FY2022 City Council Legislative Budget review

A message from the chair

Councilor Kenzie Bok, the Ways and Means Chair for the Boston City Council, released a video about this year’s FY22 budget scrutiny process, including information on how you can take part.

For more information about how you can testify, please visit our how-to guide:

Testify on the budget

About the process

Creation and Approval of the Municipal Budget

The Boston City Charter lays out the responsibilities and timeline for creation and approval of the City budget. The Mayor is in charge of creating the annual City operating budget, and submitting it to the City Council no later than the second Wednesday in April of each year. The City Council is responsible for reviewing this budget proposal, and voting on it no later than the second Wednesday in June. The Mayor also submits to the Council:

appropriation orders for public realm improvements, and
authorizations for land acquisition and loan orders, which support the City’s Capital Plan.

The City’s fiscal year runs from July 1 – June 30. We are currently in FY21. The upcoming fiscal year will be FY22.

FY22 City Council Review Process

The City Council reviews the Mayor’s budget proposal for approximately six weeks. This process is run by the Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means, Councilor Kenzie Bok. This year, the process will involve approximately 30 public hearings, during which time the Council will hear from the departments that comprise the greatest percentage of the operating budget, as well as a few smaller departments. These hearings will also cover revolving funds and other budget-related appropriations. This year, the Council review process will also include working sessions.

All the Council hearings and working sessions will be conducted virtually via Zoom, and will be livestreamed online. The public is encouraged to watch all the hearings and working sessions via the livestream or broadcast on Xfinity Channel 8, RCN Channel 82, and Fios Channel 964.

While participation in working sessions is limited to Councilors only (with the exception of the Community Working Session), public testimony is welcome and encouraged at the hearings. See below for the hearing calendar and ways to testify!

Schedule of Budget Hearings

Please find below the dates, times, and public notices for the budget review working sessions and hearings for Dockets #0524-0531 and companion Dockets #0532-0546. After each event, the video and relevant materials will be posted on the public notice page.

Topic	Working session	Public hearing

Topic	Admin & Finance: Budget Overview Presentation (incl. Revenue Overview)

Working session	N/A

Public hearing	Monday, April 26, at 10a.m.

Topic	Community Working Session: What are Your Questions on the Budget?

Working session	Monday, April 26, at 4 p.m.

Public hearing	N/A

Topic	Boston Public Schools (BPS): Budget Overview Presentation

Working session	N/A

Public hearing	Tuesday, April 27, at 10 a.m.

Topic	BPS School Budgets

Working session	N/A

Public hearing	Tuesday, April 27, at 2 p.m.

Topic	Public Testimony: What are Your Priorities for an Equitable Recovery?

Working session	N/A

Public hearing	Wednesday, April 28, at 6 p.m.

Topic	Law Department Law Revolving Fund Office of Arts & Culture A&C Revolving Funds Office of Tourism, Sports & Entertainment Tourism Revolving Fund

Working session	N/A

Public hearing	Thursday, April 29, at 10 a.m.

Topic	Capital Overview Public Facilities Department (PFD)

Working session	N/A

Public hearing	Thursday, April 29, at 2 p.m.

Topic	Environment Department Environment Revolving Funds Conservation Commission Landmarks

Working session	Friday, April 30, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Monday, May 10, at 10 a.m.

Topic	Boston Police Department BPD Revolving Funds

Working session	Friday, April 30, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Monday, May 10, at 2 p.m.

Topic	BPS Commitment #1 (I): Eliminate Opportunity & Achievement Gaps – Overall Alignment & Wraparound Supports

Working session	Tuesday, May 4, at 2 p.m.

Public hearing	Tuesday, May 11, at 10 a.m.

Topic	BPS Commitment #1 (II): Eliminate Opportunity & Achievement Gaps – Specialized Academic Supports

Working session	Tuesday, May 4, at 2 p.m.

Public hearing	Tuesday, May 11, at 2 p.m.

Topic	Boston Centers for Youth & Families BCYF Revolving Fund

Working session	Tuesday, May 4, at 2 p.m.

Public hearing	Thursday, May 13, at 10 a.m.

Topic	Food Access, Language and Communications Access, Office of Immigrant Advancement, Human Rights Commission, Age Strong Commission

Working session	Thursday, May 6, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Monday, May 17, at 10 a.m.

Topic	BPS Commitment #2: Accelerate Learning

Working session	Friday, May 7, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Tuesday, May 18, at 10 a.m.

Topic	BPS Commitment #3: Amplify All Voices BPS Commitment #4: Expand Opportunity BPS Revolving Funds

Working session	Friday, May 7, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Tuesday, May 18, at 2 p.m.

Topic	Economic Development Boston Equity Fund Women’s Advancement

Working session	Friday, May 7, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Thursday, May 20, at 10 a.m.

Topic	Library

Working session	Thursday, May 6, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Thursday, May 20, at 2 p.m.

Topic	Public Works Department Transportation Department

Working session	Friday, May 14, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Monday, May 24, at 10 a.m.

Topic	Department of Neighborhood Development Office of Fair Housing & Equity

Working session	Friday, May 7, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Monday, May 24, at 2 p.m.

Topic	BPS Commitment #5: Cultivate Trust BPS Commitment #6: Activate Partnerships

Working session	Friday, May 14, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Tuesday, May 25, at 10 a.m.

Topic	BPS Public Testimony

Working session	N/A

Public hearing	Tuesday, May 25, at 6 p.m.

Topic	Carryover - Boston Police Department

Working session	N/A

Public hearing	Wednesday, May 26, at 3 p.m.

Topic	Boston Fire Department

Working session	Friday, May 14, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Thursday, May 27, at 10 a.m.

Topic	Boston Emergency Medical Services Boston Public Health Commission (incl. Recovery Services) Office of Health & Human Services

Working session	Friday, May 14, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Thursday, May 27, at 2 p.m.

Topic	Youth Engagement & Employment

Working session	Tuesday, May 4, at 2p.m.

Public hearing	Tuesday, June 1, at 2p.m.

Topic	Inspectional Services Department

Working session	Friday, May 21, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Wednesday, June 2, at 10 a.m.

Topic	Parks and Recreation Department Parkman Fund

Working session	Friday, May 21, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Wednesday, June 2, at 2 p.m.

Topic	Department of Innovation & Technology PEG Access Fund

Working session	Friday, May 21, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Thursday, June 3, at 10 a.m.

Topic	Public Testimony (All Departments)

Working session	N/A

Public hearing	Thursday, June 3, at 6 p.m.

Topic	Boston Planning & Development Agency

Working session	Friday, May 21, at 10 a.m.

Public hearing	Friday, June 4, at 10 a.m.

Schedule of Budget Resubmittal hearings

The City Council rejected the initial FY22 budget submission without prejudice on June 9, 2021. The Mayor resubmitted the FY22 budget on June 23, 2021.

Scheduled Meetings

The FY22 resubmittal Dockets are #0801-0805. The Committee on Ways and Means will be holding hearings and working sessions on these dockets, as well as related matters. These include:

Dockets #0810 and #0687, regarding grants from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund, and
Docket #0725, regarding COLA for retirees.

We're following this schedule:

Working Session: Friday, June 25, 2021, at 3:30 p.m.
Public Hearing: Monday, June 28, 2021, at 1 p.m.
Working Session: Tuesday, June 29, 2021, 10 a.m.

Please note: Working sessions do not include public comment periods. Public testimony is encouraged via email, video, and live via Zoom at the public hearing on June 28. Learn how to testify.