BOSTON - Thursday, January 31, 2019 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the appointment of Dr. Lorna Rivera to the Boston School Committee, the governing body of the Boston Public Schools (BPS). Dr. Lorna Rivera is the Director of the Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development & Public Policy, and an Associate Professor of Women's & Gender Studies at the University of Massachusetts-Boston.
"A Boston Public Schools parent and an accomplished educator with an extensive background in student advancement and strengthening diverse communities, Dr. Rivera is a wonderful addition to the Boston School Committee," said Mayor Walsh. "I look forward to Lorna's valuable contributions to our students and schools as we continue to work together to create more opportunities for all students."
The seven-member Boston School Committee is responsible for defining the vision, mission and goals of the Boston Public Schools; establishing and monitoring the annual operating budget; hiring, managing and evaluating the Superintendent; and setting and reviewing district policies and practices to support student achievement.
"As the parent of a 5th grader at the Charles Sumner elementary school, I am honored to serve on the school committee, and am really looking forward to working with others to create a better future for our youth," said Dr. Rivera. "I am also an educator and education researcher who is committed to advancing Boston Public Schools' and Mayor Walsh's goals to address opportunity gaps and to support the needs of Boston's diverse student populations."
"I am very happy to welcome another parent to the Boston School Committee," said Michael Loconto, Chairperson of the Boston School Committee. "Dr. Rivera's deep experience with the Boston Public Schools will allow her to hit the ground running and continue supporting district-wide work to close opportunity and achievement gaps."
Currently, Dr. Rivera is working on the Latinx Student Success Initiative, a partnership with Bunker Hill Community College, to improve retention and graduation rates for Latinx college students. Dr. Rivera also works with the Talented & Gifted (TAG) and Proyecto Alerta afterschool programs that serve Latinx bilingual students in the Boston Public Schools. She has extensive community service and co-founded a national nonprofit, WE LEARN, dedicated to advancing women's literacy. Dr. Rivera serves on the Advisory Boards of the Center to Support Immigrant Organizing and the Latino Education Institute, and on the Board of Directors for the Hyde Square Task Force, an arts-based youth development organization serving Afro-Latinx youth in Boston.
Dr. Rivera's family is originally from Puerto Rico, and she was raised in Chicago and attended Chicago Public Schools. Dr. Rivera has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from DePaul University, state of Illinois licensure in Language Arts & Social Studies grades K-9, and a Masters and Doctorate in Sociology from Northeastern University. Between 1994 and 2001 she taught G.E.D. classes and also was the director of the Adult Learners Program at Project Hope in Dorchester.
In 2001, Dr. Rivera joined the faculty at UMass Boston and her research focuses on women's and adult literacy programs, racial/ethnic health disparities, and the education of Latinx students and immigrant students. She is the author of many scholarly articles and the award-winning book, Laboring to Learn: Women's Literacy & Poverty in the Post-Welfare Era (2008, University of Illinois Press). Her research has been funded by the Society for the Study of Social Problems, the National Academy of Education, the Spencer Foundation, National Center for Family Literacy, and National Institutes on Health.
Dr. Rivera has lived in the Jamaica Plain and Roslindale Square neighborhoods for over 27 years, and she is the proud parent of a ten-year old boy who attends the Charles Sumner Elementary School. Dr. Rivera also formerly served as the Co-Chair of the Parent Council at the Sumner school. She lives in Roslindale.
The seven members of the School Committee are Boston residents appointed by the Mayor of Boston to serve four-year staggered terms. Mayor Walsh made these appointments based on a list of candidates recommended by a 13-member Citizens Nominating Panel composed of parents, teachers, principals, and representatives of business and higher education. Under the legislation that established the appointed School Committee, "the Mayor shall strive to appoint individuals who reflect the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic diversity of the city." In December, Mayor Walsh appointed Quoc Tran and reappointed Jeri Robinson to the Boston School Committee.
Source: Mayor's Press Office 1/31/2019
(BOSTON - Wednesday, January 30, 2019) - Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced today the City of Boston has received nearly $26.3 million in federal funding in support of Boston's homelessness programs. Boston was awarded the funding as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the results of its annual 2018 McKinney Homeless Continuum of Care funding competition.
"Our city's success depends on providing opportunities for all of our residents, making sure everyone has a safe, stable home and the support they need to succeed," said Mayor Walsh. "These funds will help us do the work of getting homeless Bostonians access to critical services and housing. I want to thank HUD and the entire Massachusetts delegation for their continued support."
"We commend Mayor Walsh and his team, along with our local homeless service providers for their dedicated efforts towards helping our homeless neighbors find stable housing," said David Tille, HUD New England Regional Administrator. "HUD is proud to provide this funding to the City of Boston team to assist in furthering their plan to end chronic and veteran homelessness."
The Walsh Administration, which has made ending homelessness a priority, will apply this HUD funding to programs that support Boston's Way Home, the City's plan to end chronic and veteran homelessness. Through the efforts of Boston's Way Home, Boston has ended chronic veteran homelessness, and has housed 1,600 formerly homeless people.
The programs funded cover a range of services and supports, including housing search, the creation of housing for chronically homeless people, rapid re-housing funds, and stabilization services to allow newly housed chronically homeless individuals to receive the supports they need to succeed.
Organizations funded include Bay Cove, Bridge Over Troubled Waters, Casa Myrna, FamilyAid, Heading Home, HomeStart, Kit Clark Senior Services, Project Hope, Massachusetts Housing and Shelter Alliance, Metro Housing Boston, New England Center and Home for Veterans, Pine Street Inn, St. Francis House, and Victory Programs.
During Mayor Walsh's inauguration in 2018, he announced the launch of Boston's Way Home Fund, which has a goal of raising over $10 million over the course of four years to create 200 new units of supportive, sustainable, long-term housing for chronically homeless men and women. After one year, $5 million has already been pledged in support of this effort.
On Wednesday, Mayor Walsh will lead Boston's 39th annual Homeless Census. Mayor Walsh and City and State officials, civic, faith, non-profit and business leaders and volunteers as they canvass Boston for the City's annual homeless census. The census will record information about all homeless individuals in Boston, including those who are living on the street, in emergency shelters, domestic violence programs, transitional housing, and in specialized programs serving homeless youth and veterans.
The Continuum of Care is a federal program designed to end homelessness by supporting community-wide systems of care, providing funding not only to state and local partners, but also to nonprofit providers who are part of the Continuum. This approach creates a more strategic use of resources, while improving coordination and integration between programs. It has also been found to improve data collection and performance measurement; and has the benefit of allowing communities to tailor programs to the particular resources, organizations, and challenges of that community.
The application for the 2018 Continuum of Care competition was submitted by the Supportive Housing Division of the City of Boston's Department of Neighborhood Development, in partnership with all of the organizations that make up Boston's Continuum of Care, including the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC), Pine Street Inn, HomeStart, and many other housing providers across the City. The application consisted of hundreds of data points and narratives about Boston's system and programs, along with 45 individual project applications to support thousands of the most vulnerable Bostonians on a path to permanent, sustainable supportive housing. So far, HUD has only announced Continuum of Care funding for renewal projects, and expects to announce a second round of funding for new programs at a later date. The City has applied for an additional $3 million in funding for new programs.
For more information on Boston's plan to end homelessness in Boston,
please visit here.
Source: Mayor's Press Office
BOSTON - Tuesday, January 29, 2019 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today joined the Boston Tax Help Coalition and other community partners at the Roxbury Center for Financial Empowerment to highlight free tax preparation services available to low- and moderate-income Boston residents. The Coalition provides free tax preparation services at more than 30 partner locations throughout the City to help residents who earn $55,000 or less per year maximize the Earned Income Tax Credit and claim the full refunds they are due.
"The free, IRS-certified tax services offered by the Boston Tax Help Coalition are an opportunity for hard-working Boston residents to save money," said Mayor Walsh. "I thank our dedicated volunteers who make these efforts possible, and encourage the thousands of residents who are eligible for these services to take advantage of them."
The Coalition serves approximately 13,000 taxpayers per year and last year enlisted hundreds of volunteers to return $24 million in refunds and credits directly to taxpayers.
"As a business owner, I have saved a lot of money on having my taxes prepared at the Roxbury Center for Financial Empowerment," said Cynthia Jones, founder and CEO of The Women's Group of New England. "I am now moving forward and growing my business. I am so thankful for the staff at the Center. They were there when I needed them."
In addition to tax preparation, the Coalition provides clients with other services to improve their financial health. For example, the Coalition connects taxpayers to Bank On Boston, an initiative launched by Mayor Walsh that helps residents identify banking services that are safe, affordable, and non-predatory. Trained financial guides also offer taxpayers the Financial Check-Up, a key component of Boston Builds Credit, the City's free credit building program. A Financial Check-Up is a one-on-one session in which a taxpayer can review his or her credit score and obtain personalized credit-building strategies. The Boston Tax Coalition offers Financial Check-Ups at 15 tax sites, up from 12 last year.
New this year, the Coalition will also be using the Financial Check-Up as an outreach tool to identify taxpayers who aspire to homeownership. These taxpayers will be eligible for Homebuyer Readiness workshops and individualized financial coaching and credit building assistance to help them work toward that goal. These services will be available at the Roxbury Center for Financial Empowerment, with additional workshops offered through community partners across the city.
These homeownership services are made possible by a $175,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation as part of the organization's NeighborhoodLIFT program, a $6.75 million commitment to boost sustainable homeownership and revitalize neighborhoods.
"Wells Fargo is passionate about helping individuals, families and communities achieve their goals," said Jennifer Crampton of Wells Fargo's Community Lending and Investment division. "These local initiative grants will help most Boston area residents who want to become homeowners - a goal that aligns perfectly with the NeighborhoodLIFT program. We are excited to work together to make lasting changes for the better."
"The beginning of the tax season is our favorite time of year," said Alan Gentle, manager of the Roxbury Center for Financial Empowerment. "We see many residents who have been getting their taxes done with us for years. Plus, we're able to connect taxpayers with other services offered by our bilingual staff - from financial coaching to small business assistance to, now, homebuyer assistance."
The Boston Tax Help Coalition is part of the Mayor's Office of Financial Empowerment.
About the Mayor's Office of Financial Empowerment
Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh formed the Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE) in 2014 to connect City residents with access to credit building programs, financial education, individualized financial coaching, and income support. Residents who seek to improve their financial situation can use these tools to achieve economic well-being and pursue financial prosperity. OFE is an affiliate of the Mayor's Office of Workforce Development and the Boston Planning & Development Agency.
Concert-Box Not Found: Stories Saturday, February 2nd at 3 p.m.
Box Not Found: Stories, comes to to the East Boston Public Library! This performance is open to the public at no cost. This program will feature brand new works by composers Camila Agosto, Ariel Friedman and Ian Wiese. Each composer has written a piece inspired by a story that has a significant impact in their personal life.
- Camila Agosto: Paper House
- Ariel Friedman: Joshua Fit The Battle
- Ian Wiese: What a Fast Little Engine! : Scenes from ‘Choo-Choo’
- Natalie Calma: going places
Paper Lanterns, Tuesday, February 5 at 4 p.m.
The Lunar New Year starts February 5. Many families decorate for the new year by hanging lanterns around their house or marching through the neighborhood carrying lanterns. Come make your own paper lantern and celebrate the Lunar New Year. Recommended for ages 4 and up.
ESOL Intermediate English Class
Wednesdays and Fridays from 11:30 to 1 p.m.
Starting on February 6th
This is an adult ESL Intermediate English class for people with some English experience. You will review grammar basics, learn how to offer and request advice, talk about future hopes and plans, and fix common mistakes in English pronunciation! Registration is required. To register and for more information, please visit us, call 617.859.2446, or email literacyservices@bpl.org.
Classes are free.
Cooking for Babysitters
Thursdays, 2/7, 2/14, 2/28, & 3/7, 4 p.m.
Join us at the East Boston Branch Library as Debbie Alsebai (Kidz Cooking with Miss Debbie) teaches us how to cook some healthy and delicious meals perfect to prepare when babysitting! This is part of a babysitting series. Dates for upcoming Babysitting Class presented by 4H will be announced shortly.
Space is limited to 15 kids, so please call the library at 617.569.0271 or speak to a librarian to sign up. THIS PROGRAM IS FOR KIDS IN GRADES 6-12 ONLY!!!
USCIS Immigration Information Session:
February 8th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
A U.S. Citizenship and Immigration officer will be at the branch to answer questions on immigration issues including eligibility requirements; filing procedures; finding knowledgeable, low-cost and safe legal advice and how to avoid scams. This is a cooperative effort of USCIS, BPL and the Mayor's Office for Immigrant Advancement.
Small Biz Basics: Flyers, Menus, and More
February 12th at 10:30 a.m.
Do you have a small business or side hustle that you'd like to promote? Don't have the time to learn graphic design? Canva is a free tool you can use to make fancy flyers, menus, and more without breaking a sweat.
You'll need basic computer/internet skills and a list of ideas and we will go over Canva basics and craft one item to print and take.
??Registration is recommended. Please RSVP to jidakaar@bpl.org.
Caravan Puppets
Friday, February 22nd at 3 p.m.
Caravan Puppets has delighted countless children and families throughout the USA, Canada and Japan. “The Four Season Bear” is a delightful tale of the year of a young bear with memorable songs, beautiful puppets, storytelling and audience participation. Funding for this program was made possible by the Highland Street Foundation.
NSTAR Electric Company d/b/a Eversource Energy ("Eversource") has submitted to the Energy Facilities Siting Board ("Siting Board") a Project Change Filing in connection with an Eversource electric transmission and substation project ("Project"), which the Siting Board approved on December 1, 2017.
The approved Project includes two new underground transmission lines that will travel through Everett, Chelsea, and East Boston, and a new electric substation ("Substation") in East Boston. Eversource now seeks approval from the Siting Board to modify a portion of the approved Project. The Company proposes to move the site of the new Substation approximately 190 feet to the west of its original location. Both the original site and the proposed new site for the Substation are located within a larger parcel of land owned the City of Boston in the East Eagle area of East Boston.
The Siting Board will be reviewing the impacts of relocating the Substation as proposed by Eversource. The remainder of the Project, including the new transmission lines, is not under review in this Project Change proceeding.
The attached legal notice describes Eversource's proposed Project Change. The notice also explains the opportunities for public participation in the review process.
Please read this notice carefully. (FOR THE FULL NOTICE click here.)
The Siting Board is a state agency that will review the Company's proposed relocation of the Substation. The Siting Board will conduct a public comment hearing beginning at 7:00 p.m. on February 5, 2019 at East Boston High School, 86 White Street, East Boston, MA 02128 to receive public comment on the proposed change to the approved Project.
A Spanish/English and a Portuguese/English interpreter will be present.
At the public comment hearing, the Company will provide information on the proposed relocation of the Substation, and the Siting Board will present information on its review process and receive comments and questions from members of the community.
All comments are important to the Siting Board; anyone with an interest in the Project Change is encouraged to attend the public comment hearing.
Individuals and groups affected by the Company's Project Change Filing who wish to be involved in the Siting Board review process may request to participate as either intervenors or limited participants. Such requests must meet the criteria outlined in the attached legal notice. The deadline to make such a request is 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 19, 2019.
Questions concerning participation will also be answered at the public comment hearing, and also can be answered by the Presiding Officer, whose contact information is below.
Copies of the Company's Project Change Filing are available for public inspection at the locations listed.
- Office of the Boston City Clerk, Boston City Hall, One City Hall Square, Boston, MA 02201
- East Boston Public Library, 365 Bremen Street, East Boston, MA 02128
If you have any questions about the Siting Board's review process, please feel free to contact the Presiding Officer, M. Kathryn Sedor, Esq., at (617) 305-3525, or at Kathryn.Sedor@mass.gov. The Siting Board's mailing address is: One South Station, Boston, MA 02110.
EAST BOSTON, MA - Boston-based fashion hub, ThreadTech, will open its doors on Thursday, January 24th, from 6:30-8:30pm with an official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 7pm.
Occupying a historic former cotton mill, Maverick Mills, the event will be a night to remember. Staged by modern & contemporary Italian furniture manufacturer, VIP Saloti, and office furniture provided by Wayfair, the event will feature light cocktails and a tour of ThreadTech’s facilities, which will be home to Fashion Group International of Boston.
ThreadTech takes Fashion Designers from design to market, faster. Apparel companies can develop, produce, sell and distribute their clothing brands in one place. The first of its kind, ThreadTech offers deep experience in clothing development and apparel production.
“The former Maverick Mills building is the perfect home for ThreadTech as it brings the rich history of textiles in New England – a process that completely transformed the way clothes are produced,” explains Donielle Martorano McKeever, Founder at ThreadTech with over 18 years experience in the fashion industry including production, mentoring, consulting and product development. “Now, over 60 years later, ThreadTech’s business model is again reinventing the term American-made, and we are thrilled to finally introduce our headquarters to the Boston community.”
ThreadTech is located at 175 William F McClellan Hwy, East Boston.
The property has ample parking and is located minutes from Logan International Airport, Downtown Boston, public transportation and major highways.
To learn more about ThreadTech’s services visit threadtechboston.com or reach out to ThreadTech’s VP of Sales, Thom Laub, at sales@threadtechboston.com.
Legislation would also discourage flipping of neighborhood homes
On Monday, Councilors Lydia Edwards and Kim Janey proposed a Home Rule Petition to combat housing speculation and establish an investor and commercial property transfer fee. The proposed bill would enhance the city’s housing toolkit by generating millions of dollars for affordable housing and by discouraging the inflation of housing prices through rapid resale of properties. The proposal will be assigned to committee in Wednesday’s council session.
The bill authorizes the City of Boston to establish a fee of up to 6%, split evenly between buyer and seller, on real estate transfers over $2 million, with an estimated revenue of $175m - $350m based on 2015-2017 sales. Exemptions are in place for owner-occupants, transfers between family members and homes purchased through approved home-buying classes. The bill also would authorize a fee of up to 25% on secondary sales, or flips, within a two year period.
"Boston residents are struggling as our economy booms, and our homes have become the new stock market," said Boston Councilor Lydia Edwards. "Housing costs are straining families' resources and pushing talented workers out of our city. This legislation will curb real estate speculation and generate millions to build and preserve affordable housing."
“We are in a housing affordability crisis,” said Councilor Kim Janey. “These fees will not only discourage speculation in our housing market and the over-creation of luxury condos, it will also raise much-needed revenue to invest in affordable housing, and help stem the tide of gentrification. I look forward to working with my colleagues on the City Council, the Mayor, and the legislature in passing this law.”
Other cities, including New York City, have enacted luxury transfer fees and there is a growing movement in Massachusetts. The Somerville City Council passed a home rule petition in 2018 which is still pending before the legislature. Cambridge began exploring a transfer fee in January 2019. State legislation authorizing a transfer fee has also been introduced by Rep. Mike Connolly and Sen. Joseph Boncore (HD.414 / SD334 - An Act supporting affordable housing with a local option for a fee to be applied to certain real estate transactions).
(BOSTON - Tuesday, January 8, 2019) - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced his environment and transportation legislative package, the second of four legislative packages the City of Boston will be submitting to the Massachusetts Legislature. The six-bill package will strengthen the Commonwealth's commitment to the goals set out in the Paris Agreement and the City's goals to be carbon neutral by 2050. Mayor Walsh's legislative agenda builds upon the work of the Administration to ensure equity, opportunity and resilience for all residents by strengthening current systems and creating new tools to adapt, mitigate and invest in local transportation and the environment.
"Addressing the threat of climate change and making sure we keep up with our transportation needs goes beyond city limits. That's why we must work together with the Massachusetts Legislature on issues of climate mitigation and adaptation, and do everything we can to address congestion and increase safety in our streets," said Mayor Walsh. "I'm proud to propose legislation that will explore incentives to reduce pollution and create a statewide vehicle to work on resiliency projects, as well as proposals that would provide investment in transportation infrastructure."
Environment
Mayor Walsh's second legislative package of the year focuses on Boston's shared commitment and leadership with the Commonwealth to be robust environmental stewards, strengthening our ability to address climate change and its impacts. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions to be in line with the Paris Agreement while preparing for rising sea levels and extreme weather events is a shared responsibility that requires immediate legislative action. To that end, the environmental bills proposed seek to create a statewide vehicle to work on resiliency projects and explore market incentives to reduce pollution.
This work builds on Mayor Walsh's recent vision plan for a Resilient Boston Harbor. This comprehensive and transformative vision calls for investing in Boston's waterfront to protect against the impacts of rising sea level and climate change. The Mayor's plan lays out strategies along Boston's 47-mile shoreline that will increase access and open space along the waterfront while better protecting the city during a major flooding event.
The City has already completed segments of the Resilient Boston Harbor plan through district-level projects in East Boston, Charlestown, and South Boston. These projects led to immediate action along the East Boston Greenway where a deployable flood wall was installed last year, an elevated section of Main St. in Charlestown was added to the design of the City's Rutherford Ave. and Sullivan Square project, the ongoing planning for Moakley Park in South Boston to prepare it for coastal and stormwater flooding, and the construction of Martin's Park in the Seaport, which is expected to be completed this year.
Most recently the City, in partnership with the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA), submitted its proposal for a $10 million FEMA pre-mitigation grant to begin resilience work along the Fort Point Channel. As the City continues to make strides towards building a more climate-ready Boston, it will begin its next district-level planning project for the Downtown and North End neighborhoods early this year and begin the same work in Dorchester later this year.
Furthering strengthening Mayor Walsh's commitment to protecting Boston against rising sea levels and climate change, the City is accelerating its progress toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The City of Boston is committed to being carbon neutral by 2050. Early this year the City will begin the process to update its Climate Action Plan. The update will provide an implementation roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality in Boston, identifying the immediate next steps Boston must take to reach its goals. Most recently the City rolled out its regulation of single-use plastic bags, encouraging all customers to switch to reusable bags when shopping in Boston and help move the City toward zero waste. The City also took a big step forward in implementation of Community Choice Energy by seeking proposals from qualified consultants to develop a municipal energy aggregation program and by convening a community-led working group to inform the program design.
As a leading city on climate action, the City was named a winner of the Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge as Boston works to strengthen and accelerate its progress toward reducing carbon emissions. The City will receive a support package, valued at up to $2.5 million, to increase low-carbon mobility choices and improve energy performance of Boston's building sector.
"Massachusetts residents are already feeling the impacts of climate change, from hotter summers to increased coastal flooding and heavier rainfall. Our research has shown that to address these challenges and protect vulnerable communities, we need partnership among local, regional and state government," said Rebecca Herst, Executive Director of the Sustainable Solutions Lab at UMass Boston. "We applaud Mayor Walsh for proposing a comprehensive approach to protect communities throughout the Commonwealth and encourage better governance for all."
The environmental bills in the Mayor's legislative package include:
An Act to Establish a Commission for a Climate Ready Commonwealth: would create a regional commission to determine which entity should lead major coastal and inland resiliency projects, how such projects might be funded and how those projects should be prioritized. Boston is not alone in facing the threat of climate change, and all communities are experiencing the reality of extreme heat, snow, rain, and flooding. As the impacts increase and intensify, it's more important now than ever before to coordinate investments to adapt infrastructure and our natural and built environment to future climate conditions.
An Act to Modernize our Natural Gas Infrastructure: would impose a fine on natural gas providers for the total volume of all gas leaks, incentivizing the utility companies to update their infrastructure and providing revenue for climate-ready municipal projects. Natural gas is a powerful greenhouse gas and significant contributor to climate change. The City of Boston and all other cities and towns throughout the Commonwealth have outdated and aging natural gas infrastructure. Gas leaks not only harm the environment but are a public safety issue, public health concern, and financial burden to ratepayers.
For more information on the City's environmental work, please visit boston.gov/environment.
Transportation
As Boston's population continues to grow, with projected growth to reach almost 760,000 people by the year 2030, Mayor Walsh is proposing four transportation bills aimed at efficiently supporting residents by providing investment in transportation infrastructure, reducing carbon emissions from motor vehicles, and providing for safer streets.
The bills further goals established in Go Boston 2030, the City of Boston's comprehensive transportation plan. Execution of the plan is well underway with action being taken on more than half of the 58 projects and policies identified. These initiatives work to reduce traffic, encourage travel by transit, bike and on foot, and ensure safety and access equitably for all users of Boston's streets.
Examples include partnering with the MBTA to promote the use of public transit by establishing a dedicated bus lane on a section of Washington Street in Roslindale that serves eight different bus lines carrying thousands of passengers daily; incorporating new techniques and upgraded equipment into roadway projects to advance our Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries in Boston by 2030; and working to build a network of low stress, strategically placed, separated or buffered bike lanes to allow for safe travel by bike throughout Downtown and Boston's neighborhoods.
"Mayor Walsh's legislative agenda is comprehensive and future-oriented," said Marc Draisen, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council. "It includes incentives to address climate and transportation issues, as well as penalties for behavior that stands in the way of progress. We are particularly pleased that the City of Boston will support Regional Ballot Initiatives to generate revenue for critical improvements in our transportation infrastructure. This is a major source of revenue for roads and transit around the country, and we need this tool in Massachusetts too."
The transportation bills in the Mayor's legislative package include:
An Act to Allow Regional Ballot Initiatives: would allow cities and towns in Massachusetts to work together to pass taxes that would be used to fund specific transportation projects.
An Act to Promote Safe Streets and Reduce Congestion: would allow photo enforcement for school buses with cameras to capture violations when the STOP arm is deployed and for addressing Blocking the Box traffic violations. This bill is part of a broader road safety legislative agenda, which includes support of previously-filed bills related to sideguards on trucks and cell phone use while driving.
An Act to Allow Parking Assessments for Infrastructure Investment: would allow cities and towns to add an assessment to spaces in private parking garages, to be used to build and maintain roads and bridges, as well as bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.
An Act to Update Transportation Network Company Assessments: would update the existing TNC legislation to better align it with the State's and City's climate and mobility goals. In particular, it would create a lower assessment for shared trips, a higher assessment for solo trips, and encourage walking, biking and transit as primary modes of travel.
For more information on the City's transportation work, please visit boston.gov/transportation.
