The Boston City Council’s Committee on Government Operations will hold a hearing on a proposed amendment to the city charter filed by Councilor Lydia Edwards. Councilor Edwards filed the amendment in response to the calls for systemic change in Boston and nationally. Under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapters 43B, section 10, subsection (b), a member of the city council may suggest a charter amendment. The proposal by Councilor Edwards will give Boston residents a choice in what the city’s budgetary process should be and, if approved by voters, would give taxpayers a greater say in how their tax dollars are spent by allowing for an expanded participatory budgetary process. During Thursday’s hearing the council will review the proposal by Councilor Edwards and suggest possible changes to it. Once the ballot question is finalized and approved by the city council it will be reviewed by the Attorney General to determine its constitutionality. If ruled to be constitutional, Boston voters will decide the future of the city’s budget process during the November 2021 municipal election.
The hearing can be viewed by streaming live at boston.gov/city-council-tv, at 10 a.m., on Thursday, August 6.