Boston City Council meeting to be held May 28 on the Boston Redeveloment Authority and City budget

This continues a hearing that began on April 17.  Attached is the original resolution for that hearing. The issues are ways the City budget is affected by the BRA, including:

  • the BRA's granting of Chapter 121A tax breaks;
  • the City's PILOT payment program;
  • BRA taking by eminent domain of City land without compensation;
  • BRA land-banking of 425 properties, all tax-exempt;
  • BRA use of public budget appropriations without accountability.

Please write a letter to the City Council if you can't come to testify.

Below is information received from the City Council:

The Boston City Councilís Committee on the Planning & Economic Development will be reconvening a public hearing on Wednesday, May 28, 2003 at 9:30 a.m. in the Iannella Chamber. The first hearing on this matter was held on April 17, 2003.

The subject of the hearing is:

Docket # 0212 Order for a hearing to discuss ways to mitigate the cost of Boston Redevelopment Authority programs to the City. Filed by Councilor Arroyo. Referred to Committee 1/29/2003.

Docket # 0592 Order regarding budget shortfall and BRA resources. Filed by Councilor Kelly Referred to committee on 4/ 9/2003.

Members of the public are cordially invited to attend and testify. If you have not testified at a Council hearing before, please arrive (5) minutes before the call of the hearing to sign up and become familiar with the hearing format, testimony locations, and sound system. Please bring fifteen (15) copies of any written documentation you wish to present at the hearing. If you know of others who may be interested in this hearing, kindly notify them.

Written comments may be made part of the record and available to all Councilors by sending them by email, fax, or mail to arrive before the hearing, please use the information below.

For the Committee:
James M. Kelly
Committee on Planning & Economic Development

Mail Address: Dockets #0592, 0212 - City Council, City Hall, Boston, MA 02201
Fax Number: (617) 635-4203
Email Contact: Lincoln.Smith at cityofboston dot gov
Telephone Number: 617.635.3043