Boston City Council passes $1.7 billion schools budget

City councilors held their noses Wednesday in an 8-5 vote to pass Boston Public Schools’ $1.7 billion budget, which slashes more than 400 student-facing paraprofessional and teaching jobs.

The budget represents an $88 million increase over the last fiscal year, but declining enrollment and rising health insurance costs for employees have forced the cuts, according to school officials.

Freshman Councilor Miniard Culpepper was incredulous at the number of expected layoffs.

“I can’t believe that we’re even considering talking about approving this budget,” he said.

He said the body should send it back to the school committee and tell them to "find some money to keep folks working in September."

He voted against it alongside councilors Ed Flynn, Julia Mejia, Erin Murphy, and Brian Worrell. Several councilors who voted for it described the budget decision as “painful” but necessary.

Councilors unanimously voted to allow the city to pull $70 million from a free cash fund to cover unexpected snow removal costs of $47 million, along with health insurance hikes and utility spending by city schools.

In addition, councilors passed a $4.4 billion, five-year capital budget, which funds 321 projects across the city. It will require a second vote in a few weeks.

The council had initially planned to vote on amendments to Mayor Michelle Wu's proposed $4.9 billion operating budget for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1. But the included cuts in services has caused infighting between councilors and activist-led protests over the past 48 hours.

While the proposal is a 2% increase over the current budget, rising costs and stagnating tax revenue has gobbled up that difference. As a result, Wu’s budget includes $20 million in cuts to city programs and grants.

Ways and Means Chair Ben Weber has led working sessions to consider $9.6 million in amendments to restore some of that funding.

But to some councilors, that’s not enough.

That amount “doesn’t meet the moment,” Mejia said at a Tuesday working session.

Weber adjourned the meeting early, saying it was going “in circles.”

Several councilors were outraged.

“You’re a king!” Erin Murphy said as Weber walked out of the room.

The divided deliberations were a stark difference from last year, when the council voted unanimously in support of budget amendments.

This session, the fight on the council essentially has two sides: Councilors who often align with the mayor want to pass Weber’s amendment package. The rest of the body wants a different process where each councilor’s proposals are voted on informally and publicly until they reach consensus.

Weber tried to appease critics Wednesday by sharing a new amendment package that would increase housing vouchers. It would also fund the city’s Coordinated Response Team, which targets outdoor drug use with $200,000, and a “Graffiti Busters” program with $25,000.

Now, councilors plan to debate the amendments in working sessions. They're set to vote on June 10. Wu will have seven days to accept, amend, or veto whatever the council approves.

“It is clear that councilors didn’t think their amendment process was done,” said Greg Maynard, executive director of the Boston Policy Institute, a group that frequently criticizes the mayor and her backers. “The big question now is: will Weber change his approach after this very surprising setback?”

Steve Poftak, CEO of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, said there’s still time for the process to work itself out.

“That said, I think there were clear signs of frustration with how the process has gone thus far," he said. "But we shouldn’t get too wrapped up in the sausage making.”