Two Boston city councilors are turning up the heat on Mayor Michelle Wu after her proposed fiscal 2027 budget trims roughly $724,000 from the city’s Veterans Services allocation, a move they argue will weaken programs that help local veterans. Councilors Ed Flynn and Erin Murphy have branded the cut “unconscionable” and say they will push the council to restore the money. The clash comes as the mayor advances big-ticket priorities that critics say are overshadowing more targeted social programs.
The plan would shrink the Veterans Services appropriation from about $4.94 million this year to roughly $4.22 million under Wu’s recommendation, according to reporting by the Boston Herald. That drop adds up to about $724,000 in funding that currently supports small grants and on-the-ground assistance.
Mayor Wu’s FY27 operating plan totals about $4.9 billion, up roughly 2.1 percent from the current year, even as a handful of smaller departments face steep cuts, Mass Daily News reports. Veterans Services is being hit far harder than the average departmental change, a contrast that is driving backlash from some council members and advocates.
What The Cuts Target
The mayor’s office told reporters that the reduction is driven primarily by removing two grant programs, Bridge the Gap and Hometown Heroes, and trimming non-personnel expenses, rather than eliminating direct services, according to the Boston Herald. Councilors and veterans advocates counter that those grants bankroll mini-grants and outreach efforts that reach women, disabled and minority veterans who rely on local supports.
Councilors Push For A Fix
Council President Ed Flynn, a U.S. Navy veteran, and Councilor Erin Murphy say they will introduce a hearing order and a resolution aimed at restoring the funding, Mass Daily News reports. Flynn is urging colleagues to act, arguing that the cuts send the wrong message to veterans and stressing that many of the affected programs serve as lifelines for those with the greatest need…