The
Boston City Council is the
legislative branch of government for the city of
Boston. It is made up of 13 members: 9 district representatives and 4 at-large members. Councillors are elected to two-year terms and there is no limit on the number of terms an individual can serve. Boston uses a strong-mayor form of government in which the city council acts as a check against the power of the executive branch, the
mayor. The Council is responsible for approving the city
budget; monitoring, creating, and abolishing city
agencies; making
land use decisions; and approving, amending, or rejecting other legislative proposals.