Boston Council Hears DoIT FY26 Budget Pitch Covering Wi-Fi, Permitting, and Devices

BOSTON — May 1, 2025 — Boston City Council reviews DoIT's FY26 budget, targeting digital equity gaps and permitting overhaul. The Committee on Ways and Means, chaired by Councilor Brian Worrell and joined by members Edward M. Flynn and Sharon Durkan, heard from Chief Information Officer Santiago Garces and Chief Digital Equity Officer Brian Donahue on docket numbers 0822 through 0830 and 0844 — the FY26 budgets for the Department of Innovation and Technology and the Public Educational Governmental Access and Cable Related Fund. A city digital equity survey found that 24 percent of respondents struggled with internet affordability, 25 percent reported slow speeds, and 47 percent wanted digital skills training, with seniors, veterans, and public housing residents faring worst. DoIT reported identifying about 400 redundant city devices through a standardization effort and has begun centralizing Zoom and DocuSign licenses across seven or eight departments to cut costs without new spending. The department is piloting expanded Wicked Free Wi-Fi coverage at Nubian Square and Maverick Square as part of a broader digital equity plan developed with state support.