Boston’s Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu has been labeled “tone deaf” and “not serious” for her plan to give young children and undocumented citizens the power to vote on the city’s budget.
During a City Council committee hearing Tuesday that reviewed his 2025 fiscal budget, Wu announced that the new budget voting process is open to undocumented immigrants and children as young as 11.
After the meeting, enraged Boston City Councilman Ed Flynn wrote a letter to Renato Castelo, director of the Office of Participatory Budgeting, and expressed concern about Wu’s decision.
“Allowing children to decide the use of taxpayer money would do exactly the opposite, and would be considered tone-deaf, unserious, and totally inappropriate by my constituents,” Flynn wrote in the letter, reviewed by the Boston Herald.
Michelle Wu announced that children up to 11 years old and undocumented citizens will vote on Boston’s participatory budget
‘During this time of great fiscal uncertainty, with a study warning that remote work policies and falling commercial property values in the city could cost us $500 million in annual revenue, as well as a subsequent proposal to tax too commercial properties at a higher rate, now “More than ever, it is critical that we demonstrate to Boston taxpayers that we take our financial responsibilities seriously,” Flynn added.
Although participatory budgeting, when community members decide how to allocate funds for a public budget, was approved in 2021, residents will, for the first time, have a say in how the city of Massachusetts spends its money.
Starting in July, the Participatory Budget Office will begin collecting community project ideas from residents.
At the end of September, Wu will choose the top 15 community proposals before the public votes and narrow them down to five options, in person, next January.
During the hearing, city officials said the five chosen projects will be included in the FY26 budget. Boston’s mayor has already allocated $2 million for the initial phase of the process.
Chief Financial Officer Ashley Groffenberger told the Boston Herald that the office originally started the fiscal year with about $4 million, but because of the fund carried over from the last two budget cycles, some of the money has been spent on ‘operating expenses,’ including staff salaries. staff.
Groffenberger added that the administration plans to provide $2 million for participatory budgeting plans.
Other councilors expressed curiosity and asked if there were plans to increase the project’s annual funding budget in the coming years, as several community groups asked Wu to allocate one percent of the budget (approximately $40 million) for the plan. participatory budget.
While many disagree with Wu’s newest plan, other councilors agreed with his decision in hopes it would bring greater youth participation and civic engagement.
In response, both Castelo and Groffenberger said the decision will be made by the mayor and Council, adding that they believe $2 million is an appropriate amount to start each year.
Along with Flynn, councilors Erin Murphy and John FitzGerald expressed concern about Wu’s recent decision.
FitzGerald said that with the new plan, residents will have more control over budgeting powers than the Council.
Flynn is pushing to reduce the amount allocated for participatory budgeting by $1.2 million for the fiscal year.
Instead, the city councilman wants to invest in the Boston Police Crime Lab so he can hire more staff to help with the lab’s backlog of sexual assault kit evidence.
He also wants to allocate funds for the city’s Department of Inspectional Services to help improve its pest control inspections.
While many disagree with Wu’s newest plan, other councilors agreed with his decision in hopes it would lead to greater youth participation and civic engagement.
Councilor Liz Breadon said, “I really think this is a great opportunity to develop civic engagement.”
“I hope it leads to a more engaged citizenry in the future,” he said, adding that it would give children and residents the opportunity to learn how to vote.
Wu, who has been mayor of Boston since November 2021, recently announced that she was seeking to move some of the most basic crimes completely out of the reach of prosecution.
He argued that charges including shoplifting and disorderly conduct be out of reach of prosecutors along with other felonies, including receiving stolen property and driving with a suspended license.
But Wu’s progressive perspective goes even further: the 39-year-old seems comfortable with criminals who commit “quality of life” crimes going unpunished.
They include breaking and entering, wanton and malicious destruction of property, underage possession of alcohol and drugs, including distribution of marijuana and other types of marijuana.
Wu wants theft, robbery and disorderly conduct not to be prosecuted. In the photo, an unidentified man breaks the windows of a store in Boston in May 2020 (file photo)
Wu said he favors certain crimes not being prosecuted. All of the crimes are on a “do not prosecute” list (pictured) created by former Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins.
Those who commit such violent crimes would receive little more than a slap on the wrist.
All crimes are in a ‘do not process’ list which was created by former Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins.
Rollins, who later joined the Biden administration but resigned amid ethics violations, had advocated for no more “low-level” crimes to be prosecuted.
in a 2021 Boston Mayoral Candidate Questionnaireof Progressive Massachusetts, a nonprofit that tracks and ranks how progressive elected officials are, Wu was asked if he supported Rollins’ list.
‘Do you support the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office’s no-prosecute list and its expanded approach to addressing such low-level crimes? BUT?’ Progressive Mass asked in their survey.
“Yes,” Wu replied.
When Wu was asked if he supported closing the Boston police gang database, Wu again said yes.
As mayor, Wu, who is the city’s first woman and first Asian American to take office, has promised to reallocate police funds to other city priorities and believes in demilitarizing law enforcement, opposing the use of tear gas, rubber bullets and attack dogs. .