Recently David posted about the survey done by the Globe on the Boston Mayoral Race. We at Progressive Mass were also pleased that some candidate comparison is finally available in the mainstream press but we found the content of the questions somewhat skewed toward a few high profile issues – many of which engage the Globe editorial Board and political activists but don’t speak in a thorough manner to issues of social, economic and criminal justice.
We are concerned that Boston Mayor’s race could become about a limited set of issues and could be driven by who raises the most money from downtown lobbyists and lawyers.
We have endorsed the platform developed by Right to the City Vote – a group of community-based organizations like Chinese Progressive Association and Boston Workers’ Alliance who working to address issues of equity in our city – particularly concerns around who benefits from the growth and development we have experienced – and will continue to experience here in Boston.
The vision of our platform reads as follows:
We envision a Boston where there is equal access to quality education, affordable housing, economic opportunities, accessible transportation, a healthy environment and public resources for all. We envision a Boston where we preserve the best aspects of the character of our neighborhoods. We envision a Boston where we celebrate the diverse backgrounds, languages, and cultures of our residents.
We envision a Boston where young people have the resources to thrive, where working class families are stable, where new immigrants feel welcomed, and where community needs come before profit. We envision a city that invests in the public good.
Some of the questions Right to the City Vote asked in their candidates’ questionnaire are worth considering along side the questions raised by the Globe:
- What is your strategy to stabilize working class and communities of color in Boston?
- Do you support a policy that City subsidies such as tax breaks or zoning relief must only support development projects which have a majority of neighborhood resident support, have an enforceable Community Benefits Agreement and provide living wage jobs?
- Do you support use of City owned land for public use as determined through a community participatory process, or for land lease fees to support community land trusts and other community stabilization programs?
- Do you support linking City systems for licensing, purchasing, contract compliance and living wage enforcement to improve job access and standards for Boston residents to secure living wage jobs?
- Do you support increasing the tax share of commercial vs. homeowner properties, and requiring full cash payment of PILOT fees from major non-profit institutions into a Boston Communities Fund?
Other questions addressed the foreclosure crisis as well as environmental justice and racial profiling.
On August 6th, Right to the City, Progressive Mass, the Boston Tenant Coalition and a dozen other groups are sponsoring a forum called “We Can’t Wait for Housing” – 5:30 -8:00 pm – Josiah Quincy Elementary School Auditorium, 885 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111
Come check out what the candidates have to say on these important issues.