FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS BRIAN WE'RE OUT DISTRICT FOR CITY COUNCILOR AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS.  TODAY IS MAY 28, 2024. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVESTREAMED. BOSTON DOT GOV.  MAX GLASS CITY DAS COUNCILOR DAS TV AND BROADCAST ON EXPANDED CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL 964. THE COUNCIL BUDGET REVIEW PROCESS WILL ENCOMPASS A SERIES OF PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT BEGAN IN APRIL AND WILL RUN THROUGH JUNE.  WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ENGAGE IN THIS PROCESS BY GIVING TESTIMONY FOR THE RECORD. YOU CAN DO THIS IN SEVERAL WAYS . ONE ATTEND ONE OF OUR HEARINGS AND GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY.  WE WILL TAKE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AT THE END OF EACH DEPARTMENT'S HEARING AND ALSO AT TONIGHT'S HEARING DEDICATED TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. THE FULL HEARING SCHEDULE IS ON OUR WEBSITE AT BOSTON ARCHIVE BACKSLASH COUNCILOR DAS BUDGET. YOU CAN GET TESTIMONY IN PERSON HERE IN THE CHAMBER OR VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM FOR IN-PERSON TESTIMONY.  PLEASE COME TO THE CHAMBER AND SIGN UP ON THE SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE. FOR VIRTUAL YOU CAN SIGN UP USING OUR ONLINE FORM ON OUR COUNCIL'S BUDGET REVIEW WEBSITE OR BY EMAILING THE COMMITTEE ASK W M AT BOSTON.COM WHEN YOU ARE CALLED TO TESTIFY PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME AND AFFILIATION OR RESIDENCE AND LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO A FEW MINUTES TO ENSURE THAT ALL COMMENTS AND CONCERNS CAN BE HEARD.  TO EMAIL YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO THE COMMITTEE AT KEY W M AT BOSTON.COM OR THREE SUBMITTED TWO MINUTE VIDEO OF YOUR TESTIMONY THROUGH THE FORM ON OUR WEBSITE.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET PROCESS AND HOW TO TESTIFY, PLEASE VISIT THE CITY COUNCIL BUDGET WEBSITE AT BOSTON.COM BLACK BACKSLASH COUNCIL DAT BUDGET TODAY'S PUBLIC TESTIMONY SESSION IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 06703067 TO ORDER FOR THE FY 25 OPERATING BUDGET INCLUDING ANNUAL APPROPRIATION FOR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS FOR THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT AND OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.  DOCKET NUMBER 067330675 ORDER FOR CAPITAL FUND TRANSFER APPROPRIATIONS.  DOCKET NUMBER 067620678 WHAT IF THE CAPITAL BUDGET INCLUDING LOAN ORDERS AND LEASE PURCHASE AGREEMENTS IN THESE MATTERS WAS SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL TEN, 2020 FOR THE FOCUS OF THIS HEARING WILL BE TO DISCUSS THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY REGARDING THE FBI 25 BUDGET. TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY COUNCILOR COLLEAGUES VICE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE, VICE CHAIR PEPEN COUNCILOR FLYNN.  COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE COUNCILOR MURPHY,  COUNCILOR COLETTE ZAPATA AND CONCILOR MEJIA HERE. I WOULD NOW TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNCILOR COLLEAGUES FOR OPENING STATEMENTS BY CHAIR PEPE IN THE FLOOR JAWS. THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY FOR BEING OUT HERE TONIGHT. I WAS JUST MENTIONING TO CHAIR ROE HOW PLEASED I WAS WITH SEEING SO MANY OF YOU COME OUT TONIGHT BUT ALSO HOW MANY EMAILS WE RECEIVED IN ADVANCE FROM THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM EVERY SINGLE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I THINK THAT NIGHTS LIKE TONIGHT ARE VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE GET TO HEAR FROM WHAT YOU ALL CARE ABOUT AND I'VE HEARD EVERYTHING FROM WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, HOUSING, JOB OPPORTUNITIES, MAKING SURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE GETTING FUNDING, MAKING SURE THAT OUR STREETS ARE BEING FIXED AND THAT'S WHAT I LIKE TO HEAR AND THAT'S IT'S FROM THE PEOPLE THAT I LIKE TO HEAR THE MOST. AND FOR THOSE WATCHING AT HOME AND FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE SENT EMAILS I GOT THEM AND I HEAR YOU.  SO THAT'S WHY I'M HERE JUST CONTINUING TO LISTEN TO YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH YOU ALL TO MAKE SURE THAT BUDGET IS REPRESENTATIVE OF WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR.  BUT AGAIN, I'M JUST THANKFUL THAT YOU'RE HERE TONIGHT TO SHARE YOUR REMARKS WITH YOU ALSO. THANK YOU. LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.  THANK YOU. COUNCILOR FLYNN, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU FOR THE IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP YOU ARE PROVIDING. MR CHAIR.  AND I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR PEPEN ADDED IS WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I ALSO RECEIVED A LOT OF EMAILS, CALLS, TEXTS, SEEING PEOPLE AT THE BALL FIELD, AT CHURCH, AT VETERANS EVENTS. SO WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN. THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO WEIGH IN AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CITY COUNCILORS TO LISTEN. THANK YOU, MR CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU. COUNCIL PRESIDENT LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU, MR CHAIR, AND THANK YOU FOR HOLDING THIS. I BELIEVE THIS IS THE THIRD SESSION THAT WE'VE HELD PURSUANT TO YOUR LEADERSHIP THAT'S DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY. ,ONE OF WHICH BEING OUR OWN COMMUNITY AT THE FREDERICK IN DORCHESTER. SO JUST WANT TO SHOUT OUT TO YOU I THINK THIS IS A REALLY GREAT STATE OF PROGRESS.  IN ADDITION TO EACH BUDGET HEARING BEING AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A PUBLIC HEARING SO WE'VE HAD A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE REALLY THINK ABOUT HOW WE MAKE THIS BUDGET A REFLECTION OF WHAT WE VALUE AS A CITY AND AS WE AGE TOWARDS THAT. SO JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS BUDGET IS REFLECTIVE OR GETTING CLOSER TO WHAT OUR COLLECTIVE VISION FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON IS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MURPHY, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR THE PUBLIC FOR BEING HERE. ALSO HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT AS WE'RE HEADING INTO THE LAST FEW HEARINGS AND TAKING A VOTE SOON ON THE BUDGET. AND WHAT I'M HEARING FROM COMMUNITY IS ISSUES AS IMPORTANT AS PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRAUMA RESPONSE TO MORE DOG PARKS AND TRASH PICKUP AT YOU KNOW, OUR OUR BALLPARK. SO ALL OF THOSE ARE IMPORTANT BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE LISTENING TO YOUR VOICES IF IT'S CALLS, EMAILS, TEXTS BUT THESE OPPORTUNITIES HERE ARE GREAT FOR US BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE IN A FEW WEEKS. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.  LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING FROM THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR COLETTE AS A PARTNER THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU CHAIR AND AS IT'S BEEN SAID THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP IN PROVIDING THIS SPACE FOR COMMUNITY. WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM EVERYBODY VIA EMAIL AND AT THE END OF OUR BUDGET HEARINGS BUT PROVIDE SPACE LIKE THIS IS VERY INTENTIONAL.  SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN TALKING ABOUT ADVOCACY. I ALSO SAY I OFTEN SAY THAT WE ARE NOT PEOPLE'S VOICE BUT WE ARE THEIR MICROPHONE. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN VOICE. THEY CAN ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES BUT IN MANY INSTANCES THEY ARE NOT AT THE TABLE THIS TONIGHT IS FOR PEOPLE TO UTILIZE A MICROPHONE, TAKE UP ALL THE SPACE THAT YOU CAN TAKE UP ALL THE TIME. WE ARE REALLY HERE TO LISTEN SO THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THANK YOU. SEE MEJIA? THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  THANK YOU, CHAIR. THAT'S RIGHT, COUNCILOR . I AM NOT YOUR VOICE. I AM YOUR MICROPHONE AND REALLY THIS IS YOUR MICROPHONE TODAY SO I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE YOU ALL HERE.  I JUST WANT TO UPLIFT A FEW THINGS.  ONE IS THAT I SEE DONNA FROM THE TERMINAL WAS HERE WHO REALLY HATES ATTENTION BUT I'M JUST GOING TO CALL ATTENTION REAL QUICK TO WE WE FOUND IT AN ORGANIZATION CALLED DETERMINED DIVAS AND I REMEMBER ONE OF THE HEARINGS NOT EVEN A HEARING ONE OF THE WE USED TO DO THESE ACCOUNTABILITY DIALOGS IN COMMUNITY WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS. YOU KNOW, A DECADE OR SO AGO SO THAT ELECTEDS COULD BE BE REMINDED OF THE FACT THAT THEY WORK FOR US AND THAT THEY HAD TO BE ACCOUNTABLE TO US. AND IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE 13 CITY COUNCILORS. WE'RE HERE REPRESENTING THE ENTIRE CITY OF BOSTON AND OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS NOT TO JUST LISTEN AND SAY YES, GREAT, THANK YOU. CHECK THE BOX HERE.  BUT IF THE BUDGET AT THE END OF THE DAY DOES NOT REFLECT WHAT WE'VE HEARD THEN WE'VE MISSED THE MOMENT TO REALLY LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE.  AND SO MY HOPE IS IS THAT AS WE CONTINUE TO HEAR THAT WE'RE ACTUALLY NOT ONLY JUST TAKING NOTES BUT THAT WE'RE DELIVERING AND THAT'S WHAT THIS BODY IS GOING TO DO. MY HOPE IS IS REALLY LISTEN TO WHAT THE PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY AND THEN MORE IMPORTANTLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE FACT IS IS THAT IT'S 6:00 ON A TUESDAY EVENING AND YOU ARE UTILIZING YOUR TIME TO FIGHT FOR NOT JUST THE THINGS THAT YOU WANT BUT FOR THE THINGS THAT THIS CITY NEEDS AND FOR SO MANY PEOPLE WHO COULDN'T BE HERE TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. SO WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY DELIVER AND WE'LL JUST SEE IF THAT IS WHAT WE'RE REALLY ALL ABOUT COME THE TIME WHEN IT'S TIME TO MAKE THOSE HARD DECISIONS ON THAT BODY. THANK YOU AGAIN. I JUST WANT TO ECHO WHAT MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID. I WANT TO THANK ALL THE ALL THE RESIDENTS THAT CAME OUT TODAY. THIS COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED WITHOUT THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND CENTER AND PUBLIC VOICE. WELL, I THINK MY COLLEAGUES ALSO PUSHING THE WORD OUT AND I THINK THAT SPEAKS TO THE ENGAGEMENT THAT WE RECEIVE THROUGH EMAIL, THROUGH THE ONLINE TESTIMONIES THAT WE'LL BE RECEIVING TODAY TOO IS THAT YOU KNOW, WE ALL WORK TOGETHER WHETHER IT WAS ON INSTAGRAM EMAILS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CENTERING PEOPLE AND DOING THE OUTREACH THAT'S NEEDED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT'S BUDGET TIME AND THIS IS YOUR TAX DOLLARS THAT NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK FOR YOU. SO I WANT TO THANK MY COLLEAGUES FOR GETTING THE WORD OUT CENTRAL STAFF AS WELL AND ALSO MY TEAM. BUT WE'RE HERE TO LISTEN HERE TO TAKE NOTES HERE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION PRIOR TO US GOING IN TO OUR SECOND AMENDMENT WORKING SESSION AND THAT'S WHEN WE'LL START DISCUSSING WHAT AMENDMENTS WHAT CHANGES WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING IN THE BUDGET. SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IS HEARD FROM COMMUNITY BEFORE DIVING DEEPER INTO AMENDMENTS.  SO THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO SCHEDULE THIS PUBLIC TESTIMONY TODAY.  SO NOW WE'RE MOVING ON FORWARD TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY.  WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND FORTH FROM IN-PERSON TO ONLINE. SO WHEN YOU HEAR YOUR NAME CALLED PLEASE COME DOWN TO ONE OF THE PODIUMS AND STATE YOUR NAME NEIGHBORHOOD AND ORGANIZATION AND AFFILIATION. PLEASE SPEAK INTO THE MICROPHONE AND PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO 2 MINUTES STARTING WITH DR. KAMARA. THE FLOOR IS YOURS AND THEN FOLLOWED BY ANGIE ONLINE.  THANK YOU VERY MUCH COUNCILORS AND CHAIRMAN MY NAME IS GEMMA KAMARA. I'M A PROFESSOR IN THE AFRICANA STUDIES DEPARTMENT AT UMASS BOSTON.  I'M HERE TO OFFER SOME BRIEF TESTIMONY NOT SO MUCH REGARDING THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE AT UMASS BOSTON BUT RATHER THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES IN WHICH WE'VE BEEN INVOLVED. NOW FOR SOME 50 YEARS THIS YEAR THIS FISCAL YEAR COMING FORWARD IS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AFRICANA STUDIES DEPARTMENT AT UMASS BOSTON.  CERTAINLY YOU'RE AWARE OF THE CRITICAL CONCERNS AROUND FUNDING OF PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION AND SO IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGED ACTIVITIES IN WHICH WE'VE BEEN NOW INVOLVED FOR SEVERAL DECADES AT THE INSTITUTION, I AM HERE TO SOLICIT YOUR SUPPORT . THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THESE ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE GONE ON AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THIS COMING YEAR THAT I'D SIMPLY LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT BECAUSE WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY AS FACULTY AT THE INSTITUTION AND STAFF TO BECOME ENGAGED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND WE'VE DONE SO BY BOTH REACHING OUT, WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE LET'S WALK TOGETHER PROGRAM. I THINK SEVERAL OF THE COUNSELORS HAVE BEEN WITH US IN THAT PROGRAM COUNSELING MEJIA IN LOUISIANA WHO HAVE PARTICIPATED WITH US IN THAT THE ANNUAL DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING MEAL CABRAL COMMEMORATIVE PROGRAM WHICH COUNCILOR WORRELL WAS THERE LAST YEAR WHEN WE HOSTED THE PRESIDENT OF KABUL, BAYARD WHO ON THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THAT PROGRAM ACTUALLY SPOKE AND IT'S ONE WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE LINKAGE IN OUR COMMUNITY OF BETWEEN THE CABO VERDE AND COMMUNITY AND THE THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.  THIS WEEKEND WE'RE HOSTING A HEALTH CONFERENCE FOCUSING ON THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY HERE IN TOWN.  AND SO WE ARE ASKING FOR SUPPORT TO CONTINUE THIS DURING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM OF THE AFRICANA STUDIES DEPARTMENT AND WE'RE WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE ALUMNI WHO ARE ORGANIZING THEMSELVES. THEY WILL HAVE TESTIMONY THAT WILL COME FORWARD IN WRITTEN FORM TO YOU UNFORTUNATELY WEREN'T ABLE TO BE HERE BUT THEY WILL BE I HOPE ONLINE BUT ALSO IN WRITTEN FORM IN CONJUNCTION WITH THESE ACTIVITIES THAT WE'RE ENGAGED IN.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ANGIE, I CAN YOU HEAR ME ? YES, YES, YES. GREAT.  THANK YOU. AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL MY NAME'S ANGIE LOU AND I SERVE AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ASIAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IN CHINATOWN.  WE ARE ALSO PART OF CHINATOWN HOPE A COLLECTIVE OF EIGHT COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THAT WORK TO ADVANCE OPEN SPACE AND WELLNESS IN CHINATOWN. I'M HERE TO EXPRESS OUR DISAPPOINTMENT THAT THE CAPITAL BUDGET DOES NOT INCLUDE THE $1 MILLION THE BOSTON TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT NEEDS FOR THE CREATION OF A PERMANENT PLAZA AT PHILLIPS SQUARE IN CHINATOWN. THE REDESIGN OF PHILLIPS SQUARE OFFERS AN IMPORTANT AND TIMELY OPPORTUNITY FOR CHINATOWN TO EXPAND ITS GREEN AND OPEN SPACE . CHINATOWN RESIDENTS ARE FRUSTRATED ABOUT THE LACK OF OPEN SPACE AND SEE IT AS AN INEQUITY. WE HAVE ABOUT TWO ACRES OF OPEN SPACE PER THOUSAND RESIDENTS VERSUS CLOSE TO EIGHT ACRES FOR THE REST OF THE CITY. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAS LESS PARK SPACE THAN MOST OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY WE HAVE 3% VERSUS 23% CITYWIDE. CHINATOWN ALSO SUFFERS FROM HEAT ISLAND EFFECT AND LACK OF TREE CANOPY DURING THE SUMMER THE CHEN PARK BY THE GATE CAN GET AS MUCH AS TEN DEGREES HOTTER THAN ELSEWHERE.  MORE GREEN AND OPEN SPACE IS NEEDED IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD TO PROMOTE HEALTH COMMUNITY COHESION AND PREPARES FOR CLIMATE CHANGE. OUTDOOR SPACE FOR CONNECTION IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR A LONG TERM HEALTH OF OUR ELDERLY WHO SPENT TOO MUCH TIME IN ISOLATION DURING THE PANDEMIC. THE PLAZA THAT HAS BEEN IN PLACE AT PHILLIPS SQUARE SINCE 2019 HAS PROVED TO BE A GREAT PASSIVE SPACE FOR INTERGENERATIONAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND FOR COMMUNITY EVENTS. HOWEVER, THAT AND THE CURRENT LOW BUDGET DESIGN HAS DEMONSTRATED THE VIABILITY OF A GATHERING SPACE HERE. BUT WE NEED CAPITAL INVESTMENT FROM THE CITY TO CREATE A COHESIVE DESIGN FOR LIGHTING ACCESSIBLE PAVING, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE SHADE AND FUNCTIONAL SEATING.  TWO WEEKS AGO I WAS PART OF A MEETING WITH THE CHIEF OF STREETS JOSHUA FRANKLYN HODGE AND COUNCILOR FLYNN IN CHINATOWN.  DOZENS OF RESIDENTS EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH THE CITY'S LONG TERM LACK OF INVESTMENT IN CHINATOWN WHICH HAS RESULTED IN SUBSTANDARD STREET AND SIDEWALK CONDITIONS AND DECREASED QUALITY OF LIFE.  CHINATOWN RESIDENTS FEEL THAT THE CITY DOES NOT RESPOND TO THEIR CONCERNS WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF SPEED AND RESOURCES AS OTHER WEALTHIER NEIGHBORHOODS. SO WE ARE ESPECIALLY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THAT THIS CAPITAL BUDGET FAILED TO INCLUDE A FULL SQUARE PROJECT WHICH REINFORCES THE SENSE THAT CHINATOWN MATTERS LESS THAN OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS.  THEREFORE I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO AMEND THE CAPITAL BUDGET TO INCLUDE PHILLIPS SQUARE SO THAT THERE ARE PROPER FUNDS FOR THE REDESIGN AND CREATION OF A PERMANENT OPEN SPACE IN THE HEART OF CHINATOWN.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY.  THANK YOU CLIFTON IN PERSON FOLLOWED BY A LEAN ON ONLINE.  GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. COUNCIL MY NAME IS CLIFTON BRAITHWAITE PROUD SON OF JERRY AND GLORIA BRAITHWAITE AND ALL Y'ALL HERE KNOW ME I'M COMMITTED TO OUR COMMUNITY PERIOD SINCE THE AGE OF EIGHT AND MY THREE FOCUSES IS ON TRADE SCHOOLS AND I'M GOING TO BE BRIEF TRADE SCHOOLS PROTECTING OUR ELDERLY SINCE THERE'S A HIGH INCREASE OF HOMELESSNESS FOR OUR ELDERLY AND DEFINITELY PUBLIC SAFETY AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK AT THE END OF THE DAY RIGHT NOW TRADE SCHOOLS ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AVENUES FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS AND I'M A PRIME EXAMPLE OF THAT.  MY FATHER MADE HIS WAY THROUGH VENEZUELA TO TRINIDAD, TO AMERICA AND IT WAS HIM MEETING THE OWNER OF GE WHERE HE WAS ABLE TO OPEN UP HIS COMPANY AND IN LESS THAN LESS THAN TWO YEARS HE HAD A FIVE YEAR PLAN AND WITHIN TWO YEARS HE MOVED MY MOTHER TO AMERICA.  THAT'S WHY I'M THE FIRST AMERICAN BORN IN MY FAMILY.  IT'S ABOUT PUTTING OUR DIFFERENCES TO THE SIDE.  IT'S ABOUT WORKING COLLECTIVELY . I HAVE EVERYTHING IN WRITING AND THROUGH THIS NEXT WEEK I'M HOPEFULLY CAN GET TIME FOR EACH AND EVERY ONE COUNSELOR TO SPEAK TO YOU PRIVATELY ABOUT WHAT I BELIEVE AND THE PEOPLE'S ACADEMY AND WHAT I COULD SEE COULD DO FOR OUR COMMUNITY OVERALL.  BUT WHAT'S WEIGHING HEAVY ON MY HEART IS OUR ELDERS WHEN I WAS RUNNING ELIZABETH AND PART ELIZABETH WARREN'S CAMPAIGN, MY MOTHER CAME DOWN WITH DEMENTIA . IT'S BEEN A LONELY FIGHT.  I'M NOT ONE THAT CAN ASK FOR HELP.  I'M ONE THAT CAN GIVE THE HELP AND THAT'S WHY I FIGHT FOR THE UNHEARD VOICES IN OUR COMMUNITY . I'M ASKING YOU ALL TO SIT DOWN WITH ME NEXT WEEK AND I HAVE FACTS DATA AND I HAVE A GREAT LAW TEAM AND WE MADE IT FEASIBLE TO BE UNDERSTANDABLE FOR EVERYBODY.  I PRAY THAT THIS NEW GENERATION OF US THAT ARE ENGAGED AS COMMUNITY LEADERS, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND NOW MY FRIENDS ARE CALLING ME A STATESMAN.  WE HAVE TO MAKE THE CHANGE IN OUR COMMUNITY.  I CAN WORK WITH EVERY ONE OF Y'ALL FROM THIS SIDE OF THE FENCE THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS BEHIND ME THAT WILL BE ONLINE. I HAVE A BROTHER HERE THAT RUNS A BASKETBALL PROGRAM AND HE'S GOING TO NEED HELP BUT I AM MORE THAN WILLING TO WORK WITH EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ON THINGS THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW AND THINGS I CAN LEARN.  YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.  YOU HAVE A LEGACY THAT NO OTHER COUNCIL COULD DO. CHANGE STARTS NOW AND I'M ASKING YOU EACH ONE OF YOU IF YOU DON'T HAVE MY NUMBER YOU'RE NOT IN TOUCH WITH ME . I LIKE TO MEET WITH EACH OF Y'ALL NEXT WEEK ONE AT A TIME. I DON'T HAVE A BIG BUDGET SO I CAN'T TAKE YOU TO THE MOST EXPENSIVE DINNER BUT I REALLY WANT TO TALK TO YOU HEARTFELT BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT THE TRAITS DID FOR MY FAMILY.  I KNOW WHAT PROTECTED OFF OUR LAND IN TRINIDAD AND IN VENEZUELA.  IF I SAT DOWN WITH YOU AND TOLD YOU THE STORIES OF WHAT I'VE DEALT WITH PERSONALLY, YOU WOULD KNOW WHY I'M DRIVEN TO HELP OTHERS.  THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL TOWNS IN THE COUNTRY AND WE'VE COME A LONG WAY. LET'S NOT DROP THE BALL NOW. LET'S WORK TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY.  LET'S DO THIS THING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. CLINTON AND LEANNE AND THEN ANDRE IN PERSON.  OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNSELOR. WE'RE IN COUNCIL . I'M HAPPY FOR ALLOWING THE PUBLIC TO HAVE THESE TESTIMONIES SORRY NAMES EILEEN BOYLE I HAVE BEEN ON THE RESIDENCY COMPLIANCE COMMISSION AS A VOLUNTEER FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS AND I JUST WANT TO EMPHASIZE TO EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL TO PLEASE PROTECT THE RESIDENCY ORDINANCE. THE RESIDENCY ORDINANCE HAS WORKED. IT HAS BEEN A LONG ROAD AND IF WE COULD CHANGE ONLY ONE THING IN THE RESIDENCY ORDINANCE IS TO GET THE TEACHERS BACK UNDER UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF RESIDENCY . THEY ARE THEY ARE PROTECTED BY THE STATE AND JUST IMAGINE THE CHANGES WE WOULD SEE IN THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT IF WE HAD TEACHERS ACTUALLY LIVING IN THE CITY.  BUT WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS WORKFORCE HOUSING WORKS WORKFORCE HOUSING FOR US CITY EMPLOYEES IS CRUCIAL TO RETAIN AND RECRUIT DEDICATED CITY WORKERS.  I KNOW THAT THERE'S A HEARING COMING UP AND I WANT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN HERE AND COUNCILOR WEBER FOR BEING SPONSORS FOR THIS WORKFORCE HOUSING. THERE ARE MANY IDEAS THAT WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT A HUGE BUDGET. WE MAY NEED A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY IN THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT JUST TO OVERSEE AND HELP CITY WORKERS GET THESE UNITS ACROSS THE CITY.  BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING MORE FROM COUNCILOR MEJIA AND COUNCILOR WEBER AND I LOOK FORWARD TO TO ATTENDING THE THE HEARING IN THE NEAR FUTURE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANKS EVERYONE. THANK YOU ANDRE AND THEN PUCK ONLINE TO TO TO YEAH SO I'D LIKE TO SAY MY NAME IS ANDRE BROWN I'M FROM THE JFK DORCHESTER AREA. I REPRESENT A GROUP CALLED X-MEN OF BOSTON AND WE WERE OUT OF WASHINGTON PARK USED TO BE WASHINGTON PARK NOW IT'S CALLED MALCOLM X PARK. THAT'S WHY WE'RE THE X-MEN AND WE'VE BEEN DOING A FATHER'S DAY BARBECUE FOR 15 YEARS WHERE WE GIVE LAPTOPS CASH TO COLLEGE GOING STUDENTS AND WE DO A BARBECUE WHERE WE FEED ABOUT 300 PEOPLE WE CHARGE NOT THAT WE PUT THIS MONEY ALL TOGETHER OURSELVES AND WE'RE DOING REALLY GOOD.  SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE TRYING TO ASK FOR YOUR HELP SO WE CAN DO A LOT MORE AND WHAT WE LIKE TO DO IS THIS FALL IS WE'RE WORKING WITH APPLEBEE'S TO DO A PANCAKE FUNDRAISER AT THE APPLEBEE'S HERE IN DORCHESTER WHERE YOU CAN RAISE SOME MORE MONEY, BRING IN PEOPLE AND ALSO SPEAK ABOUT AT THE BARBECUE WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING FOR THE PUBLIC BUT APPLEBEE'S WILL HAVE TIME TO BRING IN SOMEBODY WHICH WE'RE THINKING ABOUT FROM DENMARK STREET SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT HELP FOR THE COMMUNITY AS MAYOR. SO WE WANT TO DO MORE AND THEN ALSO ADOPT A ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE IT ALL BEGINS. SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THE FATHER'S DAY BARBECUE JUST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WE'RE THERE BUT WE WANT TO DO MORE AND WE WANT TO HELP OUT THE COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS WE CAN. THAT'S WHY WE'RE LOOKING TO DO THE PANCAKE FUNDRAISER AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW I'M A VETERAN AIR FORCE VETERAN DISABLED FROM THE MILITARY BUT I'M STILL TRYING TO GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY AND WE REALLY NEED YOUR HELP BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 15 YEARS ALL BY OURSELVES. IMAGINE WHAT WE CAN DO IF WE HAD A LITTLE HELP FROM THE CITY AND NOW WE'RE ABOUT TO DO A NATIONAL THING WITH APPLEBEE'S. COME ON, GET WITH THIS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I'M GLAD MY MICROPHONE THANK YOU.  HAVE A NICE DAY. THANK YOU, ANDRE. AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE . I NEED A WRISTBAND AND YES, SOMETHING THANK ABSOLUTELY PUNK ONLINE AND CAROL IN PERSON SHE'S QUALIFIED FOR HIGH THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. MY NAME IS PUCK MELAMED AND I AM A CATALOGER AND CLASSIFIER AT THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY AS WELL AS THE SECRETARY OF THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY'S PROFESSIONAL STAFF ASSOCIATION . I WANT TO DRAW THE COUNCILORS ATTENTION TO THE INTERCONNECTED ISSUES OF WAGES AND UNDERSTAFFING AT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. WE ARE WILDLY UNDERSTAFFED TO THE POINT THAT MORALE ESPECIALLY IN THE BRANCHES IS AT A NADIR. THE CURRENT VACANCY LIST DOES NOT ACCURATELY REFLECT THE TRUE UNDERSTAFFING AT THE LIBRARY AND THIS LEVEL OF UNDERSTAFFING WILL CONTINUE UNTIL WAGES INCREASE BECAUSE NOBODY WANTS TO MOVE TO BOSTON AT THE CURRENT OFFERED SALARIES MY DEPARTMENT CATALOGING AND PROCESSING HAS JUST LOST YET ANOTHER SERIOUS CATALOGER CANDIDATE BECAUSE OF THE MISMATCH BETWEEN THE OFFERED SALARY AND THE COST OF LIVING IN BOSTON. WHEN WE BRING UP THESE ISSUES AT THE BARGAINING TABLE, THE CITY REPRESENTATIVES POINT OUT THAT WE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHEST PAID CITY EMPLOYEES SO THINK ABOUT THAT IF WE'RE STRUGGLING, WHAT ABOUT OUR COLLEAGUES WE NEED AND OUR FELLOW CITY WORKERS NEED WAGE INCREASES THAT AT MINIMUM MEET INFLATION NOT TO MENTION THE INCREASING COSTS OF LIVING WITH RESPECT, A 2% ANNUAL WAGE INCREASE IS A PAY CUT.  MEANWHILE OUR RENTS ARE GOING UP WITHOUT STAFF. THE LIBRARIES JUST A BUILDING AND YET EVERY YEAR THAT THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE CITY FAILED TO SHOW TRUE MATERIAL SUPPORT TO LIBRARY STAFF, WE LOSE GOOD PEOPLE LIKE OUR SOCIAL WORKER WHO SINGLE HANDEDLY RAN THE SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM AT THE LIBRARY AND WHOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TO IMPROVE STAFF MORALE HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY IGNORED LIKE MY ROOMMATES WHO ARE BOTH BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY PUBLIC SERVICE EMPLOYEES WHEN WE FIRST MOVED IN TOGETHER WHO HAVE FOUND OTHER JOBS IN OTHER LIBRARIES AND WILL BE MOVING OUT OF BOSTON AT THE END OF OUR LEASE AND WHOM I WILL MISS TERRIBLY EVERY STAFF MEMBER WHO LEAVES THE BPL IS A REAL LOSS TO THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. I URGE YOU TO STRUCTURE YOUR BUDGET WITH AN EYE TOWARD ATTRACTING AND RETAINING STAFF BECAUSE THE CURRENT BUDGET WILL NOT DO THAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, CAROL.  FOLLOWED BY JULIA ONLINE AND SO BEFORE IT I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT COUNSELOR SANTANA HAS JOINED US FOR A SHORT.  GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. MY NAME IS CAROL. NO, I'M ACTUALLY A RESIDENT OF BOSTON FROM THE ROXBURY COMMUNITY SO I'M REPRESENTING MYSELF AS A HOMEOWNER AND I'D LIKE TO START OFF MY TESTIMONY WITH A 42ND VOICE MESSAGE. AND CAROL, IF SHE WOULD TELL IN CALLING I'M SORRY BUT WE OWE YOU MONDAY.  AND THEN I WAS WAITING FOR THE CONSECUTIVE REPORT WHICH I HAVEN'T READ YET BUT EVERYBODY HERE IS VERY AWARE OF SITUATION WHICH IS CORRECT AND YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THEIR REPORT THEY JUST GOT A REPORT FROM AN INSPECTION LAST WEEK I GUESS WE TO BRING A NEW CONTRACTOR TO FIX THE WORK.  WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO COST US SOME. WE'RE GOING TO GET THIS DONE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO LEAVE YOU IN THE LURCH. SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I I WANT TO RETURN YOUR PHONE CALLS AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I AM GETTING UP TO SPEED ON THE CASE AND I WILL PERSONALLY MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE SATISFIED BECAUSE IF YOU CALL BACK 617635435 SO THIS IS IN DIRECT RELATIONS TO MY PARTICIPATION IN A PROGRAM CALL HOMEWORKS HELP THE LACK OF RESPONSE AT THE TIME OF REPORTING ENORMOUSLY FRUSTRATING ROOFING ISSUES CITING SEVERE SERIOUS WORKMAN LIKE ISSUES THAT I'VE HAD TO THIRD PARTY COMPANIES PROVIDE ME WITH A REPORT AND I'VE DOCUMENTED THIS IN ADDITION TO THAT I'VE SPOKEN TO A 15 PLUS DIFFERENT ROOFERS THROUGH THE COURSE OF THIS EXPERIENCE AND ALL HAVE CONSISTENTLY POINTED OUT TO THESE ISSUES AND THEN I WAS TOLD TO GO DOWN TO THE CONSTRUCTION OFFICE IN HIGH PARK TO GET THE THEN CONTRACTORS INSURANCE POLICY TO LEARN THAT THERE WAS NO INSURANCE POLICY ON FILE. AND THE SECOND DISCOVERY I CAME ACROSS IS THAT THAT VERY SAME ROOFER WOUND UP CLOSING HIS BUSINESS AND NOW WORKS FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON AS A BUILDING INSPECTOR. SO THE LACK OF ANY TYPE OF CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN BY THIS PROGRAM IS JUST DEPLORABLE . I THINK IT REALLY NEEDS TO HAVE A GOOD EXAMINATION OR AUDIT OF THIS PROGRAM BECAUSE BASICALLY I PROVIDED AND I TRUSTED THIS ORGANIZATION AND HAVING NO IDEA THAT I WOULD BE FACED WITH SUCH INSURMOUNTABLE HARM AND DAMAGES TO MY HOME.  I EXPECT AND HOPE THAT THIS COMMITTEE AND SOME WAY CAN MAKE ME WHOLE AFTER THEY HAVE PUT MEANS ON MY PROPERTY, AFTER I HAVE CONTINUED TO LIVE WATER COMING INTO MY HOUSE I'M EXHAUSTED.  I'VE TRIED EVERY AVENUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THIS ORGANIZATION AND OTHER MEMBERS SO I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE I REALLY FEEL I'VE BEEN SCAMMED. IT'S UNFORTUNATE BECAUSE I DID PAY SOME OF MY OWN MONEY TOWARDS THIS NEW ROOF IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THAT I HAVE LEAVES ON MY PROPERTY AND I'M STILL IN THE SAME CONDITION SO HOPEFULLY THIS COULD BE REMEDIED SOON. IT'S TAKING A TOLL ON MY HEALTH AND IT'S EXASPERATING.  THANK YOU, CAROL.  MATT, IF YOU COULD GIVE YOU TAKE CAROL'S INFORMATION AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP. THANK YOU. THANKS AGAIN. CAN REPEAT THE NAME. YOU CAN PICK UP THE PHONE AND HELP OUT WITH HOMEWORKS HELP?  YES. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU, JULIA ONLINE AND THEN ROW IN PERSON.  GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL . MY NAME IS JULIUS ARGO AND I AM TESTIFYING AS A MEMBER OF THE BOSTON EDUCATION JUSTICE ALLIANCE WHICH IS A COALITION OF EDUCATIONAL EQUITY ADVOCATES WHO ARE DEDICATED TO ENSURING THAT COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED BY RACIAL DISPARITIES ARE CENTERED IN EDUCATION. I AM HERE BECAUSE BASIA HAS SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM. FIRST, I SUPPORT THE STUDENT DEMANDS FOR CLEAN RENOVATED AND SUSTAINABLY POWER BUILDINGS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN IN CLASSROOMS WITH THINGS LIKE BASIC THINGS LIKE TEMPERATURE REGULATION AND NO PESTS OR DUST OR MOLD AND GOOD AIR QUALITY. STUDENTS DESERVE SCHOOL FACILITIES LIKE LIBRARIES,  GYMS, SCIENCE LABS AS WELL AS CLEAN AND FUNCTIONAL BATHROOMS THAT ARE APPROPRIATE FOR ALL GENDERS AND ALL PEOPLE WITH ACCESSIBILITY NEEDS. MAYOR RUTH SAID IN THE DOCUMENT DOCKET 0671 THE EPS WILL ADDRESS THE END OF SSR FUNDING BY FINDING EFFICIENCIES IN OPERATIONS AND BY CONSOLIDATING UNDER ENROLLED CLASSROOMS. WHEN I LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT THE LONG TERM FACILITIES PLAN THAT WAS ROLLED OUT BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND LEADERS TO ADDRESS THOSE FROM THOSE CONCEPTS I SEE A PIECEMEAL APPROACH FOR NEW BUILDING SCHOOL BUILDINGS AND CLOSURES AND MERGERS. STUDENTS ARE GOING TO BE MOVED ALL AROUND THE CITY TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND THE SCHOOLS THAT ARE BEING CLOSED OR TARGETING PARTICULARLY THE SCHOOLS WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER OF BLACK STUDENTS SUCH AS THE BLACKSTONE OR THE MIDDLE KINGS SCHOOLS. EDUCATORS AND FAMILIES WERE NOTIFIED ON MAY 9TH WHAT WOULD BE HAPPENING WITH THEIR SCHOOL CLOSURE, THEIR MERGERS OR THEIR CLOSURE PROCESS. THERE WAS NO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THAT PROCESS WHATSOEVER AND ACCORDING TO DATA THAT WAS COLLECTED BY THE GREEN NEW DEAL SLASHED THE BUILD CPS STAKEHOLDERS GROUP. THERE ARE 46 SCHOOLS THAT DON'T FIT A FEASIBLE MODEL AS DEFINED BY PEPS AND THIS SERVES OVER 9000 STUDENTS THE VAST MAJORITY OF WHOM ARE BLACK AND LATINO.  OUT OF THOSE 46 SCHOOLS THAT DON'T FIT A FEASIBLE MODEL IN THE ERS OPS 11 OF THEM HAVE UTILIZATION PERCENTAGES OF BETWEEN 36 AND 85%. SO THEIR STUDENT ENROLLMENT IS NOT 100% CAPACITY. AND OF THOSE SCHOOLS ALL OF THEM HAVE OVERALL FACILITY SCORES UNDER 50 OUT OF 119 HAVE NO CAPITAL PROJECTS PLANNED FOR 2024 THROUGH 2028. TO ADDRESS THOSE FACILITIES SCORES AND OUT OF THOSE 46 SCHOOLS A DISPROPORTIONATE NUMBER ARE IN ROXBURY.  SO WITH THAT IN MIND, BOSTON CITY COUNSELORS AS WE WERE PLANNING YOUR BUDGET, I URGE YOU TO TO WORK WITH US AND RELEASE A FULL LONG TERM PLAN. THE FACILITIES THAT ARE IN THE DISTRICT WITH SPECIFIC BUILDING PLAYERS. AND I URGE YOU TO USE THE RACIAL EQUITY PLANNING TOOLKIT WHICH IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO THINK THROUGH THE IMPACT OF THE FACILITIES PLANS AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE EQUITABLE BASED ON RACE SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS. DISABILITY AND LINGUISTIC NEEDS AND SHARE. THESE ARE THE RESULTS OF THESE ANALYZES PUBLICLY AND I URGE THE COUNCIL TO WORK WITH CPS SO THAT BEFORE MERGING OR CLOSING ANY SCHOOLS CPS MUST HAVE A NEW AND MODERN FACILITY READY FOR STUDENTS IN THE AFFECTED SCHOOL SYSTEMS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. ROWE.  GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. I AM RAMONA PEREIRA, THE FOUNDER OF PROJECT TURNAROUND, A LONG TERM RESIDENT OF THE CITY OF BOSTON.  I'M HERE BECAUSE I'M DEEPLY TROUBLED BY THE LACK OF RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY IN BOSTON DESPITE PROMISES OF EQUITY AND INCLUSION FROM OUR CITY ADMINISTRATION. WE ARE STILL FACING A HIGH A HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT RATE INCREASE, JUVENILE OF RACE ARRESTS AND VIOLENT INCIDENTS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. OUR SCHOOLS ARE SUFFERING FROM INADEQUATE AGE FACT AND WATER SYSTEMS PUTTING OUR CHILDREN'S HEALTH AT RISK DESPITE THE PROMISES MADE BY THE CITY OFFICIALS THAT LOOK LIKE ME . REGARDING EQUITY AND INCLUSION WE CONTINUE TO SEE LACK OF ALLOCATION OF FUNDS WHERE THEY ARE NEEDED MOST. IT IS DISHEARTENING THAT THOSE IN POSITION OF POWER ARE AFTER ELECTED DISMISS OUR CONCERNS AND LABEL US AS TROUBLEMAKERS FOR SPEAKING OUT FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITY.  WE DESERVE NOT ONLY TO BE HEARD BUT TO SEE REAL MEASURABLE CHANGE IMPLEMENTED. YES, SOME STUDIES SHOW THAT CRIME IS DOWN. HOWEVER, OUR NEIGHBORHOODS CONTINUE TO SUFFER.  SWIMMING POOLS WE HAVE EIGHT POOLS STILL CLOSED WHEN PART OF THE BUDGET LAST YEAR WAS TO FIX THOSE POOLS.  WE SEE 13 OR 17 YEAR OLD BLACK MALES NOT IN SCHOOL NOT EMPLOYED WANDERING TO THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS. AN INCREASE IN JUVENILE OF US IN RECENT INCIDENTS OF VANDALS LIKE THE DRIVE BY SHOOTING THIS AFTERNOON.  STEPS AWAY FROM A DAYCARE CENTER. THE SAME ORGS CONTINUE TO BE FUNDED WITH VARIOUS STATUS CALLS.  OUTCOMES THERE'S NO TRACK AND NO AUDIT. THERE'S NO TRANSPARENCY AT LEAST FROM THE COMMUNITIES STANDPOINT.  HOW DO WE HAVE THE SAME YOUTH LISTED IN DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS IN THOSE YOUTH STILL CONTINUE TO NEED RESOURCES.  PEOPLE WHO LIVED BORN AND RAISED IN THIS CITY FOR GENERATIONS HAVING TO MOVE BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT ANYMORE.  POINTLESS INFRASTRUCTURE AND POTHOLES COST AND RESIDENTS WAY MORE TO FIX THEIR CAR THAN THEY SHOULD BE. THIS IS A DIRECT ATTACK ON COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. WE DON'T EVEN HAVE BAD WINTERS FOR THE STREETS TO LOOK LIKE THE WAY THEY DO. BUT THAT'S A WHOLE OTHER ERA.  HEARING A HOLISTIC YOUTH JOB APPROACH WOULD CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OUR YOUTH. FOR AN EXAMPLE, EVERY YOUNG PERSON WANTS TO GO TO THE NFL BUT THEY CAN'T. BUT THERE'S JOBS WITHIN THE NFL FOR EVERYONE JUST LIKE EVERYONE IS IN GOING TO BE A CITY COUNSELOR.  BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CHIEF OF STAFF OR MAYBE HIS AIDE? THAT COULD MENTOR THEM AND THEY COULD LEARN FROM AND TAKE THOSE POSITIONS.  THERE ARE 13 COUNSELORS IN I DON'T CARE WHICH ARE RACES WHICH A COLOR YOUR FAVORITE SPORT IS. EACH OF YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE AND WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR CHOICES AND DECISIONS AND BY TO LOOK AT WHO SHOWED UP TODAY. I'M JUST THINKING LIKE WHERE'S EVERYBODY AT?  KEEP MIND THAT ALL YOUR SEATS ARE UP 2025 SO THE DECISION YOU MAKE TODAY IS GOING TO IMPACT US AND WE'RE ALL WATCHING. THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THIS TIME. I LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING ALL OF US HOLD ACCOUNTABLE THROUGH THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU.  JORDAN FOLLOWED BY LARRY.  THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNSELOR LAURA, CAN YOU HEAR ME EVERYBODY? YES, I THANK YOU SO MUCH. GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS JOHN SKEINS AM A CANDIDATE FOR MASSACHUSETTS STATE SENATE SERVING THE FIRST SUFFOLK DISTRICT. I AM A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER FOR REDEFINING OUR COMMUNITY NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN DORCHESTER AS WELL AS THE COMMON SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL . I RISE WITH JUST A FEW BUDGET ITEM REQUESTS.  ONE I WANTED TO ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF CLIFTON ABOUT THE TRADE SCHOOLS. I DEFINITELY THEY BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE INVESTMENT INTO THE PEOPLE'S ACADEMY AS WELL AS NOT JUST MADISON PARK BUT EVERY SCHOOL WITHIN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS SHOULD ALLOW OUR KIDS TO LEARN A TRADE. THE SECOND THING WOULD BE THE DISABILITIES COMMISSION AS YOU GUYS KNOW I ADVOCATED FOR THE NORFOLK STREET BRIDGE SINCE 2019. WE ARE STILL WAITING FOR UPDATED ADA COMPLIANT STAIRS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE MONEY IN THE BUDGET FOR THAT.  AS FAR AS THE AGE DRAWN COMMISSION I WANT TO SEE MORE FUNDING FOR SENIOR JOBS AND PROGRAMING FOR OUR SENIORS FOR REENTRY BEFORE OUR INMATES COMING OUT OF PRISON. THEY SHOULD KNOW WHERE ALL OF THE RESOURCES ARE FOR REENTRY SERVICES WHETHER THAT BE FOR JOBS OR FOR HOUSING OR ANYTHING OF THEIR NEED FOR A BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I ATTENDED ALL BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS. I WANT TO SEE TEACHERS RECEIVE MORE FUNDING. I WANT TO SEE BETTER SCHOOL LUNCHES. I WANT TO SEE BETTER TEXTBOOKS. I DON'T WANT TO SEE MOLD ON SCHOOL BUSSES SIMILAR TO WHAT THE STUDENTS ARE RALLYING FOR. THEY WANT TO SEE CLEAN DRINKING WATER RESTRICTIONS, LESS RESTRICTIONS ON BATHROOM ACCESS. THEY WANT SUPPORT AROUND MENTAL HEALTH, COLLEGE AND CAREER COUNSELING.  THEY WANT BETTER FACILITIES FOR THEIR GYMS, AUDITORIUMS AS WELL AS WASTE BINS AS WELL IN ADDITIONALLY WHEN IT COMES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING I WANT TO SEE MORE INVESTMENT INTO THE INCLUSIONARY DEVELOPMENT POLICY . AS OF RIGHT NOW IT'S ONLY AT 13%. WE NEED TO INCREASE IT TO 60% IF WE REALLY WANT TO FEEL THE EFFECTIVENESS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACROSS THIS CITY.  LAST THREE THINGS BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY I DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE MORE FUNDING FOR OUR LIBRARIES ESPECIALLY WITH COMMON SQUARE WITH THE RENOVATIONS THAT ARE EXPECTED TO BE COMING AND THEN I WANT TO SEE MORE FUNDING FOR THE BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT AS WELL AS THE REPARATIONS TASK FORCE FOR MORE OUTREACH AND PROVIDING THEM WITH MORE AUTONOMY IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE EFFECTIVE. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING EVERYBODY SOON GET OUT THERE AND VOTE ON SEPTEMBER 3RD. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU.  LARRY FOLLOWED BY PAMELA. LARRY, HOW YOU DOING?  MY NAME IS LARRY. COME TOGETHER. COME ON. PEACE.  I RUN THE BASKETBALL PROGRAM. I STARTED IT LAST YEAR DOWN TO PHIL'S CORNER DOWN THOUGHT THE BUT NEED A LITTLE HELP THIS YEAR? NO I MEAN I'M RIGHT DOWN HERE PARK GAV OH RIGHT POST CHIEF FROM BRADLEY OH BRAD USED TO BE I'M GETTING UP AND TRY TO GRAB THE 1518 YEAR OLD KIDS BEFORE WE GET OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL OR ANY KIND OF MIDDLE SCHOOL WHATEVER TRY TO GET THEM OUT BEFORE WHEN THEY GET OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL I'M GONNA TRY TO GET THEM AND TRY AND GET THEM INVOLVED IN MY SUMMER PROGRAM WHICH IS DOWN HERE PLAYING 1518 BUT TEN BUT TEN TIMES I WILL TRY TO PUT ON AND TRY TO PUT ENTERTAINMENT AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF SO TRY TO BRING THEM OUT, TRY TO GET INVOLVED KNOW ME FOR ABOUT THREE MONTHS TILL THEY GO BACK TO SCHOOL SO THEY'LL GIVE ME ENOUGH TIME TO IMPLEMENT. I GOT A LOT STUFF I'M GOING TO IMPLEMENT. IT'S JUST A LOT OF STUFF. IT'S JUST I WANT TO START OFF WITH THIS PUT THE BASKETBALL WITH 15, TRY TO GO OUT AND TRY TO GET INVOLVED BECAUSE I THINK YOU KNOW ME BY GET THEM BOB EARLY KNOWING WHEN THEY GET OUT OF SCHOOL YOU KNOW STOP AND GET THEM BOMBED GIVE KEEP THEM ACTIVE. NO KIDDING BOB AND THE THINGS SO NOT ME SO TAKE A SONY WAY ABOVE THEIR HEAD AGAINST THE WALL YOU KNOW SO SO TO GIVE THEM MORE THINGS TO DO NO I MEAN INSTEAD OF PEER PRESSURE AND MM YEAH SO THEY COULD HAVE SO IT WON'T BE NO PEER PRESSURE AND NOT LIKE THAT SO WHAT I'M WHAT I'M TRYING TO DO IS GET 1518 YEAR OLD GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO GET OUT OF SCHOOL AND GET INVOLVED IN BASKETBALL AND TOGETHER WITH AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF. I KNOW I'M KIND OF NERVOUS RIGHT NOW BUT I'LL GET IT TOGETHER, YOU KNOW, AND SAID THIS IS MY FIRST TIME DOING GOOD BUT ONE THING HE NEEDS HELPING VENDORS. THEY HELP THEM GET THE VENDOR INFORMATION.  I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO REALLY SIT DOWN WITH HIM BUT HE NEEDS HELP WITH BEING ABLE TO GET THE VENDORS SO WE CAN GET THE GRANT MONEY FROM YOU GUYS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.  SO THAT'S WHAT HE NEEDS TO BE WALK THROUGH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.  THANK OVER. THANK YOU MATTHEW YOU GOOD?  THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, PAMELA FOLLOWED BY JOJO.  HELLO I PAMELA THE FLOOR. WELL, HI PAMELA. THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  OH, BROTHER. HELLO. CAN YOU HEAR ME ? HELLO? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME ? PAMELA HELLO?  HELLO?  WE CAN HEAR YOU.  HELLO, PAMELA. WE CAN HEAR YOU. CAN YOU HEAR ME ? HELLO?  YEAH, WE CAN HEAR YOU.  Y'ALL WANT TO CALL? YEAH. CALLER WE'LL COME BACK TO PAMELA.  CAN YOU HEAR ME ? YES, WE CAN. BUT WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK LONG.  CAN WE CAN WE GO NOW? WHAT THE PROBLEM IS HELLO?  COME BACK. HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME ? YES. HELLO?  HEY, WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK TO PAMELA BECAUSE I JOJO, IS JOJO HERE?  YES. UM. OH, I THINK SO.  THAT'S THE ONE. OKAY.  OKAY. IF THE NEXT PERSON GOES AND I DON'T KNOW SECURE AND HI MY NAME IS NO SEEK OVERDUE AND I AM FROM HYDE PARK AND I'M BACK AGAIN TO ASK CITY COUNCILORS TO HELP THE COMMUNITY. MY DEMAND IS FOR MORE FUNDING TO GO TO YEAR ROUND YOUTH JOBS AND PROPER PAY INCREASE FOR TRULY AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND FOR CUTTING THE POLICE OVERTIME WERE ARE YOUTH ASKING YOU TO FUND OUR COMMUNITY? WE REALIZE THAT THERE IS TOO MUCH RELIANCE ON THE POLICE TO DO JOBS THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN DO JOB SUCH AS SECURITY DETAILS, CONSTRUCTION DETAILS,  SECURITY OUR CULTURAL EVENTS AND SO MUCH MORE.  YOU CAN'T EXPECT PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE A LEGAL JOB TO NOT GO OUT AND FIND AN ILLEGAL JOB FOR FOOD AND HOUSING IF YOU'RE NOT INVESTING IN ANYTHING IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WOULD GIVE THEM FOOD AND HOUSING BY CONTINUING TO GIVE COPS ALL THESE RESPONSIBILITIES AND JOBS, YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY LOCKING UP PEOPLE FOR BEING POOR AND IT'S SAD TO SEE PEOPLE ON THE STREETS ON EVERY SINGLE CORNER FROM HERE ALL THE WAY TO HIGH PARK ASKING FOR FOOD, ASKING FOR MONEY OR FOR PRAYER BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY HAVE NOTHING AND IT'S NOT FAIR THAT THEY'RE NOT SEEN UNTIL THEY STEAL SOMETHING.  THEY'RE NOT SEEN UNTIL THEY'RE LIKE LITERALLY AT THEIR BREAKING POINT AND THEY'RE LITERALLY ASKING YOU FOR YOU TO SEE THEM NOW NO ONE'S REALLY LOOKING AND YOU GUYS HAVE THE POWER TO CHANGE SOMETHING BUT Y'ALL AREN'T WILLING TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES AND I WANT YOU TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ASK YOURSELF WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAD NO MONEY TO FALL BACK ON IF YOU HAD A HUNGRY CHILD, IF YOU HAD NO JOB? WHAT HAVE YOU INVESTED IN AND THE COMMUNITY IN BOSTON THAT WOULD SUPPORT YOU UNTIL YOU GOT BACK ON YOUR FEET? WHAT HAVE YOU INVESTED IN THE COMMUNITY OF BOSTON THAT WOULD HELP YOU GET FOOD UNTIL YOU GOT BACK ONTO YOUR FEET? AND IF YOUR ANSWER IS NO, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF AND NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU SHOULD BE SAD ABOUT BECAUSE YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO INTO WHAT YOU'VE INVESTED AND ASK FOR HELP IF YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE CITY OF BOSTON.  I ALSO WOULD LIKE YOU TO REMEMBER JUST A QUICK HISTORY LESSON THAT LAST TIME PEOPLE IN POWER HAD HAD THE ABILITY TO HELP THE POOR. THEY SAID LET THEM EAT CAKE AND WE KNOW HOW THAT WENT AND ESSENTIALLY THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING WHEN POOR PEOPLE ARE ASKING YOU TO SEE THEM TO HELP THEM AND INSTEAD YOU CONTINUE TO WANT TO APPEASE YOUR COP BUDDIES AND KEEP THEM HAPPY AND KEEP THEM RICH. AND SO ESSENTIALLY WE'RE ASKING YOU TO PUSH FOR YOUTH JOBS TO BE YEAR ROUND AND WE EVEN THOUGH WE ACKNOWLEDGE THE FACT THAT THERE ARE COUNCILORS UP HERE WHO ARE SAYING THAT YOUTH SHOULD NOT BE THE ONES FILLING IN THE INSECURITY GAPS IN THEIR HOMES BUT IF YOU'RE NOT WORKING ON ANY SOLUTIONS FOR THEM TO NOT HAVE TO DO THAT THEN YOUR ONLY OTHER SOLUTION IS TO HELP FUND YEAR ROUND JOBS. IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT THEY SHOULD BE THE ONES HELPING PAY THEIR BILLS SHOULDN'T BE THE ONE HELPING PAY FOR FOOD THEN WHAT THAT THEIR CURRENT REALITY IT'S NOT SHOULD IT'S WHAT CAN YOU DO BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHAT THEY CAN DO TO FEED THEIR FAMILY UNTIL YOU GIVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO RELY ON SOMETHING ELSE. SO YOU SHOULD MAKE YOUTH JOBS YEAR ROUND. MY LAST DEMAND IS TO ALSO CUT OVERTIME AND CAP OVER TIME. I'VE SAID THIS A MILLION TIMES TAKE $16 MILLION FROM THE POLICE BUDGET, INCREASE THE YOUTH DRUG BUDGET UP TO $37 MILLION. AND LASTLY BECAUSE I AM FROM HYDE PARK I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY AX COUNCILOR PEPEN, WILL YOU SUPPORT A AMENDMENT THAT ADDS MONEY FOR THESE JOBS? THANK YOU SO MUCH.  I'M GOING TO GO BACK ONLINE TO DO PAM PAM I TOLD YOU TO GO STRAIGHT TO GET THE CONVERSATIONS. OKAY? YOU TOLD HIM PAM PAM LOOKING AHEAD ON THE GAME RIGHT NOW I'M ,A MILITARY JUDGE YOU WERE GOING BACK AND FORTH SO GEORGIA WILL BE NEXT. I GOT THE PAMELA, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  GO RIGHT IN THE TOP OF YOURS.  YOU'RE WELCOME. WELL, NO, NO, GO RIGHT THIS WITH THIS OTHER PEOPLE. SEE THAT YOU HAVE YOU HAVE TO GO HE WAS NOT ON AND DON'T TAKING ANY LAW OKAY NOW TO ME SO YOU DON'T PICK IT IF YOU'RE TOO MUCH PICK THAT'S COMMUNITY GOT OKAY THEN YOU GOT TO GET ON THE PHONE WITH ME THE PAMELA YOU THERE PAMELA OKAY I'M UNMUTED. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES WE CAN HEAR YOU. HELLO?  YES, YES WE CAN HEAR YOU.  CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YES DID YOU HEAR OH GREAT. WONDERFUL. I CAN HEAR YOU NOW. PERFECT YOU SO I'M YES, I AM VERY CONCERNED AS IT RELATES TO THE EXECUTIVE THE 2020 EXECUTIVE ORDERS THAT DECLARED BOSTON AS A AS A EMERGENCY AND A HEALTH CRISIS AS IT RELATES TO SYSTEMIC RACISM. THERE WERE A EXECUTIVE ORDERS EXECUTIVE ORDER SEVEN REQUIRED THAT THE CITY ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS FIND DIRECT DEVELOP DIRECT SERVICE PROGRAMS TO ADDRESS THE EFFECTS OF RACISM.  I WAS APPALLED AT THE NEWS GREAT ARE ALL THAT OF CASTIGATE IT AT COUNCILMAN ANDERSON FOR BEING UPSET AND HURT AND ANGRY ABOUT THE RACISM IN 2022 THERE BEEN NO PROGRESS, NO PROGRAMS DEVELOPED TO ADDRESS THE EFFECTS OF RACISM. WHAT DOES JOBLESSNESS AND WE WERE AT A AT A HEARING WITH COUNCILMAN WEBBER'S COMMITTEE AND THEY SAID OH, UNEMPLOYMENT IS 5%. WELL, THE TRUTH IS UNEMPLOYMENT FOR BLACK PEOPLE IS 11%. SO THIS IS ATROCIOUS. AND SO FOR BLACK PEOPLE TO GET WHAT THEY NEED, WE NEED LUCRATIVE JOBS AND THAT HAS BEEN AVAILABLE TO US THROUGH THE $61 BILLION A HOUSE JOB CONSTRUCTION BULL WHERE MR T MICHAEL SAYS TRY TO GET PEOPLE ACADEMY USING HIS OWN FUNDS TO TRAIN PEOPLE TO GO INTO CONSTRUCTION AND I THIS IS AN EMERGENCY THIS IS A CRISIS AND WE ARE YOU ARE NOT FOLLOWING YOUR EXECUTIVE ORDERS ALL DEPARTMENTS ARE NOT FOLLOWING THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS.  I LOOKED UP HOW MUCH IS BEING SPENT ON EQUITY AND INCLUSION. I COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD TRUST FUND. I COULDN'T SEE ANY BUDGET FOR THE THE THE OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.  I SAW MONEY FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND CLOSURES ONLY 7 MILLION DIVERSITY ZERO EQUITY 3.3 MILLION RESILIENCE AND RACIAL EQUITY NO MONEY MET BLACK MALE ADVANCEMENT I THINK IT'S LIKE ABOUT MAYBE MAYBE 1.9 MILLION BUT WHEN I QUIT I COULDN'T FIND WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO SPEND ALL OF THESE FUNDS ON SO I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT A WHAT BASED ON THE BUDGET INFORMATION THAT YOU SENT OUT THERE WAS NOTHING TELLING YOU WHAT THAT WHAT WHAT THESE DOLLARS ARE BEING SPENT FOR.  I DID LOOK AT THE BLACK MEN'S ADVANCE MENT PROPOSED BUDGET ON ANOTHER WEBSITE THAT DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE BUDGET AND INSTEAD THAT THEY WANT TO SPEND $1.5 MILLION TO DO RESEARCH TO FIND OUT IF ANY THERE IS A DISCRIMINATION AGAINST.  BLACK MEN I MEAN THEY ACTUALLY HAD THE WORD IF ANY WHEN THIS THE CITY HAS BEEN DECLARED AS AN EMERGENCY AND A CRISIS AND I'M SAYING THAT THE PEOPLE'S ACADEMY HAS BEEN HERE FOR 15 YEARS. IT HAS AN ABILITY TO ADD THE TWO YEARS OF TRAINING TO TELL THE PUBLIC THOSE ARE CONSTRUCTION JOBS TO MAKE MIDDLE CLASS INCOMES 60 TO $80000 A YEAR. JOBLESSNESS WILL SOLVE CRIME. JOBLESSNESS WILL SOLVE THE COLOR IF WE SOLVE JOBLESSNESS WILL SOLVE THE COLOR WEALTH GAP IF WE ARE ABLE TO GIVE PEOPLE LUCRATIVE CONSTRUCTION JOBS AND FIGHT THE RACISM THAT IS PROLIFIC THE UNIONS AND WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS JUST LIKE THE IMMIGRANTS HAVE EMERGENCY NEEDS, THE BLACK COMMUNITY HAS EMERGENCY NEEDS. WE ASK THAT YOU FULLY FUND THE PEOPLE'S ACADEMY TO GET PEOPLE TO WORK FOR TWO YEARS. THEY WILL TRAIN THE PEOPLE FOR TWO YEARS AND THEY ARE WORKING WITH PEOPLE WHO WILL NOT GO BACK TO PRISON. IT WILL LOWER THE CRIME RATE.  IT CAN DO IT CAN SOLVE SO MANY OF OUR CRIME PROBLEMS EVERY DAY . SO I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT SCHOOL FUNDING.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JOJO FOLLOWED BY ERICA ON LINE.  HELLO.  HI. JOJO'S SIX SO HE SENT ME HIS JUST SO YOU ALL KNOW JOJO IS A 16 YEAR OLD YOUTH OF COLOR.  HE SAYS HELLO CITY COUNCIL MY NAME IS JOCHEM LAMBOS AND I LIVE IN ROXBURY DISTRICT SIX. I'M ALSO A MEMBER OF THE YOUTH JUSTICE AND POWER UNION TIME AND TIME AGAIN MAYOR WHO HAS BROKEN HER PROMISE HER PROMISES THAT SHE'S MADE TO REDUCE THE POLICE BUDGET AND INVEST INTO THE COMMUNITY AND SAYS SHE'S CONTINUED TO PUT MONEY INTO THE POLICE INCREASING THE BUDGET BY 50 MILLION. THIS NEEDS TO STOP. FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS THE POLICE HAVE UNDERSPENT THEIR PERMANENT EMPLOYEES BUDGET BY 6 MILLION BUT YEAR BUT THIS YEAR THEIR BUDGET FOR THIS IS GETTING INCREASED FROM 311 MILLION TO 350 MILLION. THIS TYPE OF MONEY COULD BE USED TO MAKE YOUTH JOBS YEAR ROUND AND INCREASE THE YOUTH PAY RATES FROM $18 TO 24. I'M SORRY TO INCREASE THE YOUTH PAY RATES FROM $15 AN HOUR TO SOMEWHERE AROUND 18 TO 20 PER HOUR. IT COULD ALSO BE USED FOR THINGS SUCH PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING. SORRY THIS IS IN MIND. SO CITY COUNCILORS WE DEMAND THAT YOU REJECT THE $50 MILLION INCREASE TO THE POLICE BUDGET AND USE THIS MONEY TO INCREASE THE MONEY USED FOR YOUTH JOBS AFFORDABLE HOUSING,  PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING AND THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE THANK YOU. THANK YOU, ERIKA AND YOU HEAR ME ? YES. OKAY GREAT.  GOOD AFTERNOON. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS ERIKA SCOTT.  AJ AND I LIVE IN GROVE HALL. I AM HERE TONIGHT TO TESTIFY TO THE NEED FOR FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE PUBLIC HEALTH COVID TREATMENT ACCESS DESPITE THE END OF THE FEDERAL PANDEMIC DECLARATION, COVID REMAINS WITH A 66% INCREASE IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS ACCORDING THE CITY'S WASTEWATER MONITORING DASHBOARD. HOWEVER, THE CITY IN THE STATE PUBLIC HEALTH WEBSITES INCORRECTLY STATE THAT PERHAPS LONGER TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE FOR FREE VIA OVERNIGHT DELIVERY . I LEARNED THAT PROGRAM WAS DISCONTINUED LAST WEEK. MY HUSBAND TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID AFTER ACCOMPANYING ME TO THE HOSPITAL HE NEEDED LOWERED TO PREVENT ME FROM CATCHING IT AS I RECOVERED FROM A MINOR SURGERY THROUGH THE COMMONWEALTH'S FREE TELEHEALTH SERVICE HE RECEIVED A PRESCRIPTION WITHIN 30 MINUTES BUT PICKING IT UP AT CVS TURNED A FINANCIAL HARDSHIP. HIS TASK TO HEALTH INSURANCE THROUGH THE STATE HEALTH CONNECTOR CHARGED HIM $351.68 FOR FIVE DAYS OF MEDICATION MORE THAN HIS MONTHLY INSURANCE PREMIUM A MANUFACTURER'S COUPON AND CHECKING OTHER PHARMACIES DID NOT LOWER THE COST. I HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN LEAVING THE MEDICATION OR PAYING AN EXORBITANT PRICE.  THIS IS A HUGE HEALTH EQUITY ISSUE. IT'S NOT LOST ON ME THAT I WAS AT THE GROUP HOUSE CVS ONE OF THE FEW LEFT IN ROXBOROUGH IS PHARMACY DOESN'T KNOW MY ZIP CODE HAS THE HIGHEST AGE ADJUSTED PREMATURE MORTALITY RATE IN THE CITY OR THAT THE PUBLIC HEALTH COMMISSION COVID DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTS OUR BIPOC IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.  NOW I NATIVE WOMEN FACE BEING PRICED OUT OF CRITICAL MEDICATION FOR MY HUSBAND A BLACK IMMIGRANT WITH 102 FEVER AT HOME. I WONDER HOW MANY SICK PEOPLE HAVE WALKED AWAY EMPTY HANDED FOR HEALTH EQUITY.  THE CITY MUST PROVIDE CORRECT UP TO DATE INFORMATION AND RESOURCE AS TO ACCESS AFFORDABLE COVID TREATMENT. NO BOSTON RESIDENT SHOULD HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN PACKS LOADED PAYING RENT OR BUYING GROCERIES . THANK YOU. THANK YOU VICTORIA FOLLOWED BY ELLA AND THEN CHIARA.  HELLO MY NAME IS VICTORIA. I LIVE IN DORCHESTER AND I'M WITH MY GP. YOU I REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW YOU JOBS NEED MORE FUNDING A RECENTLY I FRACTURED MY FOOT AND I WASN'T ABLE TO TAKE TRANSPORTATION ANYWHERE BECAUSE I WAS SCARED OF JUST LIKE BEING TRAMPLED ON. THE MTA OR NOT HAVING A SEAT AND THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO TRANSPORT TO ANYWHERE WAS THROUGH UBERS WHICH ARE EXPENSIVE AND MY MOM CAN'T CONSTANTLY PAY FOR MY RIDES TO AND FROM SCHOOL OR TO AND FROM WORK AND AS A RESULT THERE WOULD BE DAYS WHERE I JUST COULDN'T GO TO SCHOOL BECAUSE I COULDN'T AFFORD TO, YOU KNOW, GO GET TO SCHOOL OR GET TO WORK AND THE MONEY I MAKE WORK IS ENOUGH BUT I STILL HAVE OTHER THINGS I HAVE TO PAY LIKE I HAVE TO HELP MY MOM A FRIEND I HAVE TO GET FOOD. I HAVE SOMETHING TO TAKE CARE OF . IT'S JUST UNACCEPTABLE ME AND THAT'S WHY I'M JUST ASKING FOR MORE MONEY BECAUSE THERE'S KIDS LIKE ME WHO HONESTLY MY STORY MAY BE IMPACTFUL BUT I KNOW PEOPLE AROUND ME LIKE FRIENDS AND FAMILY WHO WHO JUST CAN'T LIVE OFF OF THIS MONEY.  AND AS WE KNOW, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT FAIR TO RELY ON PARENTS OR RELY ON FRIENDS OR FAMILY FOR MONEY. SO THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO TEACH THESE KIDS LIKE US TO BE INDEPENDENT AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM A STEP OF FUNDING THE MONEY AND YEAH, THANK YOU THANK YOU ELLA FOLLOWED BY CHIARA AND KAHLIL.  HELLO MY NAME IS ALISON.  I AM FROM DORCHESTER AND I AM 16 AND I'M ADVOCATING FOR HIGHER PAY RATES FOR YOUTH FOR THIS TO BE FUNNY IDEALLY THE MONEY WOULD BE COMING FROM THE BOSTON POLICE BUDGET LAST YEAR 99 OFFICERS MADE MORE THAN $100,000 A YEAR IN OVERTIME AND WE NEED TO REINVEST THIS MONEY TOWARDS THINGS OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS SUCH AS YOUTH JOBS AND TOTAL. I'M ASKING FOR 37.6 MILLION FOR YOUTH JOBS AND HAVE MINIMUM RATES FOR A 14 TO 18 YEAR OLD BE 18 TO $20 AN HOUR WHICH SEEMS LIKE A LOT FOR YOUTH. BUT WHEN TAKING THIS INTO CONSIDERATION INFLATION HAS INCREASE IN THE MINIMUM WAGE WHICH WE HAVE NOW WHICH IS $15 AN HOUR IS NOT LIVABLE. I PERSONALLY USE THE MONEY I GET FOR MY CHECKS AND GOES TOWARDS MY SAVINGS AND EMPLOYMENT AND PURCHASES SAVINGS IS A BIG ASPECT TO ME DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND COLLEGE AND EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE SOME THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I COULD COVER THERE ARE MORE EXPENSES I CAN I WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND ARE SCHOLARSHIPS THAT CAN COVER THESE FUNDS BUT AS I SAID A LOT OF THEM IS MORE THAT I CAN'T PAY. THERE'S ALSO KIDS OUT THERE WHO HAVE BEEN DOING JOBS FOR MULTIPLE YEARS AND HAVING BEGIN IN THE COMPENSATION THAT THEY DESERVE AND I FEEL AS THOUGH WITH THE MONEY THAT YOU CAN PUT TOWARDS YOUTH JOBS THIS WILL BE VERY, VERY, VERY GOOD FOR THEM . ALSO KIDS NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOOD, CLOTHES AND BASIC NECESSITIES FOR THEMSELVES BUT IN SOME PREDICAMENTS THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU KIARA FOLLOWED BY CLEO AND THEN JADA NOW HELLO, MY NAME IS KYRA NUNEZ. I LIVE IN DISTRICT SEVEN AND I'M A YOUTH LEADER AND YOUTH JUSTICE AND POWER UNION.  I'M DEMANDING THAT THE CITY FULLY FUND 37.6 MILLION FOR GOOD PAYING YEAR ROUND YOUTH JOBS AND TEN OUTREACH OR OUTREACH WORKERS AND AN INCREASE OF 16 MILLION FROM THE MAYOR'S BUDGET. I ALSO DEMAND THAT THE CITY PROVIDE ORGANIZATIONS THAT THE SLOTS THAT THEY NEED AND RESERVE ANY CUTS AND THE CITY IS TRANSPARENT WITH DATA ABOUT FILLING JOBS AND ORGANIZING SLOTS WHY OJP IS ALSO WORKING ON THESE DEMANDS THE CITY NEEDS TO ADD MORE MONEY FOR YOUTH JOBS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE AND PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING AND STOP THE 50 MILLION INCREASE FOR THE BOSTON POLICE BUDGET.  TODAY I WANT TO FOCUS ON INCREASING THE PAY RATES OF YOUTH WORKERS THE MINIMUM WAGE WENT FROM $15 AN HOUR IN JANUARY 2023 AND HASN'T MOVED UP SINCE THE PAY RATE SHOULD BE CHANGED FROM $15 AN HOUR TO 18 TO 20 AN HOUR FOR 14 TO 18 YEAR OLD YOUTH OR FOR 14 TO 18 YEAR OLD GIRLS AND 22 TO $24 AN HOUR FOR A 19 TO 24 YEAR OLDS. THIS IS A NEED BECAUSE THE OLDER OUR YOUTH GET THE MORE RESPONSIBILITY THEY HAVE IN THEIR OWN LIFE AND ONLY MAKING $15 AN HOUR WON'T CUT IT. IT WON'T CUT IT TO SUSTAIN A LIVING FOR THEMSELVES MORE THAN YOU GUYS ACKNOWLEDGE YOUTH HAVE TO FEED THEMSELVES AND THEIR SIBLINGS SOME EVEN MORE EVEN HAVE TO HELP THEIR PARENTS PAY RENT JUST TO KEEP A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS.  AND WHILE THINKING ABOUT HOW INFLATION'S INCREASING THE PRICES OF EVERYTHING, DO YOU REALLY EXPECT US TO LIVE OFF OF $15 AN HOUR FOLLOWING THIS DEMAND? WE NEED TO PAY WE NEED PAY RENT FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GAIN EXPERIENCE AND FOR THE YOUTH TO TAKE AND TAKE ON MORE RESPONSIBILITIES AND THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE SAME JOB FOR MULTIPLE YEARS. THEY DESERVE THE RIGHT COMPENSATION.  THANK YOU.  YOU HI IS MY LITTLE SISTER SO GREAT. OKAY SO MY NAME IS CARLO HOW I'M FROM DISTRICT SIX. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME AT CITY HALL TESTIFYING. SURE. A LOT OF Y'ALL RECOGNIZE MY FACE OR THE BEADS IN MY HAIR OR WHATEVER AND I'M PRETTY FAMILIAR WITH Y'ALL. SO FOR SOME OF THE NEW ONES.  BUT ONE THING I WANT TO KNOW IS RHETORICALLY OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE Y'ALL CAN ANSWER BACK RIGHT NOW BUT DO Y'ALL KNOW WHY WE'RE SAYING DEFUND THE POLICE? BECAUSE WHEN WE GO UP HERE WE'VE BEEN SAYING IT FOR YEARS AND IT JUST FEELS LIKE Y'ALL THINK WE JUST HATE THE POLICE FOR NO REASON OR WHATEVER LIKE WE'RE ASKING TO DEFUND THE POLICE BECAUSE WE HAVE NOTHING TO DO ON TUESDAYS AND WE JUST WANT TO GET OUT HERE AND BE ANNOYING.  BUT IT'S LIKE HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE CRIME SYSTEM ? LIKE YOU THINK MORE POLICE MAKES US SAFE, RIGHT? DO YOU THINK ABOUT HOW LONG WE'VE HAD POLICE FOR AND HOW LONG WE'VE HAD CRIME? LIKE IT'S CLEAR THAT LIKE IF WE GOT RID OF THE POLICE ON WELL IF WE GOT RID OF IF THE POLICE WOULD GET RID OF CRIME IT WOULD HAVE GOTTEN RID OF CRIME A LONG TIME AGO. RIGHT. SO WE NEED TO PUT FUNDS BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY. YOU KNOW, LIKE ALL THE PEOPLE OF COLOR IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD I MEAN IN THIS IN THIS IN THIS ROOM RIGHT NOW ARE ALL SAYING THE SAME THINGS. RIGHT. AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT IT WE HAVE TO LISTEN TO OUR Y'ALL'S CONSTITUENT.  RIGHT. WE NEED TO PUT FUNDS BACK INTO OUR COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHAT CREATES SAFETY. THE MORE WE INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY, THE LESS PEOPLE GET INCARCERATED. THE MORE FAMILIES STICK TOGETHER, THE MORE EVERYONE'S HAPPY.  I'M URGING YOU TO INVEST IN YOUTH JOBS TRULY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING, BUDGETING AND A COMMUNITY LED MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE. WE'RE NEGLECTING OUR COMMUNITY AND THROWING SO MUCH MONEY AT POLICE. LET'S LOOK AT THE ROOT CAUSE WHY DOES CRIME HAPPEN?  THERE ARE JOBS THAT ARE LEGAL AND JOBS THAT AREN'T LEGAL. PEOPLE ARE DOING A LEGAL WORK TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES AND GET RESOURCES BECAUSE OUR COMMUNITIES ARE UNDERFUNDED. THERE AREN'T ENOUGH YOUTH JOBS PEOPLE HAVING HOUSING, INSECURITIES ETC.. SO EVERYTHING'S BACKED BY VIOLENCE, RIGHT? YOU KNOW WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS TO YOU YOU GO TO THE POLICE. THE THREAT OF THE POLICE IS THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE, RIGHT? WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE A CONFLICT AT WORK AT YOUR LEGAL JOB BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET A LEGAL JOB. JUST GIVE ME 30 MORE SECONDS. YOU CAN'T HAVE A LEGAL JOB WITH NO THREAT OF VIOLENCE. RIGHT. YOU HAVE THE THREAT OF VIOLENCE. YOU USE THE VIOLENCE.  THAT'S WHAT CREATES CRIMES. RIGHT. SO WHEN YOU WHEN YOU ALLEVIATE PEOPLE'S NEEDS AND THEY DON'T NEED TO WORK ILLEGAL JOBS WHEN THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED, WHEN THEY HAVE HOUSING, WHEN THEY HAVE FOOD, ALL THESE THINGS, THAT'S WHAT STOPS VIOLENCE. ADDING MORE POLICE DOESN'T STOP VIOLENCE. YOU'RE JUST GETTING PEOPLE LOCKED UP AND IT'S LIKE NO ZIKODE SAID EARLIER IT'S JUST YOU'RE ATTACKING POOR PEOPLE AND WE JUST KEEP COMING HERE. WE KEEP TELLING YOU LIKE DEFUND THE POLICE, PUT MONEY IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND YOU THINK WE'RE JOKING? Y'ALL THINK IT'S Y'ALL THINK WE JUST HATE THE POLICE LIKE THERE'S SERIOUS DATA AND SERIOUS EVIDENCE BEHIND THIS LIKE I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT ELSE WE HAVE TO TELL YOU SO STOP THE INCREASE OF THE 50 MILLION TO THE POLICE BUDGET. PUT THAT MONEY INTO THE HANDS OF THE COMMUNITY.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, JD AND NOW FOLLOWED BY HENRY.  HI, MY NAME IS JANAYA.  I LIVE IN JAMAICA PLAIN AND HERE IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU JOBS AGAIN HOW IMPORTANT I'M DEMANDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL FULLY FUNDS 37.6 MILLION GOOD PAY AROUND YOUR JOBS TEN OUTREACH WORKERS AN INCREASING OF 60 MILLION FROM THE MAYOR BUDGET I WANT TO TALK ABOUT I'VE BEEN IN NEW JOBS SINCE I WAS 14 YEARS OLD. NOW I'M 17 YEARS OLD AND IT'S JUST LIKE WE KNEW WE NEEDED MORE MONEY IS LIKE I SEEN A LOT OF YOU LEAVE YOU JOBS BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNITY BUT THEY NEEDED MORE MONEY TO HELP THEIR FAMILY AND HELP ETC. STUFF AND THEN WHEN THEY WENT TO REGULAR JOBS LIKE MCDONALD'S AND STUFF LIKE THAT IT WAS HORRIBLE BUT THEY NEEDED THE MORE MONEY.  SO I FEEL LIKE YOU SHOULD GUYS GIVE US MORE MONEY. THESE ARE THE SAME TEENAGERS AS ME AND OTHER TEENAGERS IN BOSTON. I WAS UP EARLY IN THE MORNING GO TO SCHOOL WHILE WE WENT TO SCHOOL. TWO OTHER JOBS ARE NOT REALLY CARING ABOUT US IS VERY STRESSFUL ENOUGH SO YOU SHOULD GIVE US THE MORE MONEY THAT WE DESERVE AND FOR ME PERSONALLY IT'S JUST LIKE REALLY DISAPPOINTING HOW THE MAYOR AND I ALWAYS COME TO THESE MEETINGS MARGERY THE TIME I HAVE TIME TO BUT I NEVER SEE THE MAYOR HERE. IT DOES REALLY DISAPPOINTING. SHE'S OUR MAYOR. WHERE IS SHE? SHE BARELY NEVER HERE.  BUT AS I'LL HAVE TO SAY FOR TODAY, HENRY.  HELLO, GUYS. MY SUPERNOVA SMOKING AT YOU GUYS, I JUST WANT TO SAY HELLO TO COUNCILMAN . EVERYBODY HERE? I CAME HERE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT SOMETHING THAT LIKE DEEPENS DEEPLY SADDENS ME HAS TO DO WITH A FAMILY CRISIS THAT CURRENTLY GO THROUGH.  I HAVE AN OLDER BROTHER WHO SUFFERS FROM MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. HOWEVER SOME BIPOLAR OR OCD AND MANIC DISORDER FOR YEARS I WAS A THE YOUNGER BROTHER I GOT TO PLAY THE MOST AND YOU'LL HAVE THE MOST FUN. BUT UP UNTIL NOW MY BROTHER HAS ALWAYS MY BROTHER HAS SWITCHED ROLES AND I'M THE OLDER BROTHER AND IT COMES DOWN REALLY HARD ON ME . I JUST WANT TO SAY FOR HOW MANY TIMES I CALLED THE POLICE THIS CURRENT MONTH I CAN SAY THE POLICE HAVE SHOWED UP. I CAN SEE THAT FOR A FACT BUT FROM WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH FROM A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS THE MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM HAS LET ME DOWN SEVERAL TIMES WHERE MY BROTHER DOES SPORADIC BEHAVIORS AND SHOWS MANY SIGNS OF BIPOLAR MANIA AND MANY SIGNS OF DELUSION AND GRANDEUR. THE SYSTEM HAS LET ME DOWN SEVERAL TIMES AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR LISTENING TO ME SAY AND I JUST WANT THIS A LITTLE MORE HELP WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS.  HE'S BEEN ADMITTED SEVERAL TIMES BUT HE'S RIGHT NOW IT IS FOR A MAN DAYS HE CAN BE ADMITTED FOR SO IT'S JUST REALLY TOUGH ON MY FAMILY. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR LISTENING.  THANK YOU MY PRAYERS WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. APPRECIATE IT.  AND THAT MATTHEW, IF YOU GET FOLLOW UP AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE FOR THE RECORD THE MAYOR'S NEVER NEVER AT CITY COUNCIL MEETING.  THIS IS THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING IN HEARINGS THAT WE HOLD AS A CITY COUNCIL . JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT FOR THE RECORD.  WELL, WE'RE THE CITY COUNCIL LISA LISA FOLLOWED BY PATRICE.  HERE WE GO.  IT FEELS GOOD TO BE ON THIS SIDE.  LISA SEARCY, LIFELONG CITY OF BOSTON RESIDENT LET'S SEE WHERE DO I START? LET'S START OFF WITH THANKING THE COUNCILORS THAT ARE HERE EIGHT OUT OF 13 NOT BAD. YOU ALL DOING PRETTY GOOD.  COUNCILORS CAN SHOW UP. HOW CAN THE COMMUNITY COME ON,  LET'S WORK WITH EACH OTHER SO LET'S START OFF SAME THING THAT'S ON THE TOPICS FOR THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WAS ON THE SAME TOPICS AND AGENDA FOR LAST YEAR'S BUDGET. SO BEFORE ANYBODY MOVES FURTHER WITH THIS PREORDAINED BUDGET LET'S TRACK SOME OF THE MONEY THAT HAS GONE OUT THE ADVERSITIES THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY OF COLOR FACE. THEY'RE NOT A 9 TO 5 MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. FIRST OF ALL, MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND THREE MIGRANT LITTLE GIRLS ENDED UP ON MY MY LAP.  I HAVE ACCESS TO EVERYONE'S PHONE NUMBER ON THIS WHOLE FIFTH FLOOR AT THE MAYOR'S SIDE THIS SIDE. BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT DON'T CALL TO EVERYONE? NO RESPONSE.  JULIA MAGUIRE RESPONDED THANK YOU COUNCILOR CALL 311311 SAID WELL THE PROTOCOL SO SHE READ THE PROTOCOL TO ME FOR BATUM.  SHE SAID WELL TAKE THEM TO THE OFFICE. WELL MA'AM TODAY'S SATURDAY UNBELIEVABLE.  I WAS TOLD TO TAKE THESE THREE BABIES BACK TO THE AIRPORT WHERE THEY WERE TRAUMATIZED. HOW DARE WE? AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MOVING FORWARD WITH THE BUDGET CAN'T EVEN MANAGE THE BUDGET THAT YOU HAVE.  OH, OKAY THEN LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE AND I HAVE I'M SORRY BECAUSE I WASN'T GOING TO SPEAK I'M NOT HERE TO POINT FINGERS BECAUSE IT'S FOUR POINT BACK AT ME WHEN I POINT SO THIS PREORDAINED BUDGET THERE'S NO ACCOUNTABILITY, THERE'S NO AUDIT, THERE'S NO TRACKING THE IT'S JUST I MEAN PEOPLE THAT STAND HERE COME TO COUNCIL MEETINGS WEEK AFTER WEEK. NOW DON'T YOU BUZZ ME . THESE ARE VOICES WITH AGENDAS PEOPLE THAT PROFESS TO BE OUR VOICES. THEY DON'T SPEAK FOR ME . THEY SPEAK FOR THEIR OWN POCKETS AND I WOULD BE HONEST THE SAME PROGRAMING DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE RECEIVING FUNDING MAKING SIX FIGURES THEY CALL PEOPLE LIKE LISA, PEOPLE LIKE RO, PEOPLE LIKE DONNA, PEOPLE LIKE CLIFTON, PEOPLE LIKE MINGLES.  LET'S TRACK SOME OF THAT MONEY. WHY CALL US YOU GOT THE FUNDING YOU'RE EARNING YOUR SALARY. SO AGAIN BEFORE I SAY PAUSE THE BUDGET NOBODY SHOULD GET ANOTHER DOLLAR UNTIL WE FIND OUT WHERE ALL THE OTHER MONEY WENT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, PATRICE FOLLOWED BY JACOB.  GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE. I'M PATRICE ELVES AND I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF LIFE AFTER PRESIDENT ORGANIZATION. I'M ALSO STANDING ON BEHALF OF THE THE REENTRY ORGANIZATIONS. WE ARE A REENTRY ORGANIZATION AND SINCE WE HAVE OFFICIALLY BEEN A501C3I FEEL LIKE THERE HASN'T BEEN REALLY ANY ATTENTION TO THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT'S BEEN DOING THE WORK.  I FEEL LIKE WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF WE CAN GET YOU GUYS TO SHOW UP BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN SHOWING UP AND WE'VE BEEN ACTUALLY HAVING A TOUGH TIME GETTING FUNDING. IT SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF THE FUNDS HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED TO A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR A LONG TIME BUT THEY'RE NOT REALLY WHERE WE ARE IN THE HOOD DOING THE WORK AND IT'S A LITTLE DISCOURAGING WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE ALL FIGHTING FOR FUNDS. IT'S LIKE WE'RE BEING PINNED AGAINST EACH OTHER AND I JUST WANT TO CREATE SOME AWARENESS AROUND THE IMPORTANCE OF PEOPLE ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO GET INTO THE PRISONS, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RETURNING AND THEY CAN'T RETURN TO CITIZENS BUT THEY OUR LOVED ONES, OUR FAMILIES, OUR FRIENDS AND YOU NEED PEOPLE THAT ARE RELATABLE. YOU NEED PEOPLE THAT PEOPLE CAN TRUST IN WHO WHO WHO WHO CAN ACTUALLY GIVE PEOPLE THAT SECURITY. I FEEL LIKE THAT IS NOT ENOUGH OF US BEING RECOGNIZED. AND I DO WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN GETTING SOME SUPPORT FROM A LOT OF POLITICAL FOLKS BUT IT WILL BE REALLY POWERFUL IF YOU COULD COLLABORATE AND JUST SHOW UP FOR US. I'M NOT DEMANDING ANYTHING. I'M INVITING YOU. IF YOU GO TO THE LIFE AFTER PRISON DOT ORG YOU'LL SEE THE WONDERFUL THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING AND COLLABORATING WITH A LOT OF OTHER POWERFUL ORGANIZATIONS. SO I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE REENTRY ORGANIZATIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THANK YOU, JACOB FOLLOWED BY DOMINGOS HELLO?  HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME ? MY NAME IS JACOB. I AM FROM HYDE PARK.  I'M ACTUALLY REPRESENT MYSELF. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE TOPIC OF EDUCATION AS IT RELATES TO THE BUDGET AND JUST A LITTLE BIT OF CONTEXT. I WORK FOR BAKA HILL COMMUNITY COLLEGE.  I WORK FOR THE HOPE INITIATIVE. HI JULIE AND WE WORK WITH BLACK AND LATINO AND INDIGENOUS MALE STUDENTS.  THE PROGRAM WAS ACTUALLY STARTED TO WORK SPECIFICALLY WITH BLACK AND LATINO MALE STUDENTS BECAUSE WE WERE DOING THE WORKS AT BUNKER HILL AND THAT'S NOT LIKE A NEW STATISTIC. WE SEE THAT IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM AS WELL. I REALIZED THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CAN GIVE HOPE FOR BY THIS COLLEGE READINESS CAREER READINESS, JOB READINESS TRADES, WHAT HAVE YOU AND I'M JUST SPEAKING SPECIFICALLY TO THE HIGHER ED QUESTION.  THE HOPE IS THAT TO DO TWO THINGS I'M ADVOCATING FOR IS THAT THE BUDGET CAN INCREASE AS IT RELATES TO EDUCATION AND EVEN AS I WILL HOPE THAT THAT WILL HAPPEN. I REMEMBER TELLING THE CLASS ME A YEAR AGO ABOUT THAT AND WHAT WAS GIVEN TO ME WAS A STATISTIC SAYING THAT BPF ACTUALLY SPENDS MORE PER PUPIL THAN OTHER MAJOR CITIES ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR INSTANCE LIKE NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, CHICAGO AND SO I GUESS THE OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT IS THE FUNDS GOING TO I KNOW JULIA SHE'S SAID THAT MANY TIMES, YOU KNOW, AND SO BEFORE THE BUDGET GETS ACCEPTED OR WHAT HAVE YOU IS AND I KNOW THERE'S ONLY SO MUCH THAT WE CAN DO AS A COUNSELOR, AS COUNSELORS BUT LOOKING AT WHAT IS THAT MONEY BEING, HOW IS IT BEING DISTRIBUTED AND HOW WILL THIS AFFECT NOT JUST BLACK AND LATINO BUT JUST STUDENTS IN GENERAL BUT ALSO BLACK AND LATINO STUDENTS, PARTICULARLY MALES AS IT RELATES TO OUR FUTURE EDUCATION, JOBS, WHAT HAVE YOU.  SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU DOMINGOS FOLLOWED BY SATARA.  GOOD EVENING FOLKS. DOMINGOS DEROSA, LIFELONG RESIDENT I WANT TO STICK TO THE BULLET POINTS.  AS YOU KNOW THE BUDGET'S ALREADY BEEN PASSED.  WE'RE ALREADY GOING INTO JUNE 2020 FIVE'S BUDGET IS ALREADY SPENT. THAT'S THE REALITY OF IT ON OUR END AS AS CONSTITUTE RATES AS RESIDENTS, AS TAXPAYERS THERE'S TIMES THAT WE DON'T SEE THAT WE DON'T SEE HOW THAT MONEY'S BEING SPENT. AGAIN, LIKE THE GENTLEMAN SAID A SECOND AGO WE SPENT 33,000 PER PUPIL DPS IS LOSING STUDENTS WHO ARE FOR 55,010 YEARS AGO WE'RE DOWN TO 48 AND WE'RE LOSING MORE EVERY DAY.  BHP'S BUDGET INCREASED AT 1.6 BILLION WON ONE OF THE HIGHEST IN THE STATE IF NOT THE HIGHEST . BUT AGAIN WE'RE CUTTING 70% OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE GETTING SOME KIND OF FORM OF CUT RIGHT? WE'RE FIGHTING TO KEEP WHITE STADIUM COMMUNITY OWNED AND AGAIN LIKE THE YOUNG PEOPLE SAID A LITTLE WHILE AGO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE $60 MILLION IN POLICE OVERTIME THAT'S A $60 MILLION WE NEED TO REHAB ON TOP OF THE $50 MILLION THAT'S ALREADY BEING SET ASIDE TO REHAB WHITE STADIUM AND KEEP IT COMMUNITY BASED.  SO YOU KNOW, LISTENING TO THESE CONVERSATIONS OVER THE LAST FEW DECADES, IT HASN'T CHANGED.  WE AS A CONSTITUENTS WE COME HERE, WE SPEAK, WE ADVOCATE, WE SCREAM, WE JUMP, WE FOLLOW PROTOCOLS, WE WE TRY TO BE AS CORDIAL AS WE CAN BE AND WE'RE STILL ON THE WRONG END OF THE STICK TO HAVE A JOB RESIDENCY POLICY THAT WAS CREATED FOR BOSTONIANS TO BE ALTERED SO FOLKS OUTSIDE THE CITY CAN APPLY FOR JOBS THAT WE AS BOSTONIANS SHOULD BE GRANTED.  YOU KNOW, AGAIN THAT'S TROUBLING ON THE JOB ASPECTS. YOU KNOW ON YOUR BULLET POINTS AS I WAS LOOKING OVER THEM AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE GREAT THINGS BUT ON THE BACK END OF IT WE DON'T WANT A HOUSING VOUCHERS.  WE WANT TO BUY PROPERTY. WE WANT TO TAKE OUR FAMILIES FROM 33,000 AND DISTRICT SEVEN, DISTRICT FOUR AND A FEW OTHER DISTRICTS AND TAKE THEM TO THAT SIX FIGURE. WE HAVE A RESIDENT WE HAVE A RESIDENCY POLICY FOR A REASON THESE UNION JOBS DON'T EVEN MEET THEIR QUOTAS.  I WALKED ON ONE JOB SITE THEY BARELY HAD 11% BUT THEN ON THE BACK END OF IT WE HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL THAT'S EMPTY. IT'S A NUMBER 14 OUT OF 14 TRADE SCHOOLS. I'M A CLASS OF 96. I ADVOCATE FOR MADISON SINCE THE DAY I WALKED INTO THE DOOR THE FIRST TIME I MET MENINO IN HIS OFFICE IN EAGLE ROOM IN 1992 AND WE STILL FIGHTING TO FILL THIS SCHOOL WITH STUDENTS AND LIKE OTHER FOLKS SAID, YOU KNOW, OUR DROPOUT RATE IS A BIG ISSUE. NO ONE SPEAKS ABOUT THAT. WE'RE AT 41% BLACK AND BROWN MALES 13 TO 17 ARE DROPPING OUT FASTER THAN WE CAN PLACE THEM IN YOUTH PROGRAMS. WE'VE HAD YOUTH SPEAK ON JOBS. MEANWHILE WE HAVE A TRADE SCHOOL THAT'S EMPTY.  WE'RE NOT ADVOCATING FOR THEM TO TAKE THE TRADES SO THEY CAN SEE THE SIX FIGURES AND BECOME PART OF THE MIDDLE CLASS PUBLIC SAFETY WE HAD A SHOOTING TODAY IN FRONT OF A PRESCHOOL THE GREAT THING NO ONE WAS IN A PLAYGROUND DRIVE BY CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. YES MURDERS ARE DOWN. SHOOTINGS ARE NOT THE VIOLENCE ARE NOT MASS AND CASH IS STILL TAKING LIVES AND WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT AS A PUBLIC SAFETY. 70% OF OVERDOSES IN MASSACHUSETTS ARE BLACK AND BROWN MEN AND WOMEN. THAT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS BUT NO ONE SPEAKS ON THAT. IT'S NOT A WHITE ISSUE. IT'S A HUMANITY ISSUE AND WE'RE DYING AT ALARMING NUMBERS. IT WAS OVER 14,000 EXCUSE ME 1400 OVERDOSES LAST YEAR THAT LOOKS LIKE ME . SOUNDS LIKE ME COME FROM WHERE I COME FROM BUT IT'S NOT BEING PUT ON ANY AGENDA TO BE ADDRESSED BECAUSE IT'S NOT A PHOTO OP. SO I THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT AND I'LL LEAVE BY SAYING THIS LAST THING I ARRIVED A LITTLE AFTER SIX THE FRONT DOOR WAS LOCKED IS VERY DISTURBING FOR FOLKS WHO COME TO THESE MEETINGS AND DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S A BACK DOOR.  THERE'S NO SIGNS AT THE DOOR TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHERE TO GO.  SO IN THE FUTURE WHEN WE HAVE THESE MEETINGS AFTER HOURS JUST LET PEOPLE KNOW THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED TO GO. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU FOR FLAGGING AT THE MEMBERS SHOULD TO TARA FOLLOWED BY GEORGE GEORGE IS NOT HERE HELLO MY NAME IS TARA THOMAS AND I WORK AT TEEN EMPOWERMENT AS A MENTOR IN THE VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE PROGRAM.  I AM A RETURNING CITIZEN. I JUST SERVED A 17 YEAR SENTENCE AND I JUST GOT OUT IN NOVEMBER AND ONE THING THAT I'M REALIZING THAT THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS IS REENTRY SERVICES. I LOVE THE CITY OF BOSTON. I LOVE WHAT IT'S DOING AS FAR AS REENTRY BUT THERE'S SO MUCH MORE WE COULD DO. PATRICE ELVES WHO IS THAT LIFE AFTER PRISON IS A VERY, YOU KNOW, GOOD FRIEND OF MINE AND SHE'S HELPED ME OUT TREMENDOUSLY. SHE'S HELD A WORKSHOP TO WORKSHOPS AT GROVE HALL LIBRARY . I LIVE IN DORCHESTER MYSELF WHERE SHE DID COMPUTER LITERACY AND ALSO TALKED ABOUT PIX WHICH IS POST INCARCERATION SYNDROME . I WASN'T OFFERED A LOT OF HELP FROM THE BIG ORGANIZATIONS AND WHAT I'M REALIZING IS THE SMALL ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE HELPED ME FIND MY CONFIDENCE AND FIND MY PLACE IN THIS WORLD BECAUSE A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE 2006 WHEN I WAS INCARCERATED WITH THE HELP OF HER ORGANIZATION AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS FAMILY FOR JUSTICE FOR HEALING AND YOU KNOW OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOOKED AT THE ESPECIALLY WOMEN RETURNING THERE'S A LOT OF MEN THAT ARE RETURNING BUT A LOT OF WOMEN ARE COMING HOME TOO WHEN THERE'S NOT A LOT OF RESOURCES FOR US. BUT YET HER ORGANIZATION TOOK ME IN AND HELPED ME OUT BECAUSE OF HER GUIDANCE AND HER SUPPORT AND EVERYTHING I WAS OFFERED THE VIOLENCE INTERVENTION AND PREVENTION COORDINATOR AT TEEN APARTMENT WHICH I WILL BE STARTING IN JULY BUT I STILL STRUGGLE.  THANK YOU BUT I STILL STRUGGLE. I STILL DON'T HAVE HOUSING. I'M STILL FINDING OTHER THINGS . IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO FIND YOU KNOW JUST CERTAIN THINGS THAT I NEED THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED ME GOTTEN ME BETTER.  I DIDN'T HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE POINTING ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BUT I KNOW IF WE GET THE FUNDING TO HELP OUT THESE ORGANIZATIONS BECAUSE THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE COMING HOME FROM PRISON. THE BOARD HAS CHANGED AND THEY'RE RELEASING A LOT OF PEOPLE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE SERVED MANY, MANY YEARS NOT JUST A COUPLE OF YEARS. WE'RE TALKING DECADES IN PRISON WHERE YOU HAVE TO COME OUT AND LEARN THIS WHOLE NEW LIFE.  I'M ASKING IF WE CAN JUST PLEASE BE CONSIDERATE OF THE LITTLE GUYS BECAUSE FOR ME COMING HOME AND THIS IS FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IT'S BEEN THE LITTLE GUYS THAT HAVE HELPED ME THE MOST AND I THINK WE NEED TO PAY ATTENTION TO THEM AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.  THIS HAS BEEN SUCH AN EXPERIENCE I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE IN A ROOM LIKE THIS. I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND PLEASE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE HEART AND MIND OF THE RETURNING CITIZEN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GEORGE FOLLOWED BY JAMES.  GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS GEORGE LEE. I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH YOUTH JUSTICE AND POWER UNION ONE.  I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE CITY COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY PROCESS AROUND THIS BUDGET COUNCIL . RO THANK YOU FOR A MEETING WITH US LAST FRIDAY TO TALK MORE ABOUT YOUR PRIORITIES AND HEAR FROM US AND ALSO ABOUT THE PROCESS AND THAT MEETING YOU TALKED ABOUT HAVING DATA FOR WHAT DEPARTMENTS HAVE SPENT YEAR TO DATE THIS YEAR AND THAT YOU'RE WORKING ON GETTING THAT AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COUNCILORS NEED THAT'S SOMETHING THE PUBLIC NEEDS IN ORDER TO BE INFORMED ABOUT WHAT AMENDMENTS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE BUDGET.  SO JUST REMIND YOU OF THAT AND ASKING IF WE CAN GET THAT INFORMATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE THERE'S A TRANSPARENT PROCESS AROUND WHAT AMENDMENTS COUNCILORS SUPPORT. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE SAY HEY THERE'S BEEN A CALL FOR YOUTH JOBS TO BE ABLE TO KNOW IN A WORKING SESSION EACH COUNCILOR DO YOU SUPPORT THIS INCREASE OR NOT OR IF THERE'S A CALL TO SAY THE POLICE EQUIPMENT BUDGET IS GOING UP AND SOME PEOPLE ARE PROPOSING TAKING MONEY FROM THAT ASK EACH COUNCILOR DO YOU SUPPORT THAT OR NOT SO THAT IT'S NOT CLOSED CONVERSATIONS IN SECRET BUT WE ACTUALLY KNOW WHERE PEOPLE STAND ALSO URGING YOU ALL TO JUST WORK TOGETHER THAT LIKE A LOT OF YOU HAVE SAID YOU SUPPORT YOUTH JOBS.  SO I HOPE ALL OF YOU ARE FILING AMENDMENTS ON IT. I HOPE ALL OF YOU WORK TOGETHER TO FILE AMENDMENTS TOGETHER SO WE CAN GIVE ALL OF YOU CREDIT FOR IT AND TO WORK WITH US. SOMETIMES IT'S HARD BECAUSE COUNCILORS KEEP US GUESSING. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT AMENDMENT WE'RE FILING. WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY AND WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE VOTE TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENS. SO I HOPE THAT EACH COUNCILOR CAN REALLY WORK WITH US TO SAY THIS THIS IS WHAT WE'RE THINKING OF AND THEN TO STICK UP FOR THOSE AMENDMENTS WHEN THE MAYOR SENDS THE BUDGET BACK, IF SHE VETOES ANYTHING YOU ALL PASSED YOUR BUDGET STICK UP FOR IT AND OVERRIDE ANY VETOES IF THERE'S INVESTMENTS THAT NEED TO BE PROTECTED. THE OTHER STUFF THAT YOU KNOW YOU'VE HEARD MANY, MANY, MANY TIMES ALREADY IS WE NEED MORE MONEY FOR YOUTH JOBS AND SPECIFICALLY THERE'S A LOT OF CAPACITY FOR ORGANIZATIONS TO APPLY FOR 8655 SLOTS THIS SUMMER AND DIDN'T GET THEM THEY'RE APPLYING FOR 5000 SLOTS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AND THAT REALLY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO GET JOBS IT REALLY MAGNIFIES THEIR IMPACT IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THEY'RE LEADING STUFF FOR OTHER RESIDENTS. THEY'RE GROWING, THEY'RE GETTING MENTORSHIP, HOMEWORK SUPPORT. WE ALSO TREAT YOUNG PEOPLE WELL. WE GIVE THEM VACATION GIVING SICK TIME HERE WE'RE TRYING TO INCREASE THEIR WAGES AS OPPOSED TO THE WASTE OF ADDING MONEY TO THE POLICE BUDGET.  AND SPECIFICALLY I WANT TO JUST POINT OUT THAT EQUIPMENT A BUDGET AGAIN ONE MORE TIME IT'S GOING UP BY 2 MILLION IN THE MAYOR'S BUDGET EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN UNDERSPENT. SO DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD SPEND MONEY ON THIS MAKE BELIEVE EQUIPMENT BUDGET THEY'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND AND IT'S GOING TO BE BETTER SITTING THERE AS OPPOSED TO YOUTH JOBS OR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. SO JUST ARE ENCOURAGING OWNERSHIP THAT AND JUST STOP BELIEVING THE POLICE STORIES THEY MIGHT SAY OH WELL THIS YEAR WE'LL DO BETTER AND WE REALLY NEED THIS EQUIPMENT MONEY THIS YEAR HERE'S ALL THE THINGS ARE FANCY THINGS WE'LL BUY, HERE'S ALL THE CONTRACTS WE HAVE. BUT AT SOME POINT YOU JUST GOT TO CALL US FOR WHAT IT IS.  THEY DON'T NEED THAT MONEY. SOME OF IT THEY'RE NOT EVEN SPENDING AND AT THE END OF THE DAY YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO BE SPENT BETTER SOMEWHERE ELSE AND THINGS LIKE JOBS AFFORDABLE HOUSING.  SHEILA DILLON SAID GIVE US SOME MONEY AND WE'LL SPEND IT. THE DEPARTMENT SAID GIVE US MONEY AND WE'LL SPEND IT. SO PLEASE ACTUALLY INVESTMENT COMMUNITY NEEDS.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU JAMES FOLLOWED BY MICHAEL JAMES HERE NOW MICHAEL KIM AND THEN ANGELA WILL BE NEXT AFTER ANGELIA THANK YOU THANK YOUR COUNCILORS.  MY NAME IS MICHAEL CAINE AND REPRESENTING THE MASTER ALLIANCE OF HUD TENANTS AND THE CITY RENT SUBSIDY COALITION.  WE TESTIFIED THE OTHER DAY AT THE HEARING ON THE HOUSING BUDGET THERE WERE TWO HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO SPOKE AND TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR HOUSING. YOU HEARD PEOPLE TONIGHT RETURNING CITIZENS WHO CAN'T FIND HOUSING.  SO I'M HERE TO ADVOCATE FOR AN INCREASE IN THE CITY RENT SUBSIDY PROGRAM WHICH THE COUNCIL CREATED WITH THE PREVIOUS MAYOR AND YOU RAISED IT YOU DOUBLED IT BECAUSE IT WAS A PROVEN PILOT PROGRAM. IT WORKS AND SHE DE LA VILLE AND HAS SAID GIVE THEM MORE MONEY. YOU CAN SEE BOX SAID GIVE THEM MORE MONEY. THEY'LL SPEND IT RIGHT NOW THE PROGRAM IS OVERSUBSCRIBED SO NONPROFIT DEVELOPERS ARE BEING TURNED AWAY. THEY'RE COMING IN SAYING WE NEED LOW INCOME SUBSIDIES SO THAT THESE ARE NOT JUST YOU KNOW, MODERATE INCOME OR MARKET RATE APARTMENTS WE'RE BUILDING. WE WANT TO MAKE THEM AFFORDABLE TO THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY BUT THEY'RE BEING TURNED AWAY. ONE OF THE PROGRAMS THEY HAVE CREATED IS THEY'VE SET ASIDE 50 SUBSIDIES FOR RETURNING CITIZENS.  SO THERE SHOULD BE A CONNECTION WITH THE PERSON WHO JUST TALKED A FEW SECONDS AGO IF THEY GO TO SHE GOES TO THE VA, THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONNECT HER AND GET AN APARTMENT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THESE SUBSIDIES ARE FOR. SO IT'S A PROVEN THING WE'RE ASKING THAT THE COUNCIL ADD $5 MILLION TO THE MAYOR'S REQUEST. THAT WILL BE ENOUGH FOR 270 MORE CURRENTLY HOMELESS OR EXTREMELY LOW INCOME PEOPLE AND GIVE THEM THESE ARE PERMANENT HOUSES.  THESE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, EMERGENCY SHELTERS THAT END RIGHT AWAY. THIS IS A PERMANENT PROGRAM OUT OF THE CITY BUDGET LIKE THE ONE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND IT SUPPLEMENTS WHAT'S COMING FROM THE FEDERAL AND STATE. THERE'S A BOTTOMLESS PIT OF IT. WE NEED LIKE YOU KNOW, 5000 LOW INCOME RENT SUBSIDIES BUT WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE. SO WE ASK THAT YOU ADD 5 MILLION FROM ONE OF THE MANY PLACES THAT I'M SURE YOU CAN YOU KNOW, $5 MILLION IN A $3.6 BILLION BUDGET IS AN ACCOUNTING ERROR. YOU CAN FIND THE MONEY OF LEAVE THAT UP TO YOU WHERE TO TAKE IT. I AGREE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF WASTE IN THE POLICE BUDGET.  I DON'T THINK ANY ANY POLICE OFFICERS SHOULD BE MAKING MORE THAN THE MAYOR OF BOSTON.  YOU KNOW THAT DOESN'T I NEVER UNDERSTOOD THAT. BUT THAT'S A I KNOW A CONTRACT NEGOTIATION THING BUT THERE'S A LOT OF WASTE IN THE OVERTIME BUDGET. IT DOESN'T ADD TO COMMUNITY SAFETY. IT JUST LINES PEOPLE'S POCKETS AND THAT THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED AT. SO THANK YOU.  THANK YOU. AND I HAVE A I HAVE A PETITION WE'VE GIVEN THIS TO A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN A MEMO A NUMBER OF THE COUNCILORS HAVE THIS I'D LIKE TO SHARE IT WITH ANYBODY THAT DOESN'T I'M NOT SURE YOU'RE NOT SURE YOU GOT IT. TAKE IT YET. NO SHAME WILL GRAB IT AND I'LL BE GREAT. THANK YOU, COUNCILORS. THANK YOU. OKAY.  SORRY . OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.  YES.  GOOD EVENING. MY NAME IS ANGELIA JEFFERSON. I SERVED 31 YEARS AT MCI FRAMINGHAM. I'VE BEEN HOME GOING ON TO ALMOST TWO YEARS. JULY 27 WILL MAKE TWO YEARS WHILE I WAS IN FRAMINGHAM WHICH AT THE THOMAS SHE WAS MY BEST FRIEND SO IS WE GOT OUR DEGREES FROM BOSTON UNIVERSITY COSMETOLOGY LICENSE TRAINED DOGS CULINARY ARTS I MEAN YOU NAME IT WE DID IT BUT I HAD A NATURAL LIFE NO PAROLE SENTENCE. I DIDN'T THINK THAT I WAS EVER GOING TO GET OUT BUT EVER JEALOUS AND WHO WAS MY LAWYER? SHE'S THE BEST IN THE WORLD WHEN SHE TOOK MY CASE AND SHE WORKED HER MAGIC TO GOD OF COURSE AND I WAS ABLE TO COME HOME THAT PROCESS WAS KIND OF WEIRD BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE THE RESOURCES THAT I NEEDED INSIDE OF THE PRISON TO HELP ME COME OUTSIDE OF THE PRISON. I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT LAPTOPS. I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CELL PHONES. I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT GETTING ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WHEN I WENT TO PRISON I WAS 20 YEARS OLD WHEN I CAME HOME I WAS 53. SO THE WORLD HAS CHANGED AND EVERYTHING IN MY WORLD THAT I LIVE IN NOW HAS CHANGED SINCE I'VE BEEN HOME. I'VE TAKEN THREE CLASSES TO LEARN HOW TO UTILIZE ALL OF THIS STUFF RIGHT HERE I'M GETTING I'M GETTING THERE, YOU KNOW I'M OKAY. I HAVE A NICE JOB. I WORK FOR FAMILIES FOR JUSTICE THIS WAY I AM THE PARTICIPATORY DEFENSE TRANSFORM HARM COORDINATOR.  I LOVE MY JOB. I LOVE THE WORK THAT WE DO BUT AT THE SAME TIME I JUST FEEL LIKE THERE'S MORE THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH THE YOUTH, WITH THE ELDERLY ALSO BECAUSE THE ELDERLY ARE SUFFERING ALONG WITH EVERYONE ELSE AND ALSO I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT MEDICAL LIKE MASS HEALTH AND ALL THOSE ALL THOSE THINGS AS FAR AS HEALTH CARE GOES I FEEL LIKE MORE MONEY NEEDS TO BE PUT INTO THAT. I LIKE I SAID WHEN I WAS LOCKED UP I DIDN'T GET THE PROPER TREATMENT THAT I NEED IT SINCE I'VE BEEN HOME I'VE HAD TWO MAJOR SURGERIES GETTING READY TO HAVE A THIRD MAJOR SURGERY BECAUSE OF THE NEGLECT THAT I GOT WHILE I WAS IN PRISON. NOW THAT I'M OUT HERE I HAVE TO HAVE LIKE I SAID, I'M GIVING TO ONE MINUTE. I HAVE TO HAVE THIS THIRD SURGERY BUT I DON'T HAVE MASS HEALTH FOR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I HAVE TO PAY FOR MY OWN HEALTH CARE NOW WHICH YOU KNOW IS OKAY AND SOME ASPECTS BUT AT THE SAME TIME JUST GETTING OUT I NEED A LITTLE HELP ALONG THE WAY TO HELP ME GET TO WHAT I NEED TO GET TO AND TO HELP ME FIX THE PROBLEM THAT I AM CURRENTLY HAVING AS FAR AS MY MENTAL HEALTH AND AS FAR AS MY PHYSICAL HEALTH.  I NEED HELP JUST LIKE MY FRENCH INTERIOR SEE ME SO JUST LIKE ALL OF US NEED HELP YOU KNOW I DON'T WANT FOR YOU ALL TO SIT HERE AND JUST LOOK AT US AND SHAKE YOUR HEAD AND SAY OH OKAY, HERE LOOK AT THAT BLACK GIRL STANDING UP THERE TALKING NO, WE WANT ACTION. WE WANT FOR YOU ALL TO STEP UP THE SAME WAY YOU ALL SAY WHEN YOU WHEN IT'S TIME FOR YOU ALL TO CAMPAIGN WE'RE GOING TO DO A, B, C AND D SHOWING PROOF PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS AND WE WILL DO THE SAME. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, BESSIE.  YOU HEAR ME ? YES. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO I HAVE BULLET POINTS AND I'LL TRY TO BE QUICK FIRST OF ALL. AND SECOND ONE OF THE FORMER SPEAKERS WHO SAID THAT IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO JOIN THE MEETING EVEN IN PERSON JOINING THE MEETING VIRTUALLY IT WAS VERY CONFUSING. SO IF WE WANT TO MAKE THESE PROCESSES AS EQUITY BASED AS POSSIBLE, WE NEED THE WEBSITE AND THE INSTRUCTIONS TO BE AS CLEAR AS POSSIBLE FOR ALL BECAUSE I HAVE A MASTER'S DEGREE AND I AM SECOND GENERATION HERE IN THIS COUNTRY AND IT WAS SO VERY HARD FOR ME TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO JOIN MEETING THAT'S NUMBER ONE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING THIS MEETING THOUGH NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO I AM HERE MAINLY TO ASK THE COUNCIL TO REVIEW AND CREATE A TRANSPARENCY PROCESS FOR TICKETS PARKING TICKETS ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON.  MY MOM WHO IS A SENIOR AND HAS A HANDICAP PLACARD LAST YEAR FROM SIX PARKING TICKETS THAT'S A THAT SHE RECEIVED BECAUSE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES TAKE TICKETED METERED SPOTS IN THE CITY SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO GET PARKING SPOT AND SHE GOT TICKETS AND BECAUSE OF HER HANDICAP SHE WASN'T ABLE TO PARK FAR BECAUSE SHE CAN'T WALK CARS.  IT'S A VICIOUS CYCLE AND THESE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES DO NOT GET TICKETED.  HOWEVER, SHE PAID HER TICKETS BUT SHE STILL OWES CLOSE TO $300 BECAUSE OF LATE FEES BECAUSE THE TICKETING DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY OF BOSTON AND I'VE REACHED COMMISSIONER GOVE WITH THIS I HAVE REACHED MOST OF MY ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AT CITY COUNCIL WITH THIS AND MOST OF THEM HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HELP TO TO FIGHT SOME OF THESE FEES BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY REMOVED.  THE CITY CANNOT OFFICIALLY REMOVE LATE FEES VERBATIM FROM THE TICKETING OFFICE THOSE FEES WERE OBTAINED BECAUSE THE DEPARTMENT ITSELF DOES NOT PROCESS CHECKS OTHER THAN ONLINE PAYMENTS IMMEDIATELY CHECKS IMMEDIATELY AND SO EVEN IF YOU'RE PAYING YOUR TICKETS YOU STILL GET A LATE FEE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT CHECKING THEIR MAIL. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE ARE THESE TICKETING FEES GOING TO? WHERE IS ALL THESE LAID FEES GOING TO? AND I WOULD REALLY ASK THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER A WAGE LIMIT. SO IF THERE ARE SENIORS IF THERE ARE WORKING MOTHERS, IF A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I SPOKE TO, THEY ARE WORKING TEENAGERS OR PEOPLE THAT FALL BELOW AN INCOME RANGE CANNOT PAY LATE FEES HAVE THEM BE REMOVED BECAUSE RIGHT NOW AFTER A FOUR MONTH PROCESS OF FIGHTING TO GET A HEARING AND THANKS TO MY CITY COUNCILORS ONE TO FIGHT SOME OF THOSE FEES I LEARNED THAT THE CITY IS LITERALLY HAND TIGHT AND CANNOT REMOVE ANY OF THOSE LATE FEES EVEN IF MY MOM CANNOT AFFORD THEM. SO YOU ARE PUTTING AT RISK NOT ONLY THE LICENSE AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF A SENIOR CITIZEN BUT OF RESIDENTS ACROSS OUR CITY THAT NEED THEIR LICENSE AND THEIR VEHICLES TO BE ABLE TO GET TO WORK AND CANNOT JUST NOT PAY TICKETS BUT NOT PAY EXORBITANT AMOUNT IN TICKET LATE FEES THAT THE CITY COLLECTS AND WE DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO USE SOME OF THAT MONEY FOR SOME OF THE COSTS THAT SOME OF OUR FELLOW RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN ADVOCATING FOR TODAY. AND BESIDES THAT, I ALSO RUN A SOCIAL GROUP FOR ADULTS TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS WHILE SUPPORTING LOCAL FOOD BUSINESSES. WE MEET ONCE A MONTH WHEN WE GO TO A LOCALLY OWNED FOOD BUSINESS WHETHER IT IS TO LEARN ABOUT FOOD OR TO YOU KNOW, EAT AT A RESTAURANT ETC. AND TRYING TO ORGANIZE THESE EVENTS IS INCREDIBLY HARD NOT JUST FOR AGAIN A PROFESSIONAL WHO HAS MARKETING EXPERIENCE AND IS TRYING TO FIND FUNDS TO MAKE THIS AS ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE WHO CANNOT PAY A TICKET TO JOIN SOME OF THESE EVENTS. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO HOST COMMUNITY EVENTS AND SPONSOR COMMUNITY GROUPS BECAUSE THE CITY MAKES IT SO HARD TO GET FUNDS FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY COURSES.  WE ARE NOT 5A1 SEAT RACE. WE DO NOT HAVE CORPORATIONS, WE DO NOT HAVE BUSINESSES. WE ARE LITERALLY TAKING TIME OUT OF OUR DAYS TO RUN COMMUNITY EFFORTS TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITIES.  SO FOR EXAMPLE FUNDS LIKE YOU KNOW NIGHT EVENTS OR A BLOCK PARTY THOSE ARE WONDERFUL INITIATIVES BUT THE PROCESS ITSELF IS VERY COMPLEX. YOU NEED TO FILL OUT FORMS.  YOU NEED TO PROVE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO USE THIS MONEY FOR X-Y-Z AND.  I UNDERSTAND WE DON'T WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND LIKE SUPPORT A PARTY BUT MAKE THE PROCESS EASIER FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HOST THIS COMMUNITY EFFORTS AND MAKE IT MORE TRANSPARENT BECAUSE IF THOSE FUNDS ARE BEING USED, WHERE ARE THEY GO? THANK YOU. BEST THOSE TWO THINGS PLEASE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, HARRY AND HARRY, CAN YOU PLEASE ACCEPT BECOMING A PANELIST TO VEENA?  SAME QUESTION HERE AND THEN SAM I CAN NOW HEAR ME YES YES WE CAN.  OKAY COOL. THANK YOU.  SO YEAH MY NAME IS VEENA AND I'M FROM DISTRICT THREE. I JUST WANT TO SHARE SOME DEMANDS I HAVE AND SOME REFLECTIONS FROM MY EXPERIENCES AS A YOUNG PERSON AND YOUTH LEADER A DECADE AGO AND NOW A YOUTH WORKER AS AN ADULT I'M DEMANDING THAT THE CITY FULLY FUND 37.6 MILLION FOR GOOD PAYING YEAR ROUND YOUTH JOBS AND TEN OUTREACH WORKERS AN INCREASE OF $16 MILLION FROM THE MAYOR'S BUDGET. I ALSO DEMAND THAT THE CITY PROVIDE ORGANIZATIONS THE SLOTS THEY NEED AND REVERSE ANY CUTS IN THE CITY IS TRANSPARENT WITH THE DATA ABOUT FILLING THE JOBS I MEAN FILLING THE JOBS AND ORGANIZATIONAL SIZE THE CITY NEEDS TO ADD MORE MONEY FOR YOUTH JOBS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE AND PARTICIPATORY AND STOP THE $50 MILLION INCREASE TO THE BOSTON POLICE BUDGET. YOUNG PEOPLE WILL HELP WITH BILLS FOR THEIR HOUSEHOLD RENT ,UTILITIES AND FOOD ALL YEAR ROUND EXPENSES NOT JUST PART OF THE YEAR. I'VE BEEN A YOUTH WORKER FOR A FEW YEARS NOW AND I'VE NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOUNG PEOPLE FACE IS FINANCIAL BURDENS.  WE COME FROM A LOW INCOME COMMUNITY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE FACE SIMILAR THINGS. I KNOW THAT YOUTH I KNOW SOME YOUTH BY THE AGE OF 16 WHO ARE GOING TO SCHOOL FULL TIME AT 8 HOURS BUT ALSO WORKING THREE PART TIME JOBS TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES. THIS CAPITALISTIC SYSTEM IS WEIGHING ON OUR YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AND CAPACITY. I KNOW THIS IS SO CLICHE BUT YOUTH ARE LITERALLY OUR FUTURE AS WE MOVE THROUGH OUR FUTURES AND TRANSITION OUT YOUTH ARE TRANSITIONING IN AND THEY NEED MORE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT AND ENGAGE THEM IN THEIR LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. IT TRULY BLOWS MY MIND THAT OVER THE YEARS CPS AND YOUTH JOBS ARE GETTING CUT AND THAT I'M HERE ADVOCATING THE SAME THINGS THAT I DID WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER.  CURRENTLY 14 TO 18 YEAR OLDS ARE GETTING PAID $15 AN HOUR AND 19 TO 24 YEAR OLDS ARE GETTING PAID $20 AN HOUR WITH NO FLEXIBILITY IN THE PAY RATES. PAY RATES FOR YOUTH SHOULD GO UP TO $18 OR $20 FOR 14 TO 18 YEAR OLDS AND 22 TO $24 FOR 19 TO 24 YEAR OLDS. ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD BE ABLE TO PAY A RANGE OF PAY RATES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE BASED ON THEIR EXPERIENCE AND AS THEY TAKE ON MORE RESPONSIBILITY.  I KNOW THAT WHAT I'VE SHARED RIGHT NOW SOUNDS REALLY REPETITIVE OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS BUT THERE'S A REASON FOR THE REPETITION AND YEARNING FOR OUR NEEDS TO BE MET. ALL I ASK IS THAT Y'ALL PLEASE PUT IN YOUR HONEST AND TRANSPARENT INVESTMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.  THANK YOU, SAM.  YES, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. COUNSELORS. I JUST WANTED SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE BOSTON GREEN PROJECT WHILE WE HAVE THIS WONDERFUL BUDGET HEARING I'M A LITTLE BIT DISAPPOINTED THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO HAVE ANY BUDGET MEETINGS IN ANY OF THE COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE HAVE TWO WONDERFUL SMILING BROTHERS THERE AS THE CHAIR AND CO-CHAIR I WOULD LIKE SEE HOPEFULLY FUTURE MEETINGS IN THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THE CHAIR AND CO-CHAIR ACTUALLY LIVE AND REPRESENT. SO FOR EXAMPLE THAT WOULD BE MATTAPAN AND DORCHESTER HIGH PARK IN THIS CASE AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE WE ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY TESTIFIED AND SPOKEN ABOUT THINGS THAT THEY'D LIKE TO SEE AND SO I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS THAT I'D LIKE TO SEE. BUT ONE THING I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS SOME DEGREE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AS FAR AS THE BOSTON RESIDENTS JOB POLICY AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SUCH A LOW PERCENTAGE OF CITY BUDGET MONEY GOING TO MINORITY BUSINESSES AND I THINK THAT THE WAY THAT YOU FIX THAT IS BY BEING VERY INTENTIONAL. FOR EXAMPLE RIGHT NOW COMING HIGHWAYS BEING REDONE BY MCCOURT CONSTRUCTION AND PEOPLE WHO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT MCCOURT KNOW THAT HE USED TO LIVE IN L.A. USED TO OWN THE DODGERS. AND SO WHY IS MCCOURT CONSTRUCTION REDOING CUMMINS HIGHWAY AND SO THIS IS JUST ONE EXAMPLE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO REALLY START TO LOOK AT A LITTLE BIT MORE CAREFULLY AS WE START TO LOOK AT THE BUDGET. I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO SEE AS WE'RE STARTING TO TALK ABOUT HOUSING AND WAYS THAT WE CAN HELP RETURNING CITIZENS AND THE PEOPLE FROM ALL DIFFERENT WALKS OF LIFE HERE IN THE CITY. I'D LIKE TO SEE BASED OFF LOADING SOME OF THE PORTFOLIO THE HOUSING PORTFOLIO BY BASICALLY DOING MORE RENT TO OWN HOUSING. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN BASICALLY IN GENERATIONAL POVERTY WHICH MEANS THAT THEY LIVE IN PUBLIC HOUSING, THEIR PARENTS LIVED IN PUBLIC HOUSING AND AT A CERTAIN POINT WE NEED TO BREAK THAT CYCLE AND THE OLD THE BEST WAY I THINK WE CAN DO THAT IS BY HAVING SECTION EIGHT VOUCHERS OR CITY OWNED HOUSING THAT WE TRANSFER INTO RENT TO OWN HOUSING AND THAT ALSO WOULD HELP THE CITY BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN GIVING A LOT OF PUBLIC HOUSING BUBBLE VERBIAGE BUT THEY HAVEN'T BEEN GIVING IT TO THE COMMUNITY AND I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE DONE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO RENT TO OWN HOUSING OVER AT FRANKLIN HILL APARTMENT BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE US DO THAT IN MORE OF THE VHA PROPERTIES. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST I'D LIKE TO SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE FUNDING GO TOWARDS OUR VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS SO THAT PEOPLE ACTUALLY HAVE JOBS AS SOON AS THEY LEAVE HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN ALSO YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY ALL RESIDENTS COULD COULD HAVE JOBS FROM VOCATIONAL TRAINING BUT THE WHOLE IDEA IS WE HAVE TO NOW SAY IF THE AVERAGE HOUSE IN BOSTON COST 600,000, HOW ARE BP GRADUATES GOING TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE?  HOW IS THE MIDDLE AGED PERSON WHO'S 30 TO 50 GOING TO BE ABLE TO LIVE HERE IF THEY'RE ALL MAKING MINIMUM WAGE?  AND SO THE REALITY IS THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE HERE UNLESS WE'RE VERY INTENTIONAL IN TEACHING THEM SOME OF THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY. SO FOR EXAMPLE, THAT COULD BE COMPUTER SCIENCE.  THANK YOU. THANK YOU, SAM. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. THANK YOU. AND I JUST WANT TO CORRECT FOR THE RECORD THAT WE DID HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING AT THE LAYLA FREDERICK AND I THINK WE WOULD THEN AND I WANT TO GIVE ANOTHER SHOUT OUT TO CENTRAL STAFF AND MY COLLEAGUES THAT ATTENDED BUT WE WERE THERE TILL 10 P.M. WE TDA LATER LATER THAT IT WAS SOME 6:06 P.M. TO 10 P.M. THAT WE STAYED UNTIL 11. OH YEAH, YEAH. SO WE DID WE DID HAVE A HEARING INSIDE OF DISTRICT FOUR AND AND I BELIEVE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS OR TWO YEARS EVERY YEAR I'VE HELD A HEARING INSIDE OF THE DISTRICT WHEN I WAS IN EVEN THE CHAIR OF THE WAYS AND MEANS KC SO TO PROMOTE THE CONTRACTOR ALL RIGHT.  HARRIS OKAY.  CAN YOU HEAR ME ? YES WE CAN HEAR YOU. HEAR YOU. CASEY HEY, HOW ARE YOU? I'M I WANT TO START WITH THE HOUSING VOUCHER AND THEN I WOULD TALK ABOUT THE SMALL BUSINESS AND THE HUGE JOBS.  YOU KNOW, FIRST TO START WITH THE HOUSING VOUCHER I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A POLICY PUT IN TO HAVE A TRANSPARENCY AND A REVIEW OF THE BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY EVERY EVERY QUARTER BECAUSE I MYSELF I'M I'M GOING TO SPEAK NOW VERY I'M GOING TO SPEAK OPENLY.  I WAS ACTUALLY PUNISHED WHICH IS PRETTY MUCH A VIOLATION OF BASIC HUMAN RIGHT FOR SPEAKING UP SAYING THAT WHAT YOU GIVE TO THE WHITE SIDE OF BOSTON YOU MUST ALSO GIVE THE SAME TO THE BLACK COMMUNITIES OF BOSTON EQUALITY AND I WAS PUNISHED BY THE BOSTON HOUSING AUTHORITY. THEY ACTUALLY TORN OFF MY HOUSING VOUCHER AND MY HOUSING VOUCHER IS NOT FROM JUST GETTING IT. I'M A PERSON WITH DISABILITY WHO WORK MANY YEARS MY PROFESSION I WENT TO SCHOOL, I WENT TO COLLEGE YOU NAME IT.  THIS IS PART OF MY FEDERAL DISABILITY BENEFIT THAT I PUT INTO AND THEY TURN IT OFF WITHOUT THE AUTHORITY OF HARD OR ANYTHING OUT OF WHAT WOULD IT GO RETALIATION INTENSE WITHOUT EVEN A NOTICE WITHOUT A HEARING DURING COVID I WAS MADE TO SUFFER AS A HOME CAMPUS AND PATIENT BECAUSE I HAPPENED TO AN ADVOCATE IN HUMAN RIGHTS AND EQUALITY. I ASKED TO WHATEVER YOU GIVE ON THE SO-CALLED SELL BOSTON DO THE SAME THING BECAUSE THE COST OF LIVING IS VERY HIGH EVERYWHERE.  IF YOU GIVE SOMEONE IN ROXBURY FOR TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT $2,000 THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO RENT ANYWHERE YET YOU GIVE THE MAXIMUM REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAD 6000 . IS THAT SOMETHING TO PUNISH ADVOCATE FOR? SO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A PROVISION WHERE THE CITY COUNCIL WILL REVIEW WHAT BOSTON HOUSING ARE DOING BECAUSE THEY ARE CAUSING EXCESSIVE HOMELESSNESS TO THOSE THAT SHOULD NOT BE HOMELESS ESPECIALLY THOSE UNDER THE FEDERAL PROTECTIVE CLAUSE WHICH IS ELDERLY, DISABLED AND CHILDREN.  YOU CANNOT PUNISH OR WE HOLD THE BENEFIT THEIR RETIREMENT BENEFIT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO STOP THEM FROM SPEAKING. IT'S ALMOST LIKE YOU'RE THERE'S A LAW THAT SAYS YOU CAN PUNISH WHISTLEBLOWERS ARE TORN OFF MY FEDERAL VOUCHER FOR MANY YEARS THAT I SUFFERED DURING COVID TO THE POINT THAT IT ALMOST DESTROYED MY ENTIRE LUNGS THAT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN WHEN WE HAVE ELECTED OFFICIALS. YOU CANNOT TALK AND PEOPLE THAT ARE FIGHTING FOR RACIAL EQUALITY.  THANK YOU, CASEY. THANK YOU, HARRY.  HARRY, THE FLOOR IS YOURS.  HARRY, CAN YOU HEAR US IF YOU'RE TALKING, YOU'RE ON MUTE. OKAY, HARRY, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF?  HARRY, ARE YOU THERE?  IF YOU THERE CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF?  YOU HARRY IF YOU COULD CLICK THE BUTTON THAT SAYS UNMUTE IF HARRY MAX YOU ONE MORE TIME IF YOU CAN UNMUTE OR I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK YOU TO SUBMIT YOUR TESTIMONY IN WRITING ERIC WELL AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO THANK ALL THE ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS, ALL OF EVERYONE WHO CAME TO GIVE PUBLIC TESTIMONY, ALL THE EMAILS THAT WERE SUBMITTED. I AM TRULY ENCOURAGED AND AGAIN I WANT TO THANK ALL MY COLLEAGUES, MY TEAM, ESSENTIAL STAFF FOR DOING THE OUTREACH IN ORDER TO MAKE THE PEOPLE'S VOICE HEARD WHILE THIS BUDGET PROCESS IS HAPPENING AGAIN. THANK YOU AND THE HEARING ON AUGUST CASE NUMBER 067030678 IS ADJOURNED