BOSTON — A pair of Boston city councilors are fed up with all-night partying and want to increase the punishment for people who wake up the neighborhood.
“Every Thursday to Sunday in South Boston is now like Mardi Gras or St. Patrick’s Day weekend,” District 2 Councilor Ed Flynn said. “Let me be clear, we’re not going to tolerate this anymore.”
Flynn and Councilor-At-Large Michael Flaherty introduced a proposal Friday to increase fines for people who violate the city noise-level ordinance. The first offense would result in a $1,000 fine, followed by $2,000 for a second offense and $3,000 for a third.
“Public urination, pizza boxes, beer cans, trash all over their streets and property,” Flynn said. “They wouldn’t do this at their parent’s home, but they come to my neighborhood and act disrespectfully.”
The councilors are worried loud parties are taking a bite out of Boston’s “quality of life,” too often disturbing older residents, people with disabilities, schoolchildren who need to sleep. Flynn said the city recently received 600 calls in a single weekend from angry South Boston residents.
“We’re embarking on the unofficial beginning of summer this weekend and so far we have over 10,000 disturbance calls citywide,” Boston Police Superintendent Kevin McGoldrick said.
McGoldrick said almost 4,200 of the complaints were for loud music and 2,400 for loud parties.
“It’s a concern for the police because it’s extraordinarily taxing on our resources,” McGoldrick said. “Memorial Day weekend hasn’t even arrived yet, so it doesn’t bode well for this coming summer.”
Southie resident Ellie Adams said Broadway “looks like the Vegas Strip” on weekends.
“This is a neighborhood. It’s not a college campus. It’s not a frat house. It’s not a resort and it’s just out of control,” Adams said. “These people have absolutely no respect. There’s trash everywhere. There’s dog poop everywhere. I don’t know where they grew up.”
The problem is not limited to South Boston. The city has received noise complaints in Mission Hill, the Allston-Brighton area, and North End.
“Even Southborough, Westborough, whatever-borough out in Western Mass, they don’t [party like] that there. So why are you doing it in my neighborhood?” Adams said.
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