Boston Council overrides some of mayor's vetoes in emotional, marathon meeting

The Boston City Council finally agreed on the last details of a fiscal 2025 city budget in the early morning hours Thursday. Tensions ran high in a 13-hour meeting that tested Mayor Michelle Wu's influence on the council.

Councilors had proposed reallocating about $15.3 million from the mayor’s $4.6 billion budget to put more money into initiatives such as youth jobs, English language classes and raises for city council personnel.

The mayor signed off on nearly $2 million of the council’s revisions, but vetoed the rest. Councilors failed to convince some of the mayor's closest allies and others to back all the amendments. Ultimately, the body's 7-6 vote was not enough to override Wu's entire list in one swoop.

Instead, the councilors entertained multiple votes in an emotional, marathon session; some of the programs got funded, while others fell short of the nine votes needed for an override.

At the beginning of the lengthy debate Wednesday afternoon, Councilor Brian Worrell urged fellow members to stand by the amendments they'd approved for funding earlier in June.

“It is certainly easier than those living the challenges of the past we know our residents are facing every day,” Worrell said, “especially when we have the power, today, through our vote on this budget, to make their lives better.”

Worrell heads the council's Ways and Means Committee, which oversees the budget hearings.

Ultimately, the council secured roughly $8.2 million of the $15.3 million in changes it originally proposed, according to Worrell’s office. Among the line items was more money for families of murder victims.

Earlier in the week, the mayor told reporters everything in the budget was built on a solid foundation and defended vetoing the council's amendments.

“The amendment process is a small step at the end of that, and we put forward our proposal that we believe would best ensure delivery of critical city services,” Wu said.

At the council meeting, some members defended budget amendments that had been vetoed by the mayor, while others defended their decision to switch stances and side with the mayor.

Wu’s closest allies on the council include Enrique Pepén and Henry Santana, both of whom worked in different roles for the administration before running for council seats, as well as Sharon Durkan, who served as a campaign aide to the mayor. All three had voted for the council’s package of amendments, but on Thursday changed positions and declined to support a full override of the mayor's vetoes.

Santana appeared to get choked up at the meeting as he defended his choice. He said the council's budget amendments "reflect our shared commitment to progress."

"However, these investments should not come at the expense of other critical city departments that provide essential services," he said.