Boston City Council approves $15.3 million in FY25 budget amendments, passes property tax shift tool

BOSTON -- June 5, 2024, Boston City Council approves FY25 budget with $15.3 million in new investments and advances a property tax relief tool to the state legislature. The council voted 10 to 3 to pass an amended fiscal year 2025 operating budget built on top of Mayor Michelle Wu's original proposal, adding $4.9 million for housing, $4.39 million for college and career readiness, $2.99 million for community safety including $1 million for the Boston Crime Lab, and $3 million for quality-of-life programs. In a separate 8-to-4 vote with one present, the council passed a home rule petition that would allow the city to temporarily shift up to 200 percent of the property tax burden from residential to commercial properties if commercial valuations fall, a move Councillor Sharon Durkan called "our wrench" and opponents including Councillors Edward M. Flynn and Erin J. Murphy warned could accelerate an "urban doom loop" in a downtown already contending with nearly 20 percent office vacancy. Ways and Means Chair Brian Worrell said the amendments were drawn entirely from line items with documented patterns of underspending, noting every top-10 city department saw a year-over-year budget increase. The home rule petition must clear the state legislature before formal sessions close July 31.