波士頓市長吳弭上任3年新聘301人 1/3 年薪逾10萬元

               (Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 在再次爭取立法為屋主減稅，同時提出刪減預算作為替代方案之際，透露她在第一個市長任期的四年內，增設了301個波士頓市政府工作職位，其中三分之一薪資超過10萬元

在1月14日發給波士頓市議會的一封信中，吳弭表示，那些在她從2021年末就任的3年多來所新設職位，平均薪資為8萬4781元。

波士頓前鋒報 (Boston Herald)指出，這些人的薪資總額達到2760萬元，在波士頓市的46億元年度預算中佔0.6%。該年度預算和前一個會計年度相比，增長了8%。

吳弭在信中表示，那些職位代表市府的重要投資，是經市府制定預算流程，小心分析過的，而且為市民所仰賴的核心關鍵營運及服務上，帶來關鍵改善。她還補充說，尤其是2022和2023年中，市府行政和市議會為從新冠病毒疫情恢復，在必要的 人員配備上積極投資。

這些數據是波士頓市長吳弭在回應波士頓市議員Erin Murphy所提出的”17F 要求”時提供的。

”17F 要求” 是市議員擁有的一種工具，一旦市議會通過，市長必須在一週之後提供市議員所要求的資訊。

Erin Murphy是在10月23日，大約85天之前，第一提出資訊要求，在市議員愛德華費林 (Ed Flynn)威脅道，市議會將要求週三中午的例行會議延遲召開，直到吳市長堤共文件給議員們為止，以及謠傳Erin Murphy打算本周落實該威脅之中，1月14日，吳弭市長提供了資訊。

在這301個新職位中，有112個和135個是在吳弭就任市長後，依序於2022年和2023年設立的。其餘的54個質為是在2024年1月至11月新增的。

這些新職位不包括波士頓公校、波士頓水務和下水道局 (Boston Water and Sewer Commission) 等半官方組織的職位。吳弭表示，那些機構有分開的預算，由另外的人事管理系統負責。

根據吳弭辦公室所整理的資料，這些新職位中有97個是以超過10萬元年薪聘用的市府員工職位。其中最高薪的是人民營運長 (office of people operations chief) 的19萬4300元。

波士頓市議員Erun Murphy還把矛頭指向，吳弭政府新增職位大都為”令人困擾”的高薪，高階及中階管理職位，起薪超過8萬元，許多超過10萬元。

Erin Murphy說，增加管理階層可能造成官僚體系擁腫，卻未帶給市民切實利益的危險。在居民面對更高稅賦，上漲的生活開銷之際，大家必須優先考慮勒緊腰帶，確保花的每一塊錢都直接服務社區。

吳弭說，波士頓市的薪水冊在2022年和2023年，依序上漲了1.4$% 和1.7%，大部分的員工增長，都在基本的市府服務上，有67人，社區中心及圖書館等人民服務部分，40個，以及公，39個，另外還在警察局和消防局之外，增加了接聽311和911電話的職位。

許多新職位是由市議會設計，特別要求，經由預算修訂，或條例而設立的，還經過預算過程，由市議員們通過了的。

吳弭指出，例如語言和通訊辦公室，黑人男子進步辦公室，就是經由條例設立的，有著年薪8萬到10萬的薪資。

吳弭還指出，給11歲以上市民控制一部分預算流向的參與預算辦公室也是。那是經由選票倡議所設立的辦公室，友好幾個年薪6位數的職位。 

波士頓精神號遊艇2月14、15日辦情人晚餐遊

            (Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓港城游輪 （BHCC） 將在情人節週末的2月14、15兩日，推出長3小時的「波士頓精神號 (Spirit of Boston) 」情人節特色晚餐遊，把波士頓天際魔力帶給佳偶、朋友及情人。

              「波士頓精神號」郵輪從麻州港 ( Commonwealth Pier)出發，向左開往世貿中心，搭乘者可在晚上6點起，帶上情人、閨密登船，整整3小時的沿途欣賞海景，以及美國憲法號，Zakim橋等令人屏息的美麗海景，在現場音樂伴奏中悠閒享用名廚準備的大餐，翩翩起舞，玩遊戲的度過甜蜜一晚。

              查詢細節可上網: www.cityexperiences.com/Boston.

DPU Creates Division of Clean Energy and Resilience Engineering

 DPU Creates Division of Clean Energy and Resilience Engineering

The new division will enhance the DPU’s role in ensuring a safe and reliable clean energy transition

 
BOSTON — The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) today announced a new division to coordinate integrated energy planning. This is a crucial component of the state’s clean energy transition that directs energy to areas where they are needed the most. The Clean Energy and Resilience Engineering (CERE) Division will focus on Massachusetts’ shift away from natural gas to electric alternatives and evaluate plans for grid resilience, reinforcing the state’s decarbonization goals.

Massachusetts joins several states that have established a specific division dedicated to ensuring grid resilience and reliability while also promoting affordable clean energy resources as alternatives to fossil fuel infrastructure.  

The CERE Division will be led by its new director, Brian Ritzinger, who has over 26 years of experience. He previously served as Lead Engineer in the Electric Power Division and technical advisor to the Distributed Generation and Clean Energy Ombudsperson Office at the DPU. Ritzinger brings extensive knowledge of the dynamics of the current electrical system, having served as the key lead in preparing and responding to emergency events, major service disruptions, and maintaining grid cybersecurity. Ritzinger also comes to the position with expertise in the opportunities and challenges of the rapidly evolving energy sector and will lead a team of engineers focused on energy resilience planning, grid modernization, and the integration of clean energy resources on the grid. 

“The energy sector in Massachusetts is evolving,” said Chair James Van Nostrand. “Our new CERE Division guarantees we can successfully execute both the day-to-day work for system reliability and the important policy planning to prepare for the transformation of our electric grid.”  

“Engineering expertise is critical to plan our transition away from fossil fuels,” said Commissioner Cecile Fraser. “The CERE Division will play a key role in the Commonwealth’s clean energy transition while ensuring the grid is operating safely and reliably while maintaining a cost-effective approach.” 

“We’re focused on increasing resiliency while maintaining an equitable clean energy transition,” said Commissioner Staci Rubin. “The CERE Division will guide the joint efforts between the electric and gas utilities as we work towards the commitment of utilizing clean energy options.”  

The energy landscape in Massachusetts is shifting away from fossil fuels under the DPU’s direction. In the winter of 2023, the DPU issued a groundbreaking order in the Future of Gas docket (#20-80) that set a new regulatory strategy guiding the evolution of the natural gas distribution industry to clean energy. Two key components of this strategy will be handled by the CERE Division: the evaluation of non-gas pipeline alternatives and integrated energy planning. Gas companies operating in Massachusetts must consider viable alternatives to installing new natural gas infrastructure in the state, which includes an array of electrification options. Integrated energy planning involves coordination between the state’s electric and gas utilities to evaluate opportunities for communities that rely on natural gas to be converted to electric options, such as replacing gas boilers and furnaces with heat pumps or converting to networked geothermal technology. As required by the order in docket 20-80, the state’s six gas utilities must propose at least one project in their service area that will replace natural gas heating with targeted electrification. The gas utilities must file these decommissioning plans by March 2026.  

Additionally, the CERE Division will also oversee the planning and approval of electric grid investments that improve resilience. The Electric Sector Modernization Plans (ESMPs) require the state’s electric utilities—Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil— to plan investments that improve grid resilience and prepare for future climate-driven impacts on their systems. The DPU approved the ESMPs last summer as strategic roadmaps to accelerate the state’s ability to decarbonize safely, equitably, and efficiently while maintaining lowest possible costs to consumers. The new Division will be involved in evaluating these resiliency investments as the electric utilities develop their plans further and engage in discussions with regional and federal officials to maintain a safe, reliable and affordable electric grid.  

The CERE Division will continue to monitor and respond to emergency events and major service disruptions including storm events, as well as investigate these events for safety. 

波士頓房東會和小業主協會共商團結力量大 下場講座邀億萬富翁出馬

波士頓房東協會創辦人潘樹仁(左二)主持會議。(房東會提供)

            (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導）波士頓房東協會（Boston Landlord Association，簡稱BLA）1月11日晚在網上聚會，邀請小業主協會（Small Property Owner Association，簡稱 SPOA）會長Alison Drescher、副會長Amir Shahsavari和中城地產公司創辦人潘樹仁與談「展望2025房地產，回顧2024」。

              Alison Drescher和Amir Shahsavari兩人闡述了SPOA在過去一年中成功打倒了一次租金限制倡議，提出稅賦轉移建議等成就，但房東們仍面對著許多挑戰，包括麻州政策一向對房客友善，很難驅逐房客，房東們無力有效篩檢房客，以及這些政策造成的經濟後果，政府給房東的支持相對很少，物業稅、保險費高漲，財務負擔越來越重等。

              他們說，政府的許多政策都影響了房屋市場，嚇阻了建房屋計畫的投資等。

              他們也談到波士頓市內的交通問題，包括自行車專用道政策對社區的影響等。

他們倆人強調，房東們必須更加團結，加入組織，擴大SOPA等會員人數，才能讓政府也聽到房東的聲音。他們還希望推動政府制定更為激進的法案，包括反佔屋法案 (anti-squatting bill)，讓房東取得律師辯護的權力，以及「租戶購買機會法案 (TOPA)」以自願形式實施等。他們強調必須平衡房東和房客關係，以及物業主參與立法流程的重要性。

波士頓房東會創辦人潘樹仁當天簡報了該會過去一年來，除了2月份辦的是農曆新年慶祝活動之外，每月辦的講座，講題包括「購買投資房地產」，「麻州驅逐流程」，「如何處理出租押金」，「房地產委員會訴訟案可望撼動房地產市場」，「根據分區和使用規定創建額外的利潤中心並最大限度地利用您的財產的想法」，「麻州房地產委員會2024年新規定」，「節稅退出策略：房東和房地產經紀人需要了解的內容」，「在麻州出租公寓時房東不能忽視的重要問題」，「房地產創新-每個人都該知道的新興科技」，「鏟雪和房東責任」，「南車站塔樓- 新發展」，

當晚的與會者包括律師張宣業，麻州亞裔餐飲協會會長鄺炎彬等人。

波士頓房東會創辦人潘樹仁在會末透露，億萬富豪Anwar Faisal已同意將在今年出席該會，擔任講座主講人。 (更新版)

AAJC Joins Civil Rights Groups to Express Concerns with Changes to Meta’s Hateful Content Policy

 Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC Joins Civil Rights Groups to Express Concerns with Changes to Meta’s Hateful Content Policy  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC (Advancing Justice – AAJC) today announced that it has joined fellow civil rights groups to share a letter outlining their concerns with Meta’s recently announced content moderation changes. Changes include ending their fact-checking program, the introduction of community notes and the weakening of its hate speech policy.  

 

Although the signed civil rights organizations have been convened by Meta for years to advise on how the company’s policies impact marginalized communities, they were not consulted by Meta ahead of the policy revisions. The letter details how these new policies open Meta’s platforms up to an increase of anti-immigrant, racist, anti-LGBTQ+ and ableist content. They also allow for the perpetuation of stigma and prejudice against marginalized groups, opening them up to even more targeting, dehumanization and offline violence. 

 

The letter also expresses concern with Meta’s move to replace fact-checking with a community notes system as a means to circumvent censorship. The signed groups emphasize that fact-checking is not censorship, and the contextual labeling of posts serves to foster, not hinder, speech and debate. Under the new rules, and without built-in guidelines for ensuring reliability and accuracy, Meta’s platforms are at risk of perpetuating misinformation to the very users they serve. 

 

Advancing Justice – AAJC and the signed groups offer Meta their continued expertise to better reaffirm true free speech without making our communities more vulnerable to targeted harm. The full letter can be read here. 

吳弭市長今慶40歲 昨日誕下一女Mira

吳弭市長帶著新生女兒Mira回家。
(吳弭在Instagram上分享的照片)

          (Boston Orange 綜合報導) 今天 (1月14日) 慶祝40歲生日的波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) ，在13日的下午2點，誕下第3個小孩，8磅4盎司重，20英吋長的女孩Mira，成為波士頓市史上首位，也是全美各地少有的，在位期間生小孩的市長。

          這名女嬰，取名Mira Wu Pewarski，算是為她的吳姓家族留下傳承。

                波士頓市長辦公室在今早 (1月14日) 7點多發出的一份聲明中表示，”市長向護士、醫生及醫護人員表達最深的感謝，是他們讓她家的這事成為可能，也是他們每天工作支持了全市的許多家庭”。

吳弭的丈夫Conor Pewarski 在Instagram上分享的女兒Mira照片。

                 在週二早上發給支持者的電郵中，吳弭市長的丈夫 Conor Pewarski表示，在吳弭生日的前一天，他們家迎來Mira。他還分享了一張Mira的相片，以及幾張2個兒子Blaise和 Cass抱著Mira的相片。

                波士頓環球報稱，儘管吳弭在市政府任職期間，曾成功地為波士頓市府員工爭取到育嬰假及家事假，卻曾在去年表示自己有意競選連任，不打算請育嬰假。

               吳弭是波士頓市當選市長的第一位女性，有色人種及母親，親身經歷著如何兼顧繁忙公務與養兒育女的辛勞。她是在擔任波士頓市議員期間誕下2個兒子，她還從自己20歲出頭時就開始照顧母親及年幼弟妹，而且由於她母親的精神病狀態，成為最小妹妹的監護人。

             吳弭的親身經歷，促使她推動許多公共政策，包括擴大托兒照顧，制定育嬰假，處理波士頓公校長期面對的挑戰，並且為打工家長及家庭提供更多支持。 (更新版)

Please see below a statement attributable to a City spokesperson:

 

BOSTON - Tuesday, January 14, 2025 - The following statement is attributable to a City spokesperson: "Yesterday at 2pm, Mayor Wu and her husband Conor welcomed Baby Mira Wu Pewarski—arriving at 8lbs, 4oz and 20 inches—to their family and to Boston. Mom and baby are in good health, and the Mayor is in touch with her senior staff.   "Mayor Wu wishes to express her deepest gratitude to the nurses, doctors, and healthcare staff who made this possible for her family and who work everyday to support so many families across the city."

Healey宣佈投資80億元穩定MBTA財務

Governor Healey Releases Plan for Historic, $8 Billion Transportation Investment to Improve Roads, Bridges, Regional Transit and Immediately Stabilize MBTA Finances  

Plan does not rely on any new taxes; Governor will propose $300 million in Chapter 90 funding, a 50 percent increase for municipal roads, bridges and infrastructure 

WORCESTER – Today, Governor Maura Healey announced a plan to make historic investments in the state’s roads, bridges and regional transportation system and immediately stabilize the finances of the MBTA, putting it on a path of long-term stability. The investments – representing $8 billion over the next 10 years – would be done without raising taxes and represent the largest state transportation investment in more than 20 years by maximizing Fair Share revenue and other existing resources. 

The plan will be filed as legislation in the coming weeks as part of the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget proposal and an accompanying supplemental budget. It puts into action many of the recommendations made by the Transportation Funding Task Force, which delivered its final report to the Governor outlining multiple steps for stabilizing and enhancing transportation while setting the stage for ongoing discussion about how best to finance transformative investments in transportation into the future.  

“This historic transportation proposal represents smart, forward-thinking fiscal management, and it will have an impact on people in all regions of our state,” said Governor Healey. “We’re going to invest billions of dollars to deliver better roads, less traffic, safer bridges and a transit system that works in every region. We’ll close the MBTA’s budget gap, improving service and upgrading stations, and we’ll move forward on regional projects like West-East Rail. And we’ll do this all without raising taxes. I’m grateful for the insights of the Transportation Funding Task Force, which shaped this proposal, and for the strong leadership of Secretary Tibbits-Nutt and Gorzkowicz.” 

“This plan will not only stabilize the finances of the MBTA but also dedicate new and critical resources to our Regional Transit Authorities and municipalities, accelerate our efforts to repair crumbling bridges, fix our culverts and advance important projects throughout the state,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Our administration knows the role a safe, reliable and efficient transportation system plays in the future of Massachusetts and this plan represents a gigantic step forward.” 

The Healey-Driscoll Administration is maximizing existing Fair Share Funds through an innovative funding mechanism and strong fiscal management. The proposal would: 

· Immediately direct $857 million in surplus Fair Share revenue from FY24 to public transportation. 

· Dedicate $765 million in Fair Share resources from FY26 to the Commonwealth Transportation Fund, building on an innovative strategy developed by the Healey-Driscoll administration to maximize Fair Share through borrowing to yield $5 billion over the next 10 years for capital investment bonds in rail, roads, bridges, Regional Transit Authorities and culverts.  

· More than double support for the MBTA’s operating budget to $687 million in FY26 and immediately address the agency’s budget shortfall, putting the MBTA on a path of long-term stability. This increase comes after the Governor’s doubled the operating budget to $314 million in FY25. 

As part of this capital expansion, Governor Healey intends to file a multi-year Chapter 90 bill later this month that will grow the size of the funding pool directed to cities and towns to $300 million per year for five years, the highest amount in the history of funding for local roads and sidewalks. This additional $100 million annual investment represents a 50 percent increase to support the repair of municipal roads, bridges and infrastructure.  

The combined impact of the Governor’s House 1 budget proposal for FY26 and the supplemental budget to spend surplus Fair Share revenue from FY24 will achieve a 50 percent-50 percent split between Fair Share resources dedicated to transportation and education since enacted of the voter-approved surtax. This was one of the key recommendations included in the Transportation Funding Task Force report. 

Among the improvements that this funding will allow include: 

· $1.4 billion in investments at the MBTA for new commuter rail coaches, Red and Orange Line cars, station accessibility and resilience, track improvements and power system resiliency.  

· $2.5 billion for road and bridge repairs across the state through MassDOT, with money set aside for culverts, small bridge repairs and safety and congestion hot spots.  

· Close the funding gap for the Allston I-90 Multimodal Project  

· Allow for projects advancing West-East Rail to continue to move forward, including capacity improvements near Pittsfield, trackwork and accessibility improvements in Springfield, and station planning in Palmer.  

“Governor Healey and Lt. Governor Driscoll have stressed that transportation systems must work if we want our communities to thrive, and the announcements today further the state's vision to improve infrastructure by recommending significant financing initiatives for the short and long-term,” said Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “With the Governor's plan, we are taking very actionable steps to increase the use of Fair Share revenue, offer municipalities more money through the Chapter 90 program, double support for the MBTA's operating budget, and expand microtransit services.”  

“This plan builds upon the success we have already achieved by leveraging Fair Share dollars through the Commonwealth Transportation Fund to invest in FY25 in critical infrastructure and puts the work of the Transportation Funding Task Force into immediate action. By borrowing against Fair Share revenue, we have devised an innovative strategy that will allow us to not only continue to invest in key projects and infrastructure, but also solve the MBTA’s funding crisis not just for this year but years into the future,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. “I’m grateful to Governor Healey, Lieutenant Governor Driscoll and members of the task force for their support and guidance as we crafted this proposal that will make historic investments in the foundation of our transportation infrastructure.” 

“On behalf of the MBTA, I thank the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their visionary leadership and commitment to strengthening public transportation across Boston and the entire Commonwealth,” said General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “This solution-oriented approach is leading to a historic investment and will provide critical support to the MBTA, including our operating capacity, improving service, and ensuring a more sustainable, reliable transit system for all riders. As we move forward, I am committed to ensuring that we remain focused on the needs and expectations of the public we serve. We're going to make the best use of the public's dollars by building a more efficient and capable workforce, and delivering meaningful projects and services that improve the transit experience for everyone.” 

After covering $100 million in debt service on new borrowing, the FY26 budget will propose to invest: 

· $687 million to stabilize MBTA operations, including $500 million from Fair Share to to fund programs such as the MBTA Workforce Academy, low-income fares and water transportation programs  

· $110 million for Regional Transit Authorities​, including $66 million for formula-based transit improvements, $30 million for Fare Free service and $10 million to facilitate interconnectivity between RTAs​ 

· $55 million for MassDOT operations​, including workforce investments​ and enhanced capital project delivery​ 

The surplus Fair Share supplemental budget to be filed by Governor Healey will propose to invest $857 million of the $1.3 billion surplus available for spending in transportation, including: 

· $400 million to address workforce and safety initiatives identified as necessary by the Federal Transit Authority 

· $300 million to replenish MBTA reserves 

· $25 million for a Winter Resilience Assistance Program for municipalities 

· $25 million for RTA workforce recruitment and retention 

· $10 million for microtransit 

The multi-pronged financing plan leans on Fair Share, which has performed exceedingly well as a revenue source for Massachusetts. In FY24, the state collected $2.46 billion from the surtax, nearly $1.5 billion above what had been budgeted. 

The financing plan also calls for using $170 million available from the administration’s pool of federal matching funds to retire the MBTA’s legacy debt ($89 million), freeing up operating capacity at the agency. These matching funds will also continue to support the administration’s strategy of aggressively pursuing federal funding, with matching dollars committed to the Green Line Central Tunnel project as well as local technical assistance and local project matches. 

Lastly, the administration plans to use $1.2 billion in Grant Anticipation Notes (GANs) to borrow against future federal highway grants to finance priority Highway Division projects statewide. 

The financing plan was heavily informed by the work of the Transportation Funding Task Force, which was created by Governor Healey through executive order last January. The Task Force spent the past year reviewing current and projected revenue sources, comparing those sources to benchmarks and trends in peer and neighboring states and exploring innovative financing approaches and alternative pricing mechanisms. 

The Task Force developed a framework focused first on stabilizing the transportation system’s finances and addressing critical infrastructure repair needs. Additional recommendations looked at how to Enhance and Transform the system. 

Some of the recommendations included: 

· Allocating half of Fair Share revenues to transportation over time 

· Expanding capital capacity for transportation by dedicating a significant portion of Fair Share revenue to the CTF 

· Using Fair Share to stabilize public transportation agency operations 

· Maintaining predictable and stable funding for investments in Regional Transit Authorities and microtransit providers 

Increasing investment in the Chapter 90 local roads programs by at least 50 percent to improve local transportation infrastructure condition 

MAYOR MICHELLE WU REFILES RESIDENTIAL TAX RELIEF LEGISLATION WITH UPDATED PROVISIONS TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE RELIEF FOR RESIDENTS AND STABILIZE TAXES FOR ALL TAXPAYERS

MAYOR MICHELLE WU REFILES RESIDENTIAL TAX RELIEF LEGISLATION WITH UPDATED PROVISIONS TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE RELIEF FOR RESIDENTS AND STABILIZE TAXES FOR ALL TAXPAYERS Updated tax proposal expands on Mayor Wu’s relief package that passed the City Council and House of Representatives last year

BOSTON - Monday, January 13, 2025 - Mayor Michelle Wu today introduced an expanded residential tax relief package aimed at providing financial assistance to Boston residents impacted by sharp increases in their Fiscal Year 2025 third-quarter property tax bills that were sent out on January 1st. The refiled home rule petition will help Boston’s residents as their property tax bills have increased due to national economic trends that led to the single largest jump in the residential share of the property tax levy since 2007, while commercial taxpayers saw a significant drop. The legislation would provide immediate relief for residents with the same measures agreed upon by business groups through compromise legislation after months of negotiation last year, and includes provisions to provide for residential tax rebates if the tax rate is not adjusted, and increased exemptions to support small businesses and seniors.  “For too many residents, this sharp tax spike is a burden that makes it even harder to pay bills and afford to stay in the city they call home,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I urge legislators and all stakeholders that held up the passage of our negotiated compromise to look carefully at the serious impact on Boston residents and join us in delivering the balanced relief our community needs.” Last year, Mayor Wu negotiated compromise legislation with business leaders that further amended the tax relief home rule petition that had already been passed by the Boston City Council and the House of Representatives. Although this compromise legislation received a second round of approvals through the Council and House, it never received a vote before the State Senate after a single Senator used a procedural block three times during informal session last month. In ending session without a vote on the legislation, members of the Senate and business groups walked away from the agreed upon compromise legislation that had been advanced a second time through the Council and House at their direction, suggesting that the City of Boston’s final property valuation numbers were not as dire as the worst case scenarios outlined, so residents should absorb the impending tax increases. Since then, residents across Boston have received their Fiscal Year 2025 third quarter tax bills, reflecting very significant increases. The taxes for the average single family home receiving a residential exemption increased 10.4%, which is nearly $575 for the year and a 21% bill-to-bill increase. When expanded to include additional residential property types—not only single family homes but also duplexes, condos, and standalone apartments without commercial components—average annual taxes increased 14.9%, around $833 for the year, or a 30% bill-to-bill jump. These averages mask the variation across different neighborhoods and properties, and it has been widely documented that many residential taxpayers received a significantly higher increase due to a combination of regular market value changes and the added impact of the commercial tax responsibility shift that the administration sought to avoid through legislation. While individual value changes vary by neighborhood and individual property, the overall shift of commercial responsibility increases the burden on residents across all residential property types and neighborhoods.  Overall data analysis shows that more than 55% of all residential property owners received a bill with an annual increase greater than 9% (or quarter-to-quarter bill jump of more than 18%). Had Mayor Wu’s compromise legislation been approved by the State Senate last month, this would have been reduced to 21.5% of residential properties with such a significant increase. With these January bills, the average commercial property received a 3.4% reduction in taxes—about $7,745 less than the previous year. For office buildings, the tax decrease was even larger: a 7% drop. Now that the scale of tax increases is documented and clear, this refiled home rule petition proposes to provide immediate needed relief to residential taxpayers this year through the same compromise tax rate agreed upon after months of negotiations and legislative process, as well as adopting the multiyear rates agreed upon for tax stability over the next two years. Additionally, this legislation has been updated to include new provisions that address specific concerns raised through that legislative process. In sum, this new legislation:  Sets the FY25 tax rate to levels which were agreed upon by business groups and previously voted on by the Boston City Council and House of Representatives. This would allow for relief by adjusting the final quarterly property tax bill for the fiscal year in April 2025. The legislation would need to be passed by March 2025 in order to operationalize this measure. Establishes tax classification levels between residential and commercial property in Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027, consistent with the levels that were previously agreed to in the October 2024 compromise legislation, in order to provide future stability for residential and commercial taxpayers through this period of economic transition. As included in earlier compromise legislation, gives the City the authority to appropriate up to $15 million for any years that the commercial portion of the levy is greater than the amount currently allowed to offset potential impacts on small businesses due to the shift. Expands property tax relief for low-income seniors by modifying the eligibility criteria for the 41C senior tax relief program, as well as increasing the amount of the exemption. These changes will modernize the dated criteria which has shrunk the pool of eligible applicants in recent years and will provide much needed financial assistance to a group of residents most impacted by property tax increases.  As included in earlier compromise legislation, increases the exemption for small businesses on personal property to $30,000 so any neighborhood business with less than that amount in personal property would not be taxed. This increase would expand the number of small businesses across Boston exempt from personal property tax under this exemption provision from approximately 2,500 to 5,000.  In the event the tax rate for Fiscal Year 2025 does not change as outlined above, gives the City of Boston the legal authority to issue some degree of residential tax rebates from surplus funds. The amount of money and the rebate shall be determined by the City of Boston and will be subject to an appropriation reviewed and approved by the Council.  Earlier this month, the City developed a tax calculator so residents can see how much they would have saved if the earlier compromise legislation were in effect. The tax calculator can be found here: boston.gov/tax-calculator. Mayor Wu has focused on making Boston more affordable for all residents since she assumed office. The Wu administration has created more affordable housing than in a generation, ensured more families become homeowners than ever before, implemented policies to reduce home energy costs over time, doubled the number of universal pre-K classrooms to serve nearly 1,550 3- and 4- year olds, boosted public transit ridership on free bus routes, and opened the doors of many of the city’s cultural institutions at no cost through Boston Family Days.  Mayor Wu’s residential tax relief package, which is part of her affordability agenda, now goes to the Boston City Council for approval before heading to the State House for legislative consideration