A reader requested that we open a thread for discussion on next week’s Boston City Council election, and we thought that seemed like a good idea. There are eight candidates for the four at-large (city-wide) seats. There are also nine districts, each of which is represented by one councillor. In each of the nine districts, the incumbent is running for reelection; six of them have challengers and three do not. So each voter gets to cast five votes for City Council: four at-large, and one for the district in which the voter resides. The complete candidate list is here (pdf).
We haven’t been following the race all that closely, but here are some resources to get things started: Globe endorsements (at-large); Globe endorsements (district); DFA endorsements and questionnaires; and Globe profiles of some of the candidates. Also, Adam Reilly published this article in last week’s Phoenix, and has been blogging frequently about various candidates. Failing all of that, Googling any individual candidate reveals a wealth of information (many of them have their own websites). UPDATE: The Boston Phoenix endorsements are here, and they’ve published some questionnaire answers by the City Council candidates here. Also, Bay Windows’ endorsements are here, and the South End News has endorsements that are not online but that I have posted in the comments.
Election day is next Tuesday, Nov. 8. This is an open thread. Go to it!
eury13 says
As a progressive, I’m all for Arroyo and Yoon, but beyond that, I’m having a difficult time narrowing down the remaining at-large candidates. Between O’Malley, Flaherty, and Connolly, who are peoples’ favorites?
ejohnson says
John Connolly for me. He came to my door a week or so back. He was dead on with his education stuff. Former teacher, educated, etc.I saw he and Flaherty, also getting one of my votes, was endorsed by the Globe too.
political-insider says
Thanks for posting this election BMG!!Connolly has certainly raised eyebrows during this campaign. As the son of the former Sec. of the Commonwealth he has a huge fundraising base and has made the most of it. He possesses political instinct and has a knack for raising $$. Patricia White, the daughter of legendary mayor, Kevin White, also demonstrates her political instinct- it seems to be an inherited trait for both these candidates. However, Ed Flynn, the son of Mayor Ray Flynn, seems to have missed the political instinct genes. When hearing him speak, it seems every other word out of his mouth is that he is a veteran. Now don’t get me wrong, I respect and honor that, however, I have a sense that he thinks he is running for Commander in Chief or for the Joint Chiefs of Staff or something. I don’t see its relevancy for a city council election- its just a gimic so to speak. Both Yoon and O’Malley (the comeback kid)are impressive candidates. I am pleased not only to see Matt O’Malley running again, but also for doing so well. I hope he gets the consideration he deserves. Both of these candidates are out there on their own, building support across New England’s largest city. They did not have name recognition, they did not have fundraising lists, they did not have a presupposed field organization… they have created all of that on their own. Something should be said for such up starts. I think the people of Boston are fortunate to have several great candidates to choose from. And I would encourage everyone to use each of their 4 votes to support 4 candidates.
david says
escargot555 says
What’s up with the gay papers not endorsing Yoon? Neither gives any kind of substantive reason for breaking with the Globe, Phoenix, and just about every liberal group in the city. Bay Windows praises O’Malley for being “a straight man who likes show tunes.” Couldn’t one have said the same about Dapper O’Neil?
dsaklad@zurichcsailmitedu says
Boston City Council, Boston City Clerk, Boston City Council Stenographer Ellen Fritch all have denied access to a. the Council stenographic machine output, b. transcribed output from the stenographic machine What passes for minutes is digested too briefly, too spare for any person to make sense of what transpired during public meetings of the Boston City Council. Docket numbers are not cross referenced, indexed, papers of the Mayor mentioned in the Council minutes are not described as to content. The Council Stenographer contributes to election campaigns. c.City Department heads routinely deny timely access to departmental annual reports. City Department heads and the Mayor’s Office evade the annual report requirement of the City ordinances by using a memoranda format in reporting annually about City Departments. Instead of sending departmental annual reports to the City Council as required, Department heads’ reports are disguised as memoranda to the Mayor’s Office. d.The Boston Finance Commission routinely denies or delays access to Commission Reports. Information about the dates of Boston Finance Commission public meetings and names of people who are appointed to the Boston Finance Commission are routinely denied or delayed. The names of the people who are appointed to the Boston Finance Commission do not appear on the Reports. e.We need a 1. Mayoral Directive and a 2. City Council Order for the more routine transmittal of City Public Documents and City Departments’ Public Documents to our Boston Public Library Government Documents Department. These public documents should also appear on the web at http://bpl.org/research/govdocs/local.htm f.The City Council Reference Library should be more open and available instead of the routine denial or delay for access to materials there and routine denial or delay for access to details about the City Council Reference Library not already on the web at http://cityofboston.gov/citycouncil/citycouncilpub.asp
dsaklad@zurichcsailmitedu says
By Maggie Mulvihillhttp://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=108212intrusively questioning citizensBy Jessica Fargen and Marie Szaniszlohttp://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=108035&format=texthttp://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=108110&format=text….routinely denying lawful requests for basic…information…
dsaklad@zurichcsailmitedu says
Question.. What exactly are the papers?… in docket items 1239 1240 1241.. What are the papers about?….. What’s the topic of the papers?….. What’s the content of the papers?….. What matters do the papers concern?…SuggestionThe City Council Minutes and Agendas are too brief,too spare for people to make sense of what happened,too difficult to make sense of what transpired.Exactly what transactions of the councilors occurred?…Clarity needs to be improved!The ambiguity needs to be reduced ! > City Council Meeting Agendas > View the Agendas from a specific week: 10/23/2005 >http://www.cityofboston.gov/cityclerk/hearing/see.asp?type=ag > Order of business for matters > presented to the City Clerk > prior to 12:00 on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 > for consideration by the City Council > at a regular meeting on > Wednesday, October 26 at > 11:30 AM > The following were received: > > … > > Reports from public officers and others > > … > > 1239 > Notice was received from the City Clerk > in accordance with > Chapter 6 of the Ordinances of 1979 re: > actions taken by the Mayor on > papers acted upon by the City Council at its meeting > on > September 21, 2005. > > 1240 > Notice was received from the City Clerk in accordance > with > Chapter 6 of the Ordinances of 1979 re: > actions taken by the Mayor on > papers acted upon by the City Council at its meeting > on > September 28, 2005. > > 1241 > Notice was received from the City Clerk in accordance > with > Chapter 6 of the Ordinances of 1979 re: > actions taken by the Mayor on > papers acted upon by the City Council at its meeting > on > October 5, 2005. > City Council Meeting Minutes > View the Minutes from a specific week: 10/23/2005 >http://www.cityofboston.gov/cityclerk/hearing/see.asp?type=mn > A regular meeting of the City Council > of the City of Boston was held in the > Christopher A. Iannella Chamber, City Hall at > 11:45 on Wednesday, October 26 > > Councillors Present: > President Flaherty in the Chair- > Absent Councilor Hennigan. > > The following were received: > Docket… Content… > > … > > 1239 > Notice was received from the City Clerk in accordance > with > Chapter 6 of the Ordinances of 1979 re: > actions taken by the Mayor > on papers acted upon by the City Council > at its meeting on > September 21, 2005. > Placed on file. > > 1240 > Notice was received from the City Clerk in accordance > with > Chapter 6 of the Ordinances of 1979 re: > actions taken by the Mayor on > papers acted upon by the City Council at its meeting > on > September 28, 2005. Placed on file. > > 1241 > Notice was received from the City Clerk in accordance > with > Chapter 6 of the Ordinances of 1979 re: > actions taken by the Mayor on > papers acted upon by the City Council at its meeting > on > October 5, 2005. Placed on file. > > … > > 1269 > The Chair stated that, in absence of objection, > 1 late-filed matter would be added to the > Consent Agenda. > > No objection being heard, > the following matter was added: > Councilor Yancey offered the following: > Resolution recognizing The Late Cecelia M. Martin. > > The matters contained within the > Consent Agenda were severally > adopted. > > Adjourned at 1:55 p.m. on motion of > President Flaherty > in memory of Stephen Rosa Parks, > Donald “Cofi” Tucker, > Ray Fitzgerald, > Maureen Berry Eason, > John “Okie” O’Connell, and > Steven Small, > to meet again on > Wednesday November 2, 2005 at > 11:30 a.m. > > The papers acted upon at the foregoing meeting of the > City Council, which contain > action requiring the approval of the Mayor, > were deposited in the Mayor’s Office on > October 28, 2005. > > Rosaria Salerno City Clerk
dsaklad@zurichcsailmitedu says
What were the actions taken by the Mayoron the papers?…
lesann@gmailcom says
I dislike Ed Flynn. I just recieved an automated phone call from him asking me to vote for him. I hate phone calls like that. They are annoying and ridiculous. What a stupid interruption. Especially since my number is listed on the National Do Not Call Registry. And it’s a cell phone (excuse me I have to pay for that!). It gets even more funny though.I live in Michigan! I’m a college student that has lived in Michigan her whole life. I don’t even have family in Boston. Seriously is there anyone else that has gotten that stupid phone call that doesn’t live anywhere near Boston?! Would anyone else be upset about this?Anyway… I’m pretty sure his phone number is 617.269.2005 so I might try to give him a call back.-Leslie
jonathan-mcintosh says
Matt O’Malley is the only one (besides Arroyo and Yoon) that is against the proposed BU bioterror lab in the south end/Roxbury which will bring anthrax and smallpox in to the communities, so I like that stance?on other stuff I’m not so sure about him. I like Arroyo and Yoon, I don’t feel the need to vote for any others.