The Fort Pointer

Excellent reporting in @massterlist.com morning email as incoming Councilor Miniard Culpepper presses Senator Collins to allow Mayor Wu’s tax proposal to be released into committee to allow for public debate.

MASSterlist has video of the event. Publish it, please! 🙏🏼 cc @gintautasd.bsky.social

Frustrating when, as a constituent, you can’t even argue on facts.

Councilor Flynn is misrepresenting Council colleagues, claiming they’ve stated that “parking in new construction slows housing production.” Not one has stated that.

Misrepresenting what has been proposed may be effective politically in Southie, but it does a disservice.

You really know your s**t. Incredibly impressive TBH

When you say assessments were “jacked up” and you report on so-called “hidden fees,” do you have any legal basis for those claims?

I’m not trying to be a wise guy, Scott, it just seems like you’re carrying water for NAIOP et al. Where’s the lawsuit?

Thanks Chief. Really loved seeing and chatting with you in Southie last weekend. 🙏🏼

Today, @mayorwu.boston.gov announced that the City has converted the Hillcrest in Roslindale into permanently affordable housing through the Acquisition Opportunity Program and the Boston Acquisition Fund. Additionally, First Citizens Bank announced a new $1 million contribution to the Fund!

Also, @scottvv.bsky.social... are you suggesting that property assessments should increase as buildings lease up with new tenants? (My guess it that the assessor's office looking at vacancies and leases wouldn't even be legal.)

"Jacked up tax assessments." "Hidden fees."

Large commercial property owners have been casting aspersions for two years.

Two years playing tiny violins and they still haven't found an attorney to make a case in a court of law? Seems like a weak case, @scottvv.bsky.social.

B31-2025.12.11_Weil_AuthExtension_DowntownOfficetoResidentialConversionIncentivePilotProgram_BM_FINAL.docx | Powered by Box

Tonight at BPDA Board: BPDA extends the term of its Office-to-Residential Conversion program through 2026. Projects entering the program in 2026 will be required to break ground by 12/31/2027. 👍🏼 bpda.app.box.com/s/5d0d9iyi7w...

Well, looks like South Boston 02127 will now see a full court press for a $20 million parking garage at the municipal lot site on W Broadway.

$millions for library expansion too!

Total community civic investment in South Boston 02210 this century: $0.00

I’ll give Ben 72 hours to provide names of experts on the “lived impacts” that he would’ve empaneled.

Don’t hold your breath, Ben can’t be depended on to substantiate his claims.

FitzGerald worked at BPDA. He knew of no downside to eliminating parking minimums, but is pandering, w Ben’s support.

Did someone mention elevators?

Isn’t it amazing how the largest retail-led developer in the USA is let off the hook when failing our elderly and disabled neighbors. My reports on elevator accessibility in Seaport have fallen on deaf ears.

Was it respectful of Councilor FitzGerald to direct concern at Councilor Durkan for not including opponents on any expert panel?

Do you think he is aware of any experts that oppose the elimination of parking minimums? Are you aware of any?

Fitzgerald was attempting to sully Durkan’s hearing.

And February was our THIRD time filing with the legislature, after intensive legislative process & negotiations throughout 2024.

And was it respectful of Councilor FitzGerald to direct concern at Councilor Durkan for not including opponents on any expert panel?

Do you think he is aware of any experts that oppose the elimination of parking minimums? Are you aware of any?

Fitzgerald was attempting to sully Durkan’s hearing.

What does that have to do with BPI being AWOL?

A ‘revolving door of suffering’: Climate disasters by the numbers in Massachusetts - The Boston Globe Extreme weather disasters fueled by climate change in Massachusetts have cost US taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. But investing in resilient infrastructure could yield significant returns.

A ‘revolving door of suffering’: Climate disasters by the numbers in Massachusetts… www.bostonglobe.com/2025/12/11/s...

Can anyone explain why BPI has been AWOL this month regarding elimination of parking minimums?

Politics? Absolutely. BPI was founded by political strategists and is funded by undisclosed backers.

Boston Policy Institute made sure to harangue Councilor Durkan earlier this year: When would a hearing on parking minimums be held?

But not one word since, before or after Tuesday’s hearing, at which BPI’s most closely aligned Councilors stoked fears and made baseless claims.

My point? Calls for "fiscal responsibility" from Councilors in the context of residential tax relief are 100% political.

Councilors making such calls have not only failed to identify where they'd cut $200-$350m, the cost of their own initiatives would tank the City's budget.

On Fiscal Responsibility

Cost of Councilor @edflynnforboston.bsky.social's proposal to hire 200 new police officers each year for 10 years:

Grok: "In summary, the 10-year cost would be approximately $1.55 billion, with annual expenses rising from $32 million in 2026 to $277 million in 2035."

A closer look at his advertisers suggests he hasn't retired; he's drawing income from sales of ivermectin, survival kits and gold coins.

It was overwhelmingly favorable to elimination of minimums with input of two panels: admin and independent experts.

Three Councilors (Flynn, Murphy, Fitzgerald) cited their fears, with absolutely no research, data or backing outside of anecdotes based on vibes alone. I mean ZERO credible backing.

YouTube video by Boston City Council Boston City Council Live Stream

Today: Councilor @ruthzee.bsky.social's final meeting as Council President. Just want to extend a word of appreciation for Councilor Louijeune's outstanding work. 💎

Livestream at 12 PM: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJW4...

"One name floating as a potential challenger to Brownsberger: Daniel Lander, the chair of Boston’s Ward 21 Democratic Committee, who served as a senior adviser on Wu’s 2021 mayoral campaign." 🔥

Congrats on 300!

The Boston Herald’s use of unflattering photographs of women and people of color in positions of power continues today.

The Herald treats white men in positions of responsibility with extreme deference in photographs. Prove me wrong this past year — the imbalance is staggering.

Snippet of letter from MA Vision Zero Coalition orgs to Mayor Walsh from November 2016. Full letter included at link in post. Full text of screenshot below. We would also like to reiterate the requests we made of you in the meeting: 1. That you will personally commit to ensuring that every department involved in Vision Zero feels the same obligation to bring the number of fatal crashes on our streets to zero, and that all departments are working from the same play book (i.e. the Vision Zero Action Plan; GoBoston 2030) to achieve this goal. 2. That you will provide additional resources to BTD for Vision Zero in 2017. One way to do this is to charge for parking permits (as is done in surrounding communities: Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville). For example, $30/permit could create 3 million dollars in new revenue in 2017.

Maybe letter from Nov’16 should be re-sent: any use for an extra $27mil (using the 3mil+/yr cited, from 2017-2025) for safety projects from parking permits? putting a price could help weed out folks like Flynn agrees is important (force billing / residence match) walkmass.org/2017/11/16/v...

It’s disappointing that he entered the hearing, read his letter at the outset (with no basis in professional expertise or data), and that was that. Two expert panels and further public testimony didn’t matter, he was already locked in.