We're just nine days from the preliminary election for mayor of Boston, and I haven't seen a poll on the race since May. (Have I just missed them?) The three opponents, I would assume, have gained some ground since then, but still it seems as though Tom Menino will get a solid majority in the Sept. 22 prelim. I'm also not going far out on a limb guessing that Michael Flaherty will make the cut over his City Council colleague Sam Yoon and businessman Kevin McCrea.
Today's Globe discusses one of the mayor's big weapons: city employees -- especially the neighborhood liaisons, who are extremely loyal to Menino and who work hard on his behalf.
I haven't completely decided who I'm voting for and I'd be interested in reading people's choices, and rationale, in the comments section. I hope to hear from you.
19 comments:
Hello Jimbo
How are you ?Fine I hope !
FIRST; Dont forget our East Boston debate ,live on 9-16-09 at 6 p.m. to 8;30 p.m. at the East Boston Social Center 68 Central Square.
3 out of 4 candidates are signed for sure.
Mayor Menino IS NOT attending.His campain mgr. called me Thursday(he was nice),and said the Mayor will be on Newbury street at some sort of event.
He was 100% fim,hes not attending our debate.
Although I have not 100% decided yet on who will get my vote I have ruled out at least two candidates.
1- Is Mr. McCrea
2-Is Mayor Menino
I think McCrea is in it for publicity,and because he has tons of expendable cash. His ideas are to radical,and all over the place.
I also think Meninos time has come,and gone. Not because hes a bad guy. His administration is stagnet,and rusty.He looked horrible in the second debate.
I also feel term limits are the correct thing to do.He would not commit that "If he wins,will he step a side after the next 4 years".
He simply refused to reply.
I also feel that all of them need to pledge to pass a law that no matter how tight any budget is NO Teachers,Firemen,Police ,Emts
can never be laid off.
There is so much fat,and waste inside City hall,so lets say eliminate The Mayors neighborhood services department instead. Its a joke.
I also thought Sam Yoon was a clear cut winner in the second debate!
So come on Eastie,lets show our pride.
Attend this important debate,and Please get out ,and vote.
Life Long Eastie Resident
Joseph J.Mason
I will vote for Yoon, he may not have much of a chance and to be honest, I'd like someone with a little more experience, but he is smart and seems honest. I think he is serious about term limits for mayor and one of the best things about that is fewer HACKS in City Hall and elsewhere.
The only reason that most city employees are behind Menino is that they are scared they will lose their jobs. In private many have told me that they don't even like the job the mayor is doing (or how he treats them...), but they will still go out and hold signs for him (often while being paid by the city as far as I can see). And yes, neighborhood services would be a great place to start cutting as far as I am concerned...
I think Menino is doing an average job and I think the city deserves better than that, plus we aren't supposed to have a king!
In terms of Flaherty, he has some interesting ideas and more energy to make change than Menino, but mostly I see him as more of the same.
I hope my vote for Yoon will send a message to Menino and Flaherty that although "Old Boston" is still a critical part of Boston, it is not the only part and "New Boston" deserves to be taken more seriously. They may have a few programs, employees, etc. that could be considered "New Boston" but look at who is holding their signs, etc.--a small sliver of the city population that seems to hold a huge majority of the power and reap the most benefits. It would be nice to see an end to that some day...
So, the Mayor won't be here on Wednesday. So, I won't get a chance to ask him about the not-so-subtle syndicated thuggery by his volunteers (ahem, city employees) that is alluded to in the Globe. So, I guess I'll just go to the debate and see what the other three candidates have to say about the unveiled realities of city hall. Dare I hope that none of those volunteers in Eastie are playing by Kineavy's rule book? Bullying as if they're still in the playground sandbox. The Globe's expose was enlightening, to be sure.
Another term for Menino means a tired, old administration lumbering along with a Mayor who will be over 70 near the end of his fifth four year term.Property taxes will be going up,as will the cost of living around here.
Menino did well in the 90's when the economy was booming. He is not the man to meet the challenges of the future,his time came and went.Its just ego and the lust for power that motivates him.Kinda sad really.
Curious to see if Mike Kineavy (Menino flunkie)gets indicted over the e-mail deletions that most suspect were related to Dianne Wilkersons singing to the feds about the 40 liquor licenses. She didnt do this alone,and the whisper has been around that a shoe has been getting ready to drop for awhile now.
This Kineavy story has legs.I believe it will result in a full blown criminal investigation.It is directly tied to the Wilkerson scandal.Now we find out Kineavy only saved 18 e-mails over a period of many months.
His computer should and probably will be confiscated,and the trail of lost messages investigated.From the initial information provided,this looks very bad.
I will admit that I'm leaning towards Yoon for the same reasons as anonymous@3:54. I was more impressed by Flaherty than I expected when he came by my house. But I am concerned that the problems caused by patronage may continue under Flaherty. It will just be different people doing the same thing for a different group of people.
Hey Mike Evil Kenivily 18 e-mails in 6 months???????????????????/
Ya what a joke.
According to the Boston Globe they asked for 6 months of his e-mails during the Licensing Gate probe ,and he responded by saying he only had 18.
18 Ya right !
Now we all know no e-mail is never gone for good,so lets see if the Mayors pals (The D.A ) takes some action,or if its just swept under the rug.
He probably gets ,and types 200 e-mails a day,not 18 in 6 months.
Can we say destruction of evidence?
Can we say depositions?
Come on get those hard drives,and get those e-mails.He admitted doing it according to todays Herald.
Just more business aas usual in good old City Hall !
Im voting for anyone new!
There a pretty interesting profile of McCrea at the Globe's web site: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/09/14/colorful_challenger_in_boston_mayoral_race_tries_toning_it_down/
Well menino is like stale bread right now, i admit he had a wonderful prosperous 15 years in office, number 1 he did not support obama, and number 2 my sidewalk Has been cracked for 15 years i call countless times to his office to fix the matter, no response, a side walk up the street from me in front of a resturaunt was renewed obviously the owner was politically connected, this kind of s&it needs to stop, every home owner in eastie pays there share in taxes and most don't get the piece of the pie when it comes to city services, Another thing upper porter st and cottage streets were freshly paved, i fully understand politically connected people live at 156 porter suzzane iannela but geez i lived in eastie for 40 years my street hasn'nt been paved simce 1986.
Hello
As far as the Globes story,I can attest that without a doubt the bullying is going on ,and is in full effect.
I have felt it first hand.
Thats why extra security will be at the debate.
I have been threatened,my family has also,and the mistake they made was using a Neighborhood services direct line "from inside City Hall"to my cell phone,as well as that particular persons City Hall issued cell phone.
The phone records will not lie.
I am preparing all of the facts,and once I get my cell records,they are going to the Election Committe,as a formal complaint of Intimidation,as well as threats.
The posters are right Neighborhood Services is a joke,and should be eliminated,as thats where all the B.S.calls came from.
Here is a warning to those who work as henchmen in Eastie for the Mayor including his point man Mr. Anthony Albano !
Since you guys are spreading rumors of disruting this debate,even though your guy MENINO won't come !
Its private property,not City of Boston property.
If you cause a problem,try to intimidate,or destroy peoples right to be heard,you will leave in hand cuffs.
Folks they are truly out of control because for the first time,the Mayor could lose,and they are shtng their pants. Knowing if he does lose,they lose! Their do nothing,paper pushing jobs.
The first poster was right on.
I am voting for Mike F.
Amazing how most of the posts on here sound like Joe Mason's typical paranoia and ramblings. You can tell by all the references to depositions, public records, review of phone records and complaints to various agencies. Talk about bullying. He should start a show called CSI: East Boston. Yea, I might not be supporting the Mayor this time around but if supporting someone else puts me in the same company with Joe Mason or that Flaherty crew, I probably will re-think my support. Looks like McCrea gets my vote.
I dont even know Joe Mason.Deletion of e-mails during a federal investigation goes way beyond whether the Times likes the land use council.This is a cover up,and yesterday the city bungled the media spin they were hoping for. The key witness stated in todays Globe Kineavy was the contact person for Wilkerson.Lets see if this even appears in this weeks Times,along with the inevitable Menino endorsement that will surely be printed on the editorial page.
A POEM FOR THEE !Our Mayor
Where oh Where is our Mayor?
Oh where oh wher can he be?
He attends all other Communities Debates feeling good about thee,
However he has refused to attend our debate in our beloved Eastie !
Oh where oh where can he be?
Sitting with his aide Evil Kenival,under a tree,deleting their e-mai trees.
Oh where oh where is our Mayor?
As the ad shows hes not inthe chair!
*********************************
Dedicated to all of those City Hall workers pledging to vote against him in the booth,but are afraid for good reason to not "Play"a supporting role in public!
Hello Jimbo
Just stopping by to see whats up.Got another call about another Anonymous poster blamming me for every thing again.
Dude ,I read your post,man can I have some of what your smoking ?
Try signing your name,don't be shy!
Why are you not proud of yourself?
You will know when I post because I am proud of my name,and town.
You sound like a typical hack ,as usual Deflecting the truth by bashing people like me.
If you had any reading skills ,I have already stated my position.
I am down to two,and your right it dose not include the e-mail,deleting machine of Menino.
18 E-Mails in 6 months dude,Ya get a life.
If you know me ,you know I know plenty about the inner workings of that cess pool called City Hall.
Tons of cases are tainted in my opinion.Both at the Licensing Board,and the Zoning Board !
No e-mails are ever 100% deleted,but the joke of the day came from Mumbles himself on tonights 6 p.m. news.
He said "I am taking charge ,and hiring a computer expert to get back those e-mails".
To bad it was an Order from the Atty Generals office Mr. Mayor.
I am glad because they will get them,and Mr. Kineval will be charged with destruction of evidence in a Federal Probe.
Once again your guy is going to show just how much DISRESPECT he has for Eastie.
He is not attending the debate !
Hows that Dude?Your guys going to make you,and his die hard left overs look like a fool.
So glad I am only a spectator for this one.Come say Hello ,if you got the cannolis.
Joe Mason
Proud East Bostonian !!!!!!
p.s.What a great poem !
I like mccrea he tells it like it is, but unfortunately he's not like the rest of us , he's a wealthy south end type, yoon is like a sprocket, robot like, flaherty is just another corrupted lush from south boston, we need him , menino is the only one in the bunch with an authentic boston accent, someone east boston folks can relate to.
We need Menino ,like America needs another 4 years of George Bush !
The Machine proved its power again today,and another servant obeyed their wish !
The day of the most Historic day Eastie has seen in a long time !
Tonights debate !
DOES NOT get mentioned as a front page story by the subserviant Times,but not mentioned at all.
Come on talk about a sham,you dont want to come to Esatie Mr.Mayor because you both,are afraid of the fed up people,as well as you think you own our vote,and already won here.
You are in for a big surprise.
Hey Times,I refuse to put the words East Boston in their title any more !
How many papers a week do you publish,and is it true they are outsourced ,and printed in Texas by NON Union workers ?
Its all over this blog,but you guys never respond.
EASTIE !Dont let them squash your voice,come tonight to this debate at the E.B.Social Center 68 central square 6-830p.m.
and most of all VOTE ON 9-22-09 FOR CHANGE!
I have to admit that I don't have anything against Tom Menino. I don't think he's been a bad mayor. He has done a number of very good things and we should acknowledge that. With that said, I do believe that there is an unhealthy, entrenched patronage system in parts of our city government (as well as on the city council). Menino's style of management created this problem and I believe it will only get worse over time.
There are things that I like and dislike about all of the other candidates. But I've decided to vote for Yoon in the preliminary. I like both Mike and Kevin and would vote for either of them in the general if they make it. However, for the preliminary, I've decided on Yoon for the following reasons:
1. At least two of Yoon's staffpersons are East Boston residents. I would like to think that this might ensure that East Boston gets ignored slightly less often than would occur in an administration that does not have any Eastie residents as part of the mayor's cabinet/ advisors.
2. Yoon believes that we can learn a lot from other cities and is willing to take ideas from other places in order to make the city better. I think the idea that Boston is such a unique and exceptional place that we don't have to look to others in figuring out how to solve our problems or prepare for the future is part of what holds us back.
3. Yoon appears to want to avoid exploiting social divisions. Even though it was his most unpolished answer at the forum on Wednesday, I liked that he admitted that charter schools are not a panacea. I believe he is right that we shouldn't be pitting different forms of education against each other. I agree that there should be room for different educational models and that the focus should be on the children.
4. I agree with his idea that the structure of our city government needs to change. I agree that the city council needs more institutional power to balance the mayor, that there should be term limits, and that a portion of the school board should be elected. I would hope that there would be some way to restructure to Licensing Board in order to ensure that local voices are actually heard and the things like granting a license to the Burger King in Maverick Square could not happen again.
Again, I like Mike and Kevin and I believe that they generally agree with the many of these things. But I think that Yoon will think more about Eastie than the other candidates would.
To Joe, you are everywhere with your hate yet you say that you are a peaceful man.
To the Yoon factor, can anybody tell me when was the last time you aw Yoon in Eastie saying hello? let me answer, NEVER.
Jimbo you've been around since my days at the club and I think you'd agree that we never say any elected show up randomly to say hello. Be good Jimmy and say hello to the old crew
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