{"id":10445,"date":"2025-11-20T04:08:58","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T04:08:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=10445"},"modified":"2025-11-20T04:08:59","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T04:08:59","slug":"boston-mayor-wus-family-holiday-trip-to-nova-scotia-cost-taxpayers-5k","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jubi24.com\/?p=10445","title":{"rendered":"Boston Mayor Wu’s family holiday trip to Nova Scotia cost taxpayers $5K"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

Mayor Michelle Wu burned through more than $5,000 in taxpayer funds on travel accommodations for her four-day family trip to Canada, where she chopped down the Boston Common Christmas tree gifted to the city by the Nova Scotia province.<\/p>\n

Wu brought along her family and two staff members for last week\u2019s trip<\/a>, at a total cost of $5,062, when factoring in flight and hotel accommodations, from Nov. 9-12, according to receipts provided to the Herald last Friday after a public records request.<\/p>\n

While the city covered hotel accommodations for the mayor, her husband and three children, taxpayers didn\u2019t pay for flight tickets for Wu\u2019s family.<\/p>\n

Wu flew economy both ways, from Boston to Halifax and back. She spent $573.79 on her flight, and $735.24 for a three-night stay for her and her family at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel \u2014 for a total cost to taxpayers of $1,309.03.<\/p>\n

The mayor\u2019s expenses were lower than that of the two city staffers who tagged along, Paul Bologna, a photographer for the mayor\u2019s office, and Phyllis St-Hubert, director of scheduling and advance.<\/p>\n

Bologna\u2019s economy class flight cost taxpayers a little over $1,302, when factoring in the $93 in travel insurance he tacked onto the cost \u2014 for an amount that nearly equaled the mayor\u2019s total reimbursable expenses for the entire trip.<\/p>\n

The mayor\u2019s photographer also dropped $687.30 for a three-night stay at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel, bringing his total expenses to $1,990.07.<\/p>\n

St-Hubert booked a taxpayer-funded flight that cost $954.90, and spent three nights at the same hotel as Wu and Bologna, at a cost of $732.74. She also paid $75.26 for transportation to and from the airports in Boston and Halifax \u2013 bringing her total expenses to $1,762.90.<\/p>\n

The mayor, her family and two staff members arrived in Canada on Sunday Nov. 9, and returned to Boston on Wednesday, Nov. 12.<\/p>\n

Wu and her family visited Nova Scotia to highlight a continuing partnership with the Canadian province that began after an explosion that took place there in 1917 in Halifax Harbor, killing roughly 2,000 people.<\/p>\n

Nova Scotia provides the city with its Boston Common Christmas tree each year as a thank-you for the city\u2019s response which included sending medical aid and relief supplies following the explosion.<\/p>\n

Wu became the first Boston mayor to attend and participate in the Boston tree-cutting ceremony in the Canadian province, the mayor\u2019s office said.<\/p>\n

Wu was photographed not only participating in the tree-cutting ceremony, but taking an actual chainsaw to the 45-foot tall white spruce that will arrive at Boston Common on Tuesday at 11 a.m.. The tree will serve as the city\u2019s official 2025 Christmas tree. This year marked the 54th year of the annual tree donation.<\/p>\n