Boston Municipal Research Bureau

#BPS starts hearings on Thurs, February 12. Check out our analysis from last week -- https://ow.ly/7fao50YcXJy

Now, we've gone a level deeper and come up with key items for the School Committee to consider. Learn more: https://www.bmrb.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/RU_02_11_26.pdf

#bospoli

Recognition by the @BOSCityCouncil for Vineet Gupta (@VineetBoston), a Shattuck Award recipient, for his amazing 37 years of service to @BostonBTD. A Who's Who of the City Hall transpo & planning team was there. The rules may have been bent to allow for a standing ovation.😉 #bospoli

The BPS FY27 Budget proposal came out Wednesday night. It's a challenging year -- enrollment declining; deep FTE cuts, & increasing costs. See what the Research Bureau's deep dive found: https://ow.ly/XXq050YacMV

#bospoli #boston #bps #bostonpublicschools #edpolicy

Boston’s property tax rates are in the news these days. Our latest Research Update explains the key drivers of those rates. Dive into our analysis to understand the trends shaping the city’s future.

Read the Update: https://www.bmrb.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/RU012926.pdf

#bospoli #mapoli

Hearing from @MassGovernor at a packed @AIMBusinessNews Annual Meeting. Thanks to BMRB member @Verizon for the invite. #bospoli #mapoli

Grateful to be a guest of Research Bureau member @bu_tweets for President Gilliam’s Annual Address #bospoli

Interested in which City Councillor got which Committee assignment for the upcoming year? Here's the Research Bureau's comparison of last year to this year with all the new assignments. Best wishes to all the Councillors for the coming year! #bospoli #mapoli #boston

Friends and supporters -- We'd like to cordially invite you to our 94th Annual Meeting. Coming up sooner than you think -- Thursday, March 12th at the Seaport Hotel. Be sure to save the date. We look forward to seeing you! #bospoli

Congratulations to Elaine Beattie, a member of our staff for 40 years, upon receiving the Frederick P. Gruenberg Award. It is the highest honor the Governmental Research Association gives those who have made outstanding contributions to the field of governmental research.

Please join us in welcoming Steve Poftak as our new Chief Executive Officer and President on his first day. We're thrilled to have you at the helm.

Big news this morning: Steve Poftak will be our new CEO and President, starting July 14. His research expertise and public sector management experience will be instrumental as we build on our 93 year history of non-partisan, data driven work promoting efficient and effective government in Boston.

We are thrilled to announce this year's City of Boston Shattuck Public Service Award recipients. We'll celebrate on Nov. 20 and honor them for all they do for our city. Please join us in congratulating them!

As Boston City Council considers whether to move forward w/ advisory Nov. ballot question establishing an Inspector General, here is our testimony on the related home rule petition that would abolish the Finance Commission and establish an Office of Inspector General. www.bmrb.org/wp-content/u...

As federal layoffs shake up the public sector workforce, displaced workers look to Boston - The Boston Globe The City of Boston has seen a boom in job applications, with positions that it once struggled to hire for now receiving a record amount of interest.

"Boston’s civic reputation, newly bolstered by a state recruitment campaign for federal workers, and a relatively resilient public sector job market, has made the region a top destination for former federal workers." www.bostonglobe.com/2025/06/29/b...

See who made the ballot for Boston’s September preliminary election - The Boston Globe All 13 Boston City Council seats are up for reelection this year, in addition to the flagship mayoral race.

2025 is going to be a busy year for Bostons' voters. We look forward to robust policy discussions about the city's future.
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/06/27/m...

Boston’s brightest: 33 valedictorians celebrated at annual luncheon - The Boston Globe Dozens of family members watched 33 valedictorians shake hands with Mayor Michelle Wu Tuesday at an annual luncheon at Fenway Park.

An inspiring group of students to celebrate.

www.bostonglobe.com/2025/05/27/m...

There is still time to nominate a City of Boston employee for this year's Shattuck Awards (and please save the date of October 22 for the 40th awards event). Nomination deadline is May 16. The form is here: bmrb.org/wp-content/u...

‘Missed opportunity’: Some Boston schools’ promises unfulfilled as state improvement plan expires - The Boston Globe A much-publicized improvement plan for the city’s schools, meant to avoid state receivership, is due to expire at the end of June.

Our view: “The operational improvements since 2020 do not justify the state scaling back its role, especially when one considers the district’s academic performance. More, not less, state oversight and accountability for Boston Public Schools is required.”
www.bostonglobe.com/2025/04/29/m...

Our report about Boston Mayor Wu's proposed FY26 budget is out. Boston's City Council, which is holding budget hearings in April and May and considering amendments, must take act by June 11.

www.bmrb.org/mayor-recomm...

Our 40th Shattuck Public Service Awards on Oct. 22 will recognize City of Boston employees who perform at a high level of excellence. Know someone who fits that description? The nomination deadline is May 16. Nomination form is here: bmrb.org/wp-content/u...

We are grateful to The Drew Company for being a premier sponsor of our 93rd Annual Meeting and are thrilled to have its President John Drew as our new Vice Chair.

Thank you to Citizens Bank for being a Premier Sponsor of our 93rd Annual Meeting. We are grateful for your support and for the leadership of our executive committee and board member Pat Nuzzo.

Thank you to P&G Gillette for being a Premier Sponsor of our 93rd Annual Meeting. We're grateful for your support and for the leadership of Kara Buckley on our executive committee and board of directors.

Thank you to Vicinity Energy for being a Premier Sponsor of our 93rd Annual Meeting. We are grateful for the support and appreciate the dedication of our board member Patrick Haswell.

Our latest Research Update is out - it summarizes the key points of proposed BTU-BPS contact. The Boston School Committee is expected to consider and possibly vote on proposed BTU contract on Wednesday. www.bmrb.org/boston-publi...

We are enormously grateful to the Premier Sponsors of our 93rd Annual Meeting, including Comcast. We're honored to have your support and benefit from the hard work of our board and executive committee member Tim Murnane.

We are enormously grateful to the Premier Sponsors of our 93rd Annual Meeting, including Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts. We're honored to have your support and benefit from the hard work of our board member Jeff Bellows.

Grateful for the recognition of our 93 years - still feeling young and energetic!

Our 93rd Annual Meeting is in the history books. Thanks to Stephanie Lee of Verizon for her incredible two years as board chair and welcome to Charlene Rideout of Kearney Donovan & McGee who today began her tenure as board chair.

That's a wrap. Our 93rd Annual Meeting featuring Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaking to several hundred members and guests is in the history books. Thanks to @kimdriscollma.bsky.social for inspiring remarks and spending time with us.