City Council Committee Hearing on Modernizing Boston City Charter – April 24, 2026
City Council Committee Hearing on Modernizing Boston City Charter – April 24, 2026
The City Council Committee on Government Operations held a hearing on Docket 0410, an order to examine and modernize the Boston City Charter in advance of the city's 400th anniversary. The hearing, chaired by Councilor (Madam Chair) and sponsored by Councilor Julia Mejia, began at 10:33 AM and concluded without public testimony. Panelists included Ilinor Rabovsky (Executive Director, GenUnity), Richard Young (Founder and Executive Director, Civic Flex), and John Smith St. Cyr (Founder and Executive Director, Jails Smith Suicide Prevention Center for Young Black Boys, Inc.). Councilors Ed Flynn, Liz Breadon, and David Weber also participated.
Discussion Items
- Opening Remarks by Councilor Mejia: Mejia introduced the hearing, noting that the Boston City Charter has not been reformed in approximately 75 years and is a patchwork of statutes, amendments, and home rule petitions. She outlined three pathways for charter reform: a charter commission (requiring signatures from 15% of registered voters), a home rule petition, and a binding ballot question (which can be initiated by the council with mayoral approval, or by citizen petition with 200 signatures). She emphasized that the process should be community-led and focused on increasing civic engagement and trust.
- Panelist Presentations:
- Ilinor Rabovsky described GenUnity's work in creating intergenerational, multiracial cohorts to build relationships and participatory decision-making. She introduced Richard Young of Civic Flex.
- Richard Young presented the Civic Assembly process used in Lexington, Kentucky, to review the Urban County Charter (first review since 1998). The assembly comprised 36 randomly selected residents (via lottery from 11,500 mailers), demographically representative across eight categories (age, race, housing status, etc.). Over 35 hours in seven sessions, participants learned about charter issues, deliberated, and voted using a 70% threshold. Three recommendations emerged: (1) increase council compensation to the average annual wage (~$59,000), (2) create accountability/attendance expectations for council members, and (3) institutionalize charter review via a civic assembly every eight years. The process cost $225,000, raised from local donors, members, and grants; assembly members received a $1,200 stipend plus childcare and transportation support. Young stressed the value of random selection in engaging non-traditional participants and restoring trust.
- John Smith St. Cyr argued that Boston's charter concentrates too much power in the mayor's office, creating weak checks and balances. He cited the 2021 ballot question on an elected school committee (passed 79% to 21% but not implemented) as an example of the system resisting structural change. He called for a rebalancing of authority, clearer lines of responsibility, and stronger legislative oversight, advocating for a charter commission elected by the people.
- Councilor Questions and Discussion:
- Councilor Mejia asked about the relationship between nonprofits and government, funding, and barriers to public engagement. She emphasized the need for meaningful participation and power-sharing. Young and Rabovsky discussed the benefits of assembly independence; Rabovsky noted that civic assemblies can restore trust if decision-makers commit to using recommendations.
- Councilor Breadon asked about selection and question generation. Young explained the random selection process and the narrowing of eight potential topics to two (council compensation and charter review frequency) through public engagement. He noted that 84.6% to 88.8% of assembly members supported the final recommendations, including a standing charter review process.
- Councilor Weber inquired about specific outdated charter provisions. Young cited gendered language and structural issues that need updating; Rabovsky and Smith St. Cyr emphasized the difficulty of finding and understanding the current charter, which is a collection of documents. Weber also asked about paths to amendment; Mejia clarified the three pathways.
- Councilor Mejia later asked about youth representation; Young described a separate youth selection process via Civic Flex's education program, resulting in one 16-year-old participant who will present to the Lexington council.
- The council discussed the feasibility of a civic assembly in Boston, potential resistance from those in power, and the importance of obtaining administration buy-in before launching a community process to avoid further mistrust.
Key Outcomes
- No Formal Votes: The hearing was informational; no votes were taken.
- Next Steps: Councilor Mejia and the Chair agreed that a second hearing or working session should be scheduled to involve the administration (legal counsel, mayor's office) to clarify the administration's role and the viability of different reform pathways.
- Potential for Civic Assembly: The council expressed interest in a civic assembly approach, possibly run by external organizations like GenUnity, to inform charter reform recommendations before any ballot question or commission.
- Future Engagement: Councilor Mejia committed to a long-term process, emphasizing community input and partnership with the council and administration.
Meeting Transcript
Um council recommendation. So I feel like some candidates on. Do you want to leave it a few minutes or we can give it a minute chair from anyone? I think that's the right off camera for joining us for two months after something for a push away on the text file. City Councillor from the chair of the City Council Committee on Government Operations today's April twenty-fourth, and the exact time is ten thirty-three. In accordance with chapter two of the acts of twenty twenty-five, modifying certain requirements of opening meeting law. And relieving public bodies of certain requirements, including the requirement that public bodies conduct its meetings in a public place that is open to physically accessible to the public.gov forward slash city dash council dash TV and broadcast on Xfinity Channel eight, RCN channel eighty-two, and five channel nine six four. It's also being live streamed at Boston.gov forward slash city-council dash TV and broadcast on Xfinity Channel 8, RCN Channel 82, and FIOS Channel 964. Written comments may be sent to the committee email at ccc.go at Boston.gov and will be made part of the record and available to all counselors. Public testimony will be taken at the end of this hearing, and individuals will be called on in the order in which they signed up. And we'll have two minutes to testify. If you wish to sign up for public testimony and have not done so, please email our central staff liaison. Megan Kavanaugh at NEGHAN.KAV ANGH at Boston.gov for the Zoom link and your name will be added to the list. Today's hearing is on docket 0410, order for a hearing to examine and modernize the Boston City Charter in advance of the city's 400th anniversary. The matter was sponsored by Councilor Julia Mejia and was referred to the committee on February 25th, 2026. Today I'm joined by my colleagues in order of arrival, uh, Councillor Ed Flynn and Councillor Julia Mejia. We'll go to the lead sponsor for any opening remarks she may have, and then we'll go to the first panel. Council Mejia, you have the Zoom. Thank you, Madam Chair. And I want to thank all of our panelists for being here today. And I also want to excuse myself for not being on camera. It is school vacation week, but a public servants' work is never done just because uh you have you know family situations to handle. So um my bandwidth is a little bit low, and so I'd rather make sure that you can hear me and spare you uh seeing me. Uh so I just want to thank Madam Chair and thank you again to our panelists and everyone who has worked hard to get us to this point. Our office is excited for this hearing today to start the discussion about the charter reform and modernization of the city of Boston. We want to thank the advocates who have reached out to us on this issue and inspired us to file this hearing order. Um, as our city approaches our 40th, oh my god, 400th anniversary of its founding. We are presenting, um, we are presented with a critical opportunity to reflect on how the city governs itself and whether its governing framework continues to meet the needs of the residents. The last time we reformed our charter was approximately 75 years ago, and since then, modernized um is far long overdue. We understand, however, that this will be a complex process as community decides which path is most appropriate. Ideas and recommendations are developed, and meaningful community input is collected. The complexity of this process is um multiplied by the fact that the Boston City Charter is in fact not a single document, but rather a collection of statuses, statutes, amendments, and home rule petitions. Our office is committed to the long game on this issue. We also want to thank Meg Kavanov on our central staff for her research to prepare today's hearing. The biggest takeaway uh uh for this research is that we have three pathways for charter reform. Um, an amendment um for fire for charter reform, an amendment, a charter commission which requires certified signatures of 15% of registered voters to initiate. This is the pathway if there are very significant fundamental changes in the charter, such as changing the plan of government. Two, a home rule petition. This may be a pathway if there are items that we want to amend in the charter but are maintaining the governance structure. Three, binding ballot question. One reasoning sample of this is the ballot question that then counselor Edwards led in 2021 that gave the council the budgetary powers it now allegedly has. With this a third option, there are three ways a binding ballot question can be initiated. First, the city council may um by two-thirds vote and with mayoral approval submit proposed amendments to the voters. Second, the city council shall consider and vote upon any charter amendments formally suggested by the mayor or the city council. Third, the city council shall consider and vote upon any charter amendments or revisions suggested it via a citizen's petition signed by 200 voters. Residents, advocates, and policymakers have raised ongoing concerns about transparency, accountability, and checks and balances, civic participation and accessibility within Boston's current governance structure. And we are excited today to begin this conversation in the process of restoring trust in our local government and as many pathways as we can to increase civic engagement. And I look forward to listening to those folks who have already taken the lead in other spaces and places around this issue. Thank you, Madam President. Madam Chair.
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