Boston's Mayor Wu and Mr. Segun, Director of the Office of Economic Development and Inclusion, have excluded North End restaurants from participating in the 2023 citywide permanent  outdoor dining program.  Every restaurant in the City of Boston, except the North End restaurants, can now offer permanent outdoor dining on public property for the price of $399.   There are no extra property taxes or fees required.  

The North End outdoor dining created hundreds of new jobs and provided desperately needed extra income to workers.   In 2022 the North End had 55 outdoor dining patios and needed  an average of  8 additional full time employees per patio.  At $1000.00 per week, (and more)  average salary, the North End outdoor dining added an additional $440,000 per week in workers wages.  A summer season of North End outdoor dining would add over $5,000,000 in wages to workers.   

In 2022, the North End restaurants contributed well over $1,000,000 in extra taxes, fees and commerce for the City of Boston.  Each North End restaurant paid up to $7500 in addition to  $500 per parking space per month to participate in outdoor dining.  There were no fees for restaurants in any other part of the city.

We acknowledge that the North End has more restaurants than any other area of the city.  However, a better solution for Boston would be a compromise with Mayor Wu regarding patio size and hours.

We urge Mayor Wu and Mr. Segun Idowu not to decimate the small North End family restaurants. We ask that the Director of the Office of Economic Development and Inclusion to  please reconsider their decision to exclude the North End restaurants from the outside dining program.  

Please sign and share (please add your opinion in the comments, especially  if you live in  Boston) to help the North End restaurants participate in outdoor dining.