Order for a hearing to discuss solutions to historic and disproportionate state disinvestment in the City of Boston. President Flynn in the Chair.
06830683 Council of the Marine and Louisiana offered the following order for a hearing to discuss solutions to historic and disproportionate state disinvestment in the city of Boston. The chair recognizes counsel Braden and counsel Braden. You have the full. Where's my notes? Thank you, Mr. President. I want to extend my appreciation to cancer Louisiana for her willingness to lead on this issue with me. Despite her absence today through this year's budget process, we dug deeper into to get a better understanding not just of the figures and numbers from each individual department, but the Office of Budget Management's narrative analyzing trends in the city's fiscal condition over the span of several years. A couple of weeks ago, I filed orders related to city personnel and the state of the public sector workforce. After reviewing 20 years of staffing level data, revealing some striking trends, only looking at the current year and the past couple of years didn't show the historic trends. The same is the case for Boston's relationship with the state. We have to look at the long view to understand the big picture. Over the past 20 years, the city's net revenue in state aid has been reduced by over 300 million per year or a 70% reduction. Our state aid has been dropping, but but year over year, our state assessments for charter school tuition and the MTA climb exponentially. The result is in our budget, year after year is increased reliance on property taxes for a revenue source. 20 years ago, the property tax accounted for 55% of our revenue. Now, 20 years later, it's expected to reach 75% of our revenue. This relationship is unsustainable for the city and our residents. In 2006, Mayor Menino commissioned the BRT research department to conduct a report called Boston Gives More Than It Gets from the Rest of Massachusetts. It found that we generate more than our fair share of state instead jobs, state tax revenue, state income, corporate excise, and business tax revenue, visitor revenue, and state hotel tax revenue. But we do not get our fair share. It was a problem then, and it is a problem now. We have an opportunity to forge transformative partnerships with our colleagues at the state level. We have a mayor and city council whose policies at times require state approval that move at a glacial pace. We know our home rule petitions take forever. Like the CBA reforms reform bills submitted in 2019, which is still hasn't moved anywhere. If the state is going to pursue targeted scrutiny and oversight of the city of Boston, we should we should assess what is and isn't working from the current relationship for the interests of the city. Looking ahead, I believe we need a more proactive collaboration with this with the Boston delegation members, including those in leadership roles such as the leaders from my district and those chairing committees like Ways and Means at the State House. We also are looking at the possibility of a governor from the city sitting in the corner office in less than a year from now. This the council, the mayor's administration and members of the Boston delegation should be strategizing a game plan for the city to achieve real, tangible results and receive its fair share. To to right the many wrongs that have been done to us over the past several decades. Another swap this hearing order is about. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Counsel Brennan. Would anyone else like to speak on this matter? Would anyone like to add their name, please? Raise your hand, Mr. Kirk. Please add Councilor Royal Councilor Borg. Councilor Coletta called Councilor Maria. Councilor, we are all counsel of clarity. Please add the chair. 20683 will be signed to the Committee on Ways and Means. Mr. Clarke, please read 0684, please.