Prior election cycles in Boston offer a possible preview of what’s to come in this year’s mayoral contest.
Michelle Wu
Posted inState Government
In Boston tax drama, Collins steps into the spotlight
A player who has avoided prime time finally stepped out into the open this week.
Posted inPolitics
Political Notebook: Golden Gate earthquake felt in Boston
When the fog in San Francisco lifted and the mayoral election tally rolled in, the outcome caught the attention of some people 3,000 miles away in Boston.
Posted inOpinion
Wu’s tax shift is no compromise
Boston’s double-digit office vacancy rates—driven in part by remote work—are among the highest in the nation and unlikely to decrease in the near future, curbing demand for office space and straining city revenues as companies opt for less space when leases expire. Rising construction materials costs and interest rates further cloud the outlook.
Posted inGovernment
Wu, business leaders reach compromise on property tax shift
Business leaders and analysts say the compromise is a short-term solution to a problem that isn’t going away.
Posted inState Government
Spilka hosts opposing camps on Wu’s property tax shift proposal
The meeting in Spilka’s office, which lasted about an hour, included Wu as well as her chief financial officer and assessing commissioner, and business community leaders, such as Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s Jim Rooney and the Boston Municipal Research Bureau’s Marty Walz, a former House lawmaker, who have said there could be alternative approaches to Wu’s proposal, such as budget belt-tightening.
Posted inPolitics
With session nearing end, Wu’s property tax shift bill on the move
The proposal cleared the Legislature’s Committee on Revenue a week after lawmakers raised questions about it at a hearing.
Posted inPolitics
Political Notebook: Wu-Kraft race looking more and more likely | Full-tilt toward artificial intelligence
The official word from Josh Kraft is that he’s not a candidate for mayor of Boston and has to plans or timeline for such an announcement, but some coffee shop chatter overheard this week suggests a run could be in his future.
Posted inPolitics
Mass. delegates explain why they’re backing Biden in new survey
While President Biden faces unprecedented calls from within his party to step down as the Democratic nominee, members of the Massachusetts delegation who are headed to the national convention in Chicago appear largely supportive of Biden staying at the top of the ticket, according to a new survey.
Posted inPolitics
Inside Wu fundraiser, 2025 is already underway
Michelle Wu has held off on a formal reelection launch, but the scene inside the Omni Parker House had the unmistakable vibes of a Boston mayor gearing up to defend her seat.
Posted inGovernment
Abolishing BPDA costing many employees their strong job protections
The loss of the job protections has received no public attention, but it has stirred anxiety among some of the affected employees, all of whom declined to comment for fear of alienating their new city bosses.
Posted inBy The Numbers
Wu gets high marks from voters in think tank’s survey
The survey, conducted for the group by national pollster John Della Volpe, asked about Wu’s job performance, among other topics. Fifty-seven percent of registered voters believe she is doing a good job, while 35 percent rate her negatively.
Posted inTransportation
Wu in talks with MBTA on city-funded commuter rail stop
Talks with the MBTA continued even as the O’Bryant plan fell apart. Appearing on WBUR and GBH Radio in the last week, Wu said there is a commitment from the T on the new station, though based on a statement from the MBTA, the agreement does not yet appear to be finalized.
Posted inTransportation
Wu plans to extend fare free bus pilot
The MBTA confirmed the agency is in discussions with the city on extending the pilot, but Wu’s spokeswoman declined to answer questions about the extension and how it would be funded. The city has been using $8 million in federal funds to pay for the first two years.
Posted inHousing
Boston puts housing tax incentives on ice
An analysis of potential housing subsidies submitted to the city on Wednesday said a policy eliminating or reducing taxes on new development was anything but a silver bullet, especially with interest rates and supply and labor shortages grinding housing production to a crawl.
Posted inGovernment
From potholes to housing policy, Wu talks priorities in 2d State of City
Inside Fenway’s MGM Music Hall, Mayor Michelle Wu gave her second address, taking a victory lap while gearing up for a reelection effort.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Short takes: A (different) public apology in Stuart case
Four years before Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s public apology over the city’s handling of the Stuart murder case, Suffolk DA Rachael Rollins offered a similar, if little noticed, mea culpa.
Posted inPolitics
Short takes: Wu, Kraft appearance creates some buzz
Rumors have swirled for months about who might challenge Michelle Wu in 2025, as she’s widely expected to run for reelection. Josh Kraft acknowledged in November he had been approached about running for mayor.
Posted inHousing
Unclear target for Boston’s housing goals
Mayor Michelle Wu and planning chief Arthur Jemison were leery about offering long-term housing production goals even as they referred to policies that would drive “a very large number” of units year over year.
Posted inPolitics
An unlikely love fest at Boston City Hall
Battles between Boston mayors and public safety unions historically can be compared to slugfests glimpsed through a backyard fence.
Posted inGovernment
Wu intrigued by universal basic income program
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu says she backs the concept of universal basic income. What she doesn’t want is another limited pilot like the ones that have spread across the country.
Posted inPolitics
Wu goes four for four in City Council races
Two years after her barrier-breaking victory, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu rallied behind four progressives looking for seats in the City Council. All four of her picks won in the low-turnout election, a feat without precedent in 40 years of Boston politics.
Posted inPolitics
Wu-aligned unions funnel cash into super PAC backing Boston council candidate
Four left-leaning unions closely aligned with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu are directing money to a newly formed outside super PAC that is backing Boston City Council candidate Henry Santana, a former Wu aide who is considered a top hopeful for one of the four at-large seats in the November 7 election.
Posted inEducation
Will bold plan for Boston high schools get traction this time?
YEAR AFTER YEAR, mayor after mayor, plans are hatched to transform Boston high schools – many of which have poor outcomes in subpar facilities – only to see them fade […]
