Boston City Council unanimously approves $9 million in amendments to Wu’s proposed $4.8 billion budget for next year – The Boston Globe

The changes reallocate specific amounts of funding from certain line items to others — a power voters gave the body in 2021 — but do not change the total amount of spending in the mayor’s budget proposal.

The amended budget now goes back to Wu, who can veto some, all, or none of the council’s amendments. Then the budget returns to the council, where a two-thirds majority is needed to override a mayoral veto.

Councilor Brian Worrell, chair of the Ways and Means Committee, oversaw the council’s budget process this year as well as last year. Speaking before his colleagues on Wednesday, Worrell commended the group for working together through about 124 hours of hearings and working sessions to develop and agree upon the bundle of amendments.

“This process is not just about shifting dollars or line items on a paper,” Worrell said. . “We are reshaping systems and launching new initiatives that reflect our values.”

Many councilors on Wednesday praised Worrell for his leadership, and expressed excitement about the investments in the amendment package, which they said was a result of collaboration, compromise, and fiscal responsibility.

The councilors’ line item changes include redirecting:

• $1.6 million for city housing vouchers
• $1 million for youth jobs programs
• $700,000 to go towards mental health services
• $500,000 for college and career readiness grants
• $450,000 for legal services for Boston Public Schools families facing eviction
• $350,000 for legal support for immigrants

Wu did not say whether she intends to approve or reject the councilors’ amendments this time around.

“I’ll look to review what those are, and we have a little window to return a budget if necessary or take further action,” Wu told reporters at an unrelated event Wednesday.

The council also voted to pass Wu’s proposed $1.58 billion budget for Boston Public Schools, and gave initial approval to $463 million in spending for capital projects, despite a small handful of councilors’ concerns with both. The council has until June 25, its last scheduled meeting before the start of the new fiscal year, to give final approval to the operating and capital budgets.

Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson, who has pled guilty to two out of six federal corruption charges for orchestrating a kickback scheme while in office,

on Wednesday said she will step down after the council’s last meeting of the month on June 25. It will probably be around June 28, she said, when she intends to hold a town hall to roll out the 400-plus page handover packet she’s been working on, to help ensure continuity for her constituents and issue guidance for her eventual successor.

Niki Griswold can be reached at niki.griswold@globe.com. Follow her @nikigriswold.