Photo: Boston City Council TV
Updated 6/25/25 at 6:00 p.m.
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Boston City Councilor Tania Fernandes Anderson held her final City Council meeting ahead of her resignation on July 4.
Anderson pled guilty to federal corruption charges back on May 5 for “receiving a $7,000 kickback from a staff member’s city-funded bonus.” According to federal prosecutors, Anderson lied about the staff member being a relative, ordered a City of Boston employee to give the relative a $13,000 bonus, and received the $7,000 in cash from the bonus in a City Hall bathroom in June 2023.
“Councilor Fernandes Anderson abused her position of trust for personal gain and turned a public checkbook into her own private slush fund. Her constituents deserve better than this. They deserve a city representative who respects the role of public service and does not use the power and position to line her own pockets,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley in a press release on May 5.
Despite calls from some fellow City Council members for her immediate resignation following the guilty plea, state law bars City Council from removing a member until after sentencing, which will take place on July 29. Anderson announced she would step down on July 4 and asked her supporters to come to the Council Chamber at City Hall on Wednesday to celebrate her final meeting.
The City Council meeting got underway at around 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday and Anderson came forward for the third presentation. She started by calling members of her staff to the podium and thanked them for their work in District 7 and for standing by her.
“My staff has a saying in the office that after working for me, they can last anywhere. I don’t know what that means, I think it means that they love me,” said Anderson with a chuckle, before highlighting some of the things her team accomplished.
Aside from some vague references to the reason for her resignation, she did not specifically address the federal corruption charges.
“Everyone knows the climate got tough, and you kept your head up high. You were professional. You were kind, intelligent, and you did the work for District 7,” said Anderson. “I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Anderson asked if any of her staff wanted to speak, but no one did. She then asked the rest of her City Council colleagues to come and take a picture with the group at the podium. Following the picture, Anderson returned to her seat and the meeting proceeded with the day’s docket.
She offered ten resolutions including: Resolution to support the right of parents to bring their infants to work; Resolution urging a State and City partnership to build housing for young adults, including those aging out of DCF on community college campuses in Boston; and Resolution in honor and gratitude to the District 7 constituents for their courage, diversity, and collective commitment to justice and civic engagement.
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