Ways & Means Committee
Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 10 a.m. (Boston time), Boston City Hall, 1 City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201
Hearing on Dockets #0733-0740, 0744-0746, FY27 Budget: Environment, Food Justice, Revolving Funds
On the agenda
- On the message and order, referred on April 8, 2026, Docket #0733, for Annual Appropriation and Tax Order for FY2027, the committee submitted a report recommending the order ought to pass in an amended draft. Councilor Weber moved to substitute language in the committee report. Seconded by Councilor Durkan. The substitute committee report was properly substituted. Councilor Mejia objected to accepting the committee report. Recess. Committee members polled: yeas 6 (Weber, FitzGerald, Coletta Zapata, Louijeune, Pepén, Worrell), nays 1 (Culpepper). Yeas prevailed. Councilor Coletta Zapata offered an amendment. Seconded by Councilor Durkan. Councilor Weber recused himself from discussion of the amendment. The amendment was properly before the body. Recess. On motion of Councilor Coletta Zapata, the amendment was withdrawn. Councilor FitzGerald offered an amendment. Seconded by Councilor Flynn. The amendment was properly before the body. Councilor Coletta Zapata in the chair. Councilor Breadon in the chair. Motion by Councilor Mejia to lay the amendment on the table. Seconded by Councilor Flynn. The motion did not prevail; yeas 4 (Durkan, Flynn, Mejia, Worrell), nays 9 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Culpepper, FitzGerald, Louijeune, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber). Councilor FitzGerald moved to close debate. Seconded by Councilor Durkan. Motion prevailed; yeas 10 (Culpepper, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell), nays 3 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan). A roll call vote was taken; the amendment passed; yeas 10 (Culpepper, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell), nays 3 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan). Councilor FitzGerald offered a second amendment. Seconded by Councilor Durkan. Councilor Weber recused himself from discussion of the amendment. The amendment was properly before the body. A roll call vote was taken; the amendment passed; yeas 12 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Worrell), not present 1 (Weber). Councilor Flynn offered an amendment. Seconded by Councilor Murphy. The amendment was properly before the body. A roll call vote was taken; the amendment did not pass; yeas 2 (Flynn, Murphy), nays 11 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Louijeune, Mejia, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell). Councilor Flynn offered a second amendment. Seconded by Councilor Murphy. The amendment was properly before the body. A roll call vote was taken; the amendment did not pass; yeas 2 (Flynn, Murphy), nays 10 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Louijeune, Mejia, Pepén, Santana, Weber), not present 1 (Worrell). Councilor Flynn offered a third amendment. Seconded by Councilor Murphy. The amendment was properly before the body. A roll call vote was taken; the amendment did not pass; yeas 2 (Flynn, Murphy), nays 10 (Breadon, Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Louijeune, Mejia, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell), not present 1 (Coletta Zapata). Councilor Mejia offered an amendment. Seconded by Councilor Murphy. The amendment was properly before the body. A roll call vote was taken; the amendment did not pass; yeas 3 (Culpepper, Mejia, Worrell), nays 9 (Breadon, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber), not present 1 (Coletta Zapata). Councilor Mejia offered a second amendment. Seconded by Councilor Murphy. The amendment was properly before the body. A roll call vote was taken; the amendment did not pass; yeas 4 (Culpepper, Mejia, Murphy, Worrell), nays 9 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Pepén, Santana, Weber). Councilor Mejia offered a third amendment. Seconded by Councilor Murphy. The amendment was properly before the body. A roll call vote was taken; the amendment did not pass; yeas 4 (Flynn, Mejia, Murphy, Worrell), nays 9 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Louijeune, Pepén, Santana, Weber). Councilor Culpepper offered an amendment. Seconded by Councilor Murphy. The amendment was properly before the body. A roll call vote was taken; the amendment did not pass; yeas 5 (Breadon, Culpepper, Flynn, Murphy, Worrell), nays 7 (Coletta Zapata, Durkan, FitzGerald, Louijeune, Pepén, Santana, Weber), not present 1 (Mejia). Recess. The substituted report was accepted; Docket #0733, the order as amended was passed; yeas 12 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell), nays 1 (Mejia). (2026-0733)
- On the message and order, referred on April 8, 2026, Docket #0734, for Annual Appropriation for the School Department for FY2027, the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to pass. (2026-0734)
- On the message and order, referred on April 8, 2026, Docket #0735, approving an appropriation of Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000.00) to the Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Liability Trust Fund authorized under Chapter 32B, §20, as added by Chapter 479 of the Acts of 2008. The latest available OPEB actuarial valuation as of June 30, 2023 estimated the City’s unfunded liability at $2.68 Billion Dollars, the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to pass. (2026-0735)
- On the message and order, referred on April 8, 2026, Docket #0736, approving an appropriation order authorizing the City of Boston to appropriate the amount of Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($3,500,000.00) from the City’s Capital Grant Fund to address the impact of transportation network services on municipal roads, bridges, and other transportation infrastructure or any other public purpose substantially related to the operation of transportation network services in the City. Such funds will be transferred and credited to the Capital Grant Fund from revenue received from the Commonwealth Transportation Infrastructure Enhancement Trust Fund, the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to pass. (2026-0736)
- On the message and order, referred on April 8, 2026, Docket #0737, approving an appropriation order in the amount of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000.00) from the Surplus Property Disposition Fund, credited to the Capital Fund for planning, design, and construction of coastal resilience solutions around the City, the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to pass. (2026-0737)
- Councilor Weber called Docket #0738, message and order approving an appropriation order in the amount of Three Hundred Eighty-Four Million Seven Hundred Five Thousand Dollars ($384,705,000.00) for various capital improvement purposes for city departments including the Boston Center for Youth and Families, Boston Housing Authority, Boston Planning and Development Agency, Boston Public Library, Innovation and Technology, Environment, Fire, Mayor’s Office of Housing, Office of Arts & Culture, Parks and Recreation, Planning, Property Management, Public Health Commission, Public Works, and the Transportation Departments, from the Committee on Ways and Means. No objection being heard, the matter was properly before the body. On motion of Councilor Weber, the order was read a second time and again passed: yeas 11 (Breadon, Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell), nays 1 (Mejia), absent 1 (Coletta Zapata). (2026-0738)
- Councilor Weber called Docket #0739, message and order approving an appropriation order in the amount of Thirteen Million Eight Hundred Fifty-Five Thousand Dollars ($13,855,000.00) for various capital improvement purposes for the Boston Public Schools, from the Committee on Ways and Means. No objection being heard, the matter was properly before the body. On motion of Councilor Weber, the order was read a second time and again passed: yeas 11 (Breadon, Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell), nays 1 (Mejia), absent 1 (Coletta Zapata). (2026-0739)
- Councilor Weber called Docket #0740, message and order authorizing the City of Boston to enter into one or more lease, lease-purchase or installment sales agreements in Fiscal Year 2027 in an amount not to exceed Twenty-Eight Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($28,500,000.00). These funds are to be used by various City departments for the acquisition of equipment in furtherance of their respective governmental functions. The list of equipment includes: computer equipment (hardware and software), motor vehicles and trailers, ambulances, firefighting equipment, office equipment, telecommunications equipment, photocopying equipment, medical equipment, school and educational equipment, school buses, parking meters, street lighting installation, traffic signal equipment and equipment functionally related to, and components of, the foregoing, from the Committee on Ways and Means. No objection being heard, the matter was properly before the body. On motion of Councilor Weber, the order was read a second time and again passed: yeas 11 (Breadon, Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell), nays 1 (Mejia), absent 1 (Coletta Zapata). (2026-0740)
- On the message and order, referred on April 8, 2026, Docket #0746, approving an order authorizing a limit for the Equitable Emissions Investment (BERDO) revolving fund outlined in Section 1(g) of BERDO for Fiscal Year 2027, pursuant to M.G.L. ch. 44 s. 53E1/2, to incur liabilities against and spend monies from such fund consistent with the Ordinance. This revolving fund shall be funded by receipts from Alternative Compliance Payments (ACP). ACPs are an approved emissions mitigation pathway that consists of payments equal to the average cost per metric ton of CO2e to decarbonize buildings. The Environment Department will be the only department authorized to expend from the fund and such expenditures shall be capped at $1,500,000, the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to pass. The report was accepted; the order was passed: yeas 13 (Breadon, Coletta Zapata, Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell). (2026-0746)
- On the message and order, referred on April 8, 2026, Docket #0744, approving an order authorizing a limit for the Environment Conservation Commission revolving fund for Fiscal Year 2027 for the purpose of securing outside consultants including engineers, wetlands scientists, wildlife biologists, or other experts in order to aid in the review of proposed projects to the Commission, per the City’s ordinance protecting local wetland and promoting climate change adaptation. This revolving fund shall be funded by receipts from fees imposed by the Commission for the purpose of securing outside consultants. The Environment Department will be the only department authorized to expend from the fund and such expenditures shall be capped at Fifty Thousand Dollars ($50,000.00), the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to pass. The report was accepted; the order was passed: yeas 12 (Breadon, Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell), not present 1 (Coletta Zapata). (2026-0744)
- On the message and order, referred on April 8, 2026, Docket #0745, approving an order authorizing a limit for the Distributed Energy Resource Revolving Fund for Fiscal Year 2027 to facilitate the purchase of offsets of greenhouse gas emissions which shall be associated with a portion of the electricity consumed by the City annually; and to operate, maintain, monitor, and expand the City’s existing solar arrays and Boston Public Schools’ combined heat and power facilities. This revolving fund shall be credited with any and all receipts from the sale of renewable and alternative energy certificates and demand response program revenues produced by combined heat and power units located at Boston Public Schools sites, and solar renewable energy certificates produced by the City’s photovoltaic arrays. Receipts and resulting expenditures from this fund shall not exceed One Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($150,000.00), the committee submitted a report recommending that the order ought to pass. The report was accepted; the order was passed: yeas 12 (Breadon, Culpepper, Durkan, FitzGerald, Flynn, Louijeune, Mejia, Murphy, Pepén, Santana, Weber, Worrell), not present 1 (Coletta Zapata). (2026-0745)