Retiree Cost of Living Adjustment
At a glance
- What: Docket No. 1963, Flynn's order for a hearing on the 3% cost-of-living adjustment and raising the COLA base for retirees in the Boston Retirement System (Mejia and Murphy added as co-sponsors).
- Where it stands: introduced October 21, 2026 and referred to the Ways and Means Committee.
- Background: the Council adopted a supporting resolution on May 20, 2026 (Docket No. 1066), but the Retirement Board has not acted.
Key points
- Flynn said the base has not risen since 2021 and retirees receive an increase of only about $450 a year (as heard); he wants a hearing before the fiscal 2028 decision.
- Murphy said she has attended the Retirement Board each year to argue for an increase and it does not pass.
- Mejia credited the teachers union for its advocacy and called the issue pro-worker and pro-senior.
Official minutes record
From the official minutes of the October 21, 2026 City Council meeting, which are the authority on motions and votes; the captions are less exact on tallies.
- Docket No. 1963, the order for a hearing on the 3% cost-of-living adjustment and increasing the COLA base for Boston Retirement System retirees, was offered by Flynn; Rule 12 was invoked on his motion to add Mejia and Murphy as original co-sponsors. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.
Sources
- 2026-10-21 - City Council (captioned recording)
- Minutes, October 21, 2026: https://boston.legistar1.com/boston/meetings/2026/10/14268_M_City_Council_26-10-21_Meeting_Minutes.pdf
Discussion time
About 5 minutes across 1 meeting (from transcript timestamps; approximate).
| Meeting | Minutes |
|---|---|
| 2026-10-21 - City Council | 5 |
Log
- 2026-10-21 - City Council - Introduced with remarks from Flynn, Mejia and Murphy; referred to Ways and Means. Official minutes: Rule 12 used to add Mejia and Murphy; referred to Ways and Means.