Outgoing City Council President Ed Flynn mentioned the vote to dam $13.3 million in federal counter-terrorism funding for the metro area confirmed the council was “not serious about public safety,” an perspective he hopes will shift with 4 new members.
Flynn, who had been pushing final week for an emergency assembly to rethink the funding ought to the mayor fail to refile the federal grant by the tip of the 12 months, has since backed off of that last-ditch effort in 2023.
“I wasn’t able to mobilize my colleagues together to assemble for a meeting,” Flynn informed the Herald. “There wasn’t any support for it. So, I’m committed to working with the mayor in January to get this passed.”
Flynn, whose two-year time period because the physique’s president ends this month, is now looking for a brand new vote on the matter by the tip of January, after 4 new councilors are sworn into workplace. Mayor Michelle Wu, by way of a spokesperson, has already acknowledged her intention to refile the grant within the new 12 months, after the council turns over.
Three of the incoming councilors, Enrique Pepén, Henry Santana and Benjamin Weber, are progressives who have been endorsed by the mayor for the autumn election. The fourth new councilor, John FitzGerald, is seen as extra of a conservative Democrat.
Another Wu-backed progressive candidate, Sharon Durkan, who first received her seat in a July particular election, was among the many six councilors who voted in favor of the $13.3 million U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant earlier this month.
“I’m confident, although not positive, I’m confident we’re able to pass it sometime in January,” Flynn mentioned. “I think the new councilors coming in understand the importance of public safety and security, and how important this grant is to Boston and the surrounding cities and towns.”
The Council’s 6-6 vote to dam the federal funding set off a firestorm this month, criticism that led state Sen. Nick Collins to file a invoice that might strip the physique of its authority to approve future public security grants.
The grant was earmarked for the mayor’s Office of Emergency Management, however would have been distributed to the Metro Boston Homeland Security Region, which incorporates Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Quincy, Revere, Somerville and Winthrop.
Seven votes are wanted to launch the funds, for coaching and operational must “help prevent, respond to and recover from acts of terrorism, including chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive incidents,” in response to a communication from the mayor, who put the grant ahead for Council approval.
Flynn, who favors the Collins invoice, mentioned his colleagues “failed” its fiduciary duty, when it comes to accepting the grant funds on behalf of the eight different cities within the metro Boston area. “Half of that money,” he mentioned, would have gone towards supporting counter-terrorism efforts in these neighboring communities.
“When we vote against a grant that came from a Democratic president to a Democratic governor to the city of Boston to deal with biological-, chemical- and nuclear-related issues — when we voted against that, that showed to me that we are not serious about public safety in Boston and across Greater Boston as well,” Flynn mentioned.
“And that hurt the city and made us less safe, in my opinion,” he added.
The Council’s vote to reject the funding was not solely slammed by Flynn and outgoing Councilor Michael Flaherty, however drew criticism from the top of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, the Boston and statewide firefighters unions, together with different teams.
Two councilors who voted towards the grant, Ruthzee Louijeune, who’s predicted to change into the subsequent council president, and Liz Breadon, each cited a want for additional neighborhood conversations and public info.
Breadon beforehand informed the Herald that she wished extra readability on how the grant can be used to reply to pure disasters, however typically helps the counter-terrorism piece, having voted for the funding in prior years.
The grant was mentioned at a prolonged committee listening to two days earlier than the Dec. 13 vote, and when requested, Flynn mentioned he doesn’t assume one other committee listening to is required.
“However, if it’s necessary for my colleagues to have a hearing, I support that,” Flynn mentioned. “But I want to see an immediate vote on it. And I’d like to see this vote take place sometime before the end of January.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com”