Isn’t competition grand?
The mayoral aspirations of Michael Flaherty and Sam Yoon have removed them from the race for at-large seats on the Boston City Council, but inspired more than a dozen others to jump into the fray. The city is better for that level of competition, and the talent pool contains several candidates who deserve a spot in the field of eight moving on after the Sept. 22 preliminary election, competing for four at-large seats.
Start with the two remaining incumbents, Stephen Murphy and John Connolly.
OK, so Murphy is no stranger to those out-of-left-field ideas that can occasionally drive us up the wall. Last month he wanted to ban plastic-foam coffee cups at city coffee shops. And his continuing efforts to penalize colleges and hospitals to balance the city’s books is misguided.
But Murphy remains a tough-talking advocate for taxpayers, doing his best to hold down property tax rates for beleaguered Hub homeowners. He also has a first-rate understanding of the public safety issues that this city faces.
Connolly, meanwhile, is a teacher turned lawyer finishing up his first term, and has demonstrated an ability to bear down and learn the ins and outs of the issues. He has prioritized education and the environment and brought a welcome focus on the city’s “livability.”
