Wu makes her case for four more years
In an address marking the unofficial kickoff of her campaign, Wu made her most pointed pitch to Boston voters Wednesday night for why they should give her another four years in office, rolling out a handful of new policies and projects aimed at making the city more affordable for residents while positioning herself as Boston's chief defender against a potentially hostile federal administration.
But first, the mayor took a victory lap. Wu pointed to a rash of new liquor licenses the city won state approval for last year, Boston's record-low crime rate, hard fought contracts for several of the city's unions and more. And like last year, she ran the numbers on the ways her administration has improved quality of life in the city: filling 15,000 potholes, planting more than 5,000 trees and repairing more than 30 miles of sidewalk and 60 miles of roadway.
Facing the tough realities of governing, Wu has tempered some of the progressive promises she made when she swept into office three years ago. She traded talk of rent control (an issue still stalled on Beacon Hill) for an announcement about a new co-purchasing pilot the city is rolling out today/ And she swapped the calls for a fare-free T for promises to get Boston Public Schools buses back on track. The miles of bike lanes installed across the city were left unmentioned.
But it wasn't all nuts-and-bolts action items. Wu turned the national message she delivered during her recent congressional testimony to a local audience, taking a more fiery tone at home as she warned federal officials not to mess with Boston.
'Tonight, I can say that the state of our city is strong. And we have to be,' Wu said from the stage at MGM Music Hall. 'Because all over the country, people are feeling the weight of a federal administration that's attacking our sources of strength — the same people and purpose that make Boston great: public servants and veterans; immigrants and the LGBTQ+ community; the institutions that conduct groundbreaking research and provide lifesaving care.'
GOOD THURSDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. GBH News and WBUR have more takeaways, or you can read or watch the full speech.
One difference this year? The steady stream of rebuttals flowing from Wu's chief opponent in the mayoral race, Josh Kraft.
Kraft took to X to critique the speech in live time, criticizing Wu's handling of schools,safety downtown, encampments at Mass & Cass and more.
TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey speaks at Revere Mayor Patrick Keefe's State of the City Address at 6:30 p.m. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll speaks at the at the North Shore Chamber's Business Expo at 8 a.m. in Peabody and leads a meeting of the STEM Advisory Council at 11 a.m. in Burlington. Attorney General Andrea Campbell speaks at a Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce forum at 9:30 a.m. in Boston. Rep. Lori Trahan tours Incompass Human Services at noon in Chelmsford. Rep. Ayanna Pressley
Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@politico.com.
DATELINE BEACON HILL
— 'Hundreds push for new bills, rally for immigrants' rights at State House,' by Sarah Betancourt, GBH News: 'Hundreds of people gathered in the State House to celebrate recent legislative gains, advocate for bills that could combat President Donald Trump's wave of executive orders and, most of all, welcome and celebrate immigrants in a state where immigrants make up about 20% of the workforce. Soon after the event, hundreds of advocates flocked to legislators' offices to promote bills they want to see become law.'
— 'Voc-tech admissions saga zigzags toward finish line,' by Michael Jonas, CommonWealth Beacon: 'A nearly decade-long debate over admission policies at the state's vocational high schools seems to be nearing a conclusion, but it's been a tortured path and there is plenty of discontent with the likely outcome on both sides. Whether that means state officials have struck the appropriate middle ground or ignored sound arguments that have been put forward depends on your point of view.'
— 'Leading Massachusetts: Politicians to watch in 2025,' by John L. Micek and Ryan Mancini, MassLive.
FROM THE HUB
— 'One year after pro-Palestinian protests, Emerson College faces enrollment drop,' by Kirk Carapezza, GBH News: 'When Meira Fiber-Munro chose to enroll at Emerson College in Boston in 2023, she was drawn to the school's celebrated journalism program and vibrant downtown campus. But after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel thousands of miles away from Boston, the response on campus gradually eroded her sense of safety and belonging. … Fiber-Munro transferred to the University of Oregon in Eugene. She wasn't alone — at least ten of her Jewish friends left Emerson, too. GBH News spoke to five of them, and each had similar stories of feeling ostracized or harassed because of their identity.'
— 'In last-minute maneuver, Boston's White Stadium opponents seek new 'legal theory' to block city's soccer project,' by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: 'With half their case already dismissed, a group of plaintiffs vying to stop the City of Boston's public-private plan to rehab White Stadium for a pro soccer team made a last-minute motion near the end of trial to try to enhance their legal claims. The late motion aims to provide a layer of insurance to the plaintiffs' remaining major claim, by way of a legal theory purportedly backed by state law that gives 10 taxpayers the ability, through the court, to block the type of project the city and Boston Unity Soccer Partners are pursuing with their plan to rebuild the stadium on public parkland.'
FROM THE DELEGATION
— ''We have questions': Mass. residents flood congressional Democrats' town halls, calling for action,' by Deborah Becker, WBUR: 'Hundreds of people angered by national politics are crowding town halls led by members of Massachusetts' all-Democratic congressional delegation. Many are venting frustrations with Democrats, accusing them of inaction as President Trump and his administration dismantle or threaten government services. While Republican members of Congress have been advised against holding constituent town halls after heated arguments, concerned residents have packed some Democrats' forums.'
FROM THE 413
— 'South Hadley Select Board reluctantly backs budget that members agree does not meet resident needs,' by Emilee Klein, Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'The Select Board is reluctantly supporting a $58 million budget that will be presented at annual Town Meeting this spring, with members acknowledging that the spending plan for next fiscal year does not meet the needs of residents.'
— 'ICE officers made an arrest in Pittsfield and visited a Lenox restaurant,' by Greg Sukiennik and Heather Bellow, The Berkshire Eagle: 'Officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement made their presence felt in the Berkshires on Wednesday, arresting a worker in Pittsfield and visiting a Lenox restaurant, apparently in search of another person.'
THE LOCAL ANGLE
— 'City hires expert to investigate police narcotics and internal affairs units,' by Anastasia E. Lennon, The New Bedford Light: 'The city has hired an internal affairs expert to investigate two troubled New Bedford Police Department divisions, but the mayor has not identified the expert nor when he was hired. The units that are under review include the Professional Standards Unit (internal affairs), which investigates police misconduct and recommends discipline, and the Organized Crime and Intelligence Bureau (OCIB), which handles narcotics cases.'
— '34 groups work to join Rockport MBTA 3A suit,' by Stephen Hagan, Gloucester Daily Times: 'The number of citizen groups attempting to join forces in a lawsuit to fight the state's MBTA Community Act, also known as the Section 3A housing law, is growing. A lawsuit, first filed by litigants in Rockport on Oct. 5, 2022, has seen 34 citizen groups attempt to join the legal action, according to Michael C. Walsh, an attorney with Lynnfield-based law firm Walsh & Walsh LLP who represents a number of plaintiffs in the legal actions.'
— 'Brockton's mayor isn't running again: What made this past year in office hard,' by Susannah Sudborough, MassLive: 'After five years as Brockton mayor and 14 years as a city councilor-at-large, Democrat Robert Sullivan has decided not to run for mayor again. His last year in office was an eventful one, and leaves Brockton with lingering issues that will need to be tackled by his successor.'
— 'Marlborough School Committee reopens its search for new superintendent,' by Norman Miller, The MetroWest Daily News: 'It's back to the drawing board for the Marlborough School Committee in its search for a new superintendent of schools. The School Committee voted unanimously during its March 11 meeting to not offer the job to either of the two finalists selected by a search committee, instead choosing to conduct a second search to find a replacement for the retiring Mary Murphy.'
HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Karlee Fain.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
White Stadium renovation cost won't be known until end of 2025, mayor says
The taxpayer cost of redeveloping the historic White Stadium in Franklin Park won't be known until the end of the year, Mayor Michelle Wu revealed this week. In an interview with WBUR on Tuesday, Wu did not provide a current estimate of the multi-million dollar project, but said the city had already put out bids for utilities. Bids for the stadium foundation will be issued in the fall, followed by bids for the construction of the stadium, she said. The project has met stiff opposition from Josh Kraft, who is running against Wu for mayor. A small but vocal group of residents also opposes the plan, some of whom sued the city in an attempt to stop the redevelopment. Though a judge dismissed the case in May, the group has since appealed. The city's portion of the project, which is separate from the cost borne by the new National Women's Soccer League team that will lease the stadium from Boston Public Schools, is expected to be over $100 million, well above the initial estimate of $50 million. Wu has previously said much of the increase is due to changes to the overall design of the new stadium in response to community feedback, but added Tuesday that the cost of construction materials such as steel had increased in part due to tariffs, according to the New York Times. 'There's always some level of cost escalation, unfortunately, in major construction projects,' Wu said. 'We end up putting out bids, and whatever the price in the market is at that moment is what the city pays.' Wu's administration signed a deal in December to redevelop the crumbling, nearly 80-year-old stadium in Franklin Park in partnership with the soccer team, Legacy Boston FC. The team would take on a majority of the construction costs and lease the stadium for 20 games and 20 practices annually, leaving the stadium open to the public schools for most of the year. The facility will be open to the public when not in use by the team or Boston Public Schools athletes. What Boston Legacy agreed to pay Boston Legacy will pay the city $400,000 per year, starting in the first year it is operational, with a prorated payment of $200,000 for the first year, according to the lease. They will also share 10% of advertising, 10% of naming rights and 3% of concessions revenue with the city and will cover ongoing maintenance costs, which the city has estimated at $2 million annually. Additionally, the soccer team will contribute $500,000 annually to a community fund to support local organizations and $1 from each ticket sold will go into a Franklin Park Preservation Fund. The park is the largest green space in the city. Wu has faced criticism over the price tag of the renovation. On Wednesday, Kraft, a philanthropist and former CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Boston, condemned the mayor's statements from the WBUR interview, claiming she was not being transparent. In June, Kraft claimed that his campaign had received information from within City Hall that the price tag had risen all the way to $172 million. Wu vehemently denied this, saying at the time that that number had come from an accounting exercise on worst-case scenarios, and had 'never been used as a real basis for conversations or costs.' 'From the get-go, Michelle Wu has tried to downplay the cost of this project,' Kraft said during a press conference near the stadium, according to his prepared remarks. 'With construction having already begun, with her proposed transportation plan increasingly being described as 'unworkable' and with state officials expressing greater and greater concerns about environmental impact, her lack of transparency is completely unacceptable.' In political advertisements, Kraft claims the White Stadium project is paid for with money that could be used to build new schools. Kraft would cancel the contract with Boston Legacy If elected, Kraft said he would 'immediately' cancel the contract with the women's pro soccer team, commission a study to determine the size of stadium and amenities necessary for Boston Public Schools student athletes and develop a new plan for the site 'at a fraction of the cost.' Kraft is the son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft. The family, through the Kraft Group, also owns the New England Revolution men's pro soccer team and seeks to build a new soccer stadium in Everett. The team currently plays at Gillette Stadium, home to the New England Patriots. Wu and others in Boston have expressed concerns over the Everett stadium proposal because of potential traffic issues in neighboring Charlestown. City officials are negotiating with the Kraft Group, who have so far offered $750,000 as mitigation costs. Earlier this month, city officials sent a letter to Kraft Group executive Brian Bilello, saying they want a mediator to help resolve parking and environmental issues, according to The Boston Globe. City officials want the Kraft Group to share a detailed list of the impacts of the new stadium, the Globe reported. In a statement Wednesday, a Wu campaign spokesperson accused Kraft of 'manufacturing controversy to distract from his glaring financial conflicts.' 'These fact-free political attacks will not derail a project that is already decades overdue,' the spokesperson said. 'The mayor believes Boston Public Schools students and the public deserve state-of-the-art facilities, and the city has been consistently clear that public bidding for the next phase of construction is weeks away. ... Boston needs a mayor who will always stand up for the public, not one hiding behind his own financial conflicts and who won't even disclose them to voters.' More about White Stadium Boston Mayor Wu slams Kraft over claims White Stadium cost secretly spiked Boston NAACP calls for pause on White Stadium renovation Boston's White Stadium legal battle continues as plaintiffs appeal judge's dismissal Read the original article on MassLive. Solve the daily Crossword
Axios
a day ago
- Axios
Bibb claps back at Trump admin over crime drop claims
Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb is pushing back on the Trump administration's effort to take credit for falling crime rates in major U.S. cities. Why it matters: Bibb's response is a natural follow-up to his 2025 State of the City address, at which he lamented forthcoming federal cuts to violence prevention. "Washington is not coming to save us," he said at the time. State of play: An X post this week from the Department of Homeland Security noted that homicides were down 17% across 30 cities during Trump's term compared to the first six months of 2024. "The rapid arrests and deportations of criminal illegal aliens are having real impact on public safety," the post reads. Reality check: In an opinion piece published Friday on MSNBC, Bibb wrote that violent crime is indeed dropping, "in city after city led by Democratic mayors." He attributed the trend to local leadership and community-based strategies. What they're saying: "The truth is that it's all happening in spite of Donald Trump, not because of him," he wrote. Democratic mayors "have stepped up to demonstrate what real leadership looks like... We are managing what we can control and doubling down on programs and strategies that work." Zoom in: Homicides are down 26% year over year in Cleveland, according to Bibb. The big picture: Bibb joined a chorus of Democratic mayors in a press call Thursday to tout their grassroots public safety efforts, while accusing Trump and congressional Republicans of slashing federal funding.
Boston Globe
2 days ago
- Boston Globe
Wu has boosted Boston neighborhoods. But downtown still struggles with post-COVID blues.
The impact of Wu's strategy can be felt on last year far surpassed 2019 levels, according to credit-card data tracked by the Boston Planning & Development Agency. To many small business owners in these thriving districts, City Hall's influence made a crucial difference during the pandemic and the rocky years that followed. Advertisement 'The city of Boston has provided me, provided our restaurant, with the help to stay open,' said Fernando Rosas, owner of Bono, a Latin American restaurant and caterer in East Boston. 'Without that help, I don't think we would be open.' Advertisement In January, city officials held a ribbon cutting at Jadu, a new cafe in Jamaica Plain that received a city storefront grant and was one of the first businesses to receive one of the new 225 liquor licenses the state created for Boston. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff But that same BPDA research also highlights the downsides of Wu's approach. small businesses that remain say they're struggling to survive. 'We are fighting for customers,' said Julie King, co-owner of Villa Mexico Cafe on Of course, much of this stark reversal of fortune is spurred by economic forces beyond any big city mayor's control. The post-COVID shift toward hybrid work has buildings near King's restaurant — have decamped from downtown entirely. That has created an emptier central business district. While foot traffic has improved since 2020, Related : Advertisement And it's not just downtown retailers that feel the impact. High vacancy rates are because commercial property tax, much of it from downtown, fuels a lion's share of the city's $4.8 billion budget. Indeed, the city's third ward, a slice of downtown that includes the Financial District, has a taxable real estate value of $43.7 billion, according to the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, while properties in Jamaica Plain and Roslindale together are valued at $6.6 billion. So when it comes to the city's budget, even small declines downtown can have big implications. Business leaders have criticized Wu for not using her bully pulpit — as some other big-city mayors have — to prod employers to bring workers back to the office. And even as the Fernando Rosas is the owner of Bono Restaurant and Catering in East Boston. Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff Still, Wu notes, major companies have continued to come to Boston, such as 'You can't have one without the other, especially today when office buildings don't exist on their own as magnets for activity,' Wu added. 'When we make every neighborhood a destination, when we make every neighborhood exciting and safe and activated, that also means that residents, people, employees are staying in Boston." Advertisement Mayoral challenger Josh Kraft hasn't released a plan for small business or for downtown, but has said he wants to make Boston more business-friendly in general and that Boston is hardly alone in the struggle to revive its downtown, cities from Washington to San Francisco are wrestling with similar trends. And shops and restaurants outside commercial cores of cities are flourishing everywhere, observed Jesse Baerkahn, president of Graffito SP, a Boston real estate advisory firm. 'People are shopping and dining less near where they work than where they live,' he said. 'From a community economic development to retail real estate ... there's really just one thing you need — which is human beings.' Yet at the same time Wu is trying to boost small businesses in residential neighborhoods, she is also trying to spur more people to live downtown. The city closed down Summer Street downtown for a "Boston Blooms" event to celebrate spring and a lull in the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2022. Lane Turner/Globe Staff In 2023, the city began offering 'It's just a question of how realistic is it to bring that idea to scale. Is there enough demand?' said Poftak. 'Can you do it quickly enough to make a difference?' Wu has also stepped up events that aim to to bring people downtown, from Advertisement Those have helped boost foot traffic at Boston Public Market, which houses about 30 vendors on Congress Street near City Hall Plaza. The market draws about 1.7 million visitors a year, said Boston Public Market CEO Cheryl Cronin, but that's still down 25 percent from before the pandemic. 'This is what everyone downtown needs to bear in mind,' Cronin said. 'You need to work harder to get the same people here.' The nonprofit market has weathered the downturn, Cronin said, thanks largely to state funding and philanthropy. But downtown business owners don't have that kind of safety net. General manager Elias Khoury at Pita Thyme in downtown Boston. David L Ryan/ Globe Staff Pita Thyme, Business has improved slightly year over year, Khoury said, but is still down 40 percent compared to before the pandemic. He doesn't think Wu can do much to convince more workers to return to office, but she could make the area safer and cleaner. Khoury points to how a nearby restaurant that shuttered months ago was broken into recently, and had to be boarded up. When he gets in at 6 a.m. to prep food, he often finds homeless people sleeping in stoops and stairwells. 'Let's say I own a company and I want to move into Boston, and I come and see that in the morning. It's just makes you think twice,' said Khoury. Advertisement A homeless person slept in the doorway at the shuttered 2Twenty2 bar on the corner of Liberty Square and Water Street. David L Ryan/ Globe Staff Yet in business districts that ring downtown, the optimism is palpable, despite broader headwinds such as inflation and tariffs. At Latino Beauty Salon in Egleston Square, owner Rosana Rivera said she's busier than ever. Her client base has doubled since she got a Rivera bought new furniture and invested in other upgrades that she believes attracted new customers. Noting that before the mayor got into politics, Wu had opened her own tea shop, Rivera said, 'She knows what it's like to have a business.' In Jamaica Plain, restaurants such as Tres Gatos, Casa Verde, and The Haven have expanded and seen their businesses grow since the pandemic. Meanwhile, new spots are opening, like coffee and wine bar Even Jason Waddleton, owner of the Scottish pub The Haven, plans to offer a gameday shuttle to the stadium in Franklin Park, just 1 mile away. 'I anticipate us being a hub for supporters,' said Waddleton. 'I want to get that same vibe pre-game that you see in European cities.' And up in East Boston, Rosas is hopeful, too. He first Business has been good, Rosas said, though on days there are immigration raids customers stay home. More than anything, he's bullish about the future of East Boston. 'I imagine East Boston in 10 years it's going to become the new, probably Back Bay,' said Rosas. 'You're closer to the city, you have a train. You still can find the same amenities in a condo here that you probably have in the Back Bay at a much lower price.' People played soccer at LoPresti Park in East Boston. Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff Shirley Leung is a Business columnist. She can be reached at
