Better Budget Alliance calls for veto override after council partially restores budget cuts
Contact: Kat Ramos, Better Budget Alliance, kat@economicdemocracy.us,
Boston, MA - After weeks of calls by community groups and residents to reject Mayor Wu's proposed FY27 operating budget, Boston City Council yesterday passed $11.2M in amendments instead - partially restoring the mayor's proposed $20M in cuts from resources and programs that help meet basic community needs.
The Better Budget Alliance - a broad multi-sector coalition of community-based organizations, residents and civic leaders - issues the following statement on the city council's decision:
"The Better Budget Alliance has been hard at work this budget season to call on councilors to restore cuts to the priority areas of our communities, as determined through our People’s Budget campaign, which include housing, food access, youth jobs and grants for immigrants and elders. We’re glad to see areas partially restored that represent BBA’s priority areas and we know our communities need many more resources to thrive.
The cuts to youth jobs by the mayor and councilors will deal a severe blow to opportunities for young people. With the cuts, Mayor Wu and city council have eliminated a 20-year program of city-funded youth jobs at local organizations. We condemn the privatization of this program, where only 475 jobs are guaranteed leaving a gap of more than 1000+ year round youth jobs even with the modest youth jobs amendment that passed.
Ultimately, we are deeply disappointed that councilors did not use both of their budgetary powers: they failed to reject Mayor Wu’s budget, nor did they fully restore all of the cuts. Five years ago, Bostonians affirmed in a ballot question equal budgetary powers between the council and the mayor. But the mayor has clearly exerted power over the council to pressure them to relinquish some of that power. This budget season, the people called on the council to reject the budget and demanded the mayor use a modest amount of reserves or other funds to meet community needs, but the council failed to be bold and resident-driven.
Today, we call on Mayor Wu to listen to Boston residents and accept the council amendments - and the council should stand firm and override any mayoral veto."
The Better Budget Alliance - a broad multi-sector coalition of community-based organizations, residents and civic leaders - issues the following statement on the city council's decision:
"The Better Budget Alliance has been hard at work this budget season to call on councilors to restore cuts to the priority areas of our communities, as determined through our People’s Budget campaign, which include housing, food access, youth jobs and grants for immigrants and elders. We’re glad to see areas partially restored that represent BBA’s priority areas and we know our communities need many more resources to thrive.
The cuts to youth jobs by the mayor and councilors will deal a severe blow to opportunities for young people. With the cuts, Mayor Wu and city council have eliminated a 20-year program of city-funded youth jobs at local organizations. We condemn the privatization of this program, where only 475 jobs are guaranteed leaving a gap of more than 1000+ year round youth jobs even with the modest youth jobs amendment that passed.
Ultimately, we are deeply disappointed that councilors did not use both of their budgetary powers: they failed to reject Mayor Wu’s budget, nor did they fully restore all of the cuts. Five years ago, Bostonians affirmed in a ballot question equal budgetary powers between the council and the mayor. But the mayor has clearly exerted power over the council to pressure them to relinquish some of that power. This budget season, the people called on the council to reject the budget and demanded the mayor use a modest amount of reserves or other funds to meet community needs, but the council failed to be bold and resident-driven.
Today, we call on Mayor Wu to listen to Boston residents and accept the council amendments - and the council should stand firm and override any mayoral veto."
Civic leaders rally outside Boston City Hall on May 26th, 2026, calling on city councilor's to reject the mayor's proposed budget cuts and restore funding for community needs. (Photo credit: T'Ajmal Hogue. Courtesy of Better Budget Alliance)
###
The Better Budget Alliance is a broad, multi-sector grassroots coalition of community-based organizations in Boston working to increase democratic control over Boston’s public budget. The coalition drove the successful passage of the 2021 municipal ballot question that established participatory budgeting and increased city councilor's budgetary powers in Boston.
