Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional departments and revised totals after further analysis of the 2025 payroll database. The original version identified $6.17 million across 99 employees in eight departments. The updated figures reflect $11.6 million across 169 employees in 11 departments.

BOSTON—The City of Boston quietly released its annual payroll data at 5 p.m. on the last Friday of February — a tradition at City Hall that practically begs the question: what are they hoping nobody reads?

A Mass Daily News analysis of the 2025 payroll database found that the city is spending millions every year on a sprawling network of diversity, equity, inclusion, and identity-focused departments — even as Boston Public Schools prepares to lay off between 300 and 400 staff amid declining enrollment and a ballooning $1.7 billion school budget. The overall city payroll came in at $2.45 billion for 2025, up 1.48% year-over-year, according to the Boston Herald, which first reported the release. The database lists more than 25,000 entries, from a superintendent earning $377,789 down to an $11.67 substitute teacher.

But it's what's hiding in the middle of that spreadsheet that tells you where the priorities actually are.

The DEI empire

A search of the 2025 payroll database reveals at least 169 city employees spread across 11 departments and standalone roles dedicated to diversity, equity, inclusion, and identity-based programming. Together, they cost taxpayers approximately $11.6 million last year.

The Office of Equity — which appears to be a new citywide department under Mayor Wu — leads the pack with 32 employees and $1.94 million in total payroll. Chief of Equity Mariangely Solis Cervera earned $176,538. She's supported by a Special Assistant making $136,002, a Senior Director at $121,455, a Chief of Staff at $123,261, a Division Director at $123,523, and a Director of Admin and Finance at $111,962. The department also employs multiple board members receiving $2,500 stipends.

The Supplier Diversity office has 12 employees costing $1.03 million. The BPS Equity department — embedded inside the same school system that's about to cut hundreds of jobs — has 16 employees costing $873,222. Assistant Superintendent Rebecca Shuster tops the department at $179,729.

The Office of Immigrant Advancement employs 17 people at a cost of $870,876, led by Director Monique Nguyen-Belizario at $126,153. The Fair Housing & Equity department has 13 employees totaling $777,485, led by Executive Director Robert Lee Terrell at $128,317. The LGBTQ+ Advancement office has five employees costing $408,504, led by Director Jullieanne Lee at $132,370.

The Black Male Advancement office — yes, that's a real city department — has 12 employees costing $912,348. Executive Director Frank Farrow earned $128,557. The department also employs a Special Assistant at $115,074, a "Policy Analyst & Project Manager" at $98,058, and an Office Manager at $97,119.

The Family & Community Advancement department is the largest single line item in the identity-based apparatus, with 47 employees and $4.03 million in total payroll. Deputy Superintendent Ana Tavares earned $226,394. Two "Chief Engagement Officers" each earned $194,115.

The Office of Food Justice has 11 employees totaling $515,472, led by a Director of Food Initiative at $126,153.

The Office of Women's Advancement rounds out the roster with four employees totaling $267,989.

Standalone diversity officers in the police department, fire department, and the Office of People Operations add another $355,083 — including Director of Diversity Bernadine Desanges at $124,429, BFD Diversity Officer Michael Gaskins at $116,145, and BPD Diversity Officer Susan Helmy at $114,507.

The Wu administration's favorite titles

It's not just the equity departments. The payroll is dotted with positions that read like a parody of progressive municipal government.

The city's nightlife czar — Corean Reynolds, listed as an "Advisor" in the Office of Economic Opportunity & Inclusion — collected $132,571. That's the same office formerly run by Segun Idowu, the $184,000-a-year Chief of Economic Development who left the role amid controversy earlier this year. Idowu still shows up in the 2025 payroll at $183,653.

The Environment Department has 47 employees at $3.38 million — including two people who held the title of "Chief of Environment & Energy" in the same year, suggesting a mid-year turnover. One earned $101,250 and the other $83,798. The department also lists a "Dir CCE" at $112,367 and a "Fellow (Environment)" earning $19,081.

The schools crisis

The timing of the payroll release is hard to ignore. BPS is staring down a $1.7 billion budget that Chief Financial Officer David Bloom has described as deeply constrained by escalating health insurance costs, transportation expenses, special education costs, and collective bargaining increases.

Enrollment has dropped by roughly 3,000 students from the 2024-25 school year. The district plans to eliminate about 530 positions total, with 300 to 400 of those affecting current staff — teachers, paraprofessionals, and support workers who interact with students every day.

Meanwhile, BPS maintains a 16-person Equity department with an assistant superintendent earning nearly $180,000 and multiple six-figure managers, plus interns earning between $10,000 and $38,000. The schools superintendent herself earned $377,789.

"Taxpayers in Boston should be outraged," MassFiscal's Paul Craney told the Herald. "When property taxes increase by 10% or more, look at this story. The mayor is allowing it to happen."

Buried in overtime

The payroll data also reveals a staggering $183 million in overtime spending across city departments. The police department accounted for a significant chunk — 33 officers earned $400,000 or more last year through a combination of base pay, detail, and overtime. BPD Captain Timothy Connolly took home $550,760, including $193,677 in overtime alone. The fire department had three employees who received $200,000 or more in injury pay.

Mayor Michelle Wu was paid $207,000.

What the numbers say

Nobody is arguing that equity offices alone are bankrupting Boston. The $11.6 million identity-focused payroll is a fraction of the city's $2.45 billion budget.

But when you're cutting 400 school jobs, watching enrollment crater, and asking taxpayers to absorb double-digit property tax increases — the question isn't whether the city can technically afford a Chief of Equity, an Assistant Superintendent of Equity, a Director of Supplier Diversity, a Director of LGBTQ+ Advancement, a Director of Immigrant Advancement, a Director of Women's Advancement, a Director of Diversity, an Executive Director of Black Male Advancement, a Director of Food Justice, a nightlife czar, two Chief Engagement Officers, and 158 other employees across 11 departments.

The question is whether anyone at City Hall has looked at this spreadsheet and asked if this is really where the money should be going while teachers are cleaning out their desks.