To date, Mayor Menino has received the support of (partial list):
Advocacy organizations:
National Organization of Women (NOW) (Boston Chapter)
MassEquality
Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters (MLEV)- first municipal official to be endorsed
¿Oíste?
Coalition of New American Voters (CNAV)
Haitian American Political Action Committee
Democratic Ward Committees:
Ward 1 (East Boston)
Ward 4 (South End, Fenway/Kenmore)
Ward 5 (Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Bay Village)
Ward 13 (Savin Hill region of Dorchester, parts of Roxbury)
Ward 15 (Meeting House Hill, Bowdoin Street areas of Dorchester)
Ward 16 (Neponset region of Dorchester)
Ward 22 (Brighton)
Unions:
United Food and Commercial Workers (UFC) Local 1445
United Auto Workers of Massachusetts
Service Employees Industry Union (SEIU) State Council
Boston Building Trades Council
A number of elected officials including Reps. Linda Dorcena-Forry (Mattapan/Dorchester), Liz Malia (JP/Roxbury), Jeff Sanchez (JP/Mission Hill) and Mike Moran (Allston/Brighton) are endorsers.
The Mayor was also endorsed this week by a group of community health center directors. And separate from political endorsements, the Massachusetts Association of School Committees gave Menino their “Urban Educator of the Year” award last week (interesting as Boston is the only city in the Commonwealth with an appointed committee).
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In short, many progressives who live in the city are strongly supporting the Mayor’s reelection bid. I have had the opportunity to know him for many years, work for him in various posts, and work with him recently on the establishment of a Boston Food Policy Council which we hope will reshape the way the city works to encourage healthier eating, particularly in the schools and inner city, free up more land for urban agriculture, and encourage more local food
production and partnerships. On this issue, as with so many others, Tom Menino continues to move Boston forward.
judy-meredith says
I posted the language highlighted below on the endorsement thread above, because I wanted to compare the endorsement process of the three BMG Editors to at least our Ward Committee. And while I was a voting member of any of the other groups you listed, I was made aware of the full, and sometimes heated discussions that occurred before many of the organizational endorsements were announced.
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p>I do not underestimate the weight that BMG’s endorsement may carry with some members of this community of passionate political activists, and I’m happy that the editors gave your diary front page status.
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p>Now I gotta get back to forwarding that Dear Friend progressives for Menino e card you sent me.
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p>
howardjp says
and thanks to David and the editors as well. Disagreeing without being disagreeable is important — there are races ahead that need all of our support.
edc says
Hey Howard,
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p>Not that it will help much, since I now live 40 miles northward ;-), but please know that Mayor Menino still has my support.
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p>In 1991, when I was working at the Pine Street Inn homeless shelter, we got a call asking if we had any homeless people who were willing to work a few weeks temporary construction for a company in Hyde Park. The call, from then Councilor Menino on behalf of a constituent business, struck me for three reasons:
1) it was pretty insightful on his part to realize that many homeless people want to work –we had those 5 or 6 jobs filled in minutes,
2)he was able to help his constituent,
3) we were used to politicians using homeless people as a photo prop at the holidays and here was someone looking to help.
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p>In 1993, I volunteered for his Mayoral campaign and later had a chance to work for the City on hunger and homelessness issues. The Mayor, as he does today, pushed these issues hard with the State, the Feds, and local developers. Boston isn’t perfect and never will be, but the City’s work on behalf of poor people is exemplary.
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p>I moved from Boston to Newburyport several years ago. In 2007, I decided to run for Newburyport City Council against a 14 year incumbent. I happened to see Mayor Menino at a Boston event. I said something brilliant like, “Hey Mayor, I’m following in your footsteps. I’m running for City Council in Newburyport. Do you have any advice for me?”
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p>”Yeah, work hahd.”
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p>Great and simple and profound advice! And it worked.
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p>Cheers to my friends in JP.
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p>Ed Cameron
Newburyport City Council
howardjp says
Hey Ed!
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p>Thanks for your kind and incisive words. The people of Newburyport have a great councilor and leader and we JPers miss you a lot! Anyone familiar with Ed knows that he is a tireless advocate for those who most need someone on their side, the homeless, the hungry and the needy.
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p>Are you on the ballot Tuesday? If not, you’re always welcome on Election Day in the old neighborhood! 🙂
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p>Best,
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p>H
edc says
I’m unopposed but will be holding my sign at the polls…also working on a ballot initiative to review Newburyport’s charter which hasn’t been looked at since 1919.
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p>Good luck!
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p>Ed
howardjp says
BTW, you’ll be happy to know that the Mayor has received a several media endorsements today, including Bay Windows, which called Menino, “the most pro-gay mayor in the country” along with the South End News, and a couple that I’m told are pending ….