Quarterly Revenue Reports

At a glance

What: Docket No. 1099, a proposed ordinance requiring the city's budget supervisor to give the City Council quarterly revenue reports (all revenue collected to date, by item, no later than 30 days after quarter end). Sponsored by Councilor Worrell, Councilor Culpepper and Councilor Mejia; referred to the Government Operations Committee on May 29, 2026.
Where it stands: heard on October 8, 2026 in a virtual hearing. No vote; it stays in committee, and a working session may follow to settle small details.
What to watch: whether the text adds monthly breakdowns within each quarter, says where reports are filed (the city clerk, with a copy to Ways and Means), and whether twice-yearly revenue hearings are added.

Today the charter requires quarterly expenditure reports; revenue reports are an informal practice that depends on the Ways and Means chair. Worrell wants it codified so it survives changes of administration, modeled on the state's monthly revenue reports.
Worrell also floated monthly reporting; the draft says quarterly, and the sponsors asked for each month to be shown within the quarterly report.

Administration view: Budget Director Jim Williamson said the office already reviews revenue and spending monthly for internal use, can meet the 30-day deadline, and is ready to comply on passage. He said the wording "by item" (revenue account) is broad enough and more detail would make it cumbersome. Official figures come from the auditing department, and audited statements are not released in preliminary form to avoid conflicting numbers, so fiscal 2026 actuals and the World Cup effect on hotel and meals revenue are not yet available.
Outside support: the Boston Municipal Research Bureau offered qualified support (keep revenue projection with the administration, account for seasonality). A University of Florida freedom-of-information researcher urged proactive public posting and an independent records-dispute commission like Connecticut's.
Councilor concerns: access to the monthly departmental status reports, a similar information request tool (17F) that is often ignored, what counts as sufficient detail, privacy where a revenue category has a single taxpayer, and neighborhood or delinquency breakdowns. Flynn objected to being cut off during his questioning.
Public testimony: a Justice in Our Union organizer tied the issue to about 1,400 youth jobs cut; the Boston Policy Institute said forecast accuracy and standalone revenue hearings are the larger issue.

About 116 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).

Meeting	Minutes
2026-10-08 - Government Operations Committee	116

2026-10-08 - Government Operations Committee - Hearing on Docket No. 1099: sponsors, the budget director, outside panelists and councilors discussed quarterly revenue reporting, filing location and report contents; two members of the public testified; no vote, may go to a working session.