Government Operations on October 28, 2026
2026-10-28

[0:52] THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION.
[0:53] UM.
[0:53] UH, I'M I'M HAPPY TO DO.
[0:56] I'VE BEEN GRATEFUL FOR THE, UH.
[1:00] UM, ONE OF THE SERVICES FOR
[1:03] YOUR HERE.
[1:04] THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO STAYED
[1:06] IN THAT, UM.
[1:23] OKAY.
[1:23] UM, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET
[1:24] STARTED SOON.
[1:25] AS I SAID, MY NAME IS.
[1:26] THE COUNSELOR AND I'M THE CHAIR
[1:28] OF BOTH CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE
[1:29] ON GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS.
[1:30] TODAY IS OCTOBER 8TH, 2026 AND
[1:33] THE EXACT TIME IS 1001 AND
[1:35] ACCORDINGLY IN ACCORDANCE WITH
[1:37] CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACTS OF 2025
[1:39] MODIFYING CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS
[1:40] OF THE OPEN MEETING LAWS AND
[1:42] RELIEVING PUBLIC BODIES
[1:42] OF CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS
[1:44] INCLUDING THE REQUIREMENT THAT
[1:45] PUBLIC BODIES CONDUCT ITS
[1:46] MEETING IN A PUBLIC PLACE THAT
[1:47] IS OPEN AND PHYSICALLY
[1:48] ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC.
[1:50] THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE
[1:51] CONDUCTING THIS HEARING
[1:52] VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM.
[1:53] THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED
[1:55] .
[1:55] IT IS ALSO BEING LIVE
[1:57] STREAMED@BOSTON.GOV.
[1:58] FORWARD SLASH CITY COUNCIL DASH
[2:01] TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY
[2:03] CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82
[2:05] AND FIVE CHANNEL 964.
[2:08] WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO
[2:10] THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT SIX
[2:14] GEO@BOSTON.GOV AND WILL BE MADE
[2:16] PART OF THE RECORD AND
[2:17] AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS.
[2:19] PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN
[2:21] AT THE END OF THIS HEARING.
[2:23] INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON
[2:24] IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
[2:25] SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE TWO
[2:26] MINUTES TO TESTIFY.
[2:27] IF YOU WISH TO SIGN UP FOR
[2:29] PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND HAVE NOT
[2:30] DONE SO, PLEASE EMAIL OUR
[2:31] CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON MEGAN AT
[2:35] NEA N DOT C O R U GETO M A R T
[2:44] I N AT BOSTON GOV.
[2:45] FOR THE ZOOM LINK IN YOUR NAME
[2:47] WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST.
[2:49] TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET
[2:52] 1099 AN ORDINANCE TO REQUIRE
[2:54] QUARTERLY REVENUE REPORTS TO BE
[2:55] PROVIDED TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
[2:57] THE MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY
[2:58] COUNCILORS EARL CULPEPER AND
[3:00] MEJIA AND WAS REFERRED TO THE
[3:01] COMMITTEE ON MAY 29TH 2026.
[3:04] TODAY I'M JOINED BY MY
[3:05] COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ORDER
[3:07] OF ARRIVAL.
[3:08] WORRELL LOUIJEUNE FLYNN IN
[3:11] CULPEPER.
[3:12] I WILL PASS UM THE MIC OVER TO
[3:15] COUNCIL ORAL AND MY COLLEAGUES
[3:16] IF THEY CHOOSE TO FOR ANY
[3:18] OPENING REMARKS AND THEN WE'LL
[3:19] GET INTO UM TODAY'S PANEL WE
[3:21] HAVE UH UM ADMINISTRATION PANEL
[3:25] AND THEN UH ADVOCATES ALTHOUGH
[3:27] COUNCIL OR I MAY JUST DEFER TO
[3:29] YOU TO HAVE EVERYBODY GO ALL AT
[3:31] ONCE SO JUST LET ME KNOW WHAT
[3:32] YOU'RE THINKING.
[3:33] IF NOT, THAT'S FINE.
[3:33] WE CAN JUST HAVE, UM, BUDGET
[3:35] DIRECT TO GO FIRST BUT FOR NOW
[3:37] PASS IT OVER TO YOU FOR YOUR
[3:38] OPENING REMARKS AND JUST LET
[3:39] ME KNOW ON ON THAT POINT.
[3:40] BUT THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
[3:41] THANK YOU.
[3:43] UH THANK YOU CHAIR AND I'M OKAY
[3:44] WITH EVERYONE GOING ALL AT ONCE
[3:46] .
[3:47] UM, WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR
[3:49] BEING HERE.
[3:50] THE PANELISTS UH, FROM THE
[3:52] ADMINISTRATION AND UH, THE
[3:54] EXPERTS UM, AROUND UM, YOU
[3:57] KNOW, LOOKING AT CITIES, UM,
[3:59] REVENUES, UM AND EXPENDITURES
[4:02] UM, AND CURRENTLY THE CITY
[4:04] CHARTER CALLS FOR THIS
[4:06] COUNCIL TO RECEIVE QUARTERLY
[4:08] EXPENDITURE REPORT.
[4:09] UM, WHEN I WAS WAIT I MEAN
[4:12] SHARE WE WOULD ASK FOR ALSO
[4:13] QUARTERLY REVENUE REPORTS AND
[4:16] THAT'S A PRACTICE THAT I WOULD
[4:17] LIKE TO SEE UH, CODIFIED UH
[4:19] THAT'S WHY I FILED THIS
[4:21] ORDINANCE WHICH IS A BASIC
[4:22] EFFORT TO ACQUIRE TRANSPARENCY
[4:24] AND PROVIDE THE COUNCIL AND THE
[4:27] PUBLIC UH, WITH INFORMATION
[4:29] AROUND REVENUE ON A QUARTERLY
[4:32] UM, AND MAYBE YOU KNOW, I WAS
[4:34] THINKING MAYBE THIS SHOULD ALSO
[4:36] BE MONTHLY, RIGHT?
[4:36] INSTEAD OF QUARTERLY.
[4:38] UH, THIS WILL ALLOW THE
[4:39] COUNCIL TO SEE THE CITY'S
[4:40] REVENUE TRENDS, UH, QUARTER
[4:42] OVER QUARTER IN ORDER TO GET A
[4:44] BETTER SENSE OF REVENUE
[4:46] PROJECTIONS FOR THE UPCOMING
[4:47] FISCAL YEAR.
[4:48] UM, AND ALSO JUST TO SEE THE
[4:50] TREND IS WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH
[4:52] WHERE THERE IS HOTEL SALES TAX
[4:54] AND ALL THE OTHER REVENUE THAT
[4:57] WE DO COLLECT.
[4:59] UM, AS OF NOW, THE WAY THAT IT
[5:01] IS STRUCTURED, THE PROCESS HAS
[5:02] BEEN AT THE PLEASURE OF WHOEVER
[5:05] IS A WAYS AND MEANS CHAIR BUT I
[5:06] WANT TO PROTECT AGAINST THAT
[5:08] AND ANY ADMINISTRATION CHANGES
[5:10] IN THE FUTURE TO CODIFY THIS
[5:12] PRACTICE MORE FORMALLY I LOOK
[5:15] AT HOW THE STATE REVENUE
[5:16] COMMISSION WORKS AND HAVE THEIR
[5:17] MONTHLY REVENUE REPORTS THAT
[5:20] INFORM NOT ONLY OUR BUDGET
[5:21] PROJECTIONS FOR CURRENT
[5:22] UPCOMING FISCAL YEARS, BUT
[5:24] AGAIN IT CAN ALLOW US FOR A
[5:26] REACTION TO AN ON THE GROUND
[5:27] TREND IN REVENUE CHANGES.
[5:29] OUR PERMIT FEES DOWN IS THE
[5:30] MILL TAX DROP IS UM IN WHAT
[5:34] NEIGHBORHOOD?
[5:34] AND WHEN WE SEE THOSE TRENDS UH
[5:36] THE COUNCIL THE CITY CAN TAKE
[5:39] ACTIONS UM TO TRY TO CORRECT
[5:41] THE SO THANK YOU UH EVERYONE
[5:44] FOR JOINING IN ON THIS
[5:46] CONVERSATION.
[5:47] I DO THINK THIS IS A BASIC WIN
[5:48] WIN WITH TRANSPARENCY AND THE
[5:50] POWER OF DATA, AND I'M HOPING
[5:52] WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS
[5:53] ORDINANCE BY THE END OF THE
[5:54] YEAR.
[5:56] THANK YOU COUNCILOR WORRELL.
[5:59] I HAD TO SNEEZE.
[6:00] SORRY.
[6:01] UM, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE, YOU
[6:03] HAVE THE FLOOR.
[6:05] GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
[6:07] UM, HAPPY TO BE WITH ALL
[6:09] OF YOU.
[6:09] UH THANK YOU.
[6:10] COUNCILOR OUT FOR THE FILING.
[6:11] LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING
[6:14] FROM, UH, THE ADMINISTRATION
[6:15] AND FROM EVERYONE, UM, AND HOW
[6:17] WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
[6:18] THANK YOU.
[6:19] THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN.
[6:25] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[6:26] I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
[6:29] COUNCILOR WORRELL.
[6:30] COUNCIL CULPEPER
[6:31] COUNCILOR MEJIA FOR BRINGING
[6:33] THIS FORWARD.
[6:34] I BELIEVE THIS IS THE COMMON
[6:36] SENSE, UM, EXCEPTIONAL
[6:39] RECOMMENDATION ON HOW WE CAN.
[6:43] BETTER BE BE PREPARED UH, FOR
[6:46] THE UPCOMING BUDGET PROCESS BUT
[6:48] ALSO BE PREPARED FOR, UM,
[6:51] CHANGES IN REVENUE THAT WILL
[6:53] IMPACT UM BASIC CITY SERVICES
[6:56] IN THE BUDGET PROCESS AS WELL.
[6:58] THIS THIS SHOWS RESIDENTS THAT
[7:00] WE'RE UH, FOCUSED ON THE FISCAL
[7:04] STABILITY OF BOSTON.
[7:06] IT ALSO ENSURES THAT WE'RE
[7:07] PROVIDING FINANCIAL UM
[7:10] OVERSIGHT THAT WE'RE PROVIDING
[7:12] TRANSPARENCY, ACCOUNTABILITY
[7:14] AND THE POSITIVE LEADERSHIP TO
[7:16] BOSTON RESIDENTS.
[7:17] UH, SO AGAIN, WANT TO SAY THANK
[7:19] YOU TO THE UM MY
[7:21] COUNCIL COLLEAGUES HAVE
[7:21] BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
[7:22] THIS IS A COMMON SENSE APPROACH
[7:25] AND I'D LOVE TO HAVE IT UM,
[7:27] QUARTERLY CERTAINLY MONTHLY BUT
[7:30] BUT BUT AT THE LEAST QUARTERLY.
[7:32] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[7:35] THANK YOU.
[7:36] COUNCIL CULPEPER.
[7:37] GOOD MORNING.
[7:38] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR FOR
[7:40] HOLDING THIS HEARING AND I
[7:42] THANK COUNCIL FOR WELL WELL
[7:43] WELL FOR FILING THIS UH
[7:46] ORDINANCE AMENDMENT IT'S TAKE
[7:49] IT'S CRITICAL UM DURING THIS
[7:52] PAST BUDGET CYCLE, ONE OF THE
[7:54] QUESTIONS EVERYONE KEPT ASKING
[7:57] WAS WHAT IS THE REVENUE OUTLOOK
[8:00] LOOK LIKE?
[8:01] WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
[8:03] UM, IN TERMS OF REVENUE WHILE
[8:05] WE WERE TRYING TO PREPARE A
[8:07] BUDGET, I THINK IT'S JUST
[8:09] COMMON SENSE TO BE ABLE TO KNOW
[8:11] WHAT THE REVENUE OUTLOOK LOOKS
[8:13] LIKE, WHAT THE REVENUE COMING
[8:16] IN LOOKS LIKE AS WE TRY AND
[8:18] PREPARE A BUDGET FOR NEXT YEAR.
[8:21] SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THIS
[8:23] UH, CLARIFIED QUICKLY SO THAT
[8:27] WHEN THE NEXT BUDGET CYCLE
[8:29] COMES WE'LL HAVE REVENUE AT
[8:32] LEAST QUARTERLY TO LOOK AT AS
[8:34] WE TRY AND PUT TOGETHER A
[8:37] BUDGET WITH THE ADMINISTRATION.
[8:39] SO THANK YOU.
[8:39] I THINK IT'S FITTING I THINK
[8:41] IT'S APPROPRIATE I THINK IT'S
[8:43] TIMELY AND I REALLY THINK IT'S
[8:45] NECESSARY IF WE'RE GOING TO BE
[8:47] BETTER ABOUT HOW WE PUT
[8:49] TOGETHER A BUDGET.
[8:50] IF YOU REMEMBER THE LAST BUDGET
[8:52] CYCLE WE WERE ALL OVER THE
[8:53] PLACE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT AND
[8:55] YOU KNOW, WE FIFA WAS COMING IN
[8:57] AND YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT
[8:59] WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE AND
[9:02] FINANCIALLY SO THIS WILL AT
[9:03] LEAST GIVE US SOME INFORMATION
[9:05] AS WE PLOT AND PLAN TO PUT
[9:07] TOGETHER A BUDGET.
[9:08] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[9:10] THANK YOU.
[9:11] UM, COUNSELOR CULPEPER JUST
[9:13] DOUBLE CHECKING TO MAKE SURE I
[9:14] DIDN'T MISS ANYBODY.
[9:22] OKAY, UH, WE CAN GO TO OUR
[9:24] PANELISTS.
[9:25] UM, UH, WE'LL GO TO OUR BUDGET
[9:27] DIRECTOR FIRST.
[9:27] JIM WILLIAMSON UM, FOR ANY
[9:29] OPENING REMARKS YOU HAVE AND
[9:30] THEN WE'LL GO TO STEVE AND THEN
[9:32] WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY, UM, WHO
[9:33] WE ALL KNOW AND THEN WE'VE ALSO
[9:35] BEEN JOINED BY.
[9:38] UH, DAVID.
[9:39] UM, AND I APOLOGIZE I'M GONNA
[9:40] SAY LAST NAME WRONG IF YOU'D
[9:42] LIKE TO CORRECT ME, PLEASE DO.
[9:43] UH, COULIER FROM THE BRENNER
[9:45] FREEDOM OF INFORMATION PROJECT
[9:46] DIRECTOR.
[9:47] UM, OUT.
[9:48] OF YOU OUT OF FLORIDA.
[9:50] UM, SO IF YOU WANT TO JUST
[9:51] REITERATE YOUR, UH, AFFILIATION
[9:53] ,UM, WHEN IT'S YOUR TURN,
[9:54] PLEASE DO.
[9:55] BUT FOR NOW WE'LL GO TO JAMES
[9:56] WILLIAMSON WHO'S THE BUDGET
[9:58] DIRECTOR OF THE CITY OF BOSTON.
[9:59] UM, JIM, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
[10:01] GREAT.
[10:01] THANK YOU.
[10:02] CHAIR.
[10:03] EXCELLENT.
[10:03] IT'S ABOUT UH AND UH UM UH,
[10:05] SPONSOR, UH, COUNCIL ORAL AND
[10:07] OTHER COUNCILORS ON THE CALL.
[10:09] WE REALLY APPRECIATE UH, THIS
[10:11] OPPORTUNITY TO TO TALK ABOUT,
[10:13] UM, THE BUDGET AND AND HOW WE
[10:16] COMMUNICATE THE BUDGET UH, IN
[10:18] INTERACT WITH THE CITY COUNCIL.
[10:19] SO, UH, JUST A QUICK RECAP.
[10:21] UH, MY NAME IS JIM WILLIAMS AND
[10:22] I'M THE BUDGET DIRECTOR OF THE
[10:24] CITY BOSTON AND SORT OF THE THE
[10:26] FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC
[10:27] BUDGETING ARE UH, WE WANT TO
[10:29] ENSURE FISCAL BALANCE
[10:31] OF SUSTAINABILITY.
[10:32] THE ANNUAL OPERATING BUDGET IS
[10:33] SUPPORTED BY THE GENERAL FUND
[10:34] AND IT MUST REMAIN BALANCED AND
[10:36] FULLY SUPPORTED BY PREDICTABLE
[10:38] RECURRING REVENUE SOURCES.
[10:41] WE LIKE UH UM MOST GOVERNMENT
[10:44] UM BUDGETS UH, HAVE A PUBLIC
[10:46] PURPOSE DOCTRINE.
[10:47] THE OPERATING EXPENDITURES
[10:48] FUNDED THROUGH PUBLIC TAXATION
[10:50] MUST BE STRICTLY SERVE THE A
[10:52] DEMONSTRABLE PUBLIC PURPOSE AND
[10:54] THEN UH, SORT OF KEYING ON UM
[10:56] THE PURPOSE OF THIS HEARING IS
[10:58] UH, TRANSPARENCY AND GOVERNANCE
[11:01] SO PROACTIVE ONGOING PUBLIC
[11:03] COMMUNICATION OF MUNICIPAL
[11:03] BUDGET INFORMATION IS ESSENTIAL
[11:06] TO FOSTERING FISCAL
[11:07] TRANSPARENCY AND PUBLIC
[11:08] ACCOUNTABILITY.
[11:09] AND UM, UH, WE TAKE PRIDE IN
[11:11] THE FACT THAT WE HAVE UH MANY
[11:14] EXAMPLES OF UH WE HAVE A FULL
[11:16] VOLUME UH THOUSAND PAGE UH
[11:19] DOCUMENT UM ONLINE UH NOW UH
[11:23] THAT UM IS VALIDATED BY A THIRD
[11:26] PARTY SORT OF UH ORGANIZATION
[11:28] UH AS UH AS UM SORT
[11:31] OF EXCELLENCE IN BUDGET, UH,
[11:33] COMMUNICATION.
[11:34] UH WE HAVE AN INTERACTIVE
[11:35] WEBSITE UH WITH THE FULL
[11:36] SUPPORT OF OUR IT DEPARTMENT.
[11:39] WE ALSO UH, STAGE OPEN DATA ON
[11:41] AN ENLARGED BOSTON UH, FOR
[11:43] PEOPLE TO TO, UM, MANIPULATE
[11:45] THAT DATA ON THEIR OWN.
[11:47] UH UH, YOU KNOW, UH, WE HAVE
[11:49] REGULAR, UH,
[11:51] COUNCIL COMMUNICATIONS BOTH
[11:51] THROUGH PUBLIC HEARINGS LIKE
[11:52] THIS ONE AND UM, UH THERE ARE
[11:56] UH INSTANCES WHERE THERE ARE
[11:57] WRITTEN COMMUNICATION OR
[11:58] REPORTS FILED UH, WITH THE CITY
[12:00] CLERK TO UH DELIVER UM IN UP IN
[12:03] THE BUDGET OFFICE AS PART
[12:04] OF THE LARGER UH FINANCE
[12:07] CABINET.
[12:07] UH, WE PARTICIPATE IN ANNUAL UH
[12:10] INFORMATION STATEMENTS THAT
[12:11] ACCOMPANY UM, UH, BOND
[12:14] ISSUANCES.
[12:15] UH UH UM WHILE THE AUDITING
[12:17] DEPARTMENT IS THE LEAD ON THIS
[12:19] WILL BE UM DOES PARTICIPATE IN
[12:21] THE IN ANNUAL AUDITED FINANCIAL
[12:23] STATEMENTS UH AND UM THROUGH UH
[12:27] RATING AGENCY COMMUNICATIONS UH
[12:29] ,WHICH ARE OFTEN UH THE RATING
[12:31] AGENCIES UH AN ASSESSMENT
[12:33] OF THE CITY'S UH FISCAL UH
[12:35] STEWARDSHIP OF THEIR ANNUAL
[12:37] OPERATING BUDGET AND ITS
[12:38] MANAGEMENT OF ITS FIVE YEAR
[12:39] CAPITAL PLAN.
[12:40] SO WITH THAT, UH, HAPPY TO TO
[12:43] ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS OR AND
[12:45] WE'LL GO FROM THERE.
[12:49] THANK YOU JIM.
[12:50] UH, NEXT WE'LL GO TO STEVE POFF
[12:51] DECK FROM THE BOSS.
[12:53] UH, HE'S THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
[12:55] OFFICER OF THE BOSTON MUNICIPAL
[12:56] RESEARCH BUREAU.
[12:57] AHEAD.
[12:57] STEVE.
[12:59] THANK YOU.
[12:59] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[13:01] UM, ALSO, UH, IN ADDITION TO
[13:03] BEING THE PRESIDENT OF.
[13:05] THE BOSTON MUNICIPAL
[13:06] RESEARCH BUREAU, I'M A, UH,
[13:08] RESIDENT OF ROSLINDALE.
[13:10] UH DISTRICT FIVE.
[13:11] UH, AND YOU CAN CATCH ME ON THE
[13:13] 35 BUS IN THE ORANGE LINE UH,
[13:14] MOST MORNINGS AND AFTERNOONS IF
[13:17] ,UH IF FOLKS HAVE ANY
[13:18] QUESTIONS, IT'S, UH IT'S MY
[13:20] PLEASURE AND THANK YOU.
[13:22] UH, THANK YOU TO, UH TO THE
[13:24] PANEL FOR THE INVITATION.
[13:25] IT'S MY PLEASURE TO OFFER THE
[13:27] RESEARCH BUREAU'S QUALIFIED
[13:28] SUPPORT FOR THE PROPOSED
[13:29] ORDINANCE.
[13:30] UH, WE TOOK A LOOK AT A COUPLE.
[13:32] YOU KNOW, OUR SUPPORT RESTS ON
[13:35] THREE, UH, CENTRAL TENANTS.
[13:36] ONE IS, UH, A BIAS FOR
[13:39] TRANSPARENCY AND DISCLOSURE
[13:41] EVIDENCE THAT THIS IS BEST
[13:44] PRACTICE AND AS WELL AS THE
[13:46] IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING UPDATED
[13:47] DATA TO THE COUNCIL,
[13:49] PARTICULARLY DURING LOW GROWTH
[13:51] PERIODS.
[13:51] UM, I WOULD SAY IN GENERAL WE
[13:53] ARE SUPPORTIVE OF ADDITIONAL
[13:55] TRANSPARENCY AND THIS IS
[13:56] CLEARLY PART OF THAT.
[13:57] OBVIOUSLY IF TRANSPARENCY
[13:59] EXPOSES ANY PROPRIETARY OR
[14:01] PROTECTED INFORMATION THAT'S
[14:02] GONE TOO FAR IN THIS CASE WE
[14:05] THINK IT'S REASONABLE WHAT IS
[14:06] BEING REQUESTED.
[14:07] THIS IS SOMETHING THAT UM MANY
[14:11] PUBLIC ENTITIES ALREADY DO THIS
[14:13] UH, WE BELIEVE IT'S FEASIBLE
[14:15] UH, AND I BELIEVE THE OFFICE
[14:17] OF BUDGET AND BUDGET MANAGEMENT
[14:18] IS ALREADY DOING THIS ON A
[14:19] MONTHLY BASIS FOR THEIR OWN
[14:21] INTERNAL PURPOSES.
[14:21] SO WE'RE NOT ASKING THEM TO DO
[14:23] SOMETHING THAT THEY THEY ARE
[14:25] INCAPABLE OF DOING.
[14:26] IN FACT, THEY'RE QUITE CAPABLE
[14:27] AND I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A
[14:29] SECOND AND THERE'S NOTHING
[14:30] PROPRIETARY OR PROTECTED I
[14:31] BELIEVE AND IF THERE WAS I
[14:33] THINK IT WOULD BE ON A VERY UH
[14:35] MINUTER CASE BY CASE BASIS AND
[14:36] COULD COULD BE DEALT WITH.
[14:38] UM, I JUST HAD THE PLEASURE OF,
[14:39] UH, MODERATING A PANEL WITH THE
[14:42] UH, RATING WITH THE PRIMARY
[14:44] ANALYSTS FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON
[14:45] FOR MOODY'S AND MOODY'S
[14:47] ACTUALLY COMMENDS THE OFFICE
[14:48] OF BUDGET MANAGEMENT FOR THEIR
[14:50] FAVORABLE TRANSPARENCY AND
[14:52] DISCLOSURE.
[14:53] UH, IT'S ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL
[14:54] ELEMENTS THAT UH THAT THAT
[14:56] UNDERPINS OUR TRIPLE-A BOND
[14:58] RATING AND UM, YOU KNOW, I
[15:01] THINK THIS.
[15:02] THIS MOVE ONLY STRENGTHENS THAT
[15:05] IT ADDS TO THAT STRONG
[15:07] FOUNDATION THAT I GIVE CREDIT
[15:09] TO JIM WILLIAMSON AND THE WHOLE
[15:11] TEAM, UH, FOR BUILDING IT.
[15:13] ALSO I THINK UM IT'S IMPORTANT
[15:16] THAT WE MOVE TO FORMALIZING
[15:18] THIS AS OPPOSED TO HAVING IT
[15:19] BEING AN INFORMAL PRACTICE.
[15:22] UM, THERE'S A REAL ASYMMETRY IN
[15:23] HOW WE DEAL WITH EXPENDITURES
[15:25] AND REVENUES RIGHT NOW AND IT'S
[15:26] NOT JUST THE CITY OF BOSTON.
[15:27] THE STATE STILL HAS SOME OF THE
[15:28] SAME ASPECTS WHERE ONE IS
[15:32] REQUIRED EITHER UNDER CHARTER
[15:34] OR STATUTORY AND THE OTHER IS
[15:35] AN INFORMAL PRACTICE.
[15:37] I BELIEVE THE OFFICE OF BUDGET
[15:38] MANAGEMENT HAS BEEN RESPONSIVE
[15:40] UH, TO REQUESTS IN THE PAST.
[15:42] SO I THINK YOU KNOW I WANT TO
[15:44] RECOGNIZE THAT BUT I ALSO THINK
[15:46] ALTHOUGH IT MAY NOT FEEL LIKE
[15:47] THIS EVERY DAY JIM UM YOU MAY
[15:48] NOT BE BUDGET DIRECTOR FOREVER
[15:50] AND WE CAN'T DEPEND ON YOUR
[15:52] COMPETENCE AND GOODWILL IN THIS
[15:54] POSITION.
[15:55] UM, ALWAYS EXISTING.
[15:58] I THINK IT MAKES MORE SENSE
[15:59] THAT WE FORMALIZE THE PRACTICE
[16:01] AND RESOLVE THIS ASYMMETRY
[16:02] BETWEEN HOW WE TREAT
[16:03] EXPENDITURES AND HOW WE TREAT
[16:05] REVENUES.
[16:06] I ALSO UM, YOU KNOW, I ALSO
[16:08] NOTE THAT THE DIVISION OF LOCAL
[16:10] SERVICES CALLS REVENUE
[16:11] MONITORING HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
[16:14] UM, I'LL SUBMIT MY TESTIMONY
[16:15] IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS.
[16:16] UM, MANY OF OUR PEER CITIES I
[16:19] ONLY TOOK A LOOK AT SIX UH UM,
[16:22] ALL SIX OF THE PEER CITIES THAT
[16:24] I LOOKED AT IN NEW YORK PHILLY,
[16:25] DC, ATLANTA, CHICAGO, LA THEY
[16:27] ALL DISCLOSE AT LEAST ON A
[16:29] QUARTERLY BASIS.
[16:31] I WOULD SAY THE MAJORITY
[16:32] OF THEM DISCLOSE ON A MONTHLY
[16:34] BASIS.
[16:34] I'VE INCLUDED LINK IN MY
[16:36] TESTIMONY IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A
[16:37] LOOK AT THEIR DOCUMENTS TO GET
[16:39] A SENSE OF WHAT THEY DO.
[16:40] UM, THIS STRIKES ME AS BEST
[16:42] PRACTICE.
[16:42] LASTLY, UH, IN A PERIOD
[16:44] OF UNCERTAIN REVENUE GROWTH
[16:45] WHERE THE COUNCIL IS BEING
[16:47] ASKED UH POTENTIALLY TO PASS
[16:49] SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS, WE
[16:51] THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE THAT
[16:52] THEY GET UP TO DATE REVENUE
[16:54] INFORMATION AS WELL.
[16:55] THREE QUICK QUALIFICATIONS AND
[16:57] THEN I'LL CLOSE UM, THE DOCKET
[17:00] RESTATES THAT IT IS THE
[17:01] ADMINISTRATION'S RESPONSIBILITY
[17:03] TO PROJECT REVENUES.
[17:04] UH, WE BELIEVE THAT THAT THAT
[17:06] SHOULD REMAIN UM WE BELIEVE
[17:08] THAT THE OFFICE OF BUDGET
[17:10] MANAGEMENT'S CONSERVATIVE
[17:11] APPROACH TO PROJECTING REVENUES
[17:12] IS A STRENGTH, NOT A
[17:14] SHORTCOMING.
[17:15] UM, AND WE ENCOURAGE THE
[17:17] CONTINUATION OF THAT PRACTICE.
[17:18] WE ALSO THINK WHILE MONITORING
[17:21] IN YEAR TRENDS IS IMPORTANT,
[17:23] UM, WE SHOULD NOTE THAT CERTAIN
[17:25] TRENDS UH, ARE IMPACTED BY
[17:27] SEASONALITY AND ARE SUBJECT TO
[17:29] CHANGE.
[17:30] SO THIS SHOULDN'T BE A FORUM TO
[17:32] IDENTIFY POSSIBLE SURPLUSES IN
[17:34] YEAR.
[17:34] IT REALLY SHOULD BE AN EXERCISE
[17:36] IN UNDERSTANDING WHERE REVENUE
[17:37] IS GOING.
[17:38] SO I CLOSE BY AGAIN OFFERING MY
[17:41] THANKS FOR THE ABILITY TO
[17:42] CONTRIBUTE TO THIS DISCUSSION
[17:44] AND TO RESTATE THE RESEARCH
[17:46] BUREAU'S QUALIFIED SUPPORT FOR
[17:47] THE PROPOSED ORDINANCE.
[17:48] THANK YOU.
[17:50] THANK YOU STEVE.
[17:52] UM, DAVID BEFORE YOURS.
[17:55] YEAH.
[17:56] THANKS FOR.
[17:56] HAVING ME.
[17:57] I'M DAVE COULIER.
[17:58] UM, DIRECTOR OF THE DIRECTOR
[17:59] FOR THE INFORMATION PROJECT AT
[18:00] THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
[18:02] UM, I'VE CONDUCTED RESEARCH
[18:04] NATIONALLY ON TRANSPARENCY,
[18:06] PARTICULARLY AT THE STATE AND
[18:07] LOCAL LEVEL FOR ABOUT 25 YEARS
[18:09] AND THE BRICKNER CENTER HAS
[18:10] BEEN AROUND ALMOST 50 YEARS,
[18:12] UH, DOING RESEARCH AND
[18:14] EDUCATION.
[18:15] UM, I'M NOT HERE REALLY TO
[18:17] SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO YOUR
[18:19] ORDINANCE PROPOSAL, UH, BUT
[18:21] PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT NATIONAL
[18:24] CONTEXT THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO
[18:25] CONSIDER.
[18:26] UM, FIRST KIND OF BIG PICTURE I
[18:29] THINK WHAT MR X SAID IS
[18:31] ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
[18:33] UH, THERE'S RESEARCH THAT SHOWS
[18:34] THAT WHEN MUNICIPALITIES ARE
[18:37] TRANSPARENT, PARTICULARLY WITH
[18:38] THEIR FINANCES, IT ACTUALLY
[18:40] LOWERS THEIR THEIR BOND, UM,
[18:43] YOU KNOW, AMOUNTS THEY ACTUALLY
[18:44] SAVE MONEY.
[18:46] UH, AND UH, TAXPAYERS SAVE
[18:48] MONEY.
[18:48] UH, WE FIND THAT, UH,
[18:50] TRANSPARENCY PRACTICES CAN
[18:52] REDUCE CORRUPTION, MAKE MAKE
[18:55] AGENCIES MORE EFFICIENT AND
[18:57] MAKE SENSE.
[18:58] UH, ONE STUDY SHOWED THAT FOR
[19:00] EVERY DOLLAR SPENT ON PUBLIC
[19:02] RECORDS TRANSPARENCY UM SOCIETY
[19:06] BENEFITS $287 THAT'S MORE
[19:09] EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT SAVED
[19:10] LIVES ALL SORTS OF BENEFITS TO
[19:12] SOCIETY.
[19:13] UM WE KNOW THAT TRANSPARENCY
[19:16] PRACTICES INCREASES THE TRUST
[19:18] OF THE PUBLIC AND INSTITUTIONS.
[19:20] SO SO THIS IS ABOUT BOSTONIANS
[19:24] TRUSTING THE CITY MORE UH, WE
[19:26] ALSO KNOW THAT UM, UH, WHEN
[19:30] FINANCIAL INFORMATION IS POSTED
[19:32] BY MUNICIPALITIES, SERVICES
[19:34] TEND TO IMPROVE AND INCREASE
[19:37] UM, BECAUSE UH, AGENCIES FEEL
[19:40] THAT PRESSURE UH, AND UH I
[19:43] MIGHT ADD THERE'S ONE STUDY
[19:45] THAT SAYS MUNICIPALITIES LED BY
[19:48] FEMALE MAYORS ARE THE MOST
[19:49] TRANSPARENT.
[19:50] SO, UH, THAT MIGHT BE
[19:52] OF INTEREST IN BOSTON AND UM,
[19:55] AND AND OTHER RESEARCH THAT
[19:57] I'VE INCLUDED IN UH IN SOME UH
[19:59] ,WRITTEN TESTIMONY, UH,
[20:02] REGARDING CONTEXT WITH BOSTON
[20:07] UM, UH, KUDOS TO THE BOSTON
[20:10] CITY COUNCIL FOR LAST YEAR, UH
[20:13] ,PASSING A RESOLUTION AND
[20:15] SUPPORTING SUNSHINE WEEK
[20:16] TRANSPARENCY, GOVERNMENT
[20:17] TRANSPARENCY.
[20:18] SO OBVIOUSLY THERE'S AN
[20:20] INTEREST IN BOSTON IN SERVING
[20:21] THE PUBLIC UH, OPENLY AND
[20:24] THAT'S GREAT.
[20:26] UH, I DO HAVE TO SAY AGAIN,
[20:28] THIS IS NOT TO BRAG ON BOSTON
[20:33] OR MASSACHUSETTS, BUT OUR
[20:34] RESEARCH SHOWS THAT IT IS BEEN
[20:37] TRICKIER IN THAT IN
[20:39] MASSACHUSETTS AND BOSTON THE
[20:41] DATA INDICATE THAT COMPLIANCE
[20:43] WITH PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS IS
[20:45] ACTUALLY FAIRLY LOW IN BOSTON
[20:48] AND MASSACHUSETTS.
[20:49] UH, MASSACHUSETTS RANKS 31ST IN
[20:51] THE COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO
[20:53] GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY OVER A
[20:55] NUMBER OF STUDIES 16.
[20:56] STUDIES DONE OVER THE PAST
[20:58] SEVERAL DECADES.
[20:59] AND I INCLUDED THAT IN THE
[21:00] HANDOUT AS WELL.
[21:01] IT'S JUST CONTEXT AND NOT PUT
[21:04] ME IN DOUBT.
[21:05] UM, FLORIDA'S JUST AS BAD JUST
[21:08] UH JUST TO UH JUST TO BE FAIR,
[21:11] UM, UH, FLORIDA RANKS 31ST SO
[21:16] UM SO THERE'S A LOT THAT CAN BE
[21:18] DONE TO IMPROVE THINGS.
[21:19] UM, IN FACT I ALSO INCLUDED
[21:23] OTHER STUDIES THAT COMPARE
[21:24] LARGE CITIES IN THEIR FINANCIAL
[21:27] TRANSPARENCY PRACTICES.
[21:29] UH, BOSTON DOES NOT RATE HIGH
[21:31] UM, THOSE RATES AT THE VERY
[21:33] BOTTOM AND UH, SO THERE'S ROOM
[21:36] FOR IMPROVEMENT AND IN FACT I
[21:39] QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORTS TO
[21:42] THE CITY COUNCIL IS NOT ENOUGH.
[21:44] I MEAN, UH, MOST LARGE CITIES
[21:48] DO FAR MORE THAN THAT AND THAT
[21:49] MEANS PROVIDING PUBLIC THE
[21:51] INFORMATION ON THE WEBSITE
[21:53] PROACTIVELY.
[21:54] UH, EASY TO SEE, EASY TO SORT
[21:56] THROUGH.
[21:57] MANY, MANY CITIES ARE DOING
[21:58] THAT AND HAVE FOR FOR A LONG
[22:00] TIME AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE THE
[22:02] CITY TO CONSIDER UH, DOING EVEN
[22:06] MORE THAN UH, JUST QUARTERLY
[22:08] REVENUE REPORTS BUT PROACTIVE
[22:10] POSTING OF ALL EXPENSE AND
[22:13] REVENUE DATA THAT THAT YOU HAVE
[22:14] APPARENTLY UH, GENERATED
[22:16] MONTHLY AND SO IT MAY NOT CAUSE
[22:18] ANY EXTRA EXPENSE MIGHT AS WELL
[22:20] SHINE A LIGHT, LET PUBLIC SEE
[22:22] AND NOT JUST EVEN THE CITY
[22:24] COUNCIL AND UM, UH, IT'S UH,
[22:27] STANDARD PRACTICE I THINK CAN
[22:28] BEST PRACTICE UH, OF CITIES AND
[22:31] SO I, UH I HOPE YOU HAVE A
[22:33] CHANCE TO KIND OF GO THROUGH
[22:34] SOME OF THAT AND HAPPY TO
[22:36] ANSWER QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE
[22:39] ANY UH, BUT UH, I'M ENCOURAGED
[22:41] THAT UH, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
[22:43] THIS SO KUDOS.
[22:45] THANK YOU.
[22:47] THANK YOU DAVE UM I'LL NOW PASS
[22:49] IT TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR THEIR
[22:51] QUESTIONS.
[22:52] UH COUNCILOR WORRELL AND THEN
[22:53] UM I'LL START WITH THE LEAD
[22:54] SPONSORS AND THEN GO TO
[22:58] COUNCILOR CULPEPPER AND JUST
[22:59] ACKNOWLEDGING WE'VE BEEN JOINED
[23:00] BY COUNCILOR BEN WEBER.
[23:01] UM, COUNCIL.
[23:01] WELL, YOU HAVE BEFORE.
[23:03] AND THANK YOU, CHAIR.
[23:05] YOU KNOW WE ARE ASKING
[23:06] QUESTIONS TO THE WHOLE PANEL OR
[23:08] THE WHOLE PANEL.
[23:09] OKAY.
[23:10] UH, YEAH.
[23:10] GOOD.
[23:10] AWESOME.
[23:11] UM, YEAH, DEFINITELY WANT TO
[23:14] THANK, UH, DIRECTOR WILLIAMSON
[23:15] AND THE WHOLE TEAM OVER THERE
[23:17] UM, WITH THEIR WORK ON, UH,
[23:20] CREATING A MORE TRANSPARENT
[23:22] PROCESS AND WHEN I, UM AND THEN
[23:24] JUST MAKING SURE THAT THEY GIVE
[23:25] US ALL THE INFORMATION AS A
[23:27] COUNCIL AS WE ASKED AND AGAIN,
[23:28] THIS IS JUST MORE SO JUST
[23:30] FORMALIZING UH, THESE EFFORTS
[23:32] UM, INSIDE OF LAW KNOWING THAT
[23:35] ,YOU KNOW, ADMINISTRATIONS CAN
[23:36] UM CAN CHANGE MY QUESTION.
[23:39] JIM IS CURRENTLY AND I THINK
[23:43] I'VE HEARD THIS A COUPLE
[23:44] OF TIMES ALREADY ARE YOU
[23:45] REVIEWING PROJECTIONS ON A
[23:48] MONTHLY BASIS?
[23:48] REVENUE.
[23:51] UH, WE DO WE DO UM UH, TAKE A
[23:56] SNAPSHOT ON A MONTH TO MONTH
[23:58] BASIS ON FOR REVENUES AND
[23:59] EXPENSES UH, MORE IN IN
[24:02] DEPARTMENTS.
[24:03] ALSO GET.
[24:04] UM UH THROUGH THE FINANCIAL
[24:06] SYSTEM AN AUTOMATED STATUS
[24:08] REPORT OF THEIR OF THEIR BUDGET
[24:10] STATUS.
[24:10] UH I THINK THE CITY
[24:11] COUNCIL EVEN GETS THAT POWER
[24:13] THAT SAME REPORT WHERE IT GIVES
[24:15] THEM SORT OF LIKE HOW UM UH
[24:17] BUDGET TO ACTUAL INFORMATION,
[24:20] UH, YOU KNOW, PURCHASE ORDERS
[24:21] THAT ARE OPEN REQUISITIONS THAT
[24:24] ARE IN PROCESS THE STATUS
[24:26] OF PAYROLLS THAT HAVE BEEN
[24:27] POSTED.
[24:28] UH, AND IF THE DEPARTMENT
[24:30] ACTUALLY IS INVOLVED IN IN THE
[24:32] COLLECTION OF CERTAIN UH
[24:33] REVENUE ITEMS THAT'S ALSO
[24:35] INCLUDED AND WE DO THAT AND IN
[24:37] UH IN CONCERT WITH
[24:39] COMMUNICATION WITH DEPARTMENTS
[24:41] ,UH, MOSTLY WITH THE EYE
[24:43] TOWARDS MANAGING IT UH UH
[24:46] TOWARDS SO THROUGH THE THROUGH
[24:48] THE ONGOING BUSINESS PROCESSES
[24:51] OF OF OF UH EXECUTING ON A
[24:53] BUDGET UH DEPARTMENTS ARE UM
[24:55] REQUESTING TO FILL VACANT
[24:58] POSITIONS OR UM UH WE WE'RE
[25:02] REVIEWING UH, PURCHASES AND UH
[25:06] ,RFPS THAT ARE BEING REQUESTED
[25:08] THROUGHOUT THE UM THE FISCAL
[25:10] YEAR AND THAT THIS DATA IS USED
[25:14] TO INFORM LIKE HOW ARE WE DOING
[25:15] FOR US TO VALIDATE UH, IS IS
[25:18] THIS ACTIVITY, UH, INITIALLY
[25:21] CONTEMPLATED WITHIN THIS
[25:22] BUDGET, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT
[25:24] IF IT WASN'T UH, THERE IS YOU
[25:25] KNOW, THERE IS SOME FLEXIBILITY
[25:27] TO DO THINGS THAT UH WHERE
[25:29] WE'RE IN THE BUDGET THAT HAVE
[25:30] TO HAPPEN.
[25:31] YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE
[25:32] EMERGENCIES WHERE SOMETHING HAS
[25:33] TO BE REPAIRED OR OR SOMETHING
[25:34] LIKE THAT BUT UH UM BUT
[25:37] GENERALLY THE LARGER, YOU KNOW,
[25:40] CONSISTENT THINGS ARE ARE
[25:42] THINGS THAT SHOULD BE
[25:43] CONTEMPLATED IN THE BUDGET AND
[25:44] WE SHOULD BE AWARE OF SO THAT
[25:45] THAT'S THAT'S THE RELATIONSHIP
[25:47] THAT WE'RE WE HAVE WE'RE
[25:49] LOOKING AT THE BUDGET UH WE'RE
[25:51] WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT UM
[25:53] ACTIVITY FITS WITHIN THAT
[25:54] BUDGET AND FITS WITHIN WHERE WE
[25:56] THINK THE BUDGET WILL END.
[25:58] SO WE'RE SORT OF THINKING ABOUT
[25:59] HOW IT'LL FIT WITHIN THE
[26:01] BUDGET.
[26:01] UH.
[26:02] RECASTING WHERE THERE MIGHT
[26:03] BE A JUNE 30TH EVERY YEAR.
[26:04] UH, AND IT IT IT EBBS AND FLOWS
[26:06] AND AND UM I THINK UH, UM MR.
[26:10] THAT REFERRED TO SEASONALITY
[26:11] OF THINGS THOSE ARE ALL THINGS
[26:13] THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER LIKE
[26:14] IS IT AN ACTIVITY THAT HAPPENS
[26:16] FALL WINTER TIME?
[26:18] UH, AND AND WE ALL EXPERIENCED
[26:21] UM THE WEATHER THAT WE ENDURED
[26:23] LAST WINTER AND AND THE NEED TO
[26:25] THEN GO GET UH, A BUDGET
[26:27] SUPPLEMENTAL TO UM TO TO TO
[26:30] DEAL WITH THAT.
[26:31] I THINK WE WERE NOT UNCOMMON A
[26:32] LOT OF UH YES CHOOSES MISS
[26:35] PALS.
[26:35] WE'RE IN THE SAME BOAT.
[26:36] UH, IN FACT THE STATE UH, TOOK
[26:38] A TOOK A UM, STEP TO YOU KNOW,
[26:41] EVEN TRY TO LIKE MITIGATE THAT
[26:43] UH, THROUGH SOME OF THE FAIR
[26:44] SHARE MONEY THAT THEY HAD TO TO
[26:47] MITIGATE SOME OF THOSE COSTS.
[26:48] UM, SO, UH, SO THOSE ARE UH
[26:51] THAT THAT'S WE DO THAT UM, IN
[26:53] TERMS OF UH, REPORTING THE
[26:55] DATA, WE ACTUALLY WORK WITH OUR
[26:57] ORDERING DEPARTMENT TO ACTUALLY
[26:58] GET THE OFFICIAL DATA EXTRACT.
[27:00] SO UH, I WOULD DEFER TO THEM.
[27:02] IT IS IT IS A LITTLE BIT OF A
[27:04] PROCESS.
[27:04] UM, IT DOES REQUIRE SOME UM,
[27:09] UH, YOU KNOW, UH SOME
[27:11] OPERATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND
[27:13] AT LEAST A MANAGERIAL REVIEW TO
[27:14] MAKE SURE IT'S ACCURATE NOT
[27:16] MISSING SOMETHING.
[27:17] SO IT'S NOT IT'S NOT LIKE A,
[27:18] UH, INSTANTANEOUS TURNAROUND.
[27:20] YOU WANT TO HAVE SOME LEVEL
[27:22] OF OF OF UH UH QA QC BEFORE WE
[27:24] WOULD LIKE TURN IT OVER BUT UH
[27:26] BUT BUT GENERALLY IT'S YOU KNOW
[27:29] IT'S DATA UH THAT THAT CAN BE
[27:31] MADE AVAILABLE.
[27:33] AND THEN IN TERMS OF TURNING
[27:35] THAT DATA OVER TO THE
[27:36] COUNCIL UM WOULD THERE BE ANY
[27:39] ADDITIONAL WRITING OR ANYTHING
[27:42] THAT YOU CAN SEE ON YOUR SIDE
[27:44] THAT CAN, YOU KNOW, UM, SLOW OR
[27:49] MAKE IT HARDER FOR YOU TO TURN
[27:51] INFORMATION?
[27:51] OH.
[27:52] IT'S JUST UM, BUILDING IN A
[27:54] TIME UH, FOR THAT TO MAKING
[27:56] SURE WE'RE RECONCILING IT TO
[27:57] MAKE SURE IT'S AN ACCURATE UM,
[27:59] BECAUSE THE DATA BETTER EXISTS
[28:01] .
[28:01] BUT SOMETIMES HOW YOU QUERY IT,
[28:03] UH, CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE
[28:05] IN THE WORLD LIKE THE
[28:05] PARAMETERS FOR THE QUERY AND IF
[28:07] IT EXCLUDES SOMETHING OR UH, OR
[28:10] SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, UM, WE
[28:12] WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT'S CAUGHT
[28:14] IN UM AND RUN APPROPRIATELY AND
[28:16] THEN UM, AND THEN JUST YOU
[28:18] KNOW, HAVING THE THE STAFF TIME
[28:20] TO BE ABLE TO TO DO THAT UH,
[28:22] MANAGERIAL REVIEW AND SORT
[28:23] OF SIGN OFF ON IT.
[28:25] YEAH.
[28:25] UH AND THEN THE IDEAL CADENCE
[28:28] UH, I KNOW THAT THE ORDINANCE
[28:29] CALLS FOR QUARTERLY UM, WE
[28:32] HEARD FROM, UH, MR PATEK THAT
[28:34] MAJORITY OF OUR CITIES THEY DO
[28:37] IT MONTHLY.
[28:38] UM, WHAT WOULD BE A CADENCE
[28:41] THAT YOU WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE
[28:42] WITH?
[28:43] YOU KNOW, IT'S UM PARTICULARLY
[28:45] AS YOU START THE FISCAL YEAR
[28:46] UH, SOME OF OUR EVEN OUR
[28:49] PROJECTION MODELS ARE BUILT OFF
[28:50] OF A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF RUN
[28:52] RATE.
[28:52] SO THE FIRST QUARTER IS VERY
[28:55] LIKE A THERE ISN'T TOO MUCH
[28:59] VALUE SOMETIMES IN THE EARLY
[29:01] QUARTERS.
[29:02] SO I THINK THE CADENCE OF A
[29:04] QUARTER IS IS COMPLETELY
[29:05] APPROPRIATE AND GIVES IT ENOUGH
[29:08] UH TIME UM TO TO UM TO REACT
[29:12] AND UH INTRODUCE UH HAVE
[29:15] AWARENESS.
[29:16] OF ALSO TO.
[29:18] TO INFORM THE UPCOMING BUDGET
[29:19] AS WELL SO.
[29:22] UH SOME AND THEN STEVE UH MY
[29:24] QUESTION TO YOU IS HOW ARE WE
[29:27] MAKING THIS INFORMATION UH,
[29:30] MORE EASILY ACCESSIBLE HELP YOU
[29:32] IN THE WORK THAT THE, UM BOSTON
[29:35] MUNICIPAL RESEARCH GROUP DOES
[29:38] UM, TO TO HELP INFORM CITY AND
[29:41] POLICYMAKERS.
[29:42] YOU KNOW, I THINK HAVING
[29:44] ADDITIONAL INSIGHT INTO HOW
[29:46] REVENUE REVENUE IS COMING IN UM
[29:49] ,AND I YOU KNOW, I FULLY
[29:50] ACCEPT UM, YOU KNOW, I FULLY
[29:52] ACCEPT JIM'S CAVEATS.
[29:54] ABOUT.
[29:55] YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY SOME
[29:56] OF THE YOU KNOW, THE EARLY
[29:56] MONTHS MAY NOT BE YOU KNOW,
[29:57] DON'T PULL THE FIRE ALARM
[29:59] BECAUSE THE UH BECAUSE YOU
[30:00] KNOW, THE FIRST MONTH'S
[30:01] REVENUES AREN'T AREN'T LOOKING
[30:03] RIGHT.
[30:03] UM, BUT I DO THINK IN GENERAL
[30:05] HAVING MORE INSIGHT TO BEING
[30:07] ABLE TO IDENTIFY TRENDS THAT WE
[30:09] LIGHT IN CERTAIN AREAS ARE WE
[30:11] YOU KNOW, WE OVER COLLECTING IN
[30:13] OTHER AREAS ALLOWS US TO A
[30:16] IDENTIFY IN IN SOME CASES AND
[30:18] YOU KNOW THE BUDGET MANAGEMENT
[30:19] OFFICE DOES A DOES A FINE JOB
[30:21] OF THIS BUT IN SOME CASES YOU
[30:23] IDENTIFY HEY THERE MIGHT
[30:24] ACTUALLY BE A PROBLEM WITH
[30:25] SOMETHING OPERATIONALLY RIGHT
[30:27] IS NOT HAPPENING UM BUT ALSO
[30:30] LOOKING AT TRENDS RIGHT IF OUR
[30:31] YOU KNOW IF OUR BUILDING PERMIT
[30:33] INCOME IS BELOW WHAT OUR
[30:35] PROJECTIONS ARE THAT'S AN
[30:36] INTERESTING SET OF QUESTIONS TO
[30:37] ASK.
[30:38] UM OR PERHAPS IF THEY'RE ABOVE
[30:40] I YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO BE
[30:41] THE VOICE OF DOOM AND GLOOM
[30:42] HERE IF THEY'RE ABOVE UM YOU
[30:44] KNOW, THOSE ARE ALSO A SET
[30:46] OF INTERESTING QUESTIONS NOW.
[30:47] SO I THINK THE ADDITIONAL
[30:48] TRANSPARENCY UM, WOULD
[30:50] OBVIOUSLY BE HELPFUL TO TO OUR
[30:52] WORK.
[30:53] RIGHT?
[30:53] NO.
[30:54] AND I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH UM,
[30:56] BOTH WHAT YOU AND JIM IS SAYING
[30:57] AROUND THE SEASONALITY BUT I
[30:59] THINK AS WE.
[31:00] COLLECT UM, MORE YEARS UH, WE
[31:03] COULD START TO UNDERSTAND THOSE
[31:04] TRENDS AND THOSE SEASONALITY
[31:06] TRENDS SO THAT WE'RE NOT RIGHT
[31:08] OVERREACTING TO YOU KNOW, UM,
[31:11] THE SEASONALITY CYCLE
[31:13] OF REVENUE COMING IN.
[31:14] UH, DAVID, MY QUESTION TO YOU
[31:17] IS WE SPOKE ABOUT UH, THE CITY
[31:20] COULD BE DOING MORE THAN JUST
[31:22] UH, DOING THIS QUARTERLY RIGHT
[31:24] REPORT REVENUE QUARTERLY.
[31:26] UH DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER
[31:28] EXAMPLES THAT YOU COULD SHARE
[31:31] ON OTHER CITIES, OTHER CITIES,
[31:33] UM, ON HOW THEY'RE UM BEING
[31:35] MORE TRANSPARENT AROUND REVENUE
[31:38] OR WHAT THEY'RE DOING?
[31:40] WELL, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
[31:42] UM, AND I THINK UH I THINK
[31:45] MR PATRICK UH, OFFERED UP SOME
[31:47] CITIES THAT HE'S LOOKED AT
[31:48] CLOSELY MAYBE UH, SIMILAR ONES
[31:51] THAT ALWAYS POP UP SEATTLE UM,
[31:53] SAN FRANCISCO, HOUSTON, OTHERS
[31:56] THAT UH HAVE TAKEN A LEAD ON
[31:59] THIS OVER THE YEARS.
[32:02] UM, SO I THINK THEY'RE YOU
[32:03] KNOW, NO NEED TO REINVENT THE
[32:05] WHEEL.
[32:05] RIGHT.
[32:06] AND UH, I THINK UH I THINK
[32:08] THERE'S UH AND I'M SURE
[32:10] MR WILLIAMSON IS AWARE OF A LOT
[32:12] OF THIS AS WELL AND.
[32:13] YOU KNOW, AND.
[32:14] AND MAYBE, UH, YOU KNOW, I'VE
[32:16] LOOKED THERE THERE'S ALREADY
[32:18] BEEN VARIOUS PROACTIVE POSTING
[32:21] OF FINANCIAL INFORMATION, WHICH
[32:22] IS GREAT.
[32:23] UH, SO SO YEAH, UH, I.
[32:27] YOU KNOW, WOULDN'T HURT TO TAKE
[32:28] A LOOK AND SEE WHAT'S FEASIBLE
[32:30] AND POSSIBLE FOR PROACTIVE
[32:32] POSTING FOR EVERYBODY.
[32:33] UM, AT LEAST MONTHLY I THINK
[32:36] MAKES SENSE AND IT COULD HELP
[32:39] THE CITY COUNCIL.
[32:40] BUT ALSO WHAT WE FIND IN THE
[32:42] RESEARCH IS JUST HAVING THAT
[32:45] INFORMATION OUT THERE FOR
[32:46] ANYBODY.
[32:46] SEE UH, CAUSES US GOVERNMENT
[32:50] EMPLOYEES UM, WANT AS WELL TO
[32:52] BE A LITTLE MORE ON TOP
[32:54] OF THINGS WITH OUR FINANCES,
[32:55] OUR SPENDING AND OUR REVENUE.
[32:57] WE WORK HARDER BECAUSE WE KNOW
[32:58] WE'RE BEING WATCHED SO IT IT
[33:01] WILL LIKELY HAVE THAT SPIN OFF
[33:03] EFFECT FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON
[33:06] LONG TERM.
[33:06] AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING
[33:07] FOR EVERYONE.
[33:10] SO THANK YOU.
[33:11] UM CHAIR I HAVE NO FURTHER
[33:13] QUESTIONS.
[33:16] OKAY.
[33:16] THANK YOU.
[33:17] UM, COUNCILOR CULPEPER, I JUST
[33:18] WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE'VE
[33:20] BEEN JOINED BY
[33:20] COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND
[33:21] COUNCILOR MEJIA.
[33:22] GO AHEAD, COUNCIL COPPER.
[33:23] THANK YOU.
[33:24] I HAD.
[33:25] A COUPLE.
[33:25] OF QUESTIONS FOR DAVID.
[33:27] UM.
[33:28] DAVID, YOU TALKED ABOUT THE
[33:29] RECORD.
[33:30] REQUESTS AND HOW, UM, WE WERE
[33:34] AT THE BOTTOM.
[33:35] I THINK YOU SAID 32ND UH, IN
[33:38] TERMS OF THE COUNTRY WITH
[33:40] REGARD TO TRANSPARENCY, WHAT
[33:44] RECOMMENDATIONS DO YOU HAVE TO
[33:46] HELP US BE BETTER AT UH,
[33:51] RETRIEVING AND RECEIVING RECORD
[33:53] REQUESTS AND I'M ASSUMING
[33:55] YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR YOU.
[34:01] THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION,
[34:03] COUNCILOR.
[34:03] UM, YEAH, WE WE STUDY KIND
[34:07] OF THE ELEMENTS THAT LEAD
[34:09] GOVERNMENTS TO BE A LITTLE MORE
[34:10] TRANSPARENT WITH THEIR
[34:12] CONSTITUENCY.
[34:13] UM, ONE THING IS INDEPENDENT
[34:15] ENFORCEMENT AND SO CONNECTICUT
[34:17] IS THE NEXT NATION'S MODEL ON
[34:19] THAT.
[34:20] THEY ACTUALLY HAVE AN
[34:21] INDEPENDENT COMMISSION THAT CAN
[34:24] MEDIATE DISPUTES BETWEEN THE
[34:25] PUBLIC AND THE GOVERNMENT AND
[34:28] INCLUDING DEALING WITH
[34:29] VEXATIOUS REQUESTS, WHICH IS A
[34:30] BIG CONCERN TODAY WITH
[34:32] GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS.
[34:33] SO UM, SO THERE ARE THERE ARE
[34:36] UH STRUCTURES IN PLACE IN PARTS
[34:38] OF THE COUNTRY THAT WORK VERY
[34:39] WELL.
[34:40] IN FACT THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
[34:41] MORE THAN 50 COUNTRIES THEY
[34:42] HAVE SUCH SYSTEMS.
[34:43] UH, OHIO HAS A PRETTY NEAT
[34:45] SYSTEM THAT HANDLES THESE
[34:47] THINGS AND THAT MATTERS A LOT
[34:49] AND I THINK MASSACHUSETTS IN
[34:51] PARTICULAR COULD BENEFIT FROM
[34:53] LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE.
[34:55] WE DO FIND THAT STATES THAT ARE
[34:57] HEAVILY BLUE OR HEAVILY RED
[35:00] TEND TO HAVE LOWER TRANSPARENCY
[35:03] .
[35:03] YOU KNOW, UH, WHEN THERE'S MORE
[35:05] PURPLE ISH FRICTION BETWEEN
[35:07] PARTIES.
[35:08] UH, THEN WE HEAR THEN WE SEE
[35:11] MORE UM, EFFORTS TO BE
[35:13] TRANSPARENT.
[35:14] UM, SO IT DOESN'T SURPRISE
[35:16] ME THAT MASSACHUSETTS AS A
[35:18] WHOLE, UM, TENDS TO RANK LOW ON
[35:21] THESE TRANSPARENCY STUDIES UH,
[35:23] BECAUSE OF THAT MAKE UP.
[35:25] BUT UM BUT THERE ARE A LOT
[35:26] OF THINGS THAT Y'ALL COULD DO
[35:28] AND AT THE CITY LEVEL TO TO
[35:30] MAKE THINGS BETTER AND I THINK
[35:31] THE PEOPLE WILL PROBABLY
[35:32] APPRECIATE THAT AND THE
[35:34] GOVERNMENT WILL BE BETTER OFF
[35:35] FOR IT.
[35:36] HEY DAVID, CAN YOU AT SOME
[35:39] POINT WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE GET
[35:40] US SOME OF THAT INFORMATION
[35:42] WE'RE GOING.
[35:42] TO LOOK AT CONNECTICUT'S
[35:44] COMMISSION, THE INDEPENDENT
[35:45] COMMISSION, THE MOVIES.
[35:47] I THINK THAT'S A GREAT APPROACH
[35:49] TO HAVE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION
[35:51] MEDIATING.
[35:51] THOSE REQUESTS.
[35:52] BECAUSE WHEN IT.
[35:54] THE CONVERSATION BECOMES REAL.
[35:56] TOUGH WITH REGARD.
[35:58] TO THOSE FOR YOU, MANY TIMES
[35:59] THEY END UP IN COURT.
[36:01] AND YOU DON'T.
[36:02] GET TOO FAR ONCE.
[36:04] THEY GET TO THE COURT.
[36:06] SO YEAH WE.
[36:07] COULD LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE
[36:08] CLOSER.
[36:09] IT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL.
[36:11] ABSOLUTELY.
[36:12] OH AND I MIGHT ADD
[36:14] SORRY COUNSELOR.
[36:14] NO BRIAN.
[36:15] UM I ACTUALLY HAVE A PROJECT A
[36:17] GRANT FUNDED PROJECT TO SEND
[36:19] THE CONNECTICUT FOIA COMMISSION
[36:20] PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY TO DO
[36:23] TALKS AND EXPLAIN WHAT THEY DO
[36:25] IF YOU'D LIKE THAT IN BOSTON
[36:26] HAPPY TO TO DO THAT.
[36:28] AND, UH, BUT THE DOCUMENT I
[36:30] FORWARDED FOR THE RECORD
[36:31] INCLUDES LINKS TO A LOT OF THAT
[36:33] UH, SOME OF THAT INFORMATION.
[36:35] SO HAPPY HAPPY TO DO THAT ONE
[36:37] STUDY I JUST FINISHED UH UH
[36:40] LAST WEEK SHOWED THAT THESE
[36:42] COMMISSIONS ON AVERAGE ONLY
[36:44] COST $0.31 PER PERSON PER YEAR
[36:47] PER CAPITA.
[36:48] UH, THEY'RE A GREAT DEAL.
[36:50] UH, THEY HANDLE APPEALS AT A
[36:52] COST OF ABOUT $2,300 PER
[36:55] APPEAL, WHICH YOU'D THINK WOW,
[36:56] THAT SEEMS LIKE A LOT, BUT
[36:58] THAT'S A LOT CHEAPER THAN A
[37:00] LAWSUIT.
[37:01] SO.
[37:01] UH, WE CAN AVOID A LOT OF.
[37:04] UH.
[37:05] WASTEFUL LITIGATION BY THESE
[37:08] ALTERNATIVE METHODS THAT, UH,
[37:09] WORK VERY WELL.
[37:11] AND SO DOES THE, UH,
[37:14] INDEPENDENT COMMISSION.
[37:15] THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
[37:17] NOW THEY THEY GET IT BEFORE IT
[37:19] GOES TO COURT AND EVERYTHING
[37:21] AND THEN.
[37:22] YEAH, IF.
[37:23] THEY CAN'T RESOLVE IT.
[37:24] THEN THE PARTIZAN
[37:26] OF LITIGATING.
[37:26] RIGHT AND THEY CAN EDUCATE SO
[37:29] IT UH THAT SOLVES A LOT
[37:31] OF PROBLEMS RIGHT.
[37:32] THEY'RE EDUCATING REQUESTERS
[37:33] EDUCATING GOVERNMENT CUSTODIANS
[37:36] UH THEY DO A LOT TO MAKE THE
[37:37] SYSTEM STREAMLINE WORK A LOT
[37:39] MORE EFFICIENTLY.
[37:40] UH, SAVES EVERYBODY MONEY THE
[37:42] REQUESTER AND THE GOVERNMENT.
[37:44] AND YOU MENTIONED THAT IT
[37:45] REDUCES CORRUPTION UH SERVICES
[37:50] IMPROVE AND INCREASE.
[37:52] UM.
[37:53] THE TRUST OF GOVERNMENT
[37:54] INCREASES.
[37:56] IS THAT THE MATERIAL THAT YOU
[37:58] SUBMITTED?
[38:00] IT IS I INCLUDED LINKS TO THOSE
[38:02] STUDIES.
[38:03] OKAY.
[38:03] AND I JUST PROVIDED A
[38:05] SNAPSHOT OF SOME EXAMPLE
[38:08] OF STUDIES.
[38:08] THERE HAVE BEEN HUNDREDS
[38:09] OF HUNDREDS OF THESE STUDIES
[38:10] DONE OVER THE DECADES AND UH,
[38:12] THOSE ARE SOME OF THE ONES I
[38:13] LIKE BEST.
[38:16] THANK YOU STEVE.
[38:19] STEVE GOOD SEEING YOU AGAIN.
[38:20] GOOD HEARING FROM YOU.
[38:24] THANK YOU COUNCILOR.
[38:25] PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
[38:26] UH, I.
[38:27] SEE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
[38:30] HOW CAN.
[38:30] YOU BE.
[38:31] MORE HELPFUL IN TERMS OF,
[38:32] UH, MOVING THIS FORWARD, THIS
[38:36] ORDINANCE AMENDMENT FORWARD?
[38:37] WELL, I HAVE UM I'VE OFFERED MY
[38:41] YOU KNOW, I'VE OFFERED MY
[38:42] SUPPORT WITH SOME SOME SOME
[38:43] THOUGHTS ATTACHED TO THEM.
[38:45] UM, HAPPY TO BE A RESOURCE IN
[38:47] TERMS OF HOW YOU KNOW, HOW
[38:49] OTHER PLACES ARE HANDLING THIS
[38:51] AND ALSO INTERPRETING UM, ANY
[38:55] INFORMATION YOU KNOW ABOUT HOW
[38:56] THE STATE HANDLES THIS AS WELL.
[38:58] SO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, PLEASE
[38:59] VIEW ME AS A AS A AS A RESOURCE
[39:02] UH, GOING FORWARD IF YOU HAVE
[39:04] ANY QUESTIONS I'VE SUBMITTED MY
[39:05] TESTIMONY WHICH HAS LINKS TO
[39:07] THOSE OKAY.
[39:08] I DID A.
[39:09] SUPER VERY UNSCIENTIFIC
[39:11] SELECTION OF KIND OF MAJOR
[39:11] CITIES AND JUST TOOK A LOOK AT
[39:13] WHAT THEY DID BUT AGAIN HAPPY
[39:15] TO TALK YOU THROUGH THOSE AS
[39:16] NEEDED.
[39:17] DID YOU LOOK AT THE INDEPENDENT
[39:19] COMMISSION IN CONNECTICUT?
[39:21] I DID NOT MY MAJOR.
[39:23] WAS TALKING ABOUT.
[39:24] YEAH THIS ISN'T THIS ISN'T THIS
[39:26] IS A BIT OF LEARNING FOR ME.
[39:29] UM I DIDN'T REALLY APPROACH
[39:30] FROM AN OPEN RECORDS POINT
[39:32] OF VIEW.
[39:32] UH I APPROACHED IT MORE FROM A
[39:34] REVENUE REPORTING.
[39:34] OKAY, GREAT.
[39:36] THANK YOU.
[39:36] STEVE AND.
[39:37] I HAD A FINAL QUESTION.
[39:38] FOR JIM.
[39:44] JIM, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
[39:45] GOOD TO SEE YOU, COUNSELOR.
[39:47] HEY JIM YOU MENTIONED THAT THE
[39:49] COUNCIL GETS IS.
[39:50] MONTH TO MONTH REPORT THAT ALL
[39:53] DEPARTMENT GETS.
[39:58] UM THE UH THE AS A.
[40:00] DEPARTMENT CITY COUNCIL AS A.
[40:01] DEPARTMENT PROBABLY GETS TO BE
[40:03] HONEST WITH YOU EVERY
[40:04] DEPARTMENT GETS THEIR OWN
[40:05] INDIVIDUAL REPORTS GET.
[40:06] THEIR OWN RIGHT.
[40:07] IT'S A.
[40:07] SYSTEM GENERATED REPORT THAT,
[40:09] UH, GIVES A SNAPSHOT OF UH,
[40:11] BUDGET TO ACTUAL SO.
[40:13] UH BUT I WAS.
[40:14] GOING TO TO UH SURE ENOUGH
[40:18] STAFF.
[40:18] FOR THE COUNCIL.
[40:19] BUT WE DON'T GET A REPORT WE
[40:21] DON'T GET THE OTHER REPORTS, WE
[40:22] ONLY GET THE COUNCIL REPORT.
[40:24] WE DON'T GET ALL THE OTHER
[40:25] REPORTS.
[40:26] RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT.
[40:26] YEAH IT'S IT'S MOSTLY FOR
[40:29] DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT ISSUES
[40:31] LIKE TO KNOW LIKE WHAT
[40:32] REQUISITIONS YOU HAVE
[40:34] OUTSTANDING ARCHES ORDERS
[40:35] THINGS LIKE THAT.
[40:36] UH HOW DIFFICULT WOULD IT BE,
[40:38] JIM, FOR.
[40:40] THE COUNCIL TO GET.
[40:41] THE REPORTS.
[40:42] THAT ALL THE OTHER DEPARTMENTS
[40:44] COULD.
[40:45] I YOU KNOW IT THAT'S SORT
[40:47] OF IT'S COMES FROM AUDITING.
[40:49] I WOULD HAVE TO, UH, CONNECT
[40:50] WITH THEM ON THAT.
[40:51] CAN YOU CHECK WITH THEM AND GET
[40:53] BACK TO US?
[40:53] SURE, SURE.
[40:54] AND ON THE REPORT THAT.
[40:57] UH.
[40:58] COUNCILOR WORRELL.
[40:59] IS A SECOND ON A QUARTERLY
[41:01] BASIS.
[41:02] HOW CHALLENGING.
[41:03] OR HOW DIFFICULT IS THAT KIND
[41:04] OF BE?
[41:05] UH, TO PROVIDE TO THE
[41:07] COUNCIL ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
[41:09] AND HE'S TALKING ABOUT
[41:10] REVENUE, RIGHT?
[41:11] YEAH.
[41:12] I BELIEVE WE'VE BEEN WE'VE
[41:13] BEEN DOING A COUNCILOR.
[41:14] UM REQUEST SO.
[41:16] THAT'S UH WE WILL CONTINUE TO
[41:18] DO THAT.
[41:20] UM SO IT'S IT TAKES A LITTLE
[41:21] ALL THE TIME JUST YOU KNOW,
[41:23] STAFF TIME TO SORT OF CHECK AND
[41:26] MAKE SURE THAT IT'S UH UH,
[41:28] ACCURATE.
[41:28] BUT OTHER THAN THAT.
[41:29] UM.
[41:30] YOU KNOW, WE'LL CONTINUE TO
[41:31] PROVIDE THAT.
[41:32] AND SO IF WE HAVEN'T BEEN
[41:33] REQUESTING.
[41:34] IT AND.
[41:34] YOU HAVEN'T BEEN PROVIDING IT.
[41:36] UH, CORRECT.
[41:38] I THINK YOU'VE BEEN PRETTY
[41:39] CONSISTENTLY REQUESTING IT.
[41:40] YEAH.
[41:41] SO ON.
[41:41] A ON A QUARTERLY BASIS OR ON
[41:43] A MONTH TO.
[41:44] MONTH BASIS.
[41:45] UH, I THINK ON A QUARTERLY
[41:47] BASIS.
[41:47] YEP.
[41:47] OKAY.
[41:48] AND SO THIS IS JUST REALLY.
[41:51] UH INSTITUTING THIS
[41:53] INSTITUTIONALLY AND.
[41:54] LEGALLY SO.
[41:55] THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO.
[41:56] REQUESTED THAT IT COMES
[41:58] AUTOMATICALLY.
[42:00] YEAH I WOULD ASSUME THAT'S WHAT
[42:02] THE INTENT IS.
[42:02] YEAH OKAY.
[42:03] AND SINCE YOU SAID YOU'RE DOING
[42:05] IT ANYWAY REALLY SHOULDN'T BE
[42:07] ANY EXTRA WORK IF.
[42:09] YOU'RE DOING IT AS.
[42:11] WE REQUESTED.
[42:11] OTHER THAN.
[42:12] THIS WILL BE.
[42:13] ON.
[42:14] A SCHEDULED BASIS.
[42:15] RIGHT OKAY OKAY JIM THANK YOU
[42:20] SO MUCH.
[42:20] GOOD CHANGE.
[42:24] THANK YOU, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER.
[42:26] UM, WE'LL GO TO
[42:26] COUNCILOR FLYNN.
[42:30] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
[42:31] AND THANK YOU TO, UM, DAVID AND
[42:33] TO JIM AND TO STEVE FOR UM,
[42:36] INFORMATIVE TESTIMONY.
[42:38] UM.
[42:41] SO LET ME START WITH LET
[42:42] ME START WITH JIM.
[42:43] JIM JIM, THE UM THE REPORTS
[42:47] THAT COULD BE GIVEN TO THE CITY
[42:50] COUNCIL UM ON ON A QUARTERLY
[42:52] BASIS WOULD THAT INCLUDE
[42:54] PURCHASING UM.
[42:57] ISSUES.
[42:58] UH CONTRACTS THAT WOULD WERE
[43:00] SIGNED OR WENT OUT OR PAID UM
[43:03] GENERAL INFORMATION SUCH AS
[43:05] THAT?
[43:07] UM.
[43:08] NO, IT WOULD BE STRICTLY
[43:10] BUDGETARY UH INFORMATION BUT I
[43:12] BELIEVE THERE ARE ON THE CITY'S
[43:15] UM OPEN DATA PORTAL UH UH,
[43:18] THINGS THAT ARE LIKE OPEN
[43:19] CHECKBOOK THAT SHOW UM THAT
[43:23] KIND OF TRANSACTIONAL ACTIVITY
[43:25] .
[43:26] SO YEAH, I'M JUST THINKING OUT
[43:28] LOUD, JIM WHEN WE WHEN WE SAW
[43:30] THAT INSPECTOR GENERAL WITH THE
[43:34] INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT FROM
[43:36] THE STATE ON $900,000
[43:40] MISAPPROPRIATION FUNDS THAT THE
[43:42] PUBLIC SCHOOL DEPARTMENT UM
[43:44] COULD THAT HAVE BEEN CAUGHT ON
[43:48] ON A MONTHLY BASIS, A QUARTERLY
[43:50] BASIS KNOWING THAT THERE'S SOME
[43:53] FINANCIAL MISAPPROPRIATION
[43:54] OF MONEY?
[43:55] BUT COULD ANY REPORT HAVE
[43:57] CAUGHT THAT IF SOMEONE LOOKED
[44:00] AT IT ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND
[44:02] SAID THIS DOESN'T LOOK ALL THAT
[44:05] RIGHT, THIS DOESN'T LOOK GOOD,
[44:06] UM, ON A QUARTERLY BASIS
[44:08] THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG HERE
[44:10] INSTEAD OF HAVING IT UM,
[44:12] INCREASE OVER AN EXTENDED
[44:14] PERIOD OF TIME.
[44:15] YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I HAVE NOT
[44:18] BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THAT
[44:19] AND THAT UM, UM UH, INTERACTION
[44:22] WITH THE AG'S OFFICE BUT UH UM
[44:26] POTENTIALLY UH, REPORTS COULD
[44:28] COULD FLY THINGS BUT UM, THAT
[44:30] MAY BE NO, I'M NOT I'M NOT
[44:32] CLOSE ENOUGH TO IT TO GIVE YOU
[44:34] AN INFORMED RESPONSE.
[44:35] UH, LET ME UH STEVE, BASICALLY
[44:38] THAT SAME QUESTION COULD COULD
[44:40] THAT TYPE OF INFORMATION AT
[44:41] CITY COUNCILS KNOW ABOUT IT OR
[44:44] THE MAYOR'S OFFICE KNOW ABOUT
[44:45] IT ON A MONTHLY BASIS A
[44:46] QUARTERLY BASIS, NOT JUST
[44:48] SOMEONE AT THE PUBLIC SCHOOL
[44:49] DEPARTMENT BUT COULD THAT HAVE
[44:51] PREVENTED MISAPPROPRIATION
[44:54] OF MONEY?
[44:55] UH YEAH.
[44:56] AND I I'M NOT NOT HAVING SORT
[44:59] OF DONE THE LEGWORK MYSELF.
[45:00] I, I HESITATE TO GIVE YOU AN
[45:02] ABSOLUTE RESPONSE.
[45:03] I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THE OPEN
[45:06] CHECKBOOK HAS AN EXTRAORDINARY
[45:07] AMOUNT OF INFORMATION IF YOU
[45:09] KNOW WHAT TO ASK IT.
[45:11] HOWEVER IT DOESN'T YOU KNOW IT
[45:13] CONTAINS TRANSACTIONS NOT THE
[45:16] SUBSTANCE OF THE CONTRACT THAT
[45:18] UNDERPINS THAT TRANSACTION.
[45:20] AND I THINK THE CRUX OF THE
[45:22] IG'S DISCUSSION IN THAT IN
[45:25] THEIR REPORT IS THAT THE
[45:28] CONTRACT WAS SOLE SOURCE AND
[45:31] THAT THE SHIPPING THE SHIPPING
[45:33] FEES WERE KIND OF THE THE THE
[45:36] ISSUE IN QUESTION HERE THOSE
[45:38] ARE NOT DEALT WITH OPEN
[45:39] CHECKBOOK IS A IS A GIGANTIC
[45:41] SPREADSHEET OF DATA.
[45:43] SO YOU SEE THE TRANSACTION THAT
[45:45] A VENDOR WAS PAID AND YOU COULD
[45:47] THEN YOU COULD THEN YOU COULD
[45:49] THEN TOTAL UP HOW MUCH THE
[45:50] VENDOR WAS PAID.
[45:51] BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AN
[45:53] UNDERSTANDING OF THE CONTRACT
[45:56] UH, AS WELL WHICH AGAIN IS NOT
[45:57] THERE.
[45:58] SO I'M I'M GIVING YOU KIND OF A
[46:00] HAND-WAVING ANSWER AND I
[46:02] APOLOGIZE FOR THAT BUT IT'S NOT
[46:05] THERE.
[46:05] YOU KNOW, THERE'S THERE WOULD
[46:07] BE SOME EVIDENCE THERE AND
[46:10] CLEARLY THE TRANSACTIONS WOULD
[46:11] BE CAPTURED THERE.
[46:12] BUT SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT THE
[46:15] IG HAS POINTED TO, UM, ARE
[46:17] SEPARATE FROM WHAT WOULD BE AN
[46:19] OPEN CHECKBOOK AND THAT'S NOT
[46:21] OPEN CHECKBOOKS.
[46:21] OPEN CHECKBOOK IS A YOU KNOW, I
[46:23] THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL DEBT
[46:25] OF TRANSPARENCY FROM THE
[46:26] ADMINISTRATION.
[46:27] UM, BUT THERE'S SEPARATE ISSUES
[46:28] THERE.
[46:29] YEAH.
[46:30] OKAY.
[46:30] MY MY MAIN POINT TO JIM AND TO
[46:32] STEVE IS HOW COULD WE HAVE
[46:35] PREVENTED THIS?
[46:36] UM, YOU KNOW, ALMOST
[46:38] IMMEDIATELY WHEN WE SAW
[46:39] SOMETHING INITIALLY THAT DIDN'T
[46:41] LOOK RIGHT.
[46:43] UM, I'M THAT'S THAT'S MY MAIN
[46:44] POINT.
[46:45] LET ME GO ON TO DAVID.
[46:46] UM, DAVID FREEDOM
[46:49] OF INFORMATION UM FROM FROM
[46:51] RESIDENTS IS THE CRITICAL PART
[46:53] OF TRANSPARENCY.
[46:54] WE HAVE SOMETHING ON THE CITY
[46:56] COUNCIL CALLED IT SIMILAR TO
[46:58] THAT.
[46:59] IT'S BASICALLY CALLED A 17 F.
[47:01] IT'S A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
[47:03] FROM THE CITY COUNCIL TO THE
[47:04] MAYOR'S OFFICE OR THE CITY
[47:06] ADMINISTRATION TO REQUEST
[47:08] CERTAIN INFORMATION.
[47:10] OFTENTIMES THAT'S JUST IGNORED.
[47:11] BUT DOES DO OTHER CITIES HAVE
[47:15] THE ABILITY WE HAVE A WE HAVE A
[47:17] STRONG MAYORAL SYSTEM HERE AND
[47:19] WEAK CITY COUNCIL.
[47:20] SO THE MAYOR CAN JUST IGNORE
[47:22] THE CITY COUNCIL.
[47:23] UM, BUT ARE THERE OTHER CITIES
[47:26] THAT HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO
[47:29] A 17 F REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
[47:31] FROM CITY COUNCIL TO THE MAYOR?
[47:34] UM AND THAT IS RESPECTED THAT
[47:37] THE MAYOR TURNS THAT
[47:38] INFORMATION OVER TO THE CITY
[47:41] COUNCIL COULD BECAUSE IT DOES
[47:41] HELP THEM PREPARE FOR BUDGET
[47:44] MEETINGS OR FOR UPCOMING
[47:45] HEARINGS.
[47:47] OH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION
[47:49] MR FLYNN.
[47:49] UM, TO BE HONEST, I DON'T KNOW.
[47:52] I HAVEN'T STUDIED THAT SO UH
[47:54] UH, IT WOULD BE A GREAT STUDY
[47:56] TO LOOK AT THE DYNAMIC
[47:58] DYNAMICS.
[47:58] IT SOUNDS LIKE UH, YOU MAYOR
[48:00] OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT A
[48:02] LITTLE BIT UH, WITH CONGRESS
[48:04] TRYING TO GET INFORMATION OUT
[48:06] OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH.
[48:08] UH, SO, UH, BUT I, UH I'M
[48:11] SORRY I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO
[48:12] THAT, BUT THAT'S UH UH,
[48:13] SOMETHING REALLY TO LOOK AT
[48:15] CLOSELY BECAUSE IT SOUNDS UH
[48:17] ARE WE DYSFUNCTIONAL?
[48:19] IF YOU ASK ME, UH, INFORMATION
[48:20] SHOULD FLOW FREELY TO THE
[48:22] PUBLIC AND TO THE CITY COUNCIL.
[48:26] REGARDLESS IF IT'S
[48:29] CONTROVERSIAL OR REGARDLESS IF
[48:31] IT SUPPORTS THE ADMINISTRATION
[48:33] OR OPPOSES THE ADMINISTRATION,
[48:35] THE THE DATA SHOULDN'T MATTER.
[48:39] IS THAT ACCURATE, DAVID?
[48:41] NO, ABSOLUTELY.
[48:42] I THINK UH ANY INFORMATION THAT
[48:45] IS PUBLICLY DISCLOSED BY THE
[48:46] CITY COUNCIL IS ENTITLED TO AND
[48:49] UNLESS THERE'S SOME EXEMPTION
[48:50] IN THE STATE LAW THAT UH MIGHT
[48:52] ALLOW SOME REDACTIONS, UH, AND
[48:55] OF COURSE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
[48:57] SHOULD BE ENTITLED TO JUST AS
[48:58] EVERYONE ELSE SHOULD BE.
[49:01] WE TAKE THE POSITION THAT IF
[49:03] IT'S IF IT'S UM IF IT'S GOING
[49:08] TO PUT THE ADMINISTRATION IN A
[49:10] BAD LIGHT THAT YOU KNOW, THE
[49:12] CITY COUNCIL SHOULD NOT GET
[49:14] THAT INFORMATION OR SHOULD NOT
[49:16] REQUEST IT EVEN UM HMM.
[49:20] WELL WHEN.
[49:21] WE'RE.
[49:21] TALKING ABOUT UM, ANNUAL
[49:22] REVENUE REPORTS OR SORRY,
[49:24] QUARTERLY REVENUE REPORTS BY
[49:25] THE WAY.
[49:26] I UNDERSTAND, MADAM CHAIR.
[49:28] OKAY.
[49:29] I WAS JUST I THAT'S A
[49:30] SUBJECT MATTER AT HAND RIGHT
[49:31] NOW.
[49:32] MADAM CHAIR, I UNDERSTAND.
[49:34] OKAY.
[49:35] JUST MAKING SURE.
[49:36] THANK YOU.
[49:37] YEAH.
[49:37] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR FOR
[49:40] HIGHLIGHTING THAT.
[49:41] BUT.
[49:41] .
[49:41] UM.
[49:42] DO YOU WANT ME TO STOP MY
[49:44] QUESTIONING, MADAM CHAIR?
[49:45] IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE ASKING ME?
[49:46] OH, NO.
[49:46] I MEAN WE'RE ON TO WE'RE
[49:48] WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AN
[49:49] ORDINANCE ENSURING QUARTERLY
[49:52] REVENUE REPORTS AND SO IT'S
[49:54] SEPARATE FROM A 17TH.
[49:57] MADAM CHAIR, I UNDERSTAND THAT
[49:59] I I'M JUST SOMEWHAT SURPRISED
[50:01] THAT I WAS CUT OFF BUT, UM I'M
[50:04] GOING TO I'LL STOP ASKING
[50:06] QUESTIONS IF THAT'S WHAT YOU
[50:07] WANT.
[50:07] MADAM CHAIR, YOU.
[50:08] ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO ASK 1
[50:09] OR 2 MORE QUESTIONS.
[50:10] EVERYONE'S GOT AT LEAST EIGHT
[50:12] EIGHT MINUTES AND SO YOU'RE
[50:13] ALMOST AT THAT TIME TO LIKE
[50:14] ANOTHER QUESTION TO ASK ANOTHER
[50:15] QUESTION PLEASE GO AHEAD.
[50:16] NOW MADAM CHAIR.
[50:18] I WAS THE ONLY ONE THAT WAS UM
[50:19] CUT OFF SO I'M JUST GOING TO
[50:21] STOP THERE.
[50:23] OKAY?
[50:24] THAT IS YOUR PREROGATIVE.
[50:25] UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[50:26] WE'LL BE GOING TO
[50:28] COUNCILOR WEBER NEXT.
[50:31] UH, HELLO?
[50:32] CAN YOU HEAR ME?
[50:36] MAYBE WE CAN HEAR YOU.
[50:37] YEP.
[50:38] RIGHT.
[50:39] UH, OKAY.
[50:40] UH, SO I GUESS FOR FOR JIM, UM,
[50:45] AGAIN LIKE SO.
[50:46] HOW HOW LONG AFTER THE END
[50:48] OF THE QUARTER WOULD IT TAKE TO
[50:51] TO GENERATE THE REPORT?
[50:52] UH, YOU MADE SAID THE SEMESTER
[50:54] OF OPENING COMMENTS.
[50:55] I APOLOGIZE, BUT.
[50:56] YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, UH THE
[50:59] ORDINANCE CALLS FOR 30 DAYS AND
[51:01] I THINK THAT'S A GENEROUS
[51:02] AMOUNT OF TIME FOR US TO BE
[51:03] ABLE TO DO IT.
[51:04] HOPEFULLY WE CAN DO IT BEFORE
[51:05] THAT.
[51:06] SO OKAY.
[51:07] AND THEN UH, I GUESS WHAT'S
[51:09] YOUR OPINION ON YOU MEAN JUST
[51:12] POSTING LIKE THE REPORT IN A
[51:14] PUBLIC LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW,
[51:17] INSTEAD OF JUST SENDING IT OVER
[51:18] TO THE CITY COUNCIL?
[51:19] I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S WHAT'S
[51:21] CONTEMPLATED, BUT UM, YOU KNOW
[51:23] WHAT WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON
[51:26] PRODUCING A REPORT OR JUST
[51:27] POSTING IT?
[51:28] YEAH.
[51:29] I MEAN UM I'M SORT
[51:32] OF DELVING INTO THE WORLD OF UH
[51:34] IT A LITTLE BIT UH, SO THERE'S
[51:35] SORT OF THE UH THE CUSTODIAN UH
[51:38] ,MANAGER OF THE OPEN DATA
[51:41] PORTAL WE DEFINITELY STAGED
[51:42] DATA THERE, BUT IT IT TAKES A
[51:44] LOT OF WORK COORDINATING WITH
[51:45] THEM ON LIKE THE PROTOCOLS AND
[51:48] TO HAVE A PROCESS.
[51:49] SO I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR
[51:50] THEM, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S
[51:52] DOABLE.
[51:53] UM, THEY'D PROBABLY BE LIKE, UH
[51:55] ,YOU KNOW, A CASE UM, UH, SORT
[51:58] OF SORT OF, UH, USE CASE
[52:01] SUBSTANTIATION THEY MIGHT WANT
[52:02] TO GO THROUGH BEFORE THEY LIKE
[52:03] PRIORITIZE WITH THE TO DO THAT.
[52:05] BUT I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY
[52:06] FEASIBLE.
[52:06] UH, I BUT I DON'T THINK THE
[52:09] BUDGET OFFICE COULD YOU
[52:10] LITERALLY DO IT?
[52:11] YOU KNOW, WE'D HAVE TO WORK
[52:12] WITH OUR IT FOLKS TO STAGE
[52:14] PUBLICLY, UH, DISPLAY DATA.
[52:16] SO SAME THING WE DO WITH BUDGET
[52:18] INFORMATION SO WE DO IT WE HAVE
[52:19] THAT RELATIONSHIP UH, NOW WITH
[52:22] WE HAVE INTERACTIVE BUDGET
[52:23] DATA, YOU KNOW, LIVES UM UH,
[52:27] BOSTON BUDGET DATA.
[52:29] UH, IT'S JUST IT'S BEEN THAT'S
[52:31] BEEN A LOT A LOT OF WORK OVER
[52:32] MANY YEARS TO GET THAT UM,
[52:34] PROTOCOL WORKED OUT.
[52:37] OKAY.
[52:38] UH, AND THEN UM, I'M JUST,
[52:40] UH, IN THE SUGGESTED LANGUAGE
[52:43] SAYS, UH, REPORTS DETAILING ALL
[52:46] REVENUE COLLECTED TO DATE BY
[52:50] ITEM.
[52:51] IT IS THAT.
[52:55] UH GEE I IT IS DO YOU NEED ANY
[52:59] MORE DIRECTION THAN THAT OR I
[53:01] THINK YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT WE
[53:03] WANT DO YOU THINK YES YES YES.
[53:05] ALL RIGHT SO.
[53:06] CAN YOU JUST EXPLAIN WITH THAT
[53:08] THAT WOULD BE.
[53:10] UH SO IT'S UH SOMETHING THAT'S
[53:12] PRODUCED REGULARLY NOW SO IT'S
[53:15] UH IT'S REVENUE.
[53:18] SO UM REVENUE IS A LITTLE
[53:20] DIFFERENT AND IT'S THE WAY WE
[53:21] REFER TO IT IT'S IT'S REVENUE
[53:23] ESTIMATES.
[53:24] UH IT'S NOT.
[53:25] IT'S IT'S IT'S UH ESTIMATE
[53:29] OF UM REVENUE THAT WE WILL
[53:30] COLLECT THAT IS SUFFICIENT TO
[53:33] SUPPORT UH, EXPENDITURE BUDGET
[53:35] .
[53:36] UH, WE DON'T CHANGE IT TOO
[53:39] FREQUENTLY.
[53:41] WE ESTABLISH IT AND THE ONLY
[53:44] OPPORTUNITY WE WE TYPICALLY
[53:46] HAVE TO REVISE IT IS THROUGH
[53:48] WHEN, UM, WE WORK WITH THE
[53:50] DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO UM,
[53:53] VALIDATE UH, UM, THEY THEY SORT
[53:56] OF DO THIS 351 CITIES AND TOWNS
[53:58] THEY SAY, UM, WE WANT TO MAKE
[54:02] SURE WE'RE DOING THE DUE
[54:03] DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE THIS
[54:04] MUNICIPALITY IS FOLLOWING ALL
[54:06] OF THE STATE GUIDELINES IN
[54:08] TERMS OF REVENUE REPORTING AND
[54:09] WE HAVE TO, UH, TAKE A LITTLE
[54:11] BIT OF A STEP BACK AND AND
[54:13] REALIZE THAT 73% OF OUR UH,
[54:15] REVENUE COMES FROM PROPERTY TAX
[54:17] AND IT'S IT'S VERY FORMULAIC
[54:21] AND HITS CALCULATION.
[54:23] UH, SO IT IS AND NOT TO YOU
[54:26] DISCOUNT THERE'S AN ENORMOUS
[54:27] AMOUNT OF WORK IN REPORTING
[54:29] THAT THAT HAPPENS IN THE LEAD
[54:32] UP TO ACTUALLY AND WITH CITY
[54:35] COUNCILS PARTICIPATION IN UM
[54:37] PLUS THE CLASSIFICATION AND UH
[54:40] UM YOU KNOW SO UH BUT I THINK
[54:43] WHAT THE UM SO THAT THAT'S AN
[54:46] IS THE UH PAUSE POINT WHERE WE
[54:48] CAN SAY HEY, YOU KNOW, THIS
[54:49] REVENUE WAS NOT ACHIEVING IT'S
[54:51] YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S LEVEL WE'LL
[54:53] REVISE IT DOWN OR NEW GROWTH
[54:55] DID BETTER THAN WE WE HAD
[54:56] ORIGINALLY.
[54:57] THAT'S I THINK CAPTURE.
[54:58] THAT YEAH.
[54:59] YEAH JOIN IN MY QUESTION A
[55:00] LITTLE MORE UH BASIC YEAH IS IS
[55:02] THAT IT JUST IN TERMS OF SO IF
[55:04] YOU'RE MISSING THEM BY ITEM
[55:06] LIKE WHAT IS YOUR READING
[55:08] OF THE WORD ITEM AND IS THAT
[55:10] YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE
[55:11] WE'RE GOING TO GET WHAT WE'RE
[55:13] HOPING FOR.
[55:14] YEP.
[55:15] UH IT'S IT'S IT'S THE WAY WE
[55:18] RECORDED IT'S KIND OF A REVENUE
[55:19] ACCOUNT.
[55:21] UM SO IT'S WE WE TEND TO BUCKET
[55:24] IT IN OUR BUDGET SUMMARY SO WE
[55:26] SAY THESE THIS IS PROPERTY.
[55:28] TAX THESE ARE EXCISE TAX THESE
[55:32] ARE FINES THESE ARE PERMITS UH
[55:36] AND UM AND THEN WE HAVE OUR
[55:39] STATE AID ACCOUNTS UH SO YOU
[55:42] KNOW UM IN IN YOU GUYS HAVE UH
[55:45] THE COUNCIL HAS SEEN THIS
[55:46] PRESENTATION BEFORE, YOU KNOW,
[55:48] 73% OF OUR REVENUE IS PROPERTY
[55:49] TAX.
[55:50] ALL OF THOSE COMPONENT PIECES
[55:52] ARE SMALLER SLICES OF THE
[55:54] OF THE PIE.
[55:55] AND SO THAT COVERS THE WORD
[55:57] JUST THE WORD ITEM AND WE'LL
[55:59] COVER WE'LL COVER IT.
[56:01] UM YOUR DIRECTIONS ARE CLEAR
[56:03] IF.
[56:04] YOU'RE YES I THINK SO YEAH I
[56:05] THINK I THINK WE'RE ALL ON THE
[56:06] SAME PAGE ABOUT WHAT, UH WHAT
[56:08] IT SHOULD BE.
[56:09] OKAY.
[56:09] UH, AND THEN I GUESS STEVE,
[56:11] I, UH AND THIS IS GOING TO COME
[56:13] BACK TO YOU, JIM.
[56:13] BUT STEVE AND I WERE TALKING
[56:15] THIS MORNING ABOUT REVENUE
[56:18] PROJECTIONS AND I THINK OTHER
[56:20] MUNICIPALITIES HAVE LONGER YOU
[56:22] KNOW, WE GET WE THEY HAVE MORE
[56:23] DATA IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY THE
[56:25] PEOPLE ARE PROVIDED WITH LONGER
[56:27] REVENUE PROJECTIONS OR I SEE DO
[56:30] YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT
[56:32] THAT AND SOMETHING THAT CAN
[56:33] IMPROVE IMPROVE GOING.
[56:35] YEAH BUT.
[56:36] YEAH I YOU KNOW I THINK THE
[56:38] CONVERSATION YOU KNOW SOME
[56:39] PEOPLE NOTED OTHER COMMUNITIES
[56:42] UM HAVE A PRACTICE OF DOING
[56:44] LONGER TERM BOTH REVENUE AND
[56:47] EXPENDITURE PROJECTIONS AND
[56:48] THAT'S A VIRTUOUS EXERCISE.
[56:52] UM I WOULD DIRECT THIS ONE
[56:53] PROBABLY BACK TO JIM.
[56:54] I KNOW I KNOW I BELIEVE THE
[56:57] CITY DOES SOME FORM OF THIS.
[57:00] UM, I JUST HAVE OFF THE TOP
[57:02] OF MY HEAD I CAN'T FIGURE OUT
[57:03] WHAT VESSEL SORT OF WHAT IS THE
[57:06] DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL FOR IT?
[57:08] UM, BUT I KNOW THAT IS
[57:10] SOMETHING THAT THE OFFICE
[57:11] THINKS ABOUT.
[57:12] I JUST I DON'T KNOW THE LEVEL
[57:14] OF DISCLOSURE.
[57:15] UM, SO I MIGHT I MIGHT SORT
[57:17] OF PUNT ON THAT ONE A BIT.
[57:18] YEAH.
[57:18] NO, I GUESS JIM'S THAT JIM
[57:19] LIKE CAN WE GET LONGER TERM
[57:21] PROJECTIONS?
[57:22] WHY DON'T WE DO DO YOU HAVE
[57:24] INTERNALLY UH WHY YOU KNOW WHY
[57:26] ARE WE PROVIDERS AND WITH THAT
[57:29] OR YOU KNOW AND THERE MAY BE
[57:30] GOOD REASONS FOR THIS AND, UH,
[57:32] I'M JUST INTERESTED IN YOUR
[57:33] THOUGHTS.
[57:34] WE DO WE DO.
[57:35] UM, SO, UH, IF YOU, UM, GO TO
[57:39] THE, UH, BUDGET OFFICE FOR
[57:41] BUDGET.
[57:41] TALK BOSTON.GOV.
[57:43] AND THEN YOU GO TO UM PDFS UH
[57:47] UH GET THE PDF SECTION.
[57:49] THERE IS A MULTI-YEAR BUDGET
[57:50] DISPLAY.
[57:51] SO YOU KNOW, OUR MOST CURRENT
[57:54] PUBLICATION WE DO HAVE UH UH A
[57:57] FORECAST FOR THE FOR 28 AND 29
[58:01] UM AND IT IS IT UH TO UH
[58:05] STATEMENTS MADE EARLIER UH THAT
[58:07] IS ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL
[58:09] QUESTIONS WE GET FROM UM RATING
[58:12] AGENCIES IS IT'S NOT REALLY
[58:15] NECESSARILY UH AND THAT THAT
[58:17] SPEAKS TO THE WHOLE
[58:19] SUSTAINABILITY.
[58:20] UH ARE YOU.
[58:21] PREPARING UH.
[58:23] ARE THE DECISIONS YOU MAKING
[58:24] TODAY PREPARING YOURSELF TO WAS
[58:26] YOU KNOW YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH
[58:28] THINGS IN THE FUTURE.
[58:29] JIM I THINK SO I THINK THE
[58:31] ISSUE FROM THE RATING AGENCIES
[58:33] IS ALSO PARTIALLY THE ONLY
[58:35] PROJECT TWO YEARS WHEREAS IN
[58:36] OTHER PLACES THEY PROJECT
[58:38] LONGER AND I JUST DON'T KNOW IF
[58:39] THOSE PROJECTIONS ARE JUST NOT
[58:41] RELIABLE.
[58:42] UH, HAVE WE HAVE YOU HAD A
[58:44] CONVERSATION ABOUT DOING LONGER
[58:46] PROJECTIONS?
[58:47] YEAH.
[58:48] YOU KNOW THE FURTHER YOU GET
[58:50] OUT THE MORE IT BECOMES UH UM
[58:53] UH THERE'S LESS ACCURACY THERE
[58:55] .
[58:56] UM PROBABLY PROBABLY.
[58:58] UH BUT UM WE UH ACTUALLY IT'S
[59:02] WE ARE FOLLOWING THE CRITERION
[59:03] SET BY UM, UH, THE GOVERNMENT
[59:06] FINANCE OFFICERS ASSOCIATION
[59:08] THAT UH UH SUGGESTS AT LEAST A
[59:11] TWO YEAR FORECAST.
[59:12] SO THAT'S THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FOR
[59:15] DOING.
[59:16] OKAY.
[59:16] UH, AND IT JUST LIKE MY.
[59:18] LAST QUESTION I GUESS IT IS
[59:19] THIS ISSUE OF THE REVENUE.
[59:22] SO THE QUARTERLY REPORTS, UH,
[59:25] YOU KNOW, SO LIKE LET'S SAY
[59:27] WE'RE IN IT'S MAY 2026 AND OR
[59:30] WE'VE GOTTEN QUARTERLY REPORTS
[59:32] ,YOU KNOW, MAYBE THREE
[59:32] QUARTERLY REPORTS TO FOR THAT
[59:35] SLIDE 26.
[59:37] UH, AND WE'RE SORT OF USING
[59:39] THOSE PROJECTIONS TO SEE WHERE
[59:40] WE'RE GOING TO END UP AT THE
[59:42] END OF FISCAL YEAR 26, BUT WE
[59:43] DON'T HAVE THE FULL PICTURE
[59:44] LIKE SO I MEAN IN YOUR
[59:47] EXPERIENCE LIKE HOW MUCH DOES
[59:49] THAT LAST QUARTERLY REPORT YOU
[59:53] KNOW, LIKE SORT OF.
[59:56] TO FOLLOW UH IS THIS A STRAIGHT
[59:57] YOU KNOW WE'RE SEEING LIKE A
[59:59] STRAIGHT LINE OR DOES IT LOOK
[1:00:00] LIKE YOU KNOW, THE THE ALPS I
[1:00:03] HAVE NO IDEA.
[1:00:04] UH, LIKE BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S
[1:00:06] AN ISSUE THAT WE DEAL WITH EACH
[1:00:08] YEAR IS LIKE WELL WHAT'S GOING
[1:00:11] TO BE HAPPENING IN MAY AND JUNE
[1:00:13] AND THEN APRIL WE JUST DON'T
[1:00:15] HAVE THAT DATA.
[1:00:16] I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT IMPACTS I
[1:00:18] GUESS.
[1:00:18] WHAT'S YOUR.
[1:00:19] YEAH I THINK THERE'S SOME
[1:00:21] UNIQUENESS ACROSS THE REVENUE
[1:00:23] SOURCES.
[1:00:23] UH ON THE TIMING OF WHEN
[1:00:25] THEY'RE WHEN THEY'RE
[1:00:27] RECOGNIZED.
[1:00:28] SO UH SOME OF IT IS LIKE FIGURE
[1:00:30] LIKE LICENSING THINGS THERE'S
[1:00:32] LIKE A CERTAIN CADENCE TO WHEN
[1:00:34] THAT WOULD COME IN.
[1:00:36] WE ALSO OUR DISTRIBUTIONS FROM
[1:00:37] THE COMMONWEALTH FOR EXERCISES
[1:00:39] ARE ON A CERTAIN CADENCE.
[1:00:41] UM SO THE THE THERE ARE SOME
[1:00:43] DIFFERENCES.
[1:00:44] AND THEN JUST I GUESS THE
[1:00:46] FOLLOW UP IS SO BUT THE CADENCE
[1:00:47] IS ARE SIMILAR EACH YEAR WILL
[1:00:50] BE PREDICTABLE ON SOME OF THESE
[1:00:52] LIKE LICENSING THEY'LL SAY.
[1:00:53] YEAH WELL USUALLY EVEN THOUGH
[1:00:55] WE'RE ONLY 75% OF THE WAY
[1:00:56] THROUGH THE YEAR WE'RE WE'RE
[1:00:58] PROBABLY ONLY SEEING 25% OF THE
[1:01:01] REVENUE FROM THIS AND THEN GET
[1:01:03] THAT FROM YEAR TO YEAR LIKE UM
[1:01:05] AND HOW UNEVEN IT'S GOING TO
[1:01:07] GET.
[1:01:08] TO YEAH IT'S UM IN THERE ARE
[1:01:10] SOME SIGNALING OF CERTAIN
[1:01:12] THINGS SO UH UH UH STATE THE
[1:01:17] STATE WILL PUBLISH WHAT THEY
[1:01:18] CALL BLUE BOOK DATA ON EXCISE
[1:01:21] UM COLLECTIONS.
[1:01:23] UH AND WE WE CAN SO IT'S NOT
[1:01:26] DISTRIBUTED TO US ON THAT ON
[1:01:27] THAT FREQUENCY I THINK IT'S
[1:01:29] DISTRIBUTED TO US ON A
[1:01:30] QUARTERLY BASIS BUT IT WE AT
[1:01:32] LEAST WE COULD LIKE DO SOME
[1:01:34] ANALYSIS TO SAY HISTORICALLY
[1:01:37] THE CITY OF BOSTON WOULD
[1:01:38] CAPTURE X PERCENTAGE OF THAT
[1:01:40] BUT IT DOESN'T ALWAYS DOESN'T
[1:01:42] ALWAYS UH UH MANIFEST ITSELF
[1:01:46] BASED ON A HISTORICAL UH
[1:01:47] PATTERN EVERY SINGLE TIME IT'S
[1:01:50] THERE IS SOME UH VARIABILITY
[1:01:52] THERE.
[1:01:53] SO IN THE DO YOU HAVE THAT LIKE
[1:01:56] YOU COULD YOU ACTUALLY COULD GO
[1:01:58] THROUGH AND YOU I MEAN DO YOU
[1:02:01] HAVE A SENSE OF WHAT THAT IS
[1:02:03] AND SURE.
[1:02:03] THANK YOU CHAIR.
[1:02:05] UM OKAY.
[1:02:08] THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER UM
[1:02:09] COUNCILMEMBER HERE.
[1:02:16] SORRY.
[1:02:16] AND UM, YOU.
[1:02:17] UM GOOD MORNING.
[1:02:18] I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE
[1:02:20] COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, BUT I'M
[1:02:21] HAPPY TO BE HERE AND I WANT TO
[1:02:24] THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS UM, SO
[1:02:26] NOT TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE
[1:02:27] THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO
[1:02:28] DIFFERENTLY SO THAT WE CAN HOLD
[1:02:30] OURSELVES MORE ACCOUNTABLE TO
[1:02:31] THOSE THAT WE SERVE.
[1:02:33] SO THANK YOU COUNCIL AROUND FOR
[1:02:34] YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THE SPACE.
[1:02:36] UM AND THE CHAIR FOR UM
[1:02:38] FACILITATING UH JUST A FEW
[1:02:41] QUESTIONS FOR ME, JIM AND I'M
[1:02:43] SURE YOU KNOW AND STEVE DAVE
[1:02:46] I'M NOT SURE IF WE'VE MET UH UM
[1:02:48] BUT UH I KNOW THAT STEVE AND
[1:02:50] JIM UH, FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN
[1:02:53] FOLLOWING BOSTON POLITICS KNOW
[1:02:54] THAT I.
[1:02:55] WORKED ON.
[1:02:57] ESTABLISHING AT LEAST UM
[1:02:58] INITIALLY WAS MUNICIPAL
[1:03:01] INSPECTOR GENERAL HERE IN THE
[1:03:02] CITY OF BOSTON JUST SO THAT WE
[1:03:03] CAN HAVE SOME MORE FISCAL
[1:03:05] OVERSIGHT.
[1:03:06] UM, IT DID NOT TURN OUT TO BE
[1:03:09] SUCH NOW IT WAS JUST
[1:03:11] STRENGTHENING THE, UM BECOMES
[1:03:15] ABILITY TO HAVE SOME MORE
[1:03:17] POWERS SO THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE
[1:03:18] COULD BE SOME OF THAT WORK AND
[1:03:21] I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
[1:03:22] YOU KNOW, HAVING.
[1:03:24] AN EXTRA LAYER
[1:03:26] OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND MORE
[1:03:27] OVERSIGHT AS IT RELATES TO OUR
[1:03:28] BUDGET.
[1:03:29] BUT MY QUESTION IS TO FOLLOW UP
[1:03:32] ON COUNCILOR CULPEPER.
[1:03:32] UM, JIM, HE HAD MENTIONED THAT
[1:03:35] YOU ALL ARE ABLE TO SHARE WITH
[1:03:38] THE DEPARTMENTS BUDGETS I GUESS
[1:03:40] OR JUST KIND OF LIKE GIVING
[1:03:42] THEM UPDATES REGULARLY SO IF
[1:03:44] YOU CAN GET IT TO THEM, WHAT
[1:03:46] WOULD BE THE BARRIER OF GETTING
[1:03:47] IT TO US IF YOU IF IT'S ALREADY
[1:03:49] CREATED IT'S JUST A MATTER
[1:03:50] OF JUST SENDING IT SENDING IT
[1:03:53] TO 13 OTHER INDIVIDUALS.
[1:03:54] WHAT'S THE WHAT'S THE PROBLEM
[1:03:56] WITH GETTING IT TO US IF YOU
[1:03:57] ALREADY GET IT TO THE
[1:03:58] DEPARTMENTS?
[1:04:00] UH I DON'T THINK THEY'LL
[1:04:02] THERE'LL BE A PROBLEM
[1:04:03] RESPONDING TO THE THE THE UM
[1:04:06] WHAT'S PUT PUT FORTH A NEW
[1:04:07] ORDINANCE THAT'S UH, SHOULDN'T
[1:04:09] BE A PROBLEM.
[1:04:10] UH UM MONTHLY IT'S JUST A
[1:04:12] DIFFERENT CADENCE.
[1:04:14] UH, A LOT OF THE COMMUNICATIONS
[1:04:16] WITH THE, UM THE DEPARTMENT IS
[1:04:18] SORT OF LIKE A WORKING
[1:04:21] CONVERSATION SO IT'S NOT UM
[1:04:22] IT'S IT'S TO IDENTIFY ISSUES
[1:04:26] THAT MAY HAVE AROSE LIKE
[1:04:28] OPERATIONALLY LIKE, UM,
[1:04:29] PARTICULARLY, YOU KNOW,
[1:04:30] CONNECTED TO REVENUE.
[1:04:32] UM, THERE ARE BOTH EXTERNAL
[1:04:34] FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE REVENUE
[1:04:36] BUT INTERNAL OPERATIONAL
[1:04:37] THINGS.
[1:04:38] SO UH, PARKING TICKETS ARE
[1:04:40] ISSUED BY CITY EMPLOYEES.
[1:04:41] SO UM STAFFING LEVELS ARE
[1:04:43] CONNECTED TO THAT.
[1:04:44] UM SO THOSE ARE ALL IN IT'S
[1:04:47] SORT OF A WORKING COMMUNICATION
[1:04:49] .
[1:04:49] UM, SO WE TEND TO UH UH AGONIZE
[1:04:55] LESS ON SORT OF THE PRECISION
[1:04:57] OF THAT OF THAT.
[1:04:58] YEAH.
[1:04:59] THAT WAS JUST THE TO ACTUALLY
[1:05:00] TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND IT'S
[1:05:03] A LITTLE DIFFERENT FROM LIKE
[1:05:04] TRYING TO PROVIDE A FINANCIAL
[1:05:05] IMPACT.
[1:05:06] I GET IT EVEN IF EVEN IF YOU
[1:05:07] MANAGE OUR EXPECTATIONS AND SAY
[1:05:09] HEY, THIS IS JUST UH YOU KNOW,
[1:05:12] DON'T HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE TO
[1:05:13] EVERY SINGLE CENT THAT'S HERE.
[1:05:15] BUT THIS IS KIND OF WHAT THE
[1:05:16] PROJECTIONS ARE LOOKING LIKE
[1:05:17] JUST OUT OF JUST UH, MORE FOR
[1:05:20] COMMUNICATIONS PURPOSES.
[1:05:20] BUT I'M GOING TO MOVE ON SOME
[1:05:22] SOME VERY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS
[1:05:23] NOW THE ADOPTED A 526 BUDGET
[1:05:26] INCLUDED BOARD UM 4.7 9A3
[1:05:32] BILLION AND REOCCURRING I DON'T
[1:05:34] EVEN KNOW HOW TO SAY THAT
[1:05:34] NUMBER.
[1:05:35] THAT'S HOW UH HOW I GREW UP UM
[1:05:39] 40 I THINK IT'S FOUR.
[1:05:41] UM IT'S A LOT IT'S A BILLION.
[1:05:43] OKAY.
[1:05:43] AND REOCCURRING UH, REVENUE
[1:05:45] DIVIDED INTO 13 CATEGORIES.
[1:05:47] WHAT WAS THE ACTUAL TOTAL
[1:05:49] AMOUNT OF REOCCURRING REVENUE
[1:05:50] FOR FY 26 AND WHAT ARE THE
[1:05:52] ACTUAL TOTALS IN EACH OF THOSE
[1:05:54] CATEGORIES?
[1:05:54] SO IF YOU CAN JUST I'M GOING TO
[1:05:55] GIVE YOU ALL MY QUESTIONS AND
[1:05:56] THEN YOU CAN JUST ANSWER THEM.
[1:05:58] UM WHAT UH WHAT WAS THE THE
[1:06:00] TOTAL ACTUAL REVENUE IN THE
[1:06:02] FIRST QUARTER FOR FY 27 AND
[1:06:04] WHAT IS THE BREAKDOWN OF THAT
[1:06:07] REVENUE BY CATEGORY?
[1:06:08] THE FY 27 ADOPTED BUDGET
[1:06:12] INCLUDED UM 4.9024 BILLION AND
[1:06:17] REOCCURRING REVENUE.
[1:06:20] UM WERE THOSE PROJECTS WERE
[1:06:22] THOSE WERE THEIR PROJECTIONS
[1:06:24] OF HOW MUCH UH TOTAL REVENUE UH
[1:06:27] BY REVENUE AND BY CATEGORY WILL
[1:06:29] COME IN EACH MONTH OR QUARTER.
[1:06:31] SO JUST TRYING TO GET A HANDLE
[1:06:34] ON THAT AND HOW DO THEY COMPARE
[1:06:36] WITH THE ACTUAL REVENUE AND
[1:06:38] THEN WHAT IS THE DATA ABOUT HOW
[1:06:39] THE WORLD CUP IMPACTED REVENUE
[1:06:41] COMPARED TO THE ORIGINAL
[1:06:43] PROJECTIONS BECAUSE WE WERE
[1:06:44] TOLD OH THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE
[1:06:46] A UH YOU KNOW, WE DON'T OH WE
[1:06:47] DON'T WANT TO COUNT ON THAT.
[1:06:48] THAT'S WHY WE'RE GOING TO CUT
[1:06:49] YOUTH JOBS.
[1:06:50] BUT ANYWAYS I LIKE TO KNOW WHAT
[1:06:53] UH WHAT WHAT WHAT IT LOOK LIKE
[1:06:55] NOW THAT WE WE HAVE THOSE
[1:06:56] DOLLARS IN UM AND WHEN UM, MORE
[1:07:00] REVENUE COMES IN THAN EXPECTED
[1:07:03] ,WHAT HAPPENS TO THAT MONEY
[1:07:04] THAT THEY GO INTO THE GENERAL
[1:07:06] FUND AND RESERVES CAN THE MAYOR
[1:07:08] AND THE CITY COUNCIL PASSES
[1:07:09] SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET WITH
[1:07:10] ADDITIONAL FUNDS JUST TO HELP
[1:07:12] US UNDERSTAND KIND OF LIKE WHAT
[1:07:13] WE DO WITH THE OVERFLOW.
[1:07:15] AND LAST YEAR THE
[1:07:17] ADMINISTRATION CLAIMED THAT ANY
[1:07:18] RESUBMITTED BUDGET MIGHT HAVE
[1:07:20] LESS REVENUE THAN THE BUDGET
[1:07:22] SUBMITTED IN APRIL.
[1:07:23] AND HAS THAT REVENUE ACTUALLY
[1:07:24] BEEN BELOW UM, WHAT WAS
[1:07:27] INCLUDED IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET?
[1:07:28] AND NOW I UNDERSTAND BEFORE THE
[1:07:30] CHAIR SAYS THIS IS THE THIS IS
[1:07:32] THE UH, HEARING ON THE UM ON
[1:07:35] THE UH THE ORDINANCE BUT I DO
[1:07:38] BELIEVE THESE QUESTIONS HELP,
[1:07:40] UH, US GAIN SOME INSIGHT TO
[1:07:42] YOUR ABILITY TO TRACK AND
[1:07:44] REPORT AND, UH, SHARE
[1:07:46] INFORMATION WITH THE COUNCIL.
[1:07:48] SO THIS IS A GOOD FIRST TRY.
[1:07:50] SO I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IT.
[1:07:54] AND THOSE ARE ALL FOR YOU, JIM
[1:07:55] UNFORTUNATELY, DAVID.
[1:07:56] AND SO I'LL COME TO YOU IF
[1:07:58] THERE'S A SECOND ROUND.
[1:07:59] NO PROBLEM COUNSELOR I WILL DO
[1:08:02] MY BEST TO SORT OF UH I THINK
[1:08:03] YOU YOU FIRST STARTED TALKING
[1:08:05] ABOUT UM THE 526 UH WHICH UH UM
[1:08:12] WE UM, HAD SOME UH, BUDGETARY
[1:08:16] CHALLENGES IN THAT 426 AND WE
[1:08:18] WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE
[1:08:19] COUNCIL I THINK IT WAS UH UM A
[1:08:21] GREAT I WAS A GOOD SORT
[1:08:24] OF TESTAMENT TO THE
[1:08:25] COLLABORATIVE WORKING
[1:08:26] RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE
[1:08:28] ADMINISTRATION AND THE
[1:08:28] COUNCIL THAT WAS UH MANY
[1:08:31] COMMUNICATIONS UH, FROM THE
[1:08:33] MAYOR AND THE CFO TO THE CITY
[1:08:35] COUNCIL ON THE STATUS TRYING TO
[1:08:37] KEEP THE COUNCIL ABREAST OF THE
[1:08:40] SITUATION.
[1:08:40] UH, WE WERE DEALING WITH IT AT
[1:08:42] 426.
[1:08:43] UM, WE UH WE ACTUALLY
[1:08:47] SUCCESSFULLY WORKED UH, WITH
[1:08:49] THE COUNCIL TO DO SUPPLEMENTAL
[1:08:52] BUDGETS FOR BOTH THE BOSTON
[1:08:53] PUBLIC SCHOOLS, UH, AND THE
[1:08:55] CITY UM UH UH THE CITY LARGELY
[1:08:59] DRIVEN UH BY SOME SOME SOME
[1:09:02] SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL THAT
[1:09:04] RESULTED IN SHORTFALLS IN THAT
[1:09:06] BUDGET.
[1:09:07] UM, YOU KNOW, WE WERE NOT
[1:09:08] UNLIKE A LOT OF BUT IN TERMS
[1:09:10] OF GIVING YOU THIS, UH,
[1:09:11] SPECIFICITY ON THE THE UM THE
[1:09:14] FINALIZATION OF FY UH 26 BUDGET
[1:09:17] THIS IS A POINT WHERE IT THEN
[1:09:19] SWITCHES FROM UH, THE BUDGET
[1:09:21] OFFICE TO THE AUDITING
[1:09:23] DEPARTMENT AND UH UH, GIVING
[1:09:26] THE AUDIT AUDITING DEPARTMENT
[1:09:27] ITS ITS SPACE TO DO ITS ANNUAL
[1:09:29] ITS STANDARD ANNUAL AUDIT
[1:09:31] PROCESS AND THIS THIS THIS
[1:09:33] AUDIT PROCESS INVOLVES SORT
[1:09:35] OF THOSE ROUTINE, UH, CLOSEOUT
[1:09:37] ADJUSTMENTS, YOU KNOW,
[1:09:39] ADJUSTING REVENUE ACCRUALS,
[1:09:40] GRANT RECONCILIATIONS AND SO UH
[1:09:44] ,THERE IN THE AT THE HEART
[1:09:46] OF THAT SO IT'D BE PREMATURE
[1:09:48] FOR ME TO LIKE GIVE YOU ANY
[1:09:50] DEFINITIVE BUT THE ONLY
[1:09:51] DIRECTIONAL UH, THING I CAN SAY
[1:09:53] IS WE CERTAINLY DO APPRECIATE
[1:09:54] THE SUPPLEMENTAL THAT WAS, UM,
[1:09:56] APPROVED BY SUPPLEMENTALS THAT
[1:09:58] WERE APPROVED BY CITY
[1:09:59] COUNCIL AND WE DO BELIEVE THAT
[1:10:01] WE FINISHED UM, UH, FY 26
[1:10:05] WITHOUT A UH, BOTTOM LINE
[1:10:07] DEFICIT, UH, BASED ON THAT.
[1:10:09] SO WE APPRECIATE THAT UH, IN
[1:10:11] TERMS OF UM UH THE FIRST
[1:10:13] QUARTER OF THAT 427 UH, IT'S
[1:10:16] YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE IT
[1:10:18] LITERALLY JUST CLOSED LAST WEEK
[1:10:20] SO IT'S UH WE'RE WE'RE UH WE'RE
[1:10:23] STILL SORT OF WORKING THROUGH
[1:10:24] IT.
[1:10:24] UM, WE WE I THINK YOU ARE NOT
[1:10:27] UNLIKE THE REST OF OTHER FOLKS
[1:10:29] TO WANT TO SEE, UH, WHAT WE
[1:10:31] CONTINUE TO REFER TO AS SORT
[1:10:32] OF THE WORLD CUP BUMP IS IT IS
[1:10:34] IS IT UH ARE WE SEEING UH,
[1:10:37] EXTRAORDINARY REVENUES AND AND
[1:10:39] THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE
[1:10:40] WE'RE SEEING LIKE UM SOME
[1:10:43] OF THE DATA THAT SORT
[1:10:45] OF DOESN'T EXACTLY AND WE AND
[1:10:46] WE HAVE UH PARTNERS UH WITH
[1:10:49] THIS THE PLANNING RESEARCH
[1:10:51] DEPARTMENT HAS DONE SOME
[1:10:53] ANALYSIS ON THE ECONOMIC IMPACT
[1:10:56] OF OF OF MAJOR EVENTS LIKE
[1:10:58] WORLD CUP.
[1:10:59] UH, BUT THERE ARE SO SO MANY UM
[1:11:02] COMPONENTS TO IT TO BEFORE SO
[1:11:04] I'M NOT I DON'T THINK WE'RE
[1:11:06] READY TO GIVE YOU SORT OF A
[1:11:07] DEFINITIVE I THINK I THINK WE
[1:11:09] CAN SAY GENERALLY BUT THE
[1:11:10] QUARTER UM WHERE UH WORLD CUP
[1:11:14] HAPPENED UH IN THE RUN UP TO
[1:11:16] THE 4TH OF JULY AND THEN INTO
[1:11:17] THE SALE BOSTON EVENT UH, HAD
[1:11:19] BETTER REVENUE IN HOTEL
[1:11:22] EXERCISES AND MEALS BUT UM, IF
[1:11:25] IT IS I, I DON'T I THINK IT
[1:11:27] WOULD BE PREMATURE FOR ME TO
[1:11:28] SAY THAT IT'S SORT OF AN
[1:11:30] OUTSIZED UH, BECAUSE AS AS WE
[1:11:33] ALL KNOW, BOSTON IS A VERY, UH,
[1:11:36] DESIRABLE PLACE TO TO TO COME
[1:11:38] TO IN THE SPRING ANYWAY,
[1:11:40] THERE'S A FAIR AMOUNT
[1:11:42] OF PREDICTABLE, UH, THINGS WITH
[1:11:44] COLLEGE GRADUATIONS AND THE
[1:11:46] THINGS THAT ARE, UH, FILLING
[1:11:48] THOSE UM, HOTEL ROOMS AND
[1:11:51] RESTAURANTS ANYWAY, SO WE DON'T
[1:11:54] WANT TO ASCRIBE TOO MUCH TO
[1:11:56] SOMETHING THAT MAY HAVE KIND
[1:11:58] OF OCCURRED ANYWAY.
[1:12:00] SO, UH, IT'S A LONG WAY TO SAY
[1:12:02] THAT WE'RE SORT OF THE WE'RE
[1:12:04] STILL ANALYZING THAT DATA.
[1:12:05] UM, AND AND UH, THE 26 DATA IS
[1:12:08] STILL SORT OF UNDER UH UH AN
[1:12:12] AUDIT PROCESS AT THE MOMENT.
[1:12:16] YOU KNOW WHAT, JIM?
[1:12:17] I FEEL.
[1:12:19] I DON'T KNOW.
[1:12:20] THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS.
[1:12:22] WHEN I I GUESS WE.
[1:12:24] WERE AND I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH
[1:12:25] TIME I HAVE LEFT, BUT THIS IS
[1:12:27] WHERE I FEEL LIKE.
[1:12:29] UM I DON'T I DON'T THINK THAT
[1:12:30] YOU UNDERSTAND.
[1:12:31] I DON'T KNOW IF.
[1:12:33] IT SEEMS LIKE IF IF THEY SAY
[1:12:35] THAT YOU CAN GET THE QUARTERLY
[1:12:36] REPORTS THEN I JUST I'M TRYING
[1:12:39] TO UNDERSTAND WHY YOU SAY YOU
[1:12:40] CAN'T GET THE DATA FROM FROM
[1:12:43] LAST YEAR THAT YOU'RE WAITING
[1:12:45] FOR.
[1:12:45] THE AUDITING DEPARTMENT IS KIND
[1:12:46] OF LIKE I'M JUST TRYING TO.
[1:12:47] IT JUST THERE SEEMS TO BE.
[1:12:49] A DISCONNECT WITH WHAT I'M
[1:12:50] HEARING AND WHAT YOU ARE
[1:12:53] SAYING.
[1:12:53] IF WE'RE ABLE TO DO THESE
[1:12:54] QUARTERLY REPORTS THEN WHY
[1:12:55] DON'T YOU HAVE DATA FROM 2026?
[1:13:00] IT'S AT THIS POINT IT WOULD IT
[1:13:02] LEND ITSELF TO CONFUSION IF
[1:13:04] THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.
[1:13:05] SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE.
[1:13:06] THAT WE USE THE FINAL AUDITED
[1:13:08] FINANCIAL NUMBERS AT THIS
[1:13:10] POINT.
[1:13:13] UH OKAY.
[1:13:14] UM AND DAVID YOU KNOW I KNOW
[1:13:15] THAT COUNCIL CULPEPPER IS GOING
[1:13:17] TO PROBABLY WANT TO UH, REACH
[1:13:19] OUT TO YOU AND GET SOME
[1:13:20] INFORMATION REGARDING.
[1:13:21] THE CONNECTICUT UH.
[1:13:23] COMMISSION THAT WAS ESTABLISHED
[1:13:24] .
[1:13:24] UH, WE'D.
[1:13:25] LOVE TO.
[1:13:26] PARTNER WITH CULPEPPER.
[1:13:28] IF.
[1:13:28] HE DOES DECIDE TO GO THAT ROUTE
[1:13:30] AND SOME MORE INSIGHT I'M
[1:13:32] ALWAYS YOU KNOW.
[1:13:33] I AM ALWAYS ON.
[1:13:35] THE SIDE OF BEING AS.
[1:13:37] TRANSPARENT AS POSSIBLE WHEN IT
[1:13:38] COMES.
[1:13:39] TO CITY DOLLARS IN
[1:13:40] PARTICULAR BECAUSE.
[1:13:40] THESE ARE THE TAXES OF THE.
[1:13:43] PEOPLE AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN
[1:13:45] DO TO CREATE PATHWAYS AND UH,
[1:13:48] THAT ALLOW FOR THAT IS
[1:13:50] SOMETHING THAT I'M ALWAYS GOING
[1:13:51] TO RAISE MY HAND UP AND SAY I
[1:13:52] WANT TO BE A PART OF.
[1:13:54] SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO
[1:13:55] CONNECTING WITH YOU ON THAT.
[1:13:55] AND UM, STEVE AS WELL AS WITH
[1:13:58] YOU TO HEAR MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU
[1:14:00] HAVE GATHERED FROM OTHER CITIES
[1:14:01] AND TO PARTNER ALONGSIDE YOU
[1:14:03] ALL TO TO BE UH, PARTNERS IN
[1:14:06] THIS GOOD WORK AND THANK YOU
[1:14:07] CHAIR.
[1:14:07] I SEE THAT MY TIME IS
[1:14:08] DEFINITELY UP.
[1:14:09] I APPRECIATE.
[1:14:10] THE TIME.
[1:14:10] THANK YOU.
[1:14:12] UM, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.
[1:14:15] THANK YOU CHAIR.
[1:14:16] UH.
[1:14:16] AND THANK YOU JIM.
[1:14:17] STEVE.
[1:14:18] DAVID, UH, FOR BEING ON WITH US
[1:14:20] TODAY.
[1:14:20] UM, I DON'T HAVE MANY QUESTIONS
[1:14:23] IS MORE JUST I SUPPORT THIS,
[1:14:25] UH, THAT THERE'S GOING TO, UH,
[1:14:26] QUARTERLY REPORTS.
[1:14:27] UH, I THINK IT WILL HELP.
[1:14:29] I THINK ALL OF US KNOW THAT
[1:14:30] LAST, UH, THE LAST BUDGET
[1:14:31] CYCLE, UH, WAS A ROUGH ONE FOR
[1:14:33] US AND WE ANTICIPATE, UH, NEXT
[1:14:36] UP COMING NEXT SPRING'S TO BE,
[1:14:37] UH, EQUALLY IF NOT MORE
[1:14:39] DIFFICULT.
[1:14:40] UM.
[1:14:40] WITH SOME OF THE DECISIONS
[1:14:42] WE HAVE TO MAKE.
[1:14:43] SO I THINK THE TRANSPARENCY ON
[1:14:44] THE REVENUE COMING.
[1:14:45] IN.
[1:14:45] WILL BE HELPFUL IN TERMS
[1:14:47] OF EXPLAINING TO OUR
[1:14:48] CONSTITUENTS WHERE THEIR
[1:14:49] MONEY'S GOING AND YOU KNOW WHY
[1:14:51] THINGS ARE BEING CUT, WHAT
[1:14:52] MONEY IS NOT BEEN COMING IN OR
[1:14:54] IS COMING IN OR NOT COMING IN
[1:14:55] THAT WE USED TO HAVE COME IN
[1:14:56] ETC. UM AND SO UH YOU KNOW AND
[1:15:00] I THINK TWO QUARTERLY MONTHS WE
[1:15:02] COULD PICK UP A TREND EVEN
[1:15:03] QUICKER.
[1:15:04] UH AND I DO AGREE WITH THAT,
[1:15:05] DAVID BUT I THINK WE PUT MONTHS
[1:15:07] THAT BE SORT OF TRENDS THAT WE
[1:15:09] CAN BEGIN TO TO SEE AND FOLLOW
[1:15:11] UH, MORE THAN AN ANNUAL REPORT
[1:15:13] AND AGAIN, JUST UM AS THINGS AS
[1:15:16] AS THE BELT GETS A LITTLE BIT
[1:15:17] TIGHTER, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE
[1:15:18] IMPORTANT TO COMMUNICATE THAT
[1:15:20] TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
[1:15:21] UH, ABOUT UM WHY THINGS ARE
[1:15:24] BEING MAYBE BEING SPENT THE WAY
[1:15:25] THEY ARE, UH, WHERE THE MONEY'S
[1:15:27] GOING AND LETTING FOLKS KNOW SO
[1:15:29] THAT THEY CAN, UM, ADD THEIR
[1:15:30] VOICE TO WHETHER THEIR THEIR
[1:15:32] EITHER UM SUPPORT OR
[1:15:33] DISPLEASURE OF HOWEVER IT MAY
[1:15:34] BE BEING SPENT.
[1:15:36] UM BUT REALLY HERE AT THE END
[1:15:38] OF THE DAY JUST TO SAY SUPPORT
[1:15:39] THIS CHANGE I THANK UH THE
[1:15:40] MAKER FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD
[1:15:42] AND UH, I HOPE WE CAN SEE IT
[1:15:44] SOON.
[1:15:44] AND UH, JIM, I DID HEAR YOU SAY
[1:15:45] LIKE YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT
[1:15:46] MORE OF A.
[1:15:47] LIFT FOR FOR SOME OF THE.
[1:15:48] STAFF BUT.
[1:15:49] UM.
[1:15:50] YOU KNOW, I'M SURE THIS.
[1:15:51] IS JUST A COUPLE OF FORMULAS
[1:15:52] IN A SPREADSHEET.
[1:15:52] WE JUST SWITCH AROUND AND CAN
[1:15:54] HAVE DONE UM AND AND SO I'M
[1:15:56] HAPPY TO HEAR THAT STAFF CAN
[1:15:57] CAN DOES HAVE THE CAPACITY TO
[1:16:00] DO THIS.
[1:16:01] UM BUT YEAH THAT'S UH REALLY
[1:16:02] ALL WE'RE GOING TO UH, SAY
[1:16:04] TODAY BUT UH, JUST SUPPORT THIS
[1:16:05] AND I THINK IT WILL BE HELPFUL
[1:16:07] IN TRANSPARENCY GOING FORWARD
[1:16:09] UH, NOT ONLY FOR THE
[1:16:10] CONSTITUENTS BUT ALSO FOR US AS
[1:16:12] COUNCIL IS UH, WHO GET TO AMEND
[1:16:14] THIS BUDGET.
[1:16:14] SO THANK YOU, CHAIR.
[1:16:15] UH, THANK YOU TO THE PANEL.
[1:16:16] THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD
[1:16:18] .
[1:16:18] UM I APOLOGIZE EVERYBODY.
[1:16:20] MY INTERNET IS SPOTTY.
[1:16:20] SO I KEEP GOING IN AND OUT.
[1:16:22] UM BUT I WILL PASS IT OVER TO
[1:16:23] COUNCIL HAPPEN AND.
[1:16:24] APOLOGIES IF UM IF YOU DON'T
[1:16:26] HEAR FROM ME I'M TRYING TO GET
[1:16:27] ON TO MY PHONE.
[1:16:27] SO JUST FLAGGING TO CENTRAL
[1:16:28] STAFF AND I'M GOING TO UM GET
[1:16:30] ON I'M PROBABLY GOING TO BE
[1:16:31] IPHONE.
[1:16:32] CONCEPT COMING.
[1:16:33] UP WITH.
[1:16:39] HEY EVERYONE, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
[1:16:41] WELL PERFECT.
[1:16:43] UH GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
[1:16:44] THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING
[1:16:46] THIS HEARING.
[1:16:47] MADAM CHAIR.
[1:16:48] UM, THIS IS A TOPIC THAT IS
[1:16:50] OF GREAT INTEREST TO ME BUT
[1:16:51] ALSO MY RESIDENTS UM, VERY
[1:16:53] GRATEFUL TO THE MAKERS AS WELL.
[1:16:55] I I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS
[1:16:56] JUST BECAUSE I THINK THAT IF WE
[1:16:58] ARE ABLE TO REVIEW THE REVENUES
[1:17:00] COMING INTO THE CITY, IT'S
[1:17:02] GOING TO HELP US UNDERSTAND
[1:17:04] WHERE WE ARE FISCALLY.
[1:17:05] HOW ARE WE DOING IN TERMS OF UH
[1:17:07] ,BUDGET WISE FOR THE NEXT
[1:17:09] FISCAL YEAR?
[1:17:10] I THINK THAT PERSONALLY
[1:17:12] SPEAKING, UM, EVEN JUST BEING
[1:17:13] ABLE TO LOOK AT WHERE THE
[1:17:14] MONEY'S COMING FROM, UM, BE
[1:17:18] SETTING US EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT
[1:17:19] THE NEXT QUARTER MAY LOOK LIKE.
[1:17:20] UM, HELPS ME UNDERSTAND ALSO
[1:17:23] WHICH DEPARTMENTS ARE BRINGING
[1:17:24] IN WHICH REVENUE, UM, WHAT WHAT
[1:17:27] TYPE OF WORK ARE THEY DOING?
[1:17:28] UM, AND OBVIOUSLY THIS YEAR WAS
[1:17:30] VARIED I THINK BUT PREVIOUS
[1:17:32] COUNCIL AS I MENTIONED IT THIS
[1:17:33] YEAR WAS VERY DIFFERENT.
[1:17:34] WE HAD MAJOR EVENTS IN THE
[1:17:36] SUMMERTIME AND UH THAT BROUGHT
[1:17:38] IN AN EXTRA SET OF RESOURCES
[1:17:40] BUT UM I JUST THINK THAT MOVING
[1:17:43] FORWARD THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO
[1:17:45] BE DOING.
[1:17:45] I KIND OF SUBMITTED.
[1:17:47] A SIMILAR HEARING.
[1:17:48] ORDER BUT IN A WHOLE DIFFERENT
[1:17:49] TYPE OF TOPIC IN TERMS
[1:17:51] OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.
[1:17:52] SO UM, I THINK THAT WHEN WE
[1:17:54] TALK ABOUT QUARTERLY REVIEWS OR
[1:17:56] ANNUAL REVIEWS OF A SPECIFIC
[1:17:58] ITEM, IT'S JUST HELPFUL NOT
[1:18:00] JUST FOR US AS COUNCILORS BUT
[1:18:01] EVEN TO EXPLAIN TO OUR
[1:18:03] RESIDENTS WHAT'S GOING ON IF
[1:18:04] THEY HAVE QUESTIONS.
[1:18:06] SO THAT'S WHY I'M SUPPORTIVE
[1:18:07] OF THIS AND I JUST HAVE I DON'T
[1:18:10] KNOW IF STEVE OR JIM IF IT'S
[1:18:12] THE CITY OR THE OUTSIDE PARTNER
[1:18:14] ,BUT MY QUESTION TO YOU ALL IS
[1:18:17] WITH A REPORT LIKE THIS ON A
[1:18:19] QUARTERLY REVIEW, UM, TYPE
[1:18:22] OF TYPE OF FORMAT, DOES IT ALSO
[1:18:24] HELP US OR DAVID, I THINK YOU I
[1:18:26] THINK YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING
[1:18:27] ABOUT THE MORE THAT WE WE
[1:18:29] PROVIDE UM UPDATES ON OUR ON
[1:18:32] OUR REVENUES, THE BETTER IT IS
[1:18:34] FOR US TO HOLD.
[1:18:35] THE CITY.
[1:18:35] ACCOUNTABLE TO TO UNDERSTAND
[1:18:37] HOW IS IT LOOKING UM, DOES IT
[1:18:40] HELP US ALSO SEE PATTERNS
[1:18:43] OF WHERE WE COULD ALSO BE
[1:18:44] POTENTIALLY GENERATING MORE
[1:18:46] REVENUE OR OR THINKING MORE
[1:18:49] IDEAS OF HOW DO WE BE MORE
[1:18:51] CREATIVE IN THE CITY?
[1:18:52] UM, DEPENDING ON PATTERNS AND
[1:18:55] AND THE SEASONS IN THE CITY.
[1:19:00] I WANTED TO GIVE JIM PRIDE
[1:19:02] OF PLACE IN ANSWERING THAT SOME
[1:19:04] I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS BUT I
[1:19:05] THINK I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM JIM
[1:19:07] FIRST.
[1:19:08] GOOD.
[1:19:08] SO SO UH I.
[1:19:09] THINK UM THAT'S AN EXCELLENT UH
[1:19:12] ,COMMENT UH, AND UH SUMMARY
[1:19:16] OF UH REVENUE UH THE UM THE
[1:19:20] IT'S AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY
[1:19:21] TO FIND UH SITUATIONS WHERE YOU
[1:19:23] COULD UM, INCREASE REVENUE, UH
[1:19:26] ,TRENDS.
[1:19:26] UH, THERE THERE UH UH, GOVERNOR
[1:19:29] HEALY ACTUALLY HAS HAS OFFERED
[1:19:31] THROUGH UH MUNICIPAL
[1:19:32] EMPOWERMENT ACT UH, THAT HAS
[1:19:34] NOT BEEN TAKEN UP UH,
[1:19:36] AGGRESSIVELY AT THE LEGISLATURE
[1:19:38] OPPORTUNITIES TO INCREASE UM
[1:19:39] SOME OF THE TAXES THAT WE UH,
[1:19:42] YOU KNOW, WITH THE STOCK USE
[1:19:43] FOR BOSTON IT'S FOR ALL UH,
[1:19:45] COMMUNITIES TO OPT INTO FOR
[1:19:47] HOTELS AND MEALS.
[1:19:49] UH, BUT ALL OF THE MANY OF THE
[1:19:51] FEES AND FINES THAT ARE
[1:19:53] GENERATED IN THE BUDGET, UH,
[1:19:56] ARE SET IN ORDINANCE WHERE THE
[1:19:57] CITY COUNCIL, UH, YOU KNOW,
[1:19:59] PLAYS UH, INSTRUMENTAL UM, IN
[1:20:03] THAT EFFORT TO SORT OF CODIFY
[1:20:06] CHANGES AND RATES UH, WE'RE WE
[1:20:09] ARE ALWAYS LOOKING TO SEE UM UH
[1:20:12] YOU KNOW HOW HOW WE STAND
[1:20:15] AGAINST OTHER COMMUNITIES UH,
[1:20:17] BUT ALSO IT'S THE IMPACTS ON
[1:20:19] THE RESIDENTS.
[1:20:20] SO IT IS THIS WILL WILL THIS,
[1:20:21] UH, POSE AN UNDUE BURDEN ON THE
[1:20:23] RESIDENTS?
[1:20:24] UM, AND THERE IS THIS THIS THIS
[1:20:27] ECONOMIC CONCEPT OF, YOU KNOW,
[1:20:29] IN THE LAST CITY THAT.
[1:20:31] LIKE.
[1:20:31] YOU LIKE VILLAGE YOU KNOW WHAT
[1:20:33] WILL WHAT WILL THE CONSEQUENCES
[1:20:35] BE OF CHANGING CERTAIN CERTAIN
[1:20:37] UH, RATES AND THEN UM, YOU
[1:20:40] KNOW, IN YOU KNOW SO THOSE ARE
[1:20:43] UH PROBABLY A SMALLER PORTION
[1:20:45] OF OUR BUDGET BUT IT STILL
[1:20:46] CONTINUES TO BE SOMETHING WE.
[1:20:48] PAY ATTENTION TO.
[1:20:49] UH UH, WHAT WE'VE SORT OF BEEN
[1:20:51] THE BENEFICIARY OF IT'S A VERY
[1:20:54] ,UM, ROBUST DEVELOPMENT MARKET
[1:20:56] THAT OCCURRED IN THE CITY OVER
[1:20:59] SEVERAL YEARS WHERE OUR NEW
[1:21:01] GROWTH WAS UH, VERY STRONG.
[1:21:03] AND YOU KNOW, WE ALL, UH, SEE
[1:21:05] THAT THE THE DEVELOPMENT
[1:21:07] PIPELINE HAS SORT OF UM, UH,
[1:21:10] SLOWED DOWN A BIT AND UH, YOU
[1:21:12] KNOW, THAT THAT COULD BE BLAMED
[1:21:14] THAT COULD BE CONNECTED TO MANY
[1:21:15] DIFFERENT THINGS, YOU KNOW,
[1:21:17] INTEREST RATES UH, ARE HARD ON
[1:21:19] CERTAIN SECTOR UM, YOU KNOW,
[1:21:21] UNCERTAINTY SORT OF GLOBAL
[1:21:22] UNCERTAINTY, LOTS OF MARKET
[1:21:24] UNCERTAINTY, TARIFF
[1:21:25] UNCERTAINTIES, ALL OF THESE
[1:21:26] THINGS FOR GOING TO UM PEOPLE'S
[1:21:30] DECISIONS ON UH AND ALSO JUST
[1:21:32] THE UNCERTAINTY OF UNCERTAINTY
[1:21:34] .
[1:21:34] UM, EVERY DAY YOU READ A STORY
[1:21:36] ABOUT.
[1:21:37] LIKE OH, WE THOUGHT THIS
[1:21:39] COMPANY WAS GOING TO LIKE START
[1:21:41] UP A UNIT HERE IN THE CITY AND
[1:21:43] THEY CHOSE TO DECIDED TO PUT IT
[1:21:46] IN ANOTHER CITY OR SOMETHING
[1:21:47] LIKE THAT.
[1:21:47] SO THERE.
[1:21:48] YOU WE WE COULDN'T POSSIBLY
[1:21:50] LIKE EMBED OURSELVES IN ALL
[1:21:52] OF THE DECISION MAKING KNOW
[1:21:53] AROUND THE CITY.
[1:21:55] UH BUT AGAIN ALL OF THESE ALL
[1:21:58] OF THESE REVENUE SO I THINK WE
[1:22:00] WE IT'S GOOD TO KNOW IT TO KNOW
[1:22:02] IT I THINK ONE OF THE MOST
[1:22:03] IMPORTANT THINGS TO MAKE SURE
[1:22:04] THAT WE'RE UM PROTECTING THE
[1:22:09] SERVICES THAT THE CITY PROVIDES
[1:22:10] BY ENSURING THAT WE HAVE
[1:22:12] SUFFICIENT REVENUE TO
[1:22:13] COVER THOSE EXPENSES.
[1:22:15] UM, AND AND YOU KNOW, UH, I
[1:22:17] THINK EVERYBODY ON THE
[1:22:18] COUNCIL IS VERY FAMILIAR
[1:22:19] OF SOME UH, STATUTORY STATUTORY
[1:22:23] PLACES WERE OUT.
[1:22:24] WERE.
[1:22:24] ALLOWED TO OVER RESPOND THAT
[1:22:25] THEY CONTINUE TO UH TO HAVE UM
[1:22:29] PUT BUDGETARY PRESSURE ON THERE
[1:22:31] THINGS LIKE UH PUBLIC SAFETY
[1:22:34] SPENDING, UM CHARGING
[1:22:36] SETTLEMENTS.
[1:22:37] UM, UH AND YOU KNOW, THE NEW
[1:22:40] ENGLAND UH, SNOW AND ICE
[1:22:41] ACCOUNT THAT IMPACT SO MANY
[1:22:43] COMMUNITIES.
[1:22:43] SO SO UH, I THINK THAT THIS
[1:22:46] INFORMATION THAT YOU'LL BE
[1:22:47] GETTING IS IS PART OF YOUR
[1:22:49] STUART YOUR EFFORT TO
[1:22:51] STEWARDSHIP TO SAY DO WE HAVE
[1:22:52] ENOUGH RESOURCES TO PROTECT
[1:22:54] THOSE KEY FUNDAMENTAL SERVICES
[1:22:57] THAT EVERY RESIDENT COUNTS ON?
[1:23:00] SO OKAY.
[1:23:01] THANK YOU JIM STEVE.
[1:23:05] YEAH I'M NOT MUCH TO ADD THERE
[1:23:07] I DO THINK YOU KNOW I THINK
[1:23:08] JIM'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
[1:23:09] I WOULD SAY WITH SOME OF THE
[1:23:10] MORE MATERIAL ACCOUNTS UM IT
[1:23:12] GIVES YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO
[1:23:13] HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING.
[1:23:14] HEY WHAT'S AFFECTING KIND
[1:23:15] OF THE MACRO ENVIRONMENT AROUND
[1:23:18] PROPERTY VALUES AROUND NEW
[1:23:20] CONSTRUCTION, AROUND PERMITTING
[1:23:22] AND THEN I WOULD SAY ON THE
[1:23:23] SMALLER LESS MATERIAL ACCOUNTS
[1:23:25] FROM TIME TO TIME YOU'LL BE
[1:23:27] ABLE TO IDENTIFY OR AT LEAST
[1:23:28] YOU KNOW, BRING TO THE
[1:23:30] ATTENTION IF THERE'S A POSSIBLE
[1:23:32] OPERATIONAL ISSUES AND YOU
[1:23:33] KNOW, SOME OF THESE SMALL
[1:23:34] DOLLAR ACCOUNTS IT MAY BE YOU
[1:23:36] KNOW, MAYBE THAT THEY DIDN'T
[1:23:38] YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HOLDING ALL
[1:23:39] THE TRACKS UNTIL THE SECOND
[1:23:40] QUARTER OR SOMETHING SMALLER.
[1:23:42] I MEAN I OUTSIDE OF THE CITY
[1:23:44] OF BOSTON I MEAN I'VE HAD THE
[1:23:45] EXPERIENCE WITH A LARGE
[1:23:47] ORGANIZATION SOMETIMES YOU KNOW
[1:23:49] OH THAT GUY RETIRED LIKE WHO
[1:23:51] WAS COLLECTING ALL THE RENTS ON
[1:23:53] UH ON ON PARTICULAR PROPERTIES
[1:23:55] AND ONCE YOU IDENTIFIED HEY,
[1:23:56] WHY IS THAT ACCOUNT USED TO
[1:23:58] HAVE A STEADY INCOME?
[1:23:59] WHY IS IT ZERO?
[1:24:00] YOU CAN SOLVE THOSE PROBLEMS.
[1:24:01] SO YOU KNOW I THINK AGAIN WE'RE
[1:24:04] NOT GOING TO CLOSE UM, YOU
[1:24:06] KNOW, WE'RE NOT GOING TO CLOSE
[1:24:07] THE BUDGET GAP WITH UH WITH I
[1:24:09] THINK WITH OPERATIONAL UH,
[1:24:11] IMPROVEMENTS BUT IT'S MONEY
[1:24:13] THAT UH IT'S MONEY THAT THE
[1:24:14] CITY IS OWED AND UM, YOU KNOW,
[1:24:16] WE SHOULD BE SURE WHERE WE'RE,
[1:24:17] UH, APPROPRIATELY COLLECTING IT
[1:24:19] .
[1:24:20] I APPRECIATE THAT, UM, BECAUSE
[1:24:22] I ALWAYS I MEAN, WE COULD
[1:24:23] ALWAYS LOOK AT IT FROM OUR
[1:24:24] PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE IF I TRY
[1:24:25] TO LOOK AT MY OWN PERSONAL BANK
[1:24:27] STATEMENTS.
[1:24:27] UH, EVERY MONTH.
[1:24:29] TO UNDERSTAND WHERE ARE THOSE
[1:24:30] WE ARE CURRENT PAYMENTS
[1:24:31] HAPPENING?
[1:24:32] UH, WHAT SUBSCRIPTIONS DO I
[1:24:34] HAVE THAT ARE CONSISTENTLY
[1:24:35] TAKING MONEY THAT I MAY NOT BE
[1:24:36] AWARE OF?
[1:24:37] UM, AS A PERSON IF YOU'RE NOT
[1:24:39] DOING THAT ON A EVEN LIKE
[1:24:42] MONTHLY BASIS OR EVEN ON A TWO
[1:24:43] WEEK ON A BI WEEKLY BASIS,
[1:24:45] YOU'RE GOING TO PROBABLY BE
[1:24:46] SPENDING MONEY ON THINGS YOU'RE
[1:24:47] NOT EVEN AWARE OF.
[1:24:48] AND THAT'S THE WAY I LOOK AT IT
[1:24:50] FROM A BIGGER PICTURE WITH THE
[1:24:52] CITY'S BUDGET WHICH IS WHY I'M
[1:24:53] VERY FOR THIS UM AND I'M VERY
[1:24:55] THANKFUL I THINK WAS
[1:24:56] COUNCILOR WORRELL UM THAT PUT
[1:24:58] THIS FORWARD SO I JUST I'M VERY
[1:25:00] SUPPORTIVE OF THIS.
[1:25:01] I THINK THAT WE CAN DO SOME
[1:25:02] GOOD JUST ANALYSIS OF OUR
[1:25:05] CITY'S BUDGET AND REVENUE
[1:25:06] MOVING FORWARD.
[1:25:07] SO THAT'S IT FOR ME GUYS.
[1:25:08] THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO.
[1:25:09] THANK YOU FOR THE MAKERS AND
[1:25:10] THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR FOR
[1:25:11] HOSTING THIS HEARING.
[1:25:12] THANK YOU COUNCIL PATTON.
[1:25:14] UM ALL RIGHT I'LL GO INTO MY
[1:25:16] UH QUESTIONS.
[1:25:16] AND I APOLOGIZE IF.
[1:25:17] THERE'S AN ECHO BECAUSE OF MY
[1:25:19] PHONE.
[1:25:19] THAT'S NOT TRUE.
[1:25:20] SPEAK LOUDLY.
[1:25:22] UM.
[1:25:23] SO THE.
[1:25:23] THE LANGUAGE.
[1:25:24] IN.
[1:25:24] THIS IS.
[1:25:24] PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
[1:25:25] IT JUST.
[1:25:25] SAYS THE.
[1:25:26] SUPERVISOR OF BUDGET SHALL BE
[1:25:27] REQUIRED TO PROVIDE QUARTERLY
[1:25:28] REVENUE REPORTS DETAILING ALL
[1:25:29] REVENUE COLLECTED BY COLLECTED
[1:25:31] TO DATE BY ITEM NO LATER THAN
[1:25:34] 30 DAYS.
[1:25:35] I HAVE BEEN A PUBLIC SERVANT
[1:25:36] SERVANT MY ENTIRE LIFE AND I'M
[1:25:38] COMING FROM A WORLD OF FINANCE
[1:25:39] .
[1:25:40] I UM IS NOT SOMETHING THAT I
[1:25:42] HAVE EXPERIENCE IN SO MY MY
[1:25:44] QUESTIONS ARE MORE ABOUT
[1:25:46] OPERATIONALLY HOW THIS WOULD
[1:25:47] WORK IN PRACTICE AND HOW WE CAN
[1:25:51] SHORE UP THE LANGUAGE TO I
[1:25:53] THINK GET SPECIFIC.
[1:25:55] I MEAN I'M UM I THINK WE CAN
[1:25:57] ALL HAVE A BASELINE
[1:25:59] UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT A REVENUE
[1:26:01] REPORT.
[1:26:02] INCLUDES BUT TO COUNCIL POINT
[1:26:05] WE ALWAYS HAVE TO ASSUME UM,
[1:26:08] YOU KNOW, A STANDARD BECAUSE
[1:26:11] EACH EXECUTIVE IS.
[1:26:12] DIFFERENT AND UM, WHO KNOWS IF
[1:26:15] THIS.
[1:26:16] EXECUTIVE'S DEFINITION OF A
[1:26:17] REVENUE REPORT IS DIFFERENT
[1:26:18] FROM THE NEXT ONE OR THE NEXT
[1:26:19] ONE.
[1:26:20] SO I THINK LIKE WHAT
[1:26:22] CONSTITUTES SUFFICIENT DETAIL
[1:26:25] SINCE IT SAYS REVENUE REPORTS
[1:26:26] DETAILING ALL REVENUE COLLECTED
[1:26:28] TO DATE BY ITEM LIKE IS THAT
[1:26:30] GETTING INTO DETAIL AND SHOULD
[1:26:31] WE GET PRESCRIPTIVE ABOUT IT.
[1:26:33] THIS IS MORE OF LIKE A
[1:26:34] COLLECTIVE CONVERSATION KIND
[1:26:35] OF WADING INTO WATER THAT I
[1:26:36] HAVE A WORKING SESSION.
[1:26:38] BUT SHOULD WE DEFINE REVENUE
[1:26:41] REPORTS AS HAVING LIKE PROPERTY
[1:26:43] TAX REVENUE OR STATE AID, LOCAL
[1:26:44] RECEIPTS, FEDERAL REVENUE,
[1:26:46] DEPARTMENTAL REVENUE,
[1:26:47] INVESTMENT INCOME,
[1:26:49] NON-RECURRING REVENUE WHILE
[1:26:50] ALSO INCLUDING REVENUE
[1:26:53] FORECASTS AND UM I IT SEEMS
[1:26:54] LIKE THERE'S A DESIRE TO GET
[1:26:56] THE UM MONTHLY REPORTS FROM UM
[1:27:01] THAT'S GIVEN TO EVERY
[1:27:02] DEPARTMENT.
[1:27:03] JIM, CAN YOU JUST DESCRIBE UM
[1:27:07] CAN YOU JUST ADD TO WHATEVER I
[1:27:09] MISSED LIKE IF WE'RE GOING TO
[1:27:11] DEFINE REVENUE REPORTS, WHAT
[1:27:14] ELSE SHOULD BE IN THERE IN
[1:27:15] ADDITION TO WHAT I MENTIONED
[1:27:17] AND THEN ALSO WHAT'S THE.
[1:27:18] FEASIBILITY OF INCLUDING THAT
[1:27:20] AT LEAST I'M STILL INTERESTED
[1:27:21] IN DOING QUARTERLY.
[1:27:23] UM, BUT WHAT IT MAY MEAN TO TRY
[1:27:25] TO GET EVERY DEPARTMENT'S UH,
[1:27:27] REPORT SENT TO THE CITY
[1:27:29] COUNCIL ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
[1:27:32] YEAH.
[1:27:32] UM.
[1:27:33] UH, THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER
[1:27:37] TO BECAUSE IT SAYS AUTOMATED
[1:27:38] SYSTEM, UH, SYSTEM GENERATED
[1:27:40] REPORT, UM, TO OUR IT AND
[1:27:43] AUDITING DEPARTMENT.
[1:27:44] I THINK IT'S THE BUSINESS
[1:27:45] PROCESS OWNER BUT UM, I THINK
[1:27:47] IN TERMS OF THE LANGUAGE THAT
[1:27:48] YOU HAVE CHOSEN THAT IT SEEMS
[1:27:51] TO BE COMPREHENSIVE ENOUGH.
[1:27:54] UM.
[1:27:55] BY SAYING REVENUE BY ITEM
[1:27:58] UH, BECAUSE IT IT DOES THERE IS
[1:28:00] A SORT OF COMMON UM WAY WE
[1:28:05] CAPTURE UH, REVENUE.
[1:28:07] UH, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT CALL AN
[1:28:08] ACCOUNT BUT ITEM IS BASICALLY
[1:28:10] THE SAME THING I THINK THAT
[1:28:11] SORT OF STRONG UM EVERGREEN
[1:28:15] LANGUAGE I THINK THAT YOU KNOW
[1:28:16] ,PARTICULARLY WITH THE CITY
[1:28:18] CODE, I THINK WE'VE ALL
[1:28:19] ENCOUNTERED THINGS THAT WE'RE
[1:28:21] PROBABLY NOT EVERGREEN ENOUGH
[1:28:22] TO DO LIKE IT WAS VERY SPECIFIC
[1:28:24] TO A TIME WHEN, YOU KNOW, UH,
[1:28:27] ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS AND PROCESS
[1:28:30] WAS PROBABLY DIFFERENT.
[1:28:31] UH, SO UM, YOU KNOW, THERE THIS
[1:28:35] OFFICE PROBABLY AT ONE POINT
[1:28:37] PROCESS TRANSFERS WAS YOU KNOW
[1:28:40] ,ON PAPER YOU KNOW, AT SOME
[1:28:43] POINT.
[1:28:44] SO UH SO I THINK I THINK IT'S
[1:28:46] SUFFICIENT IF SUFFICIENT TO
[1:28:47] COVER THE INTENT AND LEAVES
[1:28:49] ROOM TO TO HAVE UM, YOU KNOW,
[1:28:52] UH, ACHIEVE THE INTENDED RESULT
[1:28:54] .
[1:28:55] UH, YOU KNOW, I WOULD THINK
[1:28:57] QUARTERLY UH, MEETS THE MEETS
[1:28:59] THE MEETS THE NEED UM UH BUT I
[1:29:02] THINK I THINK SOMETIMES WE CAN
[1:29:04] GET OVERLOAD LOADED WITH WITH
[1:29:07] CONTENT AND THEN YOU LOSE SORT
[1:29:09] OF THE THE HEART LEVEL
[1:29:11] NARRATIVE.
[1:29:12] SO I MEAN THE THERE'S ENORMOUS
[1:29:14] DATA ON OPEN DATA THAT LIKE
[1:29:16] WHETHER IT BE BUT SOMETIMES
[1:29:18] WHEN IT'S RAW DATA IT DOESN'T
[1:29:20] TELL YOU ENOUGH.
[1:29:21] UM SO WE HAVE PAYROLL, YOU
[1:29:23] KNOW, INFORMATION THAT'S POSTED
[1:29:24] UP THERE AT THE OPEN FOR VERY,
[1:29:27] VERY.
[1:29:27] GRANULAR UH, DATA AND THERE'S
[1:29:31] ALWAYS SOME UNIQUENESS OF THAT,
[1:29:33] YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU KNOW ON THE
[1:29:35] PAYROLL DO SOME YOU KNOW,
[1:29:37] POTENTIAL BUYER OR A SETTLEMENT
[1:29:39] OR SOMETHING THAT'S SKEWING THE
[1:29:40] DATA SO YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO
[1:29:42] CONTROL FOR THAT.
[1:29:43] UH UM, THERE'S CERTAIN
[1:29:45] ACTIVITIES IT EVEN EVEN IN
[1:29:47] SOMETIMES HOW UH EXPENSES ARE
[1:29:50] YOU KNOW, REFLECTED AGAINST A
[1:29:51] CERTAIN DEPARTMENT BUDGET.
[1:29:53] UM, WE'VE OFTEN OFTEN
[1:29:55] ENCOUNTERED THAT LIKE WITH THE
[1:29:57] CAPITAL EXPENDITURES UH, THE
[1:29:59] HOST DEPARTMENT UM IT'S
[1:30:01] SOMETIMES THE EXPENSES ARE
[1:30:02] ATTRACT ASSOCIATED WITH THAT
[1:30:03] DEPARTMENT BUT THEN THE ACTUAL
[1:30:05] PERSON MANAGING THE EXPENSES
[1:30:06] ARE THE PUBLIC FACILITIES
[1:30:07] DEPARTMENT.
[1:30:08] SO SOMETIMES IT'S LIKE WHO DO
[1:30:09] YOU ASK A QUESTION ABOUT?
[1:30:11] THE OPERATING DEPARTMENT
[1:30:12] DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAVE AS
[1:30:13] MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT THE
[1:30:15] CONTRACTS.
[1:30:16] SO YOU HAVE TO YOU KNOW KNOW
[1:30:17] THAT IT'S THE RIGHT TIME.
[1:30:18] SO UM SO I THINK I THINK WITH
[1:30:21] UH ANNUAL OPERATING REVENUES I
[1:30:23] THINK I THINK THE LANGUAGE UH
[1:30:25] PROBABLY IS COMPREHENSIVE
[1:30:26] ENOUGH.
[1:30:27] I DON'T KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO
[1:30:28] PUT ANY MORE BELTS AND
[1:30:29] SUSPENDERS ON IT, UH, TO MAKE
[1:30:31] IT MORE.
[1:30:32] CUMBERSOME THAN FROM THEN WHAT
[1:30:34] WE'VE SORT OF BEEN, UH, USED TO
[1:30:37] PROVIDING ALREADY, SO.
[1:30:38] OKAY.
[1:30:39] THAT'S YEAH, THAT'S A POINT
[1:30:40] WELL TAKEN I THINK IF YOU'RE
[1:30:41] RIGHT, IF WE GET PRESCRIPTIVE
[1:30:42] WE MAY MISS SOMETHING AND.
[1:30:44] IT DOESN'T UM.
[1:30:45] LEND ITSELF FOR FOR FUTURE
[1:30:48] ITERATIONS OF WHOEVER THE
[1:30:49] EXECUTIVE IS OR OR THE CITY
[1:30:51] COUNCIL SO OKAY THAT MAKES
[1:30:52] SENSE.
[1:30:54] UM AND THEN I GUESS LIKE THE
[1:30:55] THE LATTER PART OF MY QUESTION,
[1:30:57] IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S A LITTLE
[1:30:59] BIT OF CONFUSION WHAT YOUR
[1:31:00] OPERATIONAL RELATIONSHIP IS
[1:31:01] WITH THE AUDITING DEPARTMENT.
[1:31:03] CAN YOU.
[1:31:04] JUST GET INTO UM, WHAT THAT
[1:31:07] LOOKS LIKE I MEAN ON A
[1:31:08] QUARTERLY BASIS MAYBE FOR THE
[1:31:09] PURPOSES OF THIS DISCUSSION
[1:31:10] LIKE WHY WHY WE CANNOT HAVE
[1:31:13] THESE UH OR DESCRIBE THESE
[1:31:15] NUMBERS BECAUSE IT HAS TO GO
[1:31:17] THROUGH AUDITING WHAT AND MAYBE
[1:31:18] WE SHOULD HAVE HAD AUDITING IN
[1:31:19] THIS CONVERSATION BUT ANY UM,
[1:31:21] EXPENDITURES CAN PROVIDE ON
[1:31:22] THAT.
[1:31:22] YEAH.
[1:31:23] IT'S UM IT'S SO UH UM THE
[1:31:28] THE AUDITOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
[1:31:32] UM, SORT OF THE ACTUALS AND
[1:31:34] EXECUTION OF UH THE BUDGET.
[1:31:36] SO THE BUDGET OFFICE IS SORT
[1:31:38] OF UH UH, WORKS WITH
[1:31:40] DEPARTMENTS UH OPERATIONALLY TO
[1:31:42] TO TO TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE
[1:31:44] SUFFICIENTLY RESOURCE TO TO
[1:31:45] DELIVER THE SERVICES WHEREAS
[1:31:47] AUDITING IS GOING THROUGH THE
[1:31:50] VERY PRECISE SORT OF UM
[1:31:53] ACCOUNTING OF IS IT IN THE
[1:31:55] RIGHT SPOT, IS IT IN THE RIGHT
[1:31:57] TIME FRAME?
[1:31:59] UH IN THEY WORK WITH THE THIRD
[1:32:00] PARTY AUDITOR TO TO MAKE SURE
[1:32:01] THAT SO IS IT IS THIS REFLECTED
[1:32:04] ACCORDING TO ACCOUNTING
[1:32:06] PRINCIPLES IN THE RIGHT PLACE
[1:32:08] AT THE RIGHT AMOUNT.
[1:32:10] UM AND THAT IT'S IT'S SO
[1:32:12] AUDITING I THINK IT'S A TERM IN
[1:32:15] IN A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS IT'S
[1:32:16] CALLED CONTROLLER UH SO THAT SO
[1:32:20] UH YOU KNOW BUDGET OFFICES IT'S
[1:32:21] MORE OF A SORT OF UM MORE
[1:32:24] CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH DEPARTMENT
[1:32:25] OPERATIONS AND AND SORT
[1:32:27] OF SETTING BUT UM BUT THE.
[1:32:30] COMPTROLLER IS THE.
[1:32:31] ONE WHO SORT OF LIKE MANAGES
[1:32:32] THE THE SORT OF DETAILS
[1:32:35] ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
[1:32:37] SO UH, IT IT'S JUST THAT THAT
[1:32:38] THAT IS A.
[1:32:39] PROCESS THAT.
[1:32:40] WE WE DO AUDITED FINANCIAL
[1:32:41] STATEMENTS AND UH YEAH.
[1:32:44] IT'S YOU TEND TO NOT WANT TO UH
[1:32:48] TO RELEASE THOSE UNTIL THEY'RE
[1:32:50] FINAL AND AND THAT'S THAT'S
[1:32:52] SORT OF BEST PRACTICE TO NOT UH
[1:32:56] ,ISSUE PRELIMINARY ONES ON ALL
[1:32:57] OF THAT BECAUSE IT'S IT'S SORT
[1:32:59] OF UM UH IT YOU KNOW, THEN THEN
[1:33:02] YOU GET DIFFERENT SOURCES
[1:33:03] OF DATA AND THAT'S AND THAT'S
[1:33:06] ANOTHER UM, CONCERN IS THAT YOU
[1:33:09] HAVE IF YOU HAVE DUELING
[1:33:10] COMPETING PIECES OF INFORMATION
[1:33:12] THAT'S NOT YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T
[1:33:13] RECONCILE.
[1:33:14] YEAH.
[1:33:14] AND THAT.
[1:33:15] THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME.
[1:33:16] AND IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
[1:33:17] GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY
[1:33:18] TRANSPARENCY WHEN THERE'S.
[1:33:19] DIFFERING PIECES OF INFORMATION
[1:33:22] IT'S HARD FOR US TO HAVE A
[1:33:23] BASELINE AS TO UM COMPARE.
[1:33:26] UM SO THAT MAKES SENSE TO ME.
[1:33:27] I HAVE THREE.
[1:33:28] QUESTIONS THAT I THINK A LITTLE
[1:33:29] BIT MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD AND
[1:33:30] THEN UM WE CAN GO TO ADDITIONAL
[1:33:32] ROUND OF FOLKS WANT BUT UM AND
[1:33:34] AGAIN GETTING MAYBE INTO A
[1:33:35] LANGUAGE BUT DOES IT MATTER
[1:33:37] WHERE IT'S SUBMITTED LIKE WHERE
[1:33:38] DO YOU SUBMIT THE EXPENDITURE
[1:33:40] REPORTS NOW DO YOU SUBMIT IT TO
[1:33:42] THE CITY CLERK AND THEN A COPY
[1:33:44] THEREOF TRANSMITTED TO THE CITY
[1:33:46] COUNCIL LIKE IT I KNOW IT'S
[1:33:47] PUBLISHED ONLINE BUT IS THAT
[1:33:48] SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALSO
[1:33:50] INCLUDE IN THIS ORDINANCE?
[1:33:53] YEAH.
[1:33:54] UM IT I THINK WE'VE BEEN UH,
[1:33:58] SUBMITTING IT TO THE CHAIR WAYS
[1:33:59] AND MEANS BECAUSE THAT'S
[1:34:00] USUALLY THE PLACE WHERE IT'S
[1:34:02] REQUESTED FROM BUT UM UM, YOU
[1:34:04] KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THROUGH CENTRAL
[1:34:05] STAFF BUT UH, YOU KNOW, UH BUT
[1:34:09] YOU KNOW, UM I GUESS THERE ARE
[1:34:13] OPPORTUNITIES TO BE MORE
[1:34:14] SPECIFIC BUT I.
[1:34:15] DEFER TO YOU.
[1:34:16] GUYS ON ON THAT.
[1:34:17] SO I THINK I'M JUST LOOKING AT
[1:34:19] THE CHAIR.
[1:34:19] I THINK IT MAY MAKE SENSE TO
[1:34:20] JUST HAVE A COPY.
[1:34:22] SUBMITTED TO THE CITY CLERK'S
[1:34:23] OFFICE THAT WAY IT'S ON THE THE
[1:34:25] AGENDA AND THEN A, UM A COPY
[1:34:27] SUBMITTED TO THE CHAIR WAYS AND
[1:34:28] MEANS OR I MEAN IF.
[1:34:30] IT JUST.
[1:34:31] GOES TO CITY CLERK AND WE
[1:34:31] SEE IT THAT'S FINE.
[1:34:33] UM AND THEN I ALSO THINK IT
[1:34:34] SHOULD BE PUBLISHED ONLINE AS
[1:34:36] WELL.
[1:34:40] JUST THOUGHTS ON THAT COMMENTS
[1:34:44] CONCERNS.
[1:34:46] YEAH IT'S UM I THERE'S LOTS
[1:34:49] OF OTHER PARTICIPANTS IN THAT
[1:34:50] SO I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK YOU
[1:34:51] KNOW DO A LATERAL FLOW FOR THIS
[1:34:54] ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE UH YOU
[1:34:55] KNOW IT INVOLVES BOTH UH, OTHER
[1:34:57] AGENCIES AND YOU KNOW, PUTTING
[1:35:00] IT ONLINE.
[1:35:01] SO OKAY.
[1:35:02] WELL I THINK AT THE VERY LEAST
[1:35:03] IT COULD UM AND WE CAN TALK
[1:35:04] ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT MORE
[1:35:06] BUT IT SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO
[1:35:07] THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
[1:35:10] UM, WHAT.
[1:35:11] IS THE SO REVENUE COLLECTED AND
[1:35:14] SHARED AND UM INTERNALLY HAS
[1:35:16] ALREADY BEEN ASKED OH SOMETHING
[1:35:17] WAS BROUGHT UP BUT IS THERE ANY
[1:35:19] INFORMATION THAT NEEDS TO BE
[1:35:20] PROTECTED LIKE LEGALLY THAT'S
[1:35:24] BEEN TALKED ABOUT THAT WE.
[1:35:26] NEED TO.
[1:35:26] JUST BE CONCERNED WITH?
[1:35:31] UM I'D PROBABLY DEFER TO THE
[1:35:33] THE LAW DEPARTMENT BUT WE TEND
[1:35:35] TO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE
[1:35:36] IS NO UM.
[1:35:40] UH, DATA THAT'S THE SUBJECT UM
[1:35:44] ,PRIVACY.
[1:35:45] UH, SO IT'S YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY
[1:35:47] THE MORE BASIC THINGS LIKE
[1:35:49] SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS IF UH,
[1:35:51] YOU KNOW, UH, OF EMPLOYEES OR
[1:35:55] VENDORS UM, BUT UH, WE WE TEND
[1:35:59] TO GET A LOT OF PRIVACY ISSUES
[1:36:00] THAT CENTER AROUND UM,
[1:36:04] PERSONNEL ENTRY INFORMATION.
[1:36:07] SO UH.
[1:36:09] BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT
[1:36:10] WOULD BE USUALLY.
[1:36:11] WELL, USUALLY OKAY TO REPORT IT
[1:36:14] SUMMARIZED WE JUST CAN'T
[1:36:16] PROVIDED AT THE EMPLOYEE LEVEL
[1:36:17] .
[1:36:18] SO I.
[1:36:19] I MAYBE UM I THINK I WAS THE
[1:36:21] ONE WHO BROUGHT IT UP.
[1:36:21] UM, THE EDGE CASE I, I HAD IN
[1:36:24] MIND WAS UH IF THERE WAS A VERY
[1:36:27] SPECIFIC BUCKET OF REVENUE
[1:36:28] WHERE WE ONLY HAD A SINGLE
[1:36:30] TAXPAYER WHERE DISCLOSING A
[1:36:33] QUARTERLY FIGURE IS ESSENTIALLY
[1:36:35] SAYING ENTITY Y HAS PAID THIS
[1:36:37] MUCH IN TAXES WHICH MAY OR MAY
[1:36:39] NOT HAVE UM MEAN IT MAY OR MAY
[1:36:42] NOT HAVE PRIVACY IMPLICATIONS.
[1:36:43] BUT THAT WAS SORT OF THE EDGE
[1:36:44] CASE THAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT
[1:36:47] AND UM, I FEAR UH BEGGING THE
[1:36:49] INDULGENCE OF THE CHAIR.
[1:36:50] .
[1:36:50] UM.
[1:36:51] I HAVE TO HOST A RECEPTION FOR
[1:36:53] CITY OF BOSTON EMPLOYEES AT
[1:36:54] NOONTIME SO IF I COULD, UH IF I
[1:36:57] COULD TAKE YOUR LEAVE AND, UM,
[1:36:59] THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE
[1:37:00] OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY.
[1:37:01] AND IF ANYONE HAS ANY FOLLOW UP
[1:37:02] QUESTIONS, PLEASE DON'T
[1:37:03] HESITATE EITHER TO REACH OUT
[1:37:05] OR, UH, YOU ALL KNOW WHERE TO
[1:37:07] FIND ME ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
[1:37:08] SO I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER FURTHER
[1:37:10] QUESTIONS.
[1:37:11] THANK YOU STEVE I APPRECIATE
[1:37:12] IT.
[1:37:12] ALL RIGHT THANK YOU.
[1:37:15] OKAY JUST.
[1:37:16] FOLLOWING UP ON.
[1:37:16] THAT JIM THERE'S NO LIKE ONE
[1:37:18] ENTITY.
[1:37:18] THAT.
[1:37:19] OR IS.
[1:37:20] THAT THAT.
[1:37:21] UM THAT WOULD BE JUST A UM
[1:37:23] INTERESTING CASE BUT.
[1:37:24] YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING THAT
[1:37:27] UM, UM, STEVE PATRICK BROUGHT
[1:37:29] UP THE UM, PRIVACY THAT IS
[1:37:31] SOMETHING THAT'S ROUTINELY UM,
[1:37:34] ARTICULATED BY THE STATE
[1:37:35] DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE WHEN WE
[1:37:36] ASK FOR MORE GRANULAR UM, TAXES
[1:37:41] AND MEALS, THEY TEND TO CITE
[1:37:44] TAXPAYER PRIVACY, UH, ISSUES,
[1:37:48] UH, FOR WHY THEY WON'T PROVIDE
[1:37:51] THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL.
[1:37:53] UM, SO UH, THERE'S THERE MAY BE
[1:37:57] THINGS THAT I'M NOT THINKING
[1:37:58] OF.
[1:37:58] OKAY.
[1:37:59] UM, JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER
[1:38:01] IT PROBABLY IN IT PROBABLY HAS.
[1:38:03] GONE THROUGH SOME DUE DILIGENCE
[1:38:05] ON THE OPEN CHECKBOOK.
[1:38:06] PHENOMENON ALREADY.
[1:38:07] LIKE WE CAN PUT THIS BECAUSE
[1:38:11] IT'S A PRIVACY ISSUE SO OKAY.
[1:38:14] YEAH.
[1:38:15] JUST AGAIN SOMETHING TO
[1:38:16] CONSIDER AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
[1:38:16] I KNOW IT'D BE UM AN ANOMALY
[1:38:19] BUT RIGHT UM WOULD.
[1:38:21] THERE AND MY LAST QUESTION
[1:38:22] IS.
[1:38:22] THIS IS.
[1:38:23] SUPPOSED TO TAKE EFFECT
[1:38:24] IMMEDIATELY UPON PASSAGE.
[1:38:26] ARE YOU PREPARED TO COMPLY
[1:38:27] IMMEDIATELY OR IS A TRANSITION
[1:38:29] PERIOD NECESSARY?
[1:38:32] UM UH I THINK I THINK IT YOU
[1:38:34] KNOW, I THINK WE STAND READY TO
[1:38:37] COMPLY WITH THE ORDINANCE.
[1:38:38] YOU KNOW, UH, OBVIOUSLY IF
[1:38:40] THERE'S SOME TECHNICAL ISSUE
[1:38:41] THAT ARISES, OBVIOUSLY WE'LL
[1:38:42] HAVE THAT COMMUNICATION WITH
[1:38:44] IT.
[1:38:44] OKAY.
[1:38:46] ALL RIGHT.
[1:38:46] UM THAT'S IT FOR MY QUESTION.
[1:38:48] THANK YOU AGAIN.
[1:38:49] UM, TO THE TO THE LEAD SPONSORS
[1:38:52] FOR PUSHING FORWARD AND THANK
[1:38:53] YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR, UH,
[1:38:55] CONTRIBUTIONS.
[1:38:55] SHE'S LOOKING AT THE CHAIR.
[1:38:57] WE HAVE COUNCILOR, EARL I'M
[1:38:59] SORRY.
[1:38:59] YOU NEED THE CO-SPONSOR
[1:39:00] COUNCILOR WEBER STILL ON?
[1:39:01] DO YOU FOLKS HAVE ADDITIONAL
[1:39:03] QUESTIONS?
[1:39:04] YES.
[1:39:05] BUT.
[1:39:06] UH.
[1:39:07] THANK YOU.
[1:39:09] UH, CHAIR.
[1:39:11] UH, JIM.
[1:39:12] AND I GET THIS.
[1:39:13] QUESTION AND ALSO FOR.
[1:39:13] DAVID TOO IS.
[1:39:16] ARE WE.
[1:39:17] ABLE, UM, TO.
[1:39:22] I GUESS WHAT.
[1:39:24] DAVID TO YOU THAT WHAT YOU'VE
[1:39:26] SEEN AROUND THE COUNTRY AND
[1:39:28] WHAT IS INCLUDED IN SOME
[1:39:29] OF THESE REVENUE REPORTS AND
[1:39:30] THEN JIM.
[1:39:32] IS WHAT.
[1:39:34] WHAT ELSE COULD WE INCLUDE IN
[1:39:36] THESE REVENUE REPORTS?
[1:39:37] I'M THINKING AROUND.
[1:39:38] UM.
[1:39:41] UNCOLLECTED WHAT WE BUILD
[1:39:42] DELINQUENCY RATE.
[1:39:44] ,UM.
[1:39:45] ANY OTHER INFORMATION THAT
[1:39:47] CAN BE USEFUL UH, TO THE
[1:39:50] COUNCIL AND TO THE PUBLIC.
[1:39:52] THAT COULD BE INCLUDED.
[1:39:57] THAT'S A DIFFERENT SET OF UM UH
[1:40:01] I THINK I THINK WITHIN THE
[1:40:02] TREASURY DEPARTMENT IS THAT
[1:40:03] ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SECTION
[1:40:05] THAT.
[1:40:05] UH AND.
[1:40:06] YOU KNOW, IT'S A DISTRIBUTED
[1:40:07] RESPONSIBILITY SO DEPARTMENTS
[1:40:09] HAVE THEIR OWN RELATIONSHIPS,
[1:40:13] SO MANY UM, CITY TRANSACTIONS.
[1:40:16] ARE SORT OF UP FRONT, YOU KNOW,
[1:40:19] POINT OF SALE TRANSACTIONS
[1:40:20] THOSE ARE ACTUALLY THE EASIEST,
[1:40:22] UH, TRANSACTIONS TO.
[1:40:23] MANAGE BECAUSE YOU.
[1:40:24] SORT OF SOMEONE PAYS I GUESS
[1:40:26] THERE IS SOME RECONCILIATION TO
[1:40:29] TO UM.
[1:40:30] RETURN SOMETHING IF IT DIDN'T
[1:40:31] MOVE FORWARD.
[1:40:32] BUT UM IN THAT BUT THE
[1:40:34] INSTANCES WHERE THERE ARE UH UH
[1:40:36] LIKE BILLING RELATIONSHIPS UM
[1:40:38] IT'S THE IT'S THE DEPARTMENT
[1:40:40] WHO'S INTERFACING WITH WHAT
[1:40:42] THEY CALL A CUSTOMER, UM.
[1:40:44] THAT MANAGES THAT, YOU KNOW, SO
[1:40:47] BUT JUST LIKE ANY.
[1:40:48] ANY RELATIONSHIP.
[1:40:50] UH, BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP
[1:40:50] YOU HAVE PEOPLE.
[1:40:52] THAT MAY BE.
[1:40:52] BEHIND ON PAYING AND THINGS
[1:40:54] LIKE THAT BUT THAT THAT MIGHT
[1:40:55] BE A VERY, VERY COMPREHENSIVE
[1:40:58] WIDE RANGING THING AND I WOULD
[1:41:01] UH I WOULDN'T SORT OF INTRODUCE
[1:41:04] THAT INTO THAT BECAUSE THAT'S A
[1:41:05] WHOLE SET OF OTHERS, YOU KNOW,
[1:41:08] UH, VARIABLES.
[1:41:09] UH, SO.
[1:41:12] YEAH.
[1:41:13] AND I HAVEN'T LOOKED AT.
[1:41:14] SPECIFICS OF OTHER CITIES AND
[1:41:16] WHAT THEY REPORT, BUT.
[1:41:18] I THINK THAT'S A.
[1:41:19] GREAT CONVERSATION TO HAVE WITH
[1:41:21] MR WILLIAMSON AND AND OTHERS
[1:41:23] AND FIGURE OUT SOMETHING THAT
[1:41:24] MAKES SENSE WITH.
[1:41:26] UM, THE MIDST.
[1:41:28] OF REVENUE SOURCES, YOU KNOW,
[1:41:30] HOW FAR ARE YOU ON DRILL DOWNS
[1:41:32] UP TO YOU.
[1:41:32] BUT UM UH I'M SURE YOU ALL
[1:41:35] COULD WORK THAT OUT AND COME UP
[1:41:36] WITH SOMETHING THAT MAKES
[1:41:37] SENSE.
[1:41:38] AND WHAT ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD
[1:41:42] BREAKDOWN?
[1:41:42] UH, DIRECTOR WILLIAMSON, IS IT
[1:41:45] POSSIBLE FOR, YOU KNOW, SOME
[1:41:49] OF THESE REVENUE STREAMS CAN
[1:41:50] BE, YOU KNOW.
[1:41:51] WHETHER IT'S TAXES?
[1:41:54] UM, MAYBE, UM, PROPERTY TAXES,
[1:41:58] THE MILL TAX.
[1:42:00] IS IT POSSIBLE, UM, FOR US TO
[1:42:03] SEE NEIGHBORHOOD BREAKDOWN ON
[1:42:05] ON SOME OF THESE REVENUE
[1:42:06] STREAMS?
[1:42:08] YOU KNOW.
[1:42:10] THAT I'M I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER
[1:42:13] TO OTHERS.
[1:42:13] I SIMPLY DON'T KNOW HOW
[1:42:15] COMPLICATED THAT WOULD BE.
[1:42:16] SO OKAY.
[1:42:17] AND THEN.
[1:42:19] I GUESS.
[1:42:20] MY MY.
[1:42:21] OTHER THINKING IS AND MAYBE
[1:42:23] WE CAN PUT THIS IN THE LANGUAGE
[1:42:24] EVEN THOSE QUARTERLY REPORTING
[1:42:27] UM HOPEFULLY WE CAN BREAK IT
[1:42:28] OUT BY MONTH BY MONTH.
[1:42:30] RIGHT.
[1:42:31] SO YOU KNOW WE STILL SEE.
[1:42:33] EACH MONTH.
[1:42:35] BREAKDOWN OF THE REVENUE.
[1:42:37] UM, BUT IT'S QUARTERLY RIGHT
[1:42:39] THAT WE SEE UM THOSE THOSE
[1:42:43] MONTHS.
[1:42:45] JUST GO DISAGGREGATED THE MONTH
[1:42:49] WITHIN THAT QUARTER UH SO WE
[1:42:50] CAN SEE THE REVENUE FOR EACH
[1:42:53] MONTH.
[1:42:56] UM, THAT THAT THAT IS SOMETHING
[1:42:57] THAT I WOULD WANT TO WORK INTO
[1:42:59] THAT INTO THE LANGUAGE AND.
[1:43:01] I GUESS MY.
[1:43:02] UM COUNCILOR WORRELL I.
[1:43:03] GUESS JIM LIKE WHAT.
[1:43:05] CAN WE DO THAT.
[1:43:06] YEAH.
[1:43:07] WELL YOU KNOW, AGAIN I WOULD
[1:43:08] HAVE TO.
[1:43:09] DEFER TO THE FOLKS WHO ARE LIKE
[1:43:10] WRITING THIS REPORT TO.
[1:43:12] LIKE THE.
[1:43:13] COMPLEXITY OF OF DOING THAT SO
[1:43:14] .
[1:43:15] BUT JIM YOU ARE REPORTING IT
[1:43:17] MONTHLY ARE LIKE YOU ALREADY
[1:43:18] YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE REVENUE
[1:43:19] MONTHLY ALREADY.
[1:43:20] YES.
[1:43:21] IT'S JUST THIS THE REPORT
[1:43:22] THAT'S GENERATED THAT IS SHARED
[1:43:24] WITH THE COUNCIL AS A UH WE'RE
[1:43:27] WE'RE LOOKING.
[1:43:28] AT IT LIKE IN A DIFFERENT UH
[1:43:31] WAY.
[1:43:32] YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S A IT'S
[1:43:33] WE'RE FEEDING IT INTO LIKE
[1:43:35] SOMETHING THAT WE'RE USING FOR
[1:43:36] ANALYTICAL PURPOSES NOT
[1:43:38] NECESSARILY FOR FINANCIAL
[1:43:39] REPORTING PURPOSES.
[1:43:41] I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S
[1:43:42] CONFUSING BUT THAT'S IT'S A
[1:43:44] WE'RE USING IT DIFFERENTLY
[1:43:45] THAN.
[1:43:45] HOW UM.
[1:43:47] LIKE.
[1:43:47] AUDITING WOULD REPORT IT.
[1:43:50] AND IT BECAUSE THERE ARE
[1:43:52] CERTAIN ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES
[1:43:53] ON HOW THEY YOU KNOW UM.
[1:43:57] THAT THAT THIS IS EXAMPLES
[1:43:59] OF WHERE WE WAY.
[1:44:00] PAST THE ACTUAL CLOSING PERIOD
[1:44:03] OF THE MONTH TO MAKE SURE THAT
[1:44:05] WE'RE CAPTURING A CERTAIN
[1:44:06] PAYROLL BEFORE WE LOOK AT THE.
[1:44:08] DATA BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE
[1:44:09] SURE THAT WE HAVE A CERTAIN SET
[1:44:11] OF PAYROLLS INCLUDED.
[1:44:12] SO IT'S A IT'S A IT'S JUST
[1:44:14] DIFFERENT UM, PIECES IS THE WAY
[1:44:17] WE CONSUME THE DATA IS
[1:44:18] DIFFERENTLY DIFFERENT THAN THE
[1:44:19] WAY ALL OF THE USE IT.
[1:44:20] RIGHT I.
[1:44:22] WOULD SAY.
[1:44:22] BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT.
[1:44:23] REVENUE PAYROLLS AND
[1:44:24] EXPENDITURE.
[1:44:25] YEAH YEAH REVENUE WOULD HAVE A
[1:44:28] DIFFERENT DYNAMIC.
[1:44:29] TO IT.
[1:44:30] YEAH BUT.
[1:44:30] AGAIN THERE'S THAT SEASONALITY
[1:44:32] OF.
[1:44:32] IT YOU KNOW LIKE.
[1:44:33] WHEN CERTAIN REVENUES ARE
[1:44:36] RECOGNIZED SO.
[1:44:37] OKAY AND I'M STILL SEEING
[1:44:38] REPORTED QUARTERLY RIGHT STILL
[1:44:39] SUBMIT THE REPORT QUARTERLY.
[1:44:41] YEP YEP AND IN IN IN PROPERTY.
[1:44:45] TAXES ARE ALSO.
[1:44:46] HANDLED UH SO A.
[1:44:47] DIFFERENT WAYS THAT.
[1:44:48] ARE ASSESSED ONCE THE BILLS GO
[1:44:51] OUT THE REVENUE IS RECOGNIZED
[1:44:52] AND WE ALL KNOW THAT LIKE YOU
[1:44:54] KNOW PEOPLE HAVE TIME TO PAY
[1:44:56] THEIR BILLS.
[1:44:56] SO IT'S SORT OF AN ACCOUNTING
[1:44:58] WAY OF REFLECTING THAT THE
[1:45:00] PROPERTY TAXES ARE ARE BEING
[1:45:02] ASSESSED AND SENT OUT.
[1:45:03] UM, BUT IT DOESN'T MEAN WE'VE
[1:45:05] GOT.
[1:45:05] EVERYBODY'S INDIVIDUAL, YOU
[1:45:07] KNOW, TAX BILLS PAID IN JUST
[1:45:09] YET.
[1:45:10] SO.
[1:45:14] UM DAVID WHAT WHAT ARE YOUR
[1:45:16] THOUGHTS ON BEST PRACTICES
[1:45:18] ACROSS THE COUNTRY AROUND HOW
[1:45:22] THE REPORTING IS DONE MONTHLY
[1:45:25] VERSUS QUARTERLY.
[1:45:27] WELL, IF IT'S FEASIBLE TO DO A
[1:45:29] MONTHLY I WOULD DO IT MONTHLY.
[1:45:32] UH UH BUT THAT'S SOMETHING I
[1:45:33] HAVE TO WORK OUT WITH THEM TO
[1:45:35] SEE IF THAT'S DOABLE.
[1:45:36] IT SOUNDS LIKE IT MIGHT BE UM
[1:45:39] YOU KNOW LIKE UH I FORGET WHICH
[1:45:42] COUNSELOR SAID WE ALL REVIEW
[1:45:45] OUR FINANCES PROBABLY MONTHLY
[1:45:47] AND, UM, DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT
[1:45:49] WE'RE SPENDING TOO MUCH OR
[1:45:52] MAYBE TO TAKE THAT VACATION OR
[1:45:54] RETIRE I'M GOING TO HAVE TO
[1:45:55] START NUMBERING.
[1:45:57] SO, UM, TO TO ME THAT, UH THAT
[1:45:59] MAKES SENSE.
[1:46:02] AND DAVID, IN YOUR.
[1:46:06] RESEARCH, UM, IS THERE.
[1:46:10] ANY CORRELATION BETWEEN REVENUE
[1:46:14] REPORTING AND I GUESS
[1:46:19] IDENTIFYING AREAS WHERE UM
[1:46:23] GOVERNMENT HAS.
[1:46:25] NOW IDENTIFIED LIKE UH THE
[1:46:27] COLLECTION ISSUE AS OPPOSED TO
[1:46:30] LIKE A.
[1:46:31] FORECASTING PROBLEM.
[1:46:32] SO WE MIGHT HAVE, YOU KNOW, AN
[1:46:35] AREA WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS ON
[1:46:37] COLLECTING, UM, THAT HAS BEEN
[1:46:41] KIND OF SOLVED.
[1:46:42] THROUGH.
[1:46:43] YOU KNOW, THE MORE
[1:46:45] TRANSPARENCY AROUND REVENUE
[1:46:47] REPORTING.
[1:46:48] BUT I HAVEN'T STUDIED THAT
[1:46:50] SPECIFICALLY BUT I'M GUESSING
[1:46:52] THAT HAS BEEN LOOKED AT I THINK
[1:46:55] CHECKING WITH SOME OF THE
[1:46:56] NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS THAT UH,
[1:46:58] NATIONAL LEAGUE CITIES AND
[1:47:00] PROBABLY MR WILLIAMSON'S
[1:47:01] ASSOCIATIONS HE BELONGS TO
[1:47:03] PERHAPS SOME OF THOSE HAVE
[1:47:04] LOOKED AT THAT CLOSELY AND SO
[1:47:07] UH, THERE'S SOME GREAT PUBLIC
[1:47:08] ADMINISTRATION SCHOLARS OUT
[1:47:10] THERE THAT ARE SUZANNE PETROSKI
[1:47:12] AT RUTGERS AND OTHERS THAT ARE
[1:47:14] PROBABLY LOOKED AT THAT.
[1:47:16] ALL RIGHT.
[1:47:18] UM ALL RIGHT.
[1:47:19] YEAH.
[1:47:20] AND UM, JUST.
[1:47:21] WANTED TO ALSO CHIME IN I DO
[1:47:24] BELIEVE THAT IT SHOULD BE FILED
[1:47:25] UH, WITH THE CITY CLERK.
[1:47:27] YEAH.
[1:47:28] I THINK THE IN MY UNDERSTANDING
[1:47:30] THE EXPENDITURE ONE IS ABOUT
[1:47:32] THE AUDITOR AND THE CITY CLERK
[1:47:36] UM, BASED OFF IT BASED OFF WHAT
[1:47:38] I BELIEVE SAYS IN THE CHARTER.
[1:47:40] UH, SO I.
[1:47:41] WOULD WANT.
[1:47:42] THE SAME THING TO HAPPEN
[1:47:43] WITH UM, UM, UH, THE REVENUE.
[1:47:46] REPORTS AND AND UM HOPEFULLY UM
[1:47:52] I KNOW LIKE WITH BDP WE DO AND
[1:47:56] WE DON'T HAVE TO ADD THIS INTO
[1:47:57] THE IN THE ORDINANCE BUT WOULD
[1:47:59] BE OJP WE'RE LIKE.
[1:48:00] HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS.
[1:48:02] UM WELL WE'RE.
[1:48:03] FORCED TO.
[1:48:04] BY LAW.
[1:48:05] WE'RE SUPPOSED.
[1:48:06] TO HAVE TWO.
[1:48:06] HEARINGS A YEAR ON THE BJP
[1:48:09] MEMBERS.
[1:48:10] UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S
[1:48:11] SOMETHING THAT THE
[1:48:12] COUNCIL WANTS TO EXPLORE AROUND
[1:48:13] REVENUE PROJECTIONS BECAUSE WE
[1:48:16] KIND OF ENCOURAGE US ENCOURAGES
[1:48:18] US TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION
[1:48:20] INSTEAD OF JUST RECEIVING THESE
[1:48:22] REPORTS AS FILED.
[1:48:23] UM, ON.
[1:48:24] OUR AGENDA.
[1:48:26] SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE BEEN
[1:48:27] THINKING ABOUT DURING THIS
[1:48:28] CONVERSATION AS WELL.
[1:48:29] AS.
[1:48:30] THE BODY UM.
[1:48:32] WANT TO UH.
[1:48:33] YOU KNOW, MAKE IT SIMILAR TO
[1:48:36] BJP.
[1:48:37] WHERE WE'RE HAVING, YOU KNOW,
[1:48:40] 2.
[1:48:40] OR 4M A YEAR ON REVENUE.
[1:48:42] I THINK.
[1:48:43] THAT IS YOU LOOK BACK TO MY
[1:48:45] NOTES.
[1:48:47] UM, ALL OF MY.
[1:48:50] ALL OF MY QUESTIONS.
[1:48:53] OKAY.
[1:48:53] GREAT.
[1:48:54] AND THANK YOU FOR UM FOR
[1:48:55] CLARIFYING THAT IT DOES SAY IN
[1:48:57] THE CHARTER.
[1:48:58] IT RIGHT BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE
[1:49:00] IT IN FRONT OF ME.
[1:49:00] I'M SORRY BUT IT DOES SAY THAT
[1:49:01] IT HAS TO GO TO THE CITY CLERK
[1:49:03] AND THE AUDITOR ALREADY SO WE
[1:49:05] WOULDN'T HAVE TO ADD THAT IN
[1:49:06] THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
[1:49:08] WELL THAT'S WHERE EXPENDITURES
[1:49:11] OKAY.
[1:49:12] YEAH.
[1:49:13] SO MAYBE WE UM WE PUT
[1:49:15] SOMETHING IN THERE THAT JUST
[1:49:17] SAYS WHERE IT GOES AND THEN FOR
[1:49:19] THIS IS MAYBE A QUESTION FOR
[1:49:21] THE MEGS UM.
[1:49:25] IF WE WANT TO PUT IN SOMETHING
[1:49:26] LIKE THE BJP, IS THAT.
[1:49:28] SOMETHING THAT WOULD.
[1:49:29] IS NECESSARY TO.
[1:49:30] GO.
[1:49:30] INTO THE CITY CHARTER OR.
[1:49:33] CAN.
[1:49:33] IT BE DONE.
[1:49:34] BY ORDINANCE?
[1:49:35] I DON'T KNOW UM.
[1:49:37] I THINK I THINK IT SHOULD BE
[1:49:38] FINE.
[1:49:38] BUT UM I'M OPEN TO ALL OF IT.
[1:49:41] I THINK THIS IS THIS IS GREAT.
[1:49:42] UM, YOU FOLKS DO IT ALREADY AND
[1:49:44] I THINK IT'S JUST THE FINER
[1:49:46] POINT OF OKAY, WE KNOW IT'S
[1:49:47] GONNA BE QUARTERLY, BUT CAN WE
[1:49:48] PLEASE INCLUDE THE THE MONTHLY
[1:49:50] ?
[1:49:50] UM.
[1:49:52] LIKE.
[1:49:53] UH.
[1:49:55] I'M SORRY I'M BLANKING ON
[1:49:56] THE WORD HERE.
[1:49:57] SLEEP DEPRIVED WITH.
[1:49:58] ENVIRONMENTAL BUT.
[1:49:59] UM, JUST FOR THE MONTHLY REPORT
[1:50:01] AS WELL.
[1:50:02] UM, AND I'M SORRY.
[1:50:03] I I REALIZE THAT WE HAVE
[1:50:04] COUNCILOR WEBER HERE AS WELL.
[1:50:05] COUNCILOR WEBER, DO YOU HAVE
[1:50:06] ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
[1:50:07] ?
[1:50:08] UH, YEAH.
[1:50:09] I WAS JUST GOING TO.
[1:50:09] HIGHLIGHT FOR.
[1:50:10] UH.
[1:50:11] COUNCILOR RAIL.
[1:50:12] AND THE CHAIR.
[1:50:12] I THOUGHT THE THE LANGUAGE IS
[1:50:15] PROVIDE.
[1:50:16] REQUIRED TO THE SUPERVISOR
[1:50:19] REQUIRED TO PROVIDE QUARTERLY
[1:50:21] REVENUE REPORTS THAT MAYBE TO
[1:50:23] CLARIFY TO WHO TO WHO OR TO
[1:50:25] WHERE BUT UM LEAVE THAT UP FOR.
[1:50:29] UP TO THE FILER UM I THINK IT'S
[1:50:32] OF THE CITY COUNCIL UH MAYBE
[1:50:34] IT'S JUST CLEAR FROM THE
[1:50:35] RESIDENTS BUT UM, I THINK
[1:50:37] GETTING TO YOUR POINT YOU COULD
[1:50:41] ADD SOME MORE DETAIL MAYBE.
[1:50:43] YEAH, DEFINITELY.
[1:50:44] I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING
[1:50:45] THAT UM THAT SHOULD BE IN THERE
[1:50:47] AND THEN I WAS EVEN SAYING
[1:50:48] GETTING MORE PRESCRIPTIVE ABOUT
[1:50:49] WHAT THE ITEMS ARE, BUT IT
[1:50:50] SOUNDS LIKE.
[1:50:51] IT'S IT'S UM.
[1:50:53] IT'S ALL ENCOMPASSING AND THAT
[1:50:56] WAY WE'RE NOT MISSING.
[1:50:56] ANYTHING WHICH I.
[1:50:57] UM WOULD I AGREE WITH.
[1:50:59] YEAH.
[1:51:00] MAYBE SOMETHING YEAH I GUESS
[1:51:02] LIKE DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIONS
[1:51:04] MIGHT FEEL DIFFERENTLY.
[1:51:06] UH.
[1:51:07] IS THERE A NATIONAL STANDARD I
[1:51:09] MAYBE FOR DAVID LIKE THAT WE
[1:51:10] CAN REFER TO.
[1:51:14] FOR REVENUE REPORTS IS I DON'T
[1:51:16] KNOW, I JUST I WANT TO MAKE
[1:51:17] SURE THAT IT'S CONSISTENT.
[1:51:19] IT'S A GOOD QUESTION I DON'T
[1:51:21] KNOW, BUT UM.
[1:51:23] UH.
[1:51:24] I THINK THAT IT WOULDN'T
[1:51:25] TAKE LONG TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
[1:51:27] FIND THAT.
[1:51:29] OKAY.
[1:51:32] YEAH.
[1:51:33] OKAY.
[1:51:33] THANK YOU.
[1:51:34] CHAIR IT FOR ME.
[1:51:35] THANK YOU.
[1:51:37] I THINK.
[1:51:38] UM, WE ARE IF.
[1:51:40] SEEING AND HEARING.
[1:51:41] NO OTHER CALL, UH, QUESTIONS.
[1:51:42] COMMENTS OR CONCERNS WE CAN GO
[1:51:44] TO PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
[1:51:45] I WANT.
[1:51:46] TO.
[1:51:46] THANK DAVID AND JIM AS WELL FOR
[1:51:47] YOUR WORK AND STEVE AS ALWAYS,
[1:51:50] UM.
[1:51:50] FOR HIS.
[1:51:51] GREAT INSIGHTS AND NONPARTISAN
[1:51:53] UM, FEEDBACK.
[1:51:55] WE DO HAVE ONE PERSON SIGNED UP
[1:51:57] FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AT THIS
[1:51:58] POINT.
[1:51:59] WE'RE GOING TO TRANSITION.
[1:52:01] TO THAT SECTION OF THE HEARING.
[1:52:03] WE HAVE GEORGE LEE THAT.
[1:52:05] HAS.
[1:52:05] SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
[1:52:07] UM, CENTRAL STAFF IF YOU WANT
[1:52:09] TO GO AHEAD AND ELEVATE HIM TO
[1:52:10] PANELISTS.
[1:52:11] GEORGE, WE ALL KNOW YOU BUT
[1:52:12] PLEASE FEEL FREE TO INTRODUCE
[1:52:14] YOURSELF.
[1:52:15] AND YOUR AFFILIATION.
[1:52:16] YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
[1:52:18] WE HAVE TWO PEOPLE.
[1:52:19] SIGNED UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY
[1:52:20] TWO.
[1:52:20] OKAY THANK YOU I APOLOGIZE SORT
[1:52:22] OF GEORGE AND THEN I'LL LOOK TO
[1:52:23] THE UM TO THE SHEET HERE AND
[1:52:26] GREGORY MAYNARD OKAY.
[1:52:28] UM.
[1:52:29] GEORGE ARCH.
[1:52:29] YEP.
[1:52:30] GEORGE, YOU'RE UP FIRST.
[1:52:32] UH GOOD MORNING.
[1:52:33] MY NAME.
[1:52:34] IS GEORGE LEE.
[1:52:34] I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH JUSTICE
[1:52:36] IN OUR.
[1:52:36] UNION AND PART.
[1:52:37] OF THE.
[1:52:38] BETTER BUNCH OF LIVES.
[1:52:38] AND I'M.
[1:52:39] SPEAKING IN.
[1:52:40] FULL SUPPORT.
[1:52:41] OF THIS ORDINANCE.
[1:52:42] UM.
[1:52:44] BASICALLY THE.
[1:52:45] CITY COUNCIL MAYOR MAKE A LOT
[1:52:47] OF DECISIONS THAT ARE IMPACTING
[1:52:49] HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS
[1:52:50] OF RESIDENTS IN BOSTON.
[1:52:51] AND, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE
[1:52:54] THOSE DECISIONS BASED ON THE
[1:52:55] REALITY OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE
[1:52:56] GOING THROUGH AND TO HAVE
[1:52:57] COMPLETE INFORMATION, UM, WHICH
[1:53:01] UNFORTUNATELY OFTEN GETS
[1:53:01] HIDDEN.
[1:53:02] I FORGET WHICH PANELIST WAS
[1:53:03] SPEAKING UP BEFORE ABOUT
[1:53:05] FEELING A LITTLE BIT LIKE
[1:53:06] CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT AND
[1:53:07] SOME OF THE DYSFUNCTIONALITY
[1:53:08] WHEN INFORMATION IS HIDDEN FROM
[1:53:10] THE CITY COUNCIL OR FROM THE
[1:53:11] PUBLIC AND IT HAS REAL LIFE
[1:53:13] IMPACTS.
[1:53:14] SO RIGHT NOW UM DESPITE UM
[1:53:17] ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT UM COVER UP
[1:53:21] THIS REALITY, THERE'S 1400
[1:53:23] YOUTH JOBS THAT ARE BEING CUT
[1:53:25] AT DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS
[1:53:27] BECAUSE CITY FUNDING HAS BEEN
[1:53:28] CUT AND THAT COMES DIRECTLY
[1:53:29] FROM THE BUDGET DECISIONS LAST
[1:53:31] YEAR WHERE THERE WERE A LOT
[1:53:32] OF CLAIMS THAT THERE WASN'T
[1:53:33] GOING TO BE ENOUGH REVENUE.
[1:53:35] UM, AND UH THERE'S JUST A BIG
[1:53:38] POWER IMBALANCE BETWEEN THE
[1:53:39] INFORMATION THE MAYOR HAD ABOUT
[1:53:41] REVENUE AND WHAT THEY COULD
[1:53:41] DECIDE VERSUS WHAT THE CITY
[1:53:43] COUNCIL KNEW, WHAT THE PUBLIC
[1:53:44] IN THE COMMUNITY KNEW.
[1:53:46] AND JUST TO TAKE YOU JOBS AN
[1:53:47] EXAMPLE THAT'S IT WAS A $5.25
[1:53:50] MILLION CUT.
[1:53:51] THAT'S ONLY 0.1% OF THE
[1:53:53] PROJECTED REVENUE THAT THE
[1:53:55] MAYOR PUT FORWARD.
[1:53:56] AND SO HAVING TRANSPARENCY JUST
[1:53:58] TO KNOW LIKE HEY, COULD REVENUE
[1:54:00] BE LIKE 1% BIGGER MAYBE THAN
[1:54:02] WHAT YOU'RE SUGGESTING HAS AN
[1:54:04] IMPACT ON THOUSANDS OF YOUNG
[1:54:06] PEOPLE AND FAMILIES AND
[1:54:07] COMMUNITIES AND THE COMMUNITY
[1:54:09] DESERVES THE TRUTH.
[1:54:10] THE CITY COUNCIL DESERVES THE
[1:54:12] TRUTH ABOUT THE REALITY
[1:54:13] OF WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THINGS
[1:54:14] LIKE LIKE LIKE THESE CUTS UM,
[1:54:16] THAT ARE GETTING COVERED UP AND
[1:54:18] GLOSSED OVER BY MISLEADING
[1:54:19] ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ABOUT UM, THE
[1:54:22] TRUTH ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING
[1:54:24] FINANCIALLY SO THAT DECISIONS
[1:54:25] CAN BE MADE.
[1:54:26] UM, AND I GUESS I'LL JUST END
[1:54:28] BY SAYING THAT THIS QUESTION
[1:54:30] OF REVENUE IS REALLY
[1:54:31] FUNDAMENTAL TO BEING ABLE TO
[1:54:33] CREATE RESPONSIBLE BUDGETS.
[1:54:35] I BELIEVE THE STATE HOUSE, THE
[1:54:36] LEGISLATURE HAS LIKE A LOT MORE
[1:54:39] CAPACITY AND RESEARCH AND
[1:54:40] ABILITY TO LOOK AT REVENUE THAN
[1:54:42] THE CITY COUNCIL DOES.
[1:54:43] UM, WHEN THERE'S CLAIMS THAT
[1:54:45] THERE'S NOT ENOUGH REVENUE OR
[1:54:46] WE NEED TO MAKE CUTS BUT
[1:54:47] THERE'S NOT INFORMATION ABOUT
[1:54:48] HOW MUCH REVENUE THERE ACTUALLY
[1:54:49] WILL BE OR THERE POWERS TO
[1:54:51] DETERMINE REVENUE.
[1:54:52] UM, THOSE ARE LIFE OR DEATH
[1:54:54] DECISIONS THAT ARE BEING MADE
[1:54:55] AND AND FIXING HOW MUCH POWER
[1:54:58] THE COMMUNITY AND CITY
[1:55:00] COUNCIL HAS OVER LOOKING AT
[1:55:01] REVENUE AND DECIDING REVENUE
[1:55:02] ARE FUNDAMENTAL TO MAKING SURE
[1:55:03] THAT OUR COMMUNITIES ARE FULLY
[1:55:04] INVESTED IN INSTEAD OF BEING
[1:55:05] CUT FOR.
[1:55:07] THE.
[1:55:07] SAKE OF SOME PRETEND SCARE
[1:55:10] AUSTERITY THAT MAY NOT ACTUALLY
[1:55:11] BE REAL ACCURATE.
[1:55:13] THANK YOU GEORGE.
[1:55:15] UH, NEXT.
[1:55:16] UP WE HAVE GREG.
[1:55:19] HELLO.
[1:55:20] UH, MY NAME IS GREGORY
[1:55:21] MAYNARD AND I AM THE CO-FOUNDER
[1:55:23] AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
[1:55:24] BOSTON POLICY INSTITUTE.
[1:55:25] THIS ORDINANCE SEEKS TO GET
[1:55:27] REVENUE DATA BUT IT AVOIDS A
[1:55:29] DIFFERENT ISSUE.
[1:55:30] THE COUNCIL HASN'T SHOWN MUCH
[1:55:32] INTEREST IN REVENUE DATA DURING
[1:55:34] BUDGET PROCESSES.
[1:55:35] THIS IS WORRYING BECAUSE UNDER
[1:55:37] MAYOR WU THE CITY'S REVENUE
[1:55:39] FORECASTS HAVE BEEN MUCH LESS
[1:55:41] ACCURATE THAN THEY WERE UNDER
[1:55:42] MAYOR WALSH OVER THE COURSE
[1:55:44] OF WALSH'S WHOLE TENURE.
[1:55:46] SO 515 TO FY 20 THE WALSH
[1:55:48] ADMINISTRATION WAS ABOUT 1.1%
[1:55:50] OVER ITS REVENUE FORECASTS IN
[1:55:52] ITS FIRST THREE YEARS, FY 23 TO
[1:55:56] 25 THE ADMINISTRATION WAS ABOUT
[1:55:58] 4.4% OVER LAST SPRING DURING
[1:56:00] THE FY 27 BUDGET PROCESS.
[1:56:02] I URGE THE COUNCIL TO MAKE
[1:56:04] REVENUE FORECASTS A PRIORITY.
[1:56:05] HOWEVER, THIS COUNCIL DID NOT
[1:56:07] DO THAT AND CHAIR WEBER AND THE
[1:56:09] WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE FAILED
[1:56:11] TO HOLD A STANDALONE HEARING ON
[1:56:13] REVENUE DURING THE FY 27 BUDGET
[1:56:15] PROCESS.
[1:56:16] HOPEFULLY THIS ORDINANCE IS AN
[1:56:18] INDICATION THE COUNCIL INTENDS
[1:56:20] TO START GRAPPLING WITH REVENUE
[1:56:21] .
[1:56:21] THE BODY SHOULD DO THAT BECAUSE
[1:56:24] THE ADMINISTRATION'S INACCURATE
[1:56:26] REVENUE FORECASTS APPEAR TO BE
[1:56:28] A GROWING ISSUE.
[1:56:29] INACCURATE REVENUE FORECASTS
[1:56:31] WERE IN MALIBU'S FAVOR DURING
[1:56:32] HER FIRST TERM, ALLOWING THE
[1:56:34] MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL TO SPEND
[1:56:36] TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN
[1:56:37] SURPLUS REVENUE ON PROJECTS
[1:56:39] LIKE THE HOUSING ACCELERATOR
[1:56:40] FUND.
[1:56:41] BUT IN FY 26 THE WORM TURNED IN
[1:56:44] .
[1:56:44] THE FY 26 DEFICIT WAS DRIVEN IN
[1:56:47] PART BY INACCURATE REVENUE
[1:56:50] FORECASTS.
[1:56:50] CFO GRIFFIN BERGER REPORTED
[1:56:52] BACK IN MARCH THAT $7 MILLION
[1:56:54] OF THE FY 26 DEFICIT WAS DUE TO
[1:56:56] PERMITS AND LICENSING MISSING
[1:56:58] ITS REVENUE FORECAST.
[1:57:00] HERE IS ONE REALLY WORRYING
[1:57:01] EXAMPLE AND FY 26 APPEARS TO BE
[1:57:04] THE THIRD YEAR IN A ROW THAT
[1:57:05] THE CITY HAS MISSED ITS
[1:57:07] BUILDING PERMIT REVENUE
[1:57:08] FORECAST.
[1:57:09] GIVEN HOW IMPORTANT NEW
[1:57:10] CONSTRUCTION IS TO BOSTON'S
[1:57:12] PROPERTY TAX DEPENDENT BUDGET,
[1:57:14] CONSISTENT MISSES LIKE THAT
[1:57:15] DESERVE SCRUTINY.
[1:57:18] BOSTON IS IN THE MIDST OF A
[1:57:19] FISCAL CRISIS THANKS TO FALLING
[1:57:20] OFFICE VALUES AND THE COLLAPSE
[1:57:22] OF NEW GROWTH IN FY 26, THE
[1:57:25] CITY EXPERIENCED ITS FIRST
[1:57:27] DEFICIT IN YEARS.
[1:57:28] IN FY 27, THE CITY WAS FORCED
[1:57:30] TO LAY OFF HUNDREDS
[1:57:32] OF EMPLOYEES AGAIN FOR THE
[1:57:33] FIRST TIME IN YEARS.
[1:57:35] SOLVING THESE PROBLEMS REQUIRES
[1:57:37] ACCURATE INFORMATION.
[1:57:38] THIS ORDINANCE COULD HELP BUT
[1:57:40] THE REALITY IS THAT IT ONLY
[1:57:43] WILL IF THE CITY COUNCIL AND
[1:57:44] MAYOR WU ARE SERIOUS ABOUT
[1:57:47] FOCUSING ON THIS ISSUE AND
[1:57:49] TALKING ABOUT IT IN PUBLIC.
[1:57:51] THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[1:57:54] OKAY, UM, CAN WE HAVE ANY MORE
[1:57:57] FOLKS?
[1:57:59] ALL SET?
[1:58:01] OKAY.
[1:58:02] I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY
[1:58:03] FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THIS
[1:58:04] UM GREAT CONVERSATION.
[1:58:05] UH.
[1:58:06] I THINK WE HAVE SMALL.
[1:58:08] DETAILS TO FIGURE OUT.
[1:58:09] I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WARRANTS
[1:58:10] OR WORKING SESSION.
[1:58:11] UM, BUT UM, I WORK WITH THE
[1:58:13] CHAIR ON THAT, BUT I JUST
[1:58:14] REALLY IT'S GOING TO STAY IN
[1:58:15] COMMITTEE FOR NOW.
[1:58:16] UM, BUT PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
[1:58:17] SO, UM, I THINK UH, WE HAVE
[1:58:22] BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE I'LL JUST
[1:58:23] SAY, UH, THANK YOU.
[1:58:24] AND THIS HEARING ON DOCKET 1099
[1:58:27] IS ADJOURNED.
[1:58:28] THANKS, EVERYBODY.
[1:58:29] THANK YOU.