CHARTER RIGHT
1. That the City Manager is requested to confer with the relevant departments to immediately request Empower to resign from the Massachusetts High Technology Council and consider options for transitioning the City of Cambridge out of Empower and transferring its retirement accounts into one of the City’s other retirement programs should Empower continue to be a member of the MHTC. [Charter Right – Sobrinho-Wheeler, May 11, 2026] (PO26#97)
Comments by Sobrinho-Wheeler, Simmons; Order Withdrawn by Unanimous Consent

O-1     May 11, 2026  Charter Right - Sobrinho-Wheeler
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR AL-ZUBI
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
WHEREAS: The Massachusetts General Court is considering sending a number of initiatives to voters this November, including the implementation of a revenue cap and making the state’s taxation rate less progressive, both of which would provide significant tax cuts to the wealthiest Massachusetts residents; and
WHEREAS: The latter two ballot questions are proposed by the Massachusetts High Technology Council (MHTC); and
WHEREAS: These proposed ballot questions would cause dramatic impacts to state and city services, causing deep cuts to education, healthcare, and infrastructure and other services, meanwhile providing a major boon for the wealthiest Bay Staters; and
WHEREAS: As of March 2026, one of the MHTC member companies is Empower, a financial services company that provides retirement and investment accounts to individuals and employers around the world, including providing retirement accounts for employees of the City of Cambridge, which also partners with two other financial services companies to offer retirement accounts to our employees; and
WHEREAS: Due to the pressure and scrutiny these member companies have faced since forming the Council, MHTC has hidden the membership list on its website, and several companies, universities, and other institutions have resigned from participating; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to confer with the relevant departments to immediately request Empower to resign from the Massachusetts High Technology Council and consider options for transitioning the City of Cambridge out of Empower and transferring its retirement accounts into one of the City’s other retirement programs should Empower continue to be a member of the MHTC; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council in a timely manner.

2. That the City Manager is requested to work with relevant City departments including the Law Department to ensure that there is no new data collected by ShotSpotter devices and all existing data shall be kept, used, or deleted only as required by law under our Welcoming Community Ordinance and Surveillance Technology Ordinance. [Charter Right – Azeem, May 11, 2026] (PO26#98)
Comments by Acting Police Commissioner Pauline Wells, Yi-An Huang, Azeem, Al-Zubi, Sobrinho-Wheeler, Simmons (proposes to Table), Flaherty (notes the false narratives during public comment), Zusy (clueless), Nolan, McGovern, Siddiqui; Motion to Table Fails 4-5 (BA,TF,DS,CZ - Yes; AAZ,MM,PN,JSW,SS - No); Order Adopted 5-2-0-2 (AAZ,MM,PN,JSW,SS - Yes; TF,DS - No; BA,CZ - Present)

O-2     May 11, 2026  Charter Right - Azeem
COUNCILLOR AL-ZUBI
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
WHEREAS: ShotSpotter is a regional and citywide network of microphones owned by for-profit company SoundThinking and capable of continuously monitoring public spaces that relies on artificial intelligence (AI) to determine if soundwave patterns indicate a gunshot; and
WHEREAS: ShotSpotter has never been independently scientifically validated to be an accurate and reliable source of information and nationally, there have been few evaluations of ShotSpotter’s actual efficacy, with inconsistent and negative results across various locations; and there is no evidence that ShotSpotter prevents or even deters crime and in fact, has a false positive rate of about 82 percent in Cambridge; and
WHEREAS: The City of Boston Office of Emergency Management has a contract with SoundThinking that provides for deployment of ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology for the Metro Boston Homeland Security Region, which includes the City of Cambridge, via a grant from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), a federal agency that oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); and
WHEREAS: SoundThinking owns the law enforcement information database CrimeTracer (formerly known as COPLINK X) which has historically been accessed by federal agencies, including ICE, and may continue to be monitored by unnamed agencies, as stipulated by SoundThinking in the data sharing agreement for CrimeTracer; and
WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge established itself as one of the first few sanctuary cities in 1985; recommitted to this in 2006, 2016, and again in February 2020 with the passage of the Welcoming Community Ordinance that includes the stipulation that Cambridge police cannot voluntarily work with federal immigration enforcement, and unanimously reaffirmed this commitment in December 2024 with policy ordinance PO24#154; and
WHEREAS: ICE funding has recently increased to $48.5 billion and launched an expanded and aggressive immigration enforcement operation in Massachusetts called Operation Patriot which resulted in nearly 1,500 arrests in one month according to ICE, roughly half of whom had no criminal record, and arrested a Tufts student in March 2025 for co-authoring a public statement in support of Palestine; and
WHEREAS: According to the Annual Surveillance Report ShotSpotter costs approximately $50,000 annually in grant-funded operations covered by DHS, and the City of Cambridge incurs ongoing expenses of approximately $10,000 in related costs in addition to the internal costs including officer training and the operational costs of deploying personnel to investigate ShotSpotter alerts; beyond these fiscal outlays, the technology imposes profound social costs: it exacerbates the over-policing of Black and Brown communities, strains pro-bono and legal aid systems through increased caseloads, and inflicts a lasting psychological toll on residents, including those targeted by ICE; and
WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge has adopted a Surveillance Technology Ordinance in 2018, Chapter 2.128 of the city Code of Ordinances, the first-of-its kind in the Boston metropolitan area; that requires all surveillance technology be reviewed by the City Council for approval and be subject to informed public discussion before deployment; and
WHEREAS: Under section 2.128.060(C) of the Surveillance Technology Ordinance, the City Council must assess for each technology discussed in the Annual Surveillance Report whether the benefits outweigh the costs and whether reasonable safeguards exist for civil rights and liberties; and the Ordinance is clear that if either standard is not met, the City Council may “disapprove further use of the surveillance technology”; and
WHEREAS: An Annual Report on ShotSpotter was submitted in March 2026 and was reviewed by the Public Safety Committee in April 2026; upon consideration of available evidence, community input, and broader concerns around data governance, substantial concerns remain regarding: (a) the reliability and effectiveness of the technology in producing actionable public safety outcomes; (b) the operational costs associated with its deployment; and (c) the adequacy of safeguards to mitigate risks to privacy, civil liberties, and civil rights; now therefore be it
ORDERED: The City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant departments to rescind prior approval of ShotSpotter, including ending any and all contracts with ShotSpotter that are connected to the City of Cambridge; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the Police Department to stop using ShotSpotter, including turning off and physically removing the surveillance tools no later than 90 days; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with relevant City departments including the Law Department to ensure that there is no new data collected by ShotSpotter devices and all existing data shall be kept, used, or deleted only as required by law under our Welcoming Community Ordinance and Surveillance Technology Ordinance; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back, both during a public hearing and with a written publicly available report, to the Council in a timely manner, once the contract has been terminated and all the devices in the City of Cambridge have been removed.

3. That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Mayor’s Office, Law Department, Election Commission, and other relevant City Departments to engage the Collins Center in assisting the City in reviewing policy options for allowing Cambridge voters to directly elect the City’s Mayor. [Charter Right – Simmons, May 11, 2026] (PO26#99)
Comments by Simmons, Sobrinho-Wheeler, McGovern, Nolan, Al-Zubi, Flaherty, Zusy, Megan Bayer, Yi-An Huang, Siddiqui; proposed amendments (Simmons, Flaherty) partially Adopted; Al-Zubi proposed amendment to change to a directly elected Executive (effectively eliminating our city manager form of government) Fails 2-7 (AAZ,JSW - Yes; all others No); Order Adopted as Amended 7-1-0-1 (Zusy - No; Al-Zubi - Present)

O-3     May 11, 2026  Charter Right - Simmons
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
WHEREAS: In November 2025, Cambridge voters approved a new charter for the City of Cambridge, completing its first charter review in more than 80 years, with updates including modernizing charter language, modernizing vote tabulation methods, standardizing budget meetings, allowing the School Committee to choose its own Chair, and requiring that City Council approve City Manager appointments to multimember bodies, among other changes; and
WHEREAS: This process began with the formation of a Charter Review Committee, which met from August 2022 through January 2024 and produced a series of recommendations for updating the City’s charter; and
WHEREAS: The City Council began reviewing these recommendations in December 2024 through the Special Committee on Charter Review; and
WHEREAS: Some changes were advanced after minimal discussion, while other recommendations and newly emerged topics - including the possibility of establishing a directly elected Mayor - were referred to the Government Operations Committee for further exploration; and
WHEREAS: Because charter changes in Massachusetts require approval by the state legislature and governor through a home rule petition process before being put to voters, the City faced deadlines that did not allow sufficient time to fully develop and vet policy options for a directly elected mayor for inclusion on the November 2025 ballot; and
WHEREAS: On April 14, 2025, the City Council unanimously passed PO25#57 petitioning the Massachusetts General Court to enact a new home rule charter; and
WHEREAS: The City worked with the Collins Center at the University of Massachusetts Boston - an organization established by the state government to provide cities and towns with technical assistance on municipal government matters - during its previous charter update; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Mayor’s Office, Law Department, Election Commission, and other relevant City Departments to engage the Collins Center in assisting the City in reviewing policy options for allowing Cambridge voters to directly elect the City’s Mayor; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Executive Assistant to the City Council to identify appropriate funding for this work from within the City Council budget; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council in a timely manner.

O-3     May 11, 2026  version adopted May 18, 2026
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
WHEREAS: In November 2025, Cambridge voters approved a new charter for the City of Cambridge, completing its first charter review in more than 80 years, with updates including modernizing charter language, modernizing vote tabulation methods, standardizing budget meetings, allowing the School Committee to choose its own Chair, and requiring that City Council approve City Manager appointments to multimember bodies, among other changes; and
WHEREAS: This process began with the formation of a Charter Review Committee, which met from August 2022 through January 2024 and produced a series of recommendations for updating the City’s charter; and
WHEREAS: The City Council began reviewing these recommendations in December 2024 through the Special Committee on Charter Review; and
WHEREAS: Some changes were advanced after minimal discussion, while other recommendations and newly emerged topics - including the possibility of establishing a directly elected Mayor - were referred to the Government Operations Committee for further exploration; and
WHEREAS: Because charter changes in Massachusetts require approval by the state legislature and governor through a home rule petition process before being put to voters, the City faced deadlines that did not allow sufficient time to fully develop and vet policy options for a directly elected mayor for inclusion on the November 2025 ballot; and
WHEREAS: On April 14, 2025, the City Council unanimously passed PO25#57 petitioning the Massachusetts General Court to enact a new home rule charter; and
WHEREAS: The City worked with the Collins Center at the University of Massachusetts Boston - an organization established by the state government to provide cities and towns with technical assistance on municipal government matters - during its previous charter update; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Mayor’s Office, Law Department, Election Commission, Executive Assistant to the City Council, and other relevant City Departments to engage the Collins Center in preparing a neutral review of the unresolved governance questions that emerged from the recent Charter Review process, including but not limited to the method of selecting the Mayor, the role and authority of the Mayor, the relationship between the City Council and City Manager, and the public engagement process that would be necessary before any further charter amendment is advanced; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with the Executive Assistant to the City Council to identify appropriate funding for this work from within the City Council budget; and be it further
ORDERED: That this review shall summarize the prior Charter Review Committee’s consideration of these issues, identify where consensus was reached and where it was not, and outline the legal, electoral, administrative, financial, and community-engagement considerations that would need to be addressed before the City Council considers any additional charter changes; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council in a timely manner.

4. That the City Manager is requested to report back to the City Council on the projected fiscal impact of maintaining the current exemption for seniors, along with any administrative steps necessary to do so. [Charter Right – Sobrinho-Wheeler, May 11, 2026] (PO26#94)
comments by Sobrinho-Wheeler, McGovern (w/proposed amendment to make fee free w/voluntary check-off); Azeem, Huang, Zusy, Simmons, Flaherty, Al-Zubi, Nolan (w/proposed amendment to have $25 fee w/voluntary check-off); Nolan amendment Fails 2-7 (BA,PN - Yes, all others No); MM/JSW amendment Adopted 5-4 (AAZ,MM,JSW,CZ,SS - Yes; BA,TF,PN,DS - No); Azeem proposed amendment for a one-year review of check-off option Adopted 9-0; Order Adopted as Amended 7-2 (BA,TF - No)

O-6     May 11, 2026  Charter Right - Sobrinho-Wheeler
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
COUNCILLOR ZUSY
WHEREAS: Proposed changes to residential parking permit and visitor parking permit fees, as most recently discussed by the Transportation Committee on April 28, have not yet been finalized nor implemented, but would increase most residential parking permit and visitor parking permit fees to $75; and
WHEREAS: Under the proposal now under discussion, the current fee treatment would remain unchanged for residents without cars and persons with handicap permits, but senior citizens would lose their existing exemption and instead pay a $75 or $25 (the subsidized rate for low-income residents, requiring them only to check off a box); and
WHEREAS: It has been estimated that leaving the current exemption for seniors in place would reduce projected City revenue by only $185,000-$300,000, which would be a relatively modest fiscal impact in exchange for preserving meaningful relief for older residents; and
WHEREAS: This proposal comes at a particularly difficult time, as parking spaces are being removed, household budgets are under increasing strain, and residents are feeling financial pressure from virtually every direction, including rising fuel and home heating costs and broader increases in the price of consumer goods, making the preservation of this one small area of relief for seniors a meaningful step the City can take to ease that burden; and
WHEREAS: In that context, imposing a new charge on seniors, even if limited to $25, is problematic and risks placing yet another burden on residents who are often living on fixed incomes; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested, prior to implementation of any new residential parking permit and visitor parking permit fee structure, to keep unchanged the current fee treatment for senior citizens, as for persons with handicap permits, by maintaining the existing exemption for seniors with respect to the proposed new charges; and be it further
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council on the projected fiscal impact of maintaining the current exemption for seniors, along with any administrative steps necessary to do so.

McGovern/Sobrinho-Wheeler Substitute Order Adopted:
ORDERED: That the City Manager work with relative City departments to amend the existing plan to increase the residential parking sticker fee, to include a self-disclosed, check-off box for anyone of any age, whom the fee is a hardship, to receive their sticker for free.

5. That a special Committee of the City Council be formed to conduct a full and complete analysis of each of the proposed changes to the Rules of the City Council, with the goal of a transparent understanding of each of the proposed changes and the implications. [Charter Right – Sobrinho-Wheeler, May 11, 2026] (PO26#102)
Taken up w/Charter Right #5; comments by Sobrinho-Wheeler, Siddiqui, Flaherty, Simmons, Azeem, Nolan, McGovern, Zusy; Order Fails 3-5-0-1 (TF,DS,CZ-Yes; BA,MM,PN,JSW,SS-No; AAZ-Present)

O-7     May 11, 2026  Charter Right - Sobrinho-Wheeler
COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
WHEREAS: The Chair of the Government Operations, Rules and Claims Committee has directed a communication to the City Council proposing draft 2026-2027 Rules of the City Council which proposes significant changes that are inconsistent with the Massachusetts General Laws and Plan E form of government, and;
WHEREAS: These proposed changes dramatically affect the operations, scheduling, and deliberations of the City Council; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That a special Committee of the City Council be formed to conduct a full and complete analysis of each of the proposed changes, with full the goal of a transparent understanding of each of the proposed changes and the implications.

6. A communication from City Councillor Jivan Sobrinho-Wheeler transmitting the proposed 2026-2027 Rules of the Cambridge City Council. [Charter Right – Flaherty, May 11, 2026] (COF26#73)
Taken up w/Charter Right #5; four proposed amendments by Al-Zubi re: Public Comment time allotment, end time for meetings, restrictions on Council discussion; proposed amendment by Nolan; comments by Siddiqui; Al-Zubi Amendment #1, Part 1 adopted 8-1 (PN-No); comments by Nolan re: proposed Al-Zubi Amendment #1, Part 2, comments by City Solicitor Megan Bayer re: legal requirement for public comment at a public hearing; Al-Zubi Amendment #1, Part 2 Adopted 9-0; comments by Al-Zubi on proposed Al-Zubi Amendment #2 (to Rule 31B), comments by McGovern, Simmons, Megan Bayer, Azeem, Elliot Veloso, Zusy, Flaherty; Amendment #2 Adopted 9-0; Al-Zubi on proposed Amendment #3 (to Rule 17A, end mtgs. at 10pm), Siddiqui, City Manager Yi-An Huang, McGovern, Azeem, Zusy, Nolan, Simmons, Sobrinho-Wheeler; Al-Zubi Amendment #3 Adopted 7-2 (TF,DS-No); Amendment #4 (AAZ and PN) re: Rule 23FG and limitations on Council discussion, comments by Al-Zubi, Simmons, Nolan, Azeem, McGovern, Siddiqui; Amendment #4 Fails 3-6 (AAZ,PN,JSW-Yes; BA,TF,MM,DS,CZ,SS-No); Flaherty motion to adjourn and refer to special committee ruled to be out of order by City Solicitor, add’l comments by Simmons; Azeem motion to Table remainder of proposed amendments, Tabled 6-3 (AAZ,JSW,SS - No).

Communications from City Officers #3. Draft 2026-2027 Rules of the City Council (COF26#73) [text of report]  Charter Right - Flaherty

COMMUNICATIONS
1. Adam Baratz – PO#3 directly-elected mayor
2. Adam Baratz – PO#1, Empower
3. Aicha Allison Belabbes – Public Comment
4. Amanda Zimmerman – End Cambridge’s Participation in ShotSpotter
5. Violeta Rosenthal – Petition to keep Ahearn Field natural grass
6. Valerie Thompson – Vote in Support of PO26#98
7. Andrew King – End Cambridge’s Participation in ShotSpotter
8. Susan Ringler – PO26#98 – Please remove shot spotter devices
9. Susan Redlich – Please Remove ShotSpotter, Support PO26#98
10. Anirudh Adavi – Comment on PO#95 at City Council Meeting
11. Sue Hyde – No More ShotSpotter in Cambridge
12. Anthony DavisPait – End shot spotter in Cambridge
13. Steve Wineman – ShotSpotter policy order and report of gunshots today
14. Stephanie Guirand – My public comments
15. Anthony Galluccio –ShotSpotter
16. Saul Tannenbaum – At long last, end the use of ShotSpotter
17. Ben Amado – End Cambridge’s Participation in ShotSpotter
18. Sarah Maxwell – Concerns Regarding Cambridge Zoning Changes and Neighborhood Planning
19. Sarah A. Levy – End Cambridge’s Participation in ShotSpotter; please cease current use of ShotSpotter
21. Sam Heller – End Cambridge’s Participation in ShotSpotter
22. Daniel Heller – End Cambridge’s Participation in ShotSpotter
23. Pietra Check – Vote in Support of PO26#98
24. Nancy Gold – My Comments on tonight's (May 11, 2026) Agenda Items
25. Edward Loveall – In support of voters directly electing a mayor
26. Nadia L’Bahy – End Cambridge’s Participation in ShotSpotter
27. Giacomo Milia – Stop ShotSpotter
28. Michael Buck – Our Diminishing On-Street Parking
29. Hannah Larsen – Opposition to ShotSpotter
30. Micayla LeLugas – Support of PO26#98
31. Marilee Meyer – Why is there an emphasis on publicly voting for a mayor?
32. Hope Turner – End Cambridge’s Participation in ShotSpotter
33. Louise Venden – Power to the People
34. Irene Merwin – Vote in Support of PO26#98
35. Linda Cohen – End Cambridge’s Participation in ShotSpotter
36. Krystyna Wazny – Remove ShotSpotter Devices in Cambridge TODAY!
37. Jacob Balin – End Cambridge’s Participation in ShotSpotter
38. Kelly Dolan – PSNA Meeting
39. Jamie Glass – ShotSpotter Endangers Our Communities
40. Kathy Watkins – PO#1, #2, #5, #6, charter righted order on Cuba
41. Kathy Roberts – PO26#98
42. Jennifer J. Yanco – Vote in Support of PO26#98
43. Karin Lin – Regarding ShotSpotter in Cambridge
44. Julia Peters – End Cambridge’s Participation in ShotSpotter

8. S&S Restaurant “Thank You” Celebration.   Councillor Flaherty, Councillor Simmons, Councillor Al-Zubi, Councillor Azeem, Councillor McGovern, Councillor Nolan, Councillor Sobrinho-Wheeler, Councillor Zusy, Mayor Siddiqui
All other councillors added as sponsors

Res #8     May 18, 2026
COUNCILLOR FLAHERTY
COUNCILLOR SIMMONS
WHEREAS: The legendary S&S deli, located in historic Inman Square, has been a neighborhood staple since 1919 and has recently announced that it will be closing its doors after 107 years in business;
WHEREAS: The S&S has always been a family business, and its current owner Gary Mitchell has worked there since he was 12-years old, learning that the iconic name of the deli evolved from his great grandmother’s Yiddish welcome to customers, saying “Es and es,” a maternal expression for eat and eat;
WHEREAS: The City of Cambridge wishes to appropriately honor and celebrate the multi- generational service the S&S has provided to thousands of local families, workers, students, and visitors, who have long appreciated its generous portions, welcoming community atmosphere, and comforting menu; now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to work with all relevant City departments to temporarily close Hampshire Street to through traffic, while maintaining full access for emergency vehicles, for a three-hour block on the afternoon of June 14, 2026, to allow for a proper outdoor celebration of the S&S and its remarkable legacy.

COMMITTEE REPORTS
1. The Health and Environment Committee held a public hearing on Mar 25, 2026 to review and discuss CMA 2026-21, related to Cambridge Municipal Code Ch. 8.28, “Regulation on Youth Access and Sale of Tobacco Products and on Smoking in Workplaces and Public Places,” in order to (1) update the current ordinance to conform to widely adopted municipal policies, new state laws, and court decisions, as well as (2) to discuss the recent regulatory landscape in Massachusetts regarding tobacco products. [text of report]
Report Accepted, Placed on File 9-0
Present: Al-Zubi, Nolan
Remote Present: Azeem, McGovern, Zusy
Also Present: Siddiqui

TEXT OF ORDERS
O-1     May 18, 2026
COUNCILLOR NOLAN
COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR AL-ZUBI
WHEREAS: The Cambridge Zero Waste Master Plan (ZWMP), established in 2009 and updated in 2025 (and preceded by the City’s recycling program and overall solid waste program), set targets and standards for waste reduction and reducing environmental impacts of waste streams, and one of the ongoing strategies of the ZWMP 2.0 (Strategy #13) is to advocate for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) at the state level with other municipalities; and
WHEREAS: Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), sometimes known as Product Stewardship (PS), is an environmental policy approach that holds businesses responsible for end-of-life management of their products or packaging, and this approach supports recycling and materials management goals that contribute to a circular economy and can also encourage product design changes that minimize environmental impacts and waste; and
WHEREAS: EPR and PS policies incentivize product design and packaging with increased durability, ease of repairability and recyclability, and reduced toxicity, and creates jobs and economic development in direct proportion to the amount of material recycled while businesses that provide take-back opportunities for their customers or participate in programs that can create customer loyalty, and enhance the image of their brand; and
WHEREAS: Local governments such as Cambridge have no input into the design or marketing of products, limited ability to influence consumer behavior, and do not have the resources to adequately address the rising volume, toxicity and complexity of discarded products, yet the City of Cambridge is fiscally responsible for excess waste, both directly, through the amount of trash we generate and haul, and indirectly through the environmental impacts of litter, dangerous fires due to lithium battery disposal, exposure to toxic products like PFAS, and contamination of microplastics that leech into our community; and
WHEREAS: Costs paid by citizens, businesses, and local governments to manage products at the end of use are, in effect, subsidies to producers that enable and encourage producers to design products for disposal and without regard to end-of-life management; and
WHEREAS: The Massachusetts Municipal Association passed a resolution which supports statewide producer responsibility legislation in January 2019, and pending legislation in the Massachusetts State Legislature which would support extended producer responsibility include: H.968 (batteries), H.886/S.647 (paint), H.1023 (mattresses), and S.570 and S.571 (printed paper and packaging); now therefore be it
ORDERED: That the Cambridge City Council go on record in support of the above-referenced House and Senate bills to enact extended producer responsibility and product stewardship in recognition that these laws will relieve municipalities of rising costs, and incentivize producers to sell products that are less toxic and easier to reuse and recycle, by requiring such producers to bear the costs for the proper recycling and responsible disposal of their products; and be it further
ORDERED: That the Cambridge City Clerk be and hereby is requested to forward suitably engrossed copies of this resolution to each member of the Cambridge delegation to the State Legislature.

O-2     May 18, 2026
MAYOR SIDDIQUI
COUNCILLOR MCGOVERN
COUNCILLOR ZUSY
ORDERED: That the appointment of Interim City Clerk Paula M. Crane be extended for an additional period not to exceed six months.