Walsh, Kelley, Janey
Wu, Pressley, Flaherty, Essaibi-George
Mike Kelley For City Council, District 2
Here's what you don't know about Mike Kelley. He has been active in community service and political activism his entire adult life.
At 18, Kelley had a job at Northwest Airlines (NWA), loading luggage. He was a member of the International Association of Machinists union. He had a sweet job, with sweet benefits.
Kelley had other plans. While still at NWA, he applied and was accepted to the Human Rights Campaign's (HRC) first Youth College for Campaign Training. HRC is the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization. HRC sent Kelley to work on President Bill Clinton's Whistle Stop Tour in Royal Oak Michigan. He returned to his job at NWA a changed man.
Kelley went on to serve as former Mayor Tom Menino's South End and Bay Village Neighborhood Coordinator and as the Liaison to the LGBT Community.
The District 2 seat has historically been held by a South Boston resident. James Kelly from 1984-2007, and Bill Linehan from 2007-2017. While the other candidate in the race, Ed Flynn, son of former Mayor Ray Flynn and, no surprise, a South Boston resident, is capable and reliable public servant, with a strong history of constituent services, the district also needs thoughtful and visionary representation.
That's why South End News endorses Mike Kelley for District 2 Boston City Council.
Mayor Walsh has more work to do
There is a lot that Mayor Martin J. Walsh has done right.
Boston has more housing units. Boston has become a city of "Yes", attracting General Electric, and inviting Amazon to bring their second headquarters to Boston. Boston Public Schools have a new superintendent, and more learning opportunities for students.
And City Hall finally has voicemail, a data-driven approach to constituent services, and a new website.
While Walsh deserves criticism for Boston's bid for the Olympics, andThe Grand Prix of Boston fiasco, these missteps are a symptom of his openness to new ideas and opportunities for the city.
Walsh's challenger, City Councillor Tito Jackson, has done an exceptional job articulating the areas where Walsh could do better. There has been a housing boom, but not in all neighborhoods. Crime and violence plague some parts of the city. Justice and equality for many of Boston's minority communities is not moving forward fast enough. (Last month, the Boston NAACP released a "report card" for Mayor Marty Walsh. There were no A grades, but five F grades.)
Walsh has earned your vote for another term, and the opportunity to better express his vision for the Boston Public Schools, increasing affordable housing, addressing crime, and advancing social justice issues.
South End News endorses Mayor Marty Walsh for a second term.
Kim Janey for Boston City Councillor, District 7
Kim Janey is a children's and education activist with a proven track record of advocacy in the community, and was born and raised in the district. She served on Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus, the Boston Ward 12 Democratic Committee and is a founder of the voting rights group MassVOTE, and served on the board of directors for 10 years. She is an active member of the Boston NAACP and serves on its education committee.
Janey will be a great addition to the council, working on issues important to the Boston Public School system, housing, public safety.
The South End News endorses Kim Janey for Boston City Councillor, District 7, which includes Roxbury and including parts of Dorchester, Fenway, Jamaica Plain, and the South End.
At-Large City Council
South End News endorses incumbents Michelle Wu, Ayanna Pressley, Michael Flaherty and Annissa Essaibi-George for re-election to the Boston City Council.