(Michael, true to form, responds in person in a timely manner with detailed comments below. First, in response to a comment by an esteemed BMGer:
I want to set the record straight and be very clear. This is about respect for public employees.
During my first 100 days in office I will settle and sign a contract with the Boston Fire Department. This contract will include mandatory random drug and alcohol testing and will give them no more than 14% over 5 years. I will get this done because I will negotiate in good faith and across the table, not through the press.
I am not interested in making this personal. That has too often been a problem in the past. I do not like and do not condone the elements of the firefighters' ad campaign that impugn the Mayor personally. There are legitimate differences to be debated, but there is never an excuse to get personal.
In my first 100 days I plan to bring real performance review to the City of Boston. The management decisions I make will not rest upon whom I like or dislike, or which unions support me and which ones do not. The management decisions I make will be based on data that is clear, timely, and conclusive.
I will root out fraud and pension abuse not only in the Fire Department, but also across all departments in the City of Boston.
Second, in a more general comment:
In the last several weeks, I have had the privilege to campaign alongside my former opponent Sam Yoon, and the two of us would like to thank Blue Mass Group for their endorsement of our campaign. As the opinion leaders of Boston, I have valued the open forum that Blue Mass Group provides for candidates and constituents in our city.
It's time. Years ago when I began my kitchen table conversations, I saw just how badly Boston needs a fresh perspective and new leadership. My campaign is gaining momentum, and with 8 days left the tide is turning. In order to achieve real progress in Boston, we cannot wait 4 more years or rely on yesterday's approach. 100 out of 143 schools in Boston are failing, and 24,000 children have dropped out of those schools. Over 1,000 people on our streets have been murdered, and Mayor Menino has had 16 years to solve these problems. In conjunction, the culture of his administration that has been exposed in the past weeks has clearly demonstrated his lack of leadership.
Your endorsement today adds to the many voices that have come together in the past months to bring new leadership to Boston. Together, we will transform city government and make Boston accountable to its residents once again. Thank you, and I hope that you will join me on November 3rd.
Michael Flaherty certainly can win the upcoming Boston Mayoral election, and we think he should. - promoted by The Editors)
Michael Flaherty is the best candidate for Mayor of Boston and deserves your vote for three essential reasons.
First, he has created an effective coalition for change in Boston by allying with running mate Sam Yoon. We applaud the deft political vision that created a Mayoral running mate in a system that has no such position, to the surprise of almost everyone. His responsive and well-run campaign has shown similar resourcefulness in its exploitation of virtually every communications media open to it, from advertising and the traditional news media to blogs, Facebook, and email. It is quite amazing, for example, that 26 percent of respondents to a recent Globe poll said they have met the relatively young Flaherty. As one runs, often so one serves and the Flaherty campaign bodes well for the City of Boston.
Second, he has outlined a variety of specific reforms that can have a significant beneficial impact on the Hub. The whitepaper-packed issues page on his website would do a Presidential candidate proud, and puts several of the current crop of Senate candidates to shame. From implementation of technological solutions like CitiStat that will increase accountability, to a pledge to take on the Boston Redevelopment Authority, to familiarity with the public schools as the parent of three children in them, Flaherty has defined an impressive, realistic, and specific program of reform.
Third, after 16 years in office Tom Menino should find another way to serve Boston. The cavalier -- criminal? -- disdain of his top aide for our public records laws is just the latest evidence of an administration that has come to believe the city serves it, rather than the other way around (CW Unbound summarizes EmailGate here). A quick trip to New York shows how many creative opportunities to improve both quality of life and economic performance Boston has missed. From streets turned into parks for the summer to tree planting programs to automatic plea bargaining for traffic tickets, our southern neighbor is abuzz with urban experiments while Boston is still trying to figure out the mechanics of urban management. What can one really say about a Mayor who has spent money to install a voicemail system at City Hall, but refuses to allow its use during working hours? |
