Mayor Michelle Wu has vetoed tens of millions of {dollars} in cuts the City Council tried to push by for the Boston Police and Veterans Services departments following days of backlash.
Wu additionally rejected the whole lot of cuts proposed for the Public Works and Transportation departments, totaling greater than $5 million, together with the Boston Public Library, Boston Centers for Youth and Families, and the Equity and Inclusion Cabinet.
In a Friday letter to the City Council, Wu known as the Council’s try to slash practically $31 million from the Boston Police finances “illusory, as the city is obligated to cover salary and overtime expenses incurred by the department”
She additionally mentioned plans to chop from departments just like the Office of Veterans Services, the place the Council had authorised a $900,000 discount, “would reduce critical programming and limit our ability to fund future obligations.”
“Our returned budget also includes rejections, because the scale and scope of amendments passed by the Council would result in reductions to core city services that our residents depend on and deserve,” Wu wrote.
“Our budget must be responsive to the needs of our constituents, fiscally responsible, and built on a foundation of effective delivery of city services that are central to our residents’ quality of life.”
The $4.2 billion working finances authorised by the City Council by way of a 7-5 vote Wednesday included roughly $52.9 million in amendments to Wu’s preliminary proposal.
Substantial cuts to the Boston Police and Veterans Services departments sparked an instantaneous outcry. The cuts would have slashed $22 million from police time beyond regulation and decreased the veterans finances by roughly 14%.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”