BOSTON (WHDH) - Mayor Martin J. Walsh resubmitted his Administration’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget on Monday, which includes the reallocation of 20 percent, or $12 million, of the Boston Police Department’s overtime budget.
This resubmission came after calls to defund the police and reinvest that money into other programs.
The money reallocation would be split the following ways:
- $3 million for the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) to begin implementation of the eight strategies outlined in Boston’s declaration of racism as a public health crisis,
- $1 million to support trauma teams and counseling services at the Boston Public Health Commission
- $2 million in new funding for community based programs and supports through City departments, such as violence intervention grants, youth programming, language and food access, Immigrant Advancement, the Age Strong Commission and the Human Rights Commission,
- $2 million for additional public mental health services through a partnership between the Boston Police Department and Boston Medical Center Emergency Services Program or BEST,
- $2 million to support economic development initiatives to support minority and women owned businesses and;
- $2 million to provide additional housing supports and youth homelessness programs.
The resubmitted budget calls for a total of $3.65 billion, an increase of $119 million over the FY20 budget.
In this budget, the city accounted for a projected $65 million in revenue loss as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, $30 million of which was initially accounted for in Walsh’s original budget proposal in April.
Boston Public Schools would be allocated $80 million in new funding to meet the challenges of the coronavirus and to work toward closing achievement and opportunity gaps, increasing their overall budget to $1.26 billion. The budget also marks the first year of Walsh’s $100 million commitment to new revenue for direct classroom funding.
In addition, the budget protects Walsh’s commitment of $500 million over five years to create thousands of homes all across the city that will be affordable to residents at a range of income levels.
It also fulfills the first year of Walsh’s commitment of city resources with an $18 million investment in new operating and capital funding.
“With this budget, we have an opportunity to seize the moment that is before us to make investments that are grounded in equity, inclusion and that are intentional about directing funding to places where we know it will have the greatest impact in benefiting our residents,” Walsh said. “I am proud that thanks to years of careful fiscal stewardship, we are able to continue making smart and strategic investments at a time when many residents need it most. I believe that with responsible fiscal planning, with investments in the equity, health and wellbeing of our residents, and with our spirit of courage and collaboration, we will emerge together from these crises stronger and more resilient than before.”
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