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and centralized these positions into the Office of Mayor and City
Council. The Council, with approval from the Mayor, was given the power to create offices it saw fit and appoint and remove the holders of these offices. The Council was also given power of approving the budget, as presented by the Mayor. The City Council was also to be given power of land use (with exception of School land), and the purchase and sale of that property.
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Boston's current charter states there is to be a Mayor, elected to a four-year term, who is the city's chief executive. The Mayor in capacity as chief executive is to approve any ordinance, order, or resolution from the City
Council they see fit. The City Council is to maintain legislative functions,
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The modern government of Boston can be traced to a 1909 act of the
Massachusetts General Court. In this act, the General Court abolished the offices of Aldermen, Street Commissioner, Clerk of the Common Council, Clerk of Committees, and all the subordinate offices of these officials. The act replaced
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The
Council was to have nine members. The three candidates with the highest number of votes would serve a term of three years, the three next highest a term of two years, and the three next highest a term of one year. The members of the City Council would vote among themselves as to the President of
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The Mayor and
Aldermen would serve as the upper part of the City Council, with the lower part being made up of four members from each of Boston's 12 wards. These two branches of the Council would have negative power over each other. The upper part taking the role of Selectmen from the old system and
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Following the incorporation of Boston as a city in 1822 and formation of a city government, the next time large changes were made to local government came in 1854. Boston's population was growing rapidly, from 43,298 in 1820 to 138,788 in 1850, and with the increase in population many felt the need
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who would elect then among themselves an executive office of "Intendant". To serve as legislature there was a "Board of
Assistants". The Assistants were given a mix of legislative and executive powers and were elected from Boston's then 12 wards. As with other New England towns the town meeting was
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being elected to a School
Committee. The School Committee, along with the Aldermen and Mayor, would be in charge of education in the City. The Mayor was not an independent actor and instead would operate alongside the Alderman. The Mayor would be presiding officer of this executive board but would
138:
to define and grant city forms of government to towns over 12,000 people. When Boston voted to become a city in 1822, the position of
Intendant was replaced with Mayor, the Board of Assistants was renamed the Common Council, and the Selectmen were renamed Aldermen. With the population growing, the
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to once again reform the government. The main changes made were the expansion of the Board of
Aldermen from eight members to 12, the enlargement of the School Committee to six members from each ward, and the removal of the Mayor's right to vote at executive board meetings.
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the lower part taking the role of the open town meeting. The two parts were to have similar executive power in order to quell concerns from some citizens as to what they saw as a deterioration of the traditional form of New
England democracy.
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Boston, one hundred years a city : a collection of views made from rare prints and old photographs showing the changes which have occurred in Boston during the one hundred years of its existence as a city,
220:
control of the City budget, create agencies, making land use decisions, and serve as check to the Mayor's executive. The City Councilors are to receive a salary that is half of the Mayor's salary.
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large enough to fit all eligible voters. The changes brought forward in 1822 for the reorganization of local government were passed with 2797 votes for and 1881 against. Some citizens, including
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form of government was insufficient and impracticable with Boston's increasing population. Logistically speaking, a town meeting was near impossible due to the fact there was no
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the Council for the municipal year. The Mayor would be elected to office for a four-year term and was subject to the possibility of
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still to be the primary democratic body of Boston and these executive offices would govern when in between these general sessions.
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rulings, and case law which form the basis of government. The central organs of the Boston City Charter are the
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This new government was to have a Mayor as chief executive officer who was elected to a one-year term, eight
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Before Boston was incorporated as a city in 1822, it shared a similar manner of government to other
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power. The Mayor did, however, have the sole power to nominate candidates for city office.
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is a series of State statutes which codifies a system of rules for the government of the
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citizens of Boston wanted change in the system of government. Many felt a
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239:. Boston: Secretary of the Commonwealth, Wright and Potter Printing Co.
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Due to the growing population of port cities like Boston, the
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728:John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
255:Walton Advertising and Print co., ed. (1922).
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398:Acts and resolves passed by the General Court
305:Walton Advertising and Print co. 1922, p.7–9
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918:Planning & Development Agency (BPDA)
668:Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
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250:. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University.
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405:. 1909. pp. 511–535 – via
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678:Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum
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893:Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
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718:Institute of Contemporary Art
260:. State Street Trust Company.
247:The City Government of Boston
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129:Commonwealth of Massachusetts
673:Boston Irish Famine Memorial
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855:List of companies in Boston
688:Dorchester Heights Monument
403:Massachusetts General Court
244:Bugbee, James, ed. (1887).
235:Olin, William, ed. (1909).
132:passed an amendment in 1820
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744:Appeal to the Great Spirit
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519:Boston Marathon bombing
179:Revised Charter of 1854
1180:New England Revolution
1170:New England Free Jacks
443:(July 2007, 78 pages)
282:"Boston City Charter"
1224:Government of Boston
1175:New England Patriots
757:New England Aquarium
683:Bunker Hill Monument
386:Bugbee 1887, p.26–31
368:Bugbee 1887, p.21–26
324:Koren, John (1923).
314:Bugbee 1887, p.12–19
835:Innovation district
738:Museum of Fine Arts
539:Diplomatic missions
441:Boston City Charter
330:. Jazzybee Verlag.
293:Boston City Council
215:Boston City Council
205:Modern institutions
80:Boston City Charter
52:Boston City Council
19:Boston City Charter
978:Financial District
845:Route 128 corridor
825:Financial District
123:First City Charter
116:Board of Selectmen
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983:Government Center
830:Government Center
767:Paul Revere House
752:Museum of Science
703:Franklin Park Zoo
524:COVID-19 pandemic
428:Olin 1909, ch.486
419:Olin 1909, ch.486
377:Bugbee 1887, p.26
359:Bugbee 1887, p.20
350:Bugbee 1887, p.20
337:978-3-8496-7745-9
201:after two years.
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1054:Forest Hills
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295:. July 2007.
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38:Jurisdiction
1022:East Boston
990:Charlestown
968:Beacon Hill
963:Bay Village
698:Fenway Park
655:Attractions
635:Skyscrapers
153:New England
1110:Fort Point
1088:Roslindale
1005:Dorchester
865:Government
224:References
1122:South End
1098:Fort Hill
1083:North End
1042:Readville
1037:Hyde Park
1000:Chinatown
888:Elections
883:City Hall
850:South End
840:North End
803:districts
777:TD Garden
600:Nicknames
561:Geography
549:Education
266:Citations
258:1822-1922
167:not have
59:Executive
1218:Category
1127:West End
1076:Longwood
1066:Mattapan
958:Back Bay
951:Brighton
815:Downtown
810:Back Bay
801:Business
610:Politics
588:Timeline
576:Southern
571:Northern
160:Aldermen
70:Citation
47:Chambers
33:Overview
1115:Seaport
1093:Roxbury
946:Allston
898:FinComm
583:History
544:Economy
529:Culture
229:Sources
106:History
1142:Sports
923:Police
790:Museum
605:People
494:Accent
487:Topics
479:Boston
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199:recall
913:Mayor
640:Songs
595:Media
285:(PDF)
903:Fire
782:USS
615:Port
509:Arts
332:ISBN
213:and
169:veto
164:ward
145:hall
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78:The
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