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From YouTube: Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Address 2023
Description
Mayor Wu gave remarks at the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Forum, where she answered questions regarding the city's economy, and her administration's plans to develop local businesses.
A
As
we
begin
today,
I
want
to
recognize
and
thank
all
of
the
members
of
the
chamber
board,
especially
our
board,
chair,
Lionel,
Hanley,
CEO
of
State
Street
for
their
wisdom
and
tireless
work
in
making
Greater
Boston
the
best
place
for
all
businesses
and
all
people
to
succeed.
I'm
going
to
ask
the
members
of
the
board
to
please
stand
and
be
recognized
for
all
of
the
work
that
they
do.
A
A
I'd
also
like
to
take
this
opportunity
to
from
a
few
commercial
messages.
Some
of
you
know
that
the
chamber
in
our
young
professionals,
group,
City
awake,
is
currently
hosting
the
fierce
urgency
of
now
Festival.
We
kicked
that
off
last
night
at
the
TD
Garden
with
a
nice
event,
but
as
part
of
that
Festival
Tiffany
Chu
Chief
of
Staff
to
Maya
Wu
had
a
great
meeting
with
young
professionals
this
morning.
A
Thank
you,
Tiffany.
Thank
you
for
your
leadership
and
partnership
in
in
hosting
that
meeting.
We
are
committed
to
continue
to
access
to
Civic
engagement
with
our
Festival
in
the
city.
Awake
Network
be
sure
to
take
a
look
at
the
agenda
for
for
the
face
urgency
of
now
festival
with
32
events
spread
across
the
city.
We
already
have
2
000
people
registered
for
for
those
events.
So
it's
it's
going
to
be
a
great
Gathering
of
young
professionals,
talking
about
the
city
of
Boston
and
their
experience
and
how
to
move
us
forward.
A
So
take
a
look
at
that.
A
couple
of
upcoming
events
on
October
11th,
the
chamber
will
host
State
Treasurer
Deborah
Goldberg
on
November
1st,
we'll
feature
Congressman
Jake
ackenklas,
and
you
can
find
out
more
about
the
face
urgency
of
now
and
those
events
by
visiting
bostonchamber.com
and
don't
forget
to
join
today's
conversation
at
the
chambers.
Public
policy
Twitter
account
at
gbcc
policy.
A
So
a
couple
of
sponsors
today
and
then
we'll
get
the
program
started.
We're
almost
ready
to
welcome
the
mayor
to
the
podium,
but
thank
you
to
our
friends
at
Comcast
who
will
help
bring
our
government
Affairs
programming
to
a
wider
audience
and
finally,
a
thank
you
to
our
long-standing
sponsor
of
the
government,
Affairs
Forum
and
a
true
champion
of
Boston
Bank
of
America
and
with
that
I'm
pleased
to
turn
it
over
to
mihal
Chamberlain
presidents
of
Bank
America
chamber,
executive
committee,
member.
B
Jim
for
the
kind
introduction-
and
it's
great
to
be
back
at
the
government,
Affairs
Forum
series
we're
thrilled
to
be
a
long-standing
partner
with
the
chamber
on
this,
and
you
know,
look
I
hope
everyone
had
a
great
end
of
their
summer.
It
was
good
to
see
a
pickup
in
traffic
around
the
city
for
for
most
at
least
a
lot
more
foot
traffic,
and
we
look
forward
to
more
of
that
as
the
year
progresses
before
I
introduce
our
special
speaker
today.
I
just
want
to
acknowledge
Jim
and
his
staff
for
all.
B
B
So
now
I'm
honored
to
introduce
today's
featured
speaker,
the
mayor
of
Boston
Michelle
Wu
and
in
2021
she
became
the
first
woman
and
the
first
Asian
American
and
the
first
person
of
color
to
be
elected
into
the
mayor's
seat.
Here
in
Boston
it
was
quite
an
accomplishment.
She
was
first
elected
as
City
Council
in
2013
and
then
was
unanimously
elected
to
the
president
of
the
city
council
in
2016..
She
continues
to
be
a
champion
for
accessibility,
transparency
and
Community
engagement.
B
Meru
is
also
a
former
restaurant
owner
and
legal
services
attorney.
She
also
served
as
a
Rappaport
fellow
for
former
Mayor
Menino
and
as
constituency
director
for
the
U.S
Senate
campaign
of
Elizabeth
Warren
in
2016.
Mary
Wu
was
honored
as
one
of
the
10
outstanding
young
leaders,
by
none
other
than
the
Greater
Boston
Chamber
of
Commerce
and
in
2000
and
and
in
2022
Time
magazine
named
her
as
one
of
the
hundred
next
national
leaders.
So
we're
very
fortunate
to
have
her
is
our
mayor
and
please
welcome
her.
The
stage.
C
I
am
so
honored
and
delighted
to
be
with
you
all
this
morning
and
to
see
so
many
of
Boston's
leaders,
Movers
Visionaries
here
in
in
one
space.
Thank
you
so
much
Mikhail
for
the
very
generous
introduction
and,
more
importantly,
thank
you
for
what
you
and
your
team
at
Bank
of
America
do
every
day
we
are
particularly
excited.
I
know
you,
you
all
are
doing
and
partnering
in
with
the
city
in
a
lot
of
ways,
but
thank
you
for
accepting
the
Baton
from
John
Hancock.
C
And
by
the
way,
I'm
I
bet,
Brooks
is
in
the
room
somewhere
as
I
was
with
him
yesterday,
as
they
have
embarked
to
deepen
their
work
on
Health
and
Longevity
in
a
really
exciting
direction
for
the
city,
but
to
have
the
Boston
Athletic
Association
secure
and
shout
out
to
Jack
Fleming
who's
in
the
room
as
well.
This
will
be
an
exciting
new
chapter
for
the
city
and
the
greatest
race
in
the
world.
C
Thank
you
thank
you
to
secretary
Howe,
for
for
your
leadership
and
for
your
constant
presence
and
and
making
sure
that
the
city
and
the
state
are
working
hand
in
hand
on
issues
that
are
important
to
this
room,
and
so
many
of
our
communities,
I'm
honored,
to
be
here
with
my
colleagues
in
elected
office
as
well
I
heard
State,
Rep,
Bill
McGregor
was
in
the
room
and
at
least
thank
you
for
your
leadership
and
members
of
the
Boston
city,
council
and
state
legislature.
We're
so
excited
for.
C
C
And
most
of
all,
thank
you
to
Jim,
thank
you
to
the
entire
board
and
all
of
the
staff
and
team
at
the
chamber
for
convening
us
for
this
really
exciting
and
important
chance
to
be
together
and
for
today's
discussion
in
my
household
and
I.
Think
there's,
maybe
a
few
others
out
there,
who
are
parents
of
young
kids
so
fall
is
especially
exciting
because
school
is
back.
C
If
nothing
else,
I'd
like
to
reinforce
today
what
I'm
hearing
from
so
many
of
you
on
an
even
broader
scale,
The
rhythms
of
our
city
and
economy
are
returning.
Boston's
recovery
is
going
strong
and
I
want
you
to
know
that
we
at
the
city
of
Boston
are
committed
to
doing
whatever
we
can
to
keep
that
momentum
going,
creating
the
conditions
for
Boston
to
grow
and
to
grow
sustainably.
C
So
I
want
to
start
with
some
of
the
data
that
I've
been
looking
at
at
Logan.
More
International
passengers
pass
through
our
terminals.
This
June
than
in
June
of
2019.,
the
mbta's
Fairmont
Commuter
Rail
Line
saw
an
all-time
high
in
its
ridership
this
year
and
between
q1
of
last
year
and
q1
of
this
year,
there's
been
a
70
percent
increase
in
all
commuter
rail
trips.
That's
the
biggest
growth
year
over
year
in
commuter
rail
ridership
of
any
major
city
in
the
country,
outpacing
New,
York,
Philadelphia,
Chicago,
Dallas
everywhere.
C
Our
friends
at
the
downtown
bid,
the
business
improvement
district
have
recorded
29
consecutive
months
of
year-over-year
growth
in
foot
traffic
and
Retail
is
coming
back
to
downtown.
Our
retail
vacancy
rate
is
20
lower
today
than
it
was
a
year
ago,
while
our
overall
retail
vacancy
rate
is
currently
just
2.6
percent,
not
just
lower
than
the
national
average,
but
much
lower.
C
Last
year,
the
Boston
licensing
board
issued
more
licenses
for
businesses
in
2022
than
in
2018
or
2019.,
and
our
unemployment
rate
is
at
a
record,
low
half
of
Washington
DC's
and
a
full
percentage
point
below
the
national
average
total
payroll
employment
in
Boston
is
higher
now
than
it
was
pre-pandemic
professional
and
financial
services.
Employment
up
by
six
percent.
Since
2020
and
consumer
spending
in
local
neighborhood,
commercial
areas
is
well
above
pre-pandemic
levels
with
spending
in
neighborhoods
like
Roxbury,
East,
Boston
and
Roslindale
up
by
nearly
20
percent
compared
to
2019.
C
and
we're
beginning
to
see
what
the
numbers
bear
out
that
the
city
feels
more
alive
as
more
and
more
companies
choose
Boston
as
the
place
to
do
business
since
January
we've
seen
elonia
and
archaea
bio.
Add
new
labs
in
the
seaport
in
Charlestown
cycle
wash
moved
to
Boston
from
Germany.
Auto
return
came
to
us
from
San
Francisco
and
crispr
crossed
the
river
from
Cambridge.
C
And,
of
course,
we're
all
very
excited
that
Lego
will
be
moving
from
Connecticut,
where
they've
been
for
nearly
50
years,
700
jobs
coming
to
Boston
in
the
heart
of
Back
Bay.
These
examples
aren't
the
exception,
they're
the
rule.
In
the
first
quarter
of
this
year,
more
than
40
percent
of
all
research
lab
space
under
construction
in
the
country
was
being
built
right
here
in
the
Boston
metro
area,
and
we
continue
to
lead
the
country
in
NIH
funding.
C
The
numbers
speak
for
themselves.
Boston
has
mounted
one
of
the
strongest
recoveries
in
the
nation
and
that's
not
an
accident.
A
recovery
like
ours
doesn't
just
happen
on
its
own,
our
resilience,
our
competitiveness
is
cultivated
very
intentionally
and
through
a
lot
of
hard
work
from
people
in
this
room
and
and
Beyond.
C
This
is
the
product
of
a
concerted
effort
to
make
Boston
the
best
city
in
the
country,
for
families
and
for
the
businesses
they
depend
on
work
at
and
run
it's
a
product
of
programs
like
our
space,
Grant
Legacy
business
and
cultural
investment.
Grant
programs
led
by
our
chief
of
Economic
Opportunity
and
inclusion,
and
his
team.
C
C
C
C
C
You
all
are
the
muscle
behind
the
strides
that
we,
as
a
city
have
made
since
the
pandemic
and
over
the
course
of
this
year,
I've
had
the
opportunity
to
sit
down
with
dozens
of
our
CEOs.
Many
of
you
here
today
and
heard
a
Vigilant
hopefulness
about
how
far
we've
come
that
you're,
seeing
good
signs
you're
watching
the
state
tax
package
have
an
eye
on
the
ballot
initiatives.
C
Housing
and
transportation
continue
to
be
challenges
for
your
Workforce
and
for
you,
but
you
believe
in
this
city
and
care
about
it,
and
so
you're
here
investing
in
our
communities
and
eager
to
contribute
to
a
Boston
that
doesn't
just
bounce
back
to
what
it
was,
but
pushes
forward
into
all
that
we
could
be
so
I
want
to
say.
Thank
you
for
your
partnership
and
your
vision.
C
This
summer
we
announced
a
new
office
to
residential
conversion
program
that
will
offer
up
to
75
reductions
in
the
standard
residential
property
tax
rate
for
up
to
29
years.
Chief
Arthur
Jemison
in
the
bpda
are
just
getting
started
and
we're
excited
to
begin
accepting
applications
for
that
program
next
month.
C
C
Since
our
Administration
began
in
the
fall
of
2021,
we've
permitted
nearly
7
000
units
of
housing,
almost
a
third
of
which
have
been
income
restricted
in
January,
we
announced
that
the
city
would
be
giving
away
land
to
developers
who
would
deliver
maximum
public
benefits
on
city-owned
parcels
and
since
then,
we've
released
requests
for
proposals
rfps
and
begun
working
with
developers
to
turn
vacant.
Lots
parking,
lots
and
unused
buildings
into
affordable
housing,
public
open
spaces
and
Retail.
C
C
C
And
all
of
their
teams,
we've
approved
nearly
900
new
homes
to
be
built
in
Boston,
just
in
the
last
month
alone,
and
there's
a
pipeline
of
over
23
000,
more
approved,
ready
to
be
built,
but
in
large
part,
because
interest
rates
are
the
highest
they've
been
in
20
years.
We're
not
seeing
those
approvals
translate
into
shovels
in
the
ground.
We
need
city
government
to
be
as
effective
a
partner
as
we
can
be
in
this
moment
and
making
sure
that
we're
continuing
to
build
as
many
homes
as
possible.
C
So
I've
spoken
with
Business
Leaders
real
estate
developers,
academics
to
better
understand
the
tools
that
Boston
could
use
to
accelerate
housing.
Construction
we've
consulted
leading
experts
and
economists
to
evaluate
our
options
for
targeted
investment
in
housing
production
at
a
time
when
new
home
construction
remains
incredibly
difficult
to
finance
and
based
on
these
conversations,
we
are
strongly
considering
a
Time
limited
tax
incentive
program
for
housing
creation
to
sustain
the
momentum
we
need
to
see
in
our
housing
pipeline
in
the
months
ahead.
C
Another
major
way
in
which
we're
removing
barriers
to
growth
and
development
is
through
modernizing
our
zoning
code,
which
hasn't
had
a
comprehensive
update
in
nearly
60
years
later.
Today,
we're
releasing
a
report
authored
by
Cornell,
professor
and
founder
and
director
of
the
national
zoning
Atlas
Sarah
bronen.
That
confirms
what
we've
all
known
here
for
a
while.
Now
our
zoning
code
isn't
just
outdated.
It's
long,
dense
and
internally
inconsistent
in
ways
that
make
planning
confusing
unpredictable
and
costly
under
the
current
code.
C
Our
planners
have
been
so
bogged
down
with
development
review
and
rezoning
that
there's
been
little
time
for
them
to
engage
in
the
thoughtful
long-term
planning
that
our
city
needs
and
they
would
like
to
move
forward
So
today.
We're
also
announcing
the
restructuring
of
our
planning
department
to
kick
off
the
long
overdue
reform
of
our
zoning
code
and
to
give
city
planners
a
capacity
to
plan
for
Boston's
future
with
communities.
C
We'll
kick
off
our
community
engagement
process
at
the
Dorchester
open
streets
event
this
weekend
and
conduct
Outreach
through
the
end
of
the
year,
sending
our
teams
to
businesses,
concerts
farmers,
markets
and
events
across
the
neighborhoods
to
get
input
from
all
of
our
residents.
Not
just
those
who
are
most
able
to
show
up
at
a
public
meeting.
C
We
know
that
raising
a
family
shouldn't
be
a
disqualifier
for
building
a
career,
and
so
Chief
Jemison
in
the
bpda
have
also
been
working
very
closely
with
Kristen
McSwain,
director
of
our
office
of
Early
Childhood,
to
propose
a
set
of
amendments
to
the
zoning
code.
That
will
make
it
easier
to
create
Child
Care
Facilities
throughout
our
city.
C
These
amendments
will
make
Child
Care
Facilities
as
of
right
in
every
neighborhood,
bringing
daycare,
centers
and
Family
Daycare
homes
to
communities
where
no
options
currently
exist
for
Working
Families.
It
is
hard
to
overstate
the
impact
of
these
changes.
More
high
quality,
affordable
child
care
options,
shorter
commute
times
and
more
opportunities
for
working
parents.
C
First
is
our
inclusionary
development
policy
and
the
second
will
be
about
the
inspectional
services
department,
so
IDP
for
developers
filling
those
affordable
units
can
be
time
and
cost
intensive,
and
for
residents
who
need
housing.
The
existing
Lottery
system
is
basically
a
black
box.
You
hear
nothing
for
months
and
then
suddenly
you're
notified
that
you
have
five
days
to
get
all
of
your
paperwork
together
in
your
life
to
be
considered
in
the
middle
of
our
housing
crisis.
This
means
that
some
affordable
units
stay
vacant
for
months,
even
after
the
rest
of
the
building
is
occupied.
C
We're
changing
that
when
a
unit
has
been
built
and
is
ready
to
be
filled,
we
will
have
a
renter
or
buyer
ready
to
move
in
on
day.
One
starting
tomorrow,
we'll
be
doing
away
with
the
application
request,
forms
for
prospective
residents.
No
more
filling
out
forms,
just
a
request
to
fill
out
more
forms,
we'll
also
be
updating
our
website
to
include
a
list
where
prospective
residents
can
see
their
exact
position
in
line
for
available
housing
for
developers.
We're
cutting
our
current
68-page
marketing
and
tenant
selection
plan
down
to
a
five-page
form.
C
And
the
city
will
be
taking
a
more
proactive
role
in
spreading
the
word
about
available
units
in
instead
of
requiring
developers
to
spend
16
hours
near
the
development
site,
handing
out
flyers.
We
will
host
information
sessions
across
our
neighborhoods
and
take
on
the
advertising
requirements
that
previously
fell
to
Developers.
C
So
while
some
projects
were
eligible
for
fast
tracking,
it
often
didn't
matter
because
they'd
sit
in
that
pile
on
someone's
desk
for
weeks.
This
time
around,
we
will
not
only
have
plans,
examiners
rotate
on
taking
Fast
Track
shifts
to
ensure
these
projects
get
the
individualized
attention
and
expedited
approvals.
C
Many
of
the
cities
that
are
our
same
size
or
or
considered
in
the
same
categories
are
dealing
with
the
trauma
and
impact
of
of
almost
10
times
greater
the
the
scale,
and
it's
not
just
that
we
are
seeing
the
numbers
lower
than
other
cities.
In
this
moment,
Boston
has
been
seeing
this
kind
of
Trend
in
our
own
City.
For
decades,
violent
crime
is
down
nearly
10
percent
compared
to
our
five-year
average
and
was
down
11.
C
C
But
as
the
numbers
reset
every
year,
the
trauma
and
the
grief
and
the
continued
impact
continues
on
in
our
city
for
our
families.
And
so
we
need
to
all
do
more
in
ensuring
that
we
can
provide
the
resources
and
the
infrastructure
for
trauma
supports
for
that
holistic
approach.
There
is
someone
in
this
room
who
I'd
like
to
highlight,
who
has
been
doing
this
in
name
as
a
non-profit
leader
for
a
long
time,
but
she
is
basically
part
of
the
infrastructure
of
City,
Hall
and
city
government
and
has
been
for
decades
chaplain
Clementina
cherry.
C
C
C
She
is
embarking
on
a
huge
Endeavor
that
the
city
of
Boston
is
going
to
be
there
every
step
of
the
way
to
build
for
once
the
building
and
facilities
at
the
Lewis,
D
Brown
peace
Institute
deserves
they're
kicking
off
a
capital
campaign.
So
please
she's
wearing
bright
red
today.
I
hope
everyone
goes
and
sees
her
afterwards.
C
C
Since
January
of
last
year,
hundreds
of
people
who
have
needed
Services
have
received
those
services
and
moved
on
to
life-changing
new
Journeys
in
the
low
threshold
housing
sites,
wrapped
with
medical
care
that
we
have
created.
The
first
ever
in
Boston
and
now
the
state
creating
more
in
six
other
cities
modeled
after
our
work.
C
More
than
160
people
in
just
this
time
have
not
only
reached
that
first
step
in
their
recovery,
but
stabilize
transition.
Gotten
job
search
supports
housing
counseling
to
now
living
in
permanent,
stable
housing,
but
as
more
people
from
across
the
region
have
arrived
at
Atkinson,
Street,
Southampton
and
everywhere
around
the
new
market
triangle,
it's
become
clear
that
a
compassionate,
comprehensive,
long-term
solution
requires
rebuilding
the
Long
Island
Bridge
and
Public
Health
Campus.
C
So
means
addressing
head-on
the
individuals
who
see
the
area
as
a
place
to
exploit
those
who
are
struggling
with
mental
health
and
addiction.
That's
why,
late
last
month,
we
initiated
a
phase
change
for
the
mass
and
cast
area
in
the
city.
We
filed
an
ordinance
with
the
Boston
city
council
to
interrupt
the
violence
and
criminal
activity
enabled
by
tarps
and
Tents,
which
currently,
the
protocols
require
an
extended
period
of
time
before
Boston
police
and
our
health
Outreach
providers
can
address.
C
We
need
to
have
that
capacity
to
move
immediately,
to
provide
more
safe,
stable,
low
threshold
housing
and
coordinated
implementation
to
return
the
streets
in
that
area
to
their
original
purpose,
restoring
Atkinson
Southampton
and
the
roads,
and
the
surrounding
area
to
standard
functioning
roadways
will
unlock
the
potential
for
more
effective,
Outreach
and
services
all
across
the
city,
and
it
gives
us
the
opportunity
to
lean
into
the
untapped
possibilities
of
this
neighborhood
as
a
thriving
part
of
our
growing
city.
That
can
create
more
jobs
right
there
for
the
individuals
who
are
needing
those
supports.
C
Imagine
if
the
individuals
who
needed
Services
were
connected
directly
and
our
city
teams
from
BPD
bphc
and
our
partners
in
community
could
have
the
supports
to
do
these
jobs
safely,
because
safety
and
opportunity
are
directly
connected.
We're
tying
together.
All
of
this
with
our
planning,
and
so
our
recently
released
plan
by
the
Boston
by
the
bpda,
focusing
on
New
Market
begins
to
take
us
in
that
direction,
as
we
pair
with
these
efforts
around
public
health
and
Public
Safety,
and
because
safety
and
opportunity
are
directly
connected,
I
want
to
reinforce
that.
C
Every
opportunity
we
create
for
industry
should
also
be
an
opportunity
for
our
future
Workforce
right
here.
In
Boston
this
summer
we
had
aimed
to
double
the
number
of
city-sponsored
summer
jobs
to
7
000
for
our
young
people,
thanks
to
leadership
from
our
chief
of
worker,
empowerment,
trendwin
senior
labor
advisor
Lou
mandarini,
and
the
partnership
of
Neil
Sullivan
in
the
Private
Industry
Council
and
many
of
the
companies
in
this
room.
We
not
only
met
that
7
000
summer
jobs
Highmark,
but
actually
pushed
to
more
than
9
000
high
school
students.
C
One
small
example:
just
one
person
Cindy
Alfaro
Martinez,
is
a
student
at
East,
Boston
high
school
and
she
spent
her
summer
in
the
CEO's
office
at
vertex
as
an
intern
for
reshma
and
if
you're
thinking,
that
sounds
like
the
kind
of
opportunity
that
could
change
a
student's
life.
You
are
right.
It's
exactly
the
kind
of
opportunity
we
want
to
create
for
every
single
one
of
our
Boston
Public
School
students.
C
C
C
C
These
Solutions
will
require
creativity
and
collaboration
and
demand
that
we're
not
satisfied
with
just
returning
to
the
way
things
were,
but
pulling
all
of
us
forward
into
what
we
could
be
as
we
set
our
sights
on
that
future
together.
I
am
so
grateful
to
know
that
we
can
count
on
every
person
in
this
room
and
all
of
the
leadership
that
you
and
your
organizations
represent.
Thank
you.
C
A
A
You
know
you
and
I
have
talked
about
the
fact
that
you
as
May
of
a
city
and
my
role
as
chamber
President.
We
spend
a
lot
of
time
talking
about
and
dealing
with
challenges
and
responding
to
questions
about
those
things.
But
you
know
once
in
a
while,
it's
good
to
just
take
an
inventory
of
sort
of
where
we
are,
how
far
we've
come,
and
thank
you
for
reminding
this
entire
audience
of
of
all
that's
good
about
our
city.
So
thank
you
for
for
doing
that.
A
Thank
you,
so
I
almost
hesitate
to
ask
some
questions
focused
on
challenges.
I
mean
I,
know
Dive,
Right
In.
So
but
anyway,
let's
start
with
yesterday
was
a
preliminary
election
for
the
Boston
city
council
by
my
count,
I
think
there'll
be
four
new
city
councilors,
at
least
unless
there's
a
surprise
again
without
looking
back.
Let's
look
forward,
what's
your
hope
as
we
enter
2024
for
a
a
new
reconstituted,
Boston
city
council,.
C
And
then
it's
been
an
all
hands
on
deck,
focused
on
just
making
sure
everyone
could
get
through
the
pandemic
and
now
we're
really
at
a
turning
point
in
many
ways.
What
does
our
recovery
look
like?
How
do
we
Envision
and
build
a
city
that
people
can
actually
afford
to
stay
in?
How
do
we
get
the
Decades
of
deferred
maintenance
on
our
public
transit
system
onto
a
solid
plan
that
we
can
all
be
a
part
of
and
know?
C
Where
can
we
find
that
stability,
and
that
can
manifest
in
a
lot
of
chaos
and
kind
of
not
not
functioning
properly
or
it
can
manifest
in
a
real
shared
commitment
to
say,
let's
build
the
momentum,
seize
the
political
will
and
get
things
done
and
I
think
you
know,
I
will
I
will
never
give
up
on
the
Boston
city.
Council
I
will
stand
by
the
importance
of
this
institution.
How
fundamental
it
is.
C
There's
nothing
like
being
able
to
just
call
up
your
District
city
counselor
and
know
that
any
little
issue
should
be
the
most
important
thing
for
someone
who
has
the
power
within
city
government
to
make
to
make
those
connections
and
get
things
done
and
I
think
what
we
are
seeing
is
as
we
transition
as
a
city
as
an
economy
and
as
a
government.
The
focus
really
has
to
be.
How
do
we
Marshal
a
focus
on
achievement
and
progress
and
accomplishment?
C
We
can't
We're
Not
Gonna
again,
I'm,
not
gonna,
fix
everything
overnight,
we're
not
going
to
achieve
Perfection,
but
even
the
steps
that
Boston
will
be
able
to
take
in
some
ways
are
steps
that
other
cities
are
dreaming
of
and
that
we
can
help
set
the
standards
and
I
know.
City
government
has
a
real
role
to
play
in
partnership
with
you
all.
A
Okay,
you
opened
up
the
door
to
my
public
transit
question.
You
all
knew
it
was
coming
after
years
of
working
together,
quite
frankly,
to
get
Boston
a
seat
on
the
MBTA
board.
We
did
it
so
now
you
have
the
ability
to
point
someone
so
talk
about
how
you
hope
to
use
that
seat
and
maybe
I'll,
throw
in
my
second
T
question.
A
You
know:
we've
seen
slow
zones
and
the
challenges
that
filling
is
facing
over
the
T,
announcing
shutdowns
of
different
segments.
You've
been
close
to
the
issue
you
and
I
talk
about
it
very
regularly.
Do
you
expect
that
that's
part
of
our
kind
of
next
few
years,
a
week
shutdown
here
a
month
shut
down
there?
Yes,.
C
C
It
means
we
have
to
either
choose
to
kind
of
compress
and
take
it
all
in
and
and
do
our
best
to
get
it
done
quickly,
or
it
will
stretch
potentially
indefinitely
and-
and
at
that
point
where
again,
even
the
infrastructure
is
even
at
an
age
where
that
is
not
even
a
realistic
option.
Just
in
terms
of
how
long
rail
ties
and
other
things
can
last,
and
so
it's
a
huge
accomplishment
for
all
of
our
commuter
population
and
I
believe
for
the
region.
C
That
Boston
will
have
a
direct
voice
in
really
making
the
the
connection
to
an
agency
that
is
funded
by
a
Statewide
legislature
and
government
and
therefore
has
very
different
pressures
and
incentives
on
the
the
revenue
side,
but
then
has
to
deliver
services
in
a
way
that
are
so
concentrated
in
the
center
city
and
the
the
metro
area.
And
so
what?
What
do
we
hope
to
do?
C
I
just
actually
met
yesterday
with
acting
secretary
or
newly
sworn
in
Secretary
Monica,
Tibbetts
Nutt,
who
came
from
years
of
serving
on
the
MBTA
board
herself
and
it'll,
be
issues
like
how
do
we
ensure
that
the
little
changes
that
affect
Boston,
for
example,
the
commuter
rail,
fair
prices
being
being
constructed
around
a
very
outdated
ring
approach,
so
that
when
you
get
on
the
commuter
rail
at
Forest
Hills
on
the
to
go
into
South
Station?
For
example?
It's
the
price
of
the
tea.
C
But
if
you
go
one
mile
further
to
get
on
in
Roslindale
Village,
it's
nearly
triple
the
price
and
of
course,
then
people
are
driving
just
within
those
neighborhoods
in
Boston
such
a
small
thing.
That
would
dramatically
change
how
people
choose
to
take
transit,
identifying
these
issues
around
the
bus
system
or
how
to
manage
and
engage
residents
when
we
do
have
to
deal
with
the
reality
of
temporary
shutdowns
and
getting
through
that.
C
So
we
can
just
be
on
a
path
and
track
where
the
system
is
is
getting
to
where
it
needs
to
be
it's
going
to
take
a
while.
We
will
be
loud
and
and
forceful
alongside
you
all,
but
we've
gotten
we're
in
a
much
better
place.
I
believe
right
now
than
we've
been
in
a
long
time
in
terms
of
everything
coming
together.
A
Well,
the
the
way
we
price
Mobility
is
probably
right,
alongside
zoning
in
terms
of
being
outdated,
so
we've
got
some.
We've
got
some
work
to
do
there
and
Monica
by
the
way
is
fantastic
and
we
want
to
roll
another
10
outstanding
young
leader,
recognized
by
the
chamber,
so
so
we're
doing
we're
doing
pretty
good,
so
Boston,
Public
Schools.
You
know
near
and
theater
my
heart,
Mary
Skippers
I've
been
doing
a
tremendous
job
in
her
role
at
the
Boston
Public
Schools.
A
A
C
So
the
document
that
was
signed
really
before
superintendent
Skipper
was
even
formally
chosen
to
be
in
that
role
now,
dating
back
to
June
of
2022,
outlined
a
series
of
buckets
of
deliverables,
most
of
them
with
a
time
frame
that
would
go
for
the
next
year
and
a
half
from
when
that
document
was
finalized.
Those
are
anything
from
fixing
up
certain
number
of
bathrooms
and
getting
those
Renovations
on
track
to
really
a
focus
on
bus
transportation
and
on-time
performance
and
rethinking
how
we
can
improve
access
for
students
with
disabilities
and
English
language.
C
Learners
I
would
say
you
know,
so.
The
process
in
the
structure
is
that
every
single
week
the
state
and
Boston
public
schools
are
meeting
and
going
through
what
needs
to
be
done.
They
are
providing
a
tremendous
amount
of
technical
support
and
advisory
resources,
which
has
been
very,
very
helpful
and
meaningful,
and
then
the
city
as
we're,
completing
and
meeting
these
deadlines
is
checking
things
off
the
the
list.
C
We
see
this
document
as
a
necessary
kind
of
at
that
moment
again
different
Administration
different
moment
in
time.
It
was
a
helpful
way
to
really
be
clear
about
what
each
side's
role
was
in
the
partnership,
our
vision
for
Boston
Public
Schools.
If
you
talk
to
Mary
Skipper
it
go,
it
fills
up
this
room
and
Beyond,
and
so
just
getting
buses
there
on
time
or
having
bathrooms
that
are
functional.
That
is
not
what
we
aim
for
with
our
students.
It's
the
Partnerships
that
you
are
helping
to
create
with
so
many
in
this
room.
C
I
would
say
that
some
of
the
big
changes
that
have
already
started
to
bear
fruit
have
been
a
year
and
a
half
in
the
making,
and
and
many
of
them
will
probably
be
another
three
to
five
years
in
terms
of
really
revamping
how
our
special
education
system
works
and
how
our
our
our
different
processes
are
all
handled.
But
we
are
well
underway
and
working
through
that
school
by
school,
by
school,
classroom
by
classroom.
C
It's
a
little
iffy,
you
don't
know
if
some
students
are
dropped
off
more
on
the
first
day,
we
waited
at
a
stop
because
a
young
girl
was
late
running
over
and
then
that
that
made
the
route
late.
So
it's
always
a
little
bit
squishy.
Last
year
the
on-time
performance
for
buses
getting
exactly
to
school
on
time
was
50
percent.
This
year
we
were
over
60
percent
last
year
by
day
two.
It
was
in
the
70s.
C
C
It
took
a
year
and
a
half
to
reconfigure
the
school
bus
driver's
contract
to
have
some
operational
reforms
and
accountability
and
supports
it,
took
building
a
new
pipeline
that
the
city
that
the
district
runs
themselves
to
get
people
trained
up
in
in
the
CDL
driver's
license
needed
to
drive
a
bus
versus
just
searching
around
for
who
might
have
one.
It
took
more
new
requirements
in
how
our
bus,
our
Communications
processes,
work
between
schools
and
the
district
and
families,
and
so
all
of
that
is
continuing
to
build.
A
C
A
They
yeah
the
the
planning
effort
around
South,
Bay
and
and
New
Market
I
think
is
Big
I.
Think
you
projecting
a
vision
for
what
that
District
can
be
in
the
future.
Is
so
important
and
I
commend
you
and
and
Arthur
Jemison
for
for
putting
that
forth
and
I
know,
there's
a
lot
of
interest
in
this
room
in
contributing
to
sort
of
making
that
Vision
a
reality.
So
I
don't
know
if
you
want
to
add
any
more
about
that
effort,
but
but
I
just
think
it's
terrific
yeah.
C
And
this
is
an
area
of
the
city
and
a
kind
of
critical
segment
of
our
economy.
That
many
many
folks
have
been
planning
for,
and
thinking
about,
as
a
city
gets
to
a
point
where
housing
prices
are
at
a
certain
level
where
the
nature
of
the
economy
overall
is
shifting
from
some
of
the
more
blue-collar
patterns
of
several
decades
ago.
There's
an
existential
question
for
light
industrial
manufacturing.
C
In
the
context
of
the
new
economy
and
a
more
kind
of
innovation,
information,
focused
economy
right,
there's
a
whole
separate
set
of
conversation
discussion
we
could
have
on
AI
and
what
it
means
in
this
sector
and
many
sectors
everywhere
and-
and
we
are
launching
into
some
of
those
conversations
as
well
thinking
about
advisory
committee.
So
I'll
put
that
out
there
as
something
for
collaboration.
C
Folks,
like
John
fish,
have
had
a
vision
for
this
area
had
been
fighting
for
it
for
a
very
long
time.
Right.
Locating
your
headquarters
there
long
before
anyone
saw
potential
there
and
and
I
think
we
need
to
follow
that
with
many
of
the
resources
and
and
parameters
so
that
we're
we're
making
the
most
for
everyone
in
our
city.
Well,.
A
Mayor
will
thank
you
for
the
positive
energy
that
you
bring
to
this
job
into
the
room
today.
Thank
you
for
your
willingness
to
face
the
challenges
in
a
collaborative
way,
with
the
business
community
and
and
partner,
in
the
way
that
you
you
spoke
about
earlier
in
your
speech,
and
we
look
forward
to
giving
you
even
better
numbers
to
report
next
year.
Thank
you,
mayor.