Happy Tuesday, and a quick shout out to the TSA agents who are (finally) receiving back pay.
Today, we’re digging into the reasons behind more municipal budget woes in Boston, including the Globe’s reporting that reveals administrative headcount climbed much faster than teacher hiring in recent years.
But first, here’s what else is going on:
- Boston-bred health tech company Whoop — that other big corporate logo near Fenway — is flush with new investment as it plans to hire 600 people this year.
- More than 200,000 could lose MassHealth coverage in 2028 because of federal funding shifts, a report says.
- Finalists are being announced in the James Beard awards for restaurants and chefs. The semifinalists, announced earlier this year, featured an impressive list of honorees from our region.
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TODAY’S STARTING POINT
Local government finances have been reeling this year, with cuts to teachers, public works, and even zoos rippling across municipalities large and small.
This week, we’re getting more details about the spending crunch affecting major services in Boston.
City Hall disclosed yesterday that its budget deficit is nearly $50 million, with familiar costs driving the red ink: snow removal from this winter’s historic storms, police overtime, and rising health insurance costs.
The gap isn’t particularly large, at about 1 percent of city operating costs. It’s also not a huge surprise, since Mayor Wu previously telegraphed the need for cutbacks.
And while there’s enough money in Boston’s $1.2 billion reserves to cover the gap, the longer-term fix has to come from higher revenues or fewer services.
As Steve Poftak of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau put it, “at the end of the day, it’s compensation for employees ... where most of the money is.”
That brings us to Boston Public Schools, where questions about classroom vs. administrative headcount are taking center stage.
BPS is facing its own $53 million shortfall, and has proposed cuts that could axe some 300 classroom jobs.
But a new Globe review of hiring records shows that BPS has grown its administrative staff headcount by more than 90 percent over the past decade.
That surge came even as teacher hiring grew only 5 percent and enrollment dropped by nearly 20 percent.
School officials say many of the positions classified as “non-classroom” jobs actually do help students, such as therapists. They add that, even with proposed teacher cuts, the system is maintaining healthy student-to-teacher ratios.
However these individual budget decisions shake out, it’s nearly certain we will hear this tune again. As experts have noted, the economic forces driving these local shortfalls are much larger than one city’s snowplow fleet.
🧩 5 Across: Gullible | ☁️ 63° Messy, mild
POINTS OF INTEREST
A brazen heist in Beverly: Police recovered a stolen Porsche, but the suspect was still at large following a home invasion robbery at the $20 million waterfront mansion known as “Rock Edge.”
A dividing line no more: Italian flag-inspired street striping will return to Nonantum, the new mayor of Newton declares, reversing a wildly controversial decision by his predecessor. Next up: Bring back the lake?
How much is the oldest one?: The second-oldest house in Cambridge is on the market for $5.8 million. The circa-1685 Brattle Street property, at nearly 6,500 square feet, has housed the Cambridge Historical Society for decades.
Plenty of blame, not much progress: As Congress and the president battle over who’s responsible for the partial government shutdown, there’s still no clear path to reopening DHS, James Pindell notes.
Keeping it Real: The “Real Housewives” TV franchise brings its guilty pleasure formula to Rhode Island this week. Should we be ... offended? Relieved? Beth Teitell investigates.
There are no moral victories in football: But it’s clear the Patriots’ turnaround from four-win disappointment to Super Bowl runner-up (in just one season, with a new coach) is giving other NFL teams hope.
BESIDE THE POINT
👾 Gotta catch ‘em all: PAX East, the annual video game and animation festival, has wrapped up. Check out some of the sights.
👩🎤 Gaga, Ooh La La: Lady Gaga wrapped up a pair of shows at TD Garden. One enterprising fan managed to pass a birthday cake onto the stage.
🌭 Take me out: With the Red Sox home opener just around the corner, Devra First gives us nine dining suggestions within walking distance of Fenway Park.
🐻 Why friend-shaped?: New Hampshire’s estimated 6,000 black bears are emerging from their winter slumber prompting state officials to warn: Put away the bird feeders. (WBUR)
😬 Faux pas: The CEO of Air Canada is stepping down after his video statement on the deadly collision between a plane and fire truck contained insufficient amounts of French.
Thanks for reading Starting Point.
This newsletter was edited by Heather Ciras.
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Curt Woodward can be reached at curt.woodward@globe.com.