2013 elections

Bill Walczak this week became the first mayoral candidate to oppose the East Boston casino. He details why:

As a person with a long career in public health, I know the social impacts associated with casinos. The consequences of adding a casino can be dire, especially for low-income and working class communities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the average salary for a Gaming Service Operation is $20,260 a year. These low-paying jobs will not sustain a vibrant community. A casino in East Boston will likely stifle the growth of the community and keep families from achieving middle class status. Beyond this, many studies prove that the economic impact of a casino is negative on a community. Casinos promoting local economies are an economic oxymoron — casinos extract money out of a local economy.

Rob Consalvo doesn't like banks that foreclose on properties and then leave them to moulder. He's proposing an ordinance under which banks that refuse to maintain their property would be billed by the city after it does the work, have a lien slapped on the property and then, if they don't pay the city within a year, the city would apply to take over the house, tear it down and sell it to a developer more willing to work with the city:

I don't care how big these banks are - if they own property in Boston - they will be good neighbors and maintain their property - or they'll find themselves foreclosed on and no longer doing business with the city.

Consalvo this morning in front of a house in the Ozarks, um, Hyde Park.

David Bernstein pans Charlotte Golar Richie's feckless fizzle of a speech" at her official campaign kickoff.

On the plus side, Golar Richie has her own Android app.

Unions gave Marty Walsh a lot of money last month, but Dan Conley still has the most money left for the next couple of months of campaigning.

Hey, JP! Nomination papers become available Aug. 5 for people who want to run for a seat on the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Council, which may or may not be an official government body, depending on what day of the week it is and whom you ask.

John Barros is calling for creation of neighborhood green task forces:

These broad stakeholder groups will identify key priorities, launch local initiatives, and review our performance to provide feedback and ideas on how we can accelerate progress.These neighborhood task forces will then come together and work with the Green Ribbon Commission to develop a city-wide plan that will keep Boston a beacon for the rest of the world.In this process, we must address our local vulnerabilities, as well as remedy the environmental disparities that still exist in low-income neighborhoods. No neighborhood can be left behind in Boston’s green future. As demonstrated in Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Katrina, the most resilient cities are the ones that have robust community leadership and social networks.

Marty Walsh wants to spend $1 billion over 10 years to renovate existing schools and build some new ones; says it's time to not only ensure quality schools in neighborhoods with growing populations of kids but to take advantage of a state school construction program:

The 10-year, $1 billion school construction initiative will be funded 70 to 75 percent by qualifying state reimbursement and 25 to 30 percent by construction bonds paid by creating efficiencies/reducing redundancies in City and School Department functions, charitable contributions, and income from property sales and rentals. Redirecting $20 million from the current City budget each year - roughly the amount contributed from the meals tax to the City's general fund – could provide the revenue for the City's contribution to the school building initiative without placing an additional burden on taxpayers.

A series of groups are sponsoring a mayoral forum on "pathways to education and employment for out-of-school youth and young adults" on Thursday. It starts at 5 p.m. at the Roxbury Community College Media Arts Center.

David Bernstein asks at-large Councilor Ayanna Pressley why she decided to run for re-election rather than for mayor.

Teamsters Local 25 is putting its broad shoulders behind Flaherty, Kelly, McCarthy, Pressley and Wu for at-large seats. It had previously endorsed Marty Walsh for mayor.

Finally, the return of the campaign song.

In less melodic news, Rob Consalvo throws his support behind rubber baby buggy bumpers, um, rubber sidewalks.

They're easier on tender hips and knees and help recycle tires, he says. And next time your kids are bouncing off the walls, just send them outside to bounce off the sidewalks instead.

Charlotte Golar Richie says she'll unveil her plan to make Boston a better place, at 7 p.m. on Wednesday at Hibernian Hall, 184 Dudley St., Roxbury.

The Jamaica Plain Gazette looks at the issue of non-profits and how much they pay the city in lieu of taxes, but doesn't once mention at-large Councilor Steve Murphy, who's been fighting for more PILOT money for years. Don't worry, Murph fans, the Herald today has him wagging his finger at Emerson College, which has been quietly buying up the Alley off Boylston Street in preparation for a major new dorm.

The Dorchester Reporter reminds us that Aug. 13 is the Democratic primary to pick a candidate to replace state Rep. Linda Dorcena Forry, who's now a state senator.

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.

My Office of Recovery Services will focus on navigating the system for addicts, enabling their use of the services critical to recovery. We'll work to identify additional detox beds for Bostonians ready to take that critical first step. We continue to work out particulars, but the Office of Recovery Services will provide a 24-hour referral line, and will advocate for more and better delivery of services.

Rob Consalvo says stolen phones can be tracked through their GPSes, so why not get gun manufacturers to embed GPS chips in their products? That's one of Consalvo's ideas for using technology to fight crime. Also on his list: Exapnd the ShotSpotter program, which uses microphones mounted in high-crime areas to detect gunfire, to more parts of the city, creating a voluntary registry of privately owned surveillance cameras, and controlling traffic lights to speed cruisers, fire trucks and ambulances to emergencies.

Charlotte Golar Richie holds a "youth summit" on Saturday to "discuss issues related to the criminal justice system and its impact on the city's youth," as well as unemployment and dropout and crime rates. 4-6 p.m. in the Roxbury YMCA Multipurpose Room, 285 Martin Luther King Blvd.

The Globe reports that unlike Walsh, who wants the School Committee to stop right this second with its work to find a new school superintendent, Bill Walczak wants the committee to at least be ready to hit the ground running when he becomes mayor.

MassPoliticsProfs compares Dan Conley's money with Walsh's large organization:

So we may soon have a lesson in the importance of money versus volunteer power in the mayoral election.

And the gloves come off in what had been a fairly genteel campaign. Rob Consalvo wants Democrats for Education Reform to back away from Boston. In a letter to the head of the Washington-based group, which is now pouring money and volunteers into an effort to get John Connolly elected, Consalvo writes:

We don't know where that money comes from, but we know it comes with one purpose: to further your agenda. ...

If you care about Boston, please understand that our city needs a mayor who will be beholden to the people, not outside groups like yours who care first and foremost about their own agenda.

Consalvo's complete letter is attached.

Meanwhile, CommonWealth ponders an effort by lunchpail union guy Marty Walsh to win over the earthy-crunchers of Jamaica Plain.

Seth McCoy interviews at-large Council candidates Annissa George, Ramon Soto and Althea Garrison:

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:

Watch the others.

The ads probably won't be enough to convince Chris Faraone to vote for Conley; not after Faraone writes today about Conley's troubling record of clearing cops who kill minorities.

In his role as chairman of the City Council's Committee on Public Safety, Mike Ross convenes a hearing on gun violence in Boston, Wednesday at 5 p.m. Hibernian Hall, 182-186 Dudley St.

Good news for people who have been wondering where Rob Consalvo's been campaigning - his Web site now has a Google map that pinpoints every single campaign appearance he's made. What? No stop at Sullivan's at Castle Island yet?

One-time mayoral candidate Mel King joins a protest over the lack of affordable housing in Chinatown at noon, Wednesday at 300 Harrison Ave.

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 Dorchester Reporter reports that mayoral candidates Dan Conley would continue Mayor Menino's fight against Wal-Mart in Boston. Consalvo and Bill Walczak said they'd be willing to consider letting the chain move in, but only if workers were allowed to unionize.

The Herald reports on Charlotte Golar Richie's efforts to round up black and women support as she tries to become Boston's first black and first female mayor (tsk, the Herald left out that she'd also be our first mayor from Brooklyn).

David Bernstein, though, analyzes past election numbers from black precincts and concludes simply being black won't be enough to get out the vote.

Speaking of Bernstein, he argues Larry Harmon in the Globe took a bit of a cheap shot at John Connolly for supporting Charles Yancey's eternal effort to get a Mattapan High School. Although it might not make sense in a year when the school department is reporting lots of empty seats at existing schools, Bernstein notes Connolly wasn't pandering because he's supported the proposal since 2009.

Martin Keogh, running for one of the four at-large council seats, reports he's been endorsed by Ironworkers Local 7, Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 and IBEW Local 2222.

Charlotte Golar Richie announced this morning Harvard Law professor Charles Ogletree has joined her campaign as a senior advisor:

She's an excellent candidate with deep roots in the community, rich experience in government and a vision for the city.

Larry Harmon reports City Councilor John Connolly, who's been positioning himself as the education candidate, voted for fellow hopeful Charles Yancey's perpetual campaign to build a high school in Mattapan - the same week school officials were acknowledging city high schools have too many seats (Memo to Yancey and Connolly: Roslindale doesn't have a high school, either).

Marty Walsh's campaign announced their man is not just a Dot rat - he's opened campaign offices across the city, including "HYDE PARK 614 Hyde Park Ave.," a location that's actually in Roslindale (so we may not have a high school, but at least we have a campaign office - two actually, since Connolly's citywide HQ is on Belgrade Avenue).

The Herald reports some mayoral hopefuls gave the media higher campaign-receipt numbers than they filed in their official reports with the state.