 10 inches of snow, time to flex Massachusetts cleanup skills. Yeah, it's actually a lot better than it is in Chicago. But while Winter Storm Nika gave Boston a snow day, it wasn't free. Almost a week after Storm Nika hit Boston, there's still snowdrifts the size of me. Obviously the city's doing their job at keeping the roads clean and safe. The question is at what cost? We went into the fiscal year with $43.5 million budgeted for snow and ice operations. We were just about $70 million expended, so we're significantly over our budget. Supplemental budget is currently under consideration with state legislature. But if a decision isn't made soon, many vendors, including those plows, clearing their commute, would continue working on only credit. So far, the budget concern has not affected the delivery of the service. While the department is roughly $18 million over budget, many think the service is invaluable. It's extremely important not only for, you know, cars on the road, but especially pedestrians' parts where the sidewalks are hilly and stuff like that and get slippery, so it's really important. I think it's more of a safety issue, more than anything. I mean, can you really put a price on that? Reporting with BU News Service, I'm Ashley Dadell.