CITY COUNCILOR John Connolly has now jumped in where more cautious would-be hopefuls fear to tread, declaring that he will run for mayor of Boston regardless of what Tom Menino decides.
The conventional wisdom is that Connolly, a boyish-looking 39, is on a fool’s errand, and that if Menino wants another term, he’ll win in a walk. My own view is just the opposite: If Menino decides to seek an unprecedented sixth term, Connolly will give him his toughest challenge yet — and might just send the long-time incumbent into unanticipated retirement.
Comments
Unless the world has changed since I left Boston some nine years ago it will be pretty tough to unseat ole Tom. His connections run deep in the city and there are an awful lot of IOU's out there. I think he has been pretty good for Boston, but a change of pace with some young blood and some young ideas would certainly go a long way in moving my favorite city in the country forward.
I know folks sometimes fail to recognize the positives of where they live, but I know for me and I've lived on the west coast and up in Maine, down here in Florida, to me Boston and Mass. are my favorite places in the unioin. Folks whine about taxes and this and that but I think sometimes they don't realize what those taxes and all the bs have gotten them. How lucky ther are to live in Boston, Mass.
Boston is a great city and it may be time to move on to someone else who can make it greater.
This comment has been removed.
Not exactly tax free. Property costs, sales, travel, fees etc. are higher. Services are nowhere near as good as Mass. and the Florida school system is a shambles. Wouldn't live here if my kids were still young. I'd be in Mass. where I could make some money. There is no money to be made here unless your into real estate.
They call it "convensional wisdom" for a reason. He is definitely a threat package unlike the others who attempted to unseat the mayor. Politically he has the ability to draw from the traditional voter demographic while pulling in those residents/voters who in the past may not have voted in mayoral elections. Large pockest of young voters not wed to the old ways exist in all sections of the city. Connolly is showing that he is a shrewd politician while also showing signs of being a forward thinking leader.
I think that's spot on, NativeBos. I watched him at an event here in Charlestown with Pressley during the last cycle, andn was v. impressed by the turnout of 30-somethings concerned about the schools but otherwise not people one thinks of as hugely interested in city politics.
"127guy" Your inability to say anything concrete on a simple subject makes conversation a bit difficult. Not everyone is either "liberal" or "conservative" there are great many of us who fit somewhere in the middle. The problem with zealots or folks who see only one side of anything is they are incapable of accepting new information without becoming defensive. A review of the wage scales throughout the country would show that Florida like most of the south pays poorly. I'm retired so frankly it doesn't effect me. However, that doesn't change the fact. That from my perspective Mass. was a great place to live, make money and raise my kids. If you hate it don't blame me or even the pols, just move and quit whining.
Some here have heard from Howie Carr et. al. everything they need to know. What actually exists they know nothing of and is of no concern to them.
From the nastiness and the reference in the moniker to the North Shore, I have to wonder if there isn't a connection to that disgraced radio shock jock who won't go away. As attaturk points out, zealots only understand the ideology of us versus them. Time was, a conservative believed in a strong federal government and the preservation of the union (Washington, Hamilton, Lincoln) while a liberal believed all government was bad (Jefferson, Jackson, Davis). Now these labels are bandied about without any rational thought as to what they mean, and the only thing that counts is 'my team right or wrong.'
I believe Menino has always meant well and has done a lot of good things. His health, however, is not good. His take seems to be, " If I can't walk to city hall I'll come in on my elbows." That's not helpful. He should know better than Sinatra, who wouldn't get off until he fell off. The bone of contention seems to be the teacher's union. I'm a union guy from construction. The business is not known for the preponderance of Einsteins, the member sometimes can be persuaded to vote against their best interests. Not so with the teacher's union. These are intellegent, well educated people, who know exactly what's going on and what is in their best interest, and they have a lot of kids who depend on them. This situation to me is hard to deal with. I believe in the right to organize, but here its almost like you had a union in the Marine Corps. There has to be some reasonable control in certain occupations. I think this situation is what a lot of residents are looking at, what Connolly wants to address. So he may have a shot.
This comment has been removed.
This comment has been removed.
NativeBos, I agree with your analysis. John Connolly is smart at politics and policy and he has the right mix of old and new demographics. The two main challenges will be to move people who are afraid to state a preference other than Menino, and to get the newer people (e.g., under 40, not "from here," never voted in a municipal election) involved in a way that they simply have not been before. I believe he can do it. Here we go, this will be exciting.
This comment has been removed.
I don't know much about Connolly but he gets extra points for deciding to run before Menino announces his intentions -- many others are waiting to see what the incumbent will do, as if it is his job to have as long as he wants. The mayor seems like a nice enough guy but elections are supposed to offer people a choice. The idea that Connolly believes it is time for a change, and that he should lead the charge, is refreshing.
I wonder if people will call him "Zip."
I think it is time. The city is on the edge of a lot of change w/ development projects, school choice, etc. New thinking instead of IOU spending would be nice
Personally, resent the large non-profit intuitions for not paying their fair share, especially the cultural institutions in Boston. The quality of life for those that live in the city would be so much better if these large non-profits would only pony up their fair share for municipal services. Look, the Boston Public Schools (BPS) Art Department has been decimated for the last 25 years, and BPS students have had limited, if any, of the art classes, that their suburban peers received. I find that the Museum of Art (MFA) particularly egregious and arrogant in their refusal to contribute their fair share toward municipal services. According to the 2011, MFA IRS 990’s, the MFA has NET assets of $941,781,237! I am not talking about art hanging on the walls, that is not even considered part of the formula! I am talking about CASH! The MFA has INVESTMENT FUNDS in Central America and the Caribbean totaling $76,796,906.00!
The City of Boston PILOT program asked the MFA to contribute $518,887, $259,443. (50%) was given to them as a "community service credit!" As a taxpayer and homeowner in Boston, I wouldn’t have! The MFA stiffed the city, and only contributed $56,319. - $9,904.00 LESS than they contributed in 2010!
Malcolm A. Rogers, MFA Director, was paid $827.930.00! He received a “housing allowance” of $62,500.00! The Boston Emergency Shelter Commission, a Boston municipal service, reported that there were 6,647 homeless in 2011. Does anyone beside me see a problem of greed here! $259,443.00 is chump change to the MFA! A “Non-profit” like the MFA, who keeps millions in offshore accounts is not a charity and should be paying taxes to Boston and Massachusetts.
I would like to hear from John Connolly's plan to "reform" the Internal Revenue Code of the IRS 990’s and remove the non-profit 501c status of many of these large cultural institutions, who have moved on to become big money making corporations, and the Museum of Fine Arts is one of them!
http://www.cityofboston.gov/Images_Documents/FY12%20Second%20Half%20PILOT%20Status%20Report%20for%20Web_tcm3-33007.pdf
http://www.charities.ago.state.ma.us/charities/index.asp?charities_app_ctx=details&charities_sub_ctx=entry∨igin=search&did=30322734&bod=1358094074
I do think there's a sense among voters that 20 years is time enough for a mayor to accomplish what he can, and that it may well be time for a fresh approach.
I concur with this opinion. Incidentally, I write as someone who has voted for the mayor in past elections.
It's time for a change. Menino's been Ok, but he really owes it to the city to prepare for new leadership. Let's see if Menino can gracefully step down and mentor Connolly rather than try to vindictively thwart him and squash him like a bug like he does to anyone who dares oppose him. I really hope so, but kind of doubt it.
Charter schools do not, per se, provide a better education; national studies have shown that. Charters have better test score and graduation statistics because they can eject students who don't do well. These students usually end up back in the real "public" school system -- making those statistics look worse. If Connolly creates more charters, will he require them to take students by random assignment (no self-selecting lotteries followed by further screening devices that assure cherry-picked students) and to keep them, no matter what (no more "counseling out" the imperfect students)? Let's see how their statistics look when they have the same student body as regular schools. As to teachers' union: the schools that give MA its good education reputation are the regular schools, with union teachers. De-professionalizing teaching using shallow test-score metrics and replacing experienced, qualified teachers with temps of various sorts will not result in a better education system. It will, however, make charters more profitable for the investors, and assure that teachers don't butt in and interfere with business when they see students cheated of their future.
As always Skressel, well said!
Hi Scot, thanks for response to earlier post. Overall, charters do not get "better" results, that is just not so. Non-charterized public schools have extended days in many forms. There are many "types" of school offerings, many of which offer an extended day. Seemingly, the word "charter" denotes superiority and infallibility, which is part of their advertising ploy. Traditional schools are constantly demonized while charters are evangelized, regardless of what's really going on. Traditional schools educate every child, while charters do not; that's the bottom line. Cherry picking, attrition, and foundation funding lead to most perceived superior "results". Latin school. my alma mater, has the best results. Where is the extended day at that school? I invite you to further conversation, it may prove enlightening to both of us. I also invite you to see extended day in action at my "traditional" public school in Dorchester. Although on paper Boston is a "hair" under the national average day length, we offer diverse programming at many of our schools that other districts do not. The "real" length of the school day is much higher than the national average. Lastly, Boston is considered the top urban district in the United States, while MA is considered the top state. email me at columwhyte@yahoo.com Thank you
Boston Latin School known for teaching critical thinking, thanks for stepping up and demonstrating it! Well said!