Boston City Council Refers Mayor's Property Tax Home Rule Petition to Committee

BOSTON — October 25, 2024 — Boston City Council refers Mayor Wu's property tax home rule petition to committee in first-ever remote session. Council President Liz Breadon convened an emergency Zoom meeting Friday, October 25, citing a tight Beacon Hill filing window for a special law regarding property tax classification in the city. All 13 members present voted to authorize the emergency session and referred Docket 1612 to the Committee on Government Operations, chaired by Councillor Gabriela Coletta Zapata. The referral touched off a contentious post-vote discussion over process, with Councillor Edward M. Flynn warning that "the process here seems rushed" and questioning whether the council was acting as "a rubber stamp." Coletta Zapata said a public hearing with resident testimony was always planned. A motion to reconsider the adjournment vote failed 7 to 6, and Breadon closed the meeting with the next full council session set for Wednesday, October 30.