The Boston City Council is considering hitting companies like DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats with a new delivery tax on food orders as part of a city crackdown on their unruly drivers, but critics say consumers and restaurants will pay the price.
The Council is discussing a potential amendment to a “road safety and accountability for delivery providers ordinance” proposed by the mayor that would tack on a 15-cent delivery fee per order for national third-party food delivery companies that operate in Boston.
The potential new fee has proven to be contentious thus far.
The Massachusetts Restaurant Association sent a letter to the mayor and City Council outlining its opposition, but the councilor behind the idea says it’s a key approach to ensuring enforcement of the proposed ordinance, which aims to crack down on food-app delivery drivers who flout traffic rules.
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“The 15-cent delivery fee is a necessary step to address the increased strain delivery traffic places on our streets,” Councilor Sharon Durkan, who proposed the fee amendment, said in a statement to the Herald. “This fee ensures we can effectively implement the ordinance and acknowledge the real costs these services impose on Boston.”
Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata, who chairs the subcommittee that has held hearings on the mayor’s proposed ordinance, said the new tax is “currently on the table as a possible addition” to the measure, which needs Council approval.
“It would theoretically be a 15-cent per order fee that would help cover costs of the enforcement of the ordinance,” Coletta Zapata told the Herald.
Stephen Clark, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, sent letters to Mayor Michelle Wu and the 13 city councilors last Thursday with the group’s concerns about the fee, which had been discussed that morning by the Council as part of a working session it held to tweak the ordinance.
“This will make delivery more expensive in the city and discourages consumers from ordering and doing business with restaurants in Boston,” Clark wrote.
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“During a time when our attorney general is looking to limit additional fees and surcharges, it does not seem like the government should be adding new fees to Boston residents,” his letter states.
Clark’s letter also lists a number of concerns the Restaurant Association has with the mayor’s ordinance, which it says will lead to “rising delivery costs” and “increased red tape” and pose a “threat to restaurant and consumer privacy” through its data-sharing requirements.
“The proposed ordinance,” Clark wrote, “is intended to alleviate traffic congestion, but enforcing existing regulations will have a far greater impact. This proposed ordinance … does little to help the problem at hand and will only hurt our small local businesses and consumers who rely on third-party deliveries.”
In a phone interview, Clark clarified that the Restaurant Association is not necessarily opposed to the ordinance as proposed by the mayor. He said the group is open to “commonsense regulations going into effect” and conversations with city officials to tweak the measure’s language to address its concerns.
The Restaurant Association is staunchly opposed, however, to the potential new delivery fee being discussed by the City Council, Clark said.
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“I wasn’t bashing the mayor,” Clark said. “I should have just CC’d the mayor. We were writing it to the City Council because they’ve had multiple working sessions on this, and the fee has originated from the City Council, not the mayor.”
Wu’s office said “the mayor did not include any fee or tax on restaurant orders in the original ordinance filed.”
The city has been in close conversation with the delivery companies and advocates to protect consumer privacy, the mayor’s office said.
“This ordinance holds large, national delivery companies accountable and will ensure drivers have insurance coverage while making our streets safer for everyone,” a Wu spokesperson said in a statement.
“Data gathered will help the city better plan for food delivery impacts, which has resulted in an alarming increase of dangerous driving, worsened congestion and double parking — all negatively impacting resident experiences and business operations.”
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“We are optimistic that the final bill will earn broad support from neighborhood residents and businesses,” the Wu spokesperson said.
Coletta Zapata said the Council would have to take action on the mayor’s ordinance, and any potential amendments including the new fee, by the first week of April to comply with the 60-day order.
If the Council chooses to take no action, it would go into effect, with the language proposed by the mayor. A vote would have to be taken at the next weekly meeting, on April 2.
“Although I support much of the proposed ordinance, I will vote against it based on a new tax that will ultimately be passed on to restaurants and the public,” Councilor Ed Flynn said in a statement to the Herald. “It’s not the time for a new tax in Boston. We must demonstrate fiscal discipline and responsibility.”
Per the language of the amendment, the Boston Transportation Department “may periodically review and adjust the delivery fee, subject to a review and approval by the City Council, to ensure it remains effective.”
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Durkan acknowledged that there’s a “clear debate about who bears these costs,” but said the “hearing really illuminated the Council’s commitment to exploring all avenues to prevent these fees from being passed onto local businesses or delivery drivers.”
“We should ensure a fair and balanced approach that holds third-party delivery companies accountable while protecting our local economy,” Durkan said.
Paul Craney, executive director of the Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance, said he wasn’t buying it.
“Some Boston city councilors have never seen a tax or fee they don’t like,” Craney told the Herald. “In this case, they want to nickel and dime consumers which will only increase the price of food.
“City councilors who favor this have completely lost their bearing,” he added. “Elected officials should not be justifying any taxes or fees that will drive up the cost of food.”
Alex Cora missed Monday’s series opener with the New York Mets, see his only daughter, Camila, graduate from Boston College, and he doesn’t care if people disagree with his decision.
The Red Sox manager was in a good mood before Tuesday evening’s game at Fenway, and seemed genuinely unfazed by the criticism. He described Monday as “tremendous” and a “great day.”
“Excellent. Just the day that we will always remember,” Cora said of the big family event.
While most Red Sox fans on social media seemed to support Cora’s decision, there were a few loud critics, including 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Mike Felger, who said Monday it was “preposterous” for the manager to miss the 6:45 p.m. game when the graduation took place in the morning. Unlike players, whom Felger reasoned are part of a players’ union, he said Cora had no excuse to take the night off.
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“They were, I believe, done by noon, which means you can have a nice big party in the middle of the day,” the radio personality said. “Just cab down the street and manage the game.”
“It’s just the tone you set, the example you set for the team,” Felger continued. “It’s just the leadership and optics of the whole thing. It’s a very easy chance for him to say, ‘Nothing’s more important than tonight’s game.’”
Without directing his response to Felger or anyone else, Cora said that he took the entire day off at the behest of his daughter. He also pointed out that he would’ve needed to miss more time if the graduation was out of state, saying, “There’s coaches that, they take three days for that.”
“She wanted me to be with her, and it was her day so this is secondary,” Cora said. “You know, we’re in this world for a purpose, right, and for me, it’s to raise her, try to do the best we can. Obviously it wasn’t perfect, but right now, it’s perfect.”
Asked if he was bothered by the criticism, Cora laughed.
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“People have their own opinions,” the Sox skipper then said. “I bet those people, they have families too, and at one point they had to make decisions, too. And I bet they made decisions for the best of the family. I made the best decision for my daughter, and for those who don’t understand, I’m not gonna try to convince them. It is what it is. I made the best decision for my girl.”
In his May 17 dance review, “Boston Ballet looks back and forward in ‘Spring Experience,’ ” (Living/Arts, Page B6), Jeffrey Gantz writes, “Designer Robert Perdziola’s color palette is austere … gold, silver, and white all edging into gray, and the costumes lack texture and dimension.” What I saw was a most beautiful integration and balance of color, texture, pattern, and lighting, which together created exquisite staging. The gentle, almost cloudlike backdrop worked perfectly with the equally gentle but lightly patterned costumes and beautifully complemented the choreography. Neither detracted from or dominated the others. This was perhaps the best example of Boston Ballet’s almost always superb staging, and I say that as a season subscriber going back to the 1970s.
On the latter two performances, Jiří Kylián’s “ 27’52” ” and his “Petite Mort,” Gantz’s review was mostly just an outline of the action on the stage. Both these pieces are highly complex and energetic and leave a lot to unpack and interpret. My wife and I had a long conversation about these works well into the night. Those who enjoy Boston Ballet’s contemporary performances have a lot more to look forward to than the review suggested.
We knew Jaylen Brown was battling a knee injury during the Celtics’ playoff run. Now we know the severity of the ailment that has hampered the Boston star since March.
Brown played the last part of the season with a partially torn meniscus in his right knee, according to ESPN’s Ramon Shelburne. Brown will be evaluated this week to determine if he’ll need to undergo surgery during the offseason.
Brown started receiving injections in his knee back in March to help with the injury, and missed six games over a 13-game stretch late in the season to rest up before the playoffs. He was able to play through the injury and suited up for all 11 of Boston’s postseason games, and though Brown lacked his usual explosiveness, he was still able to average 22.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per contest for the Celtics.
“I don’t make excuses,” Brown told reporters after Boston’s season-ending loss to the New York Knicks on Friday night. “Obviously, it’s tough the way we went out like tonight, but the way we finished the year, personally, the way I finished the year, persevering through some physical stuff that I was battling through, I’m proud of our group.”
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News of Brown’s injury further complicates an already iffy offseason for the Celtics. The team is already facing the likelihood of playing all of next season without superstar forward Jayson Tatum, who underwent surgery for a rupture Achilles last week in New York. With Brown’s status now in question, there’s a chance the Celtics will be without their two best players to start the 2025-26 NBA season.
After taking home MVP honors in the Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals last summer, Brown averaged 22.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and a career-best 4.5 assists over 63 regular-season games for Boston in 2024-25.
Jaylen Brown staying optimistic after Celtics postseason loss
The Celtics’ title defense ended Friday night with a blowout loss to the Knicks in New York in Game 6 of their Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series. Boston became the sixth straight defending champ to lose in the second round.
Brown was obviously disappointed with the result, and the Celtics are likely heading into an offseason of change given the team’s massive payroll and the uncertainty with Tatum and Brown’s injuries. But Brown remains optimistic the Celtics will be back in the contender’s seat in the near future.
“Losing to the Knicks feels like death. But, I was always taught that there’s life after death. So, we’ll get ready for whatever’s next, whatever’s next in the journey I’ll be ready for,” Brown said Friday.
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“You just take this with your chin up. I know Boston, it looks gloomy right now, obviously, with JT being out and the end of the year. But there’s a lot to look forward to, and I want the city to feel excited about that,” added Brown. “This is not the end. I’m looking forward to what’s next.”
Matt Geagan
Matthew Geagan is a sports producer for CBS Boston. He has been part of the WBZ sports team for nearly 20 years. He moved over to the web in 2012 and has covered all the highs (and a few lows) in Boston sports.
