FY27 BUDGET SEASON: Previews of 4/28 hearing on Neighborhood Services’ $5.9M Budget
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FY27 BUDGET SEASON: Previews of 4/28 hearing on Neighborhood Services’ $5.9M BudgetTop Wu aide Brianna Millor faces first Council hearing since she reportedly announced April 3 that there will be "no funding" for Jackson Mann Community Center
Today’s hearing is for the Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS), which is led by Community Engagement Cabinet Chief Brianna Millor. That means that Millor oversees Neighborhood Services, Office of Civic Organizing, and 311. The top thing to watch at this hearing: how many questions Millor gets about what she said about the Jackson Mann at the April 3 coffee hour, and how Millor answers. BPI has 3 questions - and some follow-ups - for today’s hearing so the Council and public can at least learn more about Millor’s recent experience with the Jackson Mann. Here is what Millor told attendees at the April 3 meeting - read more from Allstonia, a hyper-local news outlet:
There has been reporting that this cut was reversed, but that isn’t really true. The total amount being spent on the 2 Jackson Mann capital projects is dropping to $10.6M in the FY27-FY31 Capital Budget, down from $14.2M in the FY26-FY30 Capital Budget. Here is the breakdown:
The Council’s focus is likely to be less on the exact dollar figures, and more on decision-making. That was their focus at the Capital Budget hearing 2 weeks ago, where Breadon and several other Councilors asked repeatedly how capital spending decisions get made. With Millor now before the Council, there is a chance to ask that question of a senior Wu administration official who actually announced a capital spending decision at a public meeting. Understanding how that announcement happened can at least illuminate Millor’s experience with a major capital spending decision. Here are 3 questions - and a few follow-ups - for Millor:
The other odd thing about this hearing: “SPARK Boston”is listed on the public notice for today’s hearing, but the word “spark” does not appear in the FY27 Budget Book. SPARK Boston is the City’s young professional program and was was run - and funded - out of the Boston Planning & Development Agency. This could be another example of the Wu administration’s on-going difficulty fully integrating BPDA staff into City Hall, or some other kind of oversight. Either way, City Hall officials need to explain why an office not in the budget is listed on a budget hearing. In this FY27 budget hearing preview, BPI will include:
OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES - TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 10 AM, IANNELLA CHAMBER There is just 1 at this hearing: the Office of Neighborhood Services. ONS is made up of 4 pieces: 311; Office of Civic Organizing; Neighborhood Services; and Administration. “SPARK Boston” the City’s young professional program - which was run out of the Boston Planning & Development Agency - is also listed, but the word “spark” does not appear in the FY27 Budget Book. WHERE DO I FIND IT IN THE FY27 BUDGET BOOK? ONS’ Operating Budget is on p. 319-329. There is no Capital Budget for ONS. FY27 vs FY26 BY THE NUMBERS In the Budget Book Introduction, this is how ONS budget is described - p. 53:
The ONS Operating Budget is $5,941,892 in FY27 vs $5,800,809 in FY26, a $141,083 or 2.4% increase. That is not an across the board increase for all of ONS pieces:
FROM THE MAYOR’S LETTER The office is not mentioned in the Mayor’s office. The office was mentioned in the Mayor’s inaugural address:
WHAT BPI IS WATCHING FOR Why is the Office for Civic Organizing seeing a 146% increase in spending on “Personnel Services” from $130k to $316k? Why is ONS seeing spending on employees going up $211k, from $5.4M to $5.6M, but expects to see no increase in the number of FTEs? Why is SPARK Boston listed on this budget hearing agenda, but isn’t in the FY27 Budget Book? Boston Policy Institute, Inc is working to improve the public conversation - help us by following BPI on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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