On the message and order, referred on November 17, 2021, Docket #1205, authorizing the City of Boston to accept and expend the amount of Eight Million Dollars ($8,000,000.00) in the form a grant, awarded by the United States Department of the Treasury, to be administered by the City of Boston's Chief Financial Officer/Collector Treasurer. The grant will fund the communities and families most affected by the public health and economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic, the expansion of the fare free transit program, the committee submitted a report recommending the order ought to pass.
Certainly. Docket 1205 message an order authorizing the city of Boston to accept an extended amount of $8 million in the form of agreeing to water by the United States Department of the Treasury to be administered by the city. Boston's chief financial officer slash collector. Treasurer. This the grant will fund the communities and families most affected by the public health and economic impact of COVID 19 pandemic, the expansion of the Fare Free Transit Program. Thank you so much, Madam Clerk. The Chair recognizes Councilor Flaherty, chair of the Boston COVID 19 Recovery Committee. Councilor Flaherty, you have the floor chair. Disaster response is in April 17th, 2021. The committee held a hearing on November 28, 29th, 2021, where public comment was taken. This grant allows the city to accept and expend $8 million under the requirements of ARPA. The grant payment will fund urgent COVID 19 reopening and recovery efforts to address systemic public health and economic challenges that have contributed to the disproportionate impact of the pandemic and will provide direct benefits to Boston's communities hardest hit by the pandemic. The funds from this grant will be used to expand the Fare Free Transit Program on Routes 28, 23 and 29. Route 28 bus serves Mattapan Square through Grove Hall through Nubian Square and connects to Ruggles. Route 23 Bus begins in Dorchester from Peabody Square at Ashmont through Washington Street, Warren Street to Main Square and connects with Ruggles Route 29 Bus Services, Mattapan Square, Ceiba Street, Columbus AV in connection with Jackson Square. After hearing Vineet Gupta on behalf of the Administration, Director of Planning in Boston Transportation Department and KC Brock Wilson, Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Administration Finance level, provided testimony on behalf of the administration, describing the bus routes, reviewed the benefits and operational aspects of the program. Also explained the city estimated over two years of what the potential cost of the expansion of the fare free transit program would be made. Assumptions based on the Route 28 pilot program and its ridership numbers. They also stated that the 8 million allocated will be used to fund the fare free transit program in respective marketing and evaluation efforts of the Fare Free Programs Impact on Boston. During the hearing, several counsels inquired about how these routes were selected, the funding and sustainability of the program, as well as managing people's expectations at the end of the two week two year period, as well as the limitations on ARPA funds, which must be used by the end of December 2024, and whether the city has current plans on funding sources at the end of the appeal funds, as well as from language access standpoint and advertising. And noticing in multiple languages. As part of the line of questioning about funding and sustainability, there were great questions raised about managing people's expectations and making sure that if we were going to staff this program, that folks have an answer for year three. In response, the administration explained the city is starting with a pilot using the ARPA funds to determine the long term cost analysis and that the city will examine a sustainable funding source using outside partners and available subsidies, including infrastructure legislation and the build back better legislation. In summary, passage of this DOC will authorize the use of these funds to expand free fair program for routes 23, 28, 29 in order to serve communities most impacted by the pandemic. This two year investment will assist in reopening and recovery efforts consistent with the goals of ARPA and allow City to measure the benefits of fare free services, including increased ridership, faster bus service, less traffic and business development. And I've said it once. You've heard me say it a thousand times, we're a city that's rich with opportunity. We've got the best colleges, universities in the world. We've got the best hospitals, a network of community health centers. We've got financial services, life sciences, CEOs talking about moving their companies to Boston every single day. The problem we have is connecting folks to those valuable resources in an effort to close those gaps that were widened through COVID. So as chair of Boston's COVID 19 recovery, I recommend that target 1 to 0 five ought to pass. Thank you. Thank you so much, Councilor Flaherty, having launched the free bus pilot, the number 28, I am super excited about this. Councilor Flaherty seeks acceptance of the committee report and passage of docket. Yes. Oh, sure. Before we move on, Councilor Baker would like to speak. Thank you, Madam Chair. It was a good hearing the other day, and I don't discount the the good that this will will have for the citizens along those routes. But as someone that was laid off ten years ago, 11 years ago, actually over million dollars, we have to take seriously what this is going to look like in year three. I personally don't think I'm going to be here for that vote, but we have to really think about do we want to pay $12 million for three, three feet free lines or do we want to lay people off? Because when we go into city budgets with that much money, that's a liability that we have no idea what how we're going to pay it. Because I'll say on the floor here today, the state with its however many members, I think it's 175 in the House of Representatives. We're not going to get a majority to subsidize the city of Boston any further. So with that being said, I plan on voting no today. So in case anybody on Twitter wants to start attacking me, let's get it going. But this is this this needs to be taken for real here. This is city finances. I care about the city operations first. That's our job, to care about the city operation, city finances. First again, year three is going to be a very difficult vote for this party, whoever's sitting here. Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank you so much. Again, Councilor Flaherty seeks acceptance of the committee report. I'm not used to these red lights. I apologize. Last time I was here, it was a zoom. The chair recognizes counsel O'Malley. Counsel O'Malley, you have the floor and I see you, Counselor Campbell. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. And I certainly appreciate all the comments have been said. I rise in full support of this initiative. The benefits to fair, free and expanding the fair free program is not only about moving people around, it's also access. It's also opportunity. It's also fewer cars on our road. It's good for the environment. It's good for public health. It's good for addressing disparities. It's good for helping folks get jobs. The benefits are more than just simply allowing for fair free T on three different bus routes. This is something that we should be exploring. You are seeing more and more cities doing this to her credit. Mayor Rue has been very upfront that this was a key tenant not only of her mayoral campaign, but something she's been working on as a councilor, as a member of this body. I am proud to support it and urge my colleagues to support it as well. Thank you. Thank you so much, Councilor O'Malley. The chair recognizes Councilor Campbell. Councilor Campbell, you have the floor. Thank you. Madam President, I was going to say anything until Frank brought up Twitter attacks, but so I'll just say I stand in full support of this initiative as well. And thank Councilor Flaherty in administration for actually having the hearing and allowing folks to not only ask questions and believe it or not, there were a lot of questions at the hearing, but also for the public to participate. But I can't stress this enough. I was really surprised at the body was willing to pass this with a suspension in a passage, not only given the amount, but most importantly that we're using COVID dollars. And clearly, I will not be here in January. I think really important that when it comes to COVID dollars in particular, that the public have an opportunity to weigh in on how those resources will be used. Many, of course, were in support of this initiative. That makes total sense, given it is an equity initiative, it's an environmental justice issue, and it is an initiative that many support. But at the end of the day, these are precious dollars are once in a lifetime dollars that city of Boston residents will get. These are the people's money. They should have an opportunity to weigh in. So encourage the body to hold at least one hearing before passing these large measures, but look forward to supporting. Thank you so much. Is anyone else looking to speak? Thank you so much. The chair recognizes Councilor Roy. A councilor. Roy, you have the floor. Thank you, Madam President. And I'll be brief, because everybody has essentially said everything. I fully support this. I rise to stand in full support of this. The 28 bus, which was free and this is part of the plan we've seen the success that we got with that in terms of ridership. We know this is an equity issue, but we also know that it works and that public transportation should be treated as a public good, the same way we treat our parks, the same way we treat our libraries. This is something that we should look at funding as something that is more than just a mode of transportation, but actually something that serves the public and is a public good necessity. And so I stand in full support of this, and I look forward to seeing the results of the pilot with the larger window. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you. Closing discussion at this time Council Flaherty Seeks Acceptance of the Committee Report Passage of Docket 12 zero five. Madam Cook, I'm. And ask you to call the roll, please. Thank you. Docket number one to oh five. Councilor Arroyo. Yes. Councilor Arroyo. Yes. Councilor Baker. Councilor Baker. No. Councilor. Yes. Slovakia's Councilor Brady. Councilor Braden. Yes. Councilor Campbell. Councilor Campbell. Yes. Councilor Edwards. Councilor Edwards. Yes. Councilor Sabby. George. Culture savvy. Georgie is counsel clarity. Counsel clarity as counsel of Flynn. Counsel Flynn yes. Counselor Janie. Yes, counselor Janie. Yes, counselor. Me here? Yes. Counsel. I'm here. Yes. Councilor Murphy. Councilor Murphy. Yes. And Councilor O'Malley. We have 12 votes, an affirmative. Thank you so much. Dark at 12 zero five has been passed. Before we move on in the agenda, Madam Clerk, if you could please update the attendance report to reflect that Councilor Edwards is, in fact present. Great. Madam Clerk, when you are ready, if you could please read Docket 1166 into the record.