATE HOUSE THE POWER TO MAKE CHANGES. THIS ONE WASN'T WRITTEN THAT WAY SO WORD WAS YOU KNOW THAT THAT LAST MINUTE VOTE WHEN IT GOT THROUGH THE HOUSE THERE WAS PROMISES MADE, THERE WERE NUMBERS SHIFTED BUT THAT WAS JUST A PROMISE, RIGHT? LIKE WE USED TO CALL IT A GENTLEMEN'S HANDSHAKE AND NOW THERE'S TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, NO BUDGING BUT MAYBE THERE'LL BE A LITTLE BIT OF COMPROMISE TO GET IT THROUGH THE SENATE. CAN ANY OF YOU SPEAK ON THE FEAR OF THAT THAT YOU KNOW WHAT IF THEN WE DON'T MAKE THE CHANGES THAT WERE PROMISED ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT'S NOT LEGALLY ABLE TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE HOME RULE PETITION FORMALLY ? YEAH. SO I CAN'T I CAN THIS IS RECOMMENDED AGAIN I THINK THAT'S A QUESTION THAT WOULD PROBABLY BEST BE GIVEN TO WAYS AND MEANS. CHAIR SO AND MAJORITY OUR MIKE MIKE AND RIGHT THEY'RE THE ONES WHO WHO NEGOTIATED THIS WITH THE WITH THE MAYOR BASED ON PRESS REPORTS.  SO THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING THAT IS A QUESTION FOR THE BOSTON DELEGATION.  WELL, I CAN YEAH. YEAH BUT WHAT HOW DO YOU FEEL THOUGH LIKE TO THE RESIDENTS KNOWING THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM FEEL LIKE OH WELL IT WAS PASSED AND NOW IT'S WRITTEN INTO IT AND JUST LIKE THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU KNOW ANYONE LISTENING IN HERE TO THAT THERE WAS YOU KNOW THERE WAS A CONVERSATION BUT IT DIDN'T ACTUALLY MAKE ANY PERMANENT CHANGE.  I MEAN COUNCILMEMBER BRING UP SOME GOOD POINTS.  I MEAN THE FRUSTRATION WE HAVE AT CBA IS AND WE'RE MOST OF US A LOT OF US ARE ALSO RESIDENTS AS THESE DISCUSSIONS HAVE NOT HAPPENED IN THE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS.  YOU KNOW, THE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE I SAID IS OUR ECONOMIC ENGINE. WE'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE THE HIGHER PRICED HOMES AND WE HAVE BUSINESSES AND SO FORTH.  THOSE DISCUSSIONS SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED LAST SPRING BUT WHEN WE ASKED FOR THOSE DISCUSSIONS TO HAPPEN IN JUNE AND TO NO AVAIL, THEY WERE NEVER SET UP. SO WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE DATA THAT WAS COMING IN FROM THESE TWO GENTLEMEN THAT SPOKE TODAY AND ALSO THIS LETTER THAT MAYOR WU RELEASED RECENTLY TO BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH SOME SOLUTIONS BECAUSE I THINK EVERYBODY WANTS A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM AND FROM MY MANY YEARS WORKING AT THE BRE I WAS HEAD OF COMMUNITY PLANNING FOR THE BRE WHEN WE WOULD RE PLAN ARIZONA NEIGHBORHOOD WE WOULD HIRE PEOPLE FROM THE OUTSIDE TO COME IN, WORK WITH US IN REAL ESTATE TO TELL US IF THIS ZONING WOULD LAST FOR THE NEXT TEN, 15, 20 YEARS. THESE WERE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD AND THERE'S NO WAY THAT YOU COULD HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE THAT THAT YOU COULD HIRE IN IN-HOUSE THAT COULD DO THAT. BUT WE WERE ABLE TO PUT MY I ALWAYS HAD MONEY PUT ASIDE IN MY BUDGET THAT I COULD HIRE PEOPLE LIKE THE PAM MCKINNEY'S AND THE DRU LEFT AND FOLKS LIKE JOHNNY TIPIS TO COME IN RELOOK AT THIS TO SAY IS THIS ACTUALLY GOING TO WORK OR IS IT NOT GOING TO WORK? AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT HERE BECAUSE THE REPORTS WE GOT TODAY ARE VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND I THINK SOMEHOW AS CITY COUNCILORS YOU NEED TO HAVE SOME EXPERTS WORK WITH YOU. I MEAN IT'S CRAZY THIS DISCUSSION IS HAPPENING TODAY AND NOW WE'RE IN OCTOBER AND IT'S LIKE OKAY, OKAY, LET'S GET THIS DONE. LET'S RAISE TAXES ON RESIDENTIAL LET'S RAISE TAXES ON COMMERCIAL AND IF IT'S NOT DONE, WE'RE GOING TO START YOU KNOW, CANCEL THE CADET PROGRAM. IT'S ALL FEAR AND ANGER AND THAT'S MY REAL CONCERN AT THIS POINT. I MEAN YOU KNOW, THEY HAD A MEETING IN WEST ROXBURY. THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE GOING OUT AND HAVING A MEETING TEN TONIGHT IN CHARLESTOWN. WHY AREN'T THE MEETINGS HAPPENING IN THE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOODS? I MEAN WE'RE THE ONES ARE GOING TO FEEL THE BURDEN OF THIS AND ALSO YOU KNOW AND THE BIG POINT I HAVE IS IF THE RETAILERS AND THE GROUND FLOOR USES THE RISK GO UP, THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE LAYOFFS. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LAY PEOPLE OFF TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COST BECAUSE THEY CAN ONLY RAISE THEIR PRICES SO MUCH AND MANY OF THOSE ARE RESIDENTS LIKE YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING, SOME ARE RESIDENTS.  I MEAN THAT THAT 60% OF OUR STOCK ARE MINORITY AND WOMAN OWNED BUSINESSES. I MEAN THERE'S NO SIMPLE SOLUTION ON THIS BUT YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL BUDGET. EVERY DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO CUT CUT. THERE NEEDS TO BE A HIRING FREEZE A.S.A.P. YOU NEED TO LOOK AT THE 450 PEOPLE ACCORDING TO THE BOSTON GLOBE THAT WERE RECENTLY HIRED MAYBE THEY'D HAVE TO SOME OF THOSE HAVE TO BE LAID OFF. I MEAN FOR I HAD A LAUGH THIS MORNING COUNCILOR QUINN AND I WERE DISCUSSING MAYOR RAOUL RIGHT NOW PRESENTLY HAS A GRANT WHERE IF YOU'RE A DURING HALLOWEEN YOU CAN GET $150 TO PUT JUST TO GIVE OUT CANDY ON HALLOWEEN IN FRONT OF YOUR HOUSE AND PEOPLE ARE APPLYING FOR IT'S OUTRAGEOUS THAT WE'RE GET THE CITY IS GIVING $150 TO A SMALL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION OR A R STREET TO GIVE OUT HALLOWEEN CANDY ON HALLOWEEN. NOW I KNOW THIS IS JUST A LITTLE PIECE TO TALK ABOUT BUT THESE ARE THE LAST THING TOO, IF I COULD, RANDI, BECAUSE IT TIES INTO THIS AND I KNOW MY BUZZER WILL COME OUT BUT JUST I THINK THE UNDERSTANDING FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COMMERCIAL BURDEN MANY PEOPLE THINK WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT THESE BIG NATIONAL COMPANIES DOWNTOWN WHEN THEY CAN TAKE THE HIT BUT LIKE YOU ELOQUENTLY STATED AT THE BEGINNING AND I'VE BEEN SAYING FROM THE BEGINNING ALSO IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR SMALL COFFEE SHOPS LIKE IN ROSEDALE, THE ICE CREAM SHOP THAT JUST OPENED YOU KNOW, THE DRY CLEANERS, THE BOOKSTORES THEY'RE LOCAL, THEY'RE RESIDENT OWNED, A LOT OF THEM MINORITY OWNED RESIDENTS, WORKERS. BUT WHEN WE'RE SPENDING MILLIONS IN ARPA FUNDS TO SUPPORT OUR STRUGGLING SMALL BUSINESSES THAT WILL BE PART OF THE BURDEN IF IT SHIFTS TO OUR COMMERCIAL.  SO THAT UNDERSTANDING TOO THAT WE'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT LIKE STATES TREE OR THE BOSTON HOTEL WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE LOCAL DRYCLEANER, THE COFFEE SHOP YOU GO TO IN THE MORNING BUT AT THE SAME TIME WE ARE SPENDING MILLIONS TO SUPPORT THEM, RIGHT? AND WE HAVE THERE IS MONEY BUT IT'S LIKE CYCLING AROUND AND WE HAVE OVER 20. THANK YOU. CARSON MURPHY I MEAN, IT'S CRAZY. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  CARSON MURPHY AND YOU KNOW, AS WAYS AND MEANS CHAIR, I HAD THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY OF LEADING THE BUDGET PROCESS. I MEAN IN THAT PROCESS WE DID GO LINE ITEM BY LINE ITEM EVERY EVERY DEPARTMENT TOOK A LOOK AT EVERY VACANCY AND WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO DO WAS REALLOCATE SOME OF THOSE VACANT POSITIONS AND BECAUSE WE DID NOT GET CONSENSUS AMONGST I MEAN WHAT WOULD YOU REFERRING TO, GREG, IS YOU KNOW THE THE ABILITY TO MOVE YOU KNOW IT'S I THINK YOU SAID WHAT 2% OF THE BUDGET BUT YOU KNOW THAT THAT TAKES CONSENSUS ON THE BODY TO ABLE TO MOVE MORE.  SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WE DID GO LINE ITEM BY LINE ITEM INTO THE BUDGET PROCESS AND WAS PUSHING AND ADVOCATING FOR SOME OF THESE VACANT POSITIONS TO BE REALLOCATED. HOWEVER, NOT EVERYONE ON THE COUNCIL AGREED WITH THAT METHOD OF SERVICE JOB WITH THE PLEDGE OF JOBS. THANK YOU CHAIR.  FIRST I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I KNOW THAT THIS IS A YOU KNOW THESE ORDERS FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS THE $15 MILLION TOWARDS RESIDENTIAL TAXPAYERS AND TO EXPLORE UTILIZING SURCHARGES TO PROVIDE RESIDENTIAL TAX RELIEF. I WONDER IS THAT MORE FOR THE SECOND PANEL BECAUSE I WAS INTERESTED IN GETTING INTO THOSE THE DETAILS OF THOSE AND IT SEEMS LIKE SO FAR AND I DON'T I'M NOT AGAINST IT SO FAR THE DISCUSSION HAS JUST BEEN THE TAX PROPOSAL OVERALL BUT I WAS KIND OF HOPING WE WOULD GET INTO SPECIFIC THESE SPECIFIC INSTANCES HERE OF HOW WE COULD BETTER SORT OF DIVERSIFY OUR TAX RELIEF BUT MAYBE THAT THAT THAT'LL BE FOR THE SECOND PANEL. MY COMMENT BEFORE MY QUESTION MY COMMENT ON JUST SORT OF THIS OVERALL IS THAT I THINK THE THING THAT FOLKS NEED TO THIS IS WHEN THEY LOOK AT WHAT'S COMING LESS LIKE I'D RATHER TAKE THE GRADUAL HIT OVER TIME WHAT RESIDENTS WOULD NOT WANT THAT I DON'T I DON'T DISAGREE BUT I THINK WHAT FOLKS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND AT LEAST THE WAY I SEE IT IS OVER TIME THE RESIDENT IS STILL GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THAT FOR NOT OF 768 OVER THE COURSE OF JUST THREE YEARS SO IF SEVEN 600 $768 IS A LOT OF MONEY TO A LOT OF FAMILIES PER YEAR IN BOSTON AND I UNDERSTAND THAT BUT IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET THERE IN TWO OR THREE YEARS TIME ANYWAY, WHATEVER THAT THAT LENGTH OF TIME IS AND YOU AS A FAMILY FINANCIALLY SITTING ON THE RAZOR'S EDGE ANYWAY. I MEAN IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAYING THE 700 THIS YEAR WILL MAKE ME LEAVE THE CITY VERSUS WHILE I'M PROBABLY GOING TO HAVE TO LEAVE THE CITY 365 DAYS LATER ANYWAY, RIGHT. BECAUSE I WON'T BE ABLE TO TAKE THE NEXT YEAR IN GREECE AND SO I WORRY THAT WE DO THAT IN FEEDING THE RESIDENTS TOO MUCH OF OF THE SMALL CRUMBS NOW AND WORRYING ABOUT THE BIG MEAL LATER ON SAYING LOOK, IF YOU COULD TAKE THIS GRADUALLY AND EVERYBODY WILL SAY ABSOLUTELY DO NOT RAISE MY TAXES, I'LL GO WHATEVER IS LESS MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET AND I GET THAT. BUT WE DO THAT AT THE RISK OF IRREPARABLE HARM TO OUR DOWNTOWN AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES WHICH IF WE FURTHER DISINCENTIVIZE TO MOVE THEIR BUSINESS HERE ATTRACT PEOPLE HERE, CREATE JOBS, INVEST AND BUILD THEN PEOPLE ARE GOING TO WANT TO MOVE OUT OF THE CITY VOLUNTARILY NEVER MIND BECAUSE THERE WON'T BE MUCH OF A CITY TO GO ON. THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT I THINK THAT THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR CAN BRING ESPECIALLY GIVING WHAT BOSTON IS RIGHT NOW AS A CITY THAT LEADS IN LIFE SCIENCES THAT CAN AND SHOULD AND I BELIEVE WILL LEAD IN CLEAN TECH, TOUGH TECH. THE NEW JOBS OF THE FUTURE WERE A COASTAL CITY WHERE I'D LOVE TO DO A LOT OF THE RESILIENCE STUFF IN-HOUSE AND SO YOU HAVE TO BE OPEN TO THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO ALLOW THEM TO COME IN HERE, SET UP SHOP AND CREATE THOSE JOBS THAT WILL BE THE JOBS OF THE FUTURE FOR THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON.  SO I JUST WORRY ABOUT SOMEONE SAYING HEY, STICK AROUND FOR ANOTHER YEAR BUT YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO LEAVE AGAIN NEXT YEAR IF THIS INCREASE REALLY IS TOO MUCH VERSUS WELL ,WE MIGHT JUST YOU LOSE THIS BIG OPPORTUNITY OF CREATING AND INVESTING AND PLANNING FOR OUR CITY IN THE FUTURE BY BY DISINCENTIVIZING FOLKS TO COME IN COMMERCIALLY BUILD HERE. SO YOU KNOW THERE'S I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS WE CAN DO IN TERMS OF CUTTING THE BUDGET BUT YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE'S OBVIOUSLY CONTINUE TO BUILD I BELIEVE WE HAVE TO MAKE MORE ALLOW FOR MORE BUILDING AND THAT'S TO GROW THE PROPERTY TAX BASE. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE RELYING ON. SO WE HAVE TO STILL IN THIS FORM BE RELIANT ON THAT I BELIEVE CUTS TO THE BUDGET COULD BE MADE. THERE'S THINGS SUCH AS A NON ESSENTIAL GOODS TAX WHICH WOULDN'T EXACTLY GET TO RESIDENTS OR COMMERCIAL BUT TOURISM IS SORT OF BACK TO ITS PRE-COVID NUMBERS AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE PEOPLE COMING HERE TO SPEND MONEY AND VISITING HOW COULD WE GET ON THEM BEFORE WE ASK OUR RESIDENTS OF IT AND I DON'T KNOW THERE ARE OTHER THEM IT COULD DO EXCISE TAXES ON THE MOPEDS AND SCOOTERS THAT ARE GOING AROUND. YOU KNOW, IS THAT A TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE ACT THAT WE COULD DO THERE? BUT THERE ARE OTHER METHODS THAT I THINK CAN DO THIS BUT I DO STILL ALWAYS WANT TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE OF HOW WE DIVERSIFY OUR REVENUES SHOULD WE RELY SOLELY ON PROPERTY TAX REVENUE? SHOULD WE LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL WAYS TO BRING IN OTHER REVENUE LIKE I SORT OF MENTIONED AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WE'LL HAVE A HEARING ON THAT TOO ABOUT THE DIVERSIFYING AND AGAIN KUDOS TO THE SPONSOR FOR IT FOR GETTING CREATIVE HERE AND HOW TO DO THIS. I WOULD LOVE TO GET INTO WHAT'S THIS 15 MILLION LOOK LIKE AND THIS THIS SURCHARGE START IF ANY FOLKS ON THE PANEL COULD SPEAK TO THAT SPECIFICALLY THAT'D BE GREAT TO KNOW AND SORRY I KNOW I SPENT MOST OF MY TIME TALKING BUT I'D LOVE TO HEAR AN ANSWER ON THAT. THE COUNCILOR THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION. SO JUST TO ANSWER THERE WAS A LOT IN THERE SO I JUST WANT TO TAKE THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION HERE ABOUT WHETHER RESIDENTS WHO GOT A TAX CUT NOW LIKE IF THIS PASSES LIKE HOW MUCH LONGER DOES THAT ACTUALLY GIVE THEM IN TERMS OF TIMING? SO THIS IS A IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT POINT BECAUSE I THINK THIS IS WHERE THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S CLAIMS THAT THE 2004 TAX SHIFT THAT MAYOR MENINO DID IS A SOLUTION REALLY FALL APART IF YOU LOOK AT THAT THAT GRAPH IN MY PRESENTATION AROUND COMMERCIAL VALUES OVER TIME WHAT YOU'LL SEE IS IS THAT DURING THE LIFE OF THE TAX SHIFT BACK IN 2004, COMMERCIAL VALUES ROSE OVER THE COURSE OF THAT AND SO THEY WERE RISING YEAR OVER YEAR RIGHT SO THAT MEANT THAT WHEN THE TAX SHIFT ENDED IN 2009 RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXES DIDN'T JUST SHOOT UP IN 2024 LIKE WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THERE SHOULD BE NO EXPECTATION THAT COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING TO SEE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE YEARS TO COME. RIGHT? WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SIGNIFICANT DECLINES AND SO RATHER THAN THIS BEING SOMETHING THAT'S GRADUALLY EASING IN WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT EVEN IF THE MAYOR'S TAX SHIFT IS PASSED ON BEACON HILL RATHER THAN AN EASING AND THIS IS MUCH MORE LIKE A RUBBER BAND BEING PULLED AND THEN RELEASED AT THE END OF THIS THING BEING OVER AND TAXES SHOOTING WAY UP . EVAN DID A REPORT WORKED ON A REPORT FOR THE GREATER BOSTON REAL ESTATE BOARD ON THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL FOR FIVE YEARS THAT ADDRESSED SOME OF THIS SO HE CAN SPEAK TO IT MORE. BUT I THINK THAT'S THE BIG YOU KNOW, THE 2004 THE 2000 FOR EXAMPLE, RELIED ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUES RISING AND THERE IS JUST NO EVIDENCE THAT WE ARE GOING TO SEE THAT ESPECIALLY OVER THIS SHORTER THREE YEAR WINDOW THAT THE MAYOR HAS AGREED TO THINGS AND THEN YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT OR EVEN ABOUT THAT CHARACTERIZATION IS CORRECT LIKE IT DOESN'T IT'S NOT JUST THAT YOU'RE DEFERRING, IT'S THAT YOU MAKE THE LATER JUMP MUCH BIGGER IN TERMS OF RATES FOR RESIDENTS. SO YOU WORSEN THE ONE YEAR SPIKE YOU JUST PUSH IT OUT A COUPLE OF YEARS.  I WILL ADD ALSO THAT THIS WHOLE CONVERSATION IS IN THE CONTEXT OF A GOOD ECONOMY AND I DON'T WANT TO LOSE SIGHT OF THIS THE NATIONAL AND SAY THE ECONOMY IS STRONG RIGHT NOW AND YOU ARE ALREADY FACING THESE KINDS OF PRESSURES. THERE IS NO GUARANTEE THAT TWO YEARS FROM NOW, THREE YEARS FROM NOW THE ECONOMY WILL STILL BE STRONG AND ALL OF THESE QUESTIONS GET A LOT HARDER AND THIS AGAIN SPEAKS TO LIKE IF WE CAN'T FIX IT NOW WHEN THINGS ARE GOOD AND THERE'S A LOT OF RESILIENCE TO DRAW ON, THINKING MUCH HARDER IS GOING TO BE TO FIX THEN IF WE'RE KICKING THE CAN.  WELL THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME CHAIR I GOT PRETTY SURE I'M CLOSE TO TIME ANYWAY SO YEAH BUT I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION AROUND THE SURCHARGE NOW I DON'T NO ONE WANTS TO TAKE A STAB AT THAT OR.  UM, ALL RIGHT. I GUESS LAST THE NEXT CASE PIANO AS A FITZGERALD THANKS GO TO THE UH YEAH ABSOLUTELY. NOW WE'LL TO SARA IN LOS WHO IS NEXT AND ALYSSA SANTANA ON THE FLOOR AS YOU ALL RIGHT I THINK CAMPUS ESTATE TEN IS STILL IN THE ROOM NOW SO WEBER AND THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  OKAY. I DO BELIEVE COUNSELOR BREADON WAS BEFORE ME AND SO I DON'T WANT TO TAKE ALL YOUR RIGHT.  THANK YOU. GET A BREAK IN THE FLOOR IS YOURS? YEAH.  THANK YOU, EVERYONE. I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.  A VERY IMPORTANT ONE WE SHOULD BE HAVING A LOT MORE FREQUENTLY THAN WE ACTUALLY DO GIVEN THE CONSTRAINTS OF WHAT WE CAN ACTUALLY ACHIEVE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS AND SAID AS THIS AS THE LEGISLATIVE BODY IN THE CITY ONE ISSUE THAT I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AGAIN I THINK IT'S ALMOST LIKE A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM THAT WE WE HAVE DONE AWAY WITH THE THE HAVING REGULAR ANNUAL REPORTS FROM ALL DEPARTMENTS AND GETTING A BETTER INSIGHT INTO WHAT THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE DEPARTMENT ARE, WHAT THEIR PROJECTED BUDGET IS FOR THE FUTURE GOING FORWARD BUT ALSO HOW DO WE SPEND THE MONEY LAST YEAR AND WE ACHIEVE THE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF LAST YEAR'S BUDGET AND THEN HAVING A FIVE YEAR SORT OF A YOU KNOW, ROLLOUT OF OF OBJECTIVES SO THAT YOU KNOW THAT THE POLICIES ACTUALLY GET YOU GET FOLLOW THROUGH AND YOU GET COMPLETION IN A TIMELY WAY.  I THINK WE DROP THE BALL ON A LOT OF THESE ISSUES AND YOU KNOW TO BE FRANK WE HAVE HAD AN INCREDIBLE AS YOU KNOW IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE CITY COUNCIL SINCE 2000 WITH COLVARD AND THREE MAYORS AND ALL THE REST OF IT, WE'VE HAD AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF TURBULENCE IN OUR SYSTEM. BUT I THINK GIVING BACK TO THE PRACTICE OF HAVING ANNUAL REPORTS FOR OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS AND HAVING MORE TRANSPARENCY FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY TO KNOW WHAT CITY MONEY IS BEEN SPENT ON WOULD BE REALLY GOOD.  I ALSO WOULD LOVE TO ADD SOME MORE INSIGHT INTO THE PROP CROP TO A HALF LIKE WE HEAR ABOUT CITIES VOTING TO HAVE A PROP TWO AND A HALF OVERRIDE BUT DO WE EVER HAVE THE OPTION OF DOING LIKE AN UNDER UNDERWRITE SO THAT YOU KNOW THAT WE ACTUALLY PAY IT FROM THE FROM THE THE THE TRIM THE REVENUE TO YOU KNOW TO MATCH WHAT WHAT THE REALITIES OF THE SITUATION ARE AT THE MOMENT THOSE ARE 2 TO 1 IT'S MORE OF A COMMENT AND THE OTHER IS MORE OF A QUESTION. SO WHOEVER LIKE I SPEAK TO THE CAN I SPEAK TO THE PROPOSITION TWO AND A HALF QUESTION? YEAH. THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES. EVERY YEAR IS AN OPPORTUNITY. THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT THAT YOU COLLECT FULL MAXIMUM. IT IS A CEILING, NOT A FLOOR. YOU CAN SET YOUR TAX LEVY WHEREVER YOU LIKE AT ANY LEVEL. IT JUST CANNOT EXCEED THE TWO AND A HALF PERCENT PLUS NEW GROWTH INCREASE STIPULATED BY THE LAW. AND THERE'S SOME QUESTION ABOUT LIKE WHETHER THIS MEANS LET'S SAY YOU GO UNDER DOES THAT AFFECT FUTURE YEARS? MY READING OF THE LANGUAGE IS THAT IT DOES NOT THAT YOUR FUTURE YEARS DEPEND ON THE LEVEL OF THE LEVY LIMIT NOT THE ACTUAL AMOUNT YOU COLLECT.  SO IF YOU COLLECT LESS THAN THE LEVY IT'S NOT LIKE OH WELL WE CAN ONLY GET TWO AND A HALF PERCENT MORE THE NEXT YEAR. NO YOU STILL GET TWO AND A HALF PERCENT ABOVE THE LIMIT FROM THE YEAR BEFORE SO THAT IS ALWAYS AN OPTION. THERE'S NO REQUIREMENT THAT YOU COLLECT THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT. THE OTHER THOUGHT I HAD WAS ABOUT YOU KNOW, OUR COMMERCIAL CLASSIFICATION IS THERE ISN'T A WAY THAT WE CAN YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR BUILDINGS ARE HIGH VALUE MODERN YOU KNOW, STATE OF THE ART INCREDIBLY NEW NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND THEN HAVE YOU KNOW OUR MAIN STREETS DISTRICTS ARE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES BUT THIS IS A WAY WE CAN DO LIKE A SUBCATEGORY SO THAT WE'RE NOT TAXING OUR MEANS ALL OF OUR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY AT THE SORT OF SAME RETURNS THAT WE'VE LOOKED AT WE HAVE LOOKED INTO THAT ARE IS THAT IT IS NOT LEGAL OR NOT CONSISTENT WITH MASSACHUSETTS LAWS TO ESTABLISH FURTHER SUBCATEGORIES OF THE PROPERTY TAX. SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO CHANGE AT THE STATE LEVEL TO JUMP IN AND DON'T OH, THERE'S ALSO THAT IS PART OF THE COMPROMISE THAT WAS STRUCK BETWEEN MAYOR AND THE STATE HOUSE IS CREATING LIKE A AND YOU GUYS HAD A HEARING ABOUT IT. COUNCILOR COLETTA SPONSORED A HEARING ORDER ABOUT THIS TO CREATE LIKE A KIND OF A RESIDENTIAL TAX EXEMPTION FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN CONSIDERED AND I THINK IT'S IT'S PART OF THE COMPROMISE THAT WAS STRUCK BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND B AND THE STATE STATE HOUSE. BUT TO GO BACK EARLIER QUESTION YOU ACTUALLY COUNCIL ACTUALLY HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN SETTING THE TAX RATES FOR LIKE THE UNDER THE UNDERWRITE THAT YOU SPOKE ABOUT THAT'S THE THE RATE SETTING MEETING THAT THE COUNCIL DOES EVERY YEAR AND EITHER LATE NOVEMBER OR EARLY DECEMBER YOU GOT YOU'RE SETTING THE TAX RATES NOT FOR THIS YEAR RIGHT BUT FOR QUARTER THREE OF 2025 RIGHT. SO EFFECTIVELY AT THE END OF THIS YEAR YOU SET THE TAX RATES THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON USES TO CREATE THEIR BUDGET GOING FORWARD. RIGHT. SO THE COUNCIL DOES HAVE AN ENORMOUS POTENTIAL ROLE TO PLAY HERE IN THE NEXT SIX WEEKS IN DECIDING WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE GOING TO CHOOSE TO RAISE ALL THE WAY TO THE LEVY AT THAT RATE SETTING MEETING IN IN NOVEMBER. RIGHT. AND OTHER TOWNS AND CITIES ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS, PARTICULARLY GATEWAY CITIES CHOOSE NOT TO GO TO THE LIMIT EVERY YEAR. RIGHT. THOSE ARE CITIES WHERE HOMEOWNERS PAY THE MAJORITY OF THE PROPERTY TAXES AND WHERE YOU KNOW, WHICH IS IS IS NOT THE CASE IN BOSTON. BUT THAT'S YOU KNOW, THAT'S A POWER THAT THE COUNCIL HAS AND THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COUNCIL INSTITUTIONALLY TO REALLY, YOU KNOW, KICK THE TIRES ON WHAT THEY WANT NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET TO BE RIGHT. YOU'RE GETTING THE YOU'RE GIVING THE THE ADMINISTRATION BASICALLY HOW MUCH MONEY THEY GOT TO SPEND IN THE BUDGET THAT YOU'LL LOOK AT ON JUNE 2025.  I ALSO YOU KNOW BACK TO THE ISSUE OF TRANSFER TAX I'M A BIG SUPPORTER OF THE TRANSFER TAX. I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT WE COULDN'T GET IT. I LIVE IN AUSTIN, BRIGHTON.  THIS NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN AS IS THERE'S A LOT OF INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF SPECULATIVE INVESTMENT PROPONENTS COME ALONG, THEY DEVELOP A PLAN, THEY DESIGN A GET A PROJECT APPROVED BY THE BPA AND THROUGH THE ZONING BOARD AND THEN THEY FLIP IT AND THEY MAKE TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SOME CASES AND I THINK IN TERMS OF OUR BUDGET TO DEVELOP MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND WORKFORCE HOUSING FOR THE CITY WORKERS AND SO THEY CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD TO STAY HERE. THE TRANSFER TAX IS A CRITICAL TOOL TO HELP WITH THAT. YOU KNOW THE ESTIMATE IS THAT IT WOULD GENERATE UP TO $100 MILLION THAT WE COULD MAKE COULD FLOW INTO AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR AND WORKFORCE HOUSING FOR CITY WORKERS AND BUSINESSES IN THE CITY BECAUSE YOU KNOW, IT'S HARDER AND HARDER TO FIND WORKERS WHO CAN ACTUALLY AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE CITY IF YOU'RE PAYING YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY IN OUR LOW TO MODERATE MIDLAND INCOME WORKERS . SO HOW AM I DOING FOR TIME? MR OH, HERE HE COMES I THINK MY TIME'S UP. THANK YOU. I CONTINUE TO LISTEN AND OFF CAMERA. OKAY THANK THANK YOU. GOT TO BRING IT IN AND I DO WANT TO NOTE THAT I'M SORRY THAT IN TOUGH TIMES I THINK WHAT MAKES OUR IN OUR BUDGET SO STRONG IS OUR RELIANCE ON PROPERTY TAX.  PART OF THE REASON WHY WE WERE ABLE TO GET SO CREATIVE AND USE ARPA DOLLARS BOUGHT DIFFERENT TRANSPORT MOTIVE INVESTMENTS IS BECAUSE YOU KNOW MAJORITY THAT MONEY WAS NOT GOING TO LOST REVENUE AND THAT WAS BASED ON OUR RELIANCE ON PROPERTY TAX AND THEN ALSO IF YOU CAN YOU GUYS EXPLAIN LIKE LEVY CEILING I MEAN OR GREG AND THEN ALSO WHAT WHERE WHERE ARE WE AT IN TERMS OF LIKE THE LEVY CEILING? YES.  TALKING ABOUT THE OTHER SIDE OF RIGHT. SO PROPOSITION TWO AND A HALF HAS BASICALLY TWO PARTS. THERE'S THE PART WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WHICH IS YEAR BY YEAR CITIES ARE ALLOWED TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT TAXES THEY COLLECT BY TWO AND A HALF PERCENT PLUS WHATEVER NEW DEVELOPMENT HAS HAPPENED IN THAT YEAR. SO THAT'S THE PROBLEM WE TALK ABOUT. THERE'S ANOTHER SIDE WHERE THE TOTAL TAX COLLECTION CAN'T EXCEED TWO AND A HALF PERCENT OF THE TOTAL ASSESSED VALUE IN THE CITY. BOSTON IS NOT PARTICULARLY CLOSE. IT'S NOT A CONCERN FOR BOSTON. THAT PART PROBABLY IS IN TWO AND A HALF. THERE ARE CITIES AND TOWNS THAT ARE UP AGAINST THAT LIMIT BUT BOSTON IS NOT IF THAT'S NOT A WORRISOME CONCERN FOR BOSTON RIGHT NOW ONLY SAY THAT WE'RE WAY BELOW THE LEVY CEILING RIGHT NOW HAS A WEB IN THE PLEDGE IT NOW USE SURE YEAH THANKS I GUESS I THINK MOST OF MY QUESTIONS ARE FOR MR MAYNARD AND MR HOROWITZ JUST FOLLOWING UP ON THAT POINT IT HAS ARE YOU ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY MUNICIPALITIES IN MASSACHUSETTS THAT HAVE TAKEN LESS THAN THE TWO AND A HALF PERCENT FROM YEAR TO YEAR A LOW ALL OR A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS HAVE TAKEN LESS THAN TWO AND A HALF PERCENT OVER THE COURSE OF THEIR LIKE THE 42 YEAR HISTORY OF OF PROP PROP TWO AND A HALF LIKE THERE'S A I CAN I CAN PUT TOGETHER A THE MASSACHUSETTS TAXPAYERS FOUNDATION DOES A GOOD RUNDOWN OF MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL FINANCES THAT CAN THAT'S A REALLY A REALLY USEFUL GUIDE AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I CAN FOLLOW UP WITH YOU ABOUT A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES PARTICULARLY PARTICULARLY CITIES THAT DEPEND HEAVILY ON ON HOMEOWNER OR ANY ANY COMMUNITIES THAT ARE REALLY DEPENDENT ON HOMEOWNERS FOR THEIR FOR THEIR PROPERTY TAX REVENUE. OKAY.  AND I GUESS SO EVAN, IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING IS THAT IF WE TOOK LESS THAN TWO AND A HALF PERCENT THAT WE COULD TAKE MORE THAN TWO AND A HALF PERCENT IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS?  THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING EVEN THOUGH IT'S PROP TWO AND A HALF. SO YOU COULD TAKE FOUR AND A HALF PERCENT.  YES. SO THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S THE TWO AND A HALF IS BASED ON THE PREVIOUS YEAR'S LIMIT, NOT THE YEAR'S ACTUAL TAX TAKE SO THAT YES, THERE IS ROOM FOR KIND OF MAKING UP REVENUE THAT YOU FOREGO.  HAS ANYONE DONE THAT? I DON'T I DON'T THAT I DON'T BELIEVE HAS HAPPENED ALTHOUGH I'M NOT 100% ON THAT BUT AGAIN LIKE PART OF THE PART OF THE KATRINA PROPOSITION TWO AND A HALF IS A LEGAL CONSTRAINT RIGHT YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO DO MORE ON THIS. PART OF IT IS AN ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CONSTRAINT.  IF YOU DO THIS IT MIGHT BE REALLY UNPOPULAR OR REALLY RUINOUS TO YOUR ECONOMY.  SO YOU'RE ALWAYS BALANCING THESE THINGS AND IF YOU GO UNDER IN ONE YEAR THAT'S USUALLY BECAUSE IT'S UNPOPULAR TO RAISE THE LIMIT OR IT'S DANGEROUS. AND SO THE ODDS ARE THAT LIKE THE NEXT YEAR YOU CAN DO MORE THEN THE LIMIT ARE VERY LOW BECAUSE THE ECONOMIC SITUATION THE POLITICAL SITUATION DON'T TURN OVER THAT FAST.  AND JUST TO ADD A FOURTH TED, A FOURTH POINT THERE ON TO I'VE BEEN SAYING THERE'S ALSO A LEGAL COMPONENT OF THIS. RIGHT. WHICH IS THAT LIKE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE RUNNING INTO HERE IS THAT MASSACHUSETTS HAS A LOT OF REALLY INNOVATIVE THINGS AT THE STATE HOUSE AND A LOT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS DO A LOT OF REALLY INNOVATIVE THINGS AROUND GOVERNING. BUT THE BUDGET IS NOT A PLACE WHERE MASSACHUSETTS CITIES AND TOWNS DO A LOT OF INNOVATION LIKE THERE WAS A LOT OF CHALLENGES TO PROP TWO AND A HALF RIGHT AFTER IT WAS PASSED . BUT YOU KNOW, FOR THE LAST CERTAINLY THIS CENTURY THERE HAVE THERE HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN DEFINITELY BEEN A LOT OF LIKE CREATIVE RESPONSES TO PROP TWO AND A HALF AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE PLACES WHERE HAVING A CONSENSUS REVENUE HEARING LIKE EVAN HAD SPOKEN ABOUT KIND OF BROADENING THIS CONVERSATION AND MAKING IT MORE MORE DATA DRIVEN, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUTSIDE FOLKS TO COME IN AND TALK ABOUT THIS STUFF BECAUSE THESE ARE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE NOT HAPPENING ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. RIGHT. THAT REALLY ONLY BOSTON KIND OF HAS THE THE RESOURCES IN TERMS OF A FULL TIME COUNCIL AND ECONOMY THAT'S, YOU KNOW, BIG ENOUGH THAT I'M NOT NONPROFIT EXPERTS WILL WELL FOCUS ON IT SO LIKE THIS IS LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING YOU KNOW CERTAINLY COULD BE ITS OWN ITS OWN HEARING ORDER COUNCILOR OKAY AND I THINK IN YOUR PRESENTATION AND YOU HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE THE PART OF THE MAYOR'S PRESENTATION WHERE WITHOUT LEGISLATION THERE WOULD BE A 27% INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXES. I THINK IN THAT SAME PRESENTATION IT SAYS THAT THE THE EFFECT WITHOUT LEGISLATION OR I'M SORRY THE EFFECT OF WITH LEGISLATION IS THAT COMMERCIAL RATES WOULD STILL GO DOWN 0.5% RIGHT. SO IS IT NON-RES PAYMENTS COMMERCIAL TOTAL PAYMENT PAYMENTS ARE STILL GOING DOWN 0.5%. THAT'S BUT THAT'S LIKE I MEAN I'VE BEEN TROUBLED BY THIS PARTICULAR TALKING POINT BECAUSE I THINK RATES ARE THE RIGHT WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT. YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY THE STATE RAISES WHEN CAN I JUST STOP YOU THERE?  DO YOU BECAUSE I THINK THE NUMBERS I THINK YOU KNOW,  YOU'RE RIGHT THERE'S NOT A LOT DAYLIGHT IN THE NUMBERS. I THINK WE'RE JUST DEBATING ON WHAT TO DO WITH THOSE NUMBERS. DO YOU AGREE BOTH OF YOU OR ONE OF YOU THAT WITH LEGISLATION EVEN IF THIS PASSES THAT THE COMMERCIAL AMOUNTS OR RATES WILL GO DOWN SLIGHTLY? BUT NO, NO I DO NOT THE AMOUNT WILL THE RATES WILL NOT THE AMOUNTS WILL BUT THE RATES WILL NOT LOOK THE RATE WILL GO UP BUT THE AMOUNT OR THE AMOUNT THAT THEY'RE PAYING WILL GO DOWN. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PASSING ON EXTRA COSTS TO THE TENANTS. THAT DOES NOT SEEM POSSIBLE WHERE YOU'RE ACTUALLY PAYING LESS. WELL, IT DOES BECAUSE THEY'RE POORER NOW. THAT'S THE POINT I'M MAKING BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH. THEY DON'T BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING FROM HAVING THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GET AN EXTRA 6% OR SOMETHING AND THEY'RE ONLY GONNA HAVE AN EXTRA 0.5% IN THEIR COFFERS.  NO, NO BECAUSE THEIR BUILDINGS ARE WORTH LESS BECAUSE THEIR BUSINESSES ARE WORTHLESS LIKE THAT'S THAT'S THE POINT. THEY HAVE LESS MONEY TO PAY THESE THINGS. SO YOU'RE ASKING MORE OF THEM. THAT IS WHY WE THAT'S WHY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TAXES WE FOCUS ON RATES BECAUSE THAT IT'S A MEASURE OF YOUR ABILITY TO PAY AND THEY HAVE LESS ABILITY TO PAY. SO YOU'RE ASKING THEM TO PAY A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF THEIR ABILITY TO PAY. BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE IN THEIR POCKET FROM THESE TAXES THEIR TAXES ARE NOT GOING UP. THEIR RATES MAY GO UP BUT THE ACTUAL AMOUNT THAT THEY'RE PAYING. BUT I DISAGREE WITH YOUR PREMISE THAT TAXES GOING UP MEANS RATES GOING UP, THAT THOSE ARE NOT DIFFERENT THINGS. AND YEAH, BUT THE SUGGESTION GOING DOWN THAT MEANS DOLLARS GOING UP IS IS JUST AN INACCURATE WAY TO TALK ABOUT TAXES. BUT DO YOU DISAGREE THAT THE TAXES WOULD ACTUALLY GO DOWN? I THINK THE DOLLARS GO DOWN, THE RATES GO UP. I WOULD ALWAYS SAY WHEN RATES ARE GOING UP, TAXES ARE GOING UP. THAT IS THE RIGHT WAY TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER TAXES ARE GOING UP OR DOWN. ARE THE RATES GOING UP OR DOWN? YEAH, I JUST HEARD THAT AND I'LL LET YOU ANSWER ONCE AGAIN IF YOU COULD ALSO JUST ADDRESS I THINK IN THE TOWN HALL LAST NIGHT WE SAW OUR RATES ARE FOR COMMERCIAL. THERE WAS A STATEMENT FROM REPRESENTATIVE GONZALES THAT THE RATES ARE ACTUALLY LIKE HALF OF WHAT THEY WERE FOR COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE FROM LIKE I THINK TWO DECADES AGO. I DON'T REMEMBER THE ACTUAL DATA SO I SEE THAT. I JUST ASK YOU TO ALSO ADDRESS THAT. OUR RATES HAVE LIKE A HALF OF WHAT THEY USED TO BE FOR COMMERCIAL LANDLORDS AND YOU CAN ANSWER MY QUESTION EARLIER BELLS FOR GREGORY OH I THINK SO BECAUSE I CUT YOU OFF. GREG THAT'S WHY I THINK THAT THE THING THAT I WANT TO POINT OUT HERE IS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT OFFICE OFFICES. OFFICE VALUES ARE FALLING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON BUT IT'S NOT BECAUSE I DON'T I DON'T BELIEVE RANDY WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS. I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S THE CASE THAT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMERCIAL DISTRICTS THAT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICTS THAT VALUES ARE GOING DOWN AND SO SINCE TO COUNCILOR BRADEN'S POINT ALL COMMERCIAL IS TAXED IN THE SAME IN THE SAME WAY IN PLACES THAT YOU'VE SEEN SIGNIFICANTLY MORE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY SINCE COVID WRITE OUT IN FOR INSTANCE IN YOUR DISTRICT COUNCILOR RIGHT LIKE THAT BPA IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC REPORT CARD FROM EARLIER THIS YEAR SHOWED THAT THERE WAS A LOT MORE BUSINESS ACTIVITY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESS DISTRICTS IN YOUR DISTRICT. RIGHT. IT'S TRUE OF BASICALLY ALL OF THE CITY THE CITY COUNCILORS AND SO THOSE SINCE THOSE PEOPLE ARE SUBJECT TO THE SAME RATE WHILE OFFICE VALUES ARE CERTAINLY GOING DOWN THE BUSINESS DISTRICTS I BELIEVE THEIR THEIR VALUES ARE STAYING THE SAME OR GOING UP. BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT RANDY COULD COULD SPEAK TO AND I THINK THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT DISTINCTION TO MAKE BECAUSE THE CITY COMMERCIAL TAXPAYERS ARE NOT ALL PEOPLE IN DOWNTOWN OFFICE BUILDINGS. THERE'S ALSO A COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND IN EVERY BUSINESS DISTRICT IN THE CITY AND YOU'RE IF THERE ARE PROPERTY VALUES ARE GOING UP THEIR RATES WOULD GO UP REGARDLESS OF WHETHER WE PASS THIS SHIFT OF BURDEN ON TO THEM BUT NOT INCREASING RATES LIKE THAT'S LIKE THAT INCREASES HOW MUCH THEY'RE PAYING. SORRY I'LL PASS A DIFFERENT YEAH I AGREE I MEAN RENTS ARE ONLY GOING UP THEY'RE NOT GOING DOWN IN SMALLER NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE THE SOUTH END IT GOES ANYWHERE FROM 45 UP TO $100 A SQUARE FOOT WHICH IS CRAZY BUT AVERAGES MORE 45 TO $65 A SQUARE FOOT AT TRIPLE THAT. SO I THINK YOU'RE TOTALLY RIGHT ON THAT. BUT IF IT CONTINUES TO RISE WITH THIS INCREASE, RETAILERS WILL HAVE TO CLOSE AND LEAVE OUR BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS AND GO ELSEWHERE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO COVER THAT EXPENSES.  BUT NO RETAIL RENTS ARE ONLY GOING UP. OH OKAY.  BUT IT JUST REALLY IF THE IF THE IF THE COMMERCIAL LANDLORD IF ARE NOW THAT THEY'RE PAYING IS ACTUALLY GOING DOWN JUST FROM YEAR TO YEAR LET'S SAY IT GOES IT GOES DOWN LESS THAN IT WOULD OTHERWISE LET'S SAY BECAUSE THEY'VE LOST VALUE. MM HMM. THAT IN THAT SCENARIO THEY'RE NOT PASSING ON THE EXTRA COST.  THE RENT MAY GO UP BUT IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF THE TAXES, BECAUSE OF THEIR TAX BURDEN. YEAH. I MEAN I THINK A LOT OF IT LET'S NOT FORGET THAT DURING COVID A LOT OF THESE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS AND I'M TALKING ABOUT SMALL PROPERTY OWNERS WE'RE NOT TAKING RENT IN AT ALL AND I KNOW A LOT OF THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WERE FORGIVING PEOPLE'S RENT TWO AND THREE YEARS DURING COVID.  SO THEY'RE NOW TRYING TO MAKE UP THAT AND THERE WAS A LOT OF BUSINESS DOLLARS AND I CAN NAME THEM THAT SAID YOU KNOW WHAT, I'LL TAKE A PAUSE.  DON'T PAY ME RENT. RIGHT. LET'S SEE IF WE CAN WORK OUT A SOLUTION.  I DON'T WANT TO LOSE YOU. SO I THINK A LOT OF THOSE BUSINESS SMALL PROPERTY OWNERS IN OUR DOWNTOWN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ARE KIND OF COMING BACK AND TRYING TO MAKE UP FOR WHAT THEY LOST DURING COVID. SO I SAW I JUST HAVE LIMITED TIME REALLY I APOLOGIZE BUT I WE DID FILE A HEARING ORDER ON COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VACANCIES AND I THINK THE TREND FOR COMMERCIAL LANDLORDS IS TO KEEP I THINK IT'S 5 TO 10% OF THEIR PROPERTIES INTENTIONALLY VACANT SO THEY CAN WAIT FOR THAT NATIONAL CHAIN TO COME IN AND PAY THEM A LOT OF RENT.  THAT HURTS LOCAL BUSINESSES. DO YOU DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? YEAH, I THINK IT VARIES FROM NEIGHBORHOOD TO NEIGHBORHOOD. I KNOW IN THE SOUTH AND WE'RE VERY ACTIVE WITH OUR SMALL PROPERTY OWNERS TO SAY PLEASE DON'T DO THAT AND WE'RE ALSO TELLING THEM WHERE RENTS ARE TODAY BECAUSE I KNOW TWO OR THREE LOCAL PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE CONTINUALLY REJECTED NATIONAL CHAINS FOR COMING IN AND LEFT THEIR STOREFRONTS EMPTY UNTIL THEY CAN GET THE RIGHT RENTER IN THERE. SO I THINK IT REALLY BURIES IT REALLY I THINK YOU HAVE MORE I THINK THE NEWBURY STREETS OF THE WORLD CAN PUT MORE NATIONALS AT DOWNTOWN CORNER BUT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT JP AND SOUTH END AND ROXBURY AND WEST ROXBURY OR WHATEVER I MEAN YOU I THINK IT REALLY VARIES.  LOOK, I'M SORRY THE CHAIR IS BACK. I JUST HAVE ONE QUICK QUESTION . I JUST RANDY, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT YOU KNOW, SOME ABOUT THE BUDGET AND BUDGET CUTS AND HIRING FREEZES. I HAVE TO SAY I'VE ONLY BEEN ON THE COUNCIL FOR TEN MONTHS. MAYBE I'LL GET THIS CALL AT SOME POINT. I'VE I'VE NEVER GOTTEN A CALL SAYING, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TOO MANY TEACHERS IN MY KIDS SCHOOL OR MY ROAD GETS PAVED TOO MUCH OR THE RESPONSE TIME OF THE AMBULANCE WAS TOO QUICK. YOU KNOW, WE NEED FEWER AMBULANCE DRIVERS. YOU KNOW, I I THINK THAT WHEN WE'RE PROVIDING THESE SERVICES, WHETHER IT'S SCHOOLS, POLICE, FIREFIGHTERS, STREET PAVING YOU KNOW THESE BENEFIT YOUR THE BUSINESSES AND I WOULD JUST IN TERMS OF THAT YOU KNOW I THINK YOU KNOW THE LEAD SPONSOR HERE YOU KNOW COUNCILOR FLYNN IS WANTS WE HAVE A HUGE SHORTAGE OF STAFF ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT YOU KNOW HE'S CALLED FOR 500 MORE POLICE OFFICERS YOU KNOW, POLICE OFFICERS ARE BEING STRETCHED TOO THIN AND BEING FORCED TO WORK OVERTIME. THEY DON'T WANT TO YOU KNOW I MEAN IN TERMS OF LIKE WHERE WE WOULD CUT I THINK WHAT WE PAY FOR OUR SALARIES IS THE LARGEST COST IN OUR BUDGET. YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WHAT DEPARTMENTS YOU ACTUALLY THINK WE SHOULD BE CUTTING WE LOST MONEY IN THE SCHOOL BUDGET FROM FEDERAL FUNDING.  EVERY SCHOOL THAT LOST A MUSIC TEACHER OR A SOCIAL WORKER YOU KNOW, I'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT PEOPLE DON'T GET ENOUGH SERVICES IN THEIR SCHOOLS HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE PARKS DEPARTMENT, THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.  I MEAN WE ALL KNOW THE BPA WHICH IS NOW THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT. THERE'S ALL THESE DEPARTMENTS AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE ADMINISTRATION. WE THEY ALL HAD TO TIGHTEN UP AND THEY ALL HAD TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THESE THINGS AND HAD TO SEE WHAT THEY COULD CUT BACK. I MEAN I KNOW WHAT YOU KNOW,  I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, CUTTING BACK THE POLICE AND EMS AND FIRE DEPARTMENT AND ALL THOSE THINGS. BUT I THINK EVERY DEPARTMENT HAS TO CAREFULLY LOOK AT THEIR DEPARTMENTS TO SEE IF THERE CAN BE CUTS MADE DURING THESE TOUGH TIMES. CAN THERE BE A THEY NEED TO PUT A HIRING FREEZE IN? THEY NEED TO I MEAN 450 MORE EMPLOYEES AND THE LAST MAYOR PUT IN I MEAN COME ON IT'S IT WOULD BE GREAT IF THE ECONOMY WAS DOING REALLY WELL FOR BOSTON. WE'RE HAVING A DEFICIT RIGHT NOW. WE NEED TO CAREFULLY LOOK AT THAT SENIOR STAFF.  I WAS ONE OF THEM. I TOOK A PAY CUT FOR OVER FIVE YEARS ON MY SALARY DURING THOSE TOUGH TIMES.  DID I WANT IT? NO, BUT I DID IT. I MEAN I THINK WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT LOOK AT EVERY OPTION THAT WE'VE DISCUSSED TODAY.  I DON'T THINK IT'S JUST SAYING OH WELL THE POLICE CAN'T HAPPEN OR THIS CAN HAPPEN. I MEAN I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS BUT I THINK EVERYTHING HAS TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT. THERE'S A LOT OF DEPARTMENTS THAT HAVE OPENED UP THAT I'M SAYING WHAT DO THEY ACTUALLY DO? COME ON.  WE ALL KNOW I MEAN THERE'S A YOU KNOW, DEPARTMENT ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.  I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THOSE FOLKS DO AND I'VE LIVED IN THE CITY FOR 38 YEARS.  THAT'S A BIG DEPARTMENT WHERE YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT EVEN SEEING THEM OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. I THINK WE NEED TO CAREFULLY LOOK AT THIS. IT'S HARD TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS BUT I THINK CITY COUNCIL AS LEADERS OF ALL THESE NEIGHBORHOODS NEED TO SAY BACK TO THE ADMINISTRATION EVERY DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO LOOK AT THIS.  WELL, OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BACK TO YOU, CHAIR. BUT I WOULD JUST SAY CERTAINLY I COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT'S ANOTHER PHONE CALL I'VE NEVER GOTTEN IS THAT THERE'S TOO MUCH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WE WANT LESS OF IT. SO YOU KNOW I THINK YOU PEOPLE GET PARTS YOU JUST PICK THAT THAT WE LOOKED AT IT IN THE BUDGET WE LOOKED VERY CLOSELY THERE'S OVER 100 VACANCIES. THEY CAN'T DO THAT DEPARTMENT IS STRETCHED TOO THIN. THEY CAN'T FILL THE VACANCIES BECAUSE THEY CAN'T PAY ENOUGH TO BRING PEOPLE WHO CAN LIVE AFFORD TO LIVE IN BOSTON, WORK FOR THE PARTS DEPARTMENT. SO YOU KNOW, I I'M I'M SKEPTICAL ABOUT THAT BEING THE THE SOLUTION.  BUT I THANK YOU, RANDI, FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND FOR EVERYONE ELSE BACK TO YOU. CHAIR THANK YOU. AND I MEAN JUST THE KIND OF LEVELS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, SHIV, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF YOU KNOW WHERE THE RESPONSIBILITY LIES, THERE IS NO DEFICIT INSIDE OF THE BUDGET. I JUST WANTED TO YOU KNOW, KIND OF LEVEL SAID THAT THERE'S NO SHIP AND THEN IT'S KIND OF REITERATE WHAT CASTLE WEBER HAD JUST DID IS THAT YOU KNOW, WE DID TAKE A LOOK AT EVERY LINE ITEM IN EVERY DEPARTMENT AND THAT WAS THE EXERCISE THAT WE TOOK IN THIS BUDGET PROCESS AND WE WERE TRYING TO REALLOCATE THOSE VACANT POSITIONS OUT. SO JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW THAT YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD BEEN EXPLORING IN THE BUDGET.  AND THEN WE ALSO HEAR FROM COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, YOU KNOW, MORE HIRING OR NOT TO REMOVE ANY VACANT POSITIONS AS WELL. SO WE WENT THROUGH THIS EXERCISE AND JUST WANTED TO KIND OF REITERATE AND STATE THAT FOR THE RECORD I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR COLETTE ZAPATA BUT NOW WE WILL GO TO COUNCIL PEPEN THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS. OKAY COUNCILOR PEP IS NOT HERE UNTIL SOME COMMENT AND THAT UH ALL RIGHT, I GUESS I WILL ASK MY QUESTIONS AND PUT MY TIMER ON FIRST.  ALL RIGHT. I GUESS MY FIRST QUESTION IS FOR EVAN AND GREG ON THE THE CHART WHERE YOU WERE YOU POINTED OUT THE $1.4 BILLION SHORTFALL. UM, CAN YOU EXPLAIN THIS IN FURTHER DETAIL?  WELL, WE'LL LOOK AT THAT. YEAH.  SO I MEAN THEY JUST NOT UP SO I'LL USE MY FINGER RIGHT BUT THERE ARE BASICALLY TWO LINES YOU HAVE ONE LINE GOING STRAIGHT UP RIGHT AND WHAT THAT IS SHOWING IS THE HISTORICAL TRAJECTORY OF COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS. THAT IS WHAT THE CITY HAS COLLECTED OVER TIME AND WHAT YOU WOULD EXPECT THE CITY TO HAVE CONTINUED TO COLLECT OVER TIME IF WE DIDN'T HAVE REMOTE WORK AND COVID AND HIGH INTEREST IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE CRISIS OF THE MOMENT AND THEN SO THAT BECOMES THE DASH LINE BECAUSE IT'S WHAT WOULD HAVE IT THAT'S THE COUNTERFACTUAL. THAT'S WHAT THE CITY SHOULD HAVE EXPECTED OR REASONABLY EXPECTED TO COLLECT IN DOLLARS FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TAXES OVER TIME. THE OTHER IS OUR MODELING FOR WHAT WE THINK THE CITY IS ACTUALLY GOING TO COLLECT 2025 TO 2029 AND THAT'S BASED ON, YOU KNOW, A FEW ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT BOTH THE CHANGE IN ASSESSMENTS, THE DECLINE IN THE VALUE OF THESE BUILDINGS AND ALSO THE AMOUNT OF TIME IT TAKES FOR THAT DECLINE OF VALUE TO WORK ITS WAY INTO THE TAX SYSTEM. RIGHT. BECAUSE THESE THINGS DO GET REASSESSED ALL THE TIME BUT USUALLY IT'S STEP CHANGES THEY'LL WILL LOWER THE ASSESSMENT BY YOU KNOW WHAT WE SAW ACROSS THE BOARD 7% THIS YEAR BUT ANOTHER 5% NEXT YEAR 2% WHATEVER IT TAKES ON THEIR CHALLENGES.  SO IT'S THE PHASING IN OF THAT AND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT FOR THE 1.4 IS THE GAP BETWEEN WHAT THE CITY COULD REASONABLY HAVE BEEN EXPECTED TO COLLECT BASED ON HISTORICAL PRECEDENT AND WHAT WE MODEL THE CITY IS ACTUALLY GOING TO COLLECT UNDER CONSISTENT TAX RATES. RIGHT? SO THAT'S ASSUMING WE DON'T CHANGE TAX RATES SO THIS DOES NOT AND SO THIS BASICALLY YOU KNOW, THAT TOP LINE IS A MEASURE OF PRE-PANDEMIC GROWTH . OKAY. AND BUT YOU ARE 100 I GUESS WE BOTH UNDERSTAND THAT AFTER THE PANDEMIC GROWTH HAS FLATLINED OR REMAIN MORE STAG. WELL, THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT. YES. RIGHT.  I JUST THINK THAT'S A TOUGH MEASURE TO REACH.  AND I ALSO WANT TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD YOUR PROJECTION FOR F1 25 AND HOW HOW DID HOW DOES THAT STILL GIVE YOU CONFIDENCE THAT THAT YOU KNOW YOU'RE ON TRACK WITH THIS $1.4 BILLION? I MEAN TO GREG'S POINT, WE'RE NOT ON TRACK.  OUR PROJECTION FOR FY 25 WAS A HIGHER COLLECTION THAN IS CONSISTENT WITH THE ASSESSMENTS THAT THE MAYOR SHARED RECENTLY . SO WE DID NOT ANTICIPATE A 7% NOMINAL DECLINE IN FY 25 IN ASSESSMENT VALUES. WE ANTICIPATED SOMETHING LIKE A 2% NOMINAL DECLINE SO NO, WE ARE NOT ON TRACK. THE TRACK IS WELL YOU'RE WELL BELOW THE ONE THAT WE'RE MODELING A DEFERRED TO CLARIFY THIS.  THIS ISN'T REALLY LIKE THIS ISN'T A LOT OF REVENUE. THIS IS MORE OF A SHIFT FROM ONE COMMERCIAL, ONE ONE RESPONSIBLE PARTY TO ANOTHER. RIGHT FROM RESIDENTIAL.  I THINK THAT'S UP TO THE CITY. IT IS A LOSS IN THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE YOU CAN COLLECT WITH EXISTING PREVAILING TAX RATES. SO THERE'S ALWAYS THE OPTION TO RAISE TAX RATES LIKE YOU WANT TO KEEP COLLECTING MORE REVENUE, YOU CAN RAISE TAX RATES BUT AGAIN I THINK THE RIGHT WAY TO THINK ABOUT THIS IS THIS IS A LOSS OF THE AMOUNT OF REVENUE YOU CAN COLLECT BY STICKING WITH THE TAX RATE THAT THE CITY HAS STUCK WITH FOR THE YOU KNOW, THE LAST 5 TO 7 YEARS . BUT WE'RE NOT WE'RE STILL COLLECTING THE SAME SO IF WE COLLECT THE TWO AND A HALF PERCENT NEXT YEAR RIGHT IT WOULD JUST SHIP TO 1 TO 2 THE RESIDENTIAL OPPOSED TO THE COMMERCIAL IT'S NOT A LOSS OF REVENUE. IT'S MORE IT'S NOT A LOSS OF REVENUE BECAUSE YOU'RE YOU'RE ASKING RESIDENTS TO PAY A LOT HIGHER TAX RATE YOU KNOW INSTEAD OF PAYING A LOSS OF REVENUE BUT BUT THEN YOU CAN NEVER LOSE REVENUE BY THAT LOGIC THE STATE COULD NEVER LOSE REVENUE. IT COULD JUST IT WOULD JUST INCREASE THE SALES TAX OR JUST INCREASE THE YES, IF YOU INCREASE TAXES YOU WON'T LOSE REVENUE. BUT THE WAY TO MEASURE THIS I THINK THE RIGHT WAY AROUND IT IS TO SAY WELL THE CITY HAS BASICALLY HAD PRETTY CONSISTENT RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL TAX RATES GOING BACK TO I DON'T KNOW 2010 IT'S BEEN ABOUT 10.59 MILL RATES FOR RESIDENTS AND ABOUT 25 MILL RATES FOR COMMERCIAL IF YOU KEPT THOSE RATES WHICH LIKE I SAY HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT GOING BACK TO I DON'T KNOW 2015 OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IF YOU KEPT THOSE CONSISTENT YOU WOULD LOSE A LOT OF MONEY SO YES YOU CAN COMPENSATE BY RAISING TAXES BUT THAT'S COMPENSATING BY RAISING TAXES AND I KNOW THAT HAS BEEN BROUGHT UP IS NOT TO COLLECT YOU KNOW, THE TWO AND A HALF PERCENT HOW DO WE MODERATE OVER TIME LIKE WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE? I'M NOT I'M VERY INTERESTED IN DOING THAT BUT I HAVE NOT AND WHAT OTHER CITY HAS DONE AND I MENTIONED ONE OF THE CITY THERE WAS A REPORT DO YOU KNOW WHAT CITY IT WAS THAT DID NOT COLLECT THE AMOUNT THROUGH A NUMBER OF A COLLECTED PROP TWO AND A HALF OVER THE COURSE OF THE 42 YEAR? ANY ANY EXAMPLES?  I MEAN THERE IS SO THERE'S A VERY GOOD A VERY GOOD REPORT THAT SHOWS HOW GATEWAY CITIES ARE MUCH DIFFERENT THAN BOSTON WAS PRODUCED BY THE WORCESTER REGIONAL RESEARCH BUREAU AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SUMMER AND IT COMPARES IT IT TAKES THE DATA FROM IT USES THE DATA FROM OUR REPORT AND THEN COMPARES IT TO WORCESTER, LOWELL AND EITHER NEW BEDFORD OR FALL RIVER. AND SO IT LOOKS AT HOW THEY THEY DO THAT AND AMONG THOSE CITIES LIKE LOWELL HAS NOT RAISED THE LEVY IN THE PAST BUT AGAIN LIKE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT REPORT SHOWS IS THAT BOSTON'S LIKE BOSTON'S PROPERTY TAX MIX IS EXTREMELY UNUSUAL IN BOSTON RIGHT OUTSIDE OF BOSTON ,OUTSIDE OF BOSTON, IN CAMBRIDGE, VERY LITTLE MONEY IS COLLECTED FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTY OWNERS ALMOST ALL MOST PROPERTY TAXES IN MOST CITIES AND TOWNS IN MASSACHUSETTS IS COLLECTED FROM FROM RESIDENTIAL OWNERS. SO YOU HAVE LIKE A YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A SUBSTANTIALLY DIFFERENT SITUATION, RIGHT? LIKE IN BOSTON AND CAMBRIDGE IT'S SOME OF THE ONLY CITIES IN MASSACHUSETTS WHERE MOST OF THE PROPERTY TAXES ARE BEING PAID BY PEOPLE WHO DO NOT VOTE IN THE CITY.  RIGHT. AND I GUESS MY LAST QUESTION FOR RANDY IS WHY THE TRIPLE NET LEASE WHEN WHEN THE PROPERTY OWNER IS EXPERIENCING A LESS MONEY IN THEIR TAX BILL, DOES THAT GET PASSED ON TO THE TO THE TO THE TENANT? PROBABLY NOT, DOUG, BUT I THINK THAT LIKE I SAID, I THINK IT'S AT DIFFERENT TIMES IT'S HARD TO SAY THAT IN THE PAST I THINK THAT BECAUSE OF COVID SO MANY PROPERTY OWNERS LOST OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS SO HASN'T THE LOCAL RETAILER AND THE GROUND FLOOR USES SO THEY'RE TRYING TO MAKE UP THAT DEFICIT OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS OR SO BUT I WOULD PROBABLY SAY PROBABLY NOT BUT I'M NOT A I DON'T ALL MY REAL ESTATE SO I CAN'T SIT PERSONALLY BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN THEM PASS IT BACK.  ALL RIGHT. AND WE'VE JUST BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR FRIEND AND HIS ANDERSON COUNCILOR FOR AN END IS IN IT'S IN THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  GOOD AFTERNOON, MR CHAIR.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. I AM I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY IN COMING IN LATE AND I WANTED TO JUST GIVE MYSELF A CHANCE TO CATCH UP WITH THE VIDEO BEFORE MAKING ANY STATEMENTS. ARE YOU CAN I MAY I ASK WHERE ARE YOU IN THE PROCESS? IS IT SO DOWN TO YOUR OWN ONE IS IS AND THE FINAL ROUND SO AT LAST COUNCILOR TO TO HAVE ANY QUESTIONS WELL THEN I I AM FORCED TO BE COURTEOUS I WILL HAVE TO REVIEW THE TAPES BECAUSE I'M QUITE SURE THAT MY QUESTIONS EITHER HAVE BEEN ANSWERED OR NOT OR IF THAT'S OKAY WITH YOU AS A CHAIR I'LL PROVIDE THEM TO YOU VIA EMAIL THROUGH THE REASON TO GET MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED OUT OF THE INTEREST OF NOT BEING REPETITIVE OF ANY QUESTIONS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN ANSWERED. OKAY YOU KNOW WHAT I'LL DO COUNCIL OPINION IS ANDERSON I'LL CHECK IN WITH MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES AND IF THEY WANT TO RAISE THEIR VIRTUAL HAND IF THEY HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR THIS PANEL JUST TO GRANT YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME AND IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS TO THIS PANEL, PLEASE RAISE YOUR VIRTUAL HAND AND DO NOT SEE ANY HANDS BEING RAISED BECAUSE OPINION IS ANDERSON AS THEY PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR QUESTIONS AND WE'LL GET IT OVER TO THE PANELISTS. THANK YOU SO MUCH.  ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO THANK PANEL ONE FOR THEIR FOR THEIR FOR THEIR TIME HERE AND FOR THEIR WORK ON THIS ON THIS SUBJECT. AND NOW WE'LL MOVE OVER TO PANEL TWO.  PANEL TWO IS THE ADMINISTRATION IT IS CFO ROBIN BERGER FROM FOUR FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON,  COMMISSIONER MARINELLO AND THE COMMISSIONER OF ASSESSING FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON AND BUDGET BUDGET DIRECTOR WILLIAMS AND FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAVE A PRESENTATION BUT WE'LL START WITH THE CFO FOLLOWED BY COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONER MARINELLO FOLLOWED BY BUDGET DIRECTOR WILLIAMS THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  GREAT. GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US BACK HERE. I'M ASHLEY GRAFF, MURDER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR THE CITY. AS YOU SAID I'M JOINED BY COMMISSIONER ED ANELLO AND THEN I BELIEVE JIM WILLIAMSON, THE BUDGET DIRECTOR WILL BE JOINING US SHORTLY.  WE'LL DO A QUICK COUPLE OF SIDES. I KNOW WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR A WHILE SO WE'LL WANT TO GET RIGHT TO YOUR QUESTIONS BUT I'M HAPPY TO GO THROUGH A COUPLE OF SLIDES THAT WE HAVE PREPARED AND WANT TO JUST START OFF REALLY BY THANKING YOU ALL FOR YOUR SUPPORT ON THIS HOME RULE PETITION. TO DATE WE HAVE BEEN IN FRONT OF YOU MANY TIMES TALKING ABOUT THIS THIS ISSUE AND SO WE'RE GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU BACK TO TALK ABOUT IT AND THANKS FOR THE WORK AND HELP IN PASSING THIS HOME RULE PETITION BACK IN JUNE AND SENDING IT UP TO THE STATE WHERE IT PASSED THE HOUSE AT THE END OF JULY AND WE'RE STILL WE'RE STILL AT IT. SO THANK YOU.  AND JUST I KNOW WE'RE WAITING FOR JIM TO JOIN BUT I JUST FIGURED I WOULD START OFF BY SAYING BETWEEN THE THREE OF US HERE ON THIS PANEL WE HAVE ABOUT 65 YEARS OF MUNICIPAL AND STATE FINANCE EXPERIENCE BETWEEN THE THREE OF US AND SO IT IS ALWAYS GREAT AND WELCOME TO HAVE NEW VOICES IN THE DISCUSSION FROM FOLKS AT THE BPI AND TUFTS.  BUT I JUST WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW THAT YOU ARE WELL-SERVED BY THE 215 MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE CABINET AND OTHERS IN THE CITY WHO HAVE HELPED ENSURE A STRONG FISCAL MANAGEMENT IN THE CITY. A TRIPLE-A BOND RATING FOR THE LAST DECADE AND RECORD FUND BALANCE HERE IN THE CITY.  SO JUST WANT TO GIVE SOME KUDOS TO THE PROFESSIONALS IN THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND ALL OF THE WORK THEY DO TO HELP DO THE BUDGET AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THE FINANCE CABINET DOES. SO DO I SHARE SCREEN?  IS THAT CENTRAL STAFF? IS THAT OKAY? CHAIR MR CHAIR, DOES ETHAN HAVE YOUR PRESENTATION OR I CAN SHARE IF THAT'S OKAY.  OKAY HERE THE SLIDES IT THAT'S FINE THANK YOU. IT IS THAT IS THAT OKAY GOT GREAT THANKS AND SEE OKAY SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSION TODAY ABOUT SO MANY TOPICS AND SO I'M HOPEFUL WE CAN HIT ON SOME OF THOSE IN THIS QUICK PRESENTATION AND THEN REALLY AGAIN LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING TO YOUR QUESTION SO MR CHAIR AND OTHERS I KNOW YOU ARE SO WELL VERSED IN EVERYTHING RELATED TO THE BUDGET SO THIS IS JUST A QUICK REFRESHER AND FOR FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW AS MUCH ABOUT THE CITY OPERATING BUDGET SO THE FISCAL 25 OPERATING BUDGET THAT WAS JUST PASSED THIS SUMMER IS 4.64 BILLION. THIS IS JUST A QUICK BREAKDOWN OF HOW THAT IS IS DIVIDED AND OVERWHELMINGLY WE ARE OUR BUDGET IS MADE UP OF PUBLIC EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND WE HAVE A SERIES OF FIXED COSTS THAT WE INCLUDE IN THE BUDGET EVERY YEAR FOR THINGS LIKE OUR PENSION PAYMENTS AND OUR DEBT SERVICE. THAT'S ABOUT 21% OF OUR BUDGET AND I THINK HAS ALSO BEEN SAID ACROSS ALL OF THE CATEGORIES AND ALL OF THE SLICES YOU SEE HERE ON THIS CHART THE COST OF CITY EMPLOYEES AND THE THE SALARY AND BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH CITY WORKERS IS A IS A DRIVING FORCE UNDERNEATH ALL OF THESE IS REPRESENTING WELL OVER HALF OF THE CITY'S EXPENDITURES. THE CITY DEPARTMENT SLICE WHICH IS EVERYTHING THAT ISN'T PUBLIC EDUCATION OR PUBLIC SAFETY IS JUST UNDER 15%. SO A LOT IS REPRESENTED IN THAT SLICE BUT SOME OF THE DEPARTMENTS REPRESENTED IN THERE ARE QUITE SMALL. I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EARLIER. I THINK THAT IS CLOSE TO $5 BILLION SO PRETTY SMALL CONSIDERING KIND OF THE OTHER LARGE COST DRIVERS THAT ARE INCLUDED HERE IN THIS BUDGET FROM A REVENUE PERSPECTIVE I DON'T NEED TO REMIND YOU ALL BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT EXTENSIVELY ABOUT PROPERTY TAX IS OUR DRIVING AND MOST SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF REVENUE 71% IN THIS UPCOMING OR SORRY IN THE CURRENT BUDGET THAT WE'RE IN AND LIKE HAS BEEN SAID THIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO BOSTON.  THE TAX LAWS AND LAWS THAT EXIST IN MASSACHUSETTS REALLY LIMIT THE ABILITY OF CITIES AND TOWNS TO LEVY ANY NEW TAXES, RAISE ANY NEW REVENUE.  SO WE ARE CONSTRAINED IN IN THE SOURCES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US AND I WANT TO ALSO NOTE SO IN THIS BUDGET WE'RE CURRENTLY IN STATE REVENUE IS ABOUT 11% OF OUR TOTAL REVENUE PICTURE.  THIS HAS GONE DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS SO IT WAS APPROXIMATELY A QUARTER OF THE CITY'S REVENUE. IT IS NOW MUCH, MUCH SMALLER,  ABOUT 11% AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALSO JUST TALK ABOUT THE COMPARISON TO OH FOUR AND YOU KNOW, 20 YEARS AGO WHEN THE CITY USED THIS SIMILAR TAX TOOL KIND OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT THE TIME. SO IN FISCAL OH TWO STATE REVENUE TOTALED 500 AND $523 MILLION AND IN FINAL FOR THE YEAR THAT THE CITY SAW THIS TOOL STATE AID WAS 560 MILLION OR EXCUSE ME 460 MILLION. SO THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF STATE REVENUE WHICH CAUSED THE CITY TO NEED TO REACT.  THE CITY HAD TO DO SPENDING CONTROLS TO MANAGE THAT LOSS OF REVENUE AND THAT'S WHY YOU SAW THE CITY'S BUDGET GROW BY LESS THAN A PERCENTAGE POINT FROM 503 TO 504 BUT IT WAS NOT RELATED TO THE THE TAX PROPOSAL. THE CITY DID NOT IMPLEMENT SPENDING CONTROLS BECAUSE THEY HAD SOUGHT THIS LEGISLATIVE RELIEF. THERE WERE OTHER THINGS HAPPENING AT THE TIME AND MOSTLY DRIVEN BY A LOSS OF STATE AID. SO I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY THAT FOR FOLKS BECAUSE THERE ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES THAN THE CITY WAS FACING 20 YEARS AGO. AND ANOTHER POINT TO CLARIFY I THINK IT WAS MR MAYNARD MENTIONED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAS A ROLE IN SETTING THE PROPERTY TAX RATES THAT ARE PART OF THE BUDGET.  I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT WHEN YOU ALL ARE SETTING RATES AT THE END OF THIS YEAR AND APPROVING THE TAX SHIFT AND THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION THAT YOU ARE IMPACTING THE REVENUE THAT IS IN THE BUDGET THAT YOU ALL JUST PASSED.  SO IT'S NOT FOR A FUTURE BUDGET. IT IS IT IS TO REALLY SOLIDIFY AND AFFIRM AND COLLECT THE REVENUE THAT BUILT UNDER UNDER WAS THE FOUNDATION OF THE BUDGET THAT THAT YOU ALL PASSED AND THAT WE ARE CURRENT THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY IN. AND THEN FURTHER JUST A POINT ABOUT OUR PROCESS HERE SO HERE ARE THE POINTS ABOUT THE STATE HAVING A DIFFERENT PROCESS. WE HAVE A DIFFERENT REVENUE MIX RIGHT? THE STATE HAS SALES TAX, IT HAS INCOME TAX RIGHT? THERE IS MUCH MORE ECONOMIC VOLATILITY BUILT INTO THOSE.  SO IN THE STATES DOING CONSENSUS REVENUE IN DECEMBER IS REALLY RELYING ON SORT OF THE INPUT OF ECONOMISTS AND OTHERS TO PREDICT AND HELP THE STATE DECIDE HOW MUCH REVENUE THE THREE BRANCHES SHOULD BASE THEIR COLLECTIVE BUDGETS ON SO THAT WE'RE NOT HAVING WILDLY DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE BUDGET AND THAT WE ARE ALL STARTING FROM A PLACE OF CONSENSUS IN BOSTON OUR BIGGEST REVENUE SOURCE IS FORMULA DRIVEN AND SO THERE CAN BE A DISCUSSION ABOUT SHOULD THE CITY COLLECT THE FULL LEVY OR NOT BUT IT'S NOT REALLY AN ISSUE OF HOW MUCH IS AVAILABLE. SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT DISTINCTION BETWEEN OUR PROCESS AND THE STATE PROCESS. AND FINALLY JUST ON THE BUDGET ,MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS ALL GO QUICK. OUR BUDGET IS BALANCED.  IT HAS TO BE THE SPENDING IN OUR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR IS BALANCED AND BACKED BY REVENUE. THERE IS NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.  SOME OF THAT GROWTH ABOUT HALF OF IT IS COMING FROM PROPERTY TAX BUT IT'S NOT ALL FROM PROPERTY TAX. WE HAVE OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET TO SUPPORT THE SPENDING. SO I WANT TO MAKE THAT CRYSTAL CLEAR THAT THAT IS WE HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET AND IT IS NOT ALL BASED ON PROPERTY TAX GROWTH.  OKAY. SO JUST A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORICAL CONTEXT HERE FOR FOLKS. SO WE KIND OF WENT BACK TO LOOK AT THE SHARE OF THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY OVER TIME AND THE POINT REALLY I'LL CUT TO THE CHASE ON THIS SIDE IS THAT OVER TIME, YOU KNOW WHEN WE WHEN PROP TWO AND A HALF AND CLASSIFICATION FIRST CAME INTO BEING THE CITY WAS REALLY AT A 7030 SPLIT BETWEEN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL TAXES AND THAT HAS NARROWED IT'S YOU KNOW, MOVED A BIT OVER TIME BUT IT'S REALLY STARTING TO NARROW AS YOU CAN SEE. SO WE'RE AT THE TAIL END OF THIS OF THIS CHART AND RIGHT NOW THE SPLIT IS REALLY ABOUT 6040 GIVEN MANY OF THE DYNAMICS THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WITH THE WITH THE CHANGE IN OFFICE VALUE AND THE IMPACT OF OF A VACANCY AND THE OTHER MACROECONOMIC FACTORS THAT ARE BRINGING US TO THIS HEARING TODAY. WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THIS NARROW THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. RIGHT. WE WE WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT BUT WHAT WE'RE HERE TALKING ABOUT AND THE REASON WHY WE BROUGHT THIS HOME RULE TO YOU ALL INITIALLY AND YOU ALL SUPPORTED IT IS BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN AS SLOWLY AS POSSIBLE SO THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE NOT ABSORBING AN ENORMOUS SHOCK ALL AT ONCE THERE'S BEEN A DISCUSSION ABOUT RATES SO I'LL QUOTE I'LL QUICKLY GO THROUGH THIS TAX RATES OVER TIME HAVE HAVE BOUNCED AROUND BUT IN GENERAL IN PARTICULAR ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE THEY'RE SORT OF AT RECORD LOWS. I THINK THE THE TAX RATE IN 1995 WAS JUST OVER $42 AND NOW IN THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR IT IS I BELIEVE $25.27. SO WE HAVE SEEN THAT TAX RATE COME DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER TIME.  THIS CHART WAS SHOWN TO YOU ALL PREVIOUSLY SO THIS REALLY IS MEANT TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT AND THE TOOL THAT WE HAVE BEEN SEEKING AND THE TOOL THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED IN OUR HOME RULE PETITION. WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THIS SCENARIO OVER TIME BUT AS SOME HAVE NOTED WE HAVE SINCE YOU KNOW AS WE'VE GONE THROUGH OUR REGULAR ASSESSING PROCESS HAVE COME UP WITH MORE REFINED MODELS OF WHAT'S HAPPENING OUT IN THE WORLD. SO I THINK WHEN WE TALKED TO YOU ABOUT THIS INITIALLY WE WERE SORT OF MODELING A FIVE OR A 5% INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL VALUE AND A 10% DECREASE IN COMMERCIAL VALUE. IT'S STILL THAT DIVERGENCE IS HAPPENING BUT IT'S JUST NOT AS EXTREME. SO OUR CURRENT CITYWIDE MODELING SUGGESTS THAT COMMERCIAL VALUES ARE GOING DOWN 7% WHEREAS RESIDENTIAL VALUES ARE GOING UP 4%. AND SO WHAT THAT MEANS AND HOW THAT FLOWS HERE THROUGH THE THE MODELS IS WITHOUT THE LEGISLATION OUR RESIDENTS COULD POTENTIALLY SEE A QUARTER TO QUARTER INCREASE OF ABOUT 28% IN THEIR TAX BILLS.  THAT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT AND WE THROUGH THIS TOOL ARE SEEKING TO SMOOTH THAT OUT. SO HERE YOU CAN SEE WITH THE LEGISLATION YOU MODERATE THAT INCREASE MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANTLY TO SOMETHING LIKE A 10% INCREASE QUARTER TO QUARTER AND FOR A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY PARTICULARLY A COMMERCIAL PROPERTY THAT'S A LOSING VALUE WITHOUT THE LEGISLATION THOSE TAXES ARE GOING DOWN ABOUT 80 $400 YEAR OVER YEAR AND WITH THE LEGISLATION STILL GOING DOWN BUT JUST NOT AS EXTREME AND AGAIN IT'S ALL ABOUT CREATING THAT STABILITY SO THAT WE ARE NOT SEEING SIGNIFICANT DIVERGENCE IN THE SHARE OF THE LEVY AND THIS JUST MODELS WHAT THAT LOOKS.  SO ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE YOU CAN SEE THE SHARE OF THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY WITHOUT THE LEGISLATION FOR BOTH COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL TAXPAYERS. SO YOU CAN SEE THAT REALLY SHARP DECREASE AND THAT SHARP INCREASE AND THEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE YOU SEE A MUCH MORE STABLE LINE AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE ARE SEEKING TO ACCOMPLISH AND THE VERY PRECISE TOOL THAT WE ARE SEEKING ALLOWS US TO ACHIEVE THIS SMOOTH BALANCE WITHOUT ANY OF THE DESTABILIZING IMPACTS OF SOME OF THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES THAT HAVE BEEN PRESENTED AND AS HAS BEEN NOTED, WE'VE HAD MANY CONVERSATIONS WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS OF STAKEHOLDERS ELECTEDS, COMMUNITY GROUPS ETC. ETC. WE HAVE INCORPORATED SOME OF THEIR FEEDBACK INTO THE COMPROMISE THAT WAS PASSED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BACK IN JULY. SO OUR INITIAL PROPOSAL WAS A FIVE YEAR TIME PERIOD. WE HAVE SHRUNK THAT DOWN TO THREE. WE HAVE FURTHER SHRUNK THE CAP THAT WE ARE SEEKING FROM 200% TO A MAX OF ONE 90%. WE HAVE AGREED TO SET ASIDE UP TO $45 MILLION $50 MILLION PER YEAR IN YEARS THAT WE USE THE TAX SHIFT AND GO ABOVE 175 TO PROVIDE SOME FURTHER PROTECTIONS AGAINST SMALL BUSINESS AND ANYONE IMPACTED ANY SMALL BUSINESS IS PARTICULARLY IMPACTED BY THIS AND AS I THINK WAS ALSO MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, WE HAVE SOUGHT TO TRIPLE THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FROM ITS CURRENT LEVEL OF $10000 TO $30000 AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE NOT ALL BUSINESSES ARE PROPERTY OWNERS, RIGHT? AND SO THIS TOOL IS VERY SPECIFIC TO REAL ESTATE AND PROPERTY OWNERS BUT WE KNOW THE BUSINESSES THAT OCCUPY THEM DON'T OFTEN OWN THE SPACE AND SO THIS RATHER YOU OWN PROPERTY REAL ESTATE OR NOT YOU MOST LIKELY ARE PAYING PERSONAL PROPERTY TAXES ON YOUR BUSINESS EQUIPMENT AND SO BY INCREASING THE PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FROM ITS CURRENT LEVEL UP TO 30,000 WE CAN ENSURE THAT MORE BUSINESSES ARE GETTING DIRECT RELIEF THAN THEY, YOU KNOW, THAN WE COULD POTENTIALLY TARGET THROUGH THIS VERY NARROW REAL ESTATE MECHANISM. AND JUST A WORD ON SOME OF THE ALTERNATIVES SO I THINK IS GREAT. MR HOROWITZ VERY CLEARLY MENTIONED AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT CUTTING THE BUDGET DOES NOT IMPACT THIS RIGHT. IT IS NOT THE FORMULA THAT DRIVES PROPERTY TAXES IS AGNOSTIC OF LEVEL OF CITY SPENDING. IT IS ENTIRELY BASED ON YOUR ASSESSED VALUE AND AND VALUE.  SO IF WE WERE TO CUT THE BUDGET AND STILL COLLECT OUR FULL LEVY THERE WOULD BE NO IMPACT TO THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE PRESENTED IF WE WERE TO ACHIEVE THIS THROUGH REDUCING OUR OVERALL PROPERTY TAX LEVY WE WOULD NEED TO FOREGO APPROXIMATELY $265 MILLION OF OUR PROPERTY TAX IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE SAME NUMBERS THAT WERE ON THE TABLE. I SHOWED YOU A FEW SLIDES BACK THAT HAS REAL ONGOING IMPACTS FOR THE CITY. IF WE WERE TO FORGO $265 MILLION THIS YEAR AS WE SAID WE COULD GO BACK AND GET THAT AT SOME POINT BUT THEN YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY DOUBLE TAXING PEOPLE AND YOU KNOW WE HAVE A SYSTEM RIGHT NOW THAT IS VERY STABLE THAT HAS EARNED US A TRIPLE-A BOND RATING FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS AND REALLY JUST FUNDS CRITICAL CITY SERVICES.  SO WE DON'T SEE THAT AS A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE FURTHER EMPTYING RESERVES AT A TIME OF ECONOMIC STRENGTH IS ALSO NOT A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE HERE FOR US PARTICULARLY IF YOU'RE BACKFILLING SOME OF THE FOREGONE REVENUE SO THAT YOU CAN SUSTAIN THOSE CITY SERVICES. WE WOULD BE VERY QUICKLY EMPTYING A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF SPENDABLE RESERVES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.  JUST AS A REMINDER FOR FOLKS THE CITY HAS ABOUT $500 MILLION WORTH OF SPENDABLE RESERVES AND SO IF WE HAD TO REPLICATE A $265 MILLION BACKFILL FOR TWO YEARS, WE WOULD QUICKLY EXHAUST THOSE AND WE WOULD HAVE NOTHING LEFT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACTUAL DOWNTURN.  AND LASTLY, I KNOW BACK TO COUNCILOR FITZGERALD'S QUESTION ABOUT WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY WE HAVE DONE SOME CURSORY PRELIM LEGAL RESEARCH ON JUST THE TOPIC OF PROVIDING REBATES FROM WHAT WE CAN TELL AND AGAIN THERE'S NO REAL SPECIFIC PROPOSAL TO REACT TO AND SO IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO SAY FROM WITHOUT YOU KNOW, WITH LACK OF SPECIFICS.  BUT FROM WHAT WE CAN TELL REBATES TO SPECIAL GROUPS WOULD POTENTIALLY VIOLATE STATE AND POTENTIALLY CREATE A CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUE FOR US. SO AGAIN, NOT SOMETHING THAT WE THINK IS VIABLE AT LEAST IN THIS MOMENT WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE PROPOSED AND CONTINUE TO PUSH FOR THE TOOL THAT WE HAVE PUT FORWARD.  SO I THINK I'LL CUT IT THERE. MAYBE JUST A QUICK REMINDER HERE ON TIMELINE.  SO WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS PROCESS WITH YOU SINCE EARLY APRIL. SO THANK YOU FOR AGAIN ALL OF THE SUPPORT WHERE WE ARE AT NOW IN THE PROCESS IS THAT THE END OF THIS MONTH WE WILL HAVE PRELIMINARY ASSESSED VALUES AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS TO PREVIEW ONLINE SO THAT WILL BE SHORTLY AVAILABLE IN LATE NOVEMBER. THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL WILL FINALIZE THOSE TAX RATES EXCUSE ME FINALIZES THE EXEMPTION AND THE TAX SHIFT PERCENTAGE AND THEN AT THE END OF DECEMBER WE ARE MAILING THE THIRD QUARTER BILLS WHICH WILL INCLUDE ANY WILL INCLUDE THE IMPACT OF INCREASED UPDATED ASSESSED VALUES AND PEOPLE'S TAX BILLS.  SO AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING US.  VERY HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU WILL HAVE ABOUT OUR PROPOSAL OR THE PROPOSALS THAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT TODAY.  THANK YOU CFO I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR OF COUNCIL FULLY THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS.  THANK YOU MR CHAIR AND THANK YOU ASHLEY.  THANK YOU, NIC AND TO JIM AS WELL. I SEE JIM, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.  ACTUALLY I LISTENED CLOSELY TO YOUR COMMENTS AND THE MAYOR'S PLAN AND I LISTENED TO OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS FROM OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL.  IS THERE ROOM FOR COMPROMISE FROM THE MAYOR'S TEAM ON SOME OF THE OTHER PROPOSALS THAT WERE DISCUSSED?  IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER SO WE ARE ABLE TO INCLUDE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS INTO THE MAYOR'S PLAN OR IS IT OR IS IT THERE'S JUST NO ROOM FOR COMPROMISE?  THANKS FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILOR . SO AS ON ONE OF MY SIDES WE TALKED THROUGH SOME OF THE COMPROMISES WE HAVE INCLUDED BASED ON FEEDBACK FROM OTHERS SO SHRINKING THE TIME HORIZON, SHRINKING THE CAP INCLUDING SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND SUPPORTING AN INCREASE IN PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION. SO THOSE WERE ALL COMPROMISES THAT WE INCLUDED AS A RESULT OF THE FEEDBACK WE HAVE BEEN RECEIVING.  I THINK SOME OF THE OTHER PROPOSALS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT FORWARD ARE NOT VIABLE IN THIS MOMENT AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, AGAIN CERTAIN PROPOSALS LIKE CUTTING THE BUDGET EVEN IF IT'S JUST 1% BECAUSE OF HOW THE PROPERTY TAX FORMULA WORKS YOU DON'T GET VERY FAR AND IF YOU WERE TO FOREGO 1% OF THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY AGAIN YOU'RE SAVING PENNIES ON THE TAX RATE AND SO IT'S NOT ACHIEVING THE SAME IMPACT AS THE UNDERLYING PROPOSAL INCLUDE. SO WE INCLUDED ALTERNATIVES AND COMPROMISES WHERE IT MADE SENSE AND SORT OF ARE TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHY SOME OF THE ALTERNATIVES ARE, YOU KNOW, PERFECTLY FINE THINGS TO DISCUSS AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THEM IN OTHER CONTEXTS BUT AREN'T GETTING AT THE UNDERLYING PROBLEM THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE.  THANK YOU, ASHLEIGH. I KNOW WE HAD A PROPOSAL AT THE CITY COUNCIL RECENTLY I BELIEVE WAS $100 MILLION ON HOUSING INVESTING IN HOUSING. BUT IS THAT FOR THAT GOAL THAT WE SPEND THAT $100 MILLION IN HOUSING OR IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO USE THAT MONEY TO BE MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE OR YOU?  YEAH. SO I THINK THE PROPOSAL THAT'S BEEN PUT FORWARD ABOUT 100 MIL USING $100 MILLION OF ONE TIME FUNDS TO SPUR HOUSING IS TRYING TO GET AT JUST THIS ISSUE. AND I THINK AS HAS BEEN DISCUSSED THERE'S REALLY NO ONE SOLUTION AND THIS PROPOSAL IS NOT INTENDED TO SOLVE FOR THE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN DOWNTOWN RIGHT WE HAVE MANY OTHER PROPOSALS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE CITY HAVE PUT FORWARD TO TRY AND GET AT AND MAKE SURE THAT THE CITY IS CONTINUING TO BE A THRIVING PLACE. AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SOLUTIONS RIGHT.  WE KNOW WE HAVE A HOUSING CRISIS HERE IN BOSTON REGIONALLY STATEWIDE AND SO THIS IS AN OPTION TO CONTINUE TO BRING PEOPLE INTO BOSTON AND MAKE BOSTON AFFORDABLE FOR FOLKS I THINK OUR WORRY ABOUT USING OUR RESOURCES IN A DIFFERENT WAY IS IT CREATES THAT FISCAL CLIFF, RIGHT? IF WE ARE SPENDING MONEY ONE ONE TIME SOURCE ON SOMETHING THAT'S AN ONGOING COST, THERE'S A MISMATCH IN THAT NEXT YEAR. AND SO WE REALLY SEE THIS AS A AS A SMART ONE TIME INVESTMENT THAT CAN SPUR GOOD ECONOMIC BENEFITS GOING FORWARD.  THE $100 MILLION SO THAT $100 MILLION WOULD HAVE TO STAY A STATE TO BE STATE FOR HOUSING PLANS, HOUSING INITIATIVES WE COULDN'T USE ANY OF THAT FUNDS ARE YOU SAYING FOR ANY TYPE OF SUPPORT FOR TAXPAYERS?  SO ASIDE FROM KIND OF THE HOW.  SURE. YOU COULD USE MONEY FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES.  I THINK OUR OUR ISSUE THERE IN SORT OF UTILIZING RESERVES FOR TAXPAYERS IN THIS REBATE CONCEPT IS TO HOW OUR LEGAL RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THERE ARE REAL CHALLENGES IN DOING IT THAT WAY AND SO AS A RESULT, YOU KNOW NOT THE FIRST OR BEST OPTION FOR US TO PURSUE AS WE'RE SORT OF GETTING DOWN TO THE WIRE HERE. BUT WE THINK SMART INVESTMENTS IN HOUSING AGAIN COULD CREATE LARGER ECONOMIC BENEFITS FOR FOLKS THAT WILL LAST A LOT MORE LONG TERM AS OPPOSED TO A SORT OF ONE TIME REBATE THAT SOMEONE MIGHT EXPECT GET ONE TIME AND THEN THEY YOU KNOW, HOW DO THEY HOW DO THEY ADJUST THEIR TAX BILL IN THE NEXT YEAR WHEN THAT REBATE ISN'T AVAILABLE TO THEM ? THANK YOU. ACTUALLY I ONE OF THE ISSUES ONE OF THE REASONS I DO FOCUS ON THIS HOUSING IS I AM CONCERNED THAT WE ARE GIVING FIRST TIME HOME HOME HOMEBUYERS SOMETIMES $75,000 FOR A DOWN PAYMENT GRANT.  I DO THINK THAT IS EXCESSIVE. I THINK IT IS HIGH AND IT'S NOT SOMETHING I SUPPORT ESPECIALLY WHEN THE PERSON HAS THE ABILITY TO TURN AROUND AND RESELL THE HOME. BUT DO WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO HELP EVERYBODY THAT WANTS HOUSING WITH TAXPAYER MONEY SO MAYBE NOT BEST POSITIONED TO SPEAK ON A PARTICULAR POLICY ISSUE BUT I KNOW THE $100 MILLION THAT WE HAVE PUT FORWARD IS SORT OF A TARGETED INVESTMENT TO JUST SPUR THE CREATION OF HOUSING. I KNOW WE HAVEN'T REALLY BROUGHT THAT IN FRONT OF YOU ALL FOR WE'VE HAD A PRELIMINARY CONVERSATION AND PRELIMINARY HEARING BUT I KNOW THERE WILL BE FURTHER CONVERSATIONS WITH YOU ALL ABOUT HOW THAT $100 MILLION WILL BE DEPLOYED. SO YOU KNOW, LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT. YEAH. AND NATIONALLY IT'S THE PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY DESCRIBED AS FREE CASH AND I WAS TROUBLED WITH THAT WORDING FREE CASH THERE'S NO THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS FREE CASH AS WE ALL KNOW THAT'S TAXPAYER MONEY AND WHEN WE'RE IN A DEBATE ABOUT RAISING TAXES ON THE BUSINESSES IN AND OR RAISING TAXES ON RESIDENTS HAVING A PROGRAM IDENTIFIED AS $100 MILLION AS FREE CASH, I DO THINK IT SETS THE THE WRONG EXAMPLE TO RESIDENTS THAT WE'RE REALLY NOT SERIOUS ABOUT OUR FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.  I'M NOT I'M NOT CRITICIZING ANYBODY. THAT'S JUST THAT'S JUST MY OPINION.  YEAH, NO IT'S IT'S A REALLY GOOD POINT AND IT'S KIND OF A FUNNY TERM THAT WE GET FROM THE STATE.  IT IS A TERM THAT IS WELL WRITTEN ABOUT IN THE DIVISION OF LOCAL SERVICES THAT'S PART OF D-R. SO IT IS SORT OF A FUNNY NAME TO CALL IT FREE CASH.  I WISH IT WAS CALLED SOMETHING DIFFERENT BUT THAT IS THE NAME THAT WE HAVE FROM FROM THE STATE. SO THE POINT I'LL TAKE MY FINAL QUESTION ACTUALLY RANDY RANDY FROM THE SALT THAN MENTIONED 500 NEW KIND OF SENIOR PEOPLE WERE ADDED TO THE PAYROLLS AND YOU TALK ABOUT CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT FOR US PLEASE?  SURE. SO I DON'T KNOW ABOUT SENIOR LEVEL BUT WHAT WE CAN TELL YOU IS THAT I CAN'T REMEMBER OVER WHAT PERIOD OF TIME JIM CAN JUMP IN. BUT WE SAW GROWTH IN BOSTON SCHOOLS AND THAT'S ONE OF THE BIGGER AREAS OF FTE GROWTH IN THE CITY CAN'T SPEAK TO AT THIS MOMENT EXACTLY WHAT THOSE WERE . BUT I DON'T THINK I WOULD DESCRIBE ALL 450 OF THEM AS SENIOR LEVEL POSITIONS.  A LOT OF THEM WERE AT THE CPS DEPARTMENT. WE WE SPEND THE MOST OF ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY ON PUBLIC EDUCATION PER STUDENT . I BELIEVE THAT IS OBVIOUSLY HAVING A MAJOR IMPACT ON THE CITY BUDGET AS WELL AS THAT ACCURATE NATIONALLY.  THE PIE CHART I SHOWED YOU IT SHOWS THAT BP'S AND PUBLIC EDUCATION ARE DEFINITELY ONE OF OUR LARGEST EXPENDITURE CATEGORIES FOR SURE ABOUT NEARLY 39% IN THE F 25 BUDGET. SO IT'S A SIGNIFICANT COST DRIVER FOR SURE BUT AN IMPORTANT ONE. WE SPEND MORE THAN ANY WE SPEND MORE THAN ANY CITY IN THE COUNTRY FOR PER STUDENT WITH LIMITED RESULTS IN OTHER THANK YOU MR CHAIR.  YEAH YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AGAIN I GUESS I GUESS . BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER OF 450 OR 500 NEW POSITIONS HIRED I DON'T KNOW CFO ROTHENBERG OR DIRECTOR WILLIAMSON DO YOU HAVE A BREAKDOWN OF WHAT MADE UP THOSE POSITIONS?  WAS IT BP IS LIKE WHAT DEPARTMENT WAS IT BP'S WAS IT BTD? WAS IT WITH DEPARTMENT CHAIR WE WE CERTAINLY CAN GIVE YOU THAT IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE A RE COMPILATION OF WHAT YOU SEE IN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT EVERY YEAR WE HAVE A TABLE OF FEES.  THESE ARE POSITIONS PER SE THESE ARE FULL TIME EQUIVALENT OF GENERAL FUND POSITIONS AND WE COULD DO IT IS ACTUALLY IT MENTIONED IT'S IT'S LARGELY BP'S AND IT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE WAY WE DELIVER EDUCATIONAL SERVICES HERE AT THE CITY WE WE WANT MORE ADULTS WORKING WITH OUR STUDENTS IN THE TYPE OF STUDENTS WE HAVE. SO ABSOLUTELY YEAH ABSOLUTELY YOU KNOW MORE COUNSELORS, MORE STUDENT SUPPORT, YOU KNOW MUSICIANS, LIBRARIANS. YOU KNOW, WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE BEST OF THE BEST AND ALL THE RESOURCES THEY NEED IN TO EXCEL. AND I DO APPLAUD THE ADMINISTRATION ON, YOU KNOW, REDUCING BARRIERS TO HOMEOWNERSHIP AND YOU KNOW, THOSE ARE TRANSPORT MADE INVESTMENTS TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN PRICED OUT OF THE MARKET. SO YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPE OF INVESTMENTS HELP STABILIZE COMMUNITIES AND I APPLAUD THE ADMINISTRATION ON ALL THEIR EFFORTS.  MEJIA THE FLOOR IS NOW YOURS. YES, SIR.  OKAY. SO THANK YOU. I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE GET TO A GOOD PLACE. RIGHT. AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, I SIGNED ON TO THIS HEARING ORDER BECAUSE I'M REALLY INTRIGUED BY VIABLE ALTERNATIVES. I'M DIGGING MY HEELS ON WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO MOVE FORWARD. I JUST WANT TO HAVE A DIALOG TO MAKE SURE THAT HOWEVER WE GET THERE WE ALL ARE IN AT LEAST AN UNDERSTANDING WE MAY NOT BE ALL IN AGREEMENT BECAUSE THIS POLITICAL CLIMATE IT'S ALREADY TOXIC ENOUGH THAT WE DON'T NEED TO CONTINUE TO ADD FUEL TO THAT RAGING FIRE. RIGHT. SO I JUST WANT TO BE REALLY CLEAR FOR THOSE WHO ARE TUNING IN. ASHLEY IN PARTICULAR AND JIM THAT I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE YOU ALL HERE AND EXCITED TO ALSO HEAR FROM NICK. SO LET'S JUST GO IN THERE WITH THAT MINDSET, OKAY YOU GUYS THAT ALL THAT INTRODUCTION SAID I DO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. SO AT LAST YEAR'S OUR RATE SETTING MEETING I BELIEVE IT WAS DECEMBER THE FIFTH 2023 ASSESSING CHIEF NICK YOU SAID THAT THE INDICATIONS THAT ARE QUOTE UNQUOTE THAT ARE THAT ARE THEIR WEIGHT WHAT DID YOU SAY? THE INDICATIONS ARE THAT THERE ISN'T GOING TO BE A MAJOR SHIFT FROM COMMERCIAL VALUE TO RESIDENTIAL VALUE IN TERMS OF THE RATES AND SO THEY'RE LOOKING RELATIVELY STABLE RIGHT NOW.  NOW WE HAVE THESE NUMBERS THAT SHOW A REALLY, YOU KNOW, MAJOR SHIFT FROM COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL EIGHT 14% INCREASE IN RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY TAXES.  SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT MOST OF WHAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, TO PRODUCE THESE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT TODAY HAPPENED IN 2023.  SO CAN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU AND THE REST OF THE BUDGET TEAM MISSED IN 2023? I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND I I'M ALWAYS TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE GOT HERE. YOU ALSO IF YOU COULD BREAK THAT DOWN I'D APPRECIATE THAT. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO HEAR A RESPONSE TO THE BOSTON POLICIES INSTITUTE REPORT THE FISCAL FALLOUT OF BOSTON'S EMPTY OFFICES IN FEBRUARY AGAIN OUR COMMISSIONER OF ASSESSMENT RELEASED THAT STATEMENT THAT INCLUDED THE LINE QUOTE UNQUOTE WE DON'T FEEL THAT THE CURRENT ESTATE ENVIRONMENT IS GOING TO LEAD TO BUDGETARY CONCERNS.  THE MAYOR HELD A TOWN HALL MEETING LAST NIGHT WHERE SHE SAID THAT THE ALTERNATIVE TO HER TAX PROPOSAL WAS MIDYEAR CUT AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE BEING LAID OFF. THAT SOUNDS LIKE A BUDGETARY CONCERN TO ME AND I GUESS THE QUESTION IS FOR ANYONE HERE ON THE BUDGET STAFF WHY DID THE CITY BUDGET STAFF BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS NO CAUSE FOR CONCERN ? THEN AGAIN, GOING BACK TO HOW WE ENDED UP HERE AND THEN MY LAST QUESTION TWO MORE QUESTIONS THE MAYOR AND THE CFO ANNOUNCED HER TAX PROPOSAL IN LATE MARCH AND SENT IT OVER TO THE COUNCIL IN EARLY APRIL. CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH WHEN THE IDEA OF USING THE MAYOR MAYOR MENINO'S TAX SHIP PROPOSAL WAS FIRST DISCUSSED, WAS IT BEFORE OR AFTER COMMISSIONER SAID THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE MAJOR SHIFT FROM COMMERCIAL TO RESIDENTIAL ON DECEMBER THE FIFTH?  I'M JUST TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE TIMELINE HERE. WAS IT BEFORE OR AFTER MR ANELLO RELEASED THE STATEMENT ON FEBRUARY THE 15TH CLAIMING HE DIDN'T THINK THE CURRENT REAL ESTATE ENVIRONMENT WAS GOING TO LEAD TO BUDGETARY CONCERNS? AGAIN, I'M JUST REALLY TRYING TO HELP MY AUDIENCE UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS HERE IN IN MANUEL'S LETTER TO US BACK IN TUESDAY,  SHE SAID THAT CUTTING 265 MILLION FROM THE BUDGET WOULD MEAN THAT 2231 CITY WORKERS WOULD BE LAID OFF AND TO ME THAT IS A VERY SPECIFIC NUMBER. CAN ANYONE HERE TELL ME ABOUT WHAT DEPARTMENTS THOSE ARE FOR 202,231 PEOPLE CURRENTLY WORKING IN THE CITY, WHAT JOBS DO THEY HOLD AND WHAT OTHER DETAILS ABOUT HOW THE ADMINISTRATION REACHED SUCH A SPECIFIC NUMBER? LIKE I AM STILL AMAZED THAT WE GOT THERE BUT I'D LIKE TO KNOW YOUR MATH BECAUSE THE MATH IS SEEMS LIKE IT MIGHT NEED MAPPING OR NOT. AND THEN LASTLY IN THE ADMINISTRATION'S TOWN HALL MEETING LAST NIGHT, MAYOR WU AND THE CHIEF SEEMED TO SAY THAT THEY THOUGHT THE 7% DECLINE IN COMMERCIAL PROPERTY VALUE WAS A ONE TIME THING. BUT WE HEARD FROM THE BOSTON POLICY INSTITUTE FOLKS THAT THEY THINK THIS WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IN COMING YEARS. CAN ANYONE PLEASE ANYONE CLARIFY WHETHER THEY THINK THIS DECLINE IS A ONE TIME EVENT OR IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW THAT BOSTON IS GOING TO HAVE TO FACE AGAIN IN 2025 AND YEARS TO COME? SO IF YOU CAN JUST PROVIDE ANY FLAHERTY ON THOSE FIVE POINTS I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION.  COUNCILOR . I'M HAPPY TO JUMP IN AND AT LEAST TALK TO THE TWO POINTS WHERE YOU APPEAR TO BE DIRECTLY QUOTING ME ALTHOUGH TO BE FAIR TRY TO REMEMBER THE EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND LAST DECEMBER AND LAST FEBRUARY ARE A LITTLE TRICKY TO RESPOND EIGHT AND TEN MONTHS LATER BUT IN DECEMBER OF 2023 I WAS TALKING ABOUT TAX RATES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024. SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DRAMATIC INCREASES IN TAX RATES.  WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TAX RATE THAT IN 2023 WAS $10.74 FOR RESIDENTS THAT WENT TO $10.90 FOR RESIDENTS AND THEN THE COMMERCIAL RATES RUN FROM $24.68 FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TO $25.27 FOR COMMERCIAL PROPERTY. I HOLD THAT THOSE ARE NOT DRAMATIC CHANGES AND I DON'T THINK THAT MY DEPARTMENT MISSED ANYTHING AND I APPRECIATE YOUR INITIAL STATEMENT THAT YOU WERE NOT TRYING TO CREATE A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE PITTING ONE SIDE AGAINST EACH OTHER BUT AT THE SAME POINT SAYING MY DEPARTMENT DID SOMETHING WRONG OUT OF THE BLUE I FIND A LITTLE BIT TROUBLING.  SO WHAT WHERE WE WILL GO ON FROM THERE. I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR IS THAT WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS UNDERSTAND HOW WE ENDED HERE.  SO IF YOU SHARE SOME INFORMATION WITH US IN DECEMBER AND FEBRUARY AND IT'S NOT LINING UP ANOTHER WITHIN THE SITUATION, I THINK THIS IS A HEARING FOR US TO GET CLEAR ON WHAT HAPPENED. SO IF YOU'RE TAKING IT FROM AN ADVERSARIAL POINT OF VIEW MY APOLOGIES. THAT'S NOT MY POSTURE. I'M JUST REALLY TRYING TO HELP UNDERSTAND BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T TRUST GOVERNMENT. THEY DON'T TRUST US. AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE SAY WE GET THINGS ON THE RECORD SO WE'RE CLEAR SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS HOW WE GOT HERE. SO I'M SORRY IF YOU ARE INTERPRETING IT WITH THAT TONE THAT'S NOT MY DELIVERY.  I JUST HAPPENED TO BE VERY PASSIONATE. THANK YOU KNOW, I THAT CORRECTION I THINK THAT PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH MISTRUST IS SOMETIMES THAT THE LANGUAGE THAT'S USED IN SAYING THAT WE GOT SOMETHING AND THAT WE AREN'T BEING CONSISTENT IT ADDS TO THAT MISINFORMATION AND THAT MISTRUST.  SO THE TIME PERIOD THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT LAST DECEMBER WAS PRIOR YEAR VALUES IN PRIOR YEAR ACTIVITY I WASN'T TALKING ABOUT WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN GOING FORWARD AND IN FEBRUARY WHEN I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE STATE OF THE BUDGET AND REVENUE, I WAS TALKING ABOUT HOW OUR TAX SYSTEM WORKS AND HOW OUR LEVY WORKS AND WE CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THAT WE ARE NOT IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUDGET CRISIS. THE WHOLE BUDGET CRISIS CONCEPT IN THE REVENUE CRISIS CONCEPT COMES FROM PEOPLE THAT FUNDAMENTALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW OUR TAX SYSTEM WORKS. THAT REPORT THAT CAME OUT THAT WE HEARD ABOUT AGAIN TODAY TALKS ABOUT A SYSTEM WHERE RESIDENTIAL RATES AND COMMERCIAL RATES STAY THE SAME. THAT WAS A UNDERLYING FUNDAMENTAL REQUIREMENT FOR ALL OF THEIR MATH THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE UNDER OUR STATE SYSTEM. SO THEIR REPORT PRESENTED THIS LOVELY HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION USING TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TAX SYSTEM THAT WE DON'T PRESENTLY HAVE AND THEN MADE A BUNCH OF CONCLUSIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS ON IT AND THEY STILL HONESTLY DON'T EVEN ADMIT THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT. THEY STILL TALK TODAY ABOUT ALL OF OUR NUMBERS ARE BASED ON THE RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE AND THE COMMERCIAL TAX RATE STAYING THE SAME, THE RESIDENTIAL TAX RATE AND THE COMMERCIAL TAX RATE ARE TIED TO THE SHIFT THAT WE ELECT TO DO EVERY YEAR WHICH WE DON'T HAVE TO DO BECAUSE THE DEFAULT IS A FLAT TAX RATE AND THAT'S A CITY COUNCIL AND ADMINISTRATION PROCESS THAT WE GO THROUGH EVERY SINGLE YEAR. BUT IT'S NOT A GUARANTEE BUT IT'S ALSO TIED TO THE RELATIVE VALUE PROPERTY IN THE CITY AND THOSE THINGS DON'T STAY CONSTANT AND SO TO BE CREATED A BUDGET CRISIS OUT OF WHOLE CLOTH THAT WAS A FICTION AND THAT'S ALSO WHY THIS THE BUDGET THAT WE'VE PASSED THAT IS A BALANCED BUDGET THAT THE CITY COUNCIL HAD AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT THROUGH MANY HEARINGS AN EXTREMELY LONG PROCESS GOING THROUGH WHAT THE APPROPRIATE THINGS TO SPEND ON WERE AND WE ALL CAME TO CONSENSUS AND SO NOW TO ALL OF A SUDDEN GO BACK AND PRETEND THAT NO HAPPENED, I FIND THAT THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO DISINFORMATION CONVERSATION.  AND I SO APPRECIATE YOU BREAKING IT DOWN THE WAY THAT YOU HAVE. THIS REMINDS ME OF THE CHARTER VERSUS DISTRICT DEBACLE AS A PARENT WHO HAD TO NAVIGATE THAT SPACE, IT'S ALWAYS THESE TWO VERY OPPOSING VIEWS AND EVERYONE IS SPITTING OUT DATA NUMBERS AND THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THE ONES WHO ARE GOING TO SUFFER ARE THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE LOW INCOME, UNINFORMED, UNEDUCATED. BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IN THIS WORLD IS THAT EVERYBODY USES THESE BASES AND AND I IT'S JUST IT'S REALLY SAD THAT WE ARE EVEN HERE RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT AND THAT THIS IS WHAT IS UNFOLDING. BUT I'D LOVE TO HEAR SOME OF MY OTHER QUESTIONS BEING ANSWERED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, COUNSELOR. SO THE ONE QUESTION I DON'T THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE NUMBER OF FTE IS AND THE CONCEPT OF LAYOFFS. SO TO BE CLEAR THERE IS NO PROPOSAL FOR LAYOFFS. WE ABSOLUTELY REJECT THE NEED TO DO THEM. WE DON'T NEED TO DO THEM.  WE DON'T WANT TO DO THEM. THE MATH IS SIMPLY TAKING THE AVERAGE SALARY AND BENEFITS FOR A CITY EMPLOYEE AND DIVIDING IT BY KIND OF THE VALUE OF THIS PROBLEM WHICH IS ABOUT 265 MILLION. SO IF WE WANTED TO ACHIEVE THE SAME IMPACT AS OUR TOOL DOES WE WOULD HAVE WITHOUT YOU KNOW, USING OUR TOOL WE WOULD HAVE TO FORGO $265 MILLION OF PROPERTY TAX IF WE DIDN'T HAVE $265 MILLION OF PROPERTY TAX. THAT'S EQUIVALENT TO I FORGET WHAT THE EXACT NUMBER IS 2213 OR SOMETHING. FTE IS IN THE CITY SO IT'S JUST ABOUT CREATING A SENSE OF MAGNITUDE AND SCALE HERE AND KIND OF THE WHAT THE IMPACT OF OF A NUMBER LIKE THAT WOULD BE. BUT TO BE CLEAR THERE IS NO PLAN PROPOSAL ANY DESIRE TO DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT.  IT'S JUST ABOUT ILLUSTRATING THE VALUE.  AND COULD I JUST SAY THAT THIS LINE OF QUESTIONING BROUGHT SOME SOME THINGS TO LIGHT? RIGHT. SO AND WHILE YOU MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED IT AS HOSTILE, IT REALLY GAVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY AND A PLATFORM TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. YES OR NO?  I DON'T THINK SO. RIGHT. I THINK THAT AGAIN, IT'S ALL HOW WE CHOOSE TO EXPERIENCE IT. THIS PROVIDED THE ADMINISTRATION A PLATFORM TO SET THE RECORD STRAIGHT. THE LAST THING THAT I WOULD SAY AND JUST FOR THE RECORD BECAUSE THIS IS MY FOURTH OR FIFTH BUDGET CYCLE IS THAT WE HAVE WHILE I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF I HAVE FOUND MYSELF TIME AND TIME AND TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN RIGHT ALWAYS PLAYING ON THE DEFENSE SIDE OF THINGS IN TERMS OF LIKE WHAT INVESTMENTS WE WANT TO MAKE. IT NEVER FEELS COLLABORATIVE.  IT ALWAYS FEELS LIKE EVEN WITH THE OPERA FUNDING WE HAD AN HEARING TO TALK ABOUT HOW YOU ALL SPENT MONEY AND THEN WE WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A SECOND HEARING SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT OTHER THINGS BUT WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE THE SECOND HEARING. THE SECOND HEARING WAS JUST LIKE JUST SEALING THE DEAL OF WHAT HAD ALREADY BEEN AGREED UPON.  SO I JUST THINK THAT THE WE HAVE TO FIX THE PROCESS HERE GUYS. I REALLY WANT US TO UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE REALLY WANT TO SHOW A UNITED FRONT WE SHOULD START HAVING THESE CONVERSATION MORE OPENLY, MORE FREQUENTLY.  IT SHOULDN'T JUST BE DURING BUDGET CYCLE TIME. IT SHOULDN'T JUST BE IN TIMES OF ADVERSARY LIKE RIGHT NOW WE WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CONSTITUENTS. WE SERVE THE SAME CONSTITUENTS THAT THE ADMINISTRATION SERVES RIGHT AND WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEIZE THIS MOMENT TO GET THINGS RIGHT.  NO ONE HAS ALL THE ANSWERS. NO ONE'S TRYING TO BE A KNOW IT ALL. AT LEAST I KNOW I'M NOT I DON'T EVER WANT TO BE A KNOW IT ALL. I WANT TO BE CONSTANTLY LEARNING WHY IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY I KEEP SHOWING UP TO THESE HEARINGS BECAUSE I ALWAYS LEARN SOMETHING NEW BUT WE HAVE TO COME TO TERMS WITH THE FACT THAT SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE AND IT CAN'T BE ONE WAY OR OR OR THE HIGHWAY. AND I THINK YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK THAT WE JUST LET'S JUST FIGURE THIS OUT AND COME TO SOME SORT OF AGREEMENT THAT FEELS LIKE EVERYONE'S LOST AND EVERYONE'S GOING TO WIN LIKE MAYBE I'M BEING NAIVE BUT I THINK THAT WE CAN GET SOMEWHERE THAT FEELS GOOD FOR EVERYBODY AND THAT'S WHAT MY HOPE IS.  THANK YOU CULTURAL I APPRECIATE THE EXTRA TIME.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR ME HERE AND I KNOW SOME CASES ARE CALLING FOR, YOU KNOW, A HIRING FREEZE BUT THEN AGAIN CALLING FOR, YOU KNOW, THE HIRING OF 500 POLICE OFFICERS.  WHAT WHAT WOULD BE THE MAT ON HIRING?  AND WHAT WOULD BE THE COST TO THE CITY IF YOU WERE TO HIRE 500 POLICE OFFICERS AND YOU KNOW, JUST YOU KNOW, I GUESS CAN YOU HELP ME UNDERSTAND IS A HIRING FREEZE AND ARE YOU STILL ABLE TO HIRE MORE POLICE OFFICERS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS? DO YOU CAN YOU TALK TO ME LIKE WHAT A HIRING FREE LOOKS LIKE IN THE ADMINISTRATION?  SURE. WE CAN KIND OF TALK ABOUT IT CONCEPTUALLY. I MEAN WE ARE NOT IN ONE NOR DO WE THINK THAT WE NEED TO BE IN ONE. BUT USUALLY THEY'RE DONE IN RESPONSE TO A REVENUE SHORTFALL . SO THE CITY I THINK HAS IMPLEMENTED A HIRING FREEZE PREVIOUSLY MAYBE IN FISCAL OH NINE IN RESPONSE TO NINE C CUTS THAT CAME DOWN FROM THE STATE IN REACTION TO THE GREAT RECESSION. AND SO IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT REVENUE SHORTFALL YOU'RE TRYING TO SOLVE. WE YOU KNOW, I THINK IN THE LETTER THAT THE MAYOR SENT OVER WE PROPOSED AS A PART OF OR YOU KNOW NOTED THAT A PART OF A SOLUTION COULD BE TO HIRE 2 TO 3 HIRING IN A COUPLE OF LARGE CITY DEPARTMENTS LIKE ESD BISCHOFF AND T. DOESN'T GET YOU ALL THE WAY THERE BUT IT CONTRIBUTES AND THEN ALSO YOU KNOW A BIG CHUNK OF A SOLUTION TO GET TO A $46 MILLION REDUCTION COULD BE TO CANCEL ALL YOUR POLICE FIRE AND EMS CLASSES. SO IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS ON WHAT PROBLEM YOU'RE TRYING TO SOLVE. THERE'S NO STANDARD BLUEPRINT FOR HOW YOU DO A HIRING FREEZE. YOU COULD CHOOSE TO TARGET CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS BUT IT JUST DEPENDS ON ON THE ORDER OF MAGNITUDE.  AND I'LL LET JIM JUMP IN TO BECAUSE HE'S PROBABLY BEEN HERE WHAT WE'VE DONE THIS IN THE PAST. SURE. YEAH. WE ALSO DID IT WHEN IN THE PERIOD DURING THE COVID CRISIS WE DID THEN WE TYPICALLY IT'S NOT AN EXCLUSION OF 100% HIRING FREEZE. IT TENDS TO BE WHAT WE CALL CONTROLLED HIRING BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN KEY CRITICAL POSITIONS THAT NEED TO BE BACKFILLED. SO BUT BUT WE DID IT IN UNTIL THE REVENUE REPLACEMENT CAME IN AS PART OF THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN. THE ECONOMICALLY SENSITIVE REVENUES CAME BACK TO A BIT. WE WE PAUSED SOME HIRING DURING DURING THAT PERIOD BUT DURING THE FIRST 21 BUT AND THERE WAS WITH CLOSURES OF WE HAD PEOPLE SENT HOME SO THEY WERE WITH COMMUNITY CENTERS BEING OFFLINE AND LIBRARIES BEING LIMITED USE THERE WAS NOT THAT CRITICAL NEED TO FILL THOSE VACANCIES SO WE WERE IN A BIT OF A HOLE TO BACKFILL THOSE ROLES BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT THAT SENSE OF URGENCY TO FILL THEM AT THE TIME BUT IT TAKES TIME TO GET THEM TO FILL THOSE VACANCIES AGAIN.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD THE CLOSURES ARE.  THANK YOU ALL. CHIEF GAVIN BURGER, JIM AND AND AND NICK FOR BEING HERE TODAY.  I GUESS I COULD SORT OF ASK THE SAME QUESTION I ASKED THE ORIGINAL PANEL. I KNOW YOU'VE GOT VERY YOU KIND OF SPOKE TO IT A BIT ALREADY BUT IN TERMS OF THIS LIKE IDEA OF GIVING PEOPLE LESS RESIDENTIAL TAX NOW BUT THEY WILL STILL HAVE TO MAKE UP OVER TIME YOU WILL REACH THAT AMOUNT AND THE THE POTENTIAL CAUSE TO THE COMMERCIAL DISTRICT WE DON'T IRREPARABLE OR NOT BUT POTENTIAL WE LIKE I GUESS THAT BALANCE I MEAN THIS IS A TOUGH IT'S A TOUGH ISSUE RIGHT, BECAUSE YOU JUST DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE IS GOING TO HURT THE CITY MORE IN THE LONG RUN.  BUT EITHER WAY SOMEONE DOES HAVE TO GET HURT IN THE MEANTIME RIGHT.  AND OF COURSE WE WANT TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS BUT THERE IS A LONG TERM COST TO THIS. I FEEL ON THE ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE AND CHIEF GORDON, I CAN IMAGINE HOW MANY TIMES YOU'VE GIVEN THE SPIEL IN THE PAST MONTH OR TWO MONTHS THAT YOU COULD PROBABLY DO IT IN YOUR SLEEP. SO GOD BLESS YOU FOR DOING THAT. UM I'LL MAINTAIN THAT YOU REALLY HAVE TO SPEAK TO IT. IT'S I DON'T REALLY EXPECT AN ANSWER THERE. I JUST KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT AND WE'RE JUST SORT OF ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF WHO WE THINK SHOULD GET HURT AND WHAT THE POTENTIAL OUTCOME WOULD BE IN TERMS OF THE DAMAGE INFLICTED IN THE LONG RUN RATE.  I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE IF I COULD JUST CHIME IN ON THAT RIGHT HERE. YOUR POINT ABOUT AND I SAID THIS MYSELF YOU KNOW WE'RE HEADING THAT CHART THAT SHOWS HOW THE PROPERTY TAX IS ALLOCATED, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL OVER TIME IT'S NARROWING LIKE WE'RE HEADING TO A ANOTHER NARROWING POINT. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF DO YOU WANT THAT NEARING TO HAPPEN ONE YEAR OR THREE YEARS AND I KNOW THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT BUT I THINK YOU KNOW THE SAME CAN BE IS TRUE ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE RIGHT LIKE OVER TIME LIKE THEY ARE GOING TO BE BEARING LESS OF THE PROPERTY TAX BURDEN. RIGHT. SO IT'S REALLY JUST ABOUT SLOWING THIS THING DOWN SO THAT WE GET TO THAT ULTIMATE END POINT A LITTLE BIT IN A WAY THAT ISN'T SO DRAMATIC FOR EVERYONE. SO IT'S IT'S REALLY JUST ABOUT ACHIEVING STABILITY OVER A SLIGHTLY LONGER PERIOD OF TIME . YEAH. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. IS THERE A WAY THAT THIS LIKE COULD WE HAVE DONE THIS MORE GRADUALLY MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACKING THIS RIGHT COMPLETELY. BUT IS THERE A WAY IF LIKE IN PRIOR YEARS IF WE HAD PHASED IN THESE LIKE INCREMENTS MORE SLOWLY THAT IT WOULD NOT HAVE TO BE THIS JUMP OR THIS POTENTIAL JUMP OF , YOU KNOW, THE 700 MONTHLY LIKE I WAS LOOKING AT LIKE THE CITY OF CHELSEA AND HOW THEY I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE LOOKED AT THEM AS LIKE A PEER REVIEW BUT SORT OF HOW THEY'VE YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY WERE GOING UP BUT ONLY TO 175 175%. RIGHT. AND I THINK THAT THEY'RE THEY USE THE MAXIMUM RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION OF 35% AND IT'S JUST SORT OF LIKE WOW THAT SEEMS TO BE AND I KNOW IT'S I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS APPLES TO APPLES IS WHAT I'M GUESSING. BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THEM IT'S LIKE WOW, THAT 175 IS NOT 190 AND THE MAX RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION IS GIVEN ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE THAT'S I DON'T BELIEVE BOSTON DOES THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT RESIDENTIAL YET RIGHT WE DO WE DO DO IT RIGHT SO WE WE WE WE HAVE HISTORICALLY AND THAT CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG BUT HISTORICALLY WE GO TO 175 AND MAX ON THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION AND WE'VE DONE THAT AS FAR AS I KNOW FOR REASONS OF ENSURING THAT WE MAKE PASSING TAXES AS AFFORDABLE FOR RESIDENTS AS POSSIBLE. SO SO WE'VE DONE THAT. WE HAVE A HISTORY OF DOING THAT AND AND PRECISELY WHY WE'RE SEEKING THIS TOOL. RIGHT BECAUSE WE'RE MAXED OUT SO WE'VE WE'VE WE'VE HIT THAT MAX AND EVEN AT THAT MAX IN THE MOST AFFORDABLE, YOU KNOW, LEVELS WE'RE STILL SEEING THESE DRAMATIC SPIKES. SO PRECISELY WHY WE'VE SOUGHT TO GO ABOVE THAT 175 AND THEN GRADUALLY COME BACK DOWN OVER ORIGINALLY A PERIOD OF FIVE YEARS NOW OVER A PERIOD OF THREE. GOT IT. AND THE THING I WOULD ADD TO THAT IF I MAY VERY QUICKLY EXCUSE ME COUNCILOR NO THE CITY HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN A BEEN A LEADER IN THIS FRONT.  WE HAD BEEN A LEADER IN THE CREATION OF THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION.  WE HAVE HISTORICALLY GOTTEN ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS THAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES DID NOT HAVE AND THEN THEY WERE LIKE HEY, THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. WE WANT TO COPY THAT. WE'VE BEEN A VERY STRONG ADVOCATE FOR RATE SHIFTS AND LIKE HONESTLY THE REASON THAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES DON'T DO IT IS THAT THEY'RE SCARED TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATION ZONES.  THEY'RE THEY'RE SCARED TO HAVE THAT BACK AND FORTH AND THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE THAT KIND OF DIFFICULT CONVERSATION ABOUT LIKE HOW DO YOU CREATE BALANCE FOR EVERYONE? AND SO A LOT OF TIMES WE DO SOMETHING AND WE IMPLEMENT IT AND THEN OTHER PEOPLE ARE LIKE HEY LOOK THAT WORKED IN BOSTON. CAN WE DO IT NOW?  AND EVERYONE'S LIKE SURE, THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME WE DID THIS INCREASED SHIFT IN 2004.  CAN I ASK ABOUT IF WE'RE AT THE MAX RESIDENTIAL PART OF THE COMPROMISE I BELIEVE THAT I SAW WAS TRIPLING THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION SO IT'S A DIFFERENT THAT'S A DIFFERENT CLASS OF TAX, DIFFERENT CLASS OF PROPERTY NOT THE RESIDENTIAL EXEMPTION.  SO WHAT WOULD PUT WHAT IS PERSONAL PROPERTY INCLUDED IF THAT WAS PERSONAL PROPERTY IS LIKE YOUR KITCHEN AT A RESTAURANT OR YOU KNOW YOUR COMPUTERS AND THINGS THAT YOUR AT YOUR BUSINESS. SO REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU OWN THE SPACE THAT YOU OCCUPY YOU AND YOU KNOW NICK KNOWS THIS MUCH BETTER THAN I DO BUT FOR THE SAKE OF SIMPLICITY IF YOU OWN PROPERTY AS A BUSINESS YOU ARE TAXED ON THAT PROPERTY. AND SO RIGHT NOW THERE'S AN EXEMPTION 10,000 WE HAVE TO TRIPLE THAT UP TO 30,000.  AND SO IN DOING SO I THINK WE WOULD EFFECTIVELY EXEMPT ABOUT HALF THE BUSINESSES IN BOSTON FROM PERSONAL PROPERTY TAX LIABILITY AND AGAIN THAT IS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT YOU OWN PROPERTY. SO THAT IS A WAY IN WHICH WE CAN VERY DIRECTLY TARGET BUSINESSES AND HELP THEM REGARDLESS OF WHAT THEIR REAL ESTATE SITUATION IS. GREAT. THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL FOR MY QUESTIONS. I WOULD THINK AT SOME POINT I'D LOVE TO MAYBE OFFLINE DO A DEEPER DIVE BETWEEN WHAT CHELSEA DID AND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND IF THERE IS ANY IF IT IS APPLES TO APPLES OR NOT BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO BE THEY FOUND LIKE A GOOD BALANCE AND THIS WAS JUST FROM LAST YEAR'S THEIR TAX REVENUE OF OF TRYING TO IT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS FAIR TO COMMERCIAL BUT ALSO HELPING RESIDENTIAL AT THE SAME TIME AND I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE RIPPING US OFF OR IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT WE CAN READ FROM OUR FROM THEM BUT WE CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THAT OFFLINE. BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHAIR AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AFTER READING THE FLOOR YOUR THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  I'VE BEEN JUMPING IN AND OUT BECAUSE I'VE HAD OTHER MEETINGS IN THE INTERIM SO I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW.  I THINK I'M A LITTLE DISTRACTED BECAUSE I HAVE JUST COME I'VE BEEN BOUNCING AROUND TOO MUCH SO I WILL I WILL IF I HAVE A QUESTION, I'LL COME BACK. OKAY. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR BREADON AND COUNSELOR PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  GOOD MORNING. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. LET COUNSELOR REID IN. I'VE BEEN IN AND OUT OF DIFFERENT MEETINGS TODAY HERE AT THE HALL BUT I'M VERY GRATEFUL TO EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE. I JUST WANT TO ASK A QUESTION AND I HEARD EARLIER SOMEONE WAS COMPARING THAT DEATH TAX SHIFT TO THE ONE IN 2004 AND IT WAS STATED THAT BACK THEN TAX PROPERTY ACCOUNTED FOR, GOT PROPERTY TAXES ACCOUNTED FOR 52% OF THE CITY'S OVERALL REVENUE. I'M WONDERING IF THAT'S CORRECT AND IF THAT IS SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE INTERIM YEARS TO CAUSE PROPERTY TAXES TO BE A GREATER SHARE OF THE CITY'S REVENUE AND HENCE FOR THE CITY'S BUDGET?  THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. I'M SURE I HAVE THAT SOMEWHERE. THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS 52% BUT THAT'S PROBABLY RIGHT. JIM, DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT TO YOU? YEAH. YEAH, I KNOW THE POINT FROM THE PANEL WAS LIKE IN 2002 OR SOMETHING WAS IN THE 50% RANGE SO YEAH, YEAH. AND AND I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HEARD WHAT I WAS SAYING EARLIER COUNCILOR BUT I MEAN I'VE BEEN IN AND OUT SO I'VE GOT SOMETHING TO ANSWER. YEAH SURE. NO PROBLEM. SO HAPPY TO REPEAT THIS POINT BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. STATE REVENUE AT THE TIME REPRESENTED ABOUT A QUARTER OF THE CITY'S REVENUE AND OVER TIME THAT HAS COME DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY. SO IN TERMS OF REAL DOLLARS WE ARE BELOW WHAT WE WERE GETTING IN TERMS OF STATE REVENUE OVER 20 YEARS AGO. SO AS THAT HAS SHRUNK AND AS OUR PROPERTY TAX BASE HAS GROWN, PROPERTY TAXES YOU KNOW, REPRESENTED A GREATER OVERALL PERCENTAGE OF OUR OF OUR REVENUE. SO I THINK THOSE ARE THE TWO KEY DYNAMICS TO KNOW ABOUT THE CHANGE OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WE YOU KNOW, HAD HEARINGS ON THIS ISSUE AND IT WAS PROPER FOR THE COUNCIL AND THE COUNCIL VOTED FAVORABLY IN SUPPORT OF THIS LEGISLATION THAT IS NOW PENDING BEFORE THE STATE HOUSE AND THERE ARE SOME ALTERNATIVES THAT FOLKS ARE TALKING ABOUT OR THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT.  BUT I ALSO JUST WANT TO JUST UNDERSCORE MAYBE OTHERS HAVE UNDERSCORED IT ALREADY. THE DIFFICULTY HERE IS OUR LIMITED MORAL AUTHORITY AND EVEN IN THE EXPLORATION OF ADDITIONAL REVENUE SOURCES AND STREAMS, THE REQUIREMENT TO GET PERMISSION FROM THE STATE HOUSE IN ORDER TO DO SO FOR SOMETHING LIKE PROPERTY TAXES WHICH THE TRANSFER FEE WHICH WOULD GENERATE $100 MILLION A YEAR TO PROVIDE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR THE CITY WHICH WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT CONSTANT REVENUE STREAM THAT MAY BE ABLE TO TAKE SOME OF THE PRESSURE OFF OTHER PARTS OF OUR BUDGET IF WE HAD THAT BUT WE DON'T AND GETTING THINGS THROUGH THE STATE HOUSE IS NOT AN EASY FEAT AND THEREFORE I JUST EVEN ON WHAT PROPOSING ALTERNATIVES I REALLY DO WANT US TO BE REALISTIC IN TERMS OF LIKE THE LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS OR THE ABILITY TO GET TO GET THOSE. I JUST WANTED TO HAVE SOMEONE REPEAT THE NUMBERS AGAIN IN TERMS OF WHAT THE JUMP IN PROPERTY TAXES WOULD BE SHOULD THIS LEGISLATION NOT GO FORWARD FOR RESIDENTS FOR HAPPY TO DO THAT SO WITHOUT THE LEGISLATION. THE EXAMPLE WE SHARED IS FOR A SINGLE FAMILY HOME AND SO FROM QUARTER TWO TO QUARTER THREE WHICH IS WHEN YOU SORT OF FEEL THE IMPACT OF UPDATED VALUES IN THE UPDATED TAX SHIFT AND ALL OF THAT, THE CHANGE FROM QUARTER TO QUARTER WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 28% WITH OUT THE LEGISLATION WITH THE LEGISLATION AND AGAIN SOMEWHAT STILL PRELIMINARY NUMBERS BUT IF YOU MAXIMIZE THE LEGISLATION TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL AND WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF THE COMPROMISE THAT WE'VE REACHED WITH THE HOUSE THE QUARTER TO QUARTER INCREASE WOULD BE CLOSER TO 10% FOR A SINGLE FAMILY HOME GRANT AND FOR LIKE THAT YOU COULD GET GIVE ME THE MEDIAN OR THE AVERAGE WHICHEVER YOU HAVE. WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE IN REAL DOLLARS FOR FOR LIKE THE YOU KNOW, THE AVERAGE OF A BOSTON HOMEOWNER.  YEAH SO IN THIS IN THIS PARTICULAR EXAMPLE SO THE QUARTER TWO TAX BILL FOR AN AVERAGE SINGLE FAMILY HOME IS $1,380 WITHOUT THE LEGISLATION THAT GOES UP TO QUARTER THREE GOES UP TO 1764 AND WITH THE LEGISLATION THE QUARTER THREE BILL WOULD BE 1516. OKAY.  RIGHT. SO AGAIN, THIS IS JUST ABOUT BLUNTING THE SEVERITY OF THAT INCREASE ON OUR RESIDENTS.  AND I JUST WANT TO ECHO I THINK SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE MADE THE COMMENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, ASKING FOR US FOR THERE TO BE A REVIEW OF OUR OUR BUDGET WHICH I ALWAYS THINK IS IMPORTANT BUT THEN ALSO ASKING FOR ADDITIONAL ADDITIONAL EMPLOYEES WHETHER THAT BE NEW POSITIONS, NEW OFFICES, MORE OFFICERS THAT IS MONEY. IT'S MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. AND SO I JUST THINK THAT THERE I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE OPEN SPACE FOR US TO DISCUSS IDEAS.  BUT I DO THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE LIKE COHERENCY IN HOW PEOPLE ARE ARGUING ABOUT THE CITY'S BUDGET.  WE ALL WE ALWAYS HAVE DIFFICULT TRADEOFFS TO MAKE AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR MORALES. HE'S LED WAYS AND MEANS A DIFFICULT PROCESS AS THE CITY COUNCIL TRIES TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING THE OVERSIGHT WORK THAT WE HAVE WHILE ALSO USING OUR POWER, YOU KNOW, TO ELEVATE THE VOICE OF COMMUNITY AND OF PEOPLE TO REALLY HAVE MORE OF A SAY IN THE BUDGET PROCESS OPPORTUNITIES WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT DEPARTMENT WHERE THERE WAS HISTORIC UNDERSPENDING BUT YET AT THE SAME TIME PEOPLE WERE PROTECTIVE OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT HAD HISTORIC UNDERSPENDING. AND SO I JUST THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE OF A CONSISTENT AND A COHERENT POLICY FRAMEWORK WHEN WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR CERTAIN THINGS BECAUSE IT'S THE LACK OF CONSISTENCY THAT CONFUSED ME . I AM IN SUPPORT OF THIS LEGISLATION BECAUSE I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO OUR RESIDENTS. I ALSO THINK THAT YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THERE ARE LIMITED WAYS THAT WE CAN RAISE REVENUE AND THIS COUNCIL IS TRYING TO THINK ABOUT SOME HOW CAN WE BE MORE CREATIVE AND EXPLORE WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO OUTSIDE OF THE BOUNDS OF FORMAL AUTHORITY. BUT I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT IS THAT THIS COUNCIL HAS LOOKED AT AND HAS EXPLORED HISTORIC UNDERSPENDING IN CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS AND OFTEN HAS TRIED OUR BEST TO SHINE A LIGHT ON THAT. AND I JUST WANT TO CREDIT COUNCILOR MORALE FOR DOING THAT AND FOR DOING THAT SO WELL. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU I WANT TO THANK YOU COUNCILOR . I WANT TO THANK THE ENTIRE ADMIN FOR BEING HERE. MY COLLEAGUES FOR THE QUESTION THAT THEY'VE ASKED AND HOPE THAT YOU KNOW, THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON ARE ABLE TO SEE WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND IF IT'S OKAY, MR CHAIR, IF I CAN JUST RESPOND TO ONE QUICK THING THAT YOU SAID COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE ARE PRESENT LOUIJEUNE I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THE LIMITATIONS OF OUR HOME RULE AUTHORITY. RIGHT? AND JUST EARLIER THIS YEAR THE GOVERNOR PROPOSED SOME MODEST INCREASES TO THE EXISTING EXCISE TAXES THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE AND THAT WE COLLECT AND AS PART OF THE MUNICIPAL RECALL ANYWHERE. YEAH YEAH RIGHT. SO WE ARE LIMITED THE STATE'S LIMITED TO YOU KNOW SO I THINK IT'S JUST A REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REVENUE DIVERSIFICATION AND WHAT OTHER REVENUE SOURCES WE CAN REASONABLY CONSIDER.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHIEF. I THINK YOU.  THANK YOU CHAIR, FOR THIS HEARING AND AGAIN FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE AND REALLY SORT OF PASSING THROUGH WITH US AS COLLEAGUES ON THE COUNCIL THE CITY'S BUDGET.  APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND JUST ALWAYS WHEN THE BUDGET PROCESS GETS BROUGHT UP I WAS HAVE TO GIVE A BIG SHOUT OUT TO ESSENTIAL STAFF AND MY STAFF FOR ALL THEIR WORK THAT THEY PUT INTO THE BUDGET TO YOU KNOW ANALYZE AND IDENTIFY A DEPARTMENT THAT HAD A HISTORIC UNDERSPEND AND THAT'S A PROCESS THAT YOU KNOW, WE WANTED TO SHINE A LIGHT ON. SO I APPRECIATE YOU ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WORK BUT I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE EVERYONE WHO HAD A PART IN IT.  COUNCIL SHUT OUT TO KARISHMA THANK YOU BUT AND MATT IN YOUR OFFICE AND SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE SO ABSOLUTELY CALIBRATING THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU MR CHAIRMAN. I HAVE COLLECTED MYSELF I'VE COME BACK THE QUESTION I, I THINK YOU KNOW IN DAYS GONE BY WE HAD A CENTRAL SORT OF ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE IN THE CITY, YOU KNOW, FOR HUMAN RESOURCES AND FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION AND ALL OF IT IN ONE CENTRAL PLACE. AND I REALLY DO FEEL THAT SOMETIMES I DON'T I DON'T KNOW IF THINGS GET LOST IN THE SHUFFLE ARE YOU KNOW, IF IF WE HAVE A COHERENT SORT OF APPROACH TO HIRING AND FIRING AND RATIONALIZING DEPARTMENTS AS SCRUTINIZING THE, YOU KNOW, JOBS THAT MAYBE WITH THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY AND ALL THAT MAY BE OBSOLETE TO THIS POINT IT'S JUST A QUESTION YOU KNOW, I'M THERE'S ALWAYS THE ISSUE ABOUT GETTING REVENUE IN BUT THEN THERE'S ALSO THE QUESTION OF IN TERMS OF EFFICIENCIES OF HAVING A A CENTRALIZED RISK RESEARCH DEPARTMENT, A CENTRALIZED DEPARTMENT TO WORK ON WRITING RFP FOR THE DIFFERENT DIFFERENT OFFICES ACROSS THE ENTERPRISE.  YOU KNOW, IF WE COULD CENTRALIZE SOME OF THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO HOPEFULLY MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT AND MAYBE INCREASE OUR EFFECTIVENESS AND SAVE SOME MONEY. YOU KNOW, I'M ALWAYS SORT OF TRYING TO THINK ABOUT HOW AS A BUREAUCRACY, A BIG BUREAUCRACY WE TEND TO GO ALONG WITH WHAT WE'VE ALWAYS DONE AND AND SOMETIMES WE THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER LIKE I REALLY FEEL THAT THE ISSUE ABOUT ANNUAL REPORTS IS CRITICAL.  I THINK IT REALLY SHARPENS EVERYBODY'S THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHY WE'RE DOING IT AND WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST AND THEN ARE ARE WE DOING THINGS THAT WE DON'T NEED TO DO AND IN PARTICULAR IN SOME BIG DEPARTMENTS LIKE I AM I'VE BEEN SPENDING A LOT OF THOUGHT ON JUST THINKING ABOUT SCHOOL DEPARTMENT, THE CENTRAL OFFICE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT.  IT'S A IT'S A MASSIVE, HUGE PIECE OF OUR BUDGET. AND JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW,  ARE WE ARE WE BEING AS EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE AS POSSIBLE ESPECIALLY IN THE YOU KNOW, IN SPACES LIKE THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT WHERE THERE'S SO MUCH CONCERN ABOUT OUTCOMES? ANY THOUGHTS, JIM?  DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOUR DEPARTMENT DOES AND IN COLLABORATION WITH PEOPLE OPS ON YOU KNOW, HIRING AND ON?  SURE. SURE DO I THINK TO THE COHERENCE THAT THE COUNCIL HAS TALKED ABOUT ABOUT MAKING PERSONNEL DECISIONS THERE IS THAT COLLABORATION WILL WE GET PROPOSALS FOR POSITIONS WE WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH OUR PEOPLE OPS CABINET HAVE A UNIT CALLED OUR CONSTITUTION COMPENSATION TO BRING TO EXPERIENCE A STRUCTURE AND THEY ALSO HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO OUT AND LOOK IN THE MARKETPLACE TO SEE WHAT COMPARABLE POSITIONS ARE PAID IN OTHER COMPARABLE ORGANIZATIONS. SO THAT IS THAT IS AND BELIEVE ME WE ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH SOMETIMES A JOB DESCRIPTION GIVEN THE TENURE OF EMPLOYEES ARE OUTDATED WHEN SOMEONE RETIRES AND WE TAKE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THAT POSITION SAY WHAT IS THE RESOURCE ASSOCIATE WITH THAT POSITION AND YOU KNOW WELL WITHIN OUR LABOR RELATIONS ENVIRONMENT WHICH YOU TAKE WE TAKE TAKE THE SITUATIONS TO REPURPOSE SOME OF THE MOST TO GET THE MOST CONSTRUCTIVE, MOST EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF SERVICES. YEAH, I THINK YOU KNOW IN THE CONTEXT OF THE THE GREAT RECESSION OF 2000 2010 THAT TIME YOU KNOW GENERALLY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND IN THE CITY YOU KNOW OUR HIGH WE NEVER RECOVERED OUR HIRING IN TERMS OF POSITIONS THAT WERE LOST AT THAT TIME AND I THINK IN SOME DEPARTMENTS LIKE BTD THEY'RE REALLY STRUGGLING TO WHERE THEY HAVE AN AMBITIOUS AGENDA AND THEY KEEP WE KEEP THROWING THEM MORE WORK BECAUSE YOU KNOW, BPA HAS GIVEN UP.  THE CPD IS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT PLANNING.  SO YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT JUST WHEN YOU BRING THE WORKERS WE HAVE NOT BURNING THEM OUT IN SHORT ORDER AND THEN BUILDING CAREER PATHWAYS SO THAT FOLKS WOULD SEE THEMSELVES AS COMING TO WORK IN THE CITY FOR A YOU KNOW, A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME WHICH WOULD BE A CAREER THAT IT COULD BE A NO.  WE DON'T THINK ABOUT WORKING FOR THE SAME ORGANIZATION FOR LIFE ANYMORE BUT YOU KNOW, A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE CIVIC LIFE OF THE CITY AND HAVING REWARDING WELL-COMPENSATED JOBS IS SORT OF IMPORTANT AS WELL. SO IN A WAY I'M SORT OF PREACHING TO THE CHOIR I THINK SO I'LL LEAVE IT FOR NOW. THANK YOU.  AND I'LL CANCER I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. I GUESS.  YEAH. THANK YOU. I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT. I TRY TO FIND MY MOUSE. I HAVE LIKE TWO SCREENS GOING YEAH AND IN CALIBRATING THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CFO GRAFF AND BURGER AND DIRECTOR WILLIAMS AND I TALKED ABOUT ON JUST GETTING MORE INFORMATION ON EXPENDITURES AND REVENUE TO THE COUNCIL AND YOU KNOW I'M MORE THAN WILLING TO PROVIDE THOSE REPORTS AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COUNCIL HAS IN FRONT OF THEM.  I THINK WE WERE PUSHING FOR LIKE A QUARTERLY BASIS AND MAYBE EVEN HAVING SOME HEARINGS GOING TO BUT AS YOU KNOW OUR CALENDAR DOES GET FILLED UP QUICK BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE AND OUR CFO COUNCILOR MURPHY I'M NOT SURE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS THIS PANEL YEAH I DO JUST HAVE ONE. THANK YOU CHAIR KNOWING THAT THIS YEAR WE INCREASED THE BUDGET BY 8%, ARE WE EXPECTING THAT THAT WILL HAVE TO BE SOMETHING WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO GOING FORWARD TO SUSTAIN ALL OF THE INITIATIVES AND THINGS WE PUT FORWARD THIS YEAR IN THE BUDGET DRAMATIC THAT ACTUALLY ARE YEAH SO YOU JUST IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A MISNOMER THAT THE BUDGET GREW THERE WAS THE INTRODUCTION OF THE THE PLANNING OFFICE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT THAT WAS HOW WELL IT WAS MATCHED WITH THE PAIRED WITH REVENUE SO THAT'S A ONE TIME EVENT SO IT WILL NOT GROW AT THAT AT THAT RATE. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE AND I JUST THINK IN GENERAL TOO I MEAN I DON'T THINK WE CAN OR SHOULD EXPECT AN 8% BUDGET GROWTH OR 7% BUDGET GROWTH YEAR OVER YEAR OVER YEAR JUST BECAUSE IT GROWS YOU KNOW THAT MUCH ONE TIME IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT IT GROWS AT THAT RATE IN PERPETUITY. AND YOU KNOW WE IN THIS BUDGET PRESENTED A BALANCED BUDGET. WE HAD SOME OTHER REVENUE SOURCES THAT WERE PERFORMING MORE STRONGLY THAN THEY HAD IN THE PAST. SO WE REFLECTED THAT GROWTH. THAT GROWTH WILL LIKELY MODERATE YOU SEE MODERATING REVENUE GROWTH AT THE STATE LEVEL AND SO WE YOU KNOW, WILL PLAN ACCORDINGLY. BUT I THINK IT'S YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU'RE RAISING IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO TAKE OUR WHOLE PROPERTY TAX LEVY AS THE CITY HAS ALWAYS DONE.  IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP UP WITH THE COST OF THE COST GROWTH THAT WE SEE. THE COST OF INFLATION HAS BEEN MUCH HIGHER THAN THE TWO AND A HALF PERCENT OVER MANY, MANY YEARS.  AND SO TAKING THAT ADDITIONAL PROPERTY TAX INCREMENT IS REALLY CRITICAL SO THAT WE CAN JUST KEEP UP WITH THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS AS WELL AS YOU KNOW RECOGNIZING REVENUE GROWTH IN OTHER AREAS WHERE APPROPRIATE.  OKAY. THANK YOU.  CASTLE MURPHY.  UM JUST A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FROM ME AND THEN WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE UM PUBLIC TESTIMONY.  CAN YOU GET AN AREA ARE YOU GUYS ABLE TO FORECAST FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS OR B TO HOW MUCH NEW COMMERCIAL GROWTH WE CAN ANTICIPATE IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS AND YOU STILL LOOK FOR THE SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE QUESTION CASTLE UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO PROJECT PROPERTY VALUES THAT FAR INTO THE FUTURE. WE ARE VERY MUCH SPENDING ALL OF OUR RESOURCES TIME RIGHT NOW WORKING ON FINALIZING THIS YEAR'S VALUE AND THIS YEAR'S GROWTH. ALL RIGHT AND I AM A BIG ADVOCATE OF THE FUND THAT IS BEING PROPOSED.  I BELIEVE THAT I HAVE A MOTTO THIS A IF WE GET MORE CONDOS BUILT, YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING TO BE SPREADING THAT DEBT THAT BURDEN THAT TAX BURDEN ACROSS A LARGER TAX BASE AS ANYONE MODELED LIKE HUB MODEL THAT RIGHT TO SEE HOW MUCH YOU KNOW NEW CONSTRUCTION DO WE NEED TO BUILD IN ORDER TO DECREASE THE RESPONSIBILITY ON INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTIAL OWNER?  AND IT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION COUNCILOR . I THINK THE YOUR QUESTION BRINGS IN A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT VARIABLES THAT IT ACTUALLY ENDS UP BEING LIKE A A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX AND IT HONESTLY FEELS LIKE IT SHOULD BE. ONE OF THE THINGS IS THAT IT'S KIND OF IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THAT IN OUR CURRENT PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM WE ARE LIMITED THAT NO MATTER WHAT OUR COSTS ARE WE CAN'T COLLECT MORE THAN TWO AND A HALF PERCENT IN REVENUE.  RIGHT. AND NEW GROWTH IS THIS EXTRA ADDITIONAL ITEM SO THE NEW GROWTH DOESN'T KIND OF SPREAD THAT PROPERTY TAX CHARGE FROM THOSE OTHER PROPERTIES OUT ACROSS MORE PROPERTY IT IS EXTRA MONEY ON TOP OF THAT TWO AND A HALF PERCENT GROWTH FOR THE OTHER PROPERTIES. SO IT MAKES IT SO THAT IT'S EASIER FOR US TO SUSTAIN A FUNCTIONAL BUDGET WITHOUT HAVING TO GO BACK TO OUR CONSTITUENTS FOR LIKE A TAX OVERRIDE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. BUT IT DOESN'T LESSEN THE TAX BURDEN ON OTHER PROPERTIES BECAUSE IT COMES IN AS ADDITIONAL REVENUE IN THE YEAR THAT THAT PROPERTY COMES ONLINE THAT IT MAKES SENSE UM BUT DOES OVER TIME DOES IT SPREAD OUT OVER TIME OR SO LIKE AFTER THE FIRST YEAR IT DOES IN A WAY SO OVER TIME IT'S A LARGER THEN POT MONEY THAT GROWS AT THE SAME TWO AND A HALF PERCENT RATE SO IT IT HELPS US KIND OF HAVE A MORE SUSTAINABLE BUDGET OVER TIME AND CREATE BALANCE. BUT REALLY THE AGAIN THE WAY IT CREATES BALANCE IS BY GIVING US AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE FOR NEW TAXES. WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO OUR VOTERS FOR AN OVERRIDE. IT'S LIKE IT'S SOMETHING WHERE WE'RE KIND OF IT HELPS US HAVE A BALANCE SYSTEM IN GENERAL,  RIGHT?  IT MAKES SENSE.  YOU SAY WELL JUST CHECKING MY NOTES AND JIM, YOU OFTEN COME BEFORE US WHERE YOU KNOW UNION CONTRACTS THAT CALL FOR RAISES AND MOST OF THEM, YOU KNOW, STAY WITHIN AND AROUND THAT TO 2.5% PER YEAR.  I'VE OFTEN ASSUMED THAT THE 2.5% IS SET IN PART BECAUSE WE KNOW WE CAN INCREASE OUR LEVY BY THAT SAME TO 2.5% EVERY YEAR. IT'S IT'S A GROWTH THAT WE IS THAT A GROWTH THAT WE PLAN FOR COLLECTED COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS BY NOT LEVYING MORE THAN TWO AND A HALF EVERY YEAR GUESS IS THERE ANY RELATION TO LIKE YOU KNOW THE LEVY THAT WE INCREASE BY AND THE GROWTH IN OUR CBCS OH I ACTUALLY DID YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS ONE OR YEAH I CAN TRY I MEAN SO I THINK RIGHT IT'S REALLY NICE AND HELPFUL TO KNOW THAT WE SORT OF HAVE THAT ABILITY TO INCREASE OUR REVENUE AT LEAST TWO AND A HALF PERCENT EVERY YEAR. SO IT'S DEFINITELY I THINK A CONSIDERATION AS WE'RE NEGOTIATING COLLECTIVE BARGAINING CONTRACTS TO TRY AND AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE KEEP THE GROWTH IN THOSE CONTRACTS IN LINE WITH WHAT OUR REVENUES ARE GOING TO DO.  AS YOU KNOW, WE ALSO COLLECT OTHER SOURCES OF REVENUE THAT GROW A DIFFERENT RATE. SO IT'S A IT'S DEFINITELY A CONSIDERATION THAT THE ONLY CONSIDERATION BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY THINK ABOUT AS WE'RE NEGOTIATE ADDING CONTRACTS AND THEN IF WE IF WE WERE TO DIVERSIFY REVENUE ,WHAT WHAT WOULD THAT DO TO OUR PROPERTY TAX SLATE WHEN WE YOU KNOW, OFFLOAD SOME OF THAT BURDEN ON TO LIKE WE REPLACED SOME OF THAT NEW REVENUE AND NOT COLLECTED FROM PROPERTY TAXES LIKE WHAT WOULD WE DO WITH NEW REVENUE IF WE WERE TO DIVERSIFY.  YEAH SO IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE GOAL OF DIVERSIFICATION YOU KNOW THOSE ARE TWO WHAT YOU DESCRIBED OR TWO KIND OF SEPARATE GOALS. ARE WE LOOKING TO NOT COLLECT OUR FULL PROPERTY TAX LEVIES OR ARE WE LOOKING TO YOU KNOW, SUPPLANT PROPERTY TAX REVENUE WITH A NEW SOURCE THAT'S ONE THING AND AGAIN I THINK IS CHALLENGING FOR ALL OF THE REASONS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS AFTERNOON KIND OF THE INABILITY TO FOREGO THAT FOREVER EFFECTIVELY AND YOU KNOW, JUST THE STABILITY PROPERTY TAX IS REALLY BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY.  BUT IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT NET NEW REVENUE TO THE CITY AND THEN YOU KNOW, GROWING THE PIE AND MAKING THAT PERCENTAGE LESS, THAT'S THAT'S GREAT. I MEAN OF COURSE LIKE ADDITIONAL REVENUE COMING INTO THE CITY AND INTO THE BUDGET WOULD BE WELCOME AND YOU KNOW WE HAVE EXPLORED IT THE STATE HAS EXPLORED IT. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF GETTING IT OVER THE FINISH LINE WHICH CAN SOMETIMES BE CHALLENGING BUT IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS WHAT THE GOAL IS. THERE'S NO SORT OF ONE APPROACH IF YOU DIVERSIFY YOU HAVE TO THEN SUPPLANT OR SUPPLEMENT. YOU KNOW IT JUST IT JUST REALLY DEPENDS ON THE GOAL AND AND I'M SURE YOU KNOW THIS QUESTION ALSO YOU KNOW YOU COULD GO DIFFERENT WAYS BUT WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPLICATIONS IF WE WERE TO DIVERSIFY AND IF WE WERE NOT BEING, YOU KNOW, SOLELY RELIANT ON PROPERTY TAX? I JUST THINK OF LIKE OUR TRIPLE-A BOND RATING, RIGHT? MAKING SURE THAT WE PROTECT THAT AT ALL COSTS. SO YOU KNOW WOULD THAT YOU KNOW, BE IN JEOPARDY IF WE WERE TO YOU KNOW, NOT BE SO RELIANT ON PROPERTY TAX?  YEAH, HARD TO SAY IF IT WOULD BE IN JEOPARDY BUT I CAN TELL YOU FOR SURE THAT THE RATING AGENCIES CITE THE STABILITY OF OUR PROPERTY TAX AND OUR YOU KNOW, CONSISTENCY IN TAKING THE LEVY AS A SOURCE OF STABILITY IN AN A CREDIT POSITIVE TO US. I WILL SAY HAVING COME FROM A CITY THAT HAD A MUCH MORE DIVERSE REVENUE MIX, YOU SEE A LOT MORE VOLATILITY AND I THINK AS YOU CAROL MENTIONED EARLIER WE WERE SORT OF UNIQUE IN OUR ABILITY TO TAKE ARPA REVENUE AND SPEND IT ON TRANSFORMATIVE REALLY IMPORTANT NEW INVESTMENTS IN THE CITY TO HELP US RECOVER FROM COVID WHERE THE CITY I CAME FROM HAD TO TAKE ALL OF OUR COVID REVENUE AND JUST USE IT TO BACKFILL REVENUE. WE LOST BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC YOU KNOW, CRATERED THOSE REVENUE SOURCES SO YOU KNOW, THERE'S DEFINITELY PROS AND CONS I THINK WE ARE LIMITED IN PROPERTY TAX BUT IT'S STABLE AND IT'S A CREDIT POSITIVE AND HAS SERVED US WELL IN MANY WAYS IN THE CITY. THANK YOU NO FURTHER QUESTIONS FOR ME . I'LL GO BACK TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES BY A SHOW OF VIRTUAL HANDS IF YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FOR SECOND PANEL THAT'S FINE. IS THAT A HAND RAISED?  OKAY I GET THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. YEAH, ACTUALLY GOING FORWARD WE ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AN 8% INCREASE IN THE BUDGET JUST TO MAINTAIN AND SUSTAIN PROGRAMS AND SPENDING AND AND SUPPORTING PROGRAMS OR ARE YOU LOOKING TO REDUCE THAT 8% TO SOMETHING MORE MANAGEABLE LIKE 6%? I KNOW MOST A LOT OF OTHER CITY CITIES ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES THEIR BUDGET INCREASE IS USUALLY AROUND 5 TO 6. BUT WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON REDUCING IN OVER OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS FROM 8% DOWN TO 6%? IS THAT IS THAT AN OPTION?  YEAH. SO AGAIN OUR BUDGET IS BALANCED. IT IS BASED ON THE REVENUE WE HAVE AVAILABLE SO IN THIS CURRENT BUDGET WE HAD SIGNIFICANT AND REVENUE GROWTH. WE YOU KNOW WE TOOK OUR PROPERTY TAX INCREMENT BUT THAT WASN'T ALL OF IT. WE HAD GROWTH IN OTHER AREAS. WE RECOGNIZED SOME STRENGTH IN EXCISE TAX AND INTEREST INCOME COLLECTIONS SO WE WERE KIND OF RESPONDING TO THE RESOURCES WE HAD AVAILABLE. YOU KNOW WE BUDGETS JUMP AROUND JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE 8% BUDGET GROWTH ONE YEAR DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE 8% BUDGET GROWTH IN PERPETUITY FOREVER.  WE SAW THAT AT THE STATE RIGHT. I THINK THE YEAR THAT THEY HAD THEIR KIND OF RECORD SURPLUS WHERE THEY WERE GIVING MONEY BACK TO TAXPAYERS THEY HAD SOMETHING LIKE 9% BUDGET GROWTH IN THE NEXT YEAR THEY HAD THREE. SO THINGS BOUNCE AROUND AND IT'S A IT'S A REACTION WHAT YOUR REVENUE SOURCES ARE DOING AT THE TIME. AND SO I DON'T THINK YOU KNOW WE ARE GOING TO IT'D BE GREAT IF WE SAW 8% REVENUE GROWTH YEAR OVER YEAR BUT IT'S PROBABLY NOT LIKELY.  SO I THINK YOU WILL SEE SOME OF THOSE SOURCES START TO MODERATE INTO MORE NORMAL LEVELS BUT IT'S A LITTLE TOO EARLY TO TELL BUT THAT'S YOU KNOW, KIND OF JUST OUR APPROACH TO BUDGETING IF WE THANK YOU ACTUALLY HAVE WE HAD ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE MASS CONVENTION CENTER AUTHORITY ABOUT CONSIDERING WORKING WITH THEM ON POTENTIALLY USING SOME OF THEIR SURCHARGES FOR THE CITY BUDGET, POTENTIALLY PROVIDING TAX RELIEF FOR RESIDENTS? I DO REMEMBER MAYOR WALSH PROPOSED SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS AND IT WAS FOR I BELIEVE IT WAS FOR EDUCATION EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.  BUT IS THIS SOMETHING WE COULD POSSIBLY CONSIDER?  SO THANKS FOR THE QUESTION SO WE DO CURRENTLY GET A DOLLAR OF THE $10 VEHICLE RENTAL SURCHARGE FROM THE CONVENTION CENTER SO THAT COMES TO US AND IT FLOWS INTO THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND. I THINK A RELATIVELY SMALL TOTAL OF ABOUT 1.4 MILLION AND FISCAL 24 AND AGAIN THAT GOES INTO THE CITY'S GENERAL FUND AND SUPPORTS, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES THE CITY PROVIDES. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH TAKING MORE OF THAT. NO, BUT YOU KNOW, DOING SO WOULD REQUIRE THE STATE TO GIVE UP A SOURCE OF REVENUE THAT THEY'RE USING TO FUND THEIR BUDGET TO FUND THE CONVENTION CENTER, SO ON AND SO FORTH.  SO PRESUMABLY WOULD REQUIRE A CHANGE YOU KNOW MAYBE IN STATE LAW TO INCREASE THE SURCHARGE. SO WE HAVEN'T HAD A DIRECT CONVERSATION WITH THEM ABOUT IT BUT IT WOULD CERTAINLY I THINK BE CHALLENGING MAYBE I WOULD SAY FOR THE STATE TO AGREE TO THAT. BUT YOU KNOW, WE CAN CERTAINLY ASK YEAH, THAT'S SOMETHING I PROPOSED SOMETHING TO AT LEAST CONSIDER AGAIN I, I DON'T HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS BUT I'M HERE TO WORK WITH PEOPLE TO COMPROMISE TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR RESIDENT AND FOR BUSINESSES AS WELL.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR COLLEEN CASTLEMAN HERE THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU, CHAIR WE'RE OUT AND AGAIN I JUST WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATION FOR SHOWING UP COMPLETELY IN YOUR FULL SELVES HERE TODAY AS THAT'S WHAT OUR PEOPLE LOVE TO SEE. SO THANK YOU.  I JUST HAVE TWO QUICK QUESTIONS. ONE IS I AM ALWAYS TRYING TO THINK ABOUT OUTSIDE THE BOX AND SO I'M CURIOUS WHO ON YOUR TEAM IF ANYONE AT THAT DOES ANY ASSESSMENTS OF ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AROUND FASHION SPEAK WHICH ARE ON INVESTMENT STAFFING WHO DOES THAT IS THERE SOMEBODY IN YOUR OFFICE THAT DOES THE ASSESSING OF OUTCOMES AND DELIVERABLES AND EFFICIENCY OF THE DEPARTMENT? IS THERE SUCH A THING OR DO YOU LEAVE IT UP TO THE CHIEFS TO DO THEIR OWN STUFF LIKE WAS IT WHO DOES THAT JIM DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT OBM AND SORT OF THE PROCESS THAT YOU ALL DO? SURE. SURE.  SO THAT GOT THE ROLE OF EVALUATING DEPARTMENTS BUDGETS BOTH THERE THEY'RE ONGOING WHAT WE REFER TO AS MAINTENANCE BUDGET AND ALSO BUDGET PROPOSALS.  IT'S THE JOB OF OF OFFICE BUDGET MANAGEMENT OF THE MANAGEMENT ANALYST IS THE POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE DEPARTMENT . THE THE OPERATION OF THE DEPARTMENT MAY FALL TO THE CHIEF AND THE CABINET AND PROGRAM MANAGERS BUT WHERE WE ARE SORT OF A CENTRAL OBJECTIVE SORT OF IN A LARGER ARE NOT IT NOT THAT MUCH DISSIMILAR TO WHAT THE CENTRAL STAFF PROVIDES FOR CITY COUNCIL WHY HAVE YOU UNDERSPENT THIS LINE? WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH STAFFING?  IS THAT IS THERE OTHER ALTERNATIVES TO THE WAY YOU PROCURE THESE SERVICES TO TO TO SEEK EFFICIENCY?  WE JUST HAD A YOU KNOW, MEETINGS WE HAVE WITH I.T DEPARTMENT ABOUT DIFFERENCES WITH TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNOLOGY EQUIPMENT. AS YOU PROBABLY ARE AWARE THE NUMBER OF DEVICES THAT OFTEN ROLL AND EQUIVALENT MORE DEVICES AND WE'RE TRYING TO MANAGE AROUND THAT SEEKING EFFICIENCIES AROUND THAT THAT THAT IS WHAT THE DEVICES BUT ALSO THE THE SOFTWARE THAT GOES WITH IT SO THAT'S THAT IS WHAT WHAT ARE WHAT ARE WHAT WE DO AS AN OFFICE AND WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE SCHEME AND I DO IT TO TO GET DATA TO LEVERAGE DATA THAT'S YOU KNOW IN OUR DATA WAREHOUSES TO TO MEASURE THOSE, TO MEASURE THE OUTCOMES TO SEE IF IT'S ACHIEVING THE INTENDED RESULTS YOU YOU KNOW CAN YOU TELL ME THE FACE THAT I'VE SEEN THE LONGEST.  YEAH. SO FROM THE WORK THAT YOU'VE BEEN AROUND TO START YOU KNOW ACTUALLY YOU JUST COMING ON BOARD HERE SO THAT'S THAT BUT CAN YOU TELL ME EITHER ONE OF YOUR OR MAYBE EVEN ASKED IT HAVE YOU WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THE CITY HAD AN AUDIT OUT THAT WASN'T DONE BY LIKE AN OUTSIDE PERSON THAT CAME IN AND JUST LIKE EVALUATED US IN OUR SYSTEMS AND OUR PROTOCOL, OUR POLICIES AND PROCEDURES? HAS THAT EVER BEEN DONE AND IF SO, WHERE'S THE REPORT OF THAT OUTCOME AND IF IT'S NEVER BEEN DONE DO YOU THINK GIVEN THE SITUATION THAT WE FIND OURSELVES IN, CAN WE BENEFIT FROM HAVING AN OUTSIDE PARTY LOOK INTO HOW WE'RE FUNCTIONING AS A DEPARTMENT? I THINK US BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT PART OF THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD I SEE US BECAUSE I FEEL VERY MUCH PART OF THIS CONVERSATION AND WE ALL HAVE TO HOLD OURSELVES ACCOUNTABLE TO A LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I PUT MYSELF IN THAT AS WELL. SO WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAS HAPPENED AND WHISTLES WELL,  THOSE REPORTS RIGHT? SO I THINK THERE ARE TWO TYPICALLY OFTEN WITH THE CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION, THE MAYORAL ADMINISTRATION THERE ARE AUDITS I THINK WITH THE CHANGE OF THE WALSH ADMINISTRATION THERE WERE SOME AUDITS OF CERTAIN OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES. I THINK THE SCHOOLS OF PUBLIC NO YEAH, YEAH. I THINK THAT THE FUNCTION LIMITED AND I TO BE COMPLETELY CANDID I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE ALWAYS A UNIVERSAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF BUT YEAH THOSE REPORTS HAVE BEEN I THINK ONE OF THE REPORTS THAT I THAT I FIND IF I HAVE TO ADD THE DA VINCI CODE TO GET TO LIKE AT IT CAN EITHER SEND IT TO ME OR IS THERE SOMETHING THAT I CAN EASILY FIND LIKE ANY JOB YOU KNOW EVEN THE LOCAL PERSON THAT IS REALLY AVAILABLE TO LOOK INSIDE IT AND GET IT IT'S I'D LOVE TO SEE IT AND AND I THINK SIMILARLY TO YOU KNOW MY MY STUDENT IPS EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE NOT THE ONES WHO ARE IN THIS HEARING NOW I'M ALWAYS TALKING THE RETURN ON THE INVESTMENT AND I THINK THAT IT IS A HEALTHY EXERCISE FOR US TO CONSTANTLY REFLECT ON OUR REPORTS THAT ARE BEING PROVIDED AND MORE RECOMMENDATIONS.  SO I'D LIKE TO ADD MY YOU KNOW ,MY TEAM GETTING ACCESS TO THAT INFORMATION FROM THE CHAIR PLEASE WHETHER IT BE VIA EMAIL OR A GOOGLE LINK OR JUST SOME KEYWORDS THAT I CAN SEARCH OR I LOVE TO SEE THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LEARN FROM RECOMMENDATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AND JUST THE EXPANSION OF ALL OF THIS. THEN THE THE LAST QUESTION AND IT'S NOT SO MUCH MORE IT'S IT'S THAT SIMPLE QUESTION AND MORE OF US AS WE CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THESE TRUST BUILDING EXERCISES IS THAT I REALLY DO WORRY ABOUT THE ASSESSMENT QUALITY RIGHT LIKE I FEEL LIKE I'M VERY HOPEFUL AND OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE STATE OF AFFAIRS AND YOU KNOW, WHEN I HEAR THE ADMINISTRATION TALK ABOUT HOW YOU KNOW, HOW IT WILL MAKE IT LIKE EVERYBODY WANTS TO LIVE HERE, Y'ALL LIKE I WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS BOSTON WE ARE ON THE MAP RIGHT NOW AND THAT IS A REALLY GOOD THING AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE HARD WORK OF THIS ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE IT TOOK A LOT OF HARD DECISIONS TO GET HERE. RIGHT. SO I JUST I WANT FOR THE RECORD AND EVERYONE ELSE WHO'S LISTENING IN I REALLY WANT TO JUST UPLIFT THE AMAZING WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TO GET US TO THIS PLACE AND WHAT I WORRY ABOUT AND I JUST WOULD LOVE SOME INSIGHT IS THAT WHEN I LOOK AT THE STATS SITUATION I'M A HOMEOWNER, RIGHT? AND YOU KNOW I MY BROTHER AND I AND OUR KIDS LIVE ON ONE SIDE AND MY MOM WAS ON THE OTHER. THE ONLY WAY THEY WERE ABLE TO STAY IN THE CITY OF BOSTON IS BECAUSE WE ALL DECIDED TO HOLD OUR RESOURCES TOGETHER AND JUST STAY HERE IN THE CITY.  BUT WHEN WE PROPERTY TAXES GO UP EVERYONE FEELS THE CRUNCH.  YES, RIGHT. THIS IS WHY WE'RE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION IS WHEN THESE TAX HIKES GO UP, WHETHER IT'S THE COMMERCIAL SECTOR OR THE RESIDENTIAL SECTOR, BOTH SECTORS ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED BECAUSE ONCE WE HAVE THE COMMERCIAL SITUATION THOSE ARE WORKERS THAT ARE GOING TO GET LAID OFF WHO LIVE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO PAY THEIR RENT AND. THEN THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CURRENTLY RENTING WITH THOSE TAXES GO UP. THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE THE LANDLORDS GOING TO INCREASE DIRECT.  SO WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN FROM OTHER CITIES AND WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF THE BEST PRACTICES THAT YOU HAVE SEEN OTHER CITIES SHARE OR DUE TO COME BACK THIS ISSUE ARE WE DOING ARE WE DOING THE BEST THAT WE CAN OR ARE WE JUST COASTING WITH WHAT IS SEEN ? AND I SAID A LOT OF THE THINGS COUNCILOR SO I'LL TRY AND GET AT WHAT I THINK IS THE ROOT OF YOUR QUESTION.  SO WHAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING IT'S REALLY HARD TO COMPARE OUR EXACT SYSTEM TO OTHER CITIES IN THE COUNTRY BECAUSE WE ALL ARE WORKING UNDER DIFFERENT TAX CONSTRAINTS AND TAX SYSTEMS. SO WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE AND PROPERTY TAXES BOSTON IS PROBABLY NOT YOU KNOW,  REPLICABLE OR APPLICABLE TO SOMETHING THAT'S HAPPENING IN CHICAGO.  YOU KNOW, WE JUST ALL ARE KIND OF WORKING WITH DIFFERENT CONSTRAINTS AND DIFFERENT MIXES OF REVENUE AND WHATNOT. SO IT'S IT'S A LITTLE BIT HARD TO SAY LIKE WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING BECAUSE WE SAW SOMETHING ELSE YOU KNOW, APPEAR DO IT IN SEATTLE OR OR WHATEVER. SO THAT'S JUST A CHALLENGE WE HAVE AND SORT OF COMPARING OURSELVES IN THIS PARTICULAR WAY. BUT I THINK WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING IS EXACTLY WHY WE WANT TO DO THIS PROPOSAL AND WHY WE BROUGHT THIS HOME REAL TO YOU AND WHY YOU KNOW, YOU ALL APPROVED IT AND WHY IT'S NOW ABOUT THE STATE STATUS. IT'S ABOUT CREATING STABILITY AND IN THE ABSENCE OF THAT,  YOU'RE EXACTLY WHAT YOU DESCRIBED THIS YOU KNOW, DRAMATIC THESE DRAMATIC CHANGES THAT CAN CAN HURT EVERYONE. SO YOU KNOW, OUR TAXPAYERS RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL ARE SORT OF ACCUSTOMED TO SOME YOU KNOW, NORMAL LEVEL OF OF TAX INCREASE AND OF COURSE TAX INCREASES ARE, YOU KNOW, FUN.  YOU KNOW, PEOPLE DON'T PEOPLE DON'T YOU KNOW, LIKE THEM WANT THEM BUT IT'S YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SORT OF ACCUSTOMED TO THIS THIS INCREASE AND SO IN THE OF THIS TOOL THE WAY OUR CURRENT TAX SYSTEM WORKS YOU WOULD SEE THIS ENORMOUS SPIKE ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE AND THEN A DECREASE ON THAT COMMERCIAL. AND SO IT'S JUST REALLY ABOUT ACHIEVING STABILITY SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE THAT BOSTON IS AFFORDABLE AS POSSIBLE IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY IS DOING WITH WITH YOU ALL AND TO TO MAKE THIS A PLACE THAT IS VIBRANT AND LIVABLE AND AFFORDABLE AND GREEN AND ALL OF THE THE GREAT THINGS THAT WE'RE ALL TRYING TO DO COLLECTIVELY TO TO MAKE A PLACE THAT AS YOU SAY, BOSTON PEOPLE WANT TO PEOPLE WANT TO LIVE IN AND BE IN.  YEAH, THANK YOU. AND I'LL JUST END BECAUSE I KNOW MY TIME IS UP IS THAT THE TIME AND ENERGY THAT THAT DO APPRECIATE THE TIME AND ENERGY THAT YOU TAKE IT INTERPRET MY QUESTIONS AND BREAK IT DOWN BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS IS THAT PEOPLE TAKE FOR GRANTED THE PRIVILEGE OF INFORMATION.  RIGHT. AND THEN THERE ARE SOME FOLKS WHO ARE DYING TO HAVE IT AND THEN THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE MORE OF IT. RIGHT. AND SO MY JOB ON THIS COUNCIL IS TO HELP TRANSLATE FOR FOLKS WHAT IS BEING SAID OR OR NOT SAID AND ASK QUESTIONS THAT ARE ON THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF EVERYDAY PEOPLE NOT PEOPLE WHO ARE POLICY WONKS OR YOU KNOW, ANALYTICS, RIGHT? LIKE THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOLKS IN THIS SPACE RIGHT NOW AND WHILE MY QUESTIONS SOMETIMES MAY SEEM BOTHERSOME OR WHATEVER THE CASE IS REALLY TO BE HONEST WITH YOU I AM YOUR CONSTITUENT. I AM THE EVERYDAY PERSON WHO IS THINKING ABOUT THESE THINGS AND THE PEOPLE THAT I COME IN CONTACT WITH ARE ALSO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS. SO WHILE THEY MAY NOT BE THE BEST THE BEST QUESTIONS IN THE BOOKS, THE QUESTIONS THAT EVERYDAY PEOPLE DON'T WANT YOU KNOW, EPIDEMIC AND START LIKE EVERYONE YOU KNOW YOU'RE THE CITIZEN SO I JUST I APPRECIATE YOUR YOUR PATIENCE WITH THOSE WHO ARE NOT AS SAVVY AS OTHERS SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR INDULGENCE I CAN THANK YOU COUNCILOR MEJIA I SEE YOU KNOW AND HANDS RAISED WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THANK YOU TO THIS PANEL, TO THE ADMINISTRATION FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS ON WORKING ON COMPROMISING AND WORKING ON GETTING THIS TASK CLASSIFICATION PASSED WHICH YOU GUYS ALL THE BEST OF LUCK IN LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUE OUR COLLABORATION.  THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS FOR HAVING US.  THANKS. I WILL NOW MOVE FORWARD WITH PUBLIC TESTIMONY WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED PLEASE RAISE YOUR VIRTUAL HAND.  I STATE YOUR NAME NEIGHBORHOOD AND ORGANIZATION AFFILIATION.  PLEASE SPEAK. UM WE HAVE TO SPEAK TO THE MICROPHONE BUT PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO 3 MINUTES. WE'LL START WITH UM BP BPA ALI PG PRESIDENT AND THE M.S. DIVISION IS NO NAME.  HEY, COUNSELOR. THERE ARE I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR ME YET IT WAS REBOOTED ME TO A DIFFERENT SCREEN IN MY OWN YEAH.  YES YOU'RE RIGHT. THANKS. THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.  GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY. MY NAME IS LARRY CALDERONE. I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOSTON POLICE PATROLMEN'S ASSOCIATION. I KNOW. I KNOW ALL OF YOU AND YOU KNOW ME SO I'LL QUICKLY MOVE ON. LOOK, I'M NOT INTERESTED OR HERE TODAY WAITING MY TURN TO PLAY THE BLAME GAME. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET INVOLVED IN THAT. THE MEMBERS THAT I REPRESENT WHICH IS RIGHT NOW APPROXIMATELY 60 68% OF OUR MEMBERSHIP ARE ALL RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY.  WHAT WHAT WE WANT TO SAY IS THAT WE DON'T WANT OUR TAXES GOING UP AND I AM HERE TO VERY STRONGLY URGE ALL OF US TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO GET THE SENATE TO PASS THIS. I KNOW THAT I HAVE SPOKEN PERSONALLY TO SENATOR COLLINS, SENATOR RUSH TRYING TO GET OUR SENATORS TO DO WHAT THEY CAN TO MOVE THIS ALONG. ALL OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO FOR A FEW HOURS ARE ALL NECESSARY CONVERSATION, ALL VERY CONSTRUCTIVE.  THERE MAY BE BETTER WAYS THAT WE CAN RAISE REVENUE.  THERE MAY BE OTHER WAYS THAT WE CAN SPEND WHAT MONEYS WE HAVE.  BUT FOR THIS PARTICULAR 3 MINUTES IN THIS TOPIC IT'S ALL ABOUT MY MEMBERS AND THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF BOSTON. WE ALREADY PAY TAXES.  WE ALREADY PAY RESIDENTIAL TAXES AT THE SAME TIME THE SAME PEOPLE ARE PAYING FOR SCHOOL HOUSING, CLOTHING. I HEARD ONE THING ABOUT SPECIFICALLY MR CHAIRMAN YOURSELF BUILDING MORE CONDOS, ADDING MORE RESIDENTS IT DOES GENERATE REVENUE BUT IT ALSO CAUSES A WHOLE LITANY OF OTHER PROBLEMS. YOU PUT MORE KIDS IN SCHOOLS, YOU PUT MORE PUT MORE KIDS IN SCHOOLS, YOU PUT MORE PEOPLE WITH MORE CARS ON THE STREET. I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO RIGHT NOW. SO I KIND OF CONCUR WITH THOSE PEOPLE IN THE FINANCE OFFICE PROBABLY AN IDEA FOR ANOTHER TIME BUT DEFINITELY NOT A FIX HERE.  I KNOW WE'RE MOVING QUICKLY BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE A SHORT TIME BUT MY MEMBERS DON'T WANT THEIR TAXES TO GO UP AND THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON I'M SURE DON'T WANT THEIR RESIDENTIAL TAXES TO GO UP.  WHAT I SAW IN THAT GRAPH I BELIEVE FROM THE CFO WAS THAT RESIDENTIAL TAXES WILL CONTINUE TO CLIMB AS COMMERCIAL TAXES WILL CONTINUE TO DECLINE IF THIS IS NOT PASSED. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS FAIR AND EQUITABLE TREATMENT ACROSS THE BOARD. WE'LL PAY OUR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES. WE EXPECT A COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE OF TAXES. WE HAVE WAY TOO MANY ISSUES FROM PILOT PROGRAMS WITH NONPROFIT COLLEGES THAT HAVE SUPER LARGE ENDOWMENTS THAT DON'T PAY ANYTHING. SO THERE'S LOTS OF FURTHER CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE BUT YOU CAN HEAR THE FRUSTRATION IN MY VOICE IS I'M HERE TO EMPLOY THIS COUNCIL IMPLORE THIS COUNCIL EXCUSE ME TO DO THE BEST THEY CAN TO WORK WITH OUR SENATORS TO GET THIS PASSED ON BEACON HILL, SAVE ALL THE OTHER CONVERSATIONS AND FINGER POINTING FROM HOW WE GOT HERE TO WHERE WE'RE GOING FOR A LATER DATE. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ARE OUR RESIDENTS THAT LIVE IN THE CITY THAT DO NOT WANT TO BE UNFAIRLY TAXED OR BEAR THE BURDEN.  THIS SHOULD BE SHARED WITH THE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY. PLAIN AND SIMPLE.  I SPEAK NOT ONLY FOR THE BEHALF OF THE PATROLMEN'S ASSOCIATION BUT FOR OUR EMS DIVISION AS WELL. PRESIDENT MATTIE ANDERSON ASKED ME TO SPEAK FOR HIM AS HE COULD NOT MAKE THIS FOR THE EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.  BUT EMS PEOPLE FEEL THE SAME WAY. IN FACT HE GAVE ME SOME NOTES TO SHARE.  WE DON'T WANT AMBULANCE RESPONSE TIMES A LIFE THREATENING EMERGENCIES LIKE HEART ATTACKS UNCONSCIOUS PEOPLE A PEDESTRIAN STRUCK. TO GO BACK TO THE 8 TO 12 MINUTE RESPONSE TIME I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT THAT SURELY WE DON'T WANT THAT. EVERY PRECIOUS MINUTE SAVES A LIFE.  SO THE EMS AND THE EMT DIVISION FEEL THE SAME WAY THAT I DO. I KNOW THAT MY COUNTERPART IN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS PATIENTLY WAITING. I'M SURE HE'S GOING TO ECHO SOME SENTIMENTS AND PROBABLY SOME THINGS ON HIS OWN. BUT ONCE AGAIN, I APPRECIATE THE TIME, MR CHAIRMAN.  I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY. I HAVE BEEN HERE SINCE 1030. LISTEN IN TO EACH AND EVERY CONVERSATION THAT'S BEEN HAD.  BUT I'M ASKING VERY STRONGLY ON THE BEHALF OF MY MEMBERS AGAIN IN THE MID 60 RANGES THAT ARE ALL RESIDENTS HERE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, WE DO NOT WANT TO BE UNFAIRLY TAXED AND UNFAIRLY BURDENED.  WE'LL PAY OUR FAIR SHARE JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER RESIDENT IN THE CITY. BUT THE COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY NEEDS TO BEAR THAT BRUNT AS WELL. EVERYBODY SUFFERED THROUGH COVID. EVERYBODY'S TRYING TO MAKE UP THEIR MEANS ALONG THE WAY.  BUT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY WHICH MAKE MORE MONEY THAN THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF BOSTON ON A YEARLY BASIS SHOULD GET LOWER TAXES AS OURS CONTINUE TO GO UP. AND I'LL END IT THERE. THANKS, MR CHAIRMAN. I APPRECIATE IT. COUNCILORS, AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO. THANK YOU. SAM DILLON GENERAL, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL , THE PROFESSIONALS ON THE CALL. THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. PRESIDENT CALDERONE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. I ECHOED THE SENTIMENTS OF THE BPA PRESIDENT AND OTHERS AND SISTERS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT BUSTANI AND US AS WELL AS THE OTHER UNION MUNICIPAL WORKERS OF THE CITY.  WE ATTENDED A TOWN HALL IN WEST ROXBURY LAST NIGHT TO VOICE OUR OPINION ON THIS AS LOCAL 718 AND I WANT TO ECHO WHAT I SAID LAST NIGHT.  NO ONE WANTS TO BE HERE. I DON'T THINK ANYONE INVOLVED ON EITHER SIDE OF THIS ISSUE WANTS TO BE FACING US. BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS WE ARE HERE. WE ARE CONFRONTING THIS SITUATION AND WE NEED TO DO SO. THE BEST LEADERSHIP AND THE BEST DECISION POSSIBLE. AS DIFFICULT AS SOME OF THOSE DECISIONS MIGHT BE. I REPRESENT 1600 BOSTON FIREFIGHTERS, FIREFIGHTERS AND OFFICERS. A VAST MAJORITY OF OUR MEMBERSHIP ARE CITY RESIDENTS DUE TO OUR RESIDENCY REQUIREMENT WHICH WE HAVE WITH THE CITY. YOU'RE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT TAXES FOR DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE CITY AND DIFFERENT ELEMENTS OF THE CITY ARE TALKING ABOUT TAXING YOUR RESIDENTS YOUR CITY WORKERS,  YOUR FIREFIGHTERS, YOUR POLICE OFFICERS, EMS PERSONNEL, ALL OF YOUR MUNICIPAL WORKERS WHO DO A LOT ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AND PROBABLY DO SO. WE'RE IN A SITUATION AND WE ARE STARING DOWN THE BARREL OF THE WHAT IFS AND THE POTENTIAL IF WE DON'T GET THIS DONE. WE'VE ALL SEEN THE RECOMMENDED CUTS.  WE'VE ALL SEEN WHAT THE TANGIBLE OUTCOME WOULD BE. IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.  IT'S THE FUNDAMENTAL PURPOSE OF GOVERNMENT. SERVE AND PROTECT THE CITIZENS. THAT IS THE JOB OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND WE TAKE THAT BROADLY CANNOT BALANCE ANY BUDGETS OR ANY FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY ON THE BACKS OF THE MANY WOMEN WHO WORK IN THIS CITY THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO PROTECT THE CITY AND THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO PROUDLY LIVE IN THE CITY. I IMPLORE ALL LEADERSHIP TO DO WHAT MUST BE DONE.  I AM PROUD TO REPRESENT GERMANY AND I AM PROUD THAT OUR UNION IS STANDING BETWEEN TAX INCREASES AND THE RESIDENTS THAT WE SERVE AND PROTECT. MR CHAIR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. CITY COUNCILORS EAGER FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.  THANK YOU. LORI RADWAN HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON NOW. LORI RABEN FOR ROSLINDALE. I'M A I AM COORDINATOR OF THE ROSLINDALE COALITION.  AND FIRST I JUST WANT TO THANK THE COUNCIL AND ESPECIALLY I WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR MEJIA FOR CALLING OUR PUBLIC TRUST.  A PUBLIC TRUST IS VERY IMPORTANT AND WHEN I HEAR THAT THERE'S NO PLACE IN THE BUDGET THAT THE CITY CAN CUT. I WILL SAY THAT EVERY RESIDENT WALKING AROUND EVERY DAY SEES WASTE IN CITY GOVERNMENT NOT FIRE DEPARTMENT, NOT EMS. I'M A NURSE NOT YOU KNOW, FIRST RESPONDERS BUT IN NURSING A COUPLE MAYBE TWO DECADES AGO WE WERE ASKED TO CUT BUDGETS BECAUSE OF THE NEW PAYMENT SYSTEM AND WE USED TO HAVE A NURSE HEAD NURSE AND ASSISTANT MANAGER AND NURSE MANAGER, A SUPERVISOR, A SUPERVISOR SUPERVISOR AND A CHIEF NURSE TO MANY LAYERS THAT WE FLATTENED THE ORGANIZATION. I LOOK AT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COUNCILOR WEBER WAS RIGHT NOBODY WANTS TO CUT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BUT RIGHT NOW BETWEEN MY OWN AS LIAISON AND THE CHIEF OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT I THINK THERE'S AT LEAST THREE LAYERS OF MANAGEMENT.  WE'RE GOING THROUGH SQUARES AND STREETS. I WILL TELL YOU THAT I'VE MET AT LEAST FOUR TRANSPORTATION PLANNERS FOR ROSLINDALE SQUARE . THERE'S A LOT OF REDUNDANCY IN THE SYSTEM. THERE ARE DAYS WITH SQUARES IN THE STREETS WHERE THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL IN THE ROOM OUTNUMBER BY 1 TO 2. THE PARTICIPANTS WHO ARE CITIZENS. SO I'M JUST SUGGESTING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO CUT POSITIONS TO FLATTEN AN ORGANIZATION. YOU CAN DO SOME REASSIGNMENTS BUT RIGHT NOW IN ORDER TO BE ACCOUNTABLE AS COUNCILWOMAN HUGHES SAID, INCUR TRUST IN GOVERNMENT AS CONCILOR MEJIA HAS SAID WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT THE WAYS THAT ALL OF US ARE SEEING EVERY DAY IN TERMS OF FLATTENING LAYERS OF MANAGEMENT IN THE ADMINISTRATION.  AND THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.  THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO CAME TO TESTIFY.  I WANT TO THANK EVERY PANEL AND THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE FIRST PANEL OF OUR COMMUNITY ADVOCATE AND THANK MY COLLEAGUES CENTRAL STAFF IDEAS ARE MY TEAM TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN . AND THIS HEARING IS NUMBER ONE FOR FOUR OR FIVE AND 152 IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU