BOSTON — Mayor Michelle Wu is signaling a major expansion of city power after a recent snowstorm, floating the idea that Boston could begin clearing snow from private property — and then sending residents the bill.

The proposal follows a storm that dumped roughly two feet of snow across the city, after which thousands of sidewalks remained buried for days. Rather than focusing on enforcement failures or capacity issues inside City Hall, Wu suggested the answer may be for the city to simply take over the responsibility altogether. “It may come to a point where… the city should just assume responsibility,” she said, framing the issue as one of accessibility and public safety.

In the days after the storm, the city issued 2,886 snow removal violations, collecting about $155,000 in fines. Under existing rules, property owners have just three hours after snowfall ends to clear sidewalks or face penalties — a requirement critics say is unrealistic during major storms and unevenly enforced. The enforcement blitz has fueled accusations that City Hall is more interested in ticketing than actually getting sidewalks cleared.

Wu praised the city’s overall storm response but acknowledged that the current system “needs improvement,” stopping short of taking responsibility for why enforcement failed so widely. Instead, her administration is now considering a centralized model that would effectively shift snow removal into another city-run service — one residents would be charged for whether they want it or not.

The timing has only added to the backlash. Homeowners are already dealing with a 13% property tax increase this year, and the idea of additional city-imposed snow removal bills has raised alarms about yet another hidden cost of living in Wu’s Boston. When pressed on who’s to blame, Wu dismissed criticism outright: “No one cares about the finger pointing.”

For many residents, that response only reinforced concerns that City Hall is less interested in accountability — or affordability — than in expanding control, even as taxes rise and basic city services continue to strain under pressure.