Mayor Walsh announces ordinance allowing plastic bags extended to Sept. 30

BOSTON - Tuesday, July 14, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the City of Boston's executive order to exempt all establishments from the plastic bag ban ordinance will stay in place until September 30.  This transition period will allow stores to use up any single-use plastic bags that they have purchased during the emergency. The five-cent per bag fee will also not be in effect. "In March, we suspended the City's ban on plastic bags and the 5-cent fee for paper bags in order to give both stores and customers more flexibility during this difficult time," said Mayor Walsh. "While we're extending that suspension to best serve businesses and residents, I want to be clear that the Boston Public Health Commission and the state Department of Public Health have said that reusable bags are safe and people should feel free to use them." On October 1, all provisions of the plastic bag ban ordinance will come back into effect. This includes the elimination of most single-use plastic bags and the requirement for the five-cent fee.  The ordinance still allows the ISD Commissioner to grant exemptions on a case-by-case basis. Residents in Boston are now able to use reusable bags if they would like to. More information about the City's plastic bag ban is available on boston.gov. The City's previous guidance on allowing plastic bags during the COVID-19 health emergency is available on boston.gov.

Councilor Edwards files city charter amendment to expand Council's budgetary power

BOSTON (July 6, 2020) - Boston City Councilor Lydia Edwards has filed a proposed amendment to Boston’s city charter that would give the Boston City Council budgetary powers equal to those of the mayor. 

The historic proposal was filed under a provision in state law that allows local elected officials to propose amendments to city charters which has never been used before.

“I’ve spent a lot of time over the past few weeks thinking about how to answer the calls for systemic change and investment in our future,” said Councilor Edwards. “An annual up or down vote alone on the mayor’s budget cannot bring about the long term change that is needed and that people are calling for. That change will not come from any one vote or annual budget. It’s time to break the wheel of Boston’s budget making process. This will take time, research, negotiations, and sustained conversations about what we want to invest in as a city. Until we change the budget process, we don’t have an opportunity

to have those conversations in a meaningful way.”

The proposed amendment specifically targets the budgetary powers of the City and is separate from the complete charter reform Edwards proposed earlier this year. "Boston can move forward on specific reforms to our budgetary process even as we pursue a democratic process to examine the entire charter,” added Councilor Edwards. “That process will require much more organizing and eventually candidates will have to run for an opportunity to write the charter. I am still committed to writing a clear, accessible, complete charter but right now people are asking for direct impact and influence on our budget. We can give them that power by modernizing and democratizing the budgetary process and expanding participatory budgeting, which would give residents greater control over portions of the budget."

Under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapters 43B, section 10, subsection (b), a member of the city council may suggest a charter amendment. After a hearing and final vote by the city council the Attorney General must approve the question's  constitutionality and then it will be put to the voters to decide in November 2021. This proposal would be the first known charter amendment to be implemented using this process.

If Boston voters approve this amendment next fall, the Boston City Council and the Mayor would share power over the city’s budget. This includes the ability to create proposals for the city’s capital and operating budgets, change line items within the proposals, allocate parts of the budget for a participatory budget process (voter direct allocation), and amend the budget for Boston Public Schools.

Additionally, this change would also give the city council tools to more quickly respond to the need for budget cuts in times of fiscal austerity and allow for public deliberation on what services could or should be reduced without lasting harm. This change also allows for earlier budgetary deliberation should either the Mayor or Council desire to do so.

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East Boston Branch of the Public Library now open for pick-ups

Need some summer reading books, dvds or some beach books? 

The East Boston Branch Library can help. The East Boston Branch Library is now open in the afternoon for holds pickups as part of the BPL to Go program.  Patrons can request items with their library card at www.bpl.org, email eastboston@bpl.org  or by calling 617-536-5400.

When the items come in, they will receive notification with instructions how to schedule a pick-up.  

The library is open for scheduled pickups, Monday-Thursday from 2 to 6 and on Fridays from 1 to 4.  

Books and other materials can also be returned during these hours.   

If you have others questions or need more assistance, please email eastboston@bpl.org. 

For more information please visit: https://www.bpl.org/news/bpl-to-go/