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BOSTON
- Wednesday, April 12, 2023 - Mayor Michelle Wu today proposed her
administration’s proposed operating budget and capital plan for the next
fiscal year. The proposal combines new initiatives and deeper investments
in existing services to make Boston the best place in the country to raise
a family and better serve residents of all generations.
The
First for Families Budget includes a proposed Fiscal Year 2024 Operating
Budget of $4.28 billion funds all City services, including schools,
libraries, public safety, housing supports, parks, senior centers, and
street cleaning. It also includes pay and benefits for the City’s 19,000
person workforce.
The
Fiscal Years 2024-2028 Capital Plan proposal of $4.2 billion funds the
City’s infrastructure investments, including $58 million to improve public
ways and public transit, $374 million for school construction and
renovation, and landmark investments throughout Boston including a new pool
in Charlestown; new libraries in Codman Square, Fields Corner, and Egleston
Square; and new community centers in Grove Hall, the North End, Allston,
Mission Hill, and Hyde Park.
These
investments in Boston families build upon last year’s announcement of $350
million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds
that the City channeled into new housing construction and homeownership
programs, support for neighborhood businesses and downtown revitalization,
adding more affordable child care seats, clean energy and climate
initiatives, and mental health programs.
“Building
on our commitment to make Boston the best place in the country to raise a
family, this proposal invests in our communities and community centers—in
the infrastructure, spaces, programs, and services that support our people and
keep our City running,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “These investments
combine new initiatives and expanded services to better serve residents of
all generations.”
Mayor
Wu also announced that Boston has received a AAA bond rating from both
rating agencies, Moody's and S&P Global, for the ninth year in a row.
These ratings are a recognition of the City’s strong fiscal management
through the pandemic and recovery. The ratings will allow the City to
secure the most favorable rates for infrastructure investments to support
equity, affordability, and resiliency in every neighborhood.
“Mayor
Wu’s proposed budget builds on the City’s critical efforts to deliver for
residents across all of Boston’s neighborhoods while maintaining the fiscal
responsibility that has positioned Boston as a national model in financial
management,” said Ashley Groffenberger, Chief Financial Officer.
“With the City receiving a AAA bond for the ninth year in a row, the
administration is taking a coordinated and fiscally responsible approach to
the operating budget, capital plan, and federal ARPA funds that will
strengthen the City services and infrastructure serving our residents now
and in the future.”
The
proposed operating budget and capital plan make investments across four key
areas to create new opportunities for residents of all ages; build safer,
healthier communities; fund critical improvements to clean, resilient
infrastructure; and continue delivering exceptional constituent services.
Creating intergenerational opportunity
·
$374
million for school buildings and $9.6 million to support students with
special needs across Boston Public Schools
·
$4
million in new Universal Pre-K funding to add over 350 new seats for three
and four year olds
·
$43
million for new libraries in Fields Corner, Egleston Square, and Codman
Square and $750,000 to expand weekly and Saturday hours at Boston Public Library branches
·
$178
million in new capital funding for constructing and renovating BCYF
Community Centers in Grove Hall, the North End, Allston, Mission Hill, and
Hyde Park and Clougherty Pool renovations in Charlestown
·
An
unprecedented $18 million investment in youth jobs, the largest in Boston’s history
·
$500,000
for youth swim lessons
·
$250,000
for senior care workforce development
·
$900,000
for additional programming for older residents at community centers
·
$500,000
to train Boston residents from traditionally underrepresented communities
for careers in the growing life sciences industry
Ensuring public health and community safety
·
$1.2
million in violence prevention programming and public safety staffing at Boston Housing Authority sites
·
$582,000
for the Youth Connect Program at the Boston Police Department, investing in
culturally responsive & trauma-informed mental health services for
high-risk youth
·
$3.3
million to run critical low threshold housing sites
·
$28
million in new funding for firehouses and equipment, and additional
Emergency Medical Services staff to maintain response times across Boston
·
$30
million in new funding to redesign streets with a focus on safety
Supporting a green and growing City
·
$50
million to upgrade systems at the Boston Housing Authority by ending the
use of fossil fuels and create healthier and more comfortable homes
·
$5
million investment to expand the City’s voucher, rental relief, and
accessory dwelling unit programs
·
$750,000
to add trees and green infrastructure to support replacing paved surfaces
with plantings
·
Funding
to support $5 Bluebikes passes for 10,000 residents and $1.4 million to
introduce electric Bluebikes to the system
·
$84
million in new capital funding for the creation, reconstruction, and
maintenance of City parks
·
$58
million in new capital funds for public transit, sidewalk improvements, and
City infrastructure that supports walking and biking
·
Additional
staffing capacity for the City's Office of Supplier Diversity to support
businesses owned by women and people of color in accessing City contracts,
supplementing a $9 million investment from federal recovery funds focused
on the growth of these businesses
Delivering exceptional City services
·
$6
million to upgrade Boston 311 and provide a higher level of service to every resident
·
Expanded
staffing across core constituent service departments like the City Registry
and Inspectional Services
·
Increased
language access support for the Disabilities Commission and Office of
Emergency Management
·
Investments
in simplifying the event permitting process so residents can more easily
stay connected through events in their neighborhoods
·
$500,000
investment in career pipelines for residents by adding two City Academy tracks for bus driver and wastewater
management certification as a pathway toward a career with the City
·
$147
million to keep Boston’s bridges, stairs, and walking paths in a state of
good repair
·
$94
million in capital funding for central facilities, including City Hall and
City Hall Plaza
·
$1.5
million to increase capacity at Property Management, conduct a facilities
assessment, and implement an asset management system
The
proposed operating budget and capital plan were formally filed with the
City Council on Monday.
For
more information about the proposals visit http://budget.boston.gov/.
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