The Herald reports on a debate this morning between Marty Walsh, who is all about the Suffolk Downs casino, and Dan Conley, who says the entire city should vote on it and, if it rejects the idea, he'd sue to block any casino in Everett. Walsh said the only way to protect Charlestown is to negotiate with the developer of the proposed Everett casino. Conley said the state casino law is fundamentally flawed.
Unlike other candidates for mayor, Dan Conley says he's neither for nor against a casino at Suffolk Downs. But he says he wants the entire city to vote on it, not just East Boston - because the ramifications of a casino go far beyond one neighborhood.
Conley said today that if the Suffolk Downs plan is voted down while he's mayor, he'd promptly sue to block another casino proposal in Everett:
The Globe reports only Charles Clemons - whom the Globe helpfully notes has only $3,200 in his campaign warchest - has no problems with excluding gays and lesbians from the annual South Boston parade. The Globe reports on other differences among the candidates as well (including, as we reported earlier, on charter schools).
Joe Nucci tries to will Charlotte Golar Richie into the final. Adrian Walker, though, says he would have trouble supporting somebody whose positions are all half baked on a waffle iron.
Marty Walsh, himself a recovering alcoholic, says one of the first things he'd do as mayor is set up a city Office of Recovery Services:
As my team laid out their research on the wide range of issues and services we will address in a Walsh Administration, it became all too clear that there aren't enough detox beds, and accessing services that are available is trying and can be overwhelming for addicts in need and their families.
The Herald reports on the first round of polling by itself and Suffolk University.
One sage pundit quoted as wondering when Deval Patrick will start knocking some heads together to try to get at least one of the "progressive" minority candidates into the final.
David Bernstein notes the poll skews white, with 64% of respondents saying that's what they were.
Among those in the second tier: Dan Conley, whose campaign announced it will start running a series of TV spots, including this one on guns:
According to Dave Wedge of the Boston Herald, Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley will launch five TV commercials that will run on both local and cable networks starting today until at least the September 24, 2013 Mayoral Preliminary election.
According to the Herald, three of the issues in Conley's commercials will focus on:
1. cracking down on illegal guns, 2. education and 3. the city’s innovation economy.
Rob Consalvo says he just wants to "prevent shadowy groups funded by anonymous donors from dominating and meddling in the race" for mayor and today called on his opponents to either reject money from these wraith-like groups or donate half the amount to the One Fund.
"In principle, sounds like a good idea," the Conley campaign tweeted in reply.
Meanwhile, WBUR reports a group called Democrats for Education Reform (also see) is backing John Connolly, who, like them, wants more charter schools (Consalvo is against lifting the ban on charter schools). It's hired several field coordinators and round up 150 volunteers to promote Connolly.
At-large Councilor Ayanna Pressley went on Greater Boston recently to discuss her push for more liquor licenses for Boston:
*The following is the ballot order for the September 24, 2013 Preliminary Election for Boston Mayor:
1. Charles L Clemons Jr
2. Bill Walczak
3. Charles Calvin Yancey
4. Rob Consalvo
5. Charlotte Golar Richie
6. Michael P Ross
7. Martin J Walsh
8. John R Connolly
9. Felix G Arroyo
10. David James Wyatt
11. Daniel F Conley
With an environment-focused forum today (WBUR reports), several candidates announced proposals dealing with environmental, energy and climate-change issues.
John Connolly released an environmental blueprint, which includes installing enough solar panels to generate 100 MW of power by 2020, dramatically boost recycling and decrease landfill use, promote energy-saving programs in Boston homes. Also:
With 86 days to go to the September 24, 2013 Preliminary Election, the following list is the Power Rankings of Boston Mayoral Candidates as July 1, 2013. Just to note, David Portnoy, John Laing, and Robert Cappucci who had been ranked previously did not make the ballot and thus have been eliminated:
1. John R Connolly, West Roxbury (Ward 20, Precinct 10)
2. Martin J Walsh, Savin Hill (Ward 13, Precinct 10)
3. Charlotte Golar Richie, Meeting House Hill (Ward 15, Precinct 3)
4. Daniel F Conley, West Roxbury (Ward 20, Precinct 20)
5. Rob Consalvo, Hyde Park (Ward 18, Precinct 18)
6. Felix G Arroyo, Jamaica Plain (Ward 19, Precinct 7)
7. Charles L Clemons Jr Dorchester (Ward 14, Precinct 4)
8. Michael P Ross, Mission Hill (Ward 10, Precinct 5)
9. Bill Walczak, Savin Hill(Ward 13, Precinct 10)
10. Charles Calvin Yancey, Mattapan (Ward 17, Precinct 3)
11. John F Barros, Uphams Corner(Ward 13, Precinct 5)
12. David James Wyatt, Roxbury (Ward 11, Precinct 2)
ANALYSIS of MAYORAL CANDIDATE RANKINGS
1. John R Connolly, West Roxbury (Ward 20, Precinct 10) (Previous Rank #2)
At a forum sponsored by several local educational groups today, candidates for mayor agreed that Boston public schools need a longer school day and need to be freed from the shackles of an oppressive central administration at Court Street.
Bill Walczak said innovation and great teaching come from "autonomous" schools without the heavy boot of downtown pressing them down. John Connolly said Court Street "just seems to lose a billion dollars a year. ... They don't do much well."
At an education debate at the Brooke charter school in Roslindale tonight, most candidates supported lifting or increasing the current cap on charter-school seats in Boston.
John Barros, Charlotte Golar Richie, Mike Ross, John Connolly, Bill Walczak and Dan Conley all said they favor increasing the number of charter seats in Boston.
Felix Arroyo, Charles Yancey and Rob Consalvo all opposed it.
The Globe reports how the sitting district attorney and mayor wannabe has done pretty well with donations from local defense attorneys.
The following are Douglas Bennett's Power Rankings of the 2013 Boston Mayor Candidates as of May 27, 2013. These rankings are determined by a combination of each candidate's previous electoral history which includes geographical and voter population base, potential money raised, grassroots organizational strength, and potential to harness issues:
1. Daniel F Conley, West Roxbury (Ward 20, Precinct 20)
2. John R Connolly, West Roxbury (Ward 20, Precinct 10)
3. Felix G Arroyo, Jamaica Plain (Ward 19, Precinct 7)
4. Martin J Walsh, Savin Hill(Ward 13, Precinct 10)
5. Rob Consalvo, Hyde Park (Ward 18, Precinct 18)
6. Charlotte Golar Richie, Meeting House Hill(Ward 15, Precinct 3)
7. Charles Calvin Yancey, Mattapan (Ward 17, Precinct 3)
8. Michael P Ross, Mission Hill (Ward 10, Precinct 5)
9. Charles L Clemons Jr, Dorchester (Ward 14, Precinct 4)
10. John F Barros, Uphmans Corner(Ward 13, Precinct 5)
11. Bill Walczak, Savin Hill(Ward 13, Precinct 10)
12. Robert Cappucci, East Boston, (Ward 1, Precinct 2)
13. David S Portnoy, Lower Mills(Ward 17, Precinct 13)
14. John G C Laing Jr, Hyde Park(18, Precinct 14)
15. David James Wyatt, Roxbury (Ward 11, Precinct 2)
Some people try to visit all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth. Others vow to eat at every single burger place in Boston. Googiebaba has decided to try to meet all 24 people running for mayor of Boston. She starts with DA Dan Conley, whom she met one rainy Saturday while she and her two kids were on the side of the West Roxbury Parkway, victims of a flat tire:
The Herald talks to Dan Conley and John Barros. Currently, only East Boston is slated to vote on the proposed Suffolk Downs casino.
This past week was a big week in politics here in Boston.
1. Steve Lynch will not run for Mayor.
Leading up to this past week, many speculated that 8th Congressional District U.S. Representative Stephen Lynch was using the U.S. Senate race to raise his profile so he could run for Boston Mayor. Lynch's chances were ruined by losing his hometown of Boston by a margin of 31,000 plus votes to Lynch's 28,000 plus votes.
Essentially, Markey "Al Gored" Stephen Lynch. To understand this, Al Gore lost his home state of Tennessee to George W. Bush in 2000 and that was the real reason why Gore lost the presidency not because of Florida. For Lynch to have won the U.S. Senate Democratic Primary, he needed to run up the vote against Markey in Boston and this just did not happen.
2. Dewey beats Truman.
The 1st Suffolk Senate race was an unbelievable contest. My parish, St. Ann's, falls right inside this state Senate district. Three great candidates fought tooth and nail to replace Jack Hart who left his seat for a high paying job at a law firm.
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