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FY2023 City Council Legislative Budget Review

We'll be updating this page with information regarding the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget review process.

About the Process

Creation and Approval of the Municipal Budget

The Boston City Charter lays out the responsibilities and timeline for creation and approval of the City budget. The Mayor is in charge of creating the annual City operating budget, and submitting it to the City Council no later than the second Wednesday in April of each year. The City Council is responsible for reviewing this budget proposal, and voting on it no later than the second Wednesday in June. The Mayor also submits to the Council:

  • appropriation orders for public realm improvements, and
  • authorizations for land acquisition and loan orders, which support the City’s Capital Plan.

The City’s fiscal year runs from July 1 – June 30. We are currently in FY22. The upcoming fiscal year will be FY23.

FY23 City Council Review Process

The City Council reviews the Mayor’s budget proposal for approximately six weeks. This process is run by the Chair of the Committee on Ways and Means, Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson. This year, the process will involve approximately 30 public hearings, during which time the Council will hear from the departments that comprise the greatest percentage of the operating budget, as well as a few smaller departments. These hearings will also cover revolving funds and other budget-related appropriations. 

All the Council hearings will be held in the Iannella Chamber, Fifth Floor, Boston City Hall. The public is encouraged to watch all the hearings and working sessions via livestream or broadcast on Xfinity Channel 8, RCN Channel 82, and Fios 964.

Public testimony is welcome and encouraged at all departmental hearings, as well as at dedicated public testimony hearings. See below for the hearing calendar and ways to testify!

AMENDMENT of the Municipal Budget, Return and Modification

The Charter Amendment passed by the Council and approved by voters in 2021 granted the Council new authority to amend the Mayor's proposed budget. Using this authority, the Council passed an amended budget on June 8, 2022.

The Charter then provides the Mayor an opportunity to return the Council's amended budget with modifications, which occurred on June 15, 2022.

Upcoming sessions

The Committee will hold sessions to review and discuss the return and modifications on the following dates:

Upcoming Hearings

Upcoming Hearings
More FY23 Budget hearings

Full schedule

Topic Public Notice

Admin & Finance:  Budget Overview Presentation (including Revenue Overview)

Monday, April 25, at 10 a.m.



 

Capital Overview

Public Facilities Department (PFD)

Monday, April 25, at 2 p.m.

Boston Public Schools (BPS): Budget Overview Presentation 

Tuesday, April 26, at 10 a.m.

Public Testimony

Tuesday, April 26, at 6 p.m.

BPS - Schools

  • Weighted Student Funding
  • Enrollment Projections
  • Schools with Declining Budgets
  • Opportunity Index
  • Transformation Schools

Thursday, April 28, at 10 a.m.

BPS - Academics

  • Opportunity and Achievement Gap
  • Curriculum
  • Code of Conduct
  • English Learners
  • Special Education and Inclusion
  • Literacy
  • Early Education/Universal Pre-K
  • Special Curricular Programs (AP, Credit Recovery, Age 22)
  • Vocational Education
  • Graduation and Career Readiness
  • Libraries
  • MCAS
  • Office of Elementary Schools
  • Office of Secondary Schools

Thursday, April 28, at 2 p.m.

BPS - Enrichment

  • Arts and Music
  • Athletics
  • After School Programming
  • Tutoring
  • Summer Learning
  • Partnerships

Monday, May 2, at 10 a.m.

BPS - Social Emotional Learning/Student Supports

  • Behavioral and Mental Health Supports
  • Homeless Education Resource Network
  • Trauma/Crisis Response
  • Family Liaisons, Social Workers, School Psychologists, Nurses
  • Early Interventions
  • Hub Schools

Monday, May 2, at 2 p.m.

BPS - Operations

  • School Admission and Assignment System
  • BPS Transportation
  • Food & Nutrition Services
  • School Safety
  • Admin Budget/Central Office
  • Human Capital (including Diversity, Recruitment, Evaluation, Staff Retention)
  • Procurement

BPS Revolving Funds

Thursday, May 5, at 10 a.m.



 

Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS)

Office of Language and Communications Access (LCA)

Thursday, May 5, at 2 p.m.

Public Works Department (PWD)

Transportation Department (BTD)

Monday, May 9, at 10 a.m.

Inspectional Services Department

Monday, May 9, at 2 p.m.

Mayor’s Office of Housing (MOH)

Office of Fair Housing and Equity (OFHE)

Tuesday, May 10, at 10 a.m.

Boston Fire Department (BFD)

Tuesday, May 10, at 2 p.m.

Amendments Working Session

Wednesday, May 11, at 3 p.m.

Boston Police Department (BPD)

  • Police Commissioner’s Office
  • Bureau of Professional Development
  • Bureau of Professional Standards
  • Bureau of Community Engagement
  • Bureau of Field Services

BPD Revolving Funds

Thursday, May 12, at 10 a.m.

Boston Police Department (BPD)

  • Bureau of Admin and Technology - Operations
  • Bureau of Admin and Technology - Admin & Technology
  • Bureau of Investigative Services
  • Bureau of Intelligence and Analysis

Thursday, May 12, at 2 p.m.

Boston Centers for Youth & Families

BCYF Revolving Fund

Monday, May 16, at 10 a.m.

Youth Engagement & Employment

Monday, May 16, at 4 p.m.

Boston Public Health Commission

  • Child, Adolescent and Family Health
  • Community Initiatives
  • Infectious Disease

Tuesday, May 17, at 10 a.m.







 

Boston Public Health Commission

  • Emergency Medical Services
  • Homeless Services
  • Recovery Services

Tuesday, May 17, at 2 p.m.

Amendments Working Session

Wednesday, May 18, at 3 p.m.

Office of Equity

Office of Resiliency & Racial Equity

Human Rights Commission

Thursday, May 19 at 10a.m.

Immigrant Advancement (MOIA)

Women’s Advancement (MOWA)

Thursday, May 19, at 2 p.m.

Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT)

PEG Access Fund

Thursday, May 26, at 10 a.m.

Environment Department

Parks and Recreation Department

Environment Revolving Funds

Parkman Fund

Thursday, May 26, at 2 p.m.

BPS - BuildBPS and Future Capital Planning

Tuesday, May 31, at 10 a.m.

Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA)

Tuesday, May 31, at 2 p.m.

Office of Economic Opportunity & Inclusion (OEOI)

Office of Tourism, Sports & Entertainment

Office of Arts & Culture

Equity Fund

Tourism Revolving Fund

Arts & Culture Revolving Funds

Wednesday, June 1, at 10 a.m.

Amendments Working Session

Thursday, June 2, at 10 a.m.

Public Testimony (VIRTUAL)

Thursday, June 2, at 6 p.m.

Office of Human Services

Monday, June 6, at 10 a.m.

Library (BPL)

Monday, June 6, at 12 p.m.

Amendments Working Session

Tuesday, June 7, at 10 a.m.

Return and Modifications Hearing

Wednesday, June 22, at 10 a.m.
Return and Modifications Working Session Thursday, June 23, at 10 a.m.
Return and Modifications Working Session Monday, June 27, at 10 a.m.
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