Tito would abolish development agency
Mayoral candidate and City Councilor Tito Jackson said he wants to abolish the Boston Planning & Development Agency and make the School Committee an elected body as part of a general overhaul of City Hall.
“It is my objective to democratize city government. To make the mayorship less strong. To ensure that the people‘s voice is actually heard by city government,” Jackson said.
The School Committee is now appointed by the mayor, but Jackson said he wants to give the neighborhoods a voice.
“I would have a democratically elected School Committee. Like the other 350 cities and towns in Massachusetts,” he said. “In addition, the Boston Redevelopment Authority (now known as the BPDA) would be dismantled in my administration. We would abolish it and replace it with a humancentered planning organization that is separate from development.”
Jackson spoke to about 100 supporters at the Old South Church on Boylston Street where he outlined his plan if elected mayor. Jackson did not provide a financial plan for his goals, but said he will release a 2019 budget “shortly.”
Jackson said he would ease the city’s sky-high rental and real estate markets by increasing the amount of affordable housing the developers must include in their projects from 13 percent to 25 percent, and by making the standard used to determine what is affordable more realistic, while requiring more public notice.
“I’m tired of people calling my office and asking what’s being built next door,” he said.