Council rejects citizens’ petition to place independent inspector general question on November ballot

The Boston City Council on July 9 declined to advance a citizens’ petition asking voters whether the city should establish an independent municipal inspector general, blocking the measure from appearing on the November ballot.

Councilor Kalita Zapata, chair of the Committee on Government Operations, presented an amended committee report and a revised ballot question intended to align the petition with an ongoing home rule effort to strengthen the Boston Finance Commission. Zapata said the petition met the legal requirements for consideration but announced she would personally vote against moving the question forward, saying the proposal risked duplicating and confusing the public…