Cambridge City Council City Hall, 2nd Floor 795 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 Phone: (617) 349-4280 Hours: 8:30am - 5:00pm (Monday - Friday)The City Council is Cambridge's elected legislature. The nine members determine City policy through the enactment of laws (ordinances) and the adoption of resolutions. Councilors are elected at large to two year terms through City-wide elections held every two years. The Council is nonpartisan.
The Council derives its powers from the City Charter and the laws and Constitution of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Council is the policy setting arm of the city government. It authorizes public improvements and expenditures, provides for public safety and health, adopts regulations, levies taxes, controls the finances and property of the City and performs many related legislative tasks.
All nine members of the City Council are elected at large. Therefore, any member of the Council can represent you. The councilors are not designated to deal exclusively with a particular district of Cambridge.To get the name of your Congressman, State Rep., etc., contact the Election Commission:
362 Green Street, 3rd Floor Cambridge, MA 02139 (617) 349-4361
All residents and employees of the city are entitled to speak for ten minutes on any matter that is being considered by the City Council at the scheduled meeting.In order to get an item on the agenda for the meeting, submit a request in writing to the City Council, care of the City Clerk. The City Clerk will place all new communications on the agenda for the next regular City Council meeting.
When your item is scheduled for action by the City Council, you will be allowed to speak on the matter. To the extent possible, all matters of policy will be referred to the appropriate standing committee, so that study and careful consideration can be given to the issue.