Boston's woke Democratic mayor Michelle Wu has been labeled 'tone-deaf' and 'unserious' 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 on Tuesday that reviewed her 2025 fiscal budget, Wu announced that the new budgeting voting process is open to the undocumented and children as young as 11 years old.
After the meeting, enraged Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn wrote a letter to Renato Castelo, the director of the Office of Participatory Budgeting, and expressed his concern with Wu's decision.
'Allowing children to decide the usage of taxpayer dollars would do just the opposite, and be viewed as tone-deaf, unserious and wholly inappropriate by my constituents,' Flynn wrote in the letter, reviewed by the Boston Herald.
Michelle Wu announced that children as young as 11 and undocumented citizens to vote on Boston'sparticipatory budget
'During this time of great fiscal uncertainty — with a study warning that remote work policies and the city’s declining commercial property values may cost us $500 million in revenue annually, as well as a subsequent proposal to also tax commercial property at a higher rate — now more than ever, it is critical that we show the taxpayers of Boston 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, be able to weigh in on how the Massachusetts city spends their money.
Starting in July, the Office of Participatory Budgeting will start to collect community project ideas from residents.
By the end of September, Wu will pick the top 15 community proposals before the public votes and narrow it down to five options, in person next January.
During the hearing, city officials said that the five chosen projects will be earmarked in the FY26 budget.The Boston mayor already allocated $2million 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 around $4million, but due to funds that rolled over from the last two budget cycles, some of the money has been spent on 'operational expenses,' including staff salaries.
Groffenberger added that the administration plans to bring in $2million for the participatory budgeting plans.
Other councilors expressed curiosity and asked if there were plans to increase the annual project funding budget in upcoming years as multiple community groups petitioned Wu to allocate one percent of the budget- approximately $40million-for the participatory budget plan.
While many disagree with Wu's newest plan, other councilors agreed with her decision with hopes that it would bring more youth participation and civic engagement
In response, both Castelo and Groffenberger said that the decision will be made by the mayor and the Council, adding that they think $2million is a suitable amount to start with each year.
Along with Flynn, Councilors Erin Murphy and John FitzGerald expressed their concerns over Wu's recent decision.
FitzGerald said that with the new plan, residents will have more control over budgetary powers than the Council.
Flynn is pushing to decrease the allocated amount for the participatory budget by $1.2million for the fiscal year.
The city counselor wants to instead invest in the Boston Police Crime Lab so they can hire more staff to help with the lab's pile up of sexual assault kit testing.
He also wants to allocate funds for the city's Inspectional Services Department to help improve its pest control inspections.
While many disagree with Wu's newest plan, other councilors agreed with her decision with hopes that it would bring more youth participation and civic engagement.
Councilor Liz Breadon said: 'I really do think this is a hugeopportunity to develop civic engagement.'
'I do hope that it will lead to a more engaged citizenry going forward,' she 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 looking for some of the most basic offenses to be completely off-limits to prosecution.
She argued for charges including shoplifting and disorderly conduct to be beyond the reach of prosecutors along with other serious crimes, including the receiving of stolen property and driving with a suspended license.
But Wu's progressive outlook goes even further with the 39-year-old seemingly comfortable with offenders that commit 'quality of life' crimes getting off scot-free.
They include the breaking and entering of property, wanton and malicious destruction of property, minor's in possession of alcoholand drug possession including the distribution of marijuana and non-marijuana types.
Wu wants shoplifting, larceny and disorderly conduct to not be prosecuted. Pictured, an unidentified man breaks the windows of a store in Boston in May 2020 (file photo)
Wu said she is in favor of certain crimes forgoing prosecution. The offenses are all on a 'do-not-prosecute' list (pictured) that was created by former Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins
Those who commit such violent crimes would receive a little more than a slap on the wrist.
The offenses are all on a 'do-not-prosecute' listthat was created by former Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins.
Rollins, who later joined the Biden administration but resigned amid ethical violations, had advocated for the non-prosecution of more 'low-level' offenses.
In a 2021 Boston Mayoral Candidate Questionnaire, from Progressive Massachusetts, a nonprofit organization that tracks and ranks how progressive elected officials, Wu was asked if she supported Rollins list.
'Do you support the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office's do-not-prosecute list and expanded approach to dealing with such low-level offenses? YES/ NO?' Progressive Mass asked in its survey.
'Yes,' Wu responded.
When Wu was asked if she supported closing the Boston Police gang database, Wu again said yes.
As mayor, Wu, who is the city's first female and first Asian American to assume the role, 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.
