Ruthzee Louijeune ended her tenure as Boston Metropolis Council president by congratulating herself on the best way out the door.
Louijeune launched right into a prolonged speech on the Council flooring throughout her final assembly as president final Wednesday, highlighting what she noticed as her legislative achievements and talent to work throughout the aisle to get essential issues executed.
“I’m so proud of what this body has achieved together and the ways that we’ve grown in service to the people of the city of Boston,” Louijeune mentioned. “Even when we disagree, we have sometimes found ways to walk through differences and advance meaningful legislation that improves the lives of the constituents we serve.”
Louijeune, the primary Haitian-American to be elected to the Metropolis Council, used her final formal Council motion to introduce a decision denouncing the Trump administration’s termination of momentary protected standing for Haitian immigrants.
The measure was authorized by the Council.
Louijeune additionally highlighted what she thought-about to be prior accomplishments throughout her two-year time period as Council president, which included enhancing working situations for Council employees members and increasing gender-neutral loos “to further affirm our commitment to belonging.”
In a separate press launch from her workplace, Louijeune additionally touted the Council’s passage of her house rule petition that will change town’s election course of to a ranked-choice voting system, which has not been taken up but on Beacon Hill and has raised considerations amongst metropolis election officers about price and extra work.
Because the third Black lady to be elected Council president, Louijeune mentioned she appreciates the influence her tenure because the second-highest rating elected official in metropolis authorities has had on younger Black women locally.
Louijeune, a progressive Democrat, has emerged as a detailed ally of Mayor Michelle Wu throughout her time period as Council president, and has largely chosen to work collaboratively with, slightly than problem, the Wu administration.
She’s loved help from colleagues which can be additionally aligned with the mayor, however has clashed at instances with councilors who’re extra essential of the Wu administration, notably her predecessor, Councilor Ed Flynn, who was president final time period.
Whereas a few of her colleagues, together with Gabriela Coletta Zapata, a Wu ally who says she has the votes to succeed her as Council president, may very well be seen listening with rapt consideration to Louijeune’s outgoing speech, others have been noticed scrolling on their telephones — and like Wu critic Councilor Erin Murphy, notably didn’t clap on the finish of her remarks.
Rubber-stamp Metropolis Council might axe committee that criticizes Mayor Wu
A Boston Metropolis Council stuffed with allies to Mayor Michelle Wu could also be trying to get rid of a subcommittee that investigates the Wu administration.
Councilor Ed Flynn mentioned finally week’s Metropolis Council assembly that there’s “talk” that the Put up-Audit: Authorities Accountability, Transparency and Accessibility Committee, chaired by Councilor Julia Mejia, “might be eliminated next year.”
“I do want to acknowledge Councilor Mejia’s role as chair of the transparency committee and accountability committee, ensuring that these voices are heard,” Flynn mentioned. “We truly ask powerful questions at her committee.
“That’s one of the reasons I enacted it, because I knew it’s important for residents to have a voice in city government, ensuring that residents can ask tough questions to any administration through their city council, through a particular committee,” Flynn, the Council president final time period, added.
Committees are set by the Council president, and Flynn’s remarks point out that Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata, an ally of the mayor who says she has the votes to change into president subsequent time period, has opted to axe the Wu-hostile committee.
Councilor Sharon Durkan, a detailed ally of the mayor, raised moral considerations she has with the work that the committee selected to do that previous two-year time period, notably by elevating the voices of a bunch of residents and conservancy group suing town over its public-private plan to rehab Franklin Park’s White Stadium for an expert soccer workforce.
“I don’t agree with everything this committee has done this year,” Durkan mentioned. “I do think platforming someone suing the city is a violation of the ethical duty that I have to serve the city of Boston.”
Mejia, who was pushing for a measure that demanded an up to date price estimate for town’s taxpayer-funded half of the $200 million and counting stadium plan, acknowledged that she used her committee to raise the voices of venture critics.
“I worked really hard in this committee, and I am not sure what the future of my status on that committee holds,” Mejia mentioned, “but I will be remiss if I don’t acknowledge the hard work of the public defenders, the NAACP, Emerald Necklace, and the countless advocates who have continued to show up and demand that their voices be heard, and we will continue to do just that.”
