Local government 101

Wondering who does what in Boston government? Keep reading. | Photo by @rtistic.images

Do you ever wonder how our local government works? You’re not alone. Today, we’re kicking off a series where we dig into the ins and outs of how our city’s government is organized and how you can get involved.

City Council

Who’s involved?

The City Council is the legislative body made up of 13 elected representatives for the City of Boston. The council serves as the connection between residents and their municipal government + councilors are elected every two years.

The council is made up of four at-large councilors and nine district councilors that represent specific areas (aka districts). Think: Hyde Park, Charlestown, and Fenway-Kenmore.

Want to know who represents your neighborhood? Find your local representative through this map tool.

How does it work?

The Council enacts laws through a process involving hearings, committee reports, and a vote by members.

The City Council chair will add an item on the agenda for a committee to review. Oftentimes, the committee chair can hold a hearing on the issue — these hearings are open to the public and residents can testify in-person or submit written testimony. At the end of the hearing, the chair will send a report to the full City Council with its recommendation on the issue. If the committee needs more time, the committee chair can ask for another hearing on the issue or send a report to the City Council at a later date.

To get involved, add one of these upcoming meetings to your calendar. The next council meeting is Wednesday, April 5 at 12 p.m.

Living in the place where our democracy was started, we want to make sure all Bostonians stay informed + engaged. Let us know which City cabinet or branch of local government we should cover next.

Events

Tuesday, April 4

39th Wicked Queer Film Festival | Tuesday, April 4-Sunday, April 9 | Times vary | Locations vary | Prices vary | See the 39th annual LGBTQ+ film festival, held at local spots like the Brattle Theatre and ICA.
Music Bingo | Tuesday, April 4 | 6-8 p.m. | Samuel Adams Boston Brewery, 30 Germania St., Boston | Free | This brewery game night will play songs rather than call numbers for Bingo.

Wednesday, April 5

The Patriarchs: How Men Came to Rule | Wednesday, Apr. 5 | 7 p.m. | Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston | Free | Pre-register to spend an evening at the local museum with award-winning science journalist and author, Angela Saini, celebrating her new book release.
Boston Celtics vs. Toronto Raptors | Wednesday, Apr. 5 + Friday, Apr. 7 | 7:30 p.m. | TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, Boston | $100-$1,554 | Cheer on the Celtics during one of their final regular season games.

Thursday, April 6

Stuffed Pasta Making Class | Thursday, Apr. 6 | 6:30-8 p.m. | Boston Public Market, 100 Hanover St., Boston | $89 | Learn folding techniques and master the shaping of tortelloni and ravioli while you make three different dishes.

Friday, April 7

Bluey’s Big Play | Friday, Apr. 7-Saturday, Apr. 8 | Various times | Boch Center, 270 Tremont St., Boston | $25-$75 | Bring the whole family to watch the Heelers in their first live theater show.

Saturday, April 8

Cherry Blossom Namazake Disco | Saturday, Apr. 8 | 7-10 p.m. | The Koji Club, 525 Western Ave., Boston | $149 | Don your pink outfits for a celebration of the “namazake” sake with eight drink samples from four different breweries.

100+ more events

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Weather

56° | Cloudy | 20% chance of rain

Legacy

After our city’s embrace of “The Embrace” — a bronze sculpture honoring Coretta Scott King and Martin Luther King Jr. — two more projects will memorialize the Kings’ legacy. A sculpture will be built at Roxbury’s forthcoming Embrace Center + a heritage trail will mark spots significant to the Kings in Boston. (Boston Globe)

State

While additional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from the federal government ended this month, $130 million for state-funded SNAP payments has been approved. Over the next three months, families will receive additional benefits starting Friday, April 7. (NBC 10)

Community

April showers bring... The Daytime Street Cleaning Program. Street cleaning in Boston is back during the daytime through Thursday, Nov. 30. Prevent your car from getting towed by searching your street to see when parking restrictions will take effect.

Plan Ahead

Registration has opened for the Boston Pride For The People 2023 Parade. If you have a group or company interested in marching to celebrate the Boston LGBTQ+ community, submit your registration.

Number

Nine. That’s how many runs the Red Sox scored in each game of their first series of the season, helping them win two of three against the Baltimore Orioles. Craving more baseball? Here’s our guide to Red Sox season. (WCVB 5)

Try This

There’s a new way to get from Boston to the Caribbean — via a 21-day cruise. The “21-Day Perfect Caribbean Escape” from Holland America Line will take you to Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Costa Rica, among other destinations. Interested? You can book for October of 2024. (Mass Live)

Drink

The most polished organizational item in your kitchen: the Fellow Atmos Coffee Canister, which not only looks great but keeps coffee fresh by sucking oxygen out of the jar. Pro tip: You can use it to store any snack and it will stay fresh longer.

Outdoors

🌸 It’s magnolia season

Take a tour of Back Bay’s magnolia trees

A magnolia tree with white blossoms outside a Boston home.

Poll: Should Marlborough Street be renamed Magnolia Street in the spring? | Photo by BOStoday

Love spotting our city’s blooming magnolia trees? What if we told you there are 14 trees to pay attention to in particular — and that you can spot them all on a walking tour?

The Garden Club of the Back Bay’s 2023 Self-Guided Magnolia Tour will guide you to magnolias in Back Bay with historical significance. Starting from the corner of Arlington Street + Commonwealth Avenue and ending on Clarendon Street, the tour provides context and little-known facts about the trees you’ll see. One example: you’ll stop by the house where poet Robert Lowell once lived and learn about the magnolia outside (that may have even inspired one of his poems).

You’ll also see a breadth of magnolia species, from the Moonglow Magnolia (a tree great at withstanding cold temperatures with lemon-scented blossoms) to the Star Magnolia (a small tree with white, star-shaped blooms).

The tour is free — though donations are encouraged — and available to download through Wednesday, May 3.

Bonus: Check out our map to see exactly where you’ll be walking.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Sarah Leonhardt

From the editor

Must watch: Ben Affleck’s newest Dunkin’ commercial (is that a playful Matt Damon diss that I hear?)

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Start preparing to attend this year’s Marathon.

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