THE BOSTON City Council emerged from the shadows in 2009 with two at-large councilors mounting strong mayoral campaigns in the September preliminary and one – Michael Flaherty – rising to challenge Mayor Menino on Nov. 3. Often dismissed as statutorily week, the council appears to be gaining respect and clout, attracting a mostly impressive group of eight candidates vying for four at-large spots, including two open seats.
The two incumbents make strong claims to retain their seats. After 12 years in office, Stephen Murphy has acquired wide knowledge of the city budget and social issues affecting the quality of life in Boston. “I could teach a course to the other seven on municipal finance,’’ says Murphy. Modesty may not be a strong point of the hard-working councilor, but he has backed up his words with strong efforts to weed out abuse in the city’s disability pension system, rein in dangerous dogs, give ex-offenders better chances to find work, and pressure tax-exempt institutions – especially universities – to contribute more to city coffers.
First-term incumbent John Connolly has been a consistent voice for making the city more livable, with strong emphasis on preparing Boston’s schools and workplaces for a green economy. A former teacher, Connolly brims with good ideas about how to reduce truancy and improve the city’s schools. A rookie with a veteran’s eye for politics, Connolly has quickly become a significant citywide asset.
