Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson mum on resignation date as plea hearing looms

Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald on Apr 30, 2025

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BOSTON — With less than a week before she’s set to plead guilty to two federal corruption charges, City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson has given no indication of when she plans to resign from her Roxbury-centric District 7 seat.

Fernandes Anderson jumped in and out of the Wednesday City Council meeting. She was present for the outset, but disappeared for a lengthy period about midway through, only popping back in when Councilor Erin Murphy introduced a hearing order directly pertaining to her impending departure from the body.

Murphy called for a hearing “regarding procedures following a vacancy in the office of district city councilor.” She said that while the city charter is clear about when a councilor’s resignation prior to term’s end would trigger a special election, there aren’t clear guidelines for how constituents would be represented by that district councilor’s office and staff at that time.

“I do believe there is an absence of clear guidelines that has led to varying interpretations and practices regarding the continuation of constituent services and staff duties during the interim period before a new councilor is elected and sworn in,” Murphy said. “Constituent services are the lifeblood of our work as councilors.

“Many residents rely on our offices for assistance with a myriad of issues, from navigating city services to addressing urgent community concerns. The sudden departure of a councilor at any time should not disrupt the continuity of the essential services they provide.”

Fernandes Anderson, who took issue with her colleagues’ recent approval of a Council-president led home rule petition to bypass a special election should she resign prior to May 8, stated her displeasure again Wednesday with the latest filing pertaining to how her departure from the Council should be handled.

As she did at the April 18 special meeting where the home rule petition was approved, Fernandes Anderson tore into Murphy, and made it clear that she intends to dictate the terms of her resignation and transition plans for District 7.

“Blindly filing something like this is alarming,” Fernandes Anderson said. “It would seem that you don’t know anything about District 7, but I look forward to the conversation … I’m happy to provide my transition plan as soon as (it is) ready and that has to be done in partnership with the district.”

Fernandes Anderson said that she is working with the District 7 Advisory Council, composed of 63 civic associations and neighborhood groups, on transition plans for the district, and mentioned that her staff will be divided by neighborhoods to provide constituent services.

“There is a plan,” Fernandes Anderson said. “Let’s not pretend that there isn’t one, and there are rules … I look forward to the conversation so we can soften the landing for the district. If it is truly about the district, then let’s talk. Let’s not pretend that people are just not here, not doing their job.”

Fernandes Anderson has not yet disclosed when she plans to resign from the City Council, though she stated at the April 18 special meeting that she has no plans to depart her $120,000 job before May 8. A home rule petition to bypass a special election would therefore be “moot,” she said at the time.

She plans to plead guilty to two federal corruption charges at a Monday court hearing. The charges are tied to a kickback scheme the feds say Fernandes Anderson, a 46-year-old second term councilor, carried out at City Hall.

U.S Attorney Leah Foley plans to recommend that Fernandes Anderson be sentenced to a year and a day in prison and ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution, according to the plea agreement.

It’s unclear if sentencing will take place at Monday’s hearing in federal court. Per Council rules, councilors can be removed from the body only after sentencing.

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