BOSTON — Housing is down. Taxes are up. Addicts are still passed out near your kid's elementary school. And what’s Mayor Michelle Wu up to?

She’s on vacation. Because of course she is.

After a week packed with photo ops, softball interviews, and Instagram-ready glamour shots, Wu has vanished from the city — again. No press conference. No formal acting mayor named. Just a “she’ll be back Sunday,” as casually mentioned by her office and reported by Axios' Kelly Garrity.

Leadership? Nah. We’re doing vibes now.

And this isn’t the first time she’s pulled the Houdini act. Two summers ago, Wu skipped town for a family vacation and didn’t even bother telling Council President Ed Flynn he’d be in charge — even though the city charter says he’s supposed to be. Flynn found out after she left, and immediately started, well, doing the job — visiting Mass and Cass, issuing statements, being present.

That clearly didn’t sit well. Since then, Wu’s made it a point not to name anyone when she skips town. Can’t be upstaged if no one’s allowed to have the mic.

Meanwhile, here in the real world:

• Housing starts are tanking
• Downtown’s a ghost town
• Shoplifting is out of control
• Taxes are up double digits
• Drug use near schools? Still a disaster

But don’t worry — we’re getting a $172 million soccer stadium. Wu says that number “isn’t real,” even though it came straight from city documents. And when the press reported it, she didn’t deny the facts — she got mad at the headlines.

This is what we get with Mayor Wu: political theater. National press clippings. Lots of speeches. Very little follow-through.

Basic city services are unraveling, public safety is shaky, and taxes are climbing — but she’s too busy fighting the optics war to show up and do the job.

And while Boston spirals, she’s off somewhere taking PTO like she just finished midterms. No acting mayor. No accountability. Just another week of curated content and chaos.

Well, at least she’s not out offering condolences to knife attackers this week.

So… progress?