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A QUORUM OF THE CITY COUNCIL BEING PRESENT.
I WANTED TO CALL TONIGHT'S MARCH 2ND, 2026, REGULAR MEETING OF THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL.
TO ORDER THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS A ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS PRESENT.
WHERE DID HE GO? COUNCIL FLAHERTY.
ABSENT, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER.
YOU HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS RECORDED AS PRESENT, AND TWO RECORDED AS ABSENT.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN THE PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE PER OUR RULES.
AND PAUSE FOR A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
PER CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACTS OF 2025, ADOPTED BY MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL COURT AND APPROVED BY THE GOVERNOR, THE CITY'S AUTHORIZED TO USE REMOTE PARTICIPATION AT MEETINGS OF THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL.
IN ADDITION TO HAVING MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL PARTICIPATE REMOTELY, WE'VE SET UP ZOOM, TELECONFERENCE, REPUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU CAN ALSO VIEW THE MEETING VIA THE CITY'S OPEN MEETING PORTAL OR ON THE CITY'S CABLE.
CHANNEL 22 TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU MUST SIGN UP@WW.CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV SLASH PUBLIC COMMENT.
YOU CAN ALSO EMAIL WRITTEN COMMENTS FOR THE RECORD TO THE CITY CLERK AT CITY CLERK@CAMBRIDGEMA.GOV.
WE WELCOME YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOU CAN SIGN UP UNTIL 6:00 PM PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDS THIS MEETING AND MAKES IT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR FUTURE VIEWING.
IN ADDITION, THIRD PARTIES MAY ALSO BE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING THIS MEETING.
WE'LL NOW GO TO COUNCILOR SIMMONS.
PRESENT, PRESENT, WELL, I'LL, WE'LL
[PUBLIC COMMENTS]
ALLOW, GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.PUBLIC COMMENT MAY BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAWS CHAPTER 38, SECTION 20 G, AND THE CITY COUNCIL RULES 20 3D AND 37.
ONCE YOU FINISH SPEAKING, THE NEXT SPEAKER WILL BE CALLED, INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO ALLOCATE THE REMAINDER OF THEIR TIME TO OTHER SPEAKERS.
I ASK THAT YOU STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD AND THE ITEM ON THE AGENDA THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ON.
GIVEN THAT WE HAVE 29 SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP, EACH SPEAKER WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES, SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START WITH PUBLIC COMMENT.
OUR FIRST SPEAKERS ARE LEAN JACKSON.
I LIVE AT 3 6 9 FRANKLIN STREET.
I AM SPEAKING ON CHARTER RIGHT NUMBER ONE.
I WANT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO KEEP THE SENIOR EXEMPTION ON PARKING PERMITS.
THE ELIMINATION OF THE SENIOR EXEMPTION IS DISRESPECTFUL TO SENIORS AND INCONSIDERATE OF THE MANY CHALLENGES SENIOR RESIDENTS FACE TODAY.
IN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CLIMATE, SENIORS ARE DEALING WITH RISING COSTS IN SEVERAL AREAS, INCLUDING HEALTHCARE, FOOD, AND ENERGY COSTS.
FOR SENIORS, A VEHICLE IS A LIFELINE FOR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, GROCERIES, CAREGIVING, AND MAINTAINING INDEPENDENCE AND SOCIAL INTERACTIONS.
AN INCREASE FROM NO FEE TO $75 IS A SIGNIFICANT BUDGET INCREASE FOR THOSE ON FIXED INCOMES.
I URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO RECONSIDER THE DECISION TO ELIMINATE THE SENIOR EXEMPTION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VALERIE BONDS.
VALERIE BONDS EIGHT 12 MEMORIAL DRIVE, CAMBRIDGE PORT.
REMOVING THE SENIOR PARKING FEE EXEMPTION IMPACTS MANY SENIORS IN A BUNCH OF CONCRETE DOWNSTREAM WAYS THAT GO BEYOND PEOPLE ARE UPSET.
REMOVING THE SENIOR PARKING FEE EXEMPTION FUNCTIONS AS A MOBILITY TAX ON FIXED INCOME RESIDENTS WITH THE LEAST FLEXIBILITY.
SENIORS HAVE REDUCED TRANSIT ELASTICITY.
WE CANNOT SIMPLY SUBSTITUTE WALKING, CYCLING ALONG BUS TRANSFERS WHEN HEALTH FLUCTUATES.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT PARKING CONVENIENCE.
CAMBRIDGE CHARGES SENIORS TO AGE IN PLACE.
FINANCIAL HARM IS REAL, NOT SYMBOLIC.
MANY SENIORS LIVE ON FIXED INCOMES WITH LIMITED ABILITY TO ABSORB NEW
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RECURRING FEES.SENIORS DELAY CAR MAINTENANCE, PRESCRIPTIONS, UTILITY COSTS.
EVEN SENIORS WHO CAN USE TRANSIT CAN'T OFTEN RELY ON ITS CONS.
CONSISTENCY DUE TO THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE AFFECTING OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM TODAY.
THE ELIMINATION OF THE SENIOR POCKET FEE EXEMPTION HAS IMPLIC IMPLICATIONS FOR ALL SENIOR ADULTS, INCLUDING THOSE WITH HIGHER INCOMES.
BECAUSE THE PRIMARY ADVERSE EFFECTS ARE RELATED TO MOBILITY, SAFETY, AND INCREASED ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN, NOT MERELY THE FINANCIAL COSTS, OUR SENIORS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE FISCAL PURSE AND TAXES FOR A LIFETIME OF 65 YEARS OR MORE.
LET US BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS.
THIS IS NOT A PARKING ADJUSTMENT.
IT IS A MOBILITY DECISION FOR AFFECTING ROUGHLY 10,000 VOTING SENIORS WHO LIVE IN OUR CITY.
THE DATA SHOWS THAT ONLY 32% OF HOUSEHOLDS ALREADY OWN HAVE NO VEHICLES.
SENIORS DO NOT KEEP CARS FOR LUXURY USE.
WE KEEP THEM BECAUSE OF THE NEED.
WHEN CI, WHEN SENIORS CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO NAVIGATE ANNUAL DOCUMENTATION HURDLES TO PRESERVE WHAT ALREADY HAS.
UH, BECAUSE WHEN COMPLEXITY INCREASES, CITATIONS INCREASE.
WHEN CITATIONS DECREASE, TRUST DECREASES, AND WHEN TRUST DECREASES CIVIC PARTICIPATION DECLINES.
PLEASE EMAIL THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ADAM MANER.
YOU JUST, JUST HAVE, HAVE TO, JUST HAVE TO PRESS THE BUTTON.
UH, THIS IS IN REGARDS TO THE THE PARKING AND ALSO TO THE POLICY ORDER.
UH, THE CITY COUNCIL HAS THREE MANDATES THAT AN IMPLEMENTATION CREATE AT LEAST CURRENTLY A COMMUNITY-WIDE CONFLICT.
THE THREE MANDATES NEED FOR HOUSING IMPROVE BIKE SAFETY AND NET ZERO GOALS.
I SUPPORT THE NEED TO IMPROVE ALL THREE OF THESE CHALLENGES.
HOWEVER, I FIND THE CITY COUNCIL SEEMINGLY OBLIVIOUS OR PERHAPS IDEOLOGICALLY DRIVEN TO THE IMPENDING REALITY OF PARKING ARMAGEDDON THAT OUR COMMUNITY FACES.
WE WILL NEED PLACES TO PARK CARS WHERE SOME OF YOU MAY LIVE.
YOU MAY NOT BE SUBJECTED TO THESE PRESSURES WITH THE HOUSING THAT YOU'RE ALLOWING TO INCREASE IN VARIOUS NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE I LIVE IN MID CAMBRIDGE AND I'M FORTUNATE, ONE WITH OFF STREET PARKING, MOST OF MY NEIGHBORS WILL BE CRUSHED BY THE PLANNED SUDDEN INCREASE IN HOUSING UNITS WITHOUT ANY POSSIBILITY OF PARKING.
THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED THAT THIS IRRESPONSIBLE AND ILLOGICAL CITY PLANNING THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD PAUSE ALL PERMITTING AND CURRENT SLATED PROJECTS UNTIL IT IMPLEMENTS REALISTIC PLANS FOR INCREASED VEHICLE PARKING.
AND I BELIEVE THIS ABSOLUTELY DOESN'T NEED TO BE AS AN INSURMOUNTABLE DELAY IN OUR PLANNING TO ACHIEVE AND MEET THE THREE MANDATES THAT WE ALL SUPPORT.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PAULA GARVIN, FOLLOWED BY YOUNG KIM.
I RESIDE AT WALDEN SQUARE, 12 WALDEN SQUARE IN THE NORTH CAMBRIDGE AREA.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON CHARTER ONE, UM, REGARDING PARKING PERMITS.
COUNCILORS, I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE RECONSIDER THE PROPOSAL OF RAISING THE PARKING PERMIT FROM 25 TO $75 ACROSS THE BOARD FOR EVERYONE INCLUDING SENIOR CITIZENS.
HENCE, TOTALLY REMOVING, OR SHOULD I SAY, TAKEN AWAY OUR EXEMPTION.
I AM HERE TODAY TO KINDLY ASK THAT YOU PLEASE KEEP THE SENIOR EXEMPTION IN PLACE.
UM, CAMBRIDGE IS RICH IN MANY WAYS, I WOULD SAY, BUT, UM, THERE ARE NOT, THERE ARE A LOT OF WEALTHY INDIVIDUALS HERE.
HOWEVER, NOT EVERYONE RESIDING HERE IS FINANCIALLY CAPABLE OF TO ABSORB THE AT THIS ADDED, UM, COST.
UM, MANY OF US, UH, ON ARE RECEIVING, UM, WE ARE ON A FIXED INCOME.
THIS WILL BECOME VERY DIFFICULT AND OVERWHELMING FOR MANY OF US.
UM, SOME MAY QUESTION WHY HAVING A CAR IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD $75? HOWEVER, THIS ALLOWS US TO MAINTAIN OUR INDEPENDENCE.
WE CAN TAKE OURSELVES TO THE DOCTOR GOES GROCERY SHOPPING.
WE CAN, UM, EVEN TAKE OTHER SENIORS AROUND.
SO FAMILY MEMBERS ARE NOT ALWAYS HERE TO HELP US.
SO AGAIN, I THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK.
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I ASK THAT YOU PLEASE RECONSIDER, UH, REMOVING THE EXEMPTION AND TAKE TIME TO THINK OF ALL YOUR CONSTITUENTS INCLUDING SENIOR CITIZENS.THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND HAVE A PLEASANT EVENING.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS YOUNG KIM, YOUNG KIM 17 NORTH STREET SPEAKING ON POLICY ORDER ONE, POLICY ORDER TWO, AND CALENDAR ITEM NUMBER ONE.
FIRST THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR SIMMONS AND COUNCILOR FLAY, SABRINA WHEELER AND JUI FOR BRINGING FORWARD PA POLICY ORDER ONE AND TWO TO STRENGTHEN TRANSPARENCY AND FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND THANK YOU TO COUNCILOR SIMMONS AND COUNCILOR I FOR INTRODUCING AMENDMENTS TO STRIKE THE ELIMINATION OF THE SENIOR EXEMPTION AND FOR ALLOWING ADDITIONAL TIME TO REVIEW ACROSS ALL THREE ITEMS. THE PRINCIPLE IS THE SAME.
A GOVERNANCE TRIFECTA, TRIFECTA IF THERE EVER WAS ONE, TRANSPARENCY BEFORE ACTION, ACCOUNTABILITY BEFORE APPROPRIATION IMPACT REVIEW BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION ON POLICY ORDER.
ONE, MODERNIZATION OF ONE MEETING SHOULD IMPROVE USABILITY AND COMPLIANCE.
LAST YEAR'S OPEN GOVERNMENT FINDING ON CAHT POSTING WERE A LESSON LEARNED.
MODERNIZATION SHOULD MEAN BEST PRACTICES THAT, UH, MIGRATING IN INCONSISTENCIES.
POLICY NUMBER TWO, THE CAPITAL BUDGET RECONCILIATION REQUESTED IS ESSENTIAL COUNCIL VOTES AUTHOR, UH, VOTE AUTHORIZED SPENDING AND BORROWING THAT REQUIRES A CONSOLIDATED VIEW OF WHAT HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED, BONDED SPENT AND COMMITTED, NOT JUST FIVE YEAR PROJECTION.
FINALLY ON CALENDAR ITEM NUMBER ONE, THIS IS OUR SEQUENCING, SEQUENCING.
BEFORE IMPLEMENTING FEE INCREASE, PERMIT REDUCTIONS OR ELIMINATION OF EXEMPTION, THERE SHOULD BE A PUBLISHED RESIDENT FACING IMPACT ANALYSIS.
I SUPPORT ASKING THE CITY MANAGER TO REPORT BACK ON COMPREHENSIVE PARKING PERMITT REVISION OPTIONS, INCLUDING IMPACT AND SERVICE WORKERS COMING INTO THE CITY.
PARKING SCARCITY FOLLOWING REASON CONCERNING WITHOUT.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND ALTERNATE WORK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JANINE TURNER ROARING, FOLLOWED BY DONALD SUMMERFIELD.
UM, MY NAME IS JANINE TURNER CHARING.
I'M CALLING TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDER FOUR FOR THE CITY TO LOOK INTO SIDEWALK SNOW REMOVAL.
UH, IN PARTICULAR, I WANNA TALK ABOUT CURB CUTS.
UH, IF THE CITY JUST STARTED WITH CURB CUTS, THAT ALONE WOULD PROVIDE TREMENDOUS BENEFIT TO PEDESTRIANS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH DISABILITIES AND PEOPLE WITH CHILDREN AND STROLLERS.
TO BE CLEAR, I SUPPORT DURING THE SIDEWALKS AS WELL, BUT WHILE SIDEWALKS CAN BE HIT OR MISS, CURB CUTS ARE ALMOST UNIVERSALLY TERRIBLE.
MANY PROPERTIES DON'T CLEAR THEM AT ALL.
LEAVING A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB OR FORCING PEOPLE TO WALK IN THE STREET AT SOME INTERSECTIONS, THOSE THAT DO CLEAR THEM OFTEN DON'T CLEAR THEM AT THE RAMP, WHICH MEANS ABLE BODY PEDESTRIANS BENEFIT BUT NOT THE DISABLED OR THOSE WITH STROLLERS.
THOSE THAT DO CLEAR THEM AT THE RAMP OFTEN DO SO BEFORE THE LAST PASS OF PLOWING.
WHEN PLOWS PILE SNOW, THAT QUICKLY TURNS TO ICE ONTO THE RAMPS AND OFTEN THE PROPERTIES DON'T OR CAN'T REVISIT THE CLEARING.
UH, AND EVEN WHEN THEY ARE CLEARED WELL TO THE STREET, THE PLOWS MIGHT STILL PILE THE SNOW UP ON THE STREET ITSELF.
IT'S NOT EVEN CLEAR WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY THIS WOULD BE WHEN IT IS IN THE STREET.
THE CONSCIENTIOUS RESIDENTS CLEAR THIS AS WELL, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY NOT UNIVERSAL.
THE CITY ALS ALREADY DOES CLEAR SOME CURB CUTS ON BUSIER, THOROUGH AFFAIRS LIKE MASS AVE, AND THANK YOU TO THE CITY WORKERS FOR THIS PAST SNOWSTORM.
IT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE TO MY CHILD WALKING TO SCHOOL.
UH, BUT THE ONES THAT AREN'T THE CITY'S RESPONSIBILITY, THOSE SNOW PILES AT CURBS WILL PROBABLY ALSO BE THERE FOR SEVERAL MORE WEEKS.
SO WHILE CURB CUTS ARE NOT ENOUGH ON THEIR OWN, I VERY MUCH SUPPORT THE CITY, UH, LOOKING INTO CLEARING THIS, THE SIDEWALKS IN GENERAL.
BUT I WOULD, UH, ENCOURAGE YOU TO PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE CURB CUTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DONALD SUMMERFIELD.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JESSE BEAR.
HI, UM, JESSE BEAR, UH, 10 POPLAR ROAD.
UM, I'M JUST, I'M HERE MOSTLY TO TALK ABOUT POLICY ORDER NUMBER THREE.
UM, I JOINED TWITTER IN 2016, ALMOST MADE IT TWO DECADES.
UM, AND I HAVE BEEN OFF OF IT FOR A COUPLE YEARS, BUT AS COMMS LEAD AT, IF NOT NOW, BOSTON, WE MADE THE DECISION LAST YEAR TO DISCONTINUE OUR ACCOUNT THERE BECAUSE WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT, UM, BASED IN OUR REPLIES WE'RE GETTING THE MOST HEINOUS,
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ANTISEMITIC, HATEUM, THE BASICALLY, I THINK THAT, I DON'T REFUSE TO CALL IT TWITTER ANYMORE.
I, SOME PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY'RE PULLING SOMETHING OVER ON MUSK BY CALLING IT X, BUT IT IS NOT TWITTER.
AND THE REASON PEOPLE CONTINUE TO CALL IT TWITTER IS BECAUSE WHEN IT, DURING ITS PRIOR TO MUSK'S PURCHASE, IT GOT A REPUTATION IS ALMOST A QUASI-PUBLIC UTILITY.
AND BY CONTINUING TO ENGAGE ON THAT PLATFORM, WHICH IS REALLY NO DIFFERENT FROM TRUTH SOCIAL, WE CONTINUE TO CAN LEGITIMIZE THAT AND PROMOTE THE IDEA THAT IT IS WHAT IT WAS.
UM, AND I THINK THAT THE C CAMBRIDGE AS A CITY SHOULD TAKE A STAND AND HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
UM, AND ALSO CITIES INCLUDING, UM, COPENHAGEN, I BELIEVE DUBLIN, UM, ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND HAVE ALREADY DONE THIS.
UM, I THINK THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF TEACHERS HAS ALSO DONE IT.
UM, BOTH OF OUR NPR NEWS STATIONS, UM, NPR NEWS ITSELF, PBS LIKE WE ARE IN GOOD COMPANY.
UM, ALSO IN TERMS OF, UH, POLICY ORDER NUMBER FOUR, HAD A GREAT TIME SHOVELING WITH COUNSELOR ZUBE.
I ALSO SAW THE PHOTOS OF COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER.
I THINK IT'S REALLY GREAT TO, TO, WE NEED TO IMPROVE OUR SNOW SHOVELING CAPACITY, OBVIOUSLY.
AND IT WOULD BE GREAT TO NOT HAVE TO BE RELYING ON PEOPLE SELF-ORGANIZING, BUT ACTUALLY MAKE THAT OFFICIAL.
SO, UM, OR YES, VOTE ON BOTH OF THOSE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MATTHEW SHRINER, FOLLOWED BY CHARLES FRANKLIN AND AUDREY CUNNINGHAM.
I'M MATTHEW SCHREINER OF 26 GROSSER ROAD.
I WAS PART OF THE CREW THAT WAS SHOVELING OUT CROSSWALKS AS WELL THIS PAST WEEKEND.
IT WAS A LOVELY GROUP, INCLUDING OUR WONDERFUL TWO CITY COUNSELORS.
UM, IF THIS POLICY ORDER IS ABOUT GENERATING SOME KIND OF, UH, COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERED, UM, SHOVELING, I'LL BE HAPPY TO PARTICIPATE.
UM, I GUESS I WOULD BRIEFLY SPEAK TO TRY TO WRITE ONE AND SAY THAT I'M ALSO ON A FIXED INCOME AND I, ALTHOUGH IT'S FAIRLY GENEROUS, I'M HAPPY TO SPEND THE $75, UM, OR THE $25 IF IT WERE REDUCED, OR APPARENTLY EVEN TODAY IT IS REDUCED TO ZERO.
UH, SO LET ME ENCOURAGE THAT THE PRICE GENERALLY GO UP.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS CHARLES FRANKLIN.
LITERALLY JUST COME OUT, CAME OUT OF THE ELEVATOR.
UH, CHARLES FRANKLIN, 1 6 2 HAMPSHIRE STREET.
THIS IS HOW WIDE A SIDEWALK IS SUPPOSED TO BE SO THAT PEOPLE WITH WHEELCHAIRS AND OTHER MOBILITY ASSISTED DEVICES CAN USE THEM.
YOU KNOW HOW MANY SIDEWALKS I'VE SEEN SHOVELED TO THREE FEET AFTER THESE SNOWSTORMS THIS YEAR FROM BLOCK TO BLOCK ZERO.
WE'VE GOTTA DO BETTER AND THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT PO NUMBER FOUR.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS AUDREY CUNNINGHAM.
UM, MY NAME IS AUDREY CUNNINGHAM.
I'M SPEAKING ON AUDREY AUDREY, 26 DASH 32.
AUDREY, YOU HAVE NOISE IN THE BACKGROUND.
IF YOU HAVE TWO OF THE ZOOMS ON, YOU NEED TO MUTE ONE.
YOU CAN TRY AND UNMUTE YOURSELF AND TRY AGAIN.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD.
I'M GETTING A BACKLASH HERE TOO.
UM, I THINK MANY OF YOU PROBABLY ALREADY GOT MY EMAILS, BUT, UM, EVEN CONSIDERING A PROPOSAL LIKE THIS SHOWS YOU HAVE LOST ALL CONSIDERATIONS.
AS SENIORS WHO LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE MANY ALL THEIR LIVES, YOU HAVE TAKEN AWAY OUR PARKING AND USED MILLIONS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS TO INSTALL ENDLESS BIKE LANES TO BENEFIT ONLY A SELECT GROUP, MANY OF WHOM DO NOT EVEN LIVE IN CAMBRIDGE, BUT JUST TRAVEL THROUGH WHERE IS THE FAIRNESS? AND KNOWING THE SENIOR HAVE ALREADY CONTRIBUTED OUR TAX DOLLARS TO SELECTED PROJECTS IN THE CITY TO USE AS ONE OF YOUR, WHEREAS ITEMS, SENIOR RESIDENTS HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN EXEMPTED AT THE EXPENSE OF ALL CAMBRIDGE TAXPAYERS, INCLUDING NON-DRIVERS, AS ONE OF YOUR REASONS IS OUTRAGEOUS.
AND ADDITIONALLY TO INCLUDE AS ONE OF YOUR WAREHOUSES THAT $75 OF THE NOMINAL FEE FOR UNLIMITED ON-STREET
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PARKING SHOWS FURTHER THAT THE BASIS FOR YOUR ARGUMENT IS GROUNDLESS AND DEFIES LOGIC.AS YOU HAVE ALREADY REMOVED SO MUCH PARKING, WHICH NEGATIVELY AFFECTS SENIORS AND OTHERS, YOU NEVER CONSIDERED THAT DRIVERS NOT BIKERS ARE PAYING EXCISE TAX.
I AND MANY SENIORS DO NOT RIDE A BICYCLE YET WE'VE GOT NO DISCOUNT ON OUR PROPERTY TAX OR OUR EXCISE TAX FOR HELPING FUND THOSE BY LANES.
IT SEEMS YOU ARE BLIND TO THE FAIRNESS OF HOW CERTAIN EXPENSES ARE SHARED BY CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY SENIORS.
I URGE YOU TO RECONSIDER THIS CALLOUS PROPOSAL.
THANK OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS PAUL STARK, FOLLOWED BY ED HENLEY.
I RESIDE AT 97 PEMBERTON STREET, AND I'M HERE TONIGHT TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDER NUMBER FOUR.
IT SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO CLEAR ALL SIDEWALKS IN FRONT OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS, NOT JUST THE SIDEWALKS IN FRONT OF PARKS AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
THIS IS BOTH AN ISSUE OF SAFETY AND EQUITY.
MANY HOMEOWNERS ARE NOT PHYSICALLY ABLE TO SHOVEL SNOW, AND THE COST OF PAYING FOR THIS SERVICE CAN BE SIGNIFICANT.
THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE FORCED TO CHOOSE BETWEEN RISKING INJURY OR MAKING AN UNEXPECTED SIGNIFICANT PAYMENT.
AND OFTEN WHEN HOMEOWNERS DO SHOVEL, THE CLEARING IS NOT WIDE ENOUGH TO SAFELY PASS AC UNRAVELED OR UNDER SHOVELLED.
SIDEWALKS CAN BE INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING TO NAVIGATE, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WITH STROLLERS OR THE MOBILITY IMPAIRED.
THE CITY HAS THE EQUIPMENT AND EXPERTISE TO BEST CLEAR THE SIDEWALKS.
MY HOUSE, A BUTTS OF PUBLIC PARK.
I HAVE SEEN THE CITY'S BOBCAT PLOW THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE PARK IN UNDER A MINUTE WHILE I'M OUT THERE SHOVELING FOR OVER AN HOUR.
THE BOBCAT OFTEN USES THE CURB CUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF MY HOUSE TO GET OFF THE SIDEWALK AND CROSS THE STREET.
OCCASIONALLY THE DRIVER WILL LEAVE THE PLOW BLADE DOWN AND PLOW OUR SIDEWALK.
BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THE DRIVER WILL LIFT THE BLADE UP AND DRIVE OVER THE SNOW IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE, MAKING IT EVEN HARDER FOR US TO SHOVEL.
IT WOULD ACTUALLY BE LESS WORK FOR THE DRIVER TO PLOW THE SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE.
THE SIDEWALKS BELONG TO THE CITY, NOT THE HOMEOWNERS.
THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OTHER SIDEWALK MAINTENANCE.
IF THE BRICKS IN THE SIDEWALK WERE COMING UP, I WOULD NOT BE ASKED TO REPAIR THEM.
HECK, I WOULDN'T EVEN BE ALLOWED TO.
SO WHY SHOULD THE HOMEOWNER BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SHOVELING PUBLIC PROPERTY? DURING THE LAST TWO SNOW STORMS, SCHOOL WAS CLOSED FOR TWO DAYS EACH, NOT BECAUSE IT WAS SNOWING ON THE SECOND DAY, BUT PARTIALLY BECAUSE THE FACT THAT MANY SIDEWALKS WERE IMPASSABLE THUS POORLY SHOVELED SIDEWALKS ARE IMPACTING OUR STUDENTS' EDUCATION.
I ACTUALLY SUBMITTED THE IDEA AS A PARTICIPATORY BUDGET ITEM A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT IT DID NOT ADVANCE TO BALLOT BECAUSE IT WAS, I WAS TOLD THAT CCL FIX COULD BE USED TO REPORT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MAGICALLY MAKE.
PLEASE EMAIL THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ED HENLEY, FOLLOWED BY JACOB BROWN AND EVAN MCKAY.
I LIVE AT 2 37 FRANKLIN STREET MANNING APARTMENT SENIOR HOUSING AND BELONG TO MASS SENIOR ACTION AND COUNCIL OF SIMMONS SENIOR ADVISORY COMMITTEE SPEAKING IN CHARTER WRIGHT.
AS A 50 YEAR RESIDENT OF CAMBRIDGE, I CAME TO CAMBRIDGE WITH MY SPOUSE WHEN MY LANDLORD BOSS TRANSFERRED ME FROM HIS SUM OF A BUILDING TO ONE OF HIS CAMBRIDGE BUILDINGS.
MARIA AND I BOTH EVENTUALLY MOVED ON TO OTHER JOBS IN CAMBRIDGE AND RAISED OUR FAMILY HERE.
WE HAD THREE CHILDREN ON ADOPTED A FOURTH VIA WORK AND RAISING OUR FAMILY.
WE PROVED TO BE THE GREAT CARING AND SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY IN CAMBRIDGE.
THERE WAS ALWAYS WORKING TO HELP EACH OTHER THROUGH LIFE'S CHALLENGES AND TO BRING UP CHILDREN TO DO THE SAME THINGS.
MY WIFE AND I WERE FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO REMAIN IN CAMBRIDGE AND CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED IN GOOD CAUSES AS THEIR CHILDREN GROUP UP MOVED TO OTHER PLACES.
SOME HAVE LOCATED NORTHWOOD AND SOME SOUTHWOOD, BUT WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE, DRIVING BEING THE ONLY REAL WORKABLE WAY TO VISIT THEM AND THE GRANDCHILDREN, THEY'RE BUSY AS PARENTS ARE, AND GETTING THEM VISIT HERE HAPPENS MUCH LESS OFTEN.
MY WIFE PASSED AWAY A FEW YEARS AGO AND I HAVEN'T INVOLVED MYSELF IN LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.
I NEED MY CAR FOR OBVIOUS THINGS.
IT IS IRONIC THAT I GO OUT AND PROTEST FOR CORPORATE FIRST YEAR FOR NOT LOWERING.
THE STATE TAX RATE IS PUSHED BY THE MASS HIGH TECH COUNCIL, THUS LOWER THE LOWERING OF WHICH WILL RESULT IN CUTTING SERVICES FOR MANY PEOPLE RETIRED OR WORKING IN THE MANY LOW WAGE JOBS THAT ARE SO ESSENTIAL TO THE COMMUNITY'S EVERYDAY LIFE.
AND YET, THE CITY COUNCIL CONSIDERS PROPOSALS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO MAKING OUR LIVES MORE CHALLENGING FISCALLY.
I HAVE A BICYCLE AND I ALMOST NEVER USE IT AND PROBABLY SHOULDN'T AS WELL.
I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE RULES AROUND CYCLING ON THE ROADS IN CAMBRIDGE.
UH, IF THE CITY COUNCIL IS ADDRESSING PERMITS, I WOULD GLADLY PURCHASE ONE FOR MY BICYCLE IF THERE WERE AN ACCOMPANY REQUIREMENT TO UNDERSTAND GUIDELINES FOR PROPER USAGE ON CAMBRIDGE STREETS.
BUT PLEASE DON'T ELIMINATE MY SENIOR EXEMPTION FROM A FOR A PERMIT ADDED EXPENSES ARE ALWAYS A CHALLENGE FOR SENIORS AND WITH, AND THE MANY WITH SIMILAR LEVELS OF INCOME.
I THANK YOU FOR TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE NEEDS OF
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MANY CANCER BRIDGES AS YOU MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JACOB BROWN.
MY NAME IS JACOB BROWN AND I LIVE ON MAGAZINE STREET HERE IN CAMBRIDGE.
I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT TWO POLICY ORDERS.
FIRST OF ALL, POLICY ORDER NUMBER FOUR WOULD REQUEST REQUEST THE CITY MANAGER TO TAKE THE FIRST STEPS TO EXPLORE A POTENTIAL CAMBRIDGE SNOW CORE PROGRAM.
I BELIEVE THIS WOULD BE TREMENDOUSLY HELPFUL FOR THE CITY.
IT GOES A LONG WAY HAVING THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO CLEAR CURB CUTS AND BUS STOPS AFTER A SNOWSTORM.
AND I BELIEVE PRIORITIZING THIS WOULD BE A HUGE BOOST FOR THE CITY'S ACCESSIBILITY DURING THE WINTER AFTER LAST WEEK'S SNOWSTORM, AS WELL AS THE FIRST ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE ON THIS WINTER.
I CONSISTENTLY SAW MY NEIGHBORS STRUGGLE WITH THE DILEMMA DILEMMA OF WALKING IN THE STREET AND BEING AT RISK OR FIGHTING THROUGH BLOCKED OFF INTERSECTIONS WITH STROLLERS BAGS OR MOBILITY AIDS.
PRIORITIZING THIS WOULD MAKE IT EASIER FOR OUR DISABLED NEIGHBORS AND OUR FAMILIES TO NAVIGATE THE CITY DURING ALL MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
FURTHERMORE, CREATING CAMBRIDGE SNOW CORPS PROGRAM WOULD BE AN INVESTMENT IN CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS, BOTH BY PAYING WORKERS THAT WOULD REINVEST THE MONEY IN CAMBRIDGE AND BY SUPPORTING THE RIGHTS OF OUR RESIDENTS TO TRAVEL THROUGH THE CITY.
NEXT POLICY ORDER NUMBER THREE, PROPOSES TO DIRECT CITY DEPARTMENTS TO DISCONTINUE OFFICIALLY USE OF X.
AND ONE OF THE KEY FACTORS THAT PUSHED ME OFF OF THE APP WAS SEEING HOW EASILY IT CAN BE MANIPULATED AND VIEWING THAT IN THE OVERALL CONTEXT OF THE RIGHT WING TAKEOVER OF THE INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT.
GROK THE SITE'S AI CLIENT IS TRANSPARENTLY MANIPULATED BY ELON MUSK TO REMOVE RESPONSES THAT MAY APPEAR TOO PROGRESSIVE TO RESULTS THAT ARE AS HORRIFYING AS THEY'RE HAM-FISTED, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN IT UNLEASHED A TIRADE OF RACIST AND ANTI-SEMITIC POSTS, OR WHEN IT REDIRECTED QUESTIONS ABOUT COMPLETELY UNRELATED TOPICS TO RIGHT WING CONSPIRACY THEORIES ABOUT WHITE GENOCIDE IN SOUTH AFRICA.
IF GROT CAN BE MANIPULATED SO OUT IN THE OPEN, WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT THE PRIORITIES OF THOSE RUNNING THE WEBSITE AND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO TO THE ALGORITHM BEHIND CLOSED DOORS? THIS FITS INTO A LARGER PATTERN OF BILLIONAIRES USING THEIR WEALTH AND INFLUENCE.
TO ALTER THE INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT, JEFF BEZOS BOUGHT THE WASHINGTON POST AND DRAMATICALLY REDUCED ITS OP-ED DESK.
DAVID ELLISON IS CEO OF PARAMOUNT, HAS WARPED CBS INTO A TRUMP MOUTHPIECE AND HAS VOWED TO DO THE SAME FOR CNN.
LET LEAVING X WOULD LET CAMBRIDGE EXERCISE WHATEVER POWER IT HAS TO FIGHT.
ELON MUSK AND THE OTHER BILLIONAIRE.
PLEASE EMAIL THE REMAINDER OF YOUR COMMENTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VIN EVAN MACKAY.
HELLO, HELLO, EVAN MACKAY THERE AS I LIVE ON GARDEN AND LINEAN IN BETWEEN PORTER AND HARVARD SQUARE.
HAPPY TO BE HERE TONIGHT AND GRATEFUL FOR THE MANY PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, THE MUNICIPAL WORKERS AND NEIGHBORS WHO COME TOGETHER DURING SNOW AND OTHER WEATHER EVENTS.
UM, AND JUST WANT TO GIVE PUBLIC COMMENT AND SUPPORTIVE ACCESSIBILITY, UH, DURING THESE TIMES.
NUMBER FOUR IS TO KNOW WHAT'S WORKING WELL IN THESE MOMENTS AND WHERE IS THERE MORE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT? SO WITH GRATITUDE TO THE WORK THAT'S ALREADY GOING.
WELL, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT A FEW PLACES FOR IMPROVEMENT.
UM, AND I WAS OUT THERE SHOVELING SNOW WITH SOME NEIGHBORS AS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS TOGETHER.
UM, THE FIRST IS ABOUT THE CROSSWALKS AND SIDEWALKS.
THERE ARE MANY INSTANCES WHERE THE SIDEWALK ITSELF IS ACCESSIBLE, BUT THERE'S NO WAY TO GET TO THE SIDEWALK FROM THE STREET OR FROM THE STREET TO THE SIDEWALK.
THERE'S THESE MOUNTAINS OF SNOW AT THE END, AND THEN FOLKS ARE HAVING TO TRAVERSE THE ENTIRE WAY IN THE STREET BECAUSE THEY CAN'T ACTUALLY GET TO THE SIDEWALK THAT IS ITSELF ACCESSIBLE.
UM, AND SO THIS IS AN IMPORTANT THING.
ADDITIONALLY, THERE ARE, ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO, UM, USE THEIR CARS MORE IN THE WINTER, AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO USE THEIR CARS LESS IN THE WINTER BECAUSE THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT LOSING THEIR PARKING SPACE AT HOME, OR THEY'RE WORRIED THAT THERE WON'T BE PARKING FOR THEM IN THEIR DESTINATION.
UH, AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT OUR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER METHODS OF GETTING AROUND ARE ALSO SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE DURING WINTER AND SNOW EVENTS.
SO THE FIRST IS ON BUS STOPS, UM, AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS, UH, SAFE AND ACCESSIBLE WAY, UH, TO GET FROM WHERE FOLKS ARE WAITING FOR THE BUS TO WHERE THEY ARE BOARDING OR DEBOARDING FROM THE BUS ITSELF.
AND SOMETIMES AGAIN, THERE ARE THESE MOUNTAINS OF SNOW THAT PEOPLE CAN'T TRAVERSE OVER SAFELY.
UM, AND THEN FOR FOLKS WHO ARE, UH, ON THE BICYCLES, THERE ARE THESE, UH, DISAPPEARING BIKE LANES WHERE THE BIKE LANE ITSELF WILL BE, UH, CLEARED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT COMES TO A MOUNTAIN OF SNOW AND IT SORT OF SHOOTS PEOPLE OUT INTO, UH, THE, THE VEHICLE LANE.
AND THAT'S SURPRISING AND UNEXPECTED AND DANGEROUS FOR ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON OUR STREETS.
NOBODY WANTS TO HAVE, UH, SOMEBODY POP OUT IN FRONT OF THEM BECAUSE THEIR LANE GOT STOPPED.
UM, AND THEN ADDITIONALLY, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS, UH, PARKING, UH, FOR THE BICYCLES AS WELL.
UH, SOMETIMES NOT EVERYBODY'S ABLE TO HOIST THEIR BIKE ONTO, UH, THE MOUNTAIN OF SNOW IN ORDER TO LOCK UP.
UM, SO JUST, UH, THANKFUL FOR THE POLICY ORDER AND FOR THE SMALL IMPROVEMENTS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SIOBHAN MCDONOUGH, FOLLOWED BY RICHARD KNICK.
I AM A MEMBER OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST OF AMERICA AND THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF LEGAL
[00:30:01]
SERVICES WORKERS.AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDERS THREE AND FOUR.
UM, SO FIRST ON POLICY ORDER FOUR, REGARDING SNOW REMOVAL.
I THINK IT'S REALLY FANTASTIC THAT SO MANY, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE OUT TRYING TO, UH, SHOVEL OUT THESE CURB CUTS TRYING TO SHOVEL OUT, UM, SOME OF THE, THE MOST DIFFICULT AND THE MOST, UH, CONSEQUENTIAL AREAS, UH, FOR PEDESTRIANS.
UM, BUT I THINK WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK BEYOND WHAT, UH, INDIVIDUALS CAN SORT OF DO ON AN AD HOC BASIS.
UH, I THINK THE WORK BY JIVAN AND IA AND EVAN AND JESSE AND ALL THE OTHER FOLKS WHO ARE OUT THERE IS COMMENDABLE, BUT IT'S, UH, THAT SORT OF PALS IN COMPARISON TO A CITY BUDGET AND THE CITY'S CAPACITY TO GET THESE THINGS DONE.
UM, SO I THINK I FULLY SUPPORT THIS POLICY ORDER, AND I HOPE IT, UH, RESULTS IN A REAL PROJECT OF MUNICIPAL SNOW REMOVAL.
ONE WAY THAT THIS HAS REALLY AFFECTED THE MEMBERS OF MY UNION.
UH, SO I THINK THIS IS A RELATIVELY COMMON EXPERIENCE.
WE DON'T GET SNOW DAYS ANYMORE.
UH, FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, UH, IF THERE WAS BAD SNOW FOR A DAY, WE'D GET A SNOW DAY AND LIKE WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO TO WORK.
WE WOULD HAVE SOME TIME TO SHOVEL THINGS OUT.
UH, AND THAT WOULDN'T BE A HUGE BURDEN ON US.
NOW WE GET WORK FROM HOME BASE.
NOW WE STILL HAVE TO DO JUST AS MUCH WORK.
UH, A LOT OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TO WATCH THEIR KIDS.
UM, AND TRYING TO GET OUT AND SHOVEL OUT MULTIPLE FEET OF SNOW IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT IS A REALLY DIFFICULT CHALLENGE.
SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THE CITY COULD DO AROUND MUNICIPAL SNOW REMOVAL THAT WOULD MAKE SO MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES EASIER.
UH, AND THEN BRIEFLY ON POLICY ORDER THREE REGARDING X.
UM, I THINK THE STUFF THAT YOU HEARD EARLIER FROM JESSE AND, UM, THE EVERYTHING AROUND HOW TOXIC X IS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
BUT THE OTHER THING I WOULD JUST MENTION THAT HASN'T BEEN BROUGHT UP YET IS THAT LIKE YOU DON'T GET ANY TRAFFIC THERE.
UH, X IS LARGELY DEAD FOR MUNICIPALITIES, PROGRESSIVE ORGANIZATIONS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS RICHARD KNICK.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ESTELLE DISH.
OKAY, I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT CHARTER, RIGHT NUMBER ONE AND ALSO POLICY ORDER FOUR.
I SUPPORT THE RAISE IN IN PARKING PERMIT FEES, BUT NOT FOR SENIORS BECAUSE OF FIXED INCOME.
I SUGGEST WORDING THAT ENCOURAGES THOSE WHO CAN COMFORTABLY PAY THE FEE TO PAY IT AND LET THE OTHERS PAY WHAT THEY CAN.
AND, AND AS FOR THE SHOVELING, IT WOULD BE FABULOUS IF THE CITY COULD TAKE OVER SOME OF THE SIDEWALKS OR ALL OF THEM.
IT'S, UH, TO TRY AND WALK IN THE CITY IN THE SITUATION FOR A WEEK OR SO.
I WAS REALLY CAREFUL ABOUT WHERE I WENT BECAUSE YOU, YOU WALK A FEW BLOCKS AND YOU'RE OKAY, AND THEN SUDDENLY YOU'RE IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS VIRGINIA FISHER.
UM, AND THANKS TO THE COUNCIL FOR TAKING THIS COMMENT.
I LIVE ON CLINTON STREET, AND I'M SPEAKING TODAY IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDER FOUR, BUT THE SIDEWALK CLEARING PROGRAM.
UM, I HAVE BEEN LIVING CAR FREE SINCE I MOVED TO CAMBRIDGE IN 2004, AND HAVE DEFINITELY FELT THE IMPACTS OF INCONSISTENT SNOW REMOVAL ON THE SIDEWALKS, UM, INCLUDING FROM THE TIME I HAD TWO CHILDREN AND PRESCHOOL A STROLLER WAS OUR PRIMARY VEHICLE TO GET AROUND TOWN.
AND REALLY, WE LIVED ON NORFOLK STREET AT THE TIME, EXPERIENCED HOW MUCH NOW, THE SIDEWALKS OR THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING STUCK INSIDE WITH SMALL KIDS GOING STIR CRAZY OR BEING ABLE TO GO OUT AND DO THE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO.
SO I THINK THIS IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT PIECE OF, UM, LIVING UP TO THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO SAFE STREETS BY MAKING THE SAFE STREETS FOR STREETS SAFE FOR PEOPLE WITH, UM, ALL KINDS OF VEHICLES AND MOBILITY NEEDS ALL YEAR ROUND.
AND I'D ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER, UH, POLICY ORDER THREE AND GETTING OFF OF THE FORMER TWITTER.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A IMPORTANT STEP.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAN DONVILLE, FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE MELTY.
UH, MY NAME IS JAN DENVILLE AND I LIVE AT 3 5 9 COLUMBIA STREET IN CAMBRIDGE.
I'M SPEAKING ON POLICY ORDERS THREE AND FOUR.
FIRST, I'D LIKE TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR MOVING THE CAMBRIDGE CITY GOVERNMENT OFF OF XX LACKS PRO.
[00:35:01]
LACK OF PROPER GUARDRAILS, ESPECIALLY AROUND ITS AI.CHATBOT ROCK HAS MADE THE PLATFORM THE WORLD'S LARGEST PRODUCER OF NON-CONSENSUAL SEXUAL IMAGERY AND CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE MATERIAL.
DO WE REALLY WANT CAMBRIDGE'S OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS TO COEXIST WITH HEINOUS IMAGERY AND REWARD A BILLIONAIRE WHO HAS DONE MORE TO HARM THE BOSTON METROPOLITAN AREA'S ECONOMY THAN ANYONE ELSE THROUGH HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH DOGE.
SECOND, I'M IN, I'M IN FAVOR OF POLICY ORDER FOUR, WHICH ASKS THE CITY MANAGER TO EXPLORE A POTENTIAL CAMBRIDGE SNOW CORPS PROGRAM.
I'M A MEMBER OF BOSTON DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA.
AND DURING THE PAST BLIZZARD, OUR MEMBERS JOINED FORCES TO CLEAR SIDEWALKS AND BUS STOPS.
WHAT BECAME CLEAR TO US IS THAT THERE'S, UH, WHEN THERE'S SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL, WE LACK THE CAPACITY TO CLEAR SIDEWALKS AS QUICKLY AS WE NEED.
FOR INSTANCE, NEAR ME ON HAMPSHIRE STREET AND COLUMBIA, UH, THE SNOW IS PILED ON, UH, THE CURB CUTS AND FORCES PEDESTRIANS TO WALK INTO THE BIKE LANES.
I'VE HEARD OF MANY PEOPLE WITH MOBILITY NEEDS OR STROLLERS WHO CAN'T PROPERLY NAVIGATE THE CITY.
THE CITY SHOULD LOOK AT MODELS PIONEERED BY NEW YORK, CHICAGO, AND BALTIMORE, AMONG OTHERS TO BOOST OUR SNOW REMOVAL CAPACITIES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MICHELLE MALTI, FOLLOWED BY SUSAN MARKOWITZ.
UH, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE.
I'M A NATIVE OF CAMBRIDGE, AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY I AM TRYING TO STAY IN THIS CITY.
I LIVE IN AFFORDABLE AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WATER GOES UP, SEWER GOES UP.
THERE WERE CHANGES TO, UH, DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROGRAMS. AND YOU KNOW, WHAT I WANNA SPEAK ON IS TO REMOVE THE SENIOR EXEMPTION FOR RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT PROGRAM.
YOU KNOW, BEING A SENIOR AND BEING A MEMBER OF ALLIANCE OF CAMBRIDGE TENANTS AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, MASS SENIOR ACTION, THE COUNCILORS COME OUT OF EVERYWHERE TO GET INTO OUR TENANT COUNCIL MEETINGS, TO, UH, UH, SHOW UP IN OUR OTHER MEETINGS, KNOCKING ON OUR DOOR.
THEY'RE LOOKING TO GET OUR VOTES BECAUSE THERE'S NO SECRET THAT SENIORS GET OUT AND VOTE.
AND WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO MAKE A CUT TO SOMETHING WHEN WE'RE ON FIXED INCOMES THAT WE HAVE NO POWER.
WHERE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO PLUCK 50 BUCKS OUT OF WHEN EVERYTHING GOES UP WITH INFLATION AND INFLATION IN HEALTHCARE AND ALL THESE OTHER CUTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE FROM THIS BIG BOGUS BILL? HOW DO YOU EXPECT THIS? WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE STREETS WITH THESE POORLY DESIGNED BIKE LANES THAT ARE COSTING LIVES? DOES ANYONE HERE PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU TOOK THE TIME TO SPEAK TO EMS? THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE AMBULANCES.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO SIT IN, IN TRAFFIC AND YOU GOT YOUR LIGHTS ON AND SIRENS GOING ON EVERYWHERE AND YOU CAN'T GO ANYWHERE TO GET TO THAT CAR? AND, YOU KNOW, EVERY SECOND COUNTS BECAUSE OF THESE POOR DESIGNED BIKE LANES.
IT'S TO THE POINT NOW PEOPLE ARE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET WITH LOOKS LIKE A, THE FRONT OF A LOCOMOTIVE, AND THEY GOT KIDS IN THERE AND IT'S ALL LIT UP AND THEY'RE TAKING UP THE SIDEWALKS AND THEY'RE TAKING UP THE SO-CALLED BIKE LANES AND BUS LANES.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL TRYING TO COINCIDE HERE, BUT TO TAKE AWAY SOMETHING FROM SENIOR CITIZENS AT A TIME LIKE THIS, THE WAY, THE WAY THINGS ARE AND PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO THANK YOU, MICHELLE.
JUST SURVIVE IN PUBLIC COMMENT.
FEEL FREE TO SEND US THE REMAINDER.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SUSAN MARKOWITZ, FOLLOWED BY MARK TRUANT.
HI, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD.
HI, I'M SUSAN MARKOWITZ AT 20 OAK STREET.
I'M HERE TO SUPPORT POLICY ORDER NUMBER 13 TO DISCUSS CHANGES TO THE CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING AT THE UPCOMING ORDINANCE COMMITTEE ABOUT ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR USE.
I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THE CITY SHOULD NOT BE WRITING OR PA PASSING ZONING REGULATIONS WITHOUT RESIDENT AND BUSINESS DISCUSSION AND INPUT POLICY ORDER 13 IS NOT PASSED.
AND I DEFINITELY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE COUNCIL AT LEAST BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES MENTIONED IN THE POLICY ORDER AT THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING ON ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR USE.
THIS SEEMS TO ME LIKE A REPEAT OF WHAT HAPPENED IN JANUARY AT THE CAMBRIDGE STREET PETITION.
WHEN THE CAMBRIDGE STREET PETITION WAS THAT WAS RECENTLY PASSED BEYOND THE BUILDING HEIGHTS.
WE HAD SEVERAL OTHER QUALITY OF LIFE CONCERNS THAT WE FELT HAD NOT BEEN DISCUSSED.
UH, THIS POLICY ORDER INCLUDES MANY OF THOSE SAME CONCERNS THAT WE STILL HAVE TODAY, AND WE WOULD STILL LIKE TO THEM, THEM TO BE REVIEWED AND DISCUSSED AND HOPEFULLY INCLUDED IN THE UPCOMING PETITION.
WE ARE NOT SAYING THAT THEY HAVE TO BE APPROVED AT THIS POINT.
WE'RE JUST SAYING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM DISCUSSED.
AND MY HUSBAND WAS UNABLE TO TALK.
UM, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR HIM TO TALK NOW? HE HE DIDN'T
[00:40:01]
KNOW HOW TO UNMUTE.RICHARD WAS, HOLD ONE SECOND PLEASE.
HE WAS SIGNED UP SO WE CAN, I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN GO TO HIM.
THE OPTION TO UNMUTE DID NOT POP UP, POP UP ON MY COMPUTER, SO I WAS UNABLE TO UNMUTE.
UH, WE, UH, A NUMBER OF CAMBRIDGE STREET RESIDENTS RAISED THE ISSUES LISTED IN THIS PO UH, DURING THE DISCUSSIONS IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY ABOUT THE CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING.
BUT WE WERE BASICALLY IGNORED COMPLETELY.
THERE WAS NO DISCUSSION ESSENTIALLY ABOUT ANYTHING EXCEPT HEIGHTS.
BUT, UH, A LOT OF RESIDENTS THINK THESE ISSUES ARE IMPORTANT AND SHOULD BE DISCUSSED.
UH, STEP BACK AT FOUR STORIES INSTEAD OF SIX STORIES ON A STREET.
AS NARROW AS CAMBRIDGE STREET IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UH, LABS, UH, AS OF RIGHT IS AN ISSUE THAT A LOT OF RESIDENTS ARE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH.
WE DON'T THINK LABS SHOULD BE AS OF RIGHT.
THERE ARE TWO OR THREE OTHER ISSUES WE THINK ARE IMPORTANT AND WE WANNA USE THE OPPORTUNITY OF THE, UH, FIRST FLOOR ACTIVE USE, UH, DISCUSSION OR PETITION TO FINALLY GET SOME DISCUSSION OF THESE ISSUES, UH, AT COUNCIL AND WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY.
VERY FEW PEOPLE EVEN KNOW ABOUT THIS PO I'M SURE THERE WOULD BE MORE PEOPLE SPEAKING ABOUT IT IF THEY KNEW ABOUT IT.
UH, BUT AS YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE COUNCIL AT LEAST, UH, GIVE IT SOME, SOME OF THESE ISSUES, SOME DISCUSSION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS MARK TRUANT, FOLLOWED BY O ROBERT SEMA.
MARK TRUANT, UH, WARREN STREET IN CAMBRIDGE.
UM, IT WAS A FAMOUS MODERNIST ARCHITECT WHO SAID GOD IS IN THE DETAILS.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE ALL THE REST OF US KNOW THAT THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS.
SO MY POINT HERE IS JUST TO IMPLORE YOU TO, UH, WISELY, UH, CONSIDER THE, THE DETAILS IN MAKING THESE ZONING DECISIONS THAT THEY HAVE RAMIFICATIONS THAT WILL EXTEND LONG INTO THE FUTURE.
YOU KNOW, UH, THEY'LL AFFECT PEOPLE THAT AREN'T ALIVE TODAY THAT WILL BE HERE LONG AFTER WE'RE ALL GONE.
AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE SO IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER SUNLIGHT AND TREES AND, AND, UM, SCALE.
SO, UH, I KNOW YOU HAVE LOTS OF THINGS, URGENT CONSIDERATIONS, BUT THESE TYPES OF, UH, NUANCED DETAILS IN ZONING, UM, HAVE REALLY GREAT IMPACT.
OUR CITY IS ONE OF THE OLDEST CITIES IN THE US AND IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MAKES IT SUCH A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU, WHAT YOU DECIDE HERE WILL HAVE AN IMPACT 250 YEARS FROM NOW.
SO, UM, PLEASE, UH, CHOOSE WISELY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS O ROBERT SEMA, FOLLOWED BY HELEN WALKER.
UM, I AM, UH, SPEAKING ON, I'M O ROBERT SIMHA.
I LIVE AT 3 0 3 THIRD STREET IN EAST CAMBRIDGE.
I'M SPEAKING THIS EVENING ON BEHALF OF THE EAST CAMBRIDGE PLANNING TEAM, THE EAST CAMBRIDGE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION IN SUPPORT OF POLICY ORDER 13.
AT OUR MEETING ON FEBRUARY 25TH, THE ASSOCIATION VOTED TO SUPPORT THE INCLUSION OF ADDITIONS TO THE CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING TO REFLECT THE ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS PROPOSED IN THE POLICY ORDER 13, TO ENSURE A HEALTHIER AND MORE RESILIENT CAMBRIDGE STREET.
WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, UH, ON THIS MATTER, UH, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL GIVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHAPE, UH, THE IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS THAT WILL MAKE THE STREET, UH, CONTINUE TO MAKE THE STREET A SUCCESS.
WE HOPE YOU'LL SUPPORT OUR JOINT COMMUNITY EFFORTS.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS HELEN WALKER.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, GO AHEAD.
HELEN WALKER, 43 LINEAN STREET.
THANK YOU FOR THE CHANCE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF POLICY WATER
[00:45:01]
13.WHEN CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING BECOMES BEFORE ORDINANCE TO DISCUSS PROMISE AMENDMENTS TO INCENTIVIZE GROUND FLOOR USES, WE ASK THAT THE ITEMS IN THE POLICY ORDER BE DISCUSSED.
THE FALL WINTER DISCUSSION OF CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING FOCUS MOSTLY ON HEIGHTS TO THE EXCLUSION OF OTHER PRIORITIES.
IT'S REASONABLE THAT THERE BE A FORUM FOR NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS.
LET'S REMEMBER THAT OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD PRIORITIES THAT WERE INCLUDED IN OUR CAMBRIDGE STREET HAVE SOMEHOW GOTTEN LOST.
R CAMBRIDGE STREET SPECIFICALLY SAID THERE WOULD BE A CHANGE FROM NO OPEN SPACE TO OPEN SPACE REQUIRED.
IT SAID THERE WOULD BE A CHANGE FROM NO REAR SETBACKS TO REAR SETBACKS REQUIRED ON LABORATORIES NEAR HOUSING.
IT SAID, LIMIT CERTAIN TYPES OF LAB USE ON CAMBRIDGE STREET, DISTINGUISHED TYPES OF LAB TO MITIGATE IMPACTS ON CAMBRIDGE STREET, ON STREET TREES.
IT SAID, ADDING MORE TREES TO THE STREET IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON REQUESTS FROM PARTICIPANTS.
IMPLEMENTATION, ADDING MORE SEEDING TREES, SHADE ON FRONT BACKS, SETBACKS.
IT SAID THE PLANNING STUDY RECOMMENDS A SMALL BUILDING SETBACK TO CREATE A SIDEWALK THAT'S AT LEAST 12 FEET WIDE.
DID THIS HAPPEN? PLEASE ENSURE THAT AT LEAST SOME OF THESE PROMISES TO THE COMMUNITY HAVE THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS ALAN CASA.
ALAN CASA, 97 CHESTNUT STREET, UM, PART OF THE HASTINGS SQUARE, LYTRO FIELD, MOORE SCHOOL AREA.
UH, RECENTLY FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARK OFF STREET, BUT, UH, IT'S BEEN A DIFFICULT TIME TRYING TO PARK IN OUR OWN NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, IT'S JUST BECOME A PLACE WHERE TOO MANY PEOPLE ARE COMING IN PARKING AND HEADING OVER THE BRIDGE, WHETHER IT'S TO WORK, TO SCHOOL, WHATEVER.
UM, AND I THINK THAT SOMEHOW OR OTHER, THERE'S A GREAT DISSERVICE TO THE CITY IN THE WAY THAT THAT IS ALL HANDLED OR IGNORED BECAUSE WE ALMOST NEVER SEE ANYBODY WHO WILL COME BY TO LOOK AT PARKING PASSES.
AND I THINK THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF REVENUE THAT'S BEING LOST SIMPLY BECAUSE OF IT.
SOME PEOPLE GET SOME KIND OF A PASS OR A PERMIT TO, TO PUT ON THEIR DASH FOR A POT OF A DAY WHEN THEY WALK ACROSS THE RIVER AND HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD EXCEPT CONVENIENCE.
UH, I DON'T EVEN KNOW THAT THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING ANYTHING.
THEY DON'T EVEN SHOVEL THEIR CARS.
UM, BUT I THINK THE HARDER PIECE FOR MANY OF US SENIORS OUR AGE, OBVIOUSLY FIXED INCOME, OBVIOUSLY ALL THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN SPOKEN ABOUT.
UH, THIS IS A TOUGH TIME FOR PEOPLE AND TO HAVE A CONSIDERATION OF GOING FROM ZERO TO $75 IS, IS A WALLOP FOR MANY OF US WHO DO OWN A CAR.
WE'RE PAYING UPWARDS OF OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS ON INSURANCE AND UP TO OR AROUND A THOUSAND DOLLARS ON EXCISE TAX JUST TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO OWN A CAR.
AND SOMETIMES WE CAN'T EVEN GET OUT LAST WEEK.
I THINK, UH, SOME OF YOU MAY KNOW, I, I WROTE AN EMAIL REGARDING TAKING A TRIP UP TO, UM, MAIN STREET TOWARDS THE KENDALL SQUARE AREA AND FOUND IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO CROSS THE STREET.
BUT GOD LOVE THE, THE BIKE PASSWORDS CLEAR AS DAY.
I, I OBJECT TO THE PROPOSAL TO RAISE THE FEES.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS DAN TOTTEN, FOLLOWED BY GLENNA WYMAN AND JAMES DAH.
HI, DAN TOTTEN, 54 BISHOP ALLEN DRIVE.
AND, UH, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE, UM, VOUCHER PROGRAM.
I WAS REALLY GLAD TO SEE THE UPDATE ON THE AGENDA.
UM, I'M REALLY THANKFUL THAT COUNCILOR ZUBIE AND COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN SHOOK IT LOOSE BECAUSE A LOT OF US WERE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT VOUCHERS HAD BEEN HANDED OUT LAST SEPTEMBER AS WAS PROMISED.
AND SO IT'S A LITTLE DISAPPOINTING TO SEE THAT THEY DIDN'T ACTUALLY GET, UM, GOING UNTIL JANUARY, BUT NONETHELESS, WE'RE HERE.
AND I JUST, I'M JUST WONDERING IF THERE'S A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBILITY ON, UM, SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS AROUND IT GIVEN THAT THIS IS NOT FEDERAL MONEY.
UM, FOR EXAMPLE, CAN WE BE MORE FLEXIBLE WITH CORY REQUESTS OR CORY CHECKS? I KNOW THAT THE, THE UPDATE SAYS THAT OH, CHA IS ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM, AND SO THEY'RE DOING CORY CHECKS JUST LIKE THEY DO FOR EVERYTHING ELSE.
BUT I THINK THAT THE MUNICIPAL VOUCHER PROGRAM IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE FLEXIBLE.
LET'S SAY SOMEBODY HAS A LOW LEVEL DRUG OFFENSE FROM MANY YEARS AGO.
SHOULD THEY BE DENIED HOUSING WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LOCAL DOLLARS THAT DON'T HAVE THAT RESTRICTION TIED TO THEM? I THINK MAYBE NOT.
AND SO I'M CURIOUS TO HEAR WHETHER THAT'S BEEN THOUGHT ABOUT AT ALL AND WHETHER THERE'S ROOM TO DO THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
[00:50:01]
JUST A NOTE ON THE PARKING PERMIT STUFF.THERE'S NO BIGGER OF AN ADVOCATE FOR RAISING THE PARK AT PER PARKING PERMIT FEES OVERALL THAN ME.
IN FACT, I'VE WITNESSED, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT ATTEMPTS FROM VARIOUS CITY COUNCILS TO DO JUST THAT.
UM, MOST OF THE PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS, UM, COMPLETELY EXEMPTED, UH, LOW INCOME PEOPLE.
AND I JUST, I, I DON'T THINK PEOPLE NECESSARILY REALIZE HOW PAINFUL IT CAN BE TO HAVE TO COME UP WITH $25 OR $75 WHEN YOU'RE LIVING AT THE POVERTY LEVEL IN A CITY THAT IS SO RICH.
YOU CAN BARELY PUT FOOD ON THE TABLE.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CITY COMES AND SAYS, HEY, GIMME 25 BUCKS.
YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH THE GOALS OF THIS POLICY ORDER WITHOUT NICKELING AND DI THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR CITY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GLENNA WYMAN, FOLLOWED BY JAMES ZA AND GARY MELLOW.
THANK YOU, DAN, FOR YOUR COMMENTS TOO.
UM, I AM, UH, SPEAKING ON, ON THE, UH, PARKING PERMIT ISSUE AS WELL.
UM, I SUPPORT COUNSELOR AL ZUBIE PROPOSAL, UM, THAT WOULD TARGET THIS FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE LOW INCOME.
THERE'S MANY SENIORS IN CAMBRIDGE WHO ARE WEALTHY, WHO ARE EXTREMELY WEALTHY, AND THERE ARE WAYS TO ACCOMMODATE SENIORS, UH, THAT ARE WEALTHY, BUT ONE OF THEM IS NOT TO, TO GIVE THEM A, UH, REDUCTION THAT THEY DON'T NEED.
I HAVE A FRIEND WHO SAID, I CAN'T BELIEVE I GET THIS FOR FREE AND I GET THE REDUCED PARKING FOR FREE, JUST BEING A SENIOR.
UM, THE OTHER THING IS I SUPPORT, UH, THE REDUCTION FROM FOUR TO TWO INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS.
UM, AND THAT IS, UM, YOU KNOW, BEING MISREPRESENTED AS TWO PER HOUSEHOLD, IT'S TWO PER INDIVIDUAL.
I THINK THAT'S MORE THAN REASONABLE WHEN YOU HAVE LIKE A FOUR PERSON HOUSEHOLD AND THEY COULD EACH HAVE TWO CARS.
UM, BUT I REALLY FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT, UM, TO, TO HAVE THIS SUBSIDY, IF YOU WANNA CALL IT A SUBSIDY.
A LOT OF US SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS WHEN WE DON'T HAVE KIDS.
SO IT'S, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE SAME THING.
SO FOR LOW INCOME FOLKS, IT'S A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE TO NOT HAVE TO PAY SOMETHING FOR THAT.
AND I'LL SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS AS WELL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS JAMES ZAL.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS GARY MEOW, FOLLOWED BY HEATHER HOFFMAN.
MY NAME IS GARY MEOW AND I LIVE ON, ON FRANKLIN STREET TONIGHT.
I WANT TO COMMENT ON CHARTER RIGHT NUMBER ONE, LET'S START ON A SOUR NOTE.
BOSTON RESIDENTS PAY NOTHING FOR THE RESIDENT PARKING PERMITS.
THE STICKER IS GOOD TILL YOU MOVE OR GET RID OF YOUR CAR.
PREVIOUSLY, TWO YEAR NO COST RENEWALS WERE REQUIRED, BUT THE CITY DETERMINED THAT THE WHOLE PROGRAM WAS A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY ALL AROUND.
COUNCIL PROPONENTS FOR HIGHER FEES ALLEGED THAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF THE PROGRAM EXCEED REVENUES.
JUST HOW INEPT AN ADMINISTRATOR CAN RUN A DEPARTMENT WHICH SPENDS MORE THAN $75 TO, TO DELIVER THIS TO ME.
THE SAME INEPT ADMINISTRATOR WHO SENDS ME NOT JUST ONE, NOT JUST TWO, BUT THREE NOTICES TO RENEW MY STICKER INSTEAD OF JUST PUTTING THE DAMN THING IN AN ENVELOPE, SAVING THE CITY AND ME, HUGE TIME AND MONEY.
THE RENEWAL REQUIREMENT IS NO MORE THAN A MAKE WORK, THAN MAKE WORK GENERATING HASSLE AND EXPENSE FOR HELPLESS RESIDENT VICTIMS. AND WHAT ABOUT THE RESIDENT VIOLATION REVENUE? WHERE'S THAT MONEY GOING? I'M TIRED OF HEARING THE NONSENSE THAT CARLESS RESIDENTS ARE SOMEHOW SUBSIDIZING.
PEOPLE WHO MUST DRIVE NON-OWNERS ARE ENTITLED TO A VISITOR'S PASS BEARING THE SAME PRIVILEGES, COST, AND BALONEY.
NOW, I ASK THE BIKE NAZIS TO CHIME IN, STOP PUTTING THE STICKERS WHERE THEY OBSTRUCT YOUR VISION.
THEY BELONG ON THE QUARTER OR REAR WINDOWS FOR SAFETY, JUST LIKE BOSTON.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF YOU ON, ON MARCH 31ST AT THE MCCUSKER CENTER LIBRARY AT THE MCCUSKER MCCUSKER CENTER LOBBY.
MAYBE YOU'VE GOT NOTHING BETTER TO DO, BUT ALL THE PEOPLE IN LINE CERTAINLY DO.
OUR FINAL SPEAKER IS HEATHER HOFFMAN.
HELLO, HEATHER HOFFMAN, TWO 13 HURLEY STREET.
[00:55:01]
THANK DAN TOTTEN FOR SAYING MORE THAN I POSSIBLY COULD ABOUT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING VOUCHERS.NOW I DON'T HAVE TO SAY ANYTHING MORE.
UM, WITH RESPECT TO MY PERENNIAL CONCERN LITIGATION, I LOOK SO FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT LOCAL THINGS LIKE THE AHERN CASE THAT YOU HAD YOUR, UM, EXECUTIVE SESSION ON AND INCLUSIONARY ZONING.
ARE YOU MAKING PLANS FOR WHEN YOU LOSE? UM, WITH RESPECT TO FREE EXPRESSION, I AM A HUGE FAN OF FREE EXPRESSION AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.
AND I HOPE THAT COUNSELORS WILL THINK ABOUT WHETHER THEIR BULLYING OF PEOPLE AFFECTS FREE EXPRESSION.
YOU'VE BEEN BETTER RECENTLY, BUT IT'S STILL NOT GONE.
UM, WITH RESPECT TO CAMBRIDGE STREET, YOU ALWAYS TELL US THAT PUBLIC INPUT IS SO VERY IMPORTANT, PERHAPS BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT PUBLIC INPUT ABOUT AS MUCH AS THOSE FOLKS IN WASHINGTON DO, WHICH IS NOT AT ALL.
SO WHAT PEOPLE BEFORE ME HAVE SAID, LET US TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS THAT ARE TRULY, UM, QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES ABOUT CAMBRIDGE STREET AND THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AROUND IT, INCLUDING TREES AND WHETHER THEY CAN SURVIVE, WHICH ARE REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND THEN FINALLY, TRANSPARENCY.
I LOOK SO FORWARD TO CAMBRIDGE'S GETTING AGENDA MATERIAL OUT IN A TIMELY FASHION AND ACTUALLY LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS AND WHAT IT ALL MEANS WHEN YOU ARE SPENDING UNGODLY AMOUNTS OF MONEY.
SUCH A CONTRAST BETWEEN THE NICKEL AND DIME THINGS ON THE ONE HAND AND THE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR THINGS ON THE OTHER.
MADAM MAYOR, THAT'S ALL WHO HAVE SIGNED UP.
THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR ZUZI TO CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT.
SINCE WE'RE ALL PHYSICALLY PRESENT, WE'LL DO, UM, VOICE VOTES WHEN POSSIBLE AND NOT.
AND FOR APPROPRIATIONS, WE'LL DO ROLL CALL STILL, BUT FOR MAJORITY WE CAN DO VOICE VOTES.
[SUBMISSION OF THE RECORD]
SUBMISSION OF THE RECORD.THERE'S THE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF OCTOBER 20TH, 2025, THE TAX RATE CLASSIFICATION, PUBLIC MEETING OF OCTOBER 20TH, 2025.
THERE'S THE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF OCTOBER 27TH, 2025, AND THERE ARE THE CITY COUNCIL MINUTES OF NOVEMBER 17TH, 2025 ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO ACCEPT THE RECORDS AND PLACE THEM ON FILE.
THOSE ARE MINUTES ARE PLACED ON FILE.
THERE ARE NO RECONSIDERATIONS.
[CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA]
TO THE CITY MANAGER AGENDA.THERE ARE NINE CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEMS. PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
NUMBER ONE, COUNCILOR NOLAN POLLS NUMBER ONE, PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL ON ANY OTHER ITEMS. COUNCILOR ZUZI.
COUNCILOR ZUZI IS PULLING EIGHT AND NINE, HEARING NO ONE ELSE.
OH, GO AHEAD, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER, WE'VE PULLED NUMBER ONE, EIGHT AND NINE.
I THINK IT WAS JUST NINE THAT I WAS TRYING TO PULL.
SO ON THE BALANCE OF 2 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL.
AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDING THE AFFIRMATIVE.
AND ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT BALANCE IS ADOPTED.
WE'LL GO TO CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE.
THIS IS TRANSMITTING A COMMUNICATION FROM CITY MANAGER IAN WONG, RELATIVE TO A FEDERAL UPDATE, INCLUDING AN UPDATE ON RELEVANT COURT CASES.
THIS WAS PULLED BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN.
UNFORTUNATELY, EVERY WEEK IT SEEMS LIKE WE DO NEED AN UPDATE ON SOME OF THE FEDERAL CASES.
I PULLED THIS PARTLY BECAUSE, UH, MANY OF THESE CASES HAVE TO DO WITH, UM,
[01:00:01]
AND WE HAVE TAKEN SOME ACTIONS IN THE CITY TO ENSURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS ARE SAFE.AND THERE'S BEEN SOME, UH, COURT CASES THAT WE HAVE JOINED TO MAKE SURE THAT FEDERAL, UH, IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS AND OTHERS ARE ACTING WITHIN THE BOUNDS OF OUR, OUR LAWS.
SO ONE OF THE, THROUGH YOU, UH, MAYOR SIDIKI, I'D BE VERY INTERESTED IN HEARING AND UNDERSTANDING HOW IT IS THAT WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR UNIVERSITIES, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF THE INCIDENT THAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK WHERE A, UH, STUDENT IN, UH, AT COLUMBIA WAS THROUGH DECEPTION, UH, TAKEN OUT OF, OUT OF THE ROOM.
AND I KNOW I HAVE, UM, COMMUNICATED SOME, AND I UNDERSTAND WITH BOTH HARVARD AND MIT AND AND OUR UNIVERSITIES, THAT THERE ARE POLICIES IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT THE KIND OF STRENGTH THAT WE HAVE DONE WITH OUR WELCOMING CITIES IS ALSO IN PLACE THERE.
THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT OUR RESIDENTS.
AND REMEMBER, STUDENTS ARE ABOUT 20 TO 25% OF OUR RESIDENTS IN THE CITY.
SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE ENSURE THAT THEIR SAFETY IS ON HAND TOO.
SO I'M NOT SURE IF THERE'S ANY UPDATE, UM, FROM, FROM THE CITY ON THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN AND WORKING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THOSE INSTITUTIONS TO OFFER OUR SUPPORT FOR THEM TO, UH, DO EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO STRENGTHEN THE PROTECTIONS.
AND THERE MAY BE OTHERS THEY WANNA TALK ABOUT.
BUT THAT WAS THE ONE I REALLY WANTED TO HEAR, UH, THROUGH YOU.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
NOLAN AND I CERTAINLY FEEL LIKE WHAT WE'VE SEEN, UH, HAPPENING ON UNIVERSITIES HAS BEEN REALLY DISTURBING, ESPECIALLY THAT CASE AT COLUMBIA.
UM, AND OTHER INCIDENTS, UH, INCLUDING THE, THE ONE AT TUFTS.
UM, I THINK THANKFULLY WE HAVEN'T SEEN A CONCERTED EFFORT TARGETING UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.
UM, I THINK THIS CASE WAS ESPECIALLY DISTURBING IN TERMS OF THE USE OF EXPLICIT DECEPTION.
UH, NOT IDENTIFYING, UH, FEDERAL AGENTS NOT IDENTIFYING THEMSELVES AS FEDERAL AGENTS.
UM, I THINK THAT REALLY SPEAKS TO A LOT OF THE BREAKDOWN AND TRUST THAT'S HAPPENING IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES, WHY A LOT OF THESE ACTIONS ARE NOT HELPING US BE SAFE.
UM, AND IN THAT CASE, UM, THANKFULLY THE PERSON WAS RELEASED PRETTY QUICKLY.
UM, WE'RE OBVIOUSLY IN CLOSE CONVERSATION WITH UNIVERSITIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE TOUGH PARTS ABOUT THAT INCIDENT IS, UM, IF FEDERAL AGENTS ARE WILLING TO USE SUCH DECEPTION, I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW WE ARE MEANT TO PROACTIVELY RESPOND TO THAT.
UM, BUT I THINK CERTAINLY WE ARE, UH, WE ARE VERY MUCH WANTING PEOPLE TO BE IN TOUCH WITH US IF THEY HEAR ABOUT THOSE KINDS OF INCIDENTS SO THAT WE CAN FOLLOW UP.
UM, AND SO THAT WE CAN CONNECT TO LEGAL RESOURCES ESPECIALLY, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE SEEN OTHER PEOPLE GETTING WHISKED AWAY, BEING PULLED OUT OF STATE.
UM, A LOT OF WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED IS THAT GETTING A HABEAS PETITION INTO A COURT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAPPEN AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND SO WE JUST CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE OUR COMMUNITY TO, UH, STAY SAFE, TO BE CONNECTED, TO SPEAK OUT, AND, AND CERTAINLY BE IN CONTACT WITH THE CITY, WITH THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UM, IF THEY SEE ANYTHING.
UH, AND THEN WE CAN, WE CAN HELP TRY AND RESPOND AND CONNECT PEOPLE WITH, WITH RESOURCES.
AND ARE WE WORKING DIRECTLY TO ENSURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE INSTITUTIONS PARTICULARLY OF HIGHER EDUCATION, WHICH ARE A HUGE PERCENT OF OUR UN UN UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IS WHAT WE EXPECT THEM TO DO AND TO HAVE AS STRONG POLICY AS POSSIBLE, UM, THROUGH YOU MAYOR SADIKI? YES.
I'LL GO TO COUNCIL ZUBI AND WE'RE GONNA START WITH KIND OF TWO QUESTIONS IF YOU HAVE TO, UH, AND THEN GO FROM THERE.
I'LL GO TO COUNCILOR ZUBIE AND THEN VICE MAYOR AZI.
THANK YOU FOR THE UPDATES ON THE FEDERAL CASES.
IT'S DEFINITELY GOOD TO HAVE THOSE.
AND I RECOGNIZE THAT CAMBRIDGE IS A PLAINTIFF IN THE CASE ON, WITH HUD, UH, SPECIFICALLY FOR THE CONTINUUM OF CARE.
AND I SAW THAT WE FILED AN EMERGENCY MOTION ON THE 17TH TO DISSOLVE THE INJUNCTION THAT IS PROTECTING THAT FUNDING.
AND IT SEEMS LIKE THAT INJUNCTIONS THE ONLY THING KEEPING IT, UH, ALIVE STILL RIGHT NOW.
SO IF IT DISSOLVES BEFORE THE JUDGMENT, THE, WE HAVE ABOUT 250 TO 300 HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE GONNA LOSE THEIR VOUCHERS LATER THIS YEAR.
SO WHAT'S THE CITY'S CONTINGENCY PLAN IF THAT INJUNCTION FALLS? CITY MANAGER, OH, GO AHEAD.
DEPUTY CITY SOLICITOR, I THANK YOU, UH, THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR, TO THE, YEAH.
UM, UH, THE CASE YOU'RE IN, UH, REFERRING TO IS, UH, N-A-E-H-V HUD, AND, UM, JUST TO CLARIFY, UM, IN THAT CASE, ON FEBRUARY 17TH, 2026, IT WAS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT FILED AN EMERGENCY MOTION TO DISSOLVE THE PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION.
JUST BY WAY OF OF BACKGROUND, UH, THE CITY WHO IS A, UM, AMONG THE PLAINTIFFS IN THAT CASE, UH, SOUGHT THE PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION TO ENSURE THAT THE CONTINUUM OF CARE GRANTS WOULD BE PRESERVED.
[01:05:01]
AND IT WAS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT FILED THE EMERGENCY MOTION TO DISSOLVE, UH, THOSE PRELIMINARY INJUNCTIONS ON AN EMERGENCY EXPEDITED BASIS.ON FEBRUARY 23RD, UH, 2026, THE PLAINTIFFS FILED AN OPPOSITION.
AND IN, UH, WE JUST LEARNED ACTUALLY ON FEBRUARY 27TH THAT THE FEDERAL COURT HAS DENIED THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S MOTION TO DISSOLVE THE PRELIMINARY INJUNCTIONS, FINDING THAT THE PLAINTIFFS CONTINUE AT WHICH OF WHICH THE CITY IS THE PLAINTIFF, CONTINUE TO FACE IMMINENT IRREPARABLE HARM FROM THE UPHEAVAL AND SERVICE GAPS, UH, CAUSED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S ACTIONS, AS WELL AS, UH, DEMONSTRATING A STRONG LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS ON THE MERITS, UH, SHOULD THE PLAINTIFF'S CASE MOVE FORWARD.
SO, AS OF RIGHT NOW, THE PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION REMAINS IN EFFECT.
AND, UH, THE CONTINUING OF CARE GRANTS, UH, AS OF THIS STAGE REMAINS SECURE ON THE PART OF THE CITY.
SO, IN, IN THE CASE, I, I FEEL LIKE I, I APPRECIATE THE RESPONSES THAT YOU HAVE THERE AND, AND THE INFORMATION.
MY, MY QUESTION IS MORE SO TOWARDS THE CITY'S CONTINGENCY PLAN, IF WE'RE TO SEE THAT THREAT HAPPEN, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING I HAVE MENTIONED AT A PREVIOUS BUDGET HEARING THAT TOPICS LIKE THIS, SPECIFICALLY WHEN THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION'S DOING THESE KIND OF THINGS SHOULDN'T BE UP FOR DISCUSSION, AND WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS.
IS YOUR RESPONSE CITY MANAGER, UM, THROUGH YOU MAYOR SIDIKI? UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, I THINK COUNCILLOR ZUBY, WE'VE SORT OF HAD SOME OF THIS BACK AND FORTH.
UM, I WOULD, I WOULD SAY, UM, WHILE CERTAINLY IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND WE HAVE SOME LEVEL OF ABILITY TO FILL IN FOR FEDERAL GRANTS THAT GET PULLED, UM, WE ARE IN, WE ARE ONE OF THE PLAINTIFFS IN THIS CASE.
UH, AND A BIG PART OF WHAT WE ARE, UH, ARGUING IN COURT IS THAT A LOT OF THESE FEDERAL PROGRAMS ARE NOT ACTUALLY POSSIBLE TO BE FULLY BACKFILLED BY STATE OR LOCAL RESOURCES.
AND I THINK THAT'S CERTAINLY TRUE WHEN YOU LOOK AT ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND THE PROGRAM AS A WHOLE.
UM, AND SO I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO LET THE LITIGATION PLAY OUT.
UM, AND I THINK SOME OF THE HARMS THAT WE ARE BEING CLEAR ABOUT IN COURT IS THAT THESE ARE VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, UM, WHO ARE BEING SUCCESSFULLY HOUSED RIGHT NOW.
WE NEED THE RESOURCES THAT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS PROVIDED, UM, AND WE ARE ARGUING THAT THEY SHOULD BE CONTINUED.
UM, SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE PREPARED TO, UM, LOOK AT ALL OF THE DIFFERENT, UM, FEDERAL GRANTS THAT ARE COMING IN.
AND IF ALL, IF SOMETHING DOES END UP HAPPENING, IF A PROGRAM DOES END UP CHANGING, THEN WE'LL CERTAINLY BE IN DISCUSSION WITH THE CITY COUNCIL ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT RESPOND.
UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE PREMATURE WHILE WE'RE IN LITIGATION TO, UH, TO, UM, TO GO TOO FAR IN TERMS OF SETTING UP WHICH PROGRAMS WE THINK WE MIGHT HAVE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS, UH, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT THERE'S, THERE'S A MYRIAD OF, UM, OF ACTIONS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS TAKING THAT ARE, THAT ARE CREATING A LOT OF FUNDING RISK.
YEAH, I, I APPRECIATE THE RESPONSE THERE.
I, I THINK THE, THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT IN THESE FEDERAL CASES, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT CAME TO SNAP, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION DOESN'T REALLY CARE FOR SOME OF OUR RESIDENTS.
AND THAT'S, IT'S TO SAY IT'S GREAT THAT WE ARE PUTTING UP THE FIGHT IN TERMS OF PUSHING BACK AGAINST WHAT THE FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION'S DOING, AND JUST BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE FIND WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS BECAUSE, UH, THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S JUST DECIDING TO JUST PUNISH, UH, THEM.
AND OUR CITY SHOULD BE THERE IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
SO WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO THOSE CONVERSATIONS, IF THAT'S THE CASE.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO ASK, UH, UH, ABOUT THE HARVARD CASE WITH, UH, THE, UH, HARVARD CONTESTING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS REVOCATION OF HARVARD'S ABILITY TO ENROLL FOREIGN STUDENTS AND OTHERWISE PREVENT FOREIGN STUDENTS FROM ENROLLING AT HARVARD.
UM, I SAW THAT WE, UH, CAMBRIDGE'S BRIEF IN SUPPORT WAS FILED ON JANUARY 16TH.
I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD JUST GET A GENERAL UPDATE ON THAT CASE.
DEPUTY CITY SOLICITOR, UH, THANK YOU, UH, THROUGH YOU TO THE COUNSELOR.
UM, MY UNDERSTANDING IS, IS THAT BRIEFING CONCLUDES, UH, IN LATE APRIL, EARLY MAY.
SO WE'RE STILL SORT OF IN THE PERIOD WHERE BRIEFING BRIEFS ARE BEING SUBMITTED, BOTH IN TERMS OF THE PARTIES AND AMIKA.
SO I, I THINK AT THIS STAGE, UH, UNTIL THE BRIEFING PERIOD, UH, HAS CLOSED, AND ALL BRIEFS IN THE CASE HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED, UH, THERE IS, UH, SORT OF NO FURTHER MAJOR UPDATES RELATIVE TO THIS CASE.
[01:10:01]
BUT, UH, AGAIN, WE ARE MONITORING THAT CASE AMONG OTHER FEDERAL, UH, LEGISL, UH, FEDERAL CASES.AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE ARE DEVELOPMENTS, WE WILL CERTAINLY, UH, UPDATE THE LITIGATION TRACKER AND UPDATE THIS COUNCIL ON THAT VICE MAYOR.
UM, AND THEN JUST FOLLOWING UP ON A POINT, I THINK COUNCILLOR NOLAN MADE EARLIER, UM, I WANNA SAY, UH, I WAS, UH, ONLY RECENTLY MADE AWARE, I THINK AS WELL OF HOW, UM, DETAILED LIKE, UM, IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT RUS CAN GO IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO MAKE UP A CASE AND SCENARIO OF WHAT THEY'RE THERE FOR AND LIE ABOUT ALL OF THAT, BUT ALSO EVEN LIE ABOUT HAVING A WARRANT, UH, OR EXACTLY THE TYPE OF WARRANT THAT WOULD GIVE THEM ACCESS.
AND SO I WONDER, UM, THIS IS LESS ABOUT THE CASES, BUT JUST WANTED TO PUT UP AN IDEA OUT THERE OF LIKE, JUST SENDING SOME OF THAT INFORMATION PERHAPS IN OUR QUARTERLY, UH, MAILER OR SOME OTHER SORT OF, UH, PLATFORM, JUST SO EVERYONE GETS THAT IN CASE THEY HAVE ANY INTERACTIONS TO KNOW THAT THEY SHOULDN'T NECESSARILY BELIEVE EVERYTHING THAT IS SAID BY AN OFFICER, SENIOR MANAGER THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SADIKI.
I THINK THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
UM, WE CAN, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVEN'T ANTICIPATED THAT THESE KINDS OF TACTICS WOULD BE, UH, WOULD BE CARRIED OUT.
AND SO AS, AS WE'RE THINKING ABOUT PLANNING ADDITIONAL KNOW YOUR RIGHTS TRAININGS OR DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE'RE SPREADING INFORMATION, I THINK THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE THAT WE WOULD PROVIDE MORE GUIDANCE TO THE COMMUNITY IN TERMS OF, UM, WHAT FEDERAL AGENTS CAN OR CAN'T DO, THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY CAN USE DECEPTION.
WE CAN, UM, HAVE SOME CONVERSATIONS BOTH BETWEEN, UM, THE LAW DEPARTMENT AND, UM, CIRC THE COMMISSION ON IMMIGRANT RIGHTS AND CITIZENSHIP AND THINK ABOUT HOW WE INCORPORATE THAT INTO SOME OF THE INFORMATION WE'RE PUTTING OUT THERE.
CITY SOLICITOR, UH, AND JUST TO ADD, THE MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE HAVE RELEASED, UH, AS WELL ON, ON THEIR END, UH, SORT OF KNOW YOUR RIGHTS, UH, UH, INFORMATION OF THEIR OWN, UH, TO THE CITIZENS OF THE COMMONWEALTH.
AND I BELIEVE, UH, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S, UH, GUIDANCE ALSO PROVIDES EXAMPLES OF, UH, VALID JUDICIAL WARRANTS VERSUS ADMINISTRATIVE WARRANTS.
SO, UH, TO YOUR QUESTION, COUNSELOR, UH, THAT CAN ALSO BE A RESOURCE THAT OUR RESIDENTS CAN, UH, CAN LOOK TO AS PROVIDED BY, UH, THE STATE'S ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.
MY OFFICE WILL BE WORKING WITH CIRC ON SOME UPCOMING LAWYER RIGHTS TRAINING, SO, UM, IT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION.
AND SO WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT, UH, THAT'S NOTED.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM CITY COUNCIL ON THIS ITEM? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF PLACING CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER ONE ON FILE, SAY AYE.
CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER IS PLACED ON FILE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, TRANSMITTING COMMUNICATION FROM CITY MANAGER IAN WONG, RELATIVE TO AWAITING REPORT.
ITEM NUMBER 26 DASH 13 REGARDING AN UPDATE ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MUNICIPAL SUPPORTIVE HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAM.
COUNCILLOR UZI, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
UH, I JUST WANTED TO SAY EXCELLENT WORK.
SO WITH THIS FUNDING, WE WE'RE ABLE TO GIVE OUT 20 VOUCHERS.
I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE INVESTING A MILLION DOLLARS INTO THIS, SO THAT'S $50,000 PER PERSON FOR THE VOUCHERS.
I, I, UM, I'M THRILLED THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVIDE THESE VOUCHERS.
UM, I, I JUST WANTED TO REMIND EVERYONE THAT I THINK THIS CAME ABOUT BECAUSE OF THE, THE CLOSING OF THE TRANSITION WELLNESS CENTER, RIGHT? SO WE WANTED TO, THEY, IT COULDN'T BE CORRELATED, DIRECTED DIRECTLY, BUT WE WANTED TO PROVIDE MORE, UH, VOUCHERS FOR PEOPLE THAT HAD BEEN FORMALLY ON THE STREET.
UM, AND THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS, AGAIN, TO HELP PEOPLE TRANSITION OUT OF HOMELESSNESS.
SO, UM, I, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT PROGRAM AND I, I THINK IT WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT TO TRACK ITS SUCCESS AND SEE HOW THESE RESIDENTS DO OVER TIME AS THEY'VE GOT THE COMFORT OF HOME.
QUESTIONS, WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL AL ZUBI.
THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, I REALLY WANNA THANK YOU ALL IN THE DEPARTMENTS FOR THIS UPDATE ON THE HOUSING VOUCHER PROGRAM.
I, I KNOW THIS IS EXACTLY THE TYPE OF LOCALLY FUNDED, FUNDED HOUSING INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WE NEED, UM, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE SEEING FEDERAL HOUSING SUPPORT CONTINUE TO ERODE.
JUST HAVE A FEW QUICK QUESTIONS.
CAN YOU SPEAK TO HOW THE VOUCHER PROGRAM USES CORY CHECKS IN ITS SCREENING CRITERIA? YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY, ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES TO ADOPT MORE LIMITED OR TARGETED STANDARDS THAN FEDERAL HOUSING PROGRAMS REQUIRE, GIVEN THAT WE'RE NOT
[01:15:01]
BOUND BY HUD GUIDELINES WHEN SPENDING LOCAL DOLLARS? SURE.UM, MAYOR SIDIKI, UM, WE, CHA, WE HAVE, WE ARE USING A LOT OF WHAT, UH, CHA PROTOCOLS TO BEGIN WITH, BUT CHA, AND WE DO RUN A QUARRY.
HOWEVER, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IS THAT IF A QUARRY IS NOTED, THEN, UH, THE HOUSING NAVIGATOR IS I, UM, INFORMED AHEAD OF TIME.
SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE PROACTIVE.
THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN A PRETTY, UH, ROBUST APPEAL PROCESS FOR ANYONE IN ANY OF CH A'S PROGRAMS. UM, IF THEY QUERY DOES COME UP.
UM, AND THIS MAKES IT JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, AGAIN, PROACTIVE.
UM, AND SO THE HOUSING NAVIGATOR CAN WORK TO MITIGATE THE SITUATION, COUNCILLOR ZUBIE.
AND ARE WE SIMILARLY TO THAT KIND OF LINE OF REASONING? ARE WE CONSIDERING EASING DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS FOR WHAT IS REQUIRED DURING THE SECTION EIGHT PROCESS? UM, I THINK WE'VE, UH, I THINK IT'S A LITTLE LESS COMPLICATED THAN THE SECTION EIGHT PROCESS.
I THINK WE'VE REALLY LOOKED AT WHAT'S NEEDED TO GET PEOPLE THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
AND SO SOME OF THE DOCUMENTS THAT YOU'D SEE IN A SECTION EIGHT PROCESS ARE, UH, MORE COMPLICATED THAN THE ONE WE ARE IN NOW.
YEAH, I, I APPRECIATE SOME OF THIS INFORMATION.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THESE THINGS CAN BE SIGNIFICANT BARRIERS FOR THE EXACT KIND OF PEOPLE THAT WE ARE, WE ARE TRYING TO, TO SERVE THROUGH THESE KIND OF PROGRAM PROGRAMS AND, UH, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH LONGER HISTORIES OF, OF THINGS LIKE HOMELESSNESS IN OUR, IN OUR CITY.
AYE, THERE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ITEM? YES, COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR WORKING THROUGH YOU, MADAM MAYOR.
I NOTED IN, UH, THE WELL-WRITTEN, UH, SUMMARY THAT THERE WAS A, UM, UM, A, UH, GEOGRAPHIC, UM, UM, I GUESS IDENTIFICATION OF WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE UNITS AVAILABLE IN CAMBRIDGE, BUT THEN THAT THE, UM, THE VULTURES COULD BE USED IN THE CONTIGUOUS COMMUNITIES OF ARLINGTON, BELMONT, BOSTON, SOME OR WATER, A COMMUNITY NETWORK, OR SOME SORT OF A GROUP THAT ASSIST IN IDENTIFYING, UH, UNITS AVAILABLE FOR SECTION EIGHT, UH, VOUCHERS AND HOUSING.
THROUGH YOU MADAM SIDIKI, UM, THE NAVIGATORS.
SO EACH PERSON THAT RECEIVES A VOUCHER IS, UM, TEAM TEAMED UP WITH ONE-ON-ONE HOUSING NAVIGATOR AND A LOT, THEY HAVE A LOT OF CONTACTS MM-HMM
UM, YOU KNOW, EXPERTISE IN FINDING HOUSING FOR FOLKS.
AND WE REALLY WANT FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN THE CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY BECAUSE IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE A LOT OF THEIR, THEIR RESOURCES HERE AND THEIR SUPPORT HERE.
UM, THE REASON WHY THAT IT IS RESTRICTED, UM, TO THOSE FIVE CONTIGUOUS COMMUNITIES IS, YOU KNOW, A TYPICAL CHA VOUCHER, A FEDERAL VOUCHER YOU CAN USE ANYWHERE.
UM, AND SO WE CAN'T BE, YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING FOLKS IF THEY MOVE TO CALIFORNIA.
UM, AND ALSO HOW DO WE KIND OF, UM, JUSTIFY THAT WE ARE PAYING FOR SOMEONE, UH, TO MOVE OUTTA STATE.
SO THAT'S WHY WE RESTRICTED IT TO THOSE COMMUNITIES.
UM, SO THE NAVIGATOR WOULD FOLLOW FOLKS IF THEY, YOU KNOW, PREFER TO LIVE IN ONE OF THOSE COMMUNITIES, UM, OR THEY REALLY CAN'T FIND SOMETHING IN CAMBRIDGE, THEY WOULD DO THE SAME THING THAT THEY'RE DOING HERE.
AND WE DO HAVE COUNTERPARTS IN OTHER COMMUNITIES WHERE WE CAN CONNECT TO.
WELL, THANK, I DO NOT SEE ANY OTHER, UH, CITY COUNCILORS WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS.
SO WE CAN GO AHEAD, UH, AND ON A MOTION BY COUNSELOR FLAHERTY TO PLACE CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT ON FILE.
THOSE AGAIN, SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT.
CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS PLACED ON FILE.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO CITY MANAGER.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE, TRANSMITTING A COMMUNICATION FROM CITY SOLICITOR MEGAN BEARER REGARDING AMENDMENTS TO THE TRANSFER FEE HOME RULE PETITION.
COUNCILLOR EY, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR, AND THEN I'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER.
UM, I, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE A QUESTION THAT I'D HAD THAT I ACTUALLY SHARED WITH, UM, COUNCILOR FLAHERTY EAR EARLIER THAN I'M HOPING HE'LL RESPOND TO.
MY IMMEDIATE RESPONSE WAS, YOU KNOW, SO ORIGINALLY THIS HOME RULE PETITION WAS WRITTEN SO THAT THE SELLER WOULD PAY THE TRANSFER FEE, WHICH MADE SOME SENSE TO ME BECAUSE I FIGURED IT WAS THE SELLER THAT ACTUALLY WAS MAKING A PROFIT FROM THE REAL
[01:20:01]
ESTATE VALUES THAT HAVE INCREASED DRAMATICALLY.UM, AND, AND I, I WORRIED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, THE, THE PURCHASER, THE, THE TRANSFER FEE BEING PAID BY THE PURCHASER.
'CAUSE I QUESTIONED WHETHER IT WOULD ADD TO THE CITY'S UNAFFORDABILITY.
UM, ANYWAY, BUT THEN I TALKED TO COUNSELOR FLAHERTY, WHO I HOPE WILL, UH, PROVIDE HIS ARGUMENT FOR WHAT, WHY THIS MAKES SENSE.
SO I I JUST WANTED TO INTRODUCE THAT LINE OF THINKING BECAUSE I THINK WE ALL HAVE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL HAVE CLARITY ABOUT IT.
I YIELD COUNCILOR FLAHERTY THANK YOU THROUGH YOU, UM, MY POSITION ON THIS, AND I WOULD MOVE THAT WE AMEND THE PROPOSED HOME RULE PETITION, WHICH, UH, PUTS THE LIABILITY, UH, FOR THE TRANSFER FEE ON THE BUYER, UH, FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
UM, ONE, UH, WE'RE ALREADY AN UNAFFORDABLE CITY.
AND, UH, IF THIS, UH, CREATES ANY SORT OF AN OBSTACLE TO, UH, FURTHER REDUCTION OF OUR HOUSING STOCK, WHICH WOULD RESULT IN MY VIEW OF TWO FAMILY AND THREE FAMILY, AND EVEN SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, UH, BEING SOLD TO DEVELOPERS, THAT WOULD THEN UNDER THE, UH, RECENTLY ENLA ENACTED MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING ZONING ORDINANCE, UH, BE INCENTIVIZED TO DEMOLISH THOSE HOMES, UH, MAKE FOR THE, FOR THE SAKE OF CONSTRUCTING FOUR STORY APARTMENT BUILDINGS WITH ZERO AFFORDABILITY, UH, CREATING, UH, CONDOS, UH, WHICH ARE FAR BEYOND WHAT IS NOW, UH, OVERLY, UH, EXCESSIVE AND UNAFFORDABLE, UH, LUXURY UNITS, UH, MAKING THEM EVEN MORE EXPENSIVE.
I THINK THAT THIS MAY IN SOME VERY SMALL WAY OPERATE AS A, UH, AS A BAR.
UH, AND IF IT SERVES AS A BAR TO, UH, DEVELOPERS BUYING HOMES, AND, UH, FOR THE PURPOSE OF DEMOLISHING THEM AND CONSTRUCTING APARTMENT BUILDINGS WITH ZERO AFFORDABILITY REQUIREMENTS, UH, THEN I'M IN FAVOR OF IT.
UM, BUT MOREOVER, UM, IF, IF A, UH, A DEVELOPER DOES CHOOSE TO DO THAT, THEN THE SELLER SHOULDN'T BEAR THE BURDEN OF THE, UH, LIABILITY OF THE TRANSFER FEE.
AND THAT CAN BE NEGOTIATED BETWEEN THE PARTIES, BUT IT SHOULD, IT SHOULD REST ON THE FIRST INSTANCE WITH THE BUYER, NOT THE SELLER.
I YIELD DEPUTY CITY'S SOLICITOR.
I THINK IT WOULD JUST BE HELPFUL BECAUSE, UH, IT'S IN OUR PACKET AND YOU'VE PROVIDED THE COMMUNICATION TO QUICKLY JUST WALK OVER, UM, TALK OVER THE AMENDMENTS, AND THEN I'LL GO TO THE REST OF THE COUNCIL.
UM, SO THE, UH, FIRST AMENDMENT THAT, UH, WAS CHANGED WAS FROM, UH, THE FIRST SECTION OF SECTION ONE.
SO THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS CHANGED WAS, UH, THE ORIGINAL LANGUAGE WAS THERE IS HEREBY IMPOSED A REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE EQUAL TO 2% OF THE PORTION OF THE PURCHASE PRICE, EXCEEDING A MILLION.
THAT LANGUAGE HAS BEEN AMENDED TO, THERE IS HEREBY IMPOSED A REAL ESTATE TRANSFER FEE UP TO 2% OF THE PORTION OF THE PURCHASE PRICE EXCEEDING A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THAT AMENDMENT WAS DONE TO ALLOW FLEXIBILITY RELATIVE TO, UH, WHAT THE TRANSFER FEE COULD BE IMPOSED FROM, AGAIN, UH, IN THE PRIOR LANGUAGE TO A, UH, A HARD REQUIREMENT OF EQUAL TO 2% TO, UH, A UP TO 2% IN THE AMENDMENT TO AGAIN, ALLOW FOR GREATER FLEXIBILITY AS TO WHAT THAT FEE COULD BE DEPENDING ON THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION AND, AND OTHER FACTORS.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, IN THE PACKET WE PROVIDED A RED LINE AND, UH, PER, UH, THE PROPOSED, UH, UH, SUGGESTED AMENDMENT FROM COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY, ALL REFERENCES IN THE PROPOSED, UH, UH, HOME RULE PETITION THAT REFERENCE, UH, THE SELLER HAS BEEN, UH, AMENDED IN THE RED LINE TO NOW REFLECT THE PURCHASER.
UH, AND, UH, YOU CAN SEE THROUGH THE RED LINE THAT IS INCLUDED WITH THE PACKET, UH, WHERE THE REFERENCE TO SELLER HAS BEEN CROSSED OUT AND PURCHASER HAS BEEN, UH, PUT IN PLACE.
SO THOSE ARE THE AMENDMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN INCLUDED, UH, IN THE PACKET.
I THINK NOW WHAT WE'LL DO IS, UH, I'LL, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES, UH, TO BRING FORWARD THE CALENDAR ITEM, AND THEN IF IT'S THE WILL OF THE BODY, UM, TO TAKE A VOTE ON TAKING THE TABLED MATTER OFF THE TABLE SO THAT WE CAN, UM, PROCEED AND DISPOSE OF, UH, THE AMENDMENTS.
[01:25:01]
UH, VOTE TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.SO ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER TO SUSPEND THE RULES TO BRING OVER THE CALENDAR TO ITEM NUMBER THREE.
WE HAVEN'T DONE VOICE, VOICE IN A WHILE, SO I'M GETTING THE HANG OF IT.
SO WE ARE IN SUSPENSION, AND SO RIGHT NOW, IS THERE A MOTION TO TAKE THE TABLED ITEM OFF THE TABLE? SO, ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR NOLAN TO TAKE THE ITEM OFF THE TABLE, WE'LL JUST DO A ROLL CALL SO THAT I, WE KNOW FOR SURE.
AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MINUTES RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, AND ONE RECORDED IS ABSENT.
SO NOW WE HAVE EVERYTHING BEFORE US.
WE HAVE THE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE WORKED ON, UM, AND COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY SPOKE TO, AND DEPUTY CITY SOLICITOR REVIEWED WITH US.
SO WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL COUNCILOR SERENA WHEELER.
UH, I MAKE A MO MOTION TO ORDAIN, UH, ORDAIN OR THE HOME RULE PETITION.
UM, BUT I'D ALSO LIKE TO SPEAK TO IT BRIEFLY, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
THIS IS SOMETHING I CARE A LOT ABOUT.
AS A RENTER, AN ADVOCATE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AND ALSO SOMEONE WHO WORKED AT A LAND POLICY NONPROFIT IN CAMBRIDGE, UH, A TRANSFER FEE IS ONE OF THE BEST LAND POLICY MEASURES WE HAVE AROUND VALUE RETURN, WHICH IS THE IDEA THAT RETURNING A COST, UH, PART OF THE COST OF INCREASED PROPERTY VALUES TO EVERYONE WHO, UH, PARTICIPATED IN THEIR INCREASE, NOT JUST THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS.
YOU KNOW, PROPERTY VALUES IN CAMBRIDGE HAVE INCREASED DRAMATICALLY OVER THE PAST 20, 30, 40 YEARS.
I HAVE TALKED TO SO MANY FOLKS WHEN I'VE, YOU KNOW, KNOCKED DOORS WHO BOUGHT THEIR HOUSE FOR SOMETHING LIKE $40,000, $50,000 IN 1970, IT IS NOW WORTH WELL OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND THAT INCREASE IS NOT BECAUSE THEY ADDED A BACK DECK OR, YOU KNOW, REPAINTED THE HOUSE.
IT IS BECAUSE CAMBRIDGE AS A WHOLE HAS BECOME SUCH A MORE DESIRABLE PLACE TO LIVE.
AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF ALL OF OUR COFFEE SHOPS AND OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR, UH, YOU KNOW, STREETS AND OUR, OUR GOOD GOVERNMENT THINGS THAT WE ALL CREATE.
AND SO IT JUST MAKES SENSE TO, UH, RETURN A VERY SMALL PORTION OF THAT, UH, PROPERTY INCREASE IN VALUE TO ALL OF US.
AND IT IS A, A VERY SMALL PORTION.
UM, IT IS JUST 2%, 2 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR ONLY APPLIES TO A PORTION OF THE PROPERTY ABOVE A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO THIS WOULD NOT APPLY TO ANY PROPERTIES BELOW A MILLION DOLLARS.
AND EVEN FOR A PROPERTY THAT IS $1,000,001, YOU WOULD JUST PAY 2 CENTS ON THAT, UH, 2 CENTS ON $1,000,001.
BUT ALTOGETHER, THIS WOULD RAISE MILLIONS MORE DOLLARS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN CAMBRIDGE.
THIS HOME RULE PETITION IS IMPORTANT.
UM, AND JUST NOTE FOR, FOR ANY COUNSELORS, INCLUDING, YOU KNOW, SORT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE DETAILS, I'M HAPPY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS VERSION.
BUT THE WAY THIS ULTIMATELY PASSES, I THINK, IS NOT OUR HOME RULE PETITION GETTING PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
UH, IT'S BY ENABLING LEGISLATION GETTING PASSED.
THIS HOME RULE PETITION IS A WAY TO PUT SOME MORE PRESSURE ON THE LEGISLATURE.
WE'VE DONE THAT WITH A BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS, BUT THE LANGUAGE, UH, OF THE, THE HOME RULE PETITION, UH, IS, IS A LITTLE LESS IMPORTANT HERE.
UM, SO WITH THAT, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO, TO MAKE A MOTION TO ORDAIN AND JUST A QUESTION TO THE CLERK.
UM, DO WE ALSO NEED TO PLACE CALENDAR THREE ON FILE? SO WHAT WE ACTUALLY, FOR THAT, YEAH, SO THERE ARE, WE NEED TO, THERE'S A QUESTION OF THE AMENDMENTS THAT COUNCILOR FLAHERTY HAS ON THE TABLE.
SO I THINK HE HAD ORIGINALLY SAID HE HAD WANTED TO MOVE THESE AMENDMENTS, SO WE HAVE TO DECIDE ON HIS AMENDMENTS FIRST AND VOTE THAT UP OR DOWN, AND THEN GO AHEAD TO THE MOTION TO ORDAIN.
SO DOES THAT MAKE SENSE TO FOLKS? DO FOLKS HA WANT TO SPEAK TO THE AMENDMENTS THEMSELVES? COUNCILLOR SERINA WHEELER, YOU SAID THE LANGUAGE DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.
CAN YOU, IS THAT ALL YOU'D LIKE TO SAY? THAT'S FINE.
I'M HAPPY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE, UH, AMENDMENTS IF IT ALLOWS A, A MORE UNANIMOUS VOTE ON THE, THE UNDERLYING HOME RULE.
I HAVE COUNCILOR ZUBIE AND THEN COUNCILOR NOLAN.
UH, I, I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH CHANGING THE LANGUAGE SO THAT IT'S ON THE BUYER COMPLETELY.
AND I BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE THE SELLER SHOULD HOLD THIS COST BECAUSE OFTENTIMES THEY'RE THE ONES WHO WILL BE GAINING THE PROFIT.
UH, I THINK IF THE BUYER PIECE STAYS, WE WOULD SERIOUSLY NEED TO CONSIDER FIRST TIME HOME HOMEOWNERS AS, UH, AN EXEMPTION.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SOMERVILLE OPTED TO DO 1% FOR THE BUYER AND 1% ON THE SELLER, AND WE COULD EXPLORE THAT.
AS OF RIGHT NOW, THOUGH, UM, I'LL BE VOTING NO ON THE AMENDMENTS BECAUSE I CAN'T SUPPORT THE UP TO 2% LANGUAGE CHANGE AND WOULD WANT TO STAY WITH THE
[01:30:01]
FULL 2% BECAUSE THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO HELP FUND MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR RESIDENTS.I'M GO TO COUNCILLOR NOLAN, AND THEN I'LL GO TO VICE RAZIN.
I'M ONLY TALKING ON THE AMENDMENT, RIGHT? OKAY.
SO I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT.
THE REALITY IS IT WILL BE FACTORED INTO THE PURCHASE PRICE.
SO BEFORE I DO THAT, I MEAN, WHEN YOU GO TO BUY IT, IF YOU'RE HAVING TO PAY THAT AS A PURCHASER OR AS A SELLER, IT'S IN ESSENTIALLY, I BELIEVE WE'LL JUST BE FACTORED IN THE PURCHASE PRICE.
BUT IF I'M MISSING SOMETHING THROUGH YOU, IF ANYONE SITTING AT THE STAFF, IF, UH, THE DEPUTY CITY SOLICITOR, CITY MANAGER, OR DIRECTOR KOTTER HAVE ANY REASON TO SUGGEST THAT WE SHOULD NOT MAKE THIS CHANGE.
I MEAN, I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT.
'CAUSE I DO THINK IT'LL JUST END UP BEING REFLECTED IN THE PRICE.
BUT IF, BUT IF I'M NOT THINKING OF ANYTHING, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE'S A COUNTER ARGUMENT DIRECTOR KOTTER, UH, THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI.
I I THINK IT WOULD GET WORKED OUT BETWEEN THE BUYER AND THE SELLER AS, AS PART OF THE TRANSACTION.
I THINK THE ONE THING THAT MIGHT, UM, BE A FACTOR FOR PURCHASERS IN THIS IS HOW THEY'RE FUNDING THE CLOSING.
IF THEY HAVE TO FINANCE THAT, THAT, THAT, UH, AMOUNT IN ADDITION TO THE MORTGAGE TO PURCHASE THAT IN DOWN PAYMENT.
SO IT MAY HAVE AN IMPACT FROM THAT STANDPOINT, UM, YOU KNOW, FROM THE PURCHASER STANDPOINT, THAT DIFFERENT FROM THE SELLER.
WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT COUNCILOR FLAHERTY'S MOTION BECAUSE I, I, I THINK WE NEED TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
AND THEN AFTER THAT I'LL HAVE JUST ONE QUICK COMMENT ON THE UNDERLYING PETITION.
UM, I THINK COUNCILOR NOLAN STOLE ALL MY COMMENTS, SO I'LL YIELD THANK YOU.
OTHER COMMENTS? DI DIRECTOR COTTER, IS THERE ANY, UM, OPINION YOU HAVE ON COUNCILOR ZUBE POINT OR ON THE UP TWO AND THE EQUAL TWO? NO, I, I THINK I THROUGH YOU MADAM.
UH, MAYOR, I THINK I'D SAY THAT THAT'S A POLICY CHOICE OF THE COUNCIL COUNCIL EITHER WAY.
UM, IT BE, IT WOULD BE AN IMPACT AND IT WOULD CREATE REVENUE FOR THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TRUST.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE, THE QUESTION.
OTHER QUESTIONS ON THIS? I THINK I HEAR COUNCILLOR NOLAN IN THAT ULTIMATELY THE LEGISLATURE WILL DECIDE WHAT TO DO.
BUT I DO THINK, TO ME, I AGREE WITH COUNCILOR ZUBIE IN THAT IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO DO THE EQUAL TO, UM, VERSUS THE UP TO, BECAUSE THAT IS, IT IS A DI A DIFFERENCE.
UM, ULTIMATELY THE LEGISLATURE DECIDES, BUT I THINK IN ALL THE CONVERSATIONS THAT HAVE COME UP IN THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE ON THE TRANSFER FEE, UM, IT'S I THINK BEEN, IT'S BEEN THAT 2%.
SO I'M GONNA, I THINK YES, GO AHEAD.
SO, UM, MAYBE THIS IS BACK TO COUNCILOR NOLAN, BUT WEREN'T YOU RECOMMENDING CHANGING THE LANGUAGE? 'CAUSE YOU THOUGHT IT WAS MORE LIKELY TO ACTUALLY PASS AS A HOME RULE PETITION IF WE CHANGE TO UP TWO? UM, THANK YOU COUNCILOR NOLAN.
I'M HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I THOUGHT WE HAVE A DIFFERENT AMENDMENT BEFORE US, WHICH IS ONLY ABOUT PURCHASER AND SELLER.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER AMENDMENT BEFORE US.
WE ALREADY PASSED THE OTHER AMENDMENT AT THE LAST MEETING.
NO, WE, WE PASSED AT THE LAST MEETING, WHICH IS, LET ME, UH, JUST GIMME A MOMENT.
SO I WAS, I THINK I HAD, I WAS READING THIS, UM, INCORRECTLY.
SO THE ONLY AMENDMENTS THAT WE'RE VOTING ON TODAY FROM COUNCILOR FLAHERTY ARE THE ONES IN THE PACKET AROUND CHANGING, UM, FROM SELLER TO PURCHASER.
SO I THINK I'VE HEARD EVERYONE ONCE ON THESE, AT LEAST WHOEVER WANTED TO SPEAK.
SO WITH THAT, I WOULD DO A ROLL CALL ON THE AMENDMENTS BEFORE US.
AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, AND ONE RECORDED IS PRESENT.
SO WE HAVE AN AMENDED, UM, WE HAVE AN AMENDED ORDINANCE BEFORE US, UH, HOME RULE PETITION.
[01:35:01]
PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.COUNCIL NOLAN, I JUST, UM, I THINK I'VE MADE COMMENTS BEFORE.
AND TO REMIND US ALL THIS IS TO GENERATE INCOME.
AND ALSO THE OVERWHELMING BULK WHEN WE DID ANALYSES IN THE PAST OF THIS WILL COME FROM COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TRANSFER, WHICH IS IN THE TENS AND 50 MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S FOR US ALL TO REMEMBER THAT THE SOONER WE GET THIS.
NOW, WE ALSO KNOW IT MAY BE, IT MAY BE A, UM, LITTLE BIT LONGER FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO PASS IT, BUT WE REALLY SHOULD KEEP TRYING BECAUSE IT COULD SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVE OUR ABILITY.
AND PARTICULARLY AGAIN, IN THIS CITY, IT ENDS UP BEING THOSE LARGER PROPERTIES IN THE COMMERCIAL THAT WILL GENERATE THE MOST, UM, INCOME.
SO I'M HAPPY TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE OTHER, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD HAPPILY TO MOVE FORWARD.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER HANDS UP.
SO WHAT WE CAN DO IS ON COUNCILLOR NOLAN'S MOTION, UH, ACTUALLY IT WAS COUNCILOR SABINO WHEELER'S, UH, MOTION TO, UM, VOTE.
THE AMENDED, UH, HOME RULE ORDAINED, ORDAINED THE HOME RULE TRANSFER FREE HOME RULE PETITION.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
THE TRANSFER AMENDED TRANSFER FEE.
HOME RULE, UH, PETITION IS ADOPTED.
WE WILL NOW MOVE TO PLACE THIS AGENDA.
ITEM NUMBER NINE ON FILE ON COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER'S.
CITY MANAGER AGENDA ITEM NUMBER NINE IS PLACED ON FILE.
WE ARE DONE WITH THE CITY MANAGER'S AGENDA.
[POLICY ORDERS]
NOW MOVE ON TO POLICY ORDERS.PLEASURE, PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCILOR.
COUNSELOR SIMMONS, I'D LIKE TO PULL POLICY ORDER NUMBER ONE AND TWO PO COUNSELOR SIMMONS POLLS POLICY NUMBER ONE AND TWO, PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
LET'S SEE, UH, NUMBER THREE AND NUMBER 13.
WE HAVE POLL COUNCILOR NOLAN POLLS NUMBER THREE AND NUMBER 13, MADAM MAYOR, COUNCILOR SERENA WHEELER.
NUMBER FOUR, COUNCILLOR SERENA WHEELER POLLS.
NUMBER FOUR, PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL.
UH, POLICY ORDER NUMBER FIVE, COUNCILOR ZUBE PULLS POLICY ORDER NUMBER FIVE.
AND COUNCILOR ZUZI POLLS NUMBER 11.
I WAS GONNA PULL NUMBER 12, BUT I DON'T WANNA BELABOR.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO PULL IT? GO AHEAD.
SO WE'VE PULLED NUMBER 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, AND 13.
AND SO WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL ON THE BALANCE OF SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, AND 10.
AND YOU HAVE NINE MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF POLICY ORDERS TO, TO TALK ABOUT.
IT'S SEVEN 10 RIGHT NOW, JUST AS A TIME CHECK.
NUMBER ONE, LET'S SPEAK SLOWLY AND DELIBERATELY.
THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, COUNCILLOR ZUZI, COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS.
UH, FIRST LET ME JUST ACKNOWLEDGE MY COLLEAGUES THAT CO-SPONSORED THIS POLICY ORDER.
COUNCILOR SUZI AND COUNCIL SABRINA WHEELER.
UH, THIS IS ACTUALLY A REIN REINTRODUCTION OF A POLICY ORDER THAT WAS ADOPTED TOWARD THE END OF THE LAST COUNCIL TERM, BUT FOR PROCEDURAL REASONS WAS NOT CARRIED FORWARD.
I BELIEVE THE UNDERLYING GOAL REMAINS JUST AS IMPORTANT TODAY, AS THE CITY HAS RECENTLY TRANSITIONED TO A NEW SOFTWARE PLATFORM FROM MANAGING AGENDAS AND REMOTE MEETING ACCESS.
THIS FEELS LIKE AN ESPECIALLY APPROPRIATE MOMENT TO REVISIT THIS EFFORT.
THE INTENT IS SIMPLE TO IMPROVE CONSISTENCY, TRANSPARENCY, AND EASE OF ACCESS SO THAT
[01:40:01]
RESIDENTS CAN MORE FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IS COMING BEFORE US AND MEANINGFULLY PARTICIPATE IN THE DECISIONS WE MAKE.THIS IS NOT ABOUT CRITICISM, IT'S ABOUT CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT.
MANY DEPARTMENTS ALREADY DO THIS WELL, AND THIS ORDER ASKS THAT WE BUILD ON THOSE STRENGTHS AND CREATE CLEARER MORE STANDARDIZED PRACTICES ACROSS THE BOARD.
I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL JOIN ME IN SUPPORTING THIS EFFORT TO STRENGTHEN PUBLIC TRUST AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.
AND WITH THAT, MADAM CHAIR, I YIELD THE FLOOR.
WOULD ANY OF THE CO-SPONSORS LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? HEARING NONE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO ADOPT POLICY ORDER NUMBER ONE.
POLICY ORDER NUMBER ONE IS ADOPTED.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER TWO.
THIS IS A ORDER REGARDING CAPITAL BUDGET, LIFESTYLE LIFECYCLE RECONCILIATION PRIOR TO FY 27 APPROVAL.
THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, COUNCILLOR EY, AND COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY.
I'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A, AN AMENDMENT, UH, FOR THIS TO BE DISCUSSED.
AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND THANK MY COLLEAGUES COUNCILLOR SUSIE AND COUNCILOR FLAHERTY FOR CO-SPONSORING THIS POLICY ORDER WITH ME.
JUST VERY BRIEFLY, THIS ORDER IS REALLY ABOUT ONE SIMPLE IDEA.
BEFORE WE TAKE ON A NEW CAPITAL PROJECT, WE SHOULD HAVE A CLEAN, CONSOLIDATED PICTURE OF WHAT WE ARE REALLY COMMITTED TO.
ALREADY RIGHT NOW, LARGE PROJECTS CAN STRETCH OVER MULTIPLE YEARS, APPEAR UNDER DIFFERENT PROGRAM NAMES, AND CAN BE FUNDED IN DIFFERENT PLACES.
IT MAKES IT DIFFICULT, BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE, BUT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE, TO SEE THE FINANCIAL LIFE CYCLE OF A PROJECT IN ONE PLACE.
HOW MUCH HAVE WE APPROVED? HOW MUCH HAVE YOU BORROWED? HOW MUCH HAS BEEN SPENT? HOW MUCH IS STILL LEFT TO GO? SO AS WE ENTER THE FISCAL 25 CAPITAL BUDGET AT A TIGHTER FISCAL ENVIRONMENT, I THINK IT'S ONLY RESPONSIBLE THAT WE HAVE THE CLARITY IN FRONT OF US SO THAT EVERY LAYER WE, BEFORE WE LAYER ON ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT SLOWING PROJECTS DOWN OR SECOND GUESSING PAST DECISIONS, BUT RATHER ABOUT GOOD STEWARDSHIP.
DEPARTMENTS ARE BEING ASKED TO FIND SAVINGS AND OPERATE CAREFULLY.
THE COUNCIL SHOULD HOLD ITSELF TO THE SAME STANDARD WHEN IT COMES TO MAJOR CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.
ALL THIS ORDER ASK IS FOR THE CONSOLIDATION, CONSOLIDATED RECONCILIATION OF OUR MAJOR PROJECTS IN ONE PLACE AND IN PLAIN TERMS. AND THAT WILL HELP US MAKE FULLY INFORMED DECISIONS.
I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL SUPPORT THIS EFFORT TO STRENGTHEN TRANSPARENCY AND FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY.
AND WITH THAT MADAM CHAIR ON THE FLOOR, WE WILL GO TO COUNCILLOR ZUI.
UH, MADAM CHAIR, I JUST WANTED TO THANK COUNCILLOR SIMMONS FOR DRAFTING THIS POLICY ORDER.
AND I WANNA THANK YOUNG KIM WHO'S IN THE AUDIENCE FOR INSPIRING THIS.
UM, IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE HAVE AN OVERALL SENSE FOR HOW MUCH PROJECTS COST WITH LESS REVENUE.
THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
WE HAVE TO KNOW WHAT WE'RE GETTING INTO FINANCIALLY AND WHERE OUR RESOURCES ARE GOING SO THAT WE CAN MAKE BETTER DECISIONS.
SO, UM, THIS WILL BE A, A IT'LL BE GREAT HAVING THIS INFORMATION AS WE, UH, REVIEW AS WE LIKE, CONTINUE INTO THE BUDGET SEASON.
UM, MAYOR SIDIKI, AND THANK YOU, UH, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, SU AND FLAHERTY FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD.
UM, AS ALL OF US WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH A BUNCH OF BUDGET CYCLES, KNOW THERE'S BEEN CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT GIVEN BY, FROM THE COMMUNITY AND FROM THE COUNCIL, AND THE BUDGET.
IF YOU READ THE BUDGET FROM 10 YEARS AGO, IT WOULD, AND CERTAINLY 15 YEARS AGO, IT WOULD NOT NEARLY HAVE THE ROBUST, COMPREHENSIVE, UM, INFORMATION THAT DOES, LARGELY BECAUSE THIS COUNCIL HAS SAID WE REALLY NEED, UH, MORE TO BE DONE.
AND THERE'S BEEN IMPROVEMENT IN THE BUDGET, INCLUDING A HUGE CHANGE IN THE, UH, CAPITAL AREA OF THE BUDGET.
AND THE INTENT AND SPIRIT OF THIS POLICY ORDER SPEAKS TO WHAT, UH, TO MUCH OF WHAT I AND MANY OTHERS HAVE ADVOCATED OVER THE YEARS.
UM, WE WANT A FULL, CLEAR COMPREHENSIVE ACCOUNTING FOR THE LARGE PROJECTS TOTALS AS WELL AS YEAR TO YEAR ALLOCATIONS, APPROPRIATIONS, AND CHANGES.
UM, THE BUDGET BOOK, IT DOES HAVE A CAPITAL SECTION, WHICH HAS A LOT OF INFORMATION.
THERE'S ABOUT 40 PAGES IN THE BACK OF THE BUDGET BOOK THAT LAYS OUT, UM, A RANGE OF CAPITAL PROJECTS.
AND YET IT IS TRUE, THERE'S NOT ALWAYS A CLEAR ACCOUNTING THAT ONE CAN POINT TO.
SO WHEN YOU GO TO LOOK UP A, A PROJECTS LIKE, WHAT DID IT COST? AND IT'S A LITTLE HARD TO DISCERN SOMETIMES FROM REVIEWING THE BUDGET BOOK.
UM, HOWEVER, UM, THERE ARE SOME AMENDMENTS THAT I PROPOSE WE MAKE TO CLARIFY INTENT, PROVIDE SOME TIME, TIME BOUNDARIES, AND ALSO GIVE STAFF THE ABILITY TO RESPOND WITH INFORMATION THEY VIEW AS RESPONSIVE TO THE REQUEST WITHOUT BEING OVERLY STRICT AND RESTRICTIVE.
I DID HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH A CFO SPINNER THIS AFTERNOON WHO VERY MUCH HOPES THAT THE COUNCIL CONSIDERS THESE AMENDMENTS SINCE I THOUGHT IT MIGHT MAKE IT STRONGER AND, UH, ALSO BE ABLE TO GET US IN A TIMELY MANNER THE INFORMATION WE SEEK.
SO THE AMENDMENTS, SHOULD I GO THROUGH THEM? MAYOR SIDIKI? YES, PLEASE GO AHEAD.
[01:45:01]
IT, IT, INSTEAD OF REPLACING A VERY SPECIFIC CONSOLIDATED CAPITAL LIFECYCLE RECONCILIATION, SINCE THAT'S NOT EVEN DEFINED, SO IT'S NOT CLEAR WHAT THAT WOULD INVOLVE, THE IDEA IS TO HAVE A REPORT FOR ALL MAJOR CAPITAL.SO JUST REPLACE THE, THE, THAT SPECIFIC TITLE WITH A REPORT ON ALL MAJOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AT OR ABOVE 15 MILLION.
SO IT KEEPS ALL THAT IN PLACE.
IT PRESENTS THE, THE, UM, DIFFERENT, UH, OUTLINES WHAT IT IS THAT WOULD BE EXPECTED.
IT IS IMPORTANT, I THINK, TO PUT A TIMELINE IN HERE BECAUSE IT'S NOT CLEAR IF THIS WAS FOR THE LAST 2030 OR TIME IMMEMORIAL, YOU KNOW, FROM 1900.
SO THE IDEA WAS, WELL, LET'S GO BACK FIVE YEARS SINCE THAT WOULD REALLY COVER, UH, PRETTY MUCH WHAT, WHAT IT IS THAT I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT AND WHAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO DO.
AND THEN, SO THAT'S WHY IT SAYS FOR THE PERIOD OF FY 21 TO FY 26, AND THEN THE ORDERED ALSO INSTEAD OF SAID, RECONCILIATION REPLACES THAT WITH REPORT.
AND THE REASON, UM, I ALSO AM PROPOSING TO TAKE OUT AND PRIOR TO ANY VOTE ON ADDITIONAL CAPITAL APPROPRIATIONS IS THAT THE CHARTER ACTUALLY REQUIRES THAT THE CITY PRESENT A CAPITAL BUDGET TO THE COUNCIL AS PART OF BUDGET DELIBERATIONS.
SO THAT NEEDS TO BE PRESENTED BY CHARTER REQUIREMENT THAT WE ALL PASSED, UH, AND THEN WAS VOTED ON THE, BY THE CITY AND, AND IS NOW IN PLACE.
AND A VOTE WILL HAVE TO TAKE PLACE DURING THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
SO IF THIS IS SAYING WE CAN'T EVEN HAVE A VOTE WITHOUT THAT, I THINK IT WOULD, UM, RUN THE DANGER OF CONTRAVENING THE CHARTER.
AND OF COURSE, IF IT, IF THE INFORMATION IS NOT ADEQUATE OR ANYONE ON THIS COUNCIL FEELS LIKE THEY CANNOT SUPPORT THAT BUDGET, THERE WOULD, THAT THE VOTE WILL BE HERE AND IT COULD BE VOTED DOWN, OR IT COULD BE VOTED WITH AN UNFAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION.
BUT I THINK THESE ARE, UM, HOPEFULLY MY COLLEAGUES WILL SEE THAT THESE ARE APPROPRIATE CHANGES THAT CONTINUE THE INTENT AND SPIRIT OF THIS POLICY ORDER, AND YET I THINK CAN MOVE US FORWARD IN A WAY THAT THE CITY STAFF WILL BE ABLE TO BE, UM, RESPOND TO US WITH THE INFORMATION HOPEFULLY THAT WE SEEK COUNCILOR NOLAN YIELDS, UH, THE AMEN.
THESE AME THESE, UH, AMENDMENTS ARE BEFORE US DISCUSSION.
I THINK, UM, IT'S A GREAT POLICY ORDER.
UM, I DON'T THINK ANYONE ELSE HAS ANYTHING THEY'D LIKE TO ADD.
SO I WOULD SAY WE CAN GO AHEAD, UM, ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR NOLAN TO APPROVE THE, UH, AMENDMENTS.
WE HAVE AN AMENDED POLICY ORDER BEFORE US ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO ADOPT THE AMENDED POLICY ORDER.
THOSE AGAINST, SAY THOSE AGAINST IT.
THE POLICY ORDER, THE AMENDED POLICY ORDER IS ADOPTED.
WE NOW MOVE ON TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER THREE THAT THE CITY MANAGER BE IN, HEREBY IS REQUESTED TO INSTRUCT ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS, AND OFFICES TO DISCONTINUE ALL OFFICIAL POSTING AND ENGAGEMENT ON X WITHIN 60 DAYS.
AND TO INCLUDE AN EXPLANATION OF WHY THE CITY WILL NO LONGER USE X.
THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCIL ZUBE AND COUNCILOR NOLAN.
I'LL GO TO COUNCIL ZUBE AND THEN COUNCILOR NOLAN.
UM, I, I AM SUPPORT SUPPORTIVE OF THIS SPECIFIC POLICY ORDER, AND EXCITED TO CO-SPONSOR WITH COUNCILOR NOLAN.
AND JUST WANT TO JUST WANNA INFORM THAT THIS CAME DIRECTLY FROM OUR CONSTITUENTS OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS.
UH, WE'VE BEEN IN ACTIVE CONVERSATION WITH RESIDENTS ABOUT WHETHER THE CITY SHOULD TAKE THIS STEP.
AND THE RESPONSE HAS BEEN THAT PEOPLE WANT THEIR CITY OFF THIS PLATFORM.
AND OUR CITY HAS HAD A HISTORY OF MAKING PRINCIPLED DECISIONS ABOUT WHO WE DO AND DON'T DO BUSINESS WITH BASED ON OUR VALUES.
X UNDER ITS CURRENT OWNERSHIP RIGHT NOW HAS BECOME A PLATFORM THAT ACTIVELY ENDANGERS THE PEOPLE WE SERVE FROM IMMIGRANTS, PEOPLE OF COLOR, PEOPLE OF FAITH, AND QUEER RESIDENTS TO NAME A FEW COMMUNITIES.
IT'S OWNER HAS USED IT TO SPREAD DISINFORMATION, ATTACK THE PROGRAMS, WORKING FAMILIES, DEPEND ON AND AMPLIFY THE VOICES THAT WE WANT AND AMPLIFY VOICES THAT WANT TO SEE OUR MOST VULNERABLE NEIGHBORS HARMED.
SO I'M, I'M EXCITED TO CO-SPONSOR THIS WITH COUNCILLOR NOLAN AND HAPPY TO RESPOND TO VIN'S AMENDMENTS AS WELL.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR NOLAN, AND THEN COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER WHO HAS AMENDMENTS.
AND THANK YOU COUNCILOR ZUBE FOR PUTTING THIS FORWARD.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS ALWAYS TRICKY.
AND BEFORE, UM, WE FINALIZE THIS LANGUAGE, I KNOW THAT COUNCILLOR ZUBY REACHED OUT TO CITY STAFF.
'CAUSE WHAT WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE IS THAT THIS IS, WE'RE NOT TAKING AWAY A COMMUNICATION MEANS THAT A LOT OF, UH, FOLKS USE.
THE WHOLE IDEA IS NOT TO RESTRICT THAT COMMUNICATION, BUT TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S THAT WITH THE OTHER RANGE OF COMMUNICATION WE HAVE AT OUR DISPOSAL, WHETHER IT'S EMAILS OR OTHER FORMS OF SOCIAL MEDIA, THAT OUR RESIDENTS CAN CONTINUE TO BE INFORMED.
THAT WAS IMPORTANT FOR ME, UM, TO SUPPORT THIS.
AND I DO THINK AT SOME POINT WE SHOULD BE ESTABLISHING
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A POLICY AS COUNCILLOR SABRINA WHEELER'S, UM, AMENDMENT SUGGESTS TO NOT SUPPORT A PLATFORM AS COUNCILOR ZUBIE SAID, THAT'S BEEN ENGAGED IN NOT ONLY ALLOWING HATE SPEECH AND CONTENT WITH NO GUARDRAILS, BUT RAMPANT AI MANIPULATION THAT HAS NEVER, EVER BEEN, UM, BEEN CHALLENGED OR MONITORED.I WILL SAY, HAVING SPENT AN EVENING AT CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER AT THE AMAZING CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER, THE PLAY WAS THE MODERATE.
AND IT WAS ABOUT SOCIAL CONTENT, CONTENT MODERATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. AND IT WAS SO THOUGHT PROVOKING AND SO ASTONISHING TO REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS GIVEN THAT PLAY AND WHAT IT RAISED IN TERMS OF THE NEED FOR CONTENT MODERATION AND THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO CONTENT MODERATION RIGHT NOW ON TWITTER AND THE, THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT, NOT JUST ON THE USERS, BUT ON THOSE CONTENT MODERATION.
IT WAS PRETTY ASTONISHING AND IT DEFINITELY REAFFIRMED FOR ME THAT WE SHOULD BE TAKING THIS STEP AND MOVING FORWARD.
AND I ALSO APPRECIATE, UH, COUNCILOR ZUBIE AND COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER FOR WORKING TOGETHER AND I, UH, SUPPORT THOSE AMENDMENTS.
THANKS MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU.
UM, I HAVE A SMALL AMENDMENT THAT I HOPE IS UNDERSTOOD TO BE FRIENDLY, AND THEN I'M HAPPY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE POLICY ORDER.
UH, AS THE PO NOTES, ELON MUSK HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR SOME TRULY TERRIBLE THINGS, INCLUDING HIS DISMANTLING OF FEDERAL AGENCIES LIKE U-S-A-I-D WALLET, DOGE AND WELCOMING EXTREMISTS ON HIS PLATFORM.
I AM MORE THAN READY FOR THE CITY TO STOP USING X AND FRANKLY, ANY OTHER PRODUCT, UH, OWNED BY ELON MUSK.
UM, SO I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE POLICY ORDER AND, AND COME AT IT FROM A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ANGLE AND WANT TO THANK, UH, CO-SPONSORS, UM, COUNCILLOR ZUBIE AND COUNCILLOR NOLAN FOR TALKING WITH ME ABOUT IT.
'CAUSE I HELPED CLARIFY MY, MY THINKING AROUND IT.
UM, GLAD TO SUPPORT THE POLICY ORDER AND THE SMALL AMENDMENT I'M INTRODUCING IS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THE CITY'S SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES INCLUDE CLEAR CRITERIA AND METRICS FOR WHICH PLATFORMS WE CHOOSE TO ENGAGE ON.
UM, BESIDES X, THERE MAY BE OTHER PLATFORMS WE SHOULD STOP USING.
UH, JUST FOR ONE EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, PERSONALLY I FIND FACEBOOK HAS BECOME PRETTY MUCH UNUSABLE AND FULL OF A LOT OF REALLY RACIST THAT ALPHA CONTENT, BUT I'M NOT REALLY THE TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC FOR FACEBOOK.
THERE MAY BE FOLKS WHO FIND IT A REALLY USEFUL WAY FOR ENGAGING WITH THE CITY.
IT'S NOT CALLING FOR IT RIGHT NOW, BUT THAT IS SOMETHING WE SHOULD REVIEW ALL OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. UM, AND THEN ON THE FLIP SIDE, THE METRICS ON OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS MIGHT INDICATE WE SHOULD HAVE ACCOUNTS ON, ON THOSE PLATFORMS WHERE WE CURRENTLY DO NOT.
UM, YOU KNOW, DOES THE CITY HAVE AN OFFICIAL MASTODON ACCOUNT OR A REDDIT ACCOUNT? MAYBE WE SHOULD.
REALLY INTERESTED TO, TO HEAR THIS REPORT BACK FROM, UM, THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT AND AS SORT OF, AS MUCH AS I WISH IT WEREN'T TRUE, UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK MOST SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ARE OWNED AND CONTROLLED BY SUPER WEALTHY PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WILLING TO OPEN THE, OPEN THEM UP FOR SOME TERRIBLE THINGS.
UM, I DON'T WANT RESIDENTS TO THINK WE'RE GIVING A STAMP OF APPROVAL TO INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK AND SNAPCHAT AND ALL THEIR OLIGARCH OWNERS.
UM, I THINK OF MARK ZUCKERBERG FOR INSTANCE, WHO AFTER TRUMP GOT ELECTED THE SECOND TIME, BASICALLY ROLLED OVER AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA STOP DOING CONTENT MODERATION.
WE'RE GONNA GO BACK TO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO POST ON FACEBOOK.
ALL THE RACISTS, ALL THE EXTREMISTS, YOU'RE WELCOME HERE.
I MEAN, I'M PARAPHRASING OBVIOUSLY, BUT THIS, THIS IS WHAT, UH, HE SAID, UH, SO JUST DON'T WANT TO, YOU KNOW, BY STAMP OF APPROVAL.
SO SORT OF SAYING BY WE'RE CONTINUING TO USE THEM.
THOSE ARE GREAT PLATFORMS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE ALSO ALSO REALLY, UH, SOME PROBLEMATIC FOLKS.
UM, BUT WE DO NEED TO REACH PEOPLE EVEN WHEN THE PLATFORMS THEY USE ARE OWNED BY PRETTY AWFUL PEOPLE.
I DON'T POST ON X UH, MOSTLY ON BLUE SKY THESE DAYS.
UH, I WAS JUST TALKING WITH SOMEONE ABOUT THIS THOUGH OVER THE, THE WEEKEND AND WE WERE BOTH SAYING, YOU KNOW, WE WERE MOSTLY POSTING ON, ON BLUE SKY, BUT THERE'S SPECIFIC THINGS IRONICALLY LIKE DSA POLITICS AND LIKE SPECIFIC LOCAL ELECTION RESULTS THAT FOR WHATEVER REASON THE TWITTER X ALGORITHM IS MUCH BETTER AT.
AND THERE, THERE MAY BE OTHER FOLKS, RIGHT, WHO DON'T LIKE FACEBOOK AND ALL THE TERRIBLE RACIST THINGS THAT'S ON A LOT OF IT, BUT FIND IT REALLY HELPFUL FOR SPECIFIC THINGS.
AND SO WE, HAVING A POLICY AROUND THIS JUST MAY BE HELPFUL.
UM, I THINK ALSO OF LIKE THE, THIS ARGUMENT THAT, THAT HAPPENED A LOT OF TIMES IN, IN BLUE AREAS, LIKE CAMBRIDGE REMINDS ME OF THE, THE TIME WHEN BERNIE SANDERS WENT ON JOE ROGAN.
AND THERE WERE A LOT OF DEMOCRATS WHO CRITICIZED HIM AS SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHY ARE YOU GIVING A PLATFORM TO THIS, THIS TERRIBLE, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, GUY, HE SAID TERRIBLE THINGS.
HE'S HAD REALLY TERRIBLE THINGS ON HIS PLATFORM.
AND, AND, UH, SENATOR SANDERS WENT ON THERE.
'CAUSE THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, A BIG AUDIENCE OF ALIENATED PEOPLE WHO WERE ANGRY ABOUT THINGS AND THE WAY THINGS WERE GOING IN THE US AND THAT WE DO NEED TO, TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO REACH PEOPLE.
UM, AND SO JUST RECOGNIZE THAT ORGANIZATIONS AND IN INDIVIDUALS THAT I RESPECT HAVE TAKEN DIFFERENT STANCES ON THIS IN PARTICULAR WHEN IT COMES TO X.
YOU KNOW, NPR AND MICHELLE WU HAVE CHOSEN TO LEAVE XDSA AND ZORAN ANI HAD CHOSEN TO KEEP USING X, YOU KNOW, RESPECT THOSE, THOSE DECISIONS.
AND, AND THERE'S SORT OF DIFFERENT REASONS THAT GO INTO IT.
I'M DOWN FOR THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE TO STOP USING X.
UM, BUT JUST TO CLARIFY THAT, I WANNA TO STOP USING IT AND ANY OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS THAT FIT OUR CRITERIA BECAUSE THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, PRETTY USELESS AND TERRIBLE PLATFORMS. AND NOT JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE OWNED BY, BY ELON MUSK, JUST TO MAKE, UH, SURE THAT WE DON'T LET THE OTHER AWFUL BILLIONAIRES OFF THE HOOK BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS ARE OWNED BY TERRIBLE BILLIONAIRES.
AND, AND JUST WANNA BE CLEAR-EYED ABOUT THAT.
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UM, AS MUCH AS I WOULD LOVE TO STOP DOING ANYTHING THAT GENERATES MONEY FOR ALL, ALL THOSE PEOPLE AS WELL, THE MARK ZUCKERBERGS OF THE WORLD, UM, I DO WANNA KEEP ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.UM, THERE'S A PHRASE THAT ANOTHER ORGANIZER SAID TO ME ONCE, THERE'S, UM, NO ETHICAL CONSUMPTION UNDER CAPITALISM.
UM, I THINK YOU COULD COULD SAY THAT ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA.
THERE'S NO ETHICAL SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES UNDER CAPITALISM.
WE CAN, WE CAN TRY TO USE THE ONES THAT ARE THE LEAST BAD AND REESE, THE MO CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS.
AND, UH, I THINK HAVING SOME POLICIES HELP FLUSH THIS OUT.
SO THANK YOU TO THE CO-SPONSORS AND, UH, HELPING MOVE IT FORWARD WITH THIS AMENDMENTS AND THE, THE UNDERLYING POLICY ORDER, A YIELD BACK DISCUSSION.
COUNCILOR SUSI, UH, I APPRECIATE THE SENTIMENT OF THIS POLICY ORDER, BUT I, UM, BUT I WONDER IF WE'VE ENGAGED LEAD GINETTI, THE HEAD OF OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM IN THE DISCUSSION OF THE POLICY ORDERS.
UM, SO, UM, MAYBE I'LL, I'LL, I'LL JUST KEEP GOING FOR A MINUTE AND THEN I'LL SEND THIS BACK TO COUNCILLOR ZUBIE.
BUT I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH HIM 'CAUSE HE'S AN EXPERT IN THIS REGARD.
UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, UH, THE CITY IS USING, UH, WHICH ONES HE THINKS WE SHOULD BE USING.
UH, 'CAUSE ULTIMATELY WE'VE GOTTA FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAYS TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO THE LARGER POPULATION.
AND I, I WAS, UH, RESEARCHING AND IT SOUNDS LIKE FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE ARE THE MOST POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. SO I, I WOULD HATE TO IN LIKE CANCELING A SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANY BECAUSE THEY'RE OWNERS ARE HORRIBLE PEOPLE.
UH, I, I WOULD HATE NOT TO BE ABLE TO BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH OUR POPULACE.
SO I I JUST THINK IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO TALK WITH HIM ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE DECIDE ON HOW TO PROCEED.
UM, SO I, I GUESS MY QUESTION BACK THROUGH YOU, UM, MAYOR SIDIKI TO COUNSELOR, I, UH, ZUBI, HAVE YOU HAD A CHANCE, DID YOU CONFER WITH LI GII, UH, ABOUT, ABOUT THIS COUNCILLOR ZUBI? YEAH.
THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR? UH, YES.
I'VE GOTTEN THE CHANCE TO COMMUNICATE WITH DIRECTOR LEE, AND HE IS OKAY WITH THE POLICY ORDER.
I DELIVERED THE POLICY ORDER DIRECTLY TO HIM TO BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW HE'S THINKING THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE CITY.
AND THEY THINK THAT THIS IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP WITH HOW WE NAVIGATE OUR COMMUNICATIONS AS A CITY.
AND ON COUNSELOR SABRINA WHEELER'S POINT, I, I WANNA BE CLEAR, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD LET OTHER BILLIONAIRES IN THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS SLIDE.
I KNOW X HAS BEEN REALLY EXPLICITLY AND AGGRESSIVELY WORKING AGAINST A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND POPULATIONS, AND ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT COUNSELOR NOLAN TALKED ABOUT, EVEN WITH GROK AND JUST THE AMOUNT OF, UH, REALLY DISTURBING CONTENT THAT IS DISTRIBUTED ON THESE PLATFORMS, THAT IT MAKES SENSE IN LINE WITH WHAT OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE SAYING, EVEN THAT WE SHOULD BE LEAVING, UH, THIS PLATFORM.
I MYSELF DON'T USE X AND, AND, AND DON'T REALLY BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BE USING IT.
AND, AND SO I HOPE THAT, UM, MY COLLEAGUES SUPPORT THIS AND I'LL BE SUPPORTING COUNCILORS, SABRINA WHEELER'S AMENDMENT AS THE ORIGINAL DECISION ON X STILL STANDS.
AND I THINK THE FRAMING AROUND FUTURE CRITERIA HELPS MAKE IT MORE DURABLE AND, AND, AND APPRECIATE THAT FRAMING OTHER FOLKS WHO HAVEN'T SPOKEN BEFORE.
I GO BACK TO COUNCILLOR EY COUNCIL, TY.
WELL, THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, I APPLAUD THE, UH, THE EFFORTS TO RESTRICT THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA.
UH, REALLY IN ALMOST EVERY CONTEXT BEING THE FATHER OF A 15-YEAR-OLD, THERE IS DAMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WHETHER IT BE X, WHETHER IT BE REDDIT, WHETHER IT BE INSTAGRAM.
UM, SO I APPLAUD THIS AND, UH, AND I THINK WE SHOULD GO FURTHER THAN THIS.
AND IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE UP IN A, UH, IN A COMMITTEE HEARING AND FULLY VET IT AND FULLY DISCUSS IT AND FULLY FLUSH IT OUT.
COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY, WE HAVE AMENDMENTS BEFORE US FROM COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER.
WE'LL HAVE TO DISPOSE OF THEM BEFORE WE VOTE ON THE POLICY ORDER.
SO ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO? YES, VICE MAYOR AZI.
UM, I'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF THE POLICY ORDER AND THE AMENDMENT.
UM, I THINK I'M OPEN TO, UM, TRYING THIS OUT AND SEEING, AND I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND HOW, UM, ACCESS HAS BECOME A WORSE PLATFORM SINCE YOU MUSK BOUGHT IT AND JUST BECOME LESS USEFUL OVERALL.
I WILL SAY IT'S ALSO JUST A HARD TIME IN THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, TIKTOK WAS RECENTLY BOUGHT BY LARRY ALLISON, AND PART OF THAT AGREEMENT WAS LIKE TRUMP POSTED.
NOW TIKTOK WILL BE A MORE CONSERVATIVE, UH, PLATFORM.
LARRY ALLISON HAD PROMISED ME, RIGHT? AND, YOU KNOW, UM, SO ON FOR FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM AND, YOU KNOW, MICROSOFT HAS MADE MORE OF A CONSERVATIVE TERM AS WELL.
AND THAT'S JUST TO SAY THAT LIKE, I'M NOT
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SURE THAT THERE'S REALLY A GREAT SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT IS LIKE, UH, LED BY SOMEONE WHO IS LEFT OF CENTER, UH, IN ANY WAY IN SHAPE AND FORM.AND I THINK THAT'S JUST THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN.
AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE HAVE TO LEAVE EVERY PLATFORM BECAUSE IT IS A BIG WAY TO ENGAGE.
I THINK ESPECIALLY THE ALERTS THAT PEOPLE POST CAN BE REALLY HELPFUL IN THAT, YOU KNOW, IF THE T ISN'T WORKING OR IF YOU KNOW THERE'S A FIRE, JUST BEING ABLE TO CHECK THAT REALLY QUICKLY IS A VERY VALUABLE SERVICE.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THAT IF WE WANT TO TRY AND SINGLE OUT X IN PARTICULAR FOR A LITTLE WHILE AND SEE HOW THAT GOES, UM, VERY OPEN TO IT AND WE CAN TRY IT OUT AND SEE HOW WE FEEL ABOUT IT.
OTHERS WHO HAVEN'T SPOKEN BEFORE, I GO BACK TO COUNCILOR ZI.
I, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT, UM, I, I LIKE COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER'S AMENDMENT, AND PART OF WHAT I LIKE IS, UH, PROVIDING AN UPDATE TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON THE RATIONAL FOR WHICH SOCIAL MEDIA IS USED TO DISSEMINATE CITY INFORMATION.
SO I THINK IT WOULD JUST BE NICE TO GET A, AN UPDATE FROM THE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT ON, ON, ON HOW THEY'RE COMMUNICATING WITH THE CITY IN INCLUDING THEIR USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA.
I THINK EVERYONE WHO'S SPOKEN HAS STATED SOMETHING.
UM, SO, AND I'M OPEN TO GETTING MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CRITERIA AND METRICS.
SO WHAT WE'LL DO IS, UH, ON THE AMENDMENTS FROM COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER BEFORE US.
WILL NOW GO ON TO THE ADOPTED POLICY ORDER HEARING NO ONE ELSE ON THIS AMENDED POLICY ORDER ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER TO ADOPT THE POLICY ORDER.
THE AMENDED POLICY ORDER IS ADOPTED.
WE'LL GO ON TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER FOUR, THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS REQUESTED TO CONFER WITH A RELEVANT CITY STAFF AND REPORT BACK WITH INFORMATION AS THE FIRST STEP IN THE EXPLORATION OF A POTENTIAL CAMBRIDGE SNOW CORPS PROGRAM.
THIS IS FILED BY COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER, COUNCILOR NOLAN, MYSELF, AND COUNCILOR ZUBE.
THIS YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A FEW YEARS, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE SNOWSTORMS, INCLUDING ONE, UH, THE WEEKEND BEFORE LAST THAT DROPPED MORE THAN 30 INCHES OF SNOW ON THE CITY.
UH, AND I WANT TO START BY REALLY GIVING A SHOUT OUT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC'S WORKS AT WORK STAFF WHO, UH, AND ALL THE CONTRACTORS AND CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS WHO PUT A TON OF TIME AND ENERGY INTO, TO CLEARING ALL THIS, IT WAS REALLY ALL AN ALL HANDS ON DECK EXPERIENCE.
UM, YOU KNOW, JUST TO TALK MORE ABOUT SORT OF HOW THE CITY CURRENTLY OPERATES, THE CITY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEARING SNOW FROM CITY OWNED STREETS AND THE SIDEWALKS NEXT TO PARKS, POOL, AND MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS, AS WELL AS CURB CUTS AND CROSSWALKS, UM, WITH OTHER SIDEWALKS, NO CLEARANCE, THE RESPONSIBILITY OF, UH, THE PROPERTY OWNERS.
AND, YOU KNOW, WHILE A LOT OF THESE, UH, MINI SIDEWALKS, BUS STOPS, CROSSWALKS ARE WELL CLEARED 12 HOURS AFTER THE SNOW STOPS, UM, SOME ARE NOT.
AND THE, THE PATCHWORK REALLY CREATES A LOT OF CHALLENGES FOR CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE WHO USE WHEELCHAIRS OR HAVE OTHER MOBILITY CHALLENGES OR WHO HAVE STROLLERS.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE SNOW CHALLENGE FOR PEDESTRIANS CAN BE REALLY DANGEROUS.
IT CAN, CAN CAUSE PEOPLE TO HAVE TO WALK INTO THE STREETS TO, IF THE SIDEWALK IS UNCLEAR OR IF THAT THAT CURB CUT THAT LEADS TO THE CROSSWALK IS UNCLEAR.
UH, W MASSACHUSETTS HAD A, A GOOD REPORT ON THIS RECENTLY.
THERE WAS A INCLUDING, UH, ON FEBRUARY 1ST, THERE WAS A, A WOMAN IN, IN WAREHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, NOT FAR FROM NOW, WHO HAD TO GO INTO THE ROAD BECAUSE THE SIDEWALK IS, WAS UNCLEAR, AND SHE HAD A, WAS USING A WALKER, AND SHE WAS STRUCK BY A CAR IN THE STREET AND WAS KILLED.
THESE ARE, THESE ARE LIFE AND DEATH ISSUES FOR FOLKS.
UM, BECAUSE OF THAT, SOME CITIES HAVE BEEN EXPLORING AN EXPANSION OF THEIR SIDEWALK SNOW CLEARING PROGRAMS. UH, BOSTON HAS PROPOSED THE CREATION OF A SNOW CORE PROGRAM, WHICH WOULD, UH, RECRUIT FOLKS TO, UH, EXPAND THE, THE CITY'S SIDEWALK SNOW CLEARANCE EFFORTS.
UH, NEW YORK CITY HAS HIRED EMERGENCY SNOW SHOVELERS.
SO THIS POLICY ORDER IS ASKING FOR A REPORT BACK, UH, WITH SPECIFIC DATA ON THE CURRENT CITY SNOW PROGRAMS, THE SNOW EXEMPTION PROGRAM FOR LOW INCOME, ELDERLY AND DISABLED HOMEOWNERS.
THE STUDENT SHOVELER PROGRAM DATA ON, UH, CCL FIX AROUND ICY AND UNSOLVED SIDEWALKS, AND HAVING THAT REPORT BACK AS, UH, THE FIRST STEP IN THE EXPLORATION OF A POTENTIAL CAMBRIDGE SNOW CORE PROGRAM.
UM, SO I'LL YIELD IF ANYBODY ELSE WANTS TO, UH, SPEAK AND THEN HOPE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS POLICY ORDER.
AND I HAVE, UH, SHOULD MENTIONED, SPOKE WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS ON THIS AND THEY, UM, UH, HAD NO, UH, SORT OF QUESTIONS CONCERNS WITH, WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH IT AND LOOK FORWARD TO FOLLOWING UP WITH THEM ABOUT IT.
FIRST, I REALLY THINK WE ALL CAN GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO THE CITY.
I KNOW IT'S BEEN CHALLENGING, HOWEVER, I ALSO KNOW DIRECTLY FROM SEEING OTHER CITIES SITUATION WITH SNOW.
THE LAST WEEK, OUR CITY WAS PRETTY AMAZING BY COMPARISON, HAVING BEEN TO A NUMBER OF OTHER PLACES AND
[02:05:01]
HEARING FROM FRIENDS AND EVEN MORE, AND EVEN THOUGH SOME OF US WERE WOKEN UP AT 2:00 AM MYSELF INCLUDED BY SNOW REMOVAL EFFORTS AT THOSE CROSSWALKS, AND WE GOT SOME FOLKS IN THE CITY SAYING, WHAT IS GOING ON? HOW COME I'M BEING WOKEN UP? IT'S BECAUSE THREE, TWO DAYS AFTER OUR PLOWS WENT BACK AND ACTUALLY REMOVED THE SIDEWALK, UH, THE SNOW, IT WAS A REALLY INTENSIVE EFFORT.AND I ALSO KNOW IT STILL WAS A CHALLENGE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ON STREETS WHERE THEY WERE NOT CLEARED VERY EARLY.
AND THE REASON FOR THIS POLICY ORDER ALSO IS FOR THE SIDEWALKS AND THE CROSSWALKS.
UM, I DO THINK THE SNOW POLICY, UH, REMOVAL THAT WE HAVE CREATES AND BUILDS COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NEIGHBORS, ONE ONLY SEES DURING SNOW SHOVELING SEASON.
THE BOSTON PROGRAM, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, IS NOT NECESSARILY TO SAY THE CITY IS GONNA EXPAND WHAT THEY COMMIT TO COVER FOR FREE, BUT TO RECRUIT VOLUNTEERS OR TO FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S A WAY TO GET MORE PEOPLE OUT THERE.
SO I THINK THAT'D BE TERRIFIC IF WE DID THAT MORE SYSTEMATICALLY HERE.
I ALSO WAS OUT SHOVELING OUT A COUPLE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORS WHO WERE IN A SITUATION WHERE THEY WERE NOT IN A PHYSICAL POSITION TO BE ABLE TO, UM, SHOVEL OUT THEIR CARS.
SO I SUPPORT THE POLICY ORDER AND NOTE THAT ONE OF THE THINGS WE ASK FOR IS WHAT IS THE ENFORCEMENT THEN? BECAUSE WHAT SOME PEOPLE FEEL LIKE IS THEY REPORT ON CCL FIX AND THEN THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO GET SOME, SOMEBODY SUPPOSED TO PAY A FINE.
WE ARE, WE'RE NOT EVEN SURE IF A FINE HAS EVER BEEN COLLECTED.
SO THAT'S PART OF THIS, UH, INFORMATION REQUEST IS TO UNDERSTAND IS THE CITY LIMITED IN COLLECTING FINES OR NOT? I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS.
I LOVE THE IDEA OF CONTINUING TO HAVE PROPERTY OWNERS RESPONSIBLE FOR SHOVELING SINCE I SEE IT AS PART OF CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AND ALSO PART OF OUR CITY RESPONSIBILITIES, TO MAKE SURE THOSE AREAS WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE COVERING DO GET COVERED.
AND IT'S ALSO A WAY FOR FOLKS IF THEY WANTED TO, TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE PUBLIC GOOD.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE REPORT BACK ON THIS AND FOR US TO ALL DISCUSS HOW IT IS THAT WE CAN IN THESE INTENSE EVENTS REALLY HELP EACH OTHER OUT.
COUNCILOR ZUBE BEFORE I GO TO NO ONE.
UH, THANK YOU MADAM MAYOR, AND THANK YOU TO THE SPONSORS.
UM, YEAH, I, I, UH, I, I AGREE WITH, UH, COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER IN TERMS OF THE, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DIFFICULTY THAT HAVING UNRAVELED, UH, SIDEWALKS CAN, CAN CAUSE PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY, UM, FOLKS WITH MOBILITY ISSUES.
WE HAVE COUNCILORS, ZUBIE AND I WILL BE, UH, CHAIRING A HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING NEXT WEEK ABOUT, UM, SUPPORTS FOR FOLKS WITH DISABILITIES IN THE CITY AND HOW WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, UM, YOU KNOW, HOW THEY MOVE AROUND THE CITY AND, AND WHAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE CITY WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE AND PLAYGROUNDS.
AND SO THIS IS KIND OF RELATED TO THAT.
AND THEN I THINK, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY FOR FOLKS WHO, UM, ARE IN WHEELCHAIRS OR ARE OLDER WALKERS HAVING UNRAVELED SIDEWALKS, SUPPOSE A, A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM, UM, AND, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, MANY CITIES HAVE TRIED TO SORT OF FIGURE THIS OUT.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE'S QUITE FIGURED OUT A PERFECT WAY TO DO IT.
UM, FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, I, UH, MINNEAPOLIS, UM, HAS A SYSTEM WHERE, UH, IF SOMEONE DOESN'T SHOVEL THEIR SIDEWALK AND THERE'S A COMPLAINT ISSUED WITH THE CITY, THE CITY WILL GO OUT AND, AND SHOVEL IT, BUT THEN BILL THE PROPERTY OWNER FOR THE COST.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE ISSUES AROUND, UM, CERTAINLY AROUND CORNERS WHEN YOU HAVE THESE BIG PILES OF SNOW THAT ARE, THAT ARE, THAT ARE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO MANEUVER, THAT'S TO SHOVEL THAT YOU GOTTA BE, ARE YOU, YOU KNOW, SHOVELING THAT INTO TRUCKS SO THEY CAN HAUL IT AWAY.
YOU CAN'T JUST SHOVEL IT AND DISPERSE IT, YOU KNOW? SO THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, THINGS TO IT.
BUT I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT, YOU KNOW, IN THIS ORDER, THIS ORDER'S LOOKING IS ASKING FOR SOME, IS ASKING FOR DATA.
UM, I'M STILL NOT TOTALLY CONVINCED ABOUT THE CITY TAKING ON ALL SIDEWALK SHOVELING AND, YOU KNOW, THE PRICE TAG THAT WOULD COME TO THAT GIVEN, YOU KNOW, THE SITUATION WE'RE IN.
BUT I THINK GETTING THIS DATA BACK AND, AND STARTING TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN TRY AND ADDRESS THIS, THIS ISSUE, 'CAUSE WHAT'S GOING ON NOW ISN'T WORKING.
UM, I THINK IS, IS, IS, IS, UH, IS WORTH DOING.
SO I, I, I THANK THE SPONSORS AND I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT IT.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCIL, UH, VICE MAYOR.
UM, I WAS GONNA SAY, I THINK THAT ONE OF THE EXCITING PARTS ABOUT THIS POTENTIALLY AS WELL IS THAT NEW YORK WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO GET BACK TO WORK A DAY BEFORE US, UM, BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS SETTLED AND PLOWED, UM, FASTER, UH, THAN IT WAS HERE.
AND SO I THINK THERE'S ALSO A TRADE OFF WHEN WE'RE THINKING ABOUT COSTS.
LIKE, THERE'S ALSO A COST TO KEEPING SCHOOLS CLOSED.
UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE TO TAKING A DAY OFF OF WORK, NOT BEING ABLE TO GET TO, UH, WORK.
AND SO IN SOME WAYS, I THINK IT'D BE INTERESTING TO SEE IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN JUST SPEED UP THE PROCESS SUCH THAT, UM, IT'S LIKE A NET ECONOMIC BENEFIT, EVEN IF THE CITY ENDS UP PAYING MORE.
COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, I WANNA ALSO THROUGH YOU MADAM MAYOR, CONGRATULATE THE SPONSORS
[02:10:01]
ON THIS, THIS POLICY ORDER.UH, UNLIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE, I LOOK FORWARD TO THE SNOW, AND I HATE TO SAY THAT, UH, BUT ECHOING COUNCILOR NOLAN'S COMMENTS, IT'S REALLY THE ONE DAY THAT LOTS OF NEIGHBORS ARE OUT IN THE STREET AND THEY SEE ONE ANOTHER AND THEY SHOVEL TOGETHER.
AND THERE'S A COMMUNITY EFFORT AND IT BUILDS NEIGHBORHOODS.
I'VE GOT A FELLOW WHO LIVES A COUPLE DOORS DOWN FROM ME, HIS NAME'S JIM MCGOVERN, AND HE LOOKS FORWARD TO THE SNOW EVEN MORE THAN I DO.
AND IT'S ACTUALLY A, UH, IT, IT'S A RELATIONSHIP BUILDING EXPERIENCE.
AND I DIDN'T MAKE IT ALL THE WAY UP HERE ON AVE TO COUNCIL NOLAN'S HOUSE, BUT I SPENT A LOT OF TIME SHOVELING NEIGHBORS OUT AND CROSSWALKS AND WATCHED AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND SHOVELED OUT, UH, FIRE HYDRANTS.
UH, AND IT WAS, IT, IT REALLY IS.
UM, AND I KNOW PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS, BUT IT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS ABOUT THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE.
WE, WE GET OUT IN THE STREET AND WE SHOVEL AND WE HELP ONE ANOTHER, AND WE SHOVEL OUT OUR NEIGHBOR'S CARS AND OUR NEIGHBOR'S SIDEWALKS AND LOOK AFTER OUR ELDERLY.
AND IF THIS POLICY ORDER INCENTIVIZES AND ENCOURAGES YOUNG PEOPLE TO GET BACK TO WALKING AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A SHOVEL ON THEIR SHOULDER AND SHOVELING OUT THEIR NEIGHBORS SIDEWALKS AND CROSSWALKS, I'M ALL FOR IT.
I THINK THIS IS, THIS IS TREMENDOUS.
AND, AND I THINK THAT IT GOES, IT TAKES A STEP BOTH FORWARD AND BACKWARDS IN TIME.
IT MAKES US A BETTER CITY AND A CITY OF, OF REAL NEIGHBORHOODS AND REAL FAMILIES.
AND WE'LL ALL, UH, BE IMPACTED BY THIS.
SO I CONGRATULATE YOU AND I FULLY SUPPORT IT.
WHAT'S THAT? I WAS WAITING FOR YOU THAT DAY.
WELL, I HAD, I KNOWN I WOULD'VE BEEN THERE.
WE'LL GO TO, AND IF YOU EVER WANNA SEE SOMETHING, GO OUT ON A SNOWSTORM AND SEE COUNCILOR FLAHERTY AND MY FATHER BATTLE, WHO'S GONNA SHOVEL MORE SNOW ON THEIR NEIGHBOR'S SIDEWALKS AT THIS SPIKE SIGHT TO SEE.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY TO COUNCILOR FLARED, I THINK THAT WAS GREAT WHAT YOU JUST SAID.
I'LL TAKE MY COMRADERY WITH COFFEE IN A WARM STORE.
THAT'S, I YIELD THE FLOOR COUNCILS, IZZY, I'LL JUST SAY, UM, I, I'LL SUPPORT THIS POLICY ORDER TOO.
I, I WILL SAY IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS, WE ALL WERE OUT THERE ON THE STREET.
WE WERE ALL SHOVELING EACH OTHER OUT.
AND, UM, I'VE, I'VE SEEN AS THE CITY HAS BECOME MORE GENTRIFIED AS, AS PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, AS, AS COUPLES, BOTH MEMBERS OF THE COUPLE HAVE BIG JOBS AND DON'T HAVE TIME TO SHOVEL, THINK WE'VE LOST, WE'VE LOST SOMETHING.
'CAUSE WE USED TO ALL BE OUT THERE.
WE DIDN'T NEED TO BE ORGANIZED.
UH, WE WERE DIGGING OUT THE STORM DRAINS, WE WERE DIGGING OUT THE FIRE HYDRANTS.
WE WERE DIGGING OUT THE CROSSWALKS.
SO IF WE NEED TO DO THIS IN A DIFFERENT WAY TO INSPIRE EVERYBODY TO WORK TOGETHER, I, I, UH, AM ALL FOR IT.
YES, COUNCILOR NOLAN, BRIEFLY, VERY BRIEFLY TO REMIND EVERYONE THERE IS APOL, YOU CAN SIGN UP ONLINE FOR ADOPTING A FIRE HYDRANT TO SHOVEL IT OUT.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
'CAUSE OTHERWISE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOES AROUND THE CITY AND REALLY SHOVELS THEM ALL OUT.
SO GO ONLINE, YOU CAN SHUT, AND THE STORM DRAINS AS WELL.
SO I AM HAPPY TO BE A CO-SPONSOR IN THIS.
I DO THINK THERE ARE SOME POINTS MADE IN PUBLIC COMMENT AROUND HOW SCHOOLS WOULD'VE BEEN OPEN FASTER.
I WAS INVOLVED IN SOME OF THESE SNOW CALLS, AND THE REALITY IS, UM, I THINK WE DID WANNA OPEN SCHOOLS, BUT THE, THE VENDORS FOR THE BUSES WERE LIKE, WE CAN'T EVEN GET YOU THE BUSES.
SO THE NEXT MORNING THERE'S SO MUCH SNOW ACROSS THE STATE.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF, UM, OTHER REASONS, UM, FOR SOME OF THIS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS WILL BE HELPFUL DATA AND, UH, WE'LL SEE WHERE WE CAN GO.
SO I DON'T SEE EITHER ANY OTHER HANDS.
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND ADOPT ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER.
UH, POLICY UNDER ORDER NUMBER FOUR, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT.
POLICY ORDER NUMBER FOUR IS ADOPTED.
WE'LL GO INTO POLICY ORDER NUMBER FIVE, THAT THE CAMBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTS HOUSE BILL H 37 54, AND SENATE BILL 2, 3, 4, 4, AND ACT RELATIVE TO TRAFFIC REGULATION USING ROAD SAFETY CAMERAS.
AND THAT THE CITY MANAGER BE IN, HEREBY IS REQUESTED TO WORK WITH RELEVANT DEPARTMENTS TO REVIEW THE STATE BILL'S REFERENCE AS WELL AS THE PREVIOUSLY FILED HOME RULE PETITIONS, AND PREPARE A NEW HOME RULE PETITION THAT WOULD ALLOW CAMBRIDGE TO INSTALL AND OPERATE CAMERAS TO ENFORCE RED LIGHTS SPEEDING AND OTHER MOVING VIOLATIONS AS OUTLINED IN HOUSE BILLS.
AND THE PRIOR HOME ROLE, THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILOR NOLAN, COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER, MYSELF, AND COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN.
BEFORE I GO TO COUNCILOR ZUBIE, WHO PULLED IT, WE'LL GO TO THE LEAD SPONSOR, COUNCILLOR NOLAN.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE CO-SPONSORS,
[02:15:01]
AND ALSO TO THE FOLKS AT THE STATE WHO ARE WORKING ON THIS AND FOLKS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.THIS REALLY IS ABOUT ALLOWING US TO USE OUR, UM, CAMERAS ON, UH, TRAFFIC LIGHTS.
THIS IS SOMETHING ALSO, SO FOLKS WHO DON'T KNOW, WE HAVE PASSED, AS IS LISTED IN THE POLICY ORDER, A NUMBER OF POLICY ORDER SUPPORTING THIS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THE A CLU HAS REVIEWED AND HAS SAID THAT THEY, THEY DO SUPPORT THESE NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE A REALLY STRONG SURVEILLANCE, UM, ORDINANCE.
AND WHAT IT DOES IS WOULD TAKE THE POLICE OUT OF SOME OF THE TRAFFIC STOPS.
THERE IS A STATE LAW THAT PASSED THAT ALLOWED VERY NARROW EXCEPTIONS THAT RIGHT NOW, I THINK BUSES CAN ISSUE THOSE TICKETS.
BUT WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE CAMERAS TO ISSUE TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS IN THE CITY AS OF NOW.
AND THIS HOME RULE WOULD ALLOW US TO DO THAT.
IT, IT, IT HELPS THE, UM, OFFICERS ON THE STREETS ALSO NOT HAVE TO BE INVOLVED IN THOSE TRAFFIC STOPS, WHICH WE KNOW SOMETIMES THOSE TRAFFIC STOPS THEN LEAD TO FURTHER ALTERCATIONS, WHICH ARE NOT HEALTHY FOR THE CITY.
SO THAT'S WHAT THIS DOES, IS THERE IS A STATE BILL IN PLACE WHERE IF THAT PASSES, OUR HOME RULE WILL BECOME MOOT.
BUT I DID TALK TO THE CHIEF SPONSOR, REPRESENTATIVE OWENS, WHO SAYS, IT'S ALWAYS HELPFUL TO HAVE HOME RULES BECAUSE THAT MAKES THE CASE FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE THAT THERE'S INTEREST IN THIS ISSUE AMONG THE CITY.
SO I DON'T THINK I HAVE TO SAY MORE.
WE'VE DONE THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND I HOPE THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD ON THIS, SUPPORT THE STATE, THE STATE LEGISLATION, AS WELL AS, UH, ASK OUR LAW DEPARTMENT TO JUST UPDATE OUR HOME RULE.
UM, I, I BELIEVE THE A CLU SPECIFICALLY IS, IS NEUTRAL ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC BILL.
AND, AND I, I WILL SUPPORT IT WITH CAREFUL ENGAGEMENT ON WHAT THIS BILL COULD MEAN.
I I KNOW THAT TRAFFIC HARM FALLS HARD ON WORKING CLASS RESIDENTS AS CYCLISTS, PEDESTRIAN, AND PEDESTRIANS, AND WE NEED THOSE TOOLS TO ADDRESS IT.
HOWEVER, I DO WANNA NOTE THAT THIS SPECIFIC BILL GIVES CITIES THE OPTION TO USE AUTOMATED ENFORCEMENT.
AND WE IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, WOULD REQUIRE A SEPARATE PROCESS UNDER OUR SURVEILLANCE ORDINANCE WITH THE FULL COUNCIL REVIEW.
AND I THINK THAT MATTERS IN THIS CONVERSATION.
I WOULD ASK THAT THE CITY MANAGER AS THIS MOVES FORWARD, THAT IF WE PURSUE IMPLEMENTATION, THAT THE ADMINISTRATING AGENCY SHOULD BE THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT AND NOT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE IT'LL CHANGE THE CHARACTER OF THE PROGRAM ENTIRELY.
AND I THINK THAT COMPONENT ADDRESSES THE LEGITIMATE CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT THIS POTENTIALLY BECOMING A SURVEILLANCE TOOL THAT INVADES PRIVACY, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE CURRENT FEDERAL ADMINISTRATION USE OF DATA TO HARM RESIDENTS RATHER THAN A SAFETY TOOL.
UM, I ALSO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT, UH, SURVEILLANCE IN THE CITY, AND THAT RESIDENTS MAY SEE THIS AS AN ANOTHER ASSAULT ON THEIR FREEDOMS. UM, I AGREE THAT CARS GO TOO FAST AND THAT WE TOLERATE TOO MUCH BAD, UH, CAR DRIVING AND, AND BICYCLING BEHAVIOR, AND THAT IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.
BUT I, I THINK I'LL BE VOTING, VOTING PRESENT TONIGHT, JUST BECAUSE I, UH, I'M, I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT SURVEILLANCE IN THE CITY.
ANYONE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN ON THIS HEARING NONE.
WE'LL DO A ROLL CALL ON THIS ONE ON, UH, ADOPTING POLICY ORDER NUMBER FIVE ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR NOLAN.
THAT'S EIGHT MEMBERS VOTING YES.
AND ONE MEMBER VOTING PRESENT POLICY ORDER NUMBER FIVE IS ADOPTED.
WE WILL MOVE ON AND JUST CHIME CHECK.
UH, SO WE'LL GO TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER 11, WHICH IS RECOGNIZING MAY 14TH, UH, 2026 AS MEF TWO C AWARENESS DAY IN THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE, AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO ILLUMINATE CITY HALL ON MAY 14TH, 2026 IN RECOGNITION IN RECOGNIZATION OF ME F TWO C AWARENESS DAY.
THIS WAS FILED BY MYSELF AND THE VICE MAYOR COUNCILLOR ZUI.
JUST BECAUSE I HAD NEVER, I'D NEVER HEARD OF, UH, MEF TWO C BEFORE.
AND I, AND I, I GUESS I WONDERED, SOMEONE MUST HAVE REACHED OUT AND ENCOURAGED YOU TO SUBMIT THIS POLICY ORDER, BUT I, ANYWAY, IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN.
I LEARNED THAT, UM, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR RARE DISORDERS, THERE ARE 120 TO 150 CONFIRMED CASES IN THE WORLD, OR THERE WERE IN 2024.
UM, I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S THIS ORGANIZATION THAT, UM, ADVOCATES FOR, UM, PEOPLE AND FAMILIES WITH THIS RARE, RARE DISEASE, SAY THERE COULD BE AS MANY AS 400 PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.
[02:20:01]
ANYWAY, THEN I WAS JUST, I GOING DOWN A RABBIT HOLE, AND APPARENTLY THERE ARE OVER 7,000 RARE DISEASES IN THE WORLD, AND 80% HAVE A GENETIC ORIGIN.ANYWAY, I, SO I, UH, APPRECIATE, UM, CONSTITUENTS WANTING US TO HAVE AN AWARENESS DAY FOR MEF TWO C, BUT I, I, UM, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT RESEARCH IS BEING DONE ON THIS DISEASE AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
UM, UH, BUT ANYWAY, I, I, I WONDERED MORE ABOUT, UM, WHAT WHAT INSPIRED THIS.
I MEAN, THERE ARE MANY, MANY RARE DISEASES.
UM, I, IT JUST, WE, WE HAVE A LOT OF SPECIAL DAYS, SO I'D, I'D LOVE TO JUST HEAR FROM YOU MORE ABOUT, UH, THE ORIGINS OF THIS, UH, POLICY ORDER.
SO, UH, YOU KNOW, AS YOU SAID, I'M NO SCI, I'M NO SCIENTIST.
BUT, UH, THIS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, AROUND NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS.
UH, JUST LIKE FOR ALL BUILDING ILLUMINATION, UM, REQUESTS, WE GET, YOU KNOW, WE GET A HANDFUL.
AND SO, UH, AS IS ALWAYS PRACTICE, YOU PUT THEM FORWARD TO APPROVE THROUGH A VOTE.
AND SO, UM, ESSENTIALLY THAT'S JUST BEEN THE PRACTICE.
AND WE SOMETIMES GET, YOU KNOW, WE GET VARIOUS REQUESTS AND IT'S UNDER MY DISCRETION AND WHOEVER IS CO-SPONSORING TO KIND OF SAY, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA SIGNAL OR POINT OUT TO.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT YOU'RE RIGHT.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE, BUT WE, WE ACTUALLY, THERE'S ONLY, I THINK THERE'S SPECIFIC ORGANIZATIONS WHO SPECIFICALLY DO REACH OUT.
UH, AND SO THAT'S KIND OF HOW THE, UH, ILLUMINATION REQUESTS WORK.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS? WE CAN GO AHEAD, UH, ON A MOTION TO ADOPT.
THIS POLICY ORDER NUMBER 11 IS ADOPTED.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER 12.
THIS IS THE CITY COUNCIL SUPPORTING SENATE AND HOUSE BILL, UH, AND ACT RELATIVE TO SCHOOL LIBRARIES.
THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCIL COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER, COUNCILOR NOLAN AND COUNCILOR ZUBE, AND THEN PULLED BY COUNSELOR FLAHERTY.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR MCGOVERN FIRST, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY ANYTHING.
UM, YEAH, I, I MEAN, I COULD YIELD YOUR COUNCIL FLAHERTY.
JUST, JUST REAL QUICK, GIVE A A, I WANNA GIVE A, THANKS TO MY SOCIAL WORK INTERN NATHAN, WHO PUT THIS IN POLICY ORDER NUMBER 10 TOGETHER.
UM, A NUMBER OF US WENT TO THE LEGISLATIVE BREAKFAST, UM, AT, AT THE LIBRARY WHERE, UH, THESE BILLS WERE TALKED ABOUT.
AND, AND, UH, AS WAYS TO PROTECT, UM, LIBRARIES, FREE EXPRESSION, UM, BOOKS,
AND SO THESE ARE, UH, STEVE OWENS AND, UH, REPRESENTATIVE STEVE OWENS FROM CAMBRIDGE.
AND OTHER, UM, REPS WERE THERE, UM, THAT, UH, ARE WORKING ON THESE BILLS AND SPONSORING THEM.
AND SO, SEEMED LIKE SOMETHING, I THINK WE ALL SPOKE IN SUPPORT.
UM, MADAM MAYOR, YOU WERE THERE, BUT YOU HAD TO, YOU HAD TO, YOU HAD A SCHOOL COMMITTEE RETREAT, I THINK, AND HAD TO TAKE OFF.
SO IF YOU WANNA JOIN, UH, THIS TOO.
UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE ALL, WE ALL HEARD THE URGENCY IN, IN, IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, STANDING UP FOR OUR LIBRARIES AND, AND, UH, SO WE FILED THESE IN SUPPORT AND WE'LL SEND THESE ALONG, HOPEFULLY IF THEY PASS TO OUR DELEGATION TO, UM, VOTE IN FAVOR.
COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, THANK YOU, DREW, YOU, I WAS, UH, ASKING THAT IT BE PULLED JUST TO BE ADDED TO THIS.
UM, LIBRARIES ARE SPECIAL PLACES.
I'M SURE EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM KNOWS THIS.
UM, AS A CHILD, IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME TO HAVE THAT TIME, UH, QUIET TIME IN A LIBRARY WHERE I COULD TRANSPORT MYSELF AROUND THE WORLD BY READING.
AND THE MORE THE PEOPLE READ, THE MORE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE READ, THE BETTER OFF WE'LL BE.
SO I THINK ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGE LIBRARIES, WE SHOULD BE DOING.
I YIELD, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND ADD COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, UH, TO THE POLICY ORDER.
SO WE'VE ADDED COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS? HEARING NONE ON A ROLL CALL ON A, ON A MOTION BY COUNCILOR MCGOVERN TO SUPPORT THIS POLICY ORDER, UH, AS AMENDED.
THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT.
POLICY ORDER NUMBER 12, AS AMENDED IS ADOPTED.
WE'LL MOVE ON TO POLICY ORDER NUMBER 13.
[02:25:01]
OF OTHER CHANGES TO THE CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING.UM, AT THE, UP AT AN UPCOMING ORDINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING ABOUT ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR USE.
THIS WAS FILED BY COUNCILLOR UZI AND COUNCILLOR NOLAN.
COUNCILLOR UZI, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
UM, SO WE ARE HAVING A MEETING, I UNDERSTAND IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO TO TALK ABOUT, UM, UH, PRESERVING OR CREATING, ENSURING THAT WE HAVE ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR USE, UH, ON CAMBRIDGE STREET, WHICH IS A DISCUSSION THAT WE COMMITTED TO WHEN WE PASSED THE ZONING, UH, JANUARY 26TH.
UM, THERE ARE MANY, UH, WE'VE HAD PRE-MEETINGS ABOUT, UM, THAT, UH, HOW BEST TO, UM, ENSURE THAT WE HAVE ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR USE.
SO I FEEL LIKE THAT WILL BE A SHORT DISCUSSION WHEN WE DO MEET.
SO I'M HOPING WE CAN USE THAT TIME THAT WE'RE TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT SOME OTHER THINGS THAT I REALLY WISH HAD BEEN DISCUSSED.
UH, BEFORE WE PASSED THE CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING, I REALIZED THAT THERE WAS A RUSH.
IT WAS, YOU KNOW, DELAYED UNTIL JANUARY SO THAT THE NEW COUNSELORS COULD BE PART OF THE VOTE.
UM, AND BECAUSE THERE WAS SUCH AN OUTPOURING OF CONCERN ABOUT THE ZONING FROM, UH, NEIGHBORS AROUND INMAN AND, UH, THE GENERAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
BUT ANYWAY, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE IT SEEMS LIKE MOST EFFICIENT FOR US TO BE DISCUSSING SOME OTHER THINGS THAT THE NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN CONCERNED WITH AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE'RE MEETING TO TALK ABOUT THE ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR USE.
I, I, I DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT THERE WILL BE SUPPORT FOR THIS LIST OF ALL OF THESE THINGS ON THIS LIST, BUT I THINK WE, THERE CER CERTAINLY SHOULD BE DISCUSSION WITHIN THE CHAMBER OF, UM, THE IDEA OF SETBACKS SO THAT WE HAVE SIDEWALKS THAT CAN SUPPORT TREE LIFE, UH, STEP BACK SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE SHADOWS ON THIS EAST, WEST, UH, ROAD, AND THAT THE ROAD DOESN'T BECOME A CANYON.
THE WHOLE IDEA OF WET LABS NEIGHBORS WERE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING, YOU KNOW, CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, YOU KNOW, LABS ON CAMBRIDGE STREET.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE REALLY EAGER FOR MORE POCKET PARKS.
THEY WANT THERE TO BE MORE OPEN SPACE.
SO I, I DON'T THINK THAT THIS WILL REQUIRE MORE WORK FROM CDD.
I JUST THINK THIS DISCUSSING THESE THINGS ACTUALLY SHOULD HAVE IN THE BEST OF ALL POSSIBLE WORLDS HAPPENED BEFORE WE PASSED THE CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING.
SO, UM, ANYWAY, SO I AM ENCOURAGING US TO DISCUSS THEM WHEN WE MEET IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO, SO THAT AT LEAST THERE WILL BE DISCUSSION OF THEM ON THE FLOOR, UH, BEFORE CDD, UM, PROCEEDS AND AMENDS THE ZONING.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE NEED AND THE EAGERNESS OF ALL FOR ALL OF US TO AMEND THE ZONING TO ENSURE THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR, UM, USES ON CAMBRIDGE STREET.
I, I, I WANT THAT TO HAPPEN AND I DON'T WANT TO STYMIE THAT HAPPENING, BUT I THINK THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF TIME IN A TWO HOUR MEETING FOR US TO BE DISCUSS DISCUSSING SOME OF THESE OTHER ISSUES AS WELL.
AND, UM, I THINK IT WILL MAKE FOR A BETTER CAMBRIDGE STREET.
I YIELD COUNCILOR NOLAN, THEN COUNCILOR MCGOVERN.
UM, I JUST WANNA MAKE A FEW POINTS ABOUT THIS POLICY ORDER.
ONE, I SUPPORT, FULLY SUPPORT THE COMPROMISE WE RECENTLY PASSED ON CAMBRIDGE STREET ZONING.
UM, IN MY UNDERSTANDING, THIS POLICY ORDER IS NOT TO RE-LITIGATE THAT PER SE, BUT RATHER TO INCLUDE NEW IDEAS IN THE CONVERSATION BEING SCHEDULED IN ORDINANCE REGARDING THE FIRST FLOOR RETAIL ON CAMBRIDGE STREET.
SO, I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
AND AS I TOLD, UH, COUNCILLOR ZZI WHEN SHE ASKED IF I WOULD CONSIDER SUPPORTING THIS, I DON'T SUPPORT EVERY IDEA IN THIS POLICY ORDER, AND I WILL NOT SUPPORT CHANGES THAT MIGHT RESTRICT DEVELOPMENT OVER CURRENT ZONING.
I DO SUPPORT MY COLLEAGUES' INTENT TO DISCUSS THESE ISSUES.
'CAUSE SOME OF THEM HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY DISCUSSED, UM, ABOUT RELATED TO CAMBRIDGE STREET DEVELOPMENT AND ISSUES LIKE WET LABS, WHICH WERE REALLY NEVER DISCUSSED AS PART OF THE LAST ZONING PETITION.
SO THAT IS WHY I THOUGHT I'M ALWAYS IN FAVOR OF SOME, UM, OPEN DISCUSSION AND ALSO TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW WE'RE AWARE OF THESE ISSUES 'CAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN RAISED.
SO JUST BY PUTTING OUT THERE MEANS, OKAY, WE KNOW SOME PEOPLE HAVE ASKED QUESTIONS.
IT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GONNA DO ANYTHING THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL LIKE, BUT AT LEAST WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN LISTENING.
AND BY SUBMITTING THE ORDER NOW, IT DOES GIVE SOME COMMUNITY NOTICE AND COUNCILORS TIME TO PREPARE FOR THAT DISCUSSION.
AND ALSO, I WILL NOTE AND BUILD ON WHAT COUNCILOR SUZI SAID IS I CERTAINLY DON'T EXPECT THE STAFF TO HAVE TO DO ANY ADDITIONAL WORK TO PREPARE.
UM, THE STAFF COULD PROVIDE CONTEXT OR RECOMMENDATIONS ON ITEMS JUST WITH WHAT THEY ALREADY KNOW.
AND HOPEFULLY WE COULD MOVE THROUGH EACH POINT RELATIVELY QUICKLY TO DETERMINE IF THE IDEAS HAVE MERIT AND SUPPORT ON THE COUNCIL.
SO I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO SET THE, THE RECORD ON THIS POLICY ORDER.
UM, THANK YOU MAYOR SIKA YIELD.
WE'LL GO TO COUNCILOR MCGOVERN.
[02:30:01]
AND I WANT TO INCLUDE MY CO-CHAIR, THE ORDINANCE COMMITTEE 'CAUSE WE, WE DIDN'T MEET ON THIS.THE, THERE IS A MEETING COMING UP.
THE MEETING IS SPECIFICALLY, THE CALL OF THE MEETING IS SPECIFICALLY ABOUT GROUND FLOOR RETAIL.
IT'S ABOUT MASS AVE AS WELL AS ABOUT CAMBRIDGE STREET, CDD AND ASSISTANT MANAGER.
UH, MELISSA PETERS IS ON ZOOM, AND I'D LIKE HER TO BE PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.
UM, THERE ARE DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO, TO ADDRESS GROUND FLOOR RETAIL WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF IMPLICATION AS TO WHAT THAT WOULD DO WITH ZONING.
IT IS NOT A SIMPLE CONVERSATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IS THE CALL OF THAT MEETING TO HAVE A POLICY ORDER WITH SEVEN BULLET POINTS, INCLUDING THAT CDD PRODUCE AN ANNUAL REPORT PORT OF THE IMPACT OF NEW ZONING AND DEALING AND, UH, UH, DETAILING HOW MANY HOUSING UNITS.
I MEAN, THIS, THIS IS GONNA CREATE A GREAT DEAL OF WORK FOR CDD TO DO THIS BY A MEETING THAT WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE NEXT WEEK.
UM, YOU KNOW, I VIEW IT AS YET THESE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF LIKE REOPENING THE ZONING THAT WE ALREADY PASSED.
I MEAN, THIS PAST THREE WEEKS AGO, UH, A MONTH AGO.
UM, I DON'T THINK IT, I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT RE-LITIGATING CAMBRIDGE STREET AFTER WE JUST VOTED FOR IT, BUT I JUST WANNA SAY AS CO-CHAIRS WHO ARE TRYING TO SCHEDULE THIS MEETING IN ORDINANCE, WE, WE HAD A LONG MEETING WITH CDD, WE WENT THROUGH A PRESENTATION WITH CDD.
UM, YOU KNOW, I I, I THINK THE MEETING THAT IS COMING UP NEEDS TO REMAIN SPECIFICALLY ABOUT GROUND FLOOR RETAIL AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT BECAUSE AT THAT MEETING, THEY'RE GONNA MAKE A AND MS. ASSISTANT MANAGER, PETERS CAN CLARIFY, THEY'RE GONNA PRESENT US WITH A COUPLE DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WE MAY, WE MAY SUPPORT ONE OF THOSE OPTIONS AT THAT MEETING AND, AND MOVE THEM FORWARD.
WE MAY HAVE TO HAVE A SECOND MEETING TO, UM, IF THERE WERE FURTHER QUESTIONS.
SO I DON'T THINK ADDING TO THAT MEETING, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE, THAT WE'RE HAVING NEXT WEEK IS, IS REALLY APPROPRIATE.
I, I WISH I, I, I WAS ASKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE THE POLICY ORDER WAS FILED, SO THAT, AS THE CO-CHAIRS WHO SCHEDULE THESE MEETINGS AND SET THE AGENDA WOULD'VE BEEN NICE TO KNOW THAT, THAT THIS WAS COMING.
UM, BUT I THINK WE'RE GONNA, UM, I THINK FOR NEXT WEEK IT'S GONNA BE A PRETTY FULL AGENDA ANYWAY, SO I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THIS IS APPROPRIATE FOR THAT MEETING, BUT I'D, I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM MS. PETERS.
WE'RE GO TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER.
PETERS GREAT THANKS THROUGH YOU, MAYOR SIDIKI.
UM, JUST TO, TO CONFIRM, WE ARE ALWAYS HAPPY TO REVISIT POLICY IF THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL, BUT I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE A CLARIFICATION THAT ALL OF THESE ITEMS HAD BEEN DISCUSSED WHERE THEY MAY NOT HAVE BEEN EXPLICITLY STUCK, UH, DISCUSSED AT THE RECENT, UH, COUNCIL ZONING, UH, PROCESS.
THEY WERE DISCUSSED AT LENGTH IN THE OUR CAMBRIDGE STREET PLANNING STUDY.
AND FOR VARIOUS REASONS, UH, DIFFERENT POLICY TRADE-OFFS WERE MADE.
UM, IF, IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT THE COUNCIL WANTS TO, UH, DISCUSS, AGAIN, WE'RE HAPPY TO BRING THAT UP.
UM, I DO THINK SOME OF THESE WILL BE MORE TIME INTENSIVE AND WE'LL HAVE TO DISCUSS WHAT ELSE ON OUR HOUSING AND ZONING WORK PLAN.
WE'LL HAVE TO GET SHIFTED IF THIS WERE TO BECOME A PRIORITY.
UM, AND I DO THINK THAT, UM, THE ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR USE DISCUSSION, UM, IS PROBABLY GONNA TAKE MUCH LONGER THAN A HALF HOUR IS IT'S MORE COMPLICATED, UM, THAN JUST A YES OR NO.
WE HAVE A FEW PEOPLE WHO WOULD LIKE TO TALK.
COUNSELOR ZUBI, VICE MAYOR AZI, AND THEN I HAVE COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, AND THEN COUNCILLOR, SABRINA WHEELER, COUNCILLOR ZUBI.
I WOULD LOVE TO CHECK BACK IN ON THIS NEXT WEEK AFTER MORE UNDERSTANDING FROM THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT THIS WOULD MEAN FOR THEM.
SO I WILL GO AHEAD AND EXERCISE MY CHARTER RIGHT, COUNCILOR ZUBIE EXERCISES HER CHARTER RIGHT ON THE POLICY ORDER.
WE ARE DONE WITH POLICY ORDERS.
[CALENDAR]
ON TO THE CALENDAR.WE HAVE TWO ITEMS UNDER THE CHARTER, RIGHT? SO WE CAN GO AHEAD TO THE FIRST ITEM.
THIS IS THAT THE CITY MANAGERS REQUESTED TO WORK WITH RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS TO RAISE THE FEE OF THE PARKING PER PERMIT PROGRAM FOR ALL RESIDENTS TO $75.
CONSIDER HOW TO INCLUDE A SELF-IDENTIFIED CHECK OFF OPTION AS TO NOT INCREASE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS FOR A SUBSIDIZED FEE OF $25.
FOR RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING ARE ENROLLED IN A PROGRAM SUCH AS SNAP AND OR ARE LOW INCOME, REMOVE THE SENIOR EXEMPTION FOR THE RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT PROGRAM AND LOWER THE NUMBER OF CARS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTS ARE ALLOWED
[02:35:01]
TO GET A RESIDENTIAL PARKING PERMIT FOR.FROM FOUR TO TWO CHARTER RIGHT WAS EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, UH, ON FEBRUARY 9TH.
AND SO I WILL FIRST GO TO THE LEAD SPONSOR AND THEN WE'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS.
THERE'S A LOT OF, THAT'S THE PRACTICE
SO, COUNCILLOR NOLAN, MADAM CHAIR, I'LL TO SPEED TALK MADAM CHAIR VERY QUICKLY.
COUNCIL SIMMONS, PLEASE REGISTER.
MY, UH, I QUESTIONED THE, THE RULING OF THE CHAIR ON THIS ONE.
UM, YES, I, UM, THE GOAL OF THIS POLICY ORDER TO REMIND PEOPLE IS TO COVER OUR COSTS.
THIS IS, WE ARE NOT BY LAW ALLOWED TO HAVE A TAX.
A TAX WOULD MEAN WE'RE CHARGING FEES, UH, ABOVE AND BEYOND WHAT IT ACTUALLY COSTS US.
SOME PEOPLE SAID, WELL, HOW CAN IT COST $75? THAT'S WHAT THE CITY HAS TOLD US IT COSTS.
SO I JUST WANNA BE REALLY CLEAR THAT EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT WHO'S A CAR OWNER WHO PAYS LESS THAN $75 IS BEING SUBSIDIZED.
THAT MONEY THE CITY HAS TO PAY MEANS THERE'S LESS MONEY FOR OTHER USES WITHIN THE CITY.
AND I WANNA NOTE THIS PO THIS PO IS NOT ABOUT BIKE LANES OR CYCLISTS.
AND THAT WOULD AFFECT THAT, AND THIS WOULD AFFECT THEM AS WELL.
SO I KNOW THERE'S SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THAT.
LIKE THEY DON'T PAY THOSE TAXES.
THIS IS REALLY JUST ABOUT THE COST.
IT COSTS US TO ISSUE PARKING PERMITS, WHICH IS $75.
IF ABOUT 30,000 OF THE 40,000, UH, PERMITS PAY THEIR FULL COST $50 MORE PER PERMIT.
THAT'D BE ABOUT $1.5 MILLION PER, PER YEAR THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY SUBSIDIZING.
NO CHANGE IS MENTIONED AND NO ANTICIPATED FOR THE EXEMPTION OF HANDICAP PLACARD OR THE VISITOR PERMIT FOR HOUSEHOLDS WITHOUT A CAR.
MONEY IS VERY TIGHT FOR MANY RESIDENTS.
THAT IS WHY THE PROPOSAL IS TO KEEP THE AMOUNT FOR LOW INCOME AT $25 FOR LOW INCOME SENIORS.
THAT WOULD BE AN INCREASE OF $2 A MONTH.
MY SENSE IS THAT WE SHOULD NOT SUBSIDIZE ANY CAR OWNER FULLY.
AND THAT IF YOU OWN A CAR $2 A MONTH, THERE'S A REASONABLE AMOUNT TO PAY FOR AN ANNUAL PERMIT IF YOU ARE LOW INCOME.
I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT ABOUT FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, ONE TO $2 MILLION EVERY SINGLE YEAR.
I BELIEVE WE'D BE BETTER USED TO SUBSIDIZE A FREE CITYWIDE SHUTTLE INSTEAD OF CAR OWNERS.
AND REMEMBER, EVERY CAR OWNER IS BEING SUBSIDIZED BY LOW INCOME PEOPLE IN THE CITY AND OTHER PEOPLE IN THE CITY WHO DON'T OWN CARS AND INCLUDING, UH, YOU KNOW, LOOK, I, FULL DISCLOSURE, I'M OVER 65.
I PAID ZERO FOR MY RENEWING MY CAR PERMIT THIS YEAR.
UM, SO I, I HOPE WE DO PASS THIS IN SOME FORM.
I WILL SAY WHAT'S REALLY GREAT IS WE GOT NO ONE SAYING WE SHOULDN'T REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CARS PER INDIVIDUAL FROM FOUR TO TWO.
THERE WAS ONE PERSON WHO SAID, WELL, WHAT ABOUT IF I HAVE A COLLEGE KID? WELL, FINE, IF YOU HAVE A COLLEGE KID, YOU CAN HAVE A CAR FOR YOU AND A CAR FOR YOUR COLLEGE KID.
UM, BUT I THINK THERE'S, THERE'S, I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SOME REAL CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THIS AFFECTS PEOPLE.
I JUST KEEP COMING BACK TO, I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR OR EQUITABLE FOR PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY, EVERYONE TO HAVE TO SUBSIDIZE CAR OWNERS.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY DOING WITH $75 FOR ME, I WOULD EVEN JUST VOTE FOR 75 FOR EVERYBODY.
BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT COMPROMISE OF THE $25 FOR ANYONE WHO'S LOW INCOME, MAKING IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR PEOPLE TO JUST DO A CHECKOFF.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION, HOPE THAT WE WILL BE MOVING THIS FORWARD.
AND TO REMIND PEOPLE, WE'VE HAD THIS DISCUSSION FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.
THE COUNCIL HAS ASKED FOR THIS, BEGGED FOR THIS, VOTED FOR THIS, AND THE CITY STAFF HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO YET DO IT.
I REALLY HOPE IT HAPPENS SOON.
COUNCILLOR NOLAN YIELDS, WE'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS.
I, I'M GONNA OFFER A FEW AMENDMENTS, BUT BEFORE I DO THAT, UM, KEEPING WITH MY USUAL STANDARD, AS I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE POLICY ORDER OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, ONE THING THAT CAME TO MY MIND, SOMETHING THAT WAS SAID BY, UH, THE 38TH VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THEN AGAIN BY PRESIDENT CARTER, AND THEN AN ITERATION OF THAT BY POPE FRANCIS AND IT READS IS FALSE.
THE QUALITY OF A SOCIETY, I MEAN OF A CIVILIZATION, IS ALSO JUDGED BY HOW IT TREATS ELDERLY PEOPLE AND BY THE PLACE IT GIVES THEM IN THE COMMUNITY'S LIFE.
UH, WELL, I THINK I UNDERSTAND THE THINKING BEHIND THE ORDER.
I MUST BE DIRECT WITH MY COLLEAGUES OR COLLEAGUE ABOUT WHAT WE ARE ACTUALLY DOING HERE.
WE ARE BEING ASKED TO BELIEVE THAT A $75 FEE WOULD NOT BE A BURDEN ON SENIORS IN PARTICULAR.
BUT THE SENIORS THAT WE AS A COUNCIL REPRESENT ARE NOT ABSTRACTIONS IN A BUDGET LINE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED IN THE CITY FOR DECADES WHO HAVE STAYED THROUGH EVERY WAVE OF DEVELOPMENT AND DISPLACEMENT AND RISING COST.
AND NOW WE ARE ASKING THEM OR TELLING THEM THAT ONE SMALL ACCOMMODATION THIS
[02:40:01]
CITY HAS MADE FOR YOU IS GONE.AND I THINK IF ANYBODY WANTS, THERE'S NOTHING EVER STOPPING ANYONE FOR PAYING MORE.
AND IN FACT, I WANNA SAY DURING, UH, COUNCILOR TOY'S TENURE, HE OFFERED A MOTION, I THOUGHT WE VOTED ON IT, THAT SAID, IF YOU WANNA PAY MORE, YOU CAN.
SO I, I WOULDN'T WEAR IT AS A BADGE SAYING, OH, I'LL PAY MORE.
BECAUSE THAT WAS ALWAYS AN OPTION FOR US TO PAY A HIGHER AMOUNT.
AND THE FEE WAS $25 AT THE TIME.
SO, BUT FOR $75 IS NOMINAL TO SOME OF US.
IT IS NOT NOMINAL TO A SENIOR ON A FIXED INCOME FOR THEM.
IT MIGHT BE A WEEK OF GROCERIES, IT MIGHT BE A COPAY THAT THEY'VE BEEN PUTTING OFF.
UH, JUST RECENTLY I WAS IN STAR MARKET AND THE GENTLEMAN SAYS, YOU KNOW, I'M FALLING BEHIND IN MY RENT 'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD PAY MY RENT OR IF I BUY MY MEDICATION.
AND HERE'S WHAT TROUBLES ME MOST.
WE SPENT TWO YEARS TRYING TO BUILD A TIERED FEE STRUCTURE TO PROTECT LOWER INCOME RESIDENTS.
SO INSTEAD OF SOLVING THAT PROBLEM, WE ARE NOW SIMPLY REMOVING THE PROTECTION ALTOGETHER.
WE COULDN'T BUILD A SYSTEM THAT PROTECTS THE VULNERABLE.
SO WE DECIDED THE VULNERABLE SHOULD GO UNPROTECTED.
AND WHAT'S WORSE, WE ARE BEING ASKED TO REMOVE THIS PROTECTION WITHOUT EVEN TALKING TO OUR SENIORS.
I, FOR THOSE THAT, THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE SERVED WITH ME FOR A WHILE, YOU'LL OFTEN HEAR ME SAY, WE SHOULD TALK TO THE PEOPLE AND NOT ABOUT 'EM.
SO WITHOUT RUNNING THIS BY THE COUNCIL ON AGING, WITHOUT TAKING THIS TO THE FOLKS AT THE SENIOR CENTER, UH, WITHOUT, YOU KNOW, DURING ELECTIONS, WE GO TO ALMOST EVERY SENIOR BUILDING.
WE DIDN'T DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE ON THIS.
WE DIDN'T SEND IT TO COMMITTEE TO EVEN VET.
SO I'M SORRY, THIS IS SIMPLY NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
IF WE GENUINELY BELIEVE AS THIS ORDER SUGGESTS THAT MOST SENIORS WOULD BE HAPPY TO PAY $75, THEN LET'S PUT THAT TO THE TEST, DON'T WE, THE EXEMPTION AND MAKE SENIORS PROVE THAT THEY DESERVE IT.
LET THE SENIORS WHO WISH TO VOLUNTARILY CONTRIBUTE THE $75 OPT IN, CHECK A BOX.
I SUSPECT MINDY WOULD STEP UP.
BUT THE DEFAULT SHOULD NOT BE TO STRIP AWAY A PROTECTION AND FORCE PEOPLE TO ASK FOR IT BACK.
THE BURDEN OF PROOF SHOULD NOT FALL ON OUR SENIORS.
I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THIS AMENDMENT.
AND LET ME JUST, UH, I WILL, I BELIEVE I DON'T, 'CAUSE NAOMI'S NOT HERE.
SO SHE'S THE PERSON THAT USUALLY BRINGS THIS STUFF UP ONTO THE, UM, THE CAMERA.
DO WE HAVE IT? UM, WOULD YOU MIND BRINGING IT FORWARD? YES.
WHAT I'M OFFERING IS TO, UH, AMEND BY REMOVAL THE FOURTH, WHEREAS WHEREAS SENIOR RESIDENTS HAVE PREVIOUSLY BEEN EXEMPTED FOR PAYING THE MINERAL FEE FOR THE COST OF A PARKING PERMIT, I'M ASKING TO REMOVE THAT.
I'M ALSO ASKING TO, IN THE FIRST ORDERED SECOND BULLET, TO AMEND BY REMOVAL, REMOVE THE SENIOR EXEMPTION FOR THE RESIDENTIAL PARKING PROGRAM IN, AND THEN THE PLACING OR SUBMITTING AN ORDERED.
SO IT'S AN ADDITIONAL AMEND BY ADDITION ORDER THAT THE CITY MAYOR TO BE IN IS HEREBY REQUESTED TO WORK WITH THE RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS TO ENSURE THAT, EXCUSE ME, SENIOR RESIDENTS REMAIN EXEMPT FROM BEING CHARGED FOR THE PARKING PERMIT FEE BY DEFAULT.
UNLESS THEY VOLUNTARILY SELF-IDENTIFIED BY CHECKING A BOX ON THEIR PERMANENT APPLICATION ATTESTING THAT THE $75 FEE WOULD NOT CONS CONSTITUTE A FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, IN WHICH CASE THEY WILL BE CHARGED A FULL FEE.
AND BE IT FURTHER, I THINK, I THINK PUTTING THE ONUS ON THOSE THAT CAN PAY MORE, SHOULD BE PUT ON THOSE THAT CAN PAY MORE.
I FIND IT EGREGIOUS THAT WE ASK PEOPLE THAT ARE POOR HAVE MODEST AND MIDDLE, MODEST INCOMES TO ALWAYS PROVE THAT THEY'RE WOR WORTHY.
THEY, THEY APPLY FOR DISCOUNTS ON HOUSING PROVING THEY'RE WORRIED WORTHY FOR FOOD STAMPS, PROVING THAT THEY'RE WORRIED FOR REDUCTION IN CHILDCARE, PROVING THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE WORTHY.
AND SOMETIMES THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
SO I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT MY COLLEAGUES SUPPORT THESE MODEST AMENDMENTS.
IT'S NOT SAYING YOU SHOULDN'T, UM, HAVE RAISE THE FEE.
IT'S JUST WHO YOU RAISE THE FEE ON.
SO WE WILL HAVE THE DISCUSSION BEFORE US ON THESE AMENDMENTS.
I'LL TRY BE AND THEN COUNCILOR ZUBE, TRY TO BE BRIEF.
UM, WE, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT, UH, THIS PARKING PERMIT COST.
I THINK IN TERMS OF THE SUBSIDY THE CITY IS CURRENTLY GIVING TO RESIDENTS WHO OWN A CAR, UH, THAT IT'S NOT GIVING TO RESIDENTS WHO DON'T OWN A CAR.
I TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS LAST TIME TO RENT ANY PRIVATE PARKING SPACE IN THE CITY.
WELL OVER A THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR, AT LEAST A HUNDRED DOLLARS A MONTH.
[02:45:01]
WE'RE GIVING THAT, UH, COST TO CAMBRIDGE RESIDENTS RIGHT NOW FOR $25.UH, THAT'S A SUBSIDY OF HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS, PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WE'RE GIVING ONLY TO RESIDENTS WHO HAVE A CAR.
THERE ARE LOTS OF RESIDENTS WHO DON'T HAVE A CAR WHO WOULD LIKE US TO GIVE THEM A THOUSAND DOLLARS.
WE'RE ONLY GIVING IT TO THE CAR RESIDENTS.
UM, AND THIS, THIS PROPOSAL WOULD INCLUDE A SELF-IDENTIFIED LOW INCOME HARDSHIP OPTION THAT WOULD KEEP THE COST AT $25 FOR ANYONE WHO IDENTIFIED THEY COULD NOT AFFORD MORE THAN THAT.
UM, AS COUNCILOR NOLAN SAID, THIS IS NOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO GIVE UP THEIR CARS.
IT'S ABOUT FAIRNESS FOR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE CARS.
THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT HAS SAID THE COST OF RUNNING THE RESIDENT PROGRAM IS MORE THAN $25 PER CAR.
UH, THAT INCREASE AND THE COST OF PERMITS FOR RESIDENTS WHO AFFORDED IS ABOUT PUTTING THE COST OF THE, THE CAR PARKING IN LINE WITH THE COST OF RUNNING THE PROGRAM SO THAT OTHER RESIDENTS DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 44,000 VEHICLES BEING STORED ON CAMBRIDGE STREETS, 365 DAYS A YEAR.
THAT IS WEAR AND TEAR ON THOSE STREETS.
THAT IS, YOU KNOW, DIRT FROM STREET CLEANING.
THAT IS ALL OF THOSE, THOSE THINGS THAT, THOSE PARKING SPOTS CAUSE.
AND WE'RE, UH, ASKING ALL RESIDENTS TO PAY FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.
WHETHER THEY NOT OWN A CAR, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO ASK THE RESIDENTS WHO OWN A CAR AND, UH, WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT, UH, TO, TO PAY, UH, THE ACTUAL COST OF IT.
UM, I WANNA BE REALLY CLEAR THAT WITH THE SELF-IDENTIFIED HARM OPTION, THIS WOULD NOT INCREASE THE COST FOR RESIDENTS WHO CAN AFFORD, UH, AN AN ADDITIONAL $50 BY 1 CENT.
IT'S NOT MEANS TESTING BECAUSE IT'S NOT EVEN ASKING ANYONE TO PROVE THEIR MEANS.
AND IT IT WOULDN'T REQUIRE ANY ADDITIONAL HOOPS, ANY PAPERWORK, UH, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.
OUR LOWEST INCOME RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE CARS, SHOULD NOT BE FOOTING THE BILL FOR THE CITY TO MAINTAIN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PARKING SPOTS.
'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW.
EVERYONE IS PAYING FOR THE COST OF MAINTAINING THOSE PARKING SPOTS THROUGH THEIR TAX DOLLARS, WHETHER OR NOT THEY OWN A CAR.
AND FIXING THAT IS WHAT THIS POLICY ORDER IS ABOUT.
UH, AND JUST BRIEFLY ON THE, THE AMENDMENTS, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE EXEMPTION SHOULD BE BASED ON INCOME AND NOT AGE.
THAT'S THE WAY WE DO MOST OTHER PROGRAMS IN THE CITY.
HEATING PROGRAM, TAXES, TAX LIENS, ALL BASED ON INCOME.
I THINK ABOUT HERE IS THE PRESIDENT OF HARVARD, ALAN GARBER, WHO'S 71.
WE'RE SAYING HE, HE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY $75 INSTEAD OF INSTEAD OF 25.
I, I THINK THAT'S A CLEAR CASE WHERE THE DEFAULT SHOULD BE.
ALAN GARBER, HE WAS MAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EACH YEAR, SHOULD PAY $75.
UM, THIS WOULD NOT RAISE THE COST FOR LOW INCOME SENIORS AT ALL.
AND THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE, PROVIDE ANY MORE DOCUMENTATION.
THE IDEA THAT FOLKS WOULD HAVE TO HAVE TO PROVE THIS, THAT IT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL BARRIER.
EVERYONE EVERY SINGLE YEAR HAS TO REAPPLY FOR THE PARKING PERMIT AND IT WOULD BE A BOX THEY CHECK.
NO ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION, NO ADDITIONAL PROOF.
IT'S WHAT, WHAT THEIR FOLKS ARE DOING ANYWAY, IT'S NOT ANY ADDITIONAL STEPS.
NOT ONE SINGLE ONE EXCEPT CHECK IN THAT BOX.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE OTHER MINUTES, YOU KNOW, THE VAST MAJORITY OF SENIORS ARE ON MEDICARE.
UM, AND IT'S EASIER TO PROVE YOUR AGE THAN, THAN YOUR MEDICARE STATUS IF WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, UM, PROVING THINGS AT ALL.
SO IF, IF WE'RE GONNA DO ONE OF THOSE, I THINK IT WOULD MAKE MORE SENSE TO DO THE SENIOR EXEMPTION, UH, THAN THE MEDICARE EXEMPTION.
JUST 'CAUSE 'CAUSE THAT WOULD BE EASIER TO PROVE.
UM, I APPRECIATE THE INTENT BEHIND LOWERING THE COST TO $0 FOR SOME RESIDENTS.
UM, BUT WHILE THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I SUPPORT BEING FREE AND UNIVERSAL, LIKE PUBLIC LIBRARIES, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PUBLIC TRANSIT BECAUSE THEY ARE A PUBLIC GOOD, UH, I'M NOT ADVOCATING FOR UNIVERSAL OR FREE PARKING BECAUSE PARKING IS NOT ONE OF THOSE PUBLIC GOODS.
IT IS A PRIVATE GOOD, UH, FOR PRIVATE RESIDENTS WHO OWN CARS, NOT FOR ALL RESIDENTS.
UM, THE PRINCIPLE IN PUBLIC POLICY IS THAT WHEN SOMETHING NOT, UH, SOMETHING COSTS MONEY AND IS GIVEN TO FOLKS FOR FREE, THAT COST IS ACTUALLY BEING PASSED ON TO ALL THE RESIDENTS IN THE CITY.
UH, IN SOME CASES THAT'S A GOOD THING.
FREE PUBLIC SCHOOL SHOULD BE PAID BY EVERYBODY, WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE KIDS.
I AM VERY HAPPY TO PAY FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL.
UH, BUT I'M NOT IN FAVOR OF PASSING THE COST OF PARKING ONTO ALL RESIDENTS BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY LOW INCOME RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE CARS.
AND THOSE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY A CENT FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAVE CARS, CARS COST THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, IN SOME CASE, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
AND WE SHOULDN'T BE SHIFTING THE COST OF PARKING AWAY FROM RESIDENTS WHO CAN AFFORD THEM TO RESIDENTS WHO DO NOT.
UH, SO I'M, UH, GONNA SUPPORT THIS, UH, WILL NOT BE SIMILAR TO THE AMENDMENTS.
SO JUST SO WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE, WE HAVE COUNCILOR SIMMONS AMENDMENTS, AND THEN WE DID GET THESE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS BY COUNCIL ZUBIE BEFORE.
SHE HASN'T FORMALLY INTRODUCED THEM, BUT THEY WERE ON OUR DESKS.
SO, UM, I WILL FIRST GO TO COUNSELOR FLAHERTY, AND THEN I'LL QUOTE A COUNSELOR ZUBIE TO SPEAK TO HER AMENDMENTS.
THE WAY THIS WORKS IS WE'LL HAVE TO DISPOSE OF, WE KINDA HAVE TO GO BACKWARDS AND SO WE'LL HAVE TO DISPOSE OF COUNCILOR ZUBIE AMENDMENTS FIRST AND THEN GO TO COUNSELOR SIMMONS AMENDMENTS.
BUT FIRST I'LL GO TO COUNSELOR FLAHERTY AND ANYONE ELSE WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK MAD MAYOR, I MOVE TO, UH, REFER THE ENTIRE MATTER TO COMMITTEE, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE THAT I CHAIR WITH VICE MAYOR, UH, AZIM FOR A FULL HEARING OF THE ISSUES.
[02:50:01]
ANOTHER FLOOR MOTION THAT'S BEFORE US, UH, TO REFER THE MATTER TO COM COMMITTEE.WE'LL HAVE TO VOTE ON THAT FIRST AND THEN GO BACKWARDS.
AND SO DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE A MOTION TO MAKE AT THIS TIME? ADJOURN? NO.
SO ANOTHER AND DO YOU HAVE, DO YOU WANNA SPEAK TO THESE? I HAD A PREFERENCE ON THE, GO AHEAD.
UM, MY SUGGESTION WAS TO DISPOSE OF, UM, UH, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS MOTION FIRST BECAUSE IT WOULD IMPACT, LIKE HOW, I THINK WE TALK ABOUT THE SECOND MOTION, UNDERSTANDING HOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED BY THE PRICE CHANGE WAS JUST MY PREFERENCE.
IF POSSIBLE, WE HAVE TO DISPOSE ON THE ORDER.
AND COUNCIL FLAHERTY'S MOTION TAKES IS THE MOST, MOST RECENT THAT WAS BROUGHT TO THE FOR, SO WE HAVE TO DISPOSE OF THAT.
IF IT'S NO, THEN WE GO BACK TO THE OTHER AMENDMENTS.
SO DOES ANYONE WANNA SPEAK TO COUNCILOR FLAHERTY'S? POINT, POINT INFORMATION? MADAM CHAIR, GO AHEAD.
COUNCILOR SIMMONS, IF MS IF MY COLLEAGUE MOVES TO SEND IT TO COMMITTEE DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN IT WOULD STOP DEBATE.
IT MEANS THE FINAL OUTCOME WOULD BE AT LEAST UNDER MY UNDERSTANDING AND I WOULD DEFER TO THE CLERK.
UH, IT DOESN'T, IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY CUT OFF DEBATE WITH, WITH MY COLLEAGUE, AND I'M NOT GONNA SPEAK FOR HIM, BUT I'M SPEAKING FOR HIM.
UM, IS HE SAYING I THINK THIS SHOULD BE VETTED IN COMMITTEE, WHICH I CERTAINLY AGREE.
NOW IT CERTAINLY COULD GO TO COMMITTEE VETTED, UH, AS AMENDED, BUT, UM, I WILL YIELD, UH, TO THE CLERK OR ROBERT WINTERS
THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE, BUT I COULD BE WRONG.
SO CONFERRING WITH, UM, THE CLERK, UH, WHAT WE COULD DO IS GO BACK TO COUNSELOR FLAHERTY AND SAY IT PROBABLY MAKES THE MOST SENSE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WANT REFERRED, UM, AND TO YOU TO, UM, WHAT'S THE WORD I'M LOOKING FOR? HE COULD RE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MOVE IT TO COMMITTEE UNTIL AFTER THE CONVERSATION.
SO WAIT TO, UM, THE BALANCE OF THE CONVERSATION.
COUNCILOR FAHERTY, UH, I'M MOVING TO REFER TO THE ENTIRE QUESTION TO THE COMMITTEE.
SO THE BALANCE OF THE ORIGINAL POLICY ORDER AND AMENDMENTS FOR A FULL HEARING AND FULL VETTING OF ALL THE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE ORIGINAL POLICY ORDER.
SO NOT THAT THE DISCUSSION ENDS, BUT THE DISCUSSION BEGINS AS ITS FULLY VETTED.
THAT'S THE INTENT OF MY, UH, MOTION TO REFER IT TO COMMITTEE.
YEAH, I, I WAS, UM, I WOULD RATHER DO THAT BEFORE VOTING ON ANY OF THE AMENDMENTS AND DISCUSS ALL OF THESE THINGS AT A COMMITTEE MEETING BECAUSE I'M REALLY, UM, FIRST OF ALL, EVERYBODY OFFERING AMENDMENT AND I GOT SOME I COULD OFFER TOO.
UM, WHERE TRYING TO DO THIS ON THE FLOOR AND ON THE FLY IS PROBABLY NOT THE BEST WAY TO DO IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'M REALLY TORN ABOUT THIS AND, AND I, AND I AGREE WITH MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR SIMMONS ABOUT SENIORS, ANYBODY ACTUALLY, I MEAN, NOT JUST SENIORS, BUT ANYONE WHO IS ON A FIXED INCOME, ANYONE WHO IS, UM, YOU KNOW, STRUGGLING TO PAY THEIR BILLS, I DO NOT WANT TO SEE THE FEE INCREASE FOR THEM.
UM, BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR CITY WHO, INCLUDING SENIORS WHO COULD PAY, DON'T NEED THE EXEMPTION, RIGHT? AND GET IT.
UM, FOR ME, THIS ISN'T ABOUT, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO DON'T DRIVE SUBSIDIZING DRIVERS.
THAT'S HOW TAXES WORK, RIGHT? THAT'S HOW THINGS WORK, RIGHT? I PAY TAXES, I PAY FEDERAL TAXES, I PAY TAXES.
A LOT OF THE MONEY I PAY FOR GO TO THINGS THAT I NEVER USE, I NEVER PERSONALLY BENEFIT FROM.
A LOT OF IT GOES TO THINGS I REALLY DISAGREE WITH THEM GOING TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, LOOK AT THE WAR THAT'S GOING ON NOW.
UM, BUT THAT'S KIND OF HOW TAXES WORK.
SO THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT PAY TAXES AND IT GOES TO BIKE LANES AND THEY DON'T RIDE BIKES.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO PAY TAXES THAT GOES TO SUPPORT, THAT GO TO SUPPORT EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, AND THEY DON'T HAVE KIDS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT ARE IN PRESCHOOL.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO PAY TAXES THAT GO TO SUPPORT CARS AND THEY DON'T DRIVE.
[02:55:01]
OF THE BALL GAME, RIGHT? UM, BUT FOR ME, THIS IS REALLY ABOUT, WE, WE, WE ARE IN A TOUGH FISCAL TIME RIGHT NOW.WE KEEP TALKING ABOUT IT AND WE ARE RUNNING A PROGRAM THAT RUNS ABOUT A $2 MILLION DEFICIT, DOESN'T EVEN PAY FOR ITSELF.
THIS ISN'T ABOUT MAKING MONEY.
THIS IS ABOUT JUST COVERING COSTS AND THAT'S WHERE THE $75 COMES FROM.
BUT I DON'T WANT THAT $75 TO BE BALANCED ON THE BACKS OF LOW INCOME PEOPLE, INCLUDING SENIORS.
SO I STRUGGLE WITH, I THINK THE WORDING IN THIS POLICY ORDER, EVEN AS A CO-SPONSOR, I THINK WE MESSED UP A LITTLE BIT ON THE, I THINK WE COULD'VE WORKED THIS OUT DIFFERENTLY, UM, BY SAYING REMOVE THE SENIOR EXEMPTION.
I THINK THAT THAT GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE THINKING THAT'S FOR ALL SENIORS, RIGHT? AND IN THE BULLET POINT ABOVE WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT FOLKS WHO LIVE IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, ENROLLED IN PROGRAMS, WE DIDN'T INCLUDE SENIORS ON A FIXED INCOME OR IF YOU'RE SUPPORTED BY SSI OR SSDI, WE DIDN'T.
SO IF I'M A SENIOR LOOKING AT THIS, I DON'T SEE MYSELF LISTED NECESSARILY IN THE LIST OF EXEMPTIONS.
AND THEN THE NEXT BULLET SAYS, YOU'RE GONNA TAKE MY EX EXEMPT, MY MY EXEMPTION AWAY.
OF COURSE, PEOPLE ARE GONNA THINK THAT IT APPLIES TO THEM, AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE MEANT.
SO I WOULD, MY POSITION WAS, WAS ONE OF TWO THINGS.
EITHER SEND THIS TO COMMITTEE WHERE WE CAN DEBATE ALL OF THESE AMENDMENTS AND ALL OF THESE THINGS AND HAVE A FURTHER DISCUSSION.
I WAS EVEN GONNA SUGGEST JUST PUT IT BACK ON THE TABLE AND THEN LET'S A FEW PEOPLE GET TOGETHER AND TRY TO REWORD IT IN A WAY.
I TALKED TO A BUNCH OF SENIORS WHO TESTIFIED TONIGHT OUTSIDE.
THEY ALL SAID, WELL, THEY WERE, THEY ALL, THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT SENIORS ON LOW INCOME.
AND WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION, THEY ALL SAID, YEAH, SENIORS WHO MAKE A MILLION DOLLARS SHOULD PAY MORE MONEY.
SO I JUST THINK THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION AROUND THIS.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GONNA SOLVE IT TONIGHT.
SO EITHER SEND IT TO COMMITTEE AND HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS, OR LET'S TABLE IT AND LET'S, SO I THINK WHAT WE SHOULD DO, HEARING ALL OF THIS, WHAT'S EASIEST TO DO, AND THIS DOESN'T MEAN COMMITTEE HEARING CAN'T HAPPEN, BUT, UM, I WILL TAKE THE SUGGESTION ON, UM, I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO TABLE THIS SO THAT, AND WE NEED TO TABLE IT.
IT'S A NON-NEGOTIABLE, UM, NON DEBATABLE, NON DEBATABLE MOTION.
SO WE HAVE TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE VOTE AND WE NEED FIVE VOTES TO DO THAT.
AND I'LL JUST SAY I AGREE WITH WHAT, UM, A LOT OF WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER GOVERNOR HAS SAID, YOU KNOW, I THINK I AGREE WITH A LOT OF THE INTENT AND I THINK, BUT THE IMPACT THIS HAS HAD, THAT IT'S CREATED SOME QUESTIONS THAT I DO THINK WE CAN CLARIFY AND, UM, YOU KNOW, DO A BETTER JOB OF, UM, COMMUNICATING AND, UM, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
SO, ON THAT, WE HAVE TO DO A ROLL CALL.
SO YOU WERE SAYING I WAS JUST HELPING YOU.
I GONNA HELP FORWARD YOUR MOTION YES.
WE'RE GONNA GO AHEAD AND DO A ROLL CALL ON LAYING THIS ON THE TABLE.
AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, AND ONE RECORDED IS PRESENT.
THE POLICY ORDER IS LAID ON THE TABLE.
WE WERE GOING TO THE POLICY, OR NUMBER TWO UNDER THE CHARTER, RIGHT, WHICH IS THAT THE CITY MANAGERS REQUESTED TO WORK WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS ON THE PROCESS BY WHICH CAMBRIDGE CAN EXPAND FREE EARLY CHILDCARE OFFERINGS, INCLUDING MODELS FOR MEANS TESTED PROGRAMMING AND EXPIRATION OF NON-CITY FUNDING SOURCES FROM THE STATE OR FOUNDATIONS.
THE CHARTER RIGHT WAS EXERCISED BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS AT FEB ON THAT FEBRUARY 9TH MEETING, AND IS AS PAST PRACTICE, WE'LL GO TO THE LEAD MOTION MAKER, COUNCILLOR NOLAN.
IF SHE YIELDS, WE'LL GO TO COUNCILLOR SIMMONS.
MADAM CHAIR, I JUST WANTED PLEASE, COUNCILLOR SIMMONS.
CAN YOU YOUR POINT PLEASE RECORDED THAT I OBJECT TO THE RULING OF THE CHAIR.
UM, SO THIS, UM, POLICY HERE, IT REALLY IS ABOUT BUILDING ON LOTS OF WORK THAT WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST YEARS AND SAYING WE WANNA CONTINUE THAT WORK.
I MEAN, IT'S SOME, I WON'T GO AT LENGTH, BUT IT REALLY IS SAYING IT'S A REAL HIGH PRIORITY.
THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST WAYS WE CAN TO SERVE THE FOLKS IN THE CITY.
WE ALSO CONTROL IT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T CONTROL ALL OF POVERTY, BUT WE CAN PRODUCE AND HOPEFULLY PROVIDE AN EXPANSION OF OUR, UM, THE CPP, THE CAMBRIDGE PRESCHOOL PROGRAM.
ALSO REFER TO AS, UH, UPK UNIVERSAL PRE-K.
THIS IS, UM, A REALLY EXCITING IDEA.
I KNOW ALL OF US HAVE BEEN REALLY THRILLED WITH SOME OF THE ROLLOUT
[03:00:01]
OF THE UNIVERSAL.RIGHT NOW WE'RE SERVING ALL FOUR YEAR OLDS AND ALL LOW INCOME THREE YEAR OLDS, AND YET WE ALSO KNOW EVENTUALLY WE WANNA GET DOWN TO ZERO TO THREE.
ALL THIS DOES IS SAY, INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR A LONG TIME, JUST, WE'RE NOT SURE WHETHER WE COULD AFFORD IT IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
BUT THE IDEA IS LET'S GET THE CITY STARTED AND SAY, THIS IS SOMETHING WE KNOW WE WANNA DO.
HOW IS IT THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY FIT IT IN, IN THE BUDGET? UM, AND IT JUST ASKS THE CITY MANAGER TO START WORKING ON THAT.
AND I KNOW ALL OF US HAVE BEEN WANTING TO DO SOMETHING VERY SPECIFIC AND CLEAR TO MOVE THIS FORWARD.
SO THAT, THAT'S THE INTENT OF THIS.
I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE CO-SPONSORS OF, UM, COUNCILOR MCGOVERN AND, AND YOU MAYOR SIDIKI.
I REALLY HOPE WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
I KNOW THERE'S AN AMENDMENT ON THE TABLE.
UM, I CAN TALK SOME ABOUT THAT, THAT THAT COULD BE PART OF THE ASK.
I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD, UH, ASSUME THAT THAT'S, THAT'S THE WAY TO DO IT, TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES REMAIN ELIGIBLE.
BUT I, I, I'M NOT CRAZY ABOUT THE LANGUAGE FOR IT, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY SUPPORT IT BECAUSE IT DOES, UH, PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION THAT THERE'S A VOLUNTARY SELF-IDENTIFICATION.
AND WE WOULD ALWAYS DO THAT IF WE'RE DOING MEANS TESTING, IT WOULD BE A SLIDING FEE SCALE.
SO I THINK THAT'S ALREADY IMPLICIT IN THE POLICY ORDER, BUT IF WE WANNA MAKE IT MORE EXPLICIT, WE CAN.
I'M JUST REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE IDEA OF US MOVING THIS FORWARD.
AGAIN, AS THE POLICY ORDER LAYS OUT, ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING THINGS IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY WAS THAT WHEN NEW MEXICO SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED THEIR CHILDCARE SERVICES, FIRST THROUGH ARPA FUNDING, AND NOW THROUGH THEIR STATE BUDGET, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES MOVED OUT OF POVERTY.
SO I WOULD REALLY LOVE CAMBRIDGE TO BE A LEADER, EVEN MORE OF A LEADER THAN WE ARE NOW.
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
SO, JUST WANNA BE CLEAR AGAIN, I'M GONNA OFFER A COUPLE OF, NO, NOT A COUPLE, JUST ONE MODEST CHANGE, UH, TO THIS POLICY ORDER.
AND I THINK THE FOLKS FOR THEIR THOUGHTFULNESS AT TRYING TO RUN A PROGRAM THAT'S GOING TO, THAT IS CERTAINLY NEEDED WANTED, BUT DOES COST QUITE A BIT OF MONEY.
UH, SO I WANNA JUST BE CLEAR, I SUPPORT THE GOAL OF THIS ORDER WHOLEHEARTEDLY.
EXPANDING ACCESS TO UNIVERSAL FREE QUALITY CHILDCARE IS ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL INVESTMENTS THE CITY CAN MAKE.
BUT I DO HAVE A FEW FUNDAMENTAL CONCERNS WITH HOW THE MEANS TESTING COMPONENT OF THIS ORDER IS STRUCTURED.
AND I THINK IT MATTERS ENORMOUSLY.
THE ORIGINAL ORDER OPENS THE DOOR TO MEANS TESTING PROGRAMMING AS A WAY TO EXPAND ACCESS WITH A CONSTRAINED WITHIN A CONSTRAINED BUDGET.
AND I UNDERSTAND THE FISCAL REASONING, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO HAVE MEANS TESTING, WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHO BEARS THE BURDEN OF NAVIGATING IT.
BECAUSE IN MY EXPERIENCE AND THE EXPERIENCE OF COUNTLESS FAMILIES THAT I'VE SPOKEN WITH, MEANS TESTING OFTEN BECOMES A BARRIER IN PRACTICE, EVEN WHEN IT ISN'T INTENDED TO BE ONE.
THEY DON'T HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION, THEY FEEL STIGMATIZED.
AND THE FAMILY WHO NEED HELP THE MOST ARE OFTEN THE ONES LEAST EQUIPPED TO FIGHT THE BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS TO GET IT.
SO MY AMENDMENT JUST FLIPS THE DEFAULT.
RATHER THAN REQUIRING FAMILIES TO PROVE THEIR QUALITY FOR FREE CHILDCARE, FAMILIES ARE ENROLLED AT NO COST BY DEFAULT.
IF A FAMILY CAN GENUINELY AFFORD TO PAY, IF THE COST OF THE CARE FOR CHILDCARE WOULD NOT CONSTITUTE A HARDSHIP, THEY CAN VOLUNTARILY CHECK, VOLUNTARILY CHECK A BOX ON THE APPLICATION AND CONTRIBUTE ACCORDINGLY.
ONE BOX, THIS IS NOT A RADICAL IDEA.
IT'S A COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO PROGRAM DESIGN THAT PUTS THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE WHO SERVE AHEAD OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CONVENIENCE.
IT SAYS, WE TRUST OUR FAMILIES.
WE ASSUME NEED RATHER THAN ASSUMING ABILITY TO PAY AND MAKING PEOPLE PROVE OTHERWISE.
WE HAVE WORKED FOR 20 YEARS TO GET THIS TO THIS MOMENT.
LET'S NOT BUILD A PROGRAM THAT WORKS BEAUTIFULLY ON PAPER, BUT PUTS UP INVISIBLE WALLS FOR FAMILIES WHO NEED IT MOST.
AND I HOPE MY COLLEAGUES WILL SUPPORT MY AMENDMENT.
THE AMENDMENT IS BEFORE YOU AND IT SAYS, ORDER THAT IN IMPLEMENTING ANY MEAN TESTED COMPONENT OF EXPANDED EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAMMING THAT THE CITY MANAGER BE IN A HEREBY IS REQUESTED TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES REMAIN ELIGIBLE FOR THE EARLY CHILDHOOD CHILDCARE, EXCUSE ME, BY DEFAULT, UNLESS THEY VOLUNTARILY SELF-IDENTIFY BY CHECKING A BOX ON THEIR APPLICATION OF TESTING, THAT THE COST OF CHILDCARE WOULD NOT CONSTITUTE A FINANCIAL HARDSHIP, IN WHICH CASE THEY SHALL BE CHARGED THE APPLICABLE FEE A YIELD.
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS HAS AN AMENDMENT BEFORE US DISCUSSION ON THIS.
THANKS MADAM MAYOR THROUGH YOU.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL, I'LL SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT.
I'M NOT SURE I AGREE THAT THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO GO.
UM, BUT I THINK IT, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THIS CONVERSATION, UM, IF WE WANNA THROW THIS INTO THE MIX TO, YOU KNOW, TO TALK ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD COUNCILLOR ZUZI, UH, I'M, I UNDERSTAND THE INTENTION OF THE, UH, AMENDMENT, UH, COUNCILLOR
[03:05:01]
SIMMONS, BUT I, I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S NECESSARY SINCE THE POLICY ORDER ASKS, UM, THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS STAFF TO EVALUATE DIFFERENT MODELS FOR MEANS TESTING PROGRAMMING.SO I, SO I THINK IT WOULD, IT, IT, THIS, UH, POLICY ORDER WOULD LEAD TO AN EXPLORATION OF LIKE, HOW, HOW THEY WOULD DETERMINE, UH, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT, UH, FAMILIES WOULD PAY FOR THE CHILDCARE.
THE OTHER THING I WONDER ABOUT IS UNDER THE FIRST ORDERED, UM, IT SAYS, UM, THAT THE CITY MANAGER BE IN HEREBY IS REQUESTED TO WORK WITH THE CITY COUNCIL ON RELEVANT CITY DEPARTMENTS ON THE PROCESS BY WHICH CAMBRIDGE CAN EXPAND.
SHOULDN'T IT BE EARLY CHILDCARE OFFERINGS? SHOULDN'T WE DELETE THE FREE 'CAUSE IF THERE'S GONNA BE A TIERED SYSTEM, IT WOULDN'T BE FREE FOR EVERYONE.
AND THEN THERE'S ANOTHER FREE, THEN IT SAYS, UM, INCLUDING MODELS FOR MEAN MEANS TESTED PROGRAMMING AND EXPLORATION OF NON-CITY FUNDING SOURCES FROM THE STATE OR FOUNDATIONS TOWARDS THE GOAL OF UNIVERSAL.
AGAIN, I WONDER IF FREE SHOULDN'T BE DELETED 'CAUSE IT WOULD NO LONGER BE FREE FOR EVERYONE.
QUALITY CHI CHILDCARE FOR EVERY FAMILY IN BE IT FURTHER.
SO I I I WONDER IF THOSE TWO FREES SHOULD BE ELIMINATED.
AND MY LARGER QUESTION IS, I I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS STAFF EXPLORE THIS.
I AM CONCERNED, I, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S TALKED TO CHERYL OLSON ABOUT THIS OR, OR EARLY, UM, OUR, OUR, OUR LEADERS IN DEVELOPING THE UPK PROGRAM, BUT I, I DO WORRY IF WE HAVE A TIERED SYSTEM, BUT I'M ASSUMING THAT THE STAFF AND THE CITY MANAGER WOULD REPORT BACK ON THIS, THAT IT COULD IN SOME WAY, LIKE BREAK THE PROGRAM.
BECAUSE THE REASON THAT IT WORKS IS THAT KIDS OF ALL INCOME LEVELS PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM.
IF THERE IS A FEE, IF ALL OF A SUDDEN IT COSTS $25,000 OR $30,000 TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM, SOME PARENTS MAY CHOOSE TO WITHDRAW FROM THE PROGRAM, RIGHT? AND IS ISN'T THE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM SORT OF GUARANTEED BY HAVING A, A, A GREAT MIX OF INCOME LEVELS, UH, ALL THE KIDS LEARNING TO TOGETHER.
SO I, I'M ASSUMING THAT THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE REPORT BACK OF THE CITY MANAGER AND HIS DEPARTMENTS.
SO AGAIN, I, I UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THE INTENTION OF COUNCILOR SIMMONS AMENDMENT, BUT I DON'T THINK IT'S NECESSARY.
AND I, I DO THINK WE SHOULD PROBABLY DELETE THOSE TWO FREEZE BECAUSE, UH, IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT A TIERED FUNDING SYSTEM, IT MAY NOT BE FREE FOR ALL.
SO I, I KNOW COUNCILOR SIMMONS, YOU'D LIKE TO RESPOND TO COUNCILOR SUZIE, JUST A QUICK RESPONSE TO, AND THEN ANYONE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN, I'D LIKE THEM TO SPEAK COUNCILLOR SIMMONS.
COUNCILLOR SUZI MEANS TESTING OFTEN IN, IN THE MIDDLE.
YOU HERE MEANS, YOU KNOW, HOW, WHAT IS YOUR ABILITY TO PAY? WE DON'T THINK ABOUT, OH, SORRY,
SO I, IF YOU DON'T SOMETIMES SAY BE VERY SPECIFIC TO, I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT NOT ONLY CAN YOU PAY AND STRATIFY THE COST, THINKING ABOUT ASKING PEOPLE I KNOW YOU CAN PAY AND SAY THAT YOU CAN.
SO I'M TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T LOOK THROUGH THE SAME LENS WE ALWAYS LOOK THROUGH.
AYE, BEFORE WE GO BACK TO COUNCIL MCGOVERN, ANYONE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN WOULD THEY LIKE TO SPEAK ON, ON COUNCILOR SIMMONS AMENDMENTS? COUNCIL MCGOVERN, GO AHEAD.
YEAH, I JUST WANT TO, UM, IT'S BEEN A FEW WEEKS SINCE WE, UM, YOU KNOW, SINCE WE TALKED, TALKED ABOUT THIS, BUT I WANTED TO JUST, THE LAST TIME WE SPOKE ABOUT IT, I MENTIONED THAT, UM, THOSE OF US WHO WERE PART OF THE TASK FORCE AND HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS DID MEET, UM, UH, WITH, UM, THE EARLY CHILDHOOD DEPARTMENT AND, AND, AND WITH DHSP, UM, TO TALK ABOUT THE PROGRAM IN GENERAL AND, AND, AND WHERE THE PROGRAM IS GOING.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP WAS THIS QUESTION OF SHOULD IT, YOU KNOW, SHOULD IT BE A MEANS TESTED PROGRAM SO THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IT'S, IT'S A SIMILAR, IT'S A SIMILAR QUESTION.
NO ONE IS AGAINST SUBSIDIZING AND PAYING AND MAKING THE PROGRAM FREE FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AFFORD IT.
THE QUESTION IS, YOU KNOW, IF SOMEONE WHO EARNS $5 MILLION A YEAR LIVES IN CAMBRIDGE, SHOULD THEY BE GETTING FREE PRESCHOOL WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WANTING TO EXPAND IT TO THREE YEAR OLDS, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE TAX DOLLARS TO DO THAT.
IS THAT A WAY TO MAYBE SUPPLEMENT
[03:10:01]
EXPANDING THE PROGRAM? BUT ISSUES CAME UP TOO ABOUT, AS COUNCILLOR SUZI MENTIONED, WAS DO YOU THEN LOSE CERTAIN PEOPLE? RIGHT.UM, YOU KNOW, ONE THING THAT I FIND IS THAT NO MATTER HOW MUCH, I MEAN, NOT THAT I HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT FROM LISTENING TO PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE, YOU ALWAYS THINK YOU'RE STRAPPED, RIGHT? SO IF YOU'RE GONNA SAY TO SOMEBODY, HEY, YOU MAKE $400,000 A YEAR, DO YOU WANT FREE PRESCHOOL OR DO YOU WANT TO PAY $40,000? I BET YOU NOBODY CHECKS THAT BOX THAT THEY WANT TO PAY $40,000.
THEY'D RATHER HAVE THAT MONEY FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
UM, AND SO DO THEY DROP OUT, YOU KNOW, UM, BUT THESE ARE ALL, NO ONE IS SUGGESTING THAT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DOING, OR THIS IS WHERE, THIS WAS ONE OF A NUMBER OF THINGS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU CHOOSE A CERTAIN PRESCHOOL, IT GIVES YOU AN UPPER HAND IN THE LOTTERY FOR KINDERGARTEN, FOR THAT SCHOOL WHEN YOU ENTER THE CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC.
IS THAT FAIR? THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AROUND THIS PROGRAM, WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD BE CHARGING PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD, WHO CAN AFFORD IT, AND WE CAN SET THAT LIMIT AT WHATEVER WE WANT.
WE CAN SET IT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU MAKE UNDER A MILLION DOLLARS, YOU GET IT FOR FREE.
I MEAN, THAT, THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT ARE SORT OF BEING TALKED ABOUT, BUT THIS, IT, IT'S NOT BEFORE THIS TRAIN GETS TOO FAR DOWN THE TRACK, LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE DOING.
I JUST WANNA REMIND PEOPLE THAT THIS WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT AS A POSSIBILITY.
NOBODY IS SAYING THAT THIS IS THE WAY IT'S GONNA HAPPEN AND IT WOULD MEAN THAT WE HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM UNIVERSAL PRE-K.
WE WOULD NO LONGER BE A UNIVERSAL PRE-K PROGRAM.
WE WOULD BE A TIERED PROGRAM BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T BE AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY REGARDLESS OF INCOME.
WE MAY DECIDE THAT THAT'S MAKES MOST SENSE.
BUT, UM, I JUST WANTED TO PUT IT IN SOME SORT OF CONTEXT LIKE THIS IS, THIS IS ALL STUFF THAT'S BEING DISCUSSED, BUT NO DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE AND NOBODY IS, THERE'S PROBLEMS AND BENEFITS TO ALL OF IT.
AND I THINK TO COUNSELOR, UM, MCGOVERN'S POINT, JUST A REMINDER AROUND, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT EXPANDING, UM, FUNDING EXPANSION SOONER AND I THINK THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN BUDGET HEARINGS, UM, WE HAVE TO STRATEGIZE ABOUT FINANCIAL COMMITMENT IN THE YEARS TO COME.
AND SO HOW DO WE EXPAND, UM, AND POTENTIALLY MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
UM, AND SO THAT'S KIND OF, I THINK THE ORDER GETS TO, UM, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, OKAY, WHAT ARE THE TRADE OFFS HERE IF WE DO DO THAT? UM, SO THAT, I JUST WANTED TO GET THAT ON THE RECORD AS WELL.
YES, COUNSELOR, I WILL GO TO VICE MAYOR AZIM, WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM HIM.
AND THEN ANYONE ELSE, BEFORE I GO BACK TO COUNCILLOR NOLAN VICE MAYOR, UM, I WILL SUPPORT BOTH THE AMENDMENT AND THE POLICY ORDER UNDERLYING IT REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS.
UM, BUT JUST WANTED TO SAY LIKE, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH COUNSELOR MCGOVERN IN THAT THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS THAT WILL COME BEFORE US.
I'LL SAY I'M STILL VERY SKEPTICAL OF THIS TIERED APPROACH IN THAT LIKE, THERE'S ALL SORTS OF OTHER EFFECTS AS WELL.
LIKE IMAGINE A FAMILY THAT'S MAKING, LIKE, LET'S SAY THE CUTOFF FOR LIKE A FREE PROGRAM IS 150,000, RIGHT? WE'RE BEING VERY GENEROUS.
THEN MAYBE A FAMILY IS MAKING 160,000 AND THEY ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE BECAUSE THE PROGRAM IS WORTH $40,000 A YEAR, THEY WOULD ACTUALLY BE BETTER OFF IF THEY WERE INSTEAD MAKING $130,000.
RIGHT? THERE'S ALL THESE SORTS OF COMPLICATED EFFECTS THAT COME.
AND I REALLY LIKE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF BUY-IN TO TRY TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM WORK BECAUSE IT'S STANDARD AND SIMPLE AND EVERYONE CAN PARTICIPATE IN IT.
I UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO EXPAND IT TO EVERYONE, AND I THINK THAT HAVING A SLOW TAX, UH, BASE INCREASE WHERE WE CAN KIND OF GET THERE FEELS LIKE TO ME, A MORE SUSTAINABLE, EASY, SIMPLE, RELIABLE APPROACH.
BUT WE'LL HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WHEN WE HAVE THEM.
JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN WHY I'M VOTING THE WAY I AM TONIGHT.
ANYONE ELSE ON THE AMENDMENTS? COUNCILLOR NOLAN.
JUST QUICKLY, UM, I WILL SAY THROUGH YOU TO COUNCILLOR SUZI POINT, YES.
AND THERE'S BEEN MEETINGS HAPPENING.
I'VE TALKED TO, UM, THEN, UH, A CM SOFF AND ALSO THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT THIS A WHILE AGO.
COUNCILLOR WILSON WHEN SHE WAS HERE WAS, YOU KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN TALKED ABOUT FOR A LONG TIME AND THIS DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN WE, IF THE ONLY WAY WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN IS MEANS TESTING, GREAT.
BUT, SO I DON'T WANNA TAKE OUT THE WORD FREE BECAUSE I THINK THAT CONTINUES TO BE A GOAL, BUT THE ANSWER MAY BE WE CAN'T DO IT FOR FREE.
IF YOU WANNA EXPAND IT QUICKLY, AS MAYOR SIDIKI SAID THAT THIS IS PARTLY ABOUT TIMING AS WELL.
AND THE WHOLE POINT OF THIS, UH, POLICY ORDER IS TO SEE HOW WE CAN GET TO THAT GOAL AND WHAT THE TRADE-OFFS MIGHT BE.
'CAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER TRADE OFF TO IT.
MAYBE IF WE MAKE IT ALL FREE, FAMILIES WILL COME INTO THE CITY, FLOOD INTO THE CITY WITH PRESCHOOLERS AND THEN LEAVE, YOU KNOW, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT AND THEN GO SOMEWHERE ELSE WHEN THEIR KIDS ARE OLDER.
SO IT COULD GO BOTH WAYS THAT MAYBE WE DON'T WANT IT TO BE FREE FOR ALL.
SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF DISCUSSIONS NEED TO HAPPEN.
PLUS THERE'S THE, THE CHALLENGE JUST ADMINISTRATIVELY HOW WE WOULD DO A MEANS TESTING.
BUT I'M REALLY, UH, HOPEFUL THOSE ADDRESS SOME OF THE CONCERNS.
ANYONE WHO HASN'T SPOKEN BEFORE WE MOVE ON, UH, VOTE ON THE AMENDMENT? NO.
[03:15:01]
WE CAN GO AHEAD.UM, WE CAN DO A ROLL CALL ON THE AMENDMENT.
AND YOU HAVE EIGHT MEMBERS RECORDED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE AND ONE RECORDED IN THE NEGATIVE.
WE CAN NOW GO ON TO THE POLICY ORDER AS AMENDED HEARING NO ONE ON THIS, ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO ADOPT.
COUNCILLOR ZUZI IS RECORDED AS PRESENT.
THE POLICY ORDER IS ADOPTED AS AMENDED.
WE ARE DONE WITH THE CHARTER, RIGHT? IT'S 8 46 AND
[APPLICATIONS]
WE'VE NOW MOVED ON TO APPLICATIONS AND PETITIONS.MOVE TO ADOPT ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO ADOPT THE APPLICATION.
AYE FOLKS, YOU GOTTA STILL SAY AYE,
THOSE AGAIN? SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT.
[COMMUNICATIONS]
TO COMMUNICATIONS.THERE ARE 41 COMMUNICATIONS ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO PLACE THESE COMMUNICATIONS ALL ON FILE.
THE COMMUNICATIONS ARE PLACED ON FILE.
WE NOW MOVE ON TO RESOLUTIONS.
[RESOLUTIONS]
WHAT IS THE PLEASURE OF THE CITY COUNCIL? MOVE THE ADOPTION, MAKING THEM UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION ON COUNSELOR SIMMONS' MOTION TO ADOPT ALL OF THE 12 RESOLUTIONS, MAKING THEM UNANIMOUS.CAN I UPON ADOPTION? I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF THE VOTE.
YEAH, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THE RESOLUTIONS ARE ADOPTED, MAKING THEM UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION.
[COMMITTEE REPORTS]
ON TO SLATE COMMITTEE REPORTS.MADAM MAYOR, COUNCILOR SERINA WHEELER FULL NUMBER SIX, COUNCILOR SERENA WHEELER POLL SIX.
UH, I MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT AND PLACE THE RE ACCEPT THE REPORT AND PLACE IT ON FILE.
WE'LL GO AHEAD AND PLACE COMMITTEE REPORTS.
AND I KNOW THAT WE HAVE TO FIX, UH, ONE OF THOSE.
THAT'S WHY COUNCILOR SABRINA WHEELER PULLED, UH, NUMBER SIX.
SO ON THE BALANCE OF PLACING THESE COMMITTEE REPORTS ON FILE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT.
THE COMMITTEE REPORTS ARE OF THE BALANCE OR, UH, PLACED ON FILE.
WE'LL GO TO COMMITTEE REPORT NUMBER SIX.
THIS WAS, UM, THE HEARING ON THE PROPOSED CHANGES TO SECTION 4.50 OF THE CAMBRIDGE ZONING ORDINANCE TO ALLOW AS OF RIGHT IN ALL ZONING, UH, DISTRICTS RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL USES AND CHILDCARE USES COUNSELOR SERENA WHEELER.
I WANNA NOTE THAT, UH, COMMITTEE REPORT SEVEN.
SHE IS ACTUALLY PART OF COMMITTEE REPORT SIX AS SIX A.
BUT DUE TO THE NEW SYSTEM, IT WAS GIVEN ITS OWN NUMBER.
THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE IS WORKING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR THE FUTURE, UH, AND MAKE A MOTION TO PASS SIX A TO A SECOND.
TO PASS, UH, THIS TO A SECOND.
THE, THE, UM, MOTION IS ADOPTED.
UH, THEN TO ACCEPT, UH, THE REPORT AND PLACED ON FILE TO ACCEPTING THE REPORT AND PLACING THE CAN REPORT ON FILE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT.
THE COMMITTEE REPORT IS PLACED ON FILE.
THERE ARE NO ROUND TABLE MINUTES.
[COMMUNICATIONS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS]
COMMUNICATION IN OTHER, FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS ON A MOTION ON FILE BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO PLACE COMMUNICATIONS ON COMMUNICATIONS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS ON FILE.WILL ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE? AYE.
THOSE AGAINST SAY NO, THE AYES HAVE IT.
THE COMMUNICATIONS FROM OTHER CITY OFFICERS OR PLACED ON FILE.
THERE ARE NO LATE POLICY ORDERS.
[LATE AGENDA ITEMS REQUIRING SUSPENSION OF THE RULES PER RULE 36A]
LATE, UH, RESOLUTION, SO WE CAN GO AHEAD AND, UM, DO A ROLL CALL AND SUSPENSION.[03:20:01]
NO.THERE'S ONE LATE, UH, RESOLUTION.
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR.
I JUST WANNA BRING FORWARD FOR CONSIDERATION AND, AND ADOPTION, OR ACTUALLY FOR ADOPTION.
ACKNOWLEDGING THE PASSING OF CARL EDWARDS BROWN, JR.
DEACON CARL EDWARD BROWN JUNIOR, MANY OF YOU MAY NOT KNOW HIM.
HE GREW UP IN CAMBRIDGE, RIGHT THERE ON 10 SUFFOLK STREET.
WENT TO CAMBRIDGE SCHOOLS, WENT TO THE HIGH SCHOOL, PLAYED BASKETBALL, WENT ON TO THE SERVICE.
THIS COUNTRY, CAME BACK AND, UM, STARTED A FAMILY.
MANY OF YOU KNOW HIS CHILDREN.
UH, MELISSA BROWN AND TANYA BENZ.
TANYA BENZIN, UH, I RAISED THIS IN THAT WE SEND OUR SINCEREST CONDOLENCES TO HIS WIFE, REVEREND BRENDA ANN BROWN, PASTOR OF THE MASS AVENUE BAPTIST CHURCH, A MEMBER OF THE BLACK MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE.
HE, HE GOT, HE BECAME SICK AND, UM, FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT, BUT, UM, TRANSITIONED NOT THAT LONG AGO.
HIS FUNERAL BECOMING UP THIS WEEKEND.
AND SO I THINK IT VERY APPROPRIATE FOR THIS MAN OF CAMBRIDGE TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED, UM, IN HIS, NOT IN HIS PASSING, BUT IN HIS LIVING.
COUNSELOR FLAHERTY, DID YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? I'D JUST LIKE TO MENTION THAT I SHARE IN THE CONDOLENCES TO THE, TO THE FAMILY, ESPECIALLY HIS, HIS DAUGHTER TANYA.
UH, I KNOW HOW MUCH SHE LOVED HIM AND HOW PROUD HE WAS OF HER WITH EVERY GOOD REASON.
AND THIS IS A DEVASTATING LOSS FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY.
SO I YIELD, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND DO A, A VOICE VOTE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF ADOPTING THE LATE RESOLUTION, SAY AYE.
THE LATE RESOLUTION IS ADOPTED.
ARE THERE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM THE BODY? YES.
COUNCILLOR ZI ON, UH, TOMORROW NIGHT AT THE LOWELL SCHOOL, THERE WILL BE A LOVE LETTER TO THE LOWELL SCHOOL AT SIX 30.
THERE'S ALSO THE CENTRAL SQUARE DEMONSTRATION PROJECT, UM, AT 5 41 MASS AVE.
TOMORROW FROM FOUR TO 7:00 PM AND THEN ON SATURDAY, UH, AT THE COMMUNITY ART CENTER, THERE WILL BE THE CHAI ADA ZETA CHAPTER, FIFTH ANNUAL FINER SYMPOSIUM FROM NINE TO 4:00 PM UM, WHICH WILL INCLUDE A KIDS' ART WORKSHOP.
THERE'LL BE A KIDS' ART WORKSHOP AT GALLERY 2 63 THAT SAME DAY.
COUNCILOR FLAHERTY, COULD I JUST ASK FOR UNANIMOUS, UH, CONSENT TO ADD MEDIA? THE PREVIOUSLY, UM, RESOLUTION TWO THAT WAS VOTED UPON UNANIMOUSLY ON ANGELA PERRY.
FOR ANGELA PERRY, MY NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, COULD I JUST BE, UH, ADDED TO THE RESOLUTION? EXCUSE ME.
THE, UM, THE VOTE THAT WE TOOK ADDED YOUR, BECAUSE IT'S UNANIMOUS UPON ADOPTION.
ADOPTION, YOU'RE ALREADY ON IT.
WELL, IF I WASN'T, IT WOULD BE A BIG PROBLEM IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
COUNCILOR NOLAN SUPER MINOR AND IT'S A MINOR HOLIDAY, BUT IT'S A JOYFUL ONE, WHICH IS HARD IN THESE TIMES.
SO GROGGER FOR ANYBODY WHO'S CELEBRATING OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS, NO, WE DID RESCHEDULE THE, UH, ROUND TABLE BECAUSE OF THE SNOW DAY TO WEDNESDAY, SO IT'S GONNA BE COMPLETELY VIRTUAL.
SO THANK YOU FOR THOSE WHO, UM, ARE ABLE TO CAN JOIN.
UM, AND I THINK THAT'S IT FOR, UH, HEARINGS THIS WEEK.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD ON A MOTION BY COUNCILLOR SIMMONS TO ADJOURN.
WE ARE ADJOURNED BEFORE NINE O'CLOCK.