Other or unclear
Ideas that are off-topic, unclear, too general to classify, or outside the City's role.
Residents in this catch-all theme mostly make broad or unclear asks for community help, cost relief, or ways to spend the $2 million, plus requests outside the City's role.
Theme grouped and summary written with AI from this theme's resident ideas.
169 ideas across three cycles
| Cycle | Ideas | Share of all ideas | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024–25 | 71 | 5.8% | 7 of 20 |
| 2025–26 | 52 | 4.3% | 11 of 20 |
| 2026–27 | 46 | 3.5% | 14 of 20 |
Needs that keep coming back
General help for the community
Residents ask for more opportunities, services or resources for their community without naming a specific project, so the ideas cannot be classified further.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Ideas about how the participatory budgeting money is used
Some residents urge more or all of the budget go to participatory budgeting, while others propose giving the $2 million to a single cause or organization.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Direct financial relief for residents
Residents ask for cash support, debt or fee relief, or other help with living costs, often with few details on how the City would deliver it.
Raised in 2024–25, 2025–26, 2026–27
Property tax cuts and returning surplus funds
Residents ask the City to lower property taxes or return surplus money to taxpayers instead of spending it.
Raised in 2024–25, 2026–27
Specific private businesses and food options
Residents ask for particular chains, late-night food, or drinking venues, which are private business decisions rather than City projects.
Raised in 2025–26, 2026–27
2024–25
Cycle 1 had the most ideas and the widest spread, including reentry and legal support, stadium and credit union proposals, and several unclear or joke submissions.
2025–26
Cycle 2 included many empty or one-word submissions alongside cash-payment proposals, public funding for election campaigns, and requests for specific shops and restaurants.
2026–27
Cycle 3 saw more requests about stray animals and spay/neuter services, more property tax relief asks, and a cluster of requests for chain restaurants in Dorchester.
New in 2026–27
Animal-related asks, such as spay/neuter services, rescue grants and a dog shelter, and property tax relief requests grew noticeably in 2026-27.
Funding so far
No winning projects relate to this theme, so none of the recurring asks (general community help, cost relief, tax cuts, animal services, how the budget is spent) has been addressed by a resident-voted project.
Projects are linked to themes by matching each project's description to the themes; this is not an official City classification.
No winning project has addressed this theme yet.
Ideas in Other or unclear
169 ideas
2024–25: 71 · 2025–26: 52 · 2026–27: 46
- Review police precinct footage and complaint handlingResident asks the Police Commissioner to review precinct footage from a 2012 incident and make systemic changes, citing officers' treatment of someone who requested a badge number and tried to file a report.2024–25City-wide
- Workplace protections and legal support for workersResident shares an article supporting equitable legal protection and remedies for workers facing workplace abuse, mobbing and racism, particularly vulnerable essential workers.2024–25City-wide
- Spend on immediate fixes like roads and rentSpend funds on things that can be fixed or improved immediately, such as roads, food, trains, healthcare, rent and utilities, rather than long-term projects.2024–25City-wide
- Harvard should pay taxes on its hotelResident says Harvard should pay taxes on its new hotel and that the revenue could fund transportation improvements in Hyde Park, Mattapan, West Roxbury and Dorchester.2024–25Allston
- Mandatory UMass Boston training for city employeesResident asks that all city employees complete training on policy administration, soft skills and Boston history, to improve interactions with community members and restore trust.2024–25City-wide
- Sell West Roxbury High School to soccer teamResident proposes selling West Roxbury High School to the women's soccer team to ease White Stadium concerns, improve transportation access and reduce gentrification of Roxbury and JP.2024–25West Roxbury
- Build Women's Soccer Stadium in the SeaportResident proposes locating the women's soccer stadium in the Seaport, citing transit and parking, to prevent further gentrification of Roxbury and Jamaica Plain.2024–25South Boston
- More liquor licenses and later store hoursIssue more liquor licenses and encourage later store hours to create nightlife.2024–25City-wide
- Empathetic outside advocates overseeing public fundsHave organizations that oversee and advocate for proper use of public funds be staffed by empathetic people, to reduce profiling and miscommunication with less fortunate residents.2024–25City-wide
- Close loopholes exploited by unscrupulous attorneysAdopt practices to close loopholes so attorneys or others cannot exploit similar situations, protecting resources meant for marginalized residents; the request is unclear.2024–25City-wide
- Demolish and replace City HallTear down City Hall and replace it with a building the resident finds more attractive.2024–25Beacon Hill
- Remove sculpture from the CommonRemove a sculpture the resident dislikes from Boston Common.2024–25Beacon Hill
- Hot dog and cotton candy carts for policeResident suggests the city buy hot dog and cotton candy carts for the police department's ice cream truck used at neighborhood events.2024–25Charlestown
- Buy scratch tickets with the fundsResident proposes spending $2 million on lottery scratch tickets and using any winnings to fund the city or buy more tickets.2024–25City-wide
- Reduce property taxes with budget surplusResident proposes using Boston's surplus to cut property taxes next fiscal year, arguing it improves housing affordability and lets residents keep more of their money.2024–25City-wide
- Glass reuse facilities and plastic eliminationResident asks to shift glass recycling to washing and reuse of bottles, paired with a plastic ban, noting communities of color are disproportionately affected by plastic pollution.2024–25City-wide
- More parking lots in CambridgeResident asks for more parking lots in Cambridge because commuters struggle to find safe long-term parking, which falls outside Boston's jurisdiction.2024–25Unspecified
- Teach traditional American history to childrenResident wants children taught the history of the country rather than what they call woke content; this is a curriculum matter outside the project scope.2024–25City-wide
- Reciprocity and the American DreamResident shares a general statement about reciprocity and the American Dream without a specific project request.2024–25City-wide
- Affordable space for People's Academy programProvide the founder of People's Academy with a reasonably priced, accessible space in Boston to offer his program to chosen participants.2024–25City-wide