Charter Commission Amendment Review Committee

Public Service Building, Room 100

Postponed indefinitely – effectively killing – a proposal from the Board of Estimate and Taxation (BET) to add a third directly elected member to the board, by a vote of 6-1, with Commissioner Julie Doherty voting no.

• Currently, the BET has six members: The mayor, two council members, a parks board representative, and two members of the public elected to serve on the board. The board used to also have a representative from the now-defunct library board. BET President Steve Brandt suggested that a seventh member – which would also be a member of the public – was necessary in order to break ties. He noted that the BET was the only municipal body with an even number of members, and that tied votes were often over the most critical issues.
• Committee members, especially Barry Clegg and Peter Ginder, said they were concerned about the possibility of the three BET members from the public overruling the mayor and City Council representatives on the board. They pivoted the conversation to whether the BET should be abolished entirely and have duties reassigned to the mayor and City Council.
• BET President Brandt suggested that he might pursue a petition or work with the City Council to get this amendment on the ballot in 2025 (it’s too late for this year).