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
Admin & Finance: Budget Overview Presentation (incl. Revenue Overview)	N/A	Monday, April 26, at 10a.m.
Community Working Session: What are Your Questions on the Budget?	Monday, April 26, at 4 p.m.	N/A
Boston Public Schools (BPS): Budget Overview Presentation	N/A	Tuesday, April 27, at 10 a.m.
BPS School Budgets	N/A	Tuesday, April 27, at 2 p.m.
Public Testimony: What are Your Priorities for an Equitable Recovery?	N/A	Wednesday, April 28, at 6 p.m.
Law Department Law Revolving Fund Office of Arts & Culture A&C Revolving Funds Office of Tourism, Sports & Entertainment Tourism Revolving Fund	N/A	Thursday, April 29, at 10 a.m.
Capital Overview Public Facilities Department (PFD)	N/A	Thursday, April 29, at 2 p.m.
Environment Department Environment Revolving Funds Conservation Commission Landmarks	Friday, April 30, at 10 a.m.	Monday, May 10, at 10 a.m.
Boston Police Department BPD Revolving Funds	Friday, April 30, at 10 a.m.	Monday, May 10, at 2 p.m.
BPS Commitment #1 (I): Eliminate Opportunity & Achievement Gaps – Overall Alignment & Wraparound Supports	Tuesday, May 4, at 2 p.m.	Tuesday, May 11, at 10 a.m.
BPS Commitment #1 (II): Eliminate Opportunity & Achievement Gaps – Specialized Academic Supports	Tuesday, May 4, at 2 p.m.	Tuesday, May 11, at 2 p.m.
Boston Centers for Youth & Families BCYF Revolving Fund	Tuesday, May 4, at 2 p.m.	Thursday, May 13, at 10 a.m.
Food Access, Language and Communications Access, Office of Immigrant Advancement, Human Rights Commission, Age Strong Commission	Thursday, May 6, at 10 a.m.	Monday, May 17, at 10 a.m.
BPS Commitment #2: Accelerate Learning	Friday, May 7, at 10 a.m.	Tuesday, May 18, at 10 a.m.
BPS Commitment #3: Amplify All Voices BPS Commitment #4: Expand Opportunity BPS Revolving Funds	Friday, May 7, at 10 a.m.	Tuesday, May 18, at 2 p.m.
Economic Development Boston Equity Fund Women’s Advancement	Friday, May 7, at 10 a.m.	Thursday, May 20, at 10 a.m.
Library	Thursday, May 6, at 10 a.m.	Thursday, May 20, at 2 p.m.
Public Works Department Transportation Department	Friday, May 14, at 10 a.m.	Monday, May 24, at 10 a.m.
Department of Neighborhood Development Office of Fair Housing & Equity	Friday, May 7, at 10 a.m.	Monday, May 24, at 2 p.m.
BPS Commitment #5: Cultivate Trust BPS Commitment #6: Activate Partnerships	Friday, May 14, at 10 a.m.	Tuesday, May 25, at 10 a.m.
BPS Public Testimony	N/A	Tuesday, May 25, at 6 p.m.
Carryover - Boston Police Department	N/A	Wednesday, May 26, at 3 p.m.
Boston Fire Department	Friday, May 14, at 10 a.m.	Thursday, May 27, at 10 a.m.
Boston Emergency Medical Services Boston Public Health Commission (incl. Recovery Services) Office of Health & Human Services	Friday, May 14, at 10 a.m.	Thursday, May 27, at 2 p.m.
Youth Engagement & Employment	Tuesday, May 4, at 2p.m.	Tuesday, June 1, at 2p.m.
Inspectional Services Department	Friday, May 21, at 10 a.m.	Wednesday, June 2, at 10 a.m.
Parks and Recreation Department Parkman Fund	Friday, May 21, at 10 a.m.	Wednesday, June 2, at 2 p.m.
Department of Innovation & Technology PEG Access Fund	Friday, May 21, at 10 a.m.	Thursday, June 3, at 10 a.m.
Public Testimony (All Departments)	N/A	Thursday, June 3, at 6 p.m.
Boston Planning & Development Agency	Friday, May 21, at 10 a.m.	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.