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Competition for Josh Zakim could blossom in District 8 council race
By adamg on Mon, 04/17/2017 - 10:52pm
Kristen Mobilia, who has long been active in the Fenway Garden Society, which oversees the Fenway Victory Gardens, has filed papers with state elections officials for a possible race against District 8 (Fenway, Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Mission Hill) City Councilor Josh Zakim.
To get on the fall ballot, Mobilia will have to file enough signatures on nominating petitions that the city elections department will release next month.
Mobilia is also director of finance and administration at VideoLink, LLC, a Newton company that creates and manages videos for corporate clients.
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Comments
Interesting.
Interesting.
I'm likely moving out of District 8 this summer, since my apartment building is being sold for yet another condo redevelopment. Should I find a new place to live in District 8, I'll watch this potential challenger with interest.
I've found Councilor Zakim generally aligned with my own views, though I've been somewhat disappointed at what I personally perceive as somewhat tepid enthusiasm and timid engagement.
My best hope would be that pressure from Ms. Mobilia will bring out the best of both of them, given the very pressing issues here, at least in the less-fashionable area of Mass Ave/Boylston—including an ever-growing indigent population with severe opioid-use issues, unchecked rises in rental-housing costs, significant loss of rental units (not just affordable stock, but all rentals being converted to condos), stupid bike lane stripes that no one understands or respects (including the haughty, hysterical cyclists with their helmet-cams), and the constant conflict re: further development of the High Spine (omg, teh shadows!!) versus conserving the status quo (trees provide graceful shade!).
I am admittedly ignorant of how candidates arrange these things, but I would definitely attend a town forum to see the two engage directly with the residents, should Ms. Mobilia garner enough signatures to be on the ballot.
Really?
You really decide where you'll live based on who the city councilor is?
[Discussion] Vote based on street address of Council Candidate
[Discussion] Some folks Vote based on the street address of the Council Candidate...
I base my vote on
House number.
Yes
For non-publicized, non-partisan elections (City Council, Governor's council, etc) many people vote for the person who lives in their neighborhood if they don't have anything else to base the vote upon.
That's not what he said.
He said he'll consider living in an area based on who the councilor is.
If that's what you took away
If that's what you took away from it, sorry. What I was trying to say is that I'm likely moving, cause I'm being priced out (and therefore couldn't vote for either of them). If I do find a new place in District 8, I will def watch this potential challenger with interest, because I am truly invested in the neighborhood where I've worked and played for 15+ years. I know I write dense, uncoherent paragraphs, but geez. Maybe take a breath before being mocking someone next time, eh?
You were clear enough...
... not your fault if someone doesn't pay attention to what you actually wrote. Good luck apartment-hunting!
I came in second!
I agree (I guess not relevant to his point, though ..). I was shocked to see how well I did in my race in November, coming in 2nd in parts of Southie. I was the "hometown" kid, lol.
Possible Candidates
Possible Candidates
https://www.reddit.com/r/CambridgeMA/comments/664508/possible_candidates...
This is refreshing
In my opinion District 8 deserves better representation than Zakim, the privileged scion of a well connected family, who was put into office by out of town money.
Yes, his political views are often aligned with my own, but he's ineffective and my general impression is that he's kinda lazy.
We're sending a kid up against developers and institutions that have hundreds of millions of dollars at stake. Zakim can't protect the neighborhood, which faces genuine survival issues in the face of institutional expansion. He just doesn't have the skill set.
Ross and his predecessors did
Ross and his predecessors did a better job. Zakim has been too busy chasing national issues and political fads rather than focusing on nuts & bolts quality of life issues within his district.
Completely Disagree
Mike Ross got off to a great start. But as time went on - he put his own political ambitions ahead of his constituents.
I actually find Josh to be very responsive, understanding that councilors can only get so much done. He has voted on a number of issues where he opposed the majority "go along to get along vote". He holds regular coffee hours, office hours and attends a lot of community events - often more than the old stand in the back of the room and wave and then leave after you are introduced (a frequent Ross practice). For my money ($110k these days), I'll take Josh.
Maybe he supports the majority
Maybe not everyone shares your views and he's representing everyone as best he is able? Boylston Street in the Fenway is an amazing success, for example. Prices going up on Mission Hill are Mike Ross's fault, not Josh's.
Why are prices going up anyone's "fault"
What should things cost in Mission Hill?
Always government's fault
Exactly.
It's "someone's" fault when they create artificial barriers to the free market, which is what he did.
A success from the point of view of high buildings?
The unchecked high rise development of Boylston Street has actually caused a disconnect of many residents from the neighborhood and decrease in the quality of life. The new buildings are permanent, but they encourage a transience that previously only came from student tenants.
The privatization of streets around Fenway Park by Red Sox, Inc., the loss of on street parking, the noise of rock concerts, the opiate addict problem behind the Victory Gardens - all speak to a *decrease* in quality of living in the Fenway.
These are all issues for Councilor Zakim and Kristen Mobilia to discuss. They probably are not very far apart in recognizing the problems of Fenway/Mission Hill.
If your metric of an amazing success consists only of counting buildings and stories, then you are right. Boylston is a roaring blast of progress.
Zakim's harrumph is weak as
he tends to speak on weighty issues and stays away from the hum of council proclimations.